Water’s ability to heal is the central theme that runs through explanations of how the word ‘spa’ originated – reflecting water’s importance not only in ancient centres of healing but also in early European spa culture.

Asclepius, a Greek physician who, in the first century BC identified water – along with diets, exercise and massage – as central to combating disease, made such an impact with his holistic approach that he was elevated to a godly status.

The most familiar aspect of the symbolic use of water in the Western world is that of baptism, from the Greek word ‘baptein’, which means ‘to bathe or dip’. This Christian ritual of sprinkling of fully immersing a baby or adult in holy water, which symbolizes acceptance into the church, is a metaphor for protection, purification and rebirth. The roots of baptism are ancient, with druids said to have initiated devotees by sprinkling water on their heads. Jewish cleansing rituals are also thought to have influenced baptism. This symbolism of cleansing and purification is also shared by many other cultures. Hindu devotees, for example, make it a point to bathe in India’s River Ganges at least once in their lifetime.

‘Taking the waters’, or drinking or bathing in sources of water for therapeutic or medical purposes, was a fashionable social pastime in the 18th and 19th centuries. Father Sebastian Kneipp, a 19th century Bavarian priest, prescribed hot and cold baths, compresses and footbaths – along with other natural cures such as exercise, herbal therapy, nutrition, fresh air, sunlight and rest – to treat a range of complaints. Kneipp’s healing legacy continues in the German kur (cure) system where balneotherapy – bathing for therapeutic purposes – is part of mainstream medicine, paid for by national healthcare if it is prescribed by a doctor.

In many parts of Europe, the term ‘spa’ still retains its strong historical associations, and many restrict the definition to establishments that focus on hydrotherapy: that is, the therapeutic use of water. In the English-speaking parts of Europe and other parts of the world, however, the term is understood to encompass a wider approach to health and wellness, rest and relaxation that aims to treat the body, mind and spirit.

Centres of healing and bathing built over natural springs, once closed, have now been restored and redeveloped – such as Thermae Bath Spa in Bath, England where five historic buildings have been restored, and the facilities now include indoor and outdoor thermal bathing, and a rooftop pool. The historical significance of such revived sites adds a new dimension to present-day bathing in these springs.

Our affinity to water is said to be reflected in our bodies, which, like the planet, is composed of about three-quarters of liquid. Floating in water recalls the comfort and safety of being back in our mother’s womb. Even being next to a mineral spring or the sea is refreshing and relaxing.

Water’s therapeutic use, hydrotherapy (from the Greek word ‘hydro’, which means ‘water’), is based on centuries of observation that have more recently been backed by science. Water’s temperature, pressure and state – solid, liquid or steam – are manipulated through a repertoire of hydrotherapeutic methods from baths to jets, to elicit various responses from your body to enhance its functions. A treatment which is subsidised by the government in certain European countries, hydrotherapy has few side effects, and is prescribed by practitioners ranging from naturopaths to physiotherapists. Water is an ideal vehicle for transporting mineral salts and other additives from oils to muds to help remineralise your body. Moreover, its buoyant properties – it gives support, and aids flexibility and movement – make it particularly useful in rehabilitation work in aquatic exercise and bodywork.

In a spa setting, drinking mineral water and seawater may be prescribed as part of the regime of ‘taking the waters’. Water may also be administered internally in the form of enemas or colonic irrigation. Water’s ready availability means we can enjoy many methods employed in spas in our own homes – from having a quick cold stimulating shower in the morning, or unwinding with a soothing warm bath after work, to relieving swollen and congested areas with an ice pack.

Flotation

Two hours of floating effortlessly in water of body temperature with your eyes and ears deprived of light and sound is said to be equivalent to eight hours of deep sleep. It is difficult to believe that confinement in a flotation tank (also known as a sensory deprivation tank) was once used as a form of torture.

The tank is traditionally a bed to room-sized capsule filled with 25 to 31centimetres (10 to 12 inches) of water saturated with Epsom or Dead Sea salts to keep your body afloat. With the tank’s lid closed, you will float in virtual darkness and silence except for the sound of your own breath. Soothing music may be played.

The warm buoyancy of the water encourages relaxation, eases aches and pains, and leaves you with a feeling of wellbeing – but the flotation tank is not recommended if you are claustrophobic or afraid of the dark, or suffer from diabetes, epilepsy, schizophrenia, or heart, kidney or skin disorders.

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