Eight ancient healing traditions that soothe the body, ease the mind, and feed the senses

JAPAN
The Japanese have sought healing in their volcanic hot springs, or onsen, for thousands of years.
What to expect: Contemplation of Zen gardens followed by meshi, furo, neru—a long soak, a meditative dinner, and then bedtime.
What it does:: Nine types of onsen water are recognized as having proven medical benefits. A high concentration of sulfur is believed to help rheumatism; alkaline waters treat arthritis.
Where to find it:: In the shadow of Mount Yufu-dake, Ryokan Kamenoi Besso has 15 traditional Japanese houses and 6 Western-style rooms set amid the trees and springs (81-977-84-3166; onsen-academy.ne.jp/~gakkai/en; cabins, $335 per person, including meals).

HAWAII
Early Hawaiians believed that disease resulted from spiritual disharmony. Practitioners of the healing tradition lomilomi use prayer and massage to rebalance energy.
What to expect: A prayer by the practitioner to diagnose energy blockages, followed by a massage.
What it does:: Lomilomi is believed to improve circulation, balance the mind and emotions, and promote healing and the elimination of waste.
Where to find it:: The Big Island's Fairmont Orchid offers lomilomi treatments based on traditional methods. The resort is set among five mountains held sacred in Hawaii (800-441-1414; fairmont.com; doubles, $450-$919; 50-minute lomilomi massage, $159-$179).

MEXICO
Mayan medicine treatments attempt to balance the body's ch'ulel, or "life force."
What to expect: Sasil-tun, a hot jade-stone massage, and zumpul-che, a sweat bath in a sacred cave.
What it does:: The jade and heat are believed to balance energy and boost kidney function.
Where to find it:: Hacienda Chichen Resort, next to Chichén Itzá, has a holistic center staffed almost entirely by local Mayans (52-999-920-8407; haciendachichen.com; doubles, $120).

JORDAN
At more than 1,000 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea has been a healing retreat since the times of King David.
What to expect: A mud pack and sulfur-spring soak followed by a float in the salt- and mineral-rich waters.
What it does:: The concentrated oxygen in the air here has been shown to ease asthma and other lung diseases. The mineral content of the mud increases blood circulation and relieves swelling and stiffness caused by arthritis.
Where to find it:: Glitzy resorts line the shore in both Jordan and Israel. For plenty of peace, quiet, and pristine nature, try Jordan's Mujib Chalets.

FRANCE
Euripides noted the curative powers of seawater in the fifth century b.c., but the French ran with the idea in the 1900s, building centres de thalassothérapie along the Normandy coast. Today, tha- lassotherapy is de rigueur at most of Europe's hottest sun spots.
What to expect: A seaweed wrap followed by a neck-high soak in heated ocean water while being pummeled by hydromassage.
What it does:: The combination of mineral-rich algae, salt air, and seawater is said to relieve eczema, psoriasis, back pain, respiratory illnesses, arthritis, injuries, and stress.
Where to find it:: Brittany's Thermes Marins de Saint-Malo has been the spa of choice since the nineteenth century (33-2-99-40-75-00; thalassotherapie.com; doubles, $330, including thalassotherapy treatment). Corsica's Ajaccio Bay is the stunning backdrop for the state-of-the-art Sofitel Thalassa Porticcio (33-4-95-29-40-40; sofitel.com; doubles, $460-$900).