Spa Beliefs

In this assignment I will discussing what history tells us about spiritual beliefs, rituals and health claims surrounding water treatments. I will also be discussing how this has influenced the modern concept of Spa’s and how their beliefs have changed throughout the years.

The word Spa comes from Latin and is the acronym of "salus per aquam” which means health through water. The Spa word became famous throughout Europe starting in a small village in Belgium.

In Islam water is seen as a blessing and a mercy from God. Muslims use pure water to purify before each of the five daily prayers. It is also necessary for the Muslims to be pure before the Friday prayer and before touching the holy Quran. Pure water is also considered holy and is also used in Baptism where a person is tipped in water by a priest to cleanse their inner soul. Pouring water all over an individual is also done in all the sects of Christianity. The Catholics also have faith in the holy water that is sacred by a priest and everything that is touched by this blessed water is pure.

In the 18th century bathing in pure water was also used as an important networking tool by the Roman Empire. The Roman soldiers used mineral rich spring water to treat wounds and aching muscles after

Spa pool is filled with air which is passed though small openings in the bath which forces it into the water, the thermal and automatic stimulation causes increased blood and lymphatic flow which raises the body temperature and causes the pulse to rise and enlarge. Hydro baths is a bath fitted with water jets which massage the soft tissues of the body. It helps with blood circulation, relives tired and sore muscles and has been found to be beneficial for Arthritis sufferers. Water penetrates deep down into the body removing dry dead skin cells; a hose is often added for manual