Body and Soul at Los Cabos – Sensei at Zadún

Body & Soul

A Wellness Immersion in Los Cabos at Sensei at Zadún, Ritz-Carlton Reserve

By Leslie Andrea Westbrook

My cellphone died on the first day of my wellness retreat in Mexico.

I dropped it on the stone floor of the spa at Sensei at Zadún, Ritz-Carlton Reserve in San José del Cabo, and watched the screen slowly fade to black. At first, I was horrified. Then I realized it might be the best thing that could have happened.

With my laptop safely tucked away in the room safe, I was suddenly unplugged. No texts. No scrolling. No distractions. Instead, I listened to birdsong, watched the Pacific shimmer beyond the palms and became more attuned to the world around me—and, perhaps, to myself.

I had come to Sensei for five nights as part of its five-day Optimal Wellness program, hoping to get myself back on track after receiving a few health “warning signals.” My goals were straightforward: lose weight, improve my fitness and conditioning, and develop healthier habits I could maintain at home and while traveling.

But there was another goal I hadn’t fully articulated when I arrived: to find a way forward while still grieving the loss of my mother.

The journey began before I left home. A detailed questionnaire asked about my goals, favorite foods and preferred spa treatments, followed by a Whoop wristband sent a week ahead to track my sleep, heart rate and activity. Reservations Manager Eric and I reviewed a suggested itinerary over Zoom that included meditation, fitness sessions, spa treatments and meetings with three wellness guides.

I had previously experienced Sensei Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage and was eager to return to the Sensei philosophy, this time with my longtime friend Annie, whom I’ve known since high school. Although she did not sign up for the Wellness Program, there were plenty of daily fitness and mindfulness classes she could enjoy on her own, as well as a mindfulness meditation class we signed up to take together.

Our arrival at Los Cabos Airport was remarkably easy. A resort driver met us outside, carrying a miniature lantern modeled after one of the property’s distinctive architectural elements. Thirty minutes later, we were sipping mango drinks offered at check-in—with or without tequila or mezcal—while staff welcomed us before our 24-hour “on-call” butler, known as a Tosoani, whisked us by golf cart to our spacious ocean-view room.

Even dinner felt like an introduction to the Sensei experience. We ordered room service via WhatsApp and shared Caesar salad, elote (corn) and sustainably sourced local fish called totoaba, cooked in banana leaf and served over plantain purée with lemon-coconut sauce from Humo, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant.

But this wasn’t going to be a vacation built around eating and lounging. The next morning, my first wellness guide, Monserrat “Monse,” reviewed my program and recorded my height, weight and body composition. Brenda, my fitness guide, later tested my hand strength, balance and jumping ability before putting me through a treadmill test while wearing an oxygen mask. The results gave me a surprisingly useful snapshot of where I was—and where I needed to go.

The fitness work was balanced by some serious indulgence.

A 90-minute Calming Body Cocoon was pure heaven: gentle dry brushing, a warm candle massage, a cocoon wrap and a vigorous facial featuring cryoglobes—cooling tools that soothe inflammation and reduce puffiness around the eyes. The spa itself became a destination, with a tropical coed pool, surrounded by foliage and massage jets, along with private steam rooms, saunas and hot and cold plunge pools.

There was also plenty of good food, an important part of any wellness journey. At the casual, outdoor seaside Equis, overlooking the dramatic Pacific, we feasted on frielanad lobster rolls and local blue shrimp over rice, followed by watermelon, ginger and yuzu sorbet. S’mores arrived at the end of the meal, ready to be toasted over a firepit on the sand below.

And deliciousness isn’t confined to the property. Annie and I ventured into San José del Cabo one evening, strolling the town before heading to Flora Farms, the celebrated farm-to-table restaurant and market complex. In its lush garden setting, we shared homemade burrata with sweet cherry tomatoes and pasta while a live band entertained. My homemade virgin margarita, made with fresh farm juices, was memorable.

Between fitness sessions and spa treatments, there was time to simply be. I pulled a card from my Moon Card deck one morning, drawing the Crescent Moon: “Welcome new beginnings and the promise of growth. The initial steps are often the most important, setting the foundation for all that follows.”

It seemed almost too appropriate.

Then came the session I hadn’t expected.

My final wellness guide was Priscilla, a psychologist specializing in emotional and nervous-system regulation. I had assumed our one-on-one would help me find the mental discipline to stick with the fitness and dietary goals I’d established with my other guides.

Instead, when I mentioned that I was still struggling with grief over my mother’s death, Priscilla raised her hands and asked, “Which path do you want to explore—the one about your mother or the other one?”

I knew immediately which path I needed to take.

Until that moment, I had been treating my physical health and my grief as separate issues. Suddenly, I understood they weren’t. I couldn’t fully address one without acknowledging the other.

The session was enlightening and—in an unexpected way—“lightening.”

I left Sensei with more than a fitness plan. I left with a deeper understanding that caring for myself—body and soul—means giving myself the time and space to heal.

Yes, I need to lose more weight and improve my fitness and conditioning. But I also need to honor the fact that I am grieving the loss of my mother. Taking care of myself—body and soul—is not only what is best for me; it is also a way of honoring her memory.

Perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned that wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s about paying attention, accepting where I am and moving forward with intention.

All in all, I brought home a unique recipe from Mexico—one I now carry with me wherever life, both at home and on future travels, takes me.

(SIDEBAR INFO)

Getting there: Nonstop, 2.5-hour flights from LAX to Los Cabos on Alaska, American and United Airlines.

Sensei at Zadún, Ritz-Carlton Reserve: Wellness experiences range from the five-night minimum “Rest and Reset Program” to the three-night (min) “Discover Sensei Wellness Program”. Sensei at Zadún is incorporated within the luxury Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which I highly recommend, even if you do not partake in a Sensei wellness experience. Most rooms, suites and villas have their own private pools or plunges. The architecture and accommodations are stunning and the staff is exceptional. You will be properly pampered.

https://www.senseiatzadun.com/ | 808-862-2307

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