Two hours can seem like a lifetime when you have an overflowing inbox, the phone is ringing off the hook and the to-do list is running to eight pages. But when you are promised a holistic short cut to reverse years of living badly, the temptation is too strong to resist. Getting rid of all the toxins accumulated through months of junk food, alcohol, pollution and little sleep? Lead on!

That’s what has me walking into The Spa at Mumbai’s Four Seasons Hotel, which promises to return you to the world rejuvenated in mind, body and spirit with the two-hour Body Marine Algae Ritual, which combines the centuries-old Kyu Nye massage with an Ila marine algae scrub and body wrap.

The therapy begins with a Kyu Nye massage, which is of Tibetan origin and dates back to almost 5,000 years. Soso, my therapist, explains that the word “Kyu” means to apply oil, while “Nye” means to apply pressure with a variety of movements on specific points of the body that correspond to different problem areas. There’s no pummeling, just rhythmical silky touches that are perfect for spa-goers who are not too fond of the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Then come hot poultices, whose potent benefits work their way deep into the muscles and invigorate the chakras. I am floating blissfully half an hour into the treatment, all thoughts of urban chaos having faded deep into the background.

There’s no pummeling, just rhythmical silky touches that are perfect for spa-goers who are not too fond of the “no pain, no gain” philosophy

Oiled and heated, the body is ready for the blissful Himalayan salt crystal scrub, which comes from rock deposits that are hundreds of millions of years old. Its high mineral content, I am told, not only detoxifies the body and banishes dead skin cells but also boost the energy field and immune system while dispelling the aura of negativity that leads to your feeling run down and drained of energy. Since that sounds like a good description of my overall state, I lie back and let Soso do her work.

A quick shower later (there is an en suite bathroom so there is no traipsing up and down the corridors), it’s time to be cocooned in an organic Marine Algae Gel Wrap. Accompanied by lymphatic drainage and marma therapy, it results in increased vitality and well-being, detoxification, improved circulation, reduction of cellulite and greatly improved skin tone. While I am cozily cocooned from neck to foot, Soso goes to work on my face, using a special blend of active sea ingredients that act as a natural face-lift by plumping the skin, purifying, cleansing and reducing puffiness. What makes these treatments so effective is that sea minerals are isotonic, which means they are a perfect fit with the chemical makeup of the body, so they are absorbed easily and effectively. And that’s not all – all products are artisanal and hand blended in accompaniment to energy and balance-imbuing chants that enhance their efficacy. In keeping with the philosophy of Ila Spa, there are no synthetic chemicals and all the ingredients are directly sourced from local producers who work in harmony with nature.

What makes these treatments so effective is that sea minerals are isotonic, which means they are a perfect fit with the chemical makeup of the body, so they are absorbed easily and effectively

Two hours later, I emerge from the cocoon to the soft chimes of a Tibetan Singing Bowl (which delivers healing energies), feeling lighter and ready to take on the world. What else could a girl want?