A visit to the Lexington Salt Cave, located inside Centered Holistic Health in Lexington’s Warehouse District, feels a bit like an escape from planet Earth. This 300-square-foot cave, constructed with seven tons of pink Himalayan salt, has a magical otherworldly quality that calms the mind and body – and may also contribute to better overall health.
Halotherapy, or salt therapy, is an ancient practice stretching back to 12th century Eastern Europe, when people commonly visited salt caves for therapeutic reasons. Modern halotherapy was born in the 1800s when a Polish physician noticed that salt miners had fewer respiratory problems and were healthier than the general population. Breathing the salt air – which is purported to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties – seemed to protect the miners from infection and allergens, and before long the salt mines became a destination for those seeking healing for various lung problems.
“The salt particles are microscopic and when breathed deeply into the lungs, trap bacteria, microbes, pollen, dirt, smoke, pet dander and allergens,” explained Lara Levine, owner of the Lexington Salt Cave, adding that she sees benefits for people with allergies, asthma, bronchitis, COPD and emphysema, as well as colds and other respiratory infections.
“Salt also encourages cellular regeneration and traps contaminants and helps cleanse the skin and heal the dermal layer. Many people with eczema and psoriasis see reduced symptoms with regular salt sessions,” Levine continued.
But the reason most people come to the Salt Cave, Levine said, is for relaxation and relief from anxiety and fatigue.
“The salt cave lets the body calm from within,” she explained.
The salt cave features options to relax in zero-gravity chairs or directly on the ground. Halotherapy is purported to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties; in addition to the salt lining the floor and walls, microscopic particles are circulated through the air in the room. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Levine, who also works in the marketing department of a Thoroughbred racing publication, opened the salt cave in April 2021 after a life-changing yoga retreat.
“I went on a yoga retreat in Mexico, and while there, something changed for me,” said Levine. “It felt like, at that moment, I needed to start taking steps to do something different with my life.”
Levine began her transition by signing up for yoga teacher training.
“I started thinking about teaching yoga and realized I didn’t want to open a yoga studio because Lexington is blessed with so many great ones,” Levine continued. “I added in meditation and other things I’d never done before and was amazed at how much better I felt. I wanted to teach, but I also wanted to provide the benefits of natural wellness practices.”
In her quest to combine yoga with other healing practices, Levine circled back to an experience she’d had nearly 15 years before.
“I was in Asheville [on a girls’ trip], and on our last day we stumbled upon the Asheville Salt Cave and were intrigued. After the session we were amazed at how peaceful, relaxed and refreshed we felt,” Levine explained. “Since that experience, I think I have been wanting to find a similar space.”
In a stroke of good fortune, Levine met Lauren Higdon, owner of Centered, who was intrigued by her plans.
“I talked to Lauren, then saw the space and fell in love instantly,” she said. “I walked in and was like, ‘I’m home.’”
Getting the cave set up wasn’t completely smooth sailing, though.
“The cave was going to be in the back, but when we started measuring and looking at ductwork and electrical, it was apparent that it wasn’t going to work there. We were both set back a little and gave up on it for a few weeks,” Levine said.
She continued, “I found another space…but I still had this tugging, and then the day before I was going to sign the lease, Lauren showed me a picture she had drawn on a napkin with another idea for where we could put the cave. And that kicked it all off again.”
The cave was installed by a female-owned business based in Vermont. Softly lit by salt lamps, the cave glows with a muted peach light. With a ceiling that mimics the night sky, complete with moon and stars, and ocean sounds playing quietly, the cave eases tension and promotes tranquility. Visitors can recline in one of the cave’s zero-gravity chairs or lay directly on the salt floor.
Kept at a temperature of 68-70 degrees, the cave is an active salt room, using a halogenerator to circulate 99.9% pure pharmaceutical-grade sodium chloride throughout the cave during each session.
The base of the business is halotherapy. Individual sessions can be booked six days a week, with a limit of four people in attendance at a standard 45-minute session. The cave can also be reserved for private parties of up to 10.
Levine also offers other events and experiences in the salt cave, including yoga, Reiki, sound healing, guided meditations and more.
Sharing a space with Centered has allowed for some exciting collaborations. Visitors can book a massage in the salt cave or purchase the “Salt & Sauna” package, which includes a visit to Centered’s infrared sauna followed by a rejuvenating halotherapy session.
Another service Levine offers is the Ionic Detox Foot Bath, a warm saltwater soak based on ancient Chinese medicine that promoted the foot bath as a way to detoxify the body. Levine also stocks several related products, including salt lamps, salt diffusers, salt blocks for cooking, bath products infused with salt and even jewelry made from pink Himalayan salt.
Levine plans to bring even more collaborations to the Lexington Salt Cave and continue growing its events and services.
“Because of my association with the horse industry, I would love to explore the application of salt therapy with horses. There is already early research showing the benefits of halotherapy for animals, including equine athletes,” Levine said.
When asked about the feedback she has received, Levine said visitors describe the salt cave as “womblike” and “like being in another world.”
“People always say it’s magical,” Levine commented. “That’s my favorite, because I also think it’s magical.”
A longtime marketing executive for a Thoroughbred publication, Levine is also a certified yoga teacher and leads weekly yoga classes in the salt cave. Photo by Emily Giancarlo