Discover Ripristinare
"Ripristinare" (ree-pree-stee-NAH-ray)
Italian verb that means "to restore" or "to reinstate."
The act of bringing something back to its original state or condition
Ripristinare Retreat is a private restorative sanctuary nestled in the countryside between Ithaca and Watkins Glen, New York.
Intentionally designed and led by Christina M. Lower, this space is devoted to the art and science of embodied restoration — where precision, presence, and depth take precedence over volume.
​
With more than two decades in holistic practice, Christina returns to a refined, deeply attentive way of working with the body — through fascia release, nervous system awareness, and the subtle patterns that shape how we hold ourselves.
Each experience is curated in real time, guided by skilled touch and the understanding that meaningful restoration begins beneath the surface.
​
Ripristinare is not an escape.
It is a return — to coherence, clarity, and embodied integrity.
Ripristinare Philosophy
Ripristinare is inspired by a simple understanding: the body does not need to be forced into change — it needs to feel safe enough to reorganize.
​
Embodied Restorative Orientation (ERO)
is a practice of noticing how the body organizes itself
through breath, facial expression, and sensation
allowing the nervous system to regulate naturally.
Most of us are moving through the day holding something.
A slight tightening in the jaw.
A quiet effort behind the eyes.
Breath that never quite finishes.
It becomes normal.
Familiar.
Until we slow down enough to notice.
ERO begins there.
Not with fixing.
Not with forcing change.
​
Just with noticing what is already happening in the body — and what begins to shift when it is met with a little more space.
Experiences
Laser Hair Removal
A precise, light-based treatment designed to achieve long-term hair reduction by targeting the follicle at its source. Over a series of sessions, this service significantly reduces hair density and regrowth, resulting in smoother skin and lasting refinement. When performed during the fall and winter months—when sun exposure is minimal—results are optimized while maintaining skin integrity.
Virtual Sessions
More than advice—this is a relationship.
Virtual guidance that teaches you to truly know your skin, care for your body, and nourish your lifestyle with intention.
Together, we explore personalized nutrition, mindful routines, and holistic self-care practices—so you can respond with precision, confidence, and ease. Every session is designed to be intuitive, calming, and deeply supportive, helping you understand your skin as never before while connecting your inner vitality to outer radiance.
Waxing
With over 22 years of mastery, I bring precision, skill, and intuition to every wax. Self-taught and refined through decades of experience, my technique is gentle yet meticulous—ensuring smooth, even results with minimal discomfort. Each session blends elevated care, expert technique, and attention to the body’s unique needs.
The Retreats at Ripristinare
A place to go, without leaving.
A fully immersive, private retreat designed to restore the body, regulate the nervous system, and create lasting change through depth, time, and care.
​
​
Within this extended experience, facial somatics and therapeutic bodywork are woven together as one continuous, intuitive process. There are no segments or set sequences—only a guided unfolding shaped by what your body reveals in real time.
​
​
As the body softens, patterns begin to release, breath deepens, and the nervous system settles into a more natural state of coherence. This is where restoration moves beyond surface relaxation and into meaningful, lasting shift.
​
​
For those who wish to deepen the experience, the retreat may be extended into a private overnight stay—where a prepared environment, nourishment, and quiet surroundings allow the body to rest, absorb, and integrate without interruption.
Meet Christina
Founder of Ripristinare Retreat and creator of Embodied Restorative Orientation (ERO)
​
For more than twenty-five years, Christina Lower has worked with the face and body as interconnected living systems — observing how tension patterns, breath, expression, and emotion shape the tissues over time.
​
Through thousands of therapeutic sessions, this curiosity evolved into Embodied Restorative Orientation (ERO), the framework that now guides every treatment and teaching within Ripristinare.
​
Christina’s work blends facial somatics, fascia-focused bodywork, nervous system science, and botanical ritual to help guests soften tension, restore circulation, and reconnect with the intelligence of their own bodies.
​
Ripristinare itself was built alongside her husband, Eric, whose steady support and craftsmanship helped bring the retreat to life.
Her guiding principle:
Curiosity dissolves judgment.
