Esalen Massage®

This style of massage grew out of the work of Charolette Selver who taught sensory awareness, and many of the awareness practices being explored at the Esalen Institute in the 1960′s through today.  Esalen Massage is known for the long flowing strokes, it’s slow pace, the way the practitioner moves and rocks the the body to create a feeling of full body relaxation.  Over the past 50 years many founders of  bodyworker modalities; Ida Rolf, Milton Trager, Moshe Feldenkrais, have taught or lived at the Esalen Institute and the best of their philosophies and techniques of working with the body are a culmination of  what we call Esalen Massage.  Esalen massage is an approach or way with in which we approach the body as a whole, and seeks to create an environment for each individual to relax into a deep healing, and nurturing space.  It is a beautiful dance; a relationship that leaves the giver feeling as good as the receiver.

When receiving an Esalen Massage you can expect to receive long flowing strokes that travel from the top of your body all the way down, and back up again.  The pressure will vary as your body relaxes and opens to the touch, but will always be full handed and very contactful.  The practitioner will move slowly, listening to your bodies response to the touch, always responding by adjusting pressure and speed.  Once your muscles begin to warm up and relax, the practitioner will begin to use deeper techniques to move into those deeper muscles of the bodies, and help to bring your awareness to holding patterns.  A variety of techniques may be used from rocking, passive joint movement, stretching, deep tissue, accupressure, cranialsacral therapy, or energy work.  The intention of the practitioner is to continue to invite and coax the body into a deeper state of relaxation, more breath, and more awareness.

You can learn more about the Esalen Institute and Esalen Massage on their website: www.esalen.org.