| Esalen Massage and Bodywork was first | | | | was informed by sensory awareness, Swedish |
| developed over 40 years ago, in Big | | | | massage, oriental medicine, meditation, |
| Sur,California at the Esalen Institute. | | | | gestalt practice. |
| | | | |
| The sound of the waves provides a soothing | | | | The influence of, deeper work borrowed for |
| background for any massage session at Esalen | | | | Ida Rolf's teachings, Moshe Feldenkrais' |
| Institute, Big Sur, California. This sound, | | | | sense of neural co-ordinates, Milton Trager's |
| coupled with the cliffside natural hot | | | | passive movement to awaken the mind, yoga |
| springs and the educational community | | | | stretches, somatic mind-body psychology, and |
| dedicated to explore the "far reaches of | | | | more energetically based polarity massage and |
| human potentiality", inspires a unique | | | | cranial-sacral work continue to "grow" the |
| approach to bodywork known worldwide as | | | | work. Each practitioner translates this into |
| Esalen® Massage. | | | | his/her personal art form. |
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| The Esalen Institute was founded in 1962 as | | | | At the heart of the session is a sense of |
| an alternative educational center devoted to | | | | empowering each individual to regain a sense |
| the exploration of what Aldous Huxley called | | | | of harmony, reverence, and balance, and to |
| the "human potential," the world of | | | | awaken inner resources for healing. It is not |
| unrealized human capacities that lies beyond | | | | unusual to hear, "That was the most amazing |
| the imagination. Esalen soon became known for | | | | massage I've ever received." Brita Ostrom, |
| its blend of East/ West philosophies, its | | | | Esalen Massage Crew, Esalen Institute, Big |
| experiential/ didactic workshops, the steady | | | | Sur, CA According to practitioners, the |
| influx of philosophers, psychologists, | | | | Esalen Massage "experience" consists of |
| artists, and religious thinkers, and its | | | | Traditional massage, which works on the |
| breathtaking grounds blessed with natural hot | | | | muscle and circulation systems. |
| springs. Once home to a Native American tribe | | | | |
| known as the Essalen, Esalen is situated on | | | | The bodywork approach developed by Charlotte |
| 27 acres of spectacular Big Sur coastline | | | | Selver, which emphasizes the deeply relaxing |
| with the Santa Lucia Mountains rising sharply | | | | and emotional responses of the body when a |
| behind. | | | | conscious, structured and pleasant touch is |
| | | | applied. |
| Esalen Massage Defined The receiver rests on | | | | |
| the massage table, draped, and the | | | | Gentle rocking of the body Passive joint |
| practitioner's hands begin quietly, with | | | | exercises Deep structural work on the muscles |
| presence, attending to breath, allowing the | | | | and joints Energetic balancing of the body |
| receiver to drop inward. The long, slow, t'ai | | | | Over the years, Esalen massage has |
| chi-like strokes awaken awareness, and as the | | | | incorporated elements of other therapies: |
| tissues open to the warm of touch, the | | | | Classical Massage Cranio Sacral Therapy |
| contact deepens, nudging bound-up muscles, | | | | Polarity Chakra und Qi Energy Balancing |
| drawing forth expanded movement. | | | | Trager Movement and Stretching Therapy |
| | | | Trigger Point Release Rolfing Deep Tissue |
| A relaxing sigh resounds through the body, | | | | Acupressure Feldenkrais All Esalen Massage |
| and the practitioner responds with | | | | practitioners develop their own unique Esalen |
| integration strokes into related areas. | | | | Massage style in accordance with their |
| | | | background, experience, feelings and special |
| The massage continues, seamlessly, wrapping | | | | capabilities. The Esalen philosophy |
| the torso arms, legs, hands, feet, neck, and | | | | encourages practitioners to combine a wide |
| spirit into a united whole. | | | | range of methods to suit the clients’ |
| | | | needs, as well as the massager's |
| The practitioner brings a knowledge of | | | | “intuitional feelings†in that |
| strokes (many have roots in Swedish Massage), | | | | moment of time. |
| of muscles and bones, of movement, of | | | | |
| listening to the body as well as the words. | | | | Benefits Esalen massagers claim benefits |
| Prior to the session, he/she pays attention | | | | similar to other forms of massage: |
| to his own physical comfort, and quiets down | | | | Stimulating the skin and blood circulation |
| internal chatter to welcome inner guidance, | | | | Relaxing the muscles and nervous system |
| or intuition. As he massages, the | | | | Stimulating the metabolism and lymphatic |
| practitioner responds to the signs of | | | | system Stretching tendons and ligaments |
| relaxation: deepened breath, enhanced | | | | Esalen massage also claims "conscious touch" |
| circulation, a sigh, perhaps flutters of the | | | | has additional benefits: Increasing the |
| eyelids. Each session is unique, tailored by | | | | perception of each person’s body, both |
| personal requests, comfort level, physical | | | | the clients' or the practitioners' Allowing |
| tension and release, the felt sense of | | | | both the client and practitioner to more |
| intuition. | | | | fully experience themselves with a heightened |
| | | | sense of awareness Curative Measures Esalen |
| The effects of this intentional touch, | | | | Massage also claims to help various ailments: |
| loosely categorized as "wellness/stress | | | | Chronic neck and back pain Tension in the |
| management massage", range widely. For some, | | | | muscles and joints Headaches or migraines |
| it brings a renewed sense of health and | | | | Poor circulation High blood pressure Sleeping |
| vigor, others may regain a sense of safety | | | | difficulties In 1982, Currie Prescott, senior |
| with regard to touch. Often old tension | | | | massage teacher and director of THE CENTER/ |
| patterns break free and old emotions are | | | | European Institute of Esalen Massage, |
| released. It signals a return to one's | | | | introduced the massage style to Europe, where |
| nature, a switch from everyday consciousness | | | | it has developed further in its scope and |
| into a calmer, more colorful space less | | | | depth. Since Esalen Massage encourages |
| inhabited by the constraints of time and | | | | practitioners to use their intuition to guide |
| place. An out-of-ordinary reality. | | | | them in the massage, Esalen is known as the |
| | | | art of "conscious touch." |
| The sources of this rich work are endless: it | | | | |