Outside of Esalen Institute’s setting, this means giving clients an option of being fully clothed, wearing undergarments or going nude. When massage therapists are trained at Esalen, they are instructed to proceed very gently and introduce people to massage in the most non-threatening way possible. Because massage recipients traditionally soak in the hot springs prior to their EM appointment, this setting supports nudity as a natural state.ĭuring the course of the massage, the EM client is draped with a sheet or towel. While clients have the option of shedding their clothing during an EM session at Esalen Institute, this decision is made by the client only if he or she is completely comfortable with nudity. Taking our clothes off lies a few steps short of authentic liberation.” Nudity in EM In her essay she explains, “Our need to hide, all of the time, behind a variety of decorative devices and professional excuses and whatever status we’ve managed to fluff up around ourselves, our need to avoid one another at all costs, is what makes us less free. ![]() You see life.”Īuthor of the essay Fig Leaf in the Wind, Sharon Thom describes Esalen’s acceptance of nudity as an acknowledgment of personal freedom. You see the youthful bodies, the old men and women. What I saw was an acceptance of all kinds of body types, which was a very different experience: it was evolutionary. When released from that, they were just other organisms. It was the clothing that made for differences. The amazing thing is that once people take off their clothes, there is more commonality. It was at Esalen, through the baths and through the massage, that I saw my body as natural. ![]() Although Esalen’s clothing optional policy has long been challenged, most guests go nude at the hot springs and ardently defend their right to do so.Īccording to playwright and Esalen regular Lynne Kaufman, “I’ve been at the baths naked for a period over 25 years. When visiting Esalen Institute, some guests may notice that there are clothing optional areas. Remembering that everybody loves and wants to be touched.Understanding that massage goes beyond the physical self.A little unpredictability to ease away holding patterns.Bringing the whole body weight into the movement.Making small circular movements around joints to encourage release.Creating a unified and whole massage defined by long, lengthening strokes.Gentle rocking to help the body let go of rigidity.Waiting and listening to the client’s breath before making initial contact.Grounding yourself before giving a massage. ![]() Ten key aspects of the Esalen technique for practitioners include: Taught and trademarked by the Esalen Institute, EM aims to tune the mind and body together to create a sense of serenity and peace. However, EM goes beyond the physical result of bodywork by focusing on energy exchange and psychological well-being. About Esalen MassageĮsalen Massage (EM) is known for its healing and nurturing touch it combines long strokes, gentle rocking and stretching, sculpting of deep musculature and the precision of acupressure. Dramatically situated on Big Sur’s cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Esalen Institute is a premiere incubator for mind-body-spirit techniques and has consistently remained at the forefront of new developments and discoveries in the fields of psychology and bodywork. Historical luminaries like Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Joan Baez and countless others have gathered at Esalen to develop revolutionary ideas, transformative practices and innovative art forms.Įsalen Institute, renowned for its healing natural hot springs, has long been recognized as a world leader in alternative and experiential education. About Esalen InstituteĮsalen is a non-profit organization that has been devoted to the exploration of human potential since the 1960s. Although the clothing optional custom at Esalen Institute is believed to enhance participating individuals’ personal experiences, bringing this routine into the outside world of bodywork poses a great ethical challenge. While many valuable aspects of Esalen massage have been studied and incorporated into bodywork practices across the nation, one native element remains controversial – nudity. ![]() A variation on conventional Swedish massage, Esalen Institute has trained bodyworkers in their unique, psycho-spiritual massage approach for several decades.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |