Esalen
massage is everything that a typical Dallas massage is not.
Esalen is warm and nurturing rather than clinical. It is
calm, still, and seldom vigorous. Esalen is always gentle,
never painful. Esalen massage seeks to soothe the spirit
while relaxing the body.
Esalen massage is not so much a technique as an attitude.
The emphasis is on the quality of touch, clarity of focus,
and approaching the human body with warmth, reverence,
empathy, and respect. There is less professional distance
between the client and therapist: no starched uniforms,
minimal draping, and even the terms “client” and “therapist”
have been replaced by “Giver” and “Receiver.” At Esalen, the
therapist does not perform a massage on a client; the Giver
and Receiver work together to to harmonize body, mind, and
spirit with long, slow, relaxing, full body strokes.
Swedish massage
reduces pain and increases mobility in specific muscles
and joints. So does Esalen, but the emphasis is on treating
the body as a whole rather than concentrating on one body
part at a time. Esalen's long, slow, full body strokes might
go from toes to shoulder and back down to the feet again, or
randomly move the focus from feet to lower back to
shoulders. The result is that the receiver feels integrated
and whole.
My
first exposure to
massage was early grass-roots
Esalen in 1979, as taught by
David Linton, from Philadelphia's
Stroking Community.
I learned this style long before massage required licensing in
Texas, and I've loved this gentle, relaxing style ever since. More recently, I took refresher
courses in the Esalen style here in Texas and at
the Esalen Institute at Big Sur, CA.
(My last trip to Esalen was June of 2010, and you can
read more about Esalen in my BLOG.)
One
of the myths about Esalen massage is that it must be done in the
nude,
without a
drape. Undraped massage was the norm at Esalen in the '60s,
but now towel draping is the tradition. It is true that Esalen's long full body strokes are
better with minimal draping (a towel or less), but
with a little effort it can also be done with a full drape. If
you would like to try this gentle, nurturing style, let's
discuss draping options.
My style is
eclectic; I use whatever modality is appropriate each client, but there is always a little Esalen in my massage. In fact,
Esalen is what puts the "Tranquility" in Tranquility Time.
Deep Tissue Massage
and
Trigger
Point Massage mix quite well with Esalen philosophy and
techniques.
So
when you're in the mood for something a little different,
something sensuous and relaxing but aimed at quelling the
ache in your sore muscles, ask for Esalen massage. Call
214-395-8000.
You know you deserve it.
So
when you're in the mood for something a little different,
something sensuous and relaxing but aimed at quelling the
ache in your sore muscles, ask for Esalen massage. Call
214-395-8000.
You know you deserve it.
