About Esalen Massage
Two schools of massage arose in proximity to
the seashore, Lomi-Lomi in Hawaii and Esalen on the central coast of
California.
Both schools teach a
flowing style of massage that embodies the power of the ocean.
I studied Lomi-Lomi on
Maui in the summer of 2003 and
completed a 500-hour certificate at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California
that December. I have practiced extensively in health spas and clubs
in Northern California and currently live and practice Esalen Massage in the
Napa Valley, in St. Helena.
While the exact setting of Esalen -- fifty feet
above the Pacific, amid the famous hot springs -- cannot be reproduced in an
office or home, the basic principles can be employed anywhere.
Esalen massage is physical education
with a spiritual dimension, a learning process for the mind and body
together: noticing,
relaxing,
meditating, opening; connecting the head and heel, waist and neck, shoulder and
hip. A variety of strokes –
long,
short, deep, smooth -- informs the fascia and muscles, explores the underlying
structure and sets the whole body in motion. Some lifting and moving of limbs –
a pull here, a stretch
there, a twist -- shifts the mind and body out of familiar patterns and opens
new possibilities for movement, ways to feel the waves within.
I have practiced Hatha
Yoga, Kripalu-style, for over thirty years and trained in Aikido for five. I am now focusing more on Vinyasa Yoga,
which is often known as flow yoga.
I also studied movement and dance with Anna Halprin, Gabrielle Roth and
Vin Marti. The attention to
breath, balance, poise, centering and partnering in these activities deeply
informs my massage practice.
I call my
bodywork practice the ministry of healing touch, as I am an ordained minister
in the United Church of Christ. I like to work 75-minute sessions for a
donation of $125.
I
divide my time between the Napa Valley CA and Washington DC.
Follow the link below for more about
Esalen and my listing as an Esalen practitioner. Under 'Learn More' on the Esalen home page, choose 'Esalen Massage
and Bodywork.' I am listed in the International Directory in St. Helena, CA and Washington, DC.