Touch is our forgotten language. In this introductory massage course, we will learn to listen to each other, gain sensory skills to initiate and sustain touch, experience the felt sense of relaxation and release, and close with a balanced tenderness. Seasoned instructors will offer exercises, demonstrations, and at-the-table guidance during the supervised practice. The simple principles of Esalen massage — connection, presence (not fixing), self-care, receptivity, and slow-paced strokes encompassing the body — will build a heartfelt experience with our partner or friend, and perhaps most significantly, ourselves.

By the final sessions, participants will share the basics of a classical Esalen® massage. Experienced practitioners and caregivers will find it refreshing to apply the Esalen method and notice the healing effects that arise when the pace slows and the mind becomes focused on compassionate contact rather than technique.

Touch can evoke an opening to spirit, either our innate ability to move into healthful balance or a broader sense of our surroundings. The edgy wildness of Esalen’s grounds, canyons, hot springs, and mountain backdrop invites this deeper natural connection. The group will include an optional evening massage ritual in the baths, the birthplace of Esalen Massage.