Touch is our forgotten language. In this introductory massage course, participants will learn to listen to each other, gain the sensory skill of initiating touch, experience the felt sense of touch and muscle release, and close with a balanced tenderness. Seasoned instructors will offer exercises, demonstrations, and at-the-table guidance during supervised practice. The simple principles of Esalen massage — presence, connection, attending rather than fixing, self-care, receptivity, and slow-paced strokes encompassing the body — will build a heartfelt experience with our partners, our friends, and, perhaps most significantly, ourselves.

By the final session, 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 its healing effect as their pace slows and the mind becomes focused on compassionate contact over technique.

Touch can evoke an opening to spirit — our innate ability to move into healthy balance or a broader sense of nature surrounding us. The awe-inspiring wildness of Esalen’s grounds, canyons, hot springs, and mountain backdrop invites this deeper natural connection.

View the continuing education syllabus.

10 hours of CE credit for Massage Therapists.

Recommended reading: Connecting Through Touch by Peggy Horan