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The practitioner
brings a knowledge of strokes (many have roots in Swedish Massage), of
muscles and bones, of movement, of listening to the body as well as the
words. Prior to the session, he/she pays attention to his own physical
comfort, and quiets down internal chatter to welcome inner guidance, or
intuition. As he massages, the practitioner responds to the signs of
relaxation: deepened breath, enhanced circulation, a sigh, perhaps
flutters of the eyelids. Each session is unique, tailored by personal
requests, comfort level, physical tension and release, the felt sense of
intuition.
The effects of this
intentional touch, loosely categorized as "wellness/stress
management massage", range widely. For some, it brings a renewed
sense of health and vigor, others may regain a sense of safety with
regard to touch. Often old tension patterns break free and old emotions
are released. It signals a return to one's nature, a switch from
everyday consciousness into a calmer, more colorful space less inhabited
by the constraints of time and place. An out-of-ordinary reality.
The sources of this
rich work are endless: it was informed by sensory awareness, Swedish
massage, oriental medicine, meditation, gestalt practice. The influence
of, deeper work borrowed for Ida Rolf's teachings, Moshe Feldenkrais'
sense of neural co-ordinates, Milton Trager's passive movement to awaken
the mind, yoga stretches, somatic mind-body psychology, and more
energetically based polarity massage and cranial-sacral work continue to
"grow" the work. Each practitioner translates this into
his/her personal art form.
At the heart of the
session is a sense of empowering each individual to regain a sense of
harmony, reverence, and balance, and to awaken inner resources for
healing. It is not unusual to hear, "That was the most amazing
massage I've ever received."
Esalen
Institute
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