Nora Matten
Esalen®Massage
View of the Big Sur Coast from the deck at Esalen Institute
Women receiving a massage, practitioner has one hand on her heart the other below her neck
Women receiving a massage in the side lying position with practitioners hands on her back.
View of the Big Sur Coast from the deck at Esalen Institute
“How
Did the rose
Ever open its heart
And give to this world
All its
Beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light
Against its Being.
Otherwise,
We all remain
Too
Frightened”
― Hafez
Why Choose Esalen Massage?
In today's world there are so many modalities and practices to choose from why choose Esalen Massage?
Esalen® Massage is a holistic approach to bodywork in which the whole person is considered, contacted and worked with. Esalen Massage is best known for its long flowing strokes and quality of touch and contact. It integrates many techniques, including soft rocking, passive movement and joint mobilization, stretching and deeper work on specific parts of the body. It encourages a greater awareness of one's body, stimulates the skin, circulatory and lymphatic systems and relaxes the muscular and nervous systems. It invites a fuller sense of fluidity, spaciousness and vitality.
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During a session we work with long, flowing strokes over the entire body, creating a sense of wholeness and deep connection to one's body. It is as if the practitioner sees the body as a canvas: the beginning strokes prime the canvas and give the client a sense of their whole body, then slowly filling in the colors by giving attention to specific areas, exploring the range of motion of joints and the density and malleability of tissue, to then return our attention back to the whole. The receiver learns to sense and experience his body as a whole while also becoming intimately familiar with its parts.
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The Esalen Massage practice allows each practitioner to integrate the tools and practices they brings to the table and allows for a creative responds to the clients needs in the moment. In this way each session becomes unique and tailored to what is needed in the moment. I believe that when touch is connected to our sensing and feeling nature and responds to what is here in the present moment, massage moves beyond technique into the art of healing.
Many times I have heard clients say:".... this was the best massage I have ever had"
About my Sessions
If I haven't had the pleasure of working with you let me tell you a little bit about my practice.
In my Esalen Massage sessions I integrate a variety of modalities including deep tissue, Thai massage, cranio-sacral and energy work.
My intention is to meet you where you are in the moment and to invite change through awareness
Whether you are experiencing aches and pains and are looking for a focused session to help release tension and discomfort, or simply want to connect more deeply with your body and enjoy a more nurturing, less focused session I am happy to work with you.
Our work together will begin with a brief check-in which gives me the opportunity to learn about you and anything I may need to be aware off in your body and and it gives you the opportunity to arrive in the space and ask any questions you may have.
Once on the table I will first make contact through the sheet, before moving on to contact with the skin. During the session I will work from the general to the specific back to the general, applying deeper work where needed and pausing at times to allow for integration.
At the end of the session I will drape you whole body, wipe your feet with a warm cloth and give you some time to integrate before the end of the session.
Sessions by Appointment
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Fairfax
Mon, Fri, Sat
75 min. $195 . 90 min $230 . 120min $305
Sliding scale available upon request
at time of booking
Esalen®Massage History
Esalen massage was developed at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA in the mid 60's. It grew out of the exploration of the human potential movement, and was influenced by the developing Gestalt Therapy at Esalen as well as some of the worlds great masters of bodywork:
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Charlotte Silver - Sensory Awareness
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Ida Rolf - Structural Integration
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Moshe Feldenkrais - Feldenkrais Method
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Milton Traeger
to name just a few. With the hot springs and massage rooms located right at the edge of the ocean, Esalen Massage was also very influenced by the sound and rhythm of the ocean.