Esalen massage
The Esalen Massage was in the 1960s at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur in California developed. The name comes from the Esselen Indians who used to live in this region. The massage is based on the classic Swedish massage and has been supplemented by elements of various body therapies . In 1982 Currie Prescott, director of the European Institute of Esalen-Massage , said he brought this type of massage to Europe, where it developed further. The Esalen massage is also known as Massage California (California massage) , especially in France . Some Esalen students established their own technique called Art of Touch .
In 1961 the Esalen Institute opened in Big Sur , California . Charlotte Selver , a student of the German gymnastics teacher Elsa Gindler , had a major influence on the Esalen massage, as it was basically developed by the “masseur from Los Angeles” Bernard Gunther . In 1968, Molly Day offered Shackman the first public Esalen massage course.
The method
Esalen massage is also known as the "art of conscious touch". The Esalen massage is a full body massage. It consists of gently flowing strokes over the entire length of the body, passive joint movements and deep structural work on muscles and joints. Gentle, swaying movements, combined with energetic balancing of the body, always in harmony with the breath, are characteristic of the Esalen massage. In contrast to sports massage, there is no knocking and hardly any kneading. A treatment lasts around 90 minutes with a preliminary discussion. More oil is used than in a classic massage, but again less than in Lomi Lomi from Hawaii .
In the course of time, further elements from different directions of body work according to Milton Trager , Feldenkrais , cranio-sacral therapy , deep tissue work, Rolfing , Polarity and acupressure have been integrated. The respective practitioner should empathize with the person being treated. In this way, every Esalen massage practitioner develops his own massage style.
The aim of the Esalen massage is to increase the body awareness of every person, whether client or practitioner. The conscious touch should sharpen the sensory perception of the body and bring about a harmonious balance. According to the therapist, physical or energetic blockages of the clients can be released.
As with every massage, the skin and blood circulation as well as the metabolic and lymphatic systems are stimulated, the muscles and the nervous system relax. Tendons and ligaments are stretched across the muscles, and a feeling of relaxation spreads throughout the body.
Indications and contraindications
Esalen massage is suitable for people who suffer from chronic neck and back pain. It also helps relieve tension in muscles and joints, as well as headaches and migraines . Esalen massages are also said to improve blood circulation, reduce high blood pressure and help with sleep problems.
The massage must not be used with fever, acute infections, skin fungus and tumors (because of the stimulation of the lymphatic system).
literature
- Walter Truett Anderson: The Upstart Spring, Esalen and the Human Potential Movement: The first twenty years. iUniverse, 1983, ISBN 0-595-30735-3 .
- George Downing: The Massage Book. 25th Anniversary Edition. Random House, 1998, ISBN 0-679-77789-X .
- Bernard Gunther: Sense Relaxation. Collier Books, Toronto 1968, OCLC 368739 .
- Edith von Arps-Aubert: The working concept of Elsa Gindler (1885–1961) presented in the context of the gymnastics of the reform pedagogy. Dissertation . Publishing house Dr. Kovač, Hamburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-8300-5233-3 .
