Fundamentals of Esalen® Massage

Fundamentals of Esalen® Massage is a five-day healing workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, offering an introduction to Esalen massage at its place of origin. It is led by Deborah Anne Medow and Jessica Fagan, and it welcomes everyone from people encountering bodywork for the first time to professionals looking for fresh perspectives.

The workshop introduces the foundational concepts and flow of the Esalen approach, known for long, flowing strokes and gentle stretches, with an emphasis on working with the body rather than on it.

What to Expect

Teaching combines experiential exercises, lecture-demonstrations, guided hands-on practice, and personal reflection. Participants work with the elements found in meaningful massage experiences: breath awareness, mindful centering, body mechanics, quality of touch, rapport, and integration. Instructors offer at-the-table guidance, and there is time for group discussion and for sharing your own experience. Music, charts, massage tables, and exercises designed to awaken the senses support the learning.

The week begins on Monday with a "How to Drop Into Esalen" orientation in the early evening, followed by the opening workshop session at 7:15 pm. Tuesday through Thursday each have a morning session from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and an afternoon session from 3:15 pm to 6:30 pm. The themes move from bodywork foundations to touch and presence, and then to integration and practice, with an optional evening session on Thursday. Friday closes with a final session from 9:30 am to noon, followed by an afternoon departure.

Twenty-six hours of continuing education are provided by the faculty through Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association Teachers.

About Deborah Anne Medow

For nearly six decades, Deborah Anne Medow has devoted her life to exploring touch, movement, awareness, and presence. A longtime Esalen workshop leader and legacy Esalen® Massage teacher, she brings intuition, deep listening, warmth, curiosity, and lively humor to her teaching, both nationally and internationally.

About Jessica Fagan

Jessica Fagan, MA, AMFT, is an Expressive Arts associate marriage and family therapist who has practiced and taught bodywork and movement since 1994. She joined the Esalen® massage staff in 1997, where she was deeply influenced by the innovative forms of somatic and healing arts.

The Setting

Esalen Institute sits on the Big Sur coast. The hot springs and the natural beauty of the grounds form part of the learning environment, and participants have access to the springs, gardens, and campus facilities throughout the stay.

Guests can register for the workshop with a stay on-site or off-site, or attend with an individual day pass. Lodging on-site ranges from a shared sleeping bag space and bunk beds to standard private rooms, premium rooms with ocean or forest views, wooden yurts, and the Price House Suite, the former residence of Esalen co-founder Dick Price. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided, along with coffee, tea, and snacks.

Highway 1 access to northern Big Sur has been managed through twice-daily Caltrans convoys, at 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. These are the only times to travel into and out of Big Sur, so check current conditions and plan your travel around them.

Before You Go

No prior experience is needed. All levels are welcome.

Workshop tuition, lodging (for on-site stays), meals, hot springs access, and the open class schedule are included. Healing arts sessions such as Esalen massage, specialty coffee, tea, or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. A scholarship application is available for those who need it.