the baths at esalen

These are the baths at Esalen. Some folks have been asking for pictures to get the concept of it. So this bath house was built about 7 years ago when the original baths were swept away from a mud slide. The new bathhouse was built and the hillside secured to avoid further slides at a cost of $5 million. It is a stunning place, inviting ritual bathing, soaking, rest and rejuvenation. The esalen massages take place in this building as well.

This from the Esalen website: "Natural hot springs flow from the ground at 119 degrees at 80 gallons/minute. These same healing waters have been flowing for centuries providing respite for Esselen Indians and others."

On Thursday, American thanksgiving, there is an 11 mile race called The Turkey Trot up on the highway and we'll be providing massages to participants down at the baths from 9 -12. I'm really looking forward to having the chance to get my hands on people other than the other students.

Today we had a class on muscle introduction and your typical group checkin (1 and half hours my friends) you know the deal. It's good we only do them about once a week. :) This afternoon we are doing a full body massage trade putting to use some of the skills we've been learning.

The biggest difference in the Esalen approach has been to understand the intention required of the practictioner to really do an indepth heart centered personal focussed massage. There is no one set path or no way to do the massage, much is based on the intuitive awareness of the practitioner. It's really great to start to develope that capacity in myself.

Well i've just had an amazing lunch of salad from the gardens here...the beats are outstanding.

On our day off i took at trip into Carmel and went to the Mission there, see photos at the bottom of this page. We walked up to the church and we heard Handal's Messiah being sung. We walked into an afternoon concert of sing-along Messiah, which was so so so great. I almost started to cry at the familiarity and comfort that being in that Church gave me. Well i sang the Hallelujah chorus and it was lovely.

Hope all of you are well.

For unto us a child is born....