Class Notes Day 17 [PART 2] - Thu 2/22 - Watching FIVE Masterful Esalen Practitioners Simultaneously Give Full Length Massages

This morning, both of our teachers as well as three of the teaching assistants simultaneously gave full-length massages to five of the staff while we watched. It lasted about an hour and a half. We were able to walk around the room and watch one or the other, or several at once, or take in the entire space of the five massages as well as the students watching. The room was silent and remained that way until the last one was finished. 

Usually, we have a break at 1:30. It was nearly 12:30 when the five demos were finished. I was so overwhelmed with thoughts and information and wanted time to digest what all I'd just witnessed so asked if we could move the break up one hour and have our longer session as our third session of the day, instead of second. The group agreed, so I'm back at my keyboard as my way to review and integrate what I just experienced. 

Most of these notes are reminders to myself to incorporate the various things into my own work. There wasn't a lot that was new to me, but much that has fallen by the wayside in my practice that I'd like to revive now. 

Practice notes:

Misc

Body mechanics - use weight, lean, rather than push and use power.

Put a flat sheet on the table over the bottom sheet to use as a moveable bottom sheet.

Consider getting some thin, flat, top sheets for palpation and grip during open/close of sessions. Use light sarongs at Esalen for palpation, grip, and draping (esp during hip mobilization).

Every stroke needs to be mindful and have a purpose.

Use a generous amount of oil. Maybe a rubdown with a dry towel afterward.

Use lotion or cream on feet/hands, oil on the rest of the body. 

I have a hydraulic table. I should adjust the height more during the massages as I work to accomodate different movements.

Pause sometimes while retaining contact with client. 

Pause sometimes after an exit, before resuming contact.

More movement of client on table.

Encourage oohs and ahhs and deep breaths (and "ouches") - feedback to me plus release for them plus improves breathing/oxygenating tissue.

Stop for self-care: water, shake out hands, etc.

Using a loose bottom sheet allows me to easily place and move bolsters and pillows under legs/feet. Also provides a sheet between me and client's body part when draping over my thigh, etc.

Get eye covers and use them. Very lightweight (silky), washable, about 6" - 8" width. If 8", it would be a nice breast drape, too. As well as under suboccipital ridge for head movement. Probably 42" long.  

Get a greater variety of pillows and supports and keep them in a more convenient place.

Starting

Greater distribution of oil at the start - touch client with the side or back of my hand while cupping oil in my palms. Also, generously apply oil to my own forearms and hands.

Add more work through top sheet.

Head/face

Do more hair pulling.

Include head/face in long strokes

I will get oil in client's hair, so need to discuss ahead of time.

Rocking

Rock the body by gripping spine/paraspinals from side of table.

Rock with compressions.

Compressions

Rest "non-working" weight-bearing hand ON client to give additional compression.

Rock with compressions.

Hand, arm

Snake under the arm (and under the leg).

Address hands and feet while client is prone - detail work while supine.

Although hands and feet can be completely addressed with client prone, I'm much more comfortable doing full work with client supine. 

Still do more on hands and feet with client prone. Don't ignore them because they are awkward. 

Shoulder

Grasp the entire scapula and move it around.

Move the scapula a lot. 

Back

Use forearm almost parallel to spine to work on erectors. Compression against erectors, roll cross-fiber, also.

Use knuckles against the erectors and lean on them with the other hand.

I prefer lumbar twist with lower leg straight, not both up in fetal position. It gives me a greater low back lengthening/opening. Try: start on side of leg being moved, do as I usually do, keep knee up as I move to other side of table, then do the next step... 

Supine - pull contralateral leg over and up, then step between the legs resting their upper hamstring on my abdomen. Work on hip, back, ribs.

With lumbar twist, do compression against ipsalateral ribs or anterior shoulder. Pressure should be both lateral as well as superior when doing so. 

Supine client - hang lower leg off side of table after doing crossbody lumbar stretch and returning thigh to original resting place. 

Torso

Be more comfortable working on females when working on sternum, pec attachments, upper lateral ribs.

Place client in cruciform position - get a 2nd adjustable stool w/arms slightly less than 90 degrees and palms supine.

Work on pec with arm extended overhead supine. 

Supine client, from side of table, place my upper knee on the table, lay their elbow over my knee, allows more open access to pecs, subscap, tricep.

While working on abdomen, place other hand under lumbar area. 

Hip

Supine - more hip rotation and frog position work.

I am not comfortable giving or receiving supine resting frog position - possibly okay with a pillow on top.

Leg, foot

Snake under the arm (and under the leg).

Address hands and feet while client is prone - detail work while supine.

Although hands and feet can be completely addressed with client prone, I'm much more comfortable doing full work with client supine. 

Still do more on hands and feet with client prone. Don't ignore them because they are awkward. 

Calf work supine with client's foot on the table and knee bent. Work quads. Then push foot up to client's buttocks, grasp over client's knee with intertwined hands, lean back to open low back and hip. 

Do ankle rotations when I work on feet. 

Work on feet from different direction - supine: sit on side of table, facing foot of table. Place calf on my thigh. Work on foot. Able to do compressions on retinaculum and plantarflex easily.

Finish

TEACH ME: how to turn client onto their side from supine to finish session. - Can I do that on a table over fitted sheet? Not as slick a surface as in class. 

I need to have a clear closure to my sessions. Possibly a gentle chime?

Random thoughts/notes:

Some of the therapists worked in a much more subtle way with less movement, smaller movements, slower, more waiting on tissue. Others were much more three-dimensional and larger in their movements. All is Esalen massage. As many variations as there are practitioners. 

They did not abide by all the "rules" - didn't complete long strokes, started working on abs directly without moving into them from another part of the body, didn't return to the nearest large joint after disconnecting, etc. 

Glad to see them sweating while they work. It's not just us "working too hard" and not relaxing into our work. 

I'm flabbergasted that some of the students chose to nap or use their phones rather than watch these five masters at work. By the end of the last massage, half of my classmates were completely inattentive, most of them were asleep. The rest of us were watching with great interest, taking notes, pointing things out to one another quietly. 

Three people were doing video and stills. Ellen said that a video will be produced using all those images and shared with all of us. That will be a treasure to watch over and over!