Esalen Massage
by Steve Purcell
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DVD details
Actor: Esalen Institute Massage staffDirector: Steve Purcell
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Spanish (Unknown); German (Unknown)
Format: NTSC
Running Time: 85 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-25
Studio: At Peace Video
DVD Reviews of Esalen Massage
DVD Review: Depends on your expectations
Summary: 3 Stars
I feel somewhat disappointed of the DVD because it fell sort of my expectations. As a keen Lomi Lomi connoisseur, when I saw the trailer of Esalen, I was immediately thrilled by the concept of "the quality of touch". I enjoy integrating new techniques in my routines as I easily get bored doing the same thing all over a couple of times a day every day. The production of the Esalen DVD looked great, the setting totally fit the spirit they talked about in the trailer. I was hooked.
One thing I was right about: there isn't a better place to shoot a massage video, than Big Sur. The setting is very beautiful and relaxing and chosen with taste. In the first several minutes we are introduced the essence of Esalen massage and some general fundamentals. We are told that what sets it apart from other styles of massage is the attitude and the gentle care we put in our work. What I did not expect to learn is that it's totally free-style.
The way they decide to make it was include short segments of many practitioners talking about their interpretation of Esalen while showing various moves. I did not count but I believe there were at least 10 of them. So it's a full body massage and one therapist picks up where the previous one has left off. It's an interesting approach and obviously the idea was to show diversity and most of all to emphasize on personal approach and customization. However, I have some objections to this:
1. Watching so many people within 70 minutes was confusing to me. I believe they would have achieved more clarity if only 3 or 4 of them took turns speaking in the whole video.
2. There was nothing on the technical side of the massage. While I fully understand that they wanted to lay stress elsewhere, I did hope that they would actually *teach* some of what they showed. I saw several awesome moves but when I tried to apply them, the lack of instruction of how they are actually done made it very difficult for me. This is especially true for the side-lying position. They say "when you watch the DVD all over many times, you'll get the hang of them". But then again there are so many routines uploaded everywhere on the Internet.
3. I wish the practitioners on the DVD would at least show us a favorite `trick' of theirs or a signature move and break it down. Most times the camera is focused on what the hands are doing and we hear the voiceover but what about the posture and body mechanics?
4. The 10 and 20 minute routines are no routines in fact. They are excerpts from the full body massage. Nothing extra at all is added.
5. On the jewelcase it is said that "you'll be able to view the video (...) and at the same time give an Esalen massage to your husband, wife, friend or lover". Indeed, after viewing it I strongly believe it is geared towards massage therapists working on their intimate partners, rather than on clients. If this is the case/intention, I wish it had been more explicitly stated.
On a side note here, I don't agree with some of the other reviewers here on the subject of nudity in the DVD. It is our duty as massage therapists to inform our clients of the modalities of bodywork we practice and let them have their informed choice. I firmly believe that more conservative clients would always rather go for Swedish, than Esalen. We shouldn't worry about violating their privacy if they confirm they are comfortable with this modality in general and with minimal draping.
I am giving only 3 stars to this otherwise wonderful video because it fails to instruct. It's a carefully chosen setting and obviously an expensive production to make the way they did. This, however, has made the end product quite costly. I have a small collection of similarly priced massage videos most of which by Real Bodywork. It is the comparison to informative approach I saw there that made me determined to shave off the second star as well. If your primary goal when purchasing a massage video is to get detailed instruction with a breakdown, this may not be the right choice for you.
Nonetheless, I would like to recommend this video to:
-- MTs looking for a less formal approach to giving a massage to their spouses/SOs.
-- MTs interested in a more spiritual approach to treating their clients.
-- Anyone who's been at the EI and taken classes there. This is the perfect companion and a great reference to go by.
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