Esalen® Massage in the Side-Lying Position

Discover a transformative approach to therapeutic touch that honors the whole body and deepens your capacity to hold presence with clients. Esalen® Massage in the Side-Lying Position is a five-day intensive workshop that explores one of the most elegant—and often overlooked—foundational techniques in embodied healing work. Held at the renowned Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, this workshop invites you into a practice where skilled touch becomes a language of awareness, listening, and genuine presence.

Led by Nora Matten, a master practitioner with twenty-three years of experience in embodied presence and skilled touch, this workshop goes beyond mechanical technique. The side-lying position opens profound access to both the front and back of the body simultaneously, making it especially valuable for pregnant clients, those with contraindications to prone or supine work, and anyone seeking to enhance breathing, rib accessibility, and overall comfort during massage. Whether you're a seasoned massage therapist looking to expand your toolkit or a practitioner seeking to deepen your relational presence, this intensive offers both rigorous technical training and the subtle, transformative teachings that Esalen Massage is known for.

Nestled in the dramatic cliffs of Big Sur, the Esalen Institute itself becomes part of your healing education. The five-day format allows you to integrate new skills in an unhurried, supportive environment where the boundary between learning and embodied practice dissolves.

What to Expect

You will learn the foundational principles of Esalen Massage as applied to the side-lying position, including long integrative strokes, passive joint mobilization, and refined client positioning techniques. Nora guides you through effective body mechanics for both giver and receiver, intelligent draping, and the quality of presence that transforms ordinary touch into healing work.

The workshop weaves together:
- Technical skill training in stroke sequences and joint mobilization specific to side-lying work
- Awareness-based practice emphasizing listening, quality of touch, and embodied presence
- Practical anatomy and safe positioning for diverse body types and conditions
- Daily self-care practices to sustain your own vitality as a healer
- Lecture, demonstration, and hands-on practice in an intimate learning community

You'll leave with both new techniques and a deepened understanding of massage as an awareness-based practice—one that honors the wholeness of your clients and the sustainability of your own body and presence.

Venue & Logistics

This workshop takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, a legendary retreat center perched on the Pacific Coast. The five-day intensive runs Monday, September 28–Friday, October 2, 2026. Wear comfortable, easy-to-move-in clothing and bring an open heart. The Esalen campus offers lodging and meals; consult the institute directly for accessibility accommodations and specific logistics.