“There seems to be something basic in us which can teach us much more than one could learn by being told about what we could practice. I think we should trust that basic understanding.” - Charlotte Selver
Being mindful or present has become a popular concept in various fields, including leadership, psychology, wellness, and bodywork. Presence is by no means a new concept. Ancient Greek philosophers and Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism long ago emphasized the importance of calming and concentrating the mind to enhance awareness. In the modern era, numerous new age and spiritual groups promote the virtues of “Be Here Now.”
In the field of bodywork, Presence is the first criterion for the International Massage Competition. It is also an essential element in various massage and bodywork modalities, such as Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi, Maori Romi-Romi, and Hui-Hui. Chinese medicine incorporates Qi or healing energy through stillness and meditation, and Presence is foundational to Esalen Massage. Anybody who has studied Cranio Sacral work knows it takes quite a lot of concentration to even find the cranial pulse.
The words “Presence” and “Mindfulness” are frequently used interchangeably within the wellness industry. Mindfulness, rooted in Buddhism, is an integral part of the Buddhist path to liberation. It can be described as present awareness or an openness to the present moment, free from the thoughts and judgments that our minds impose based on past experiences. For instance, a bodyworker can consider how they might unconsciously judge clients based on factors like size or age, forming preconceived notions about their session before even making contact with them.
Being present involves being mindful of our sensory perceptions. Our five senses provide us with information about our surroundings, but our concentration often shifts elsewhere. Just as our hearts pump blood, our minds generate thoughts, and many of these thoughts can be distracting and noise-like to our experience. Throughout our evolution as humans our past experiences have been essential for survival, as it helps us identify what is safe and potentially harmful. However, in our modern age, our attention can be hijacked by any number of stimulating sensory experiences as our high-tech, hyper-commercial society finds new ways to force our engagement.
In our fast-paced modern lives, becoming more present has become even more challenging than it was a few decades ago. Our technology and lifestyle have made us less attentive to the present moment. The average attention span of our modern organism is significantly lower now than it was even 20 years ago. Dr. Gloria Mark found that our screen attention dropped from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to about 47 seconds today. (That’s insane!)
However, becoming more present is not something that requires a degree or certificate. It’s not something that can be bought or promised; it’s entirely up to you.
There’s information available, and you could take a workshop on meditation, mindfulness, or sensory awareness as a starting point for experiencing a more present state of awareness. If this concept is new to you, it might be a great idea. If you’ve ever tried meditation, yoga, martial arts, dance, or played an instrument or a competitive sport, you’ve already touched presence. Most of us have had experiences where our body and mind were fully focused on the present moment, and it continued to flow into the next moment.
We possess a remarkable capacity to focus that enables us to achieve so many of the extraordinary qualities that define humanity. This ability is evident in various domains, such as computer coding, fine art, and professional basketball, where our full presence can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Imagine the potential for massage therapists and bodyworkers if they could establish deeper connections with their clients by being fully present and aware.
Charlotte Selver, an often-overlooked pioneer of somatic reeducation during the Human Potential Movement in the 1960s, played a significant role in this field. Selver came to the United States during the Nazi occupation in the late 1930s. She taught herself English and began teaching what she had learned in Germany from Elsa Gindler and Heinrich Jacoby, whom she always humbly credited during her classes. Gindler had been a gymnastics teacher, and Jacoby was an educator and musician—both were passionate about helping people discover their full potential and authenticity.
Charlotte Selver believed in our innate capacity to learn through experience. So much so that she never spent her time writing books or articles about her teachings. Most of the information gathered here is from a limited number of books and articles written by her husband, Charles V.W. Brooks, or her dedicated students.
During the early years at Esalen, a renowned institute in Big Sur, California, many high-profile scholars and thinkers pondered the institute’s origins. Fritz Perls, the pioneering humanistic psychologist behind Gestalt Therapy, shared cigarettes with Alan Watts, the brilliant translator of Eastern religions and philosophy. Ida Rolf practiced Structural Integration on anyone willing to endure the pain, while others experimented with psychedelics during the free-love era. It was a time of profound questioning and transformation for Western society, and Charlotte Selver was there to guide everyone toward self-awareness. Don Hanlon Johnson called her the “Sane Mother of it all."
Selver’s approach to discovering “bare awareness” played a pivotal role in the evolution of Esalen Massage. The Esalen approach to massage has always emphasized the sensory experience of both the practitioner and the receiver. This is achieved through mindful practice. By calming the mind and connecting with our sensory experiences, we can establish a deeper connection with our clients.
Hawaiian Kahuna Harry Uhene Jim refers to this phenomenon as “Pa’a” or “The Now,” describing the experience of time as moving from horizontal to vertical. I think we all have experienced a sense of “time warp” during sessions that we are deeply focused on.
Whether it’s prayer, ritual, meditation, or simply closing our eyes we all have the ability to quiet our minds and delve deeper into our own experience. Through these grounding actions we can thereby influence the experience of our clients.
As bodywork practitioners, we possess the unique privilege of connecting with the subtle energy and rhythmic patterns of the human body. However, our ability to facilitate energetic transformation is compromised when our minds are preoccupied. Energy flows where our awareness goes—are we focused on the sensations beneath our fingertips or the upcoming lunch or coffee?
You can investigate this for yourself by simply taking a breath and pausing during your next session. Or maybe you sit quietly in your workspace for 90 seconds before picking up your next client. We all have the capability of quieting our minds and bringing ourselves back to our senses. The trick is finding your favorite pathway back to NOW.
Ben Kalayjian lives in Big Sur with his Wife Seema. They collectively own Healing Home Wellness in Carmel, California. Ben has been practicing massage, as well as Tibetian meditation techniques for more than 15 years. He credits all his success to the wealth of knowledge that has been shared with him by the many passionate and wise teachers along his path.