In July 2026, practitioners and teachers from around the world gathered at the Kientalerhof in Switzerland for the very first Esalen® Massage Global Village. What began as an idea within the German-speaking Esalen Massage community grew into a week of learning, friendship, and a renewed sense of belonging.
"We've Missed This."
Throughout the two days of the Teacher Gathering, one sentence kept returning.
"We've missed this."
Again and again, the senior teachers spoke about the early years at the Esalen Institute. They remembered gathering on the massage deck, practicing side by side, exchanging ideas, learning from one another, and simply enjoying each other's company. Those memories were never only about massage. They were about friendship, shared practice, and belonging to a living community.
Over the years, the Esalen Massage community spread across the world. Teachers built lives and schools in many countries, and while regular EMBA meetings kept everyone connected through Zoom, something essential could not be shared through a screen.
A Vision Takes Shape
The first conversations about such a gathering began within the German-speaking Esalen Massage community. Teachers in Switzerland and Germany started asking a simple question:
What if we created a gathering here in Europe?
The vision gradually became clearer. It would begin with teachers meeting one another again, creating time to reconnect, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships. Afterwards, practitioners from around the world would be invited to join the experience.
What started as a conversation slowly became a shared commitment. From these discussions, the first Esalen® Massage Global Village began to take shape.
Beginning with the Teachers
The gathering therefore opened with two days dedicated entirely to the teachers.
Before welcoming practitioners into the circle, there was time to reconnect, reflect on leadership, explore collaboration, and consider how Esalen Massage can continue to grow while remaining rooted in its lineage and values.
Together we remembered the pioneers and mentors who developed Esalen Massage and carried it into the world with generosity and care. We shared stories, reflected on our experiences, moved together, practiced together, and created space for conversations that rarely find enough time during everyday teaching.
Some moments were joyful. Others invited quiet reflection.
Again and again, someone would simply say,
"We've missed this."
A Conversation Across Generations
One evening offered a rare opportunity.
Through Zoom, Michael Murphy, co-founder of the Esalen Institute, joined our gathering. At ninety-five years old, he generously answered questions and reflected on the early years of the Institute, the spirit of exploration that shaped Esalen, and the vision that continues to inspire its work today.
Mac Murphy, his son, hosted the online conversation, making this special encounter possible.
Listening to Michael Murphy was more than hearing history. It was a reminder that Esalen Massage is part of a living tradition that continues to evolve while remaining connected to its roots.
Opening the Circle
On Wednesday afternoon, the atmosphere at the Kientalerhof changed.
Practitioners began arriving from across Europe, China, and other parts of the world. Before the programme had even begun, the halls and gardens filled with conversations, warm embraces, and the unmistakable excitement of people finally meeting face to face.
For some, it was a reunion after many years.
For others, it was the first time meeting teachers and colleagues from the wider Esalen Massage community in person.
The opening ceremony marked an important transition.
What had begun as a Teacher Gathering now became the Esalen® Massage Global Village.
The teachers welcomed the practitioners into the circle they had prepared together over the previous two days. In that moment, the gathering became something larger than a conference or a training. It became a community living together for the days ahead.
The feeling that emerged during that first afternoon stayed with us throughout the entire week. It was present in every conversation, every shared meal, every workshop, and every quiet encounter between old friends and new faces.
The village had begun.
Dancing into Community
Later that evening, Mac Murphy and Ingrid May guided the Opening Dance.
It was more than a social event. It became the first shared experience of moving as one community. The atmosphere reflected something deeply familiar to everyone who practices Esalen Massage: presence, attentiveness, and the willingness to meet another person with openness. Before anyone had worked on a massage table, the quality of touch was already present in the way people related to one another.
Finding a Shared Rhythm
As the days unfolded, the Global Village found its own natural rhythm.
Each morning began with movement and meditation, offering space to arrive fully before the day's workshops. Throughout the week, participants could choose from a rich and diverse programme led by teachers from different countries. Every workshop reflected a unique perspective while remaining rooted in the shared values of Esalen Massage.
Some explored movement and embodiment. Others deepened the art of touch, communication, or presence. Participants moved from one learning experience to another, discovering not only different approaches but also the richness that emerges when teachers from many cultures come together.
Honouring the Living Lineage
One of the highlights of the week was the Legacy Panel.
Joining us online were Brita Ostrom, Deborah Meadows, Vicki Topp, and Peggy Horan—teachers whose lives have been deeply interwoven with the development of Esalen Massage over many decades.
Listening to their stories was more than an opportunity to look back. Their reflections revealed how each generation receives something precious, shapes it through experience, and then passes it on with care.
The conversation reminded everyone present that Esalen Massage continues to evolve while remaining connected to its roots. Its strength lies not only in its techniques, but in the relationships, generosity, and spirit of inquiry that have always been part of its tradition.
For many participants, this evening became a bridge between generations—a reminder that they are now part of a living lineage that continues to grow across the world.
Carrying the Village Forward
Every gathering reaches a moment when it is time to let go.
On Sunday afternoon, the community came together one last time for the Closing Ceremony. There was gratitude for everything that had been shared during the week—for the learning, the encounters, the conversations, and the many moments that had quietly woven the Global Village together.
Each participant received a small bottle filled with water from the vessel that had been created during the Opening Ceremony. What had begun as many different streams had become one. Everyone carried a small part of that shared experience home.
Before saying goodbye, one final gesture turned our attention towards the future.
Throughout the week, the cloths bearing our handprints had hung above the altar as a visible expression of our shared community. During the Closing Ceremony, they became a symbol of what might come next.
Robin Fan stood to the left and Mac Murphy to the right, while a cushion placed at the centre represented Brita Ostrom, who could not be with us in person.
One by one, the three altar cloths were then entrusted to Robin, Brita, and Mac. Accompanied by warm applause from the entire community, they received them with a shared invitation: to carry them to the Esalen Institute, where they may one day hang above the altar of the next Esalen® Massage Global Village.
In that moment, the cloths became more than symbols of the week that had just ended. They became a living invitation to continue the journey and to bring the Global Village home to the place where the story of Esalen Massage began.
The first Global Village had come to an end, but the vision was already looking ahead.
So Much Love in That Space
Sometimes it is someone from outside who sees most clearly what has happened.
As the Global Village was drawing to a close and participants were saying their goodbyes, a woman arrived at the Kientalerhof for another seminar. She had not been part of the gathering and knew nothing about the week that had just unfolded.
Standing near the reception, she watched people saying goodbye.
Some embraced for a long time. Others stood talking before finally leaving. There was laughter, gratitude, and the quiet sadness that often comes when something meaningful comes to an end.
Later, she shared a simple observation.
"There was so much love in that space."
She had not attended a single workshop.
She had not listened to the conversations or joined the ceremonies.
Yet she recognised something that everyone who had been there could feel.
May this be only the beginning.