When hands learn to listen, the whole body begins to speak. Few embody this truth as gracefully as Peggy Horan — midwife, teacher, grandmother, and one of the co-creators of Esalen® Massage.
“Massage, for me, is a prayer of the hands — a way of meeting body and soul with reverence.”
A Path to Big Sur
Raised in suburban New York, Peggy carried what she calls “a rebellious nature.” She longed for freedom beyond the straight lines of convention. That longing led her westward, and when she first arrived in Big Sur in 1967, it was, as she recalls, “like Alice in Wonderland — a whole new reality opened.”
At Esalen, she found not only breathtaking cliffs and hot spring baths, but also a community daring to live differently. “There was a freedom of expression I had never seen before,” she says. “And an integrity in the land itself that called me to be more real, more honest with myself.”
Discovering the Practice of Touch
Massage was already alive at Esalen when Peggy arrived, beginning with Swedish strokes taught by Molly Day Shakman. But in the baths and gardens, something new was forming — slower, more intuitive, more aware. Influences flowed in: Gestalt therapy’s focus on the here-and-now, Charlotte Selver’s sensory awareness, Tai Chi’s grounded movement, the ocean’s endless rhythm.
Peggy remembers her first experience of touch: “I had never been touched in that way before — with such loving care.” Giving massage felt just as natural. “It was a beautiful way to express love and caring. My nature has always been to care for others, so it grew directly out of who I am.”
For Peggy, Esalen Massage is not technique but presence. “It’s a practice of awareness that encourages self-healing. If I am grounded and relaxed, my client feels that. What they thank me for is not the massage itself, but reconnecting to themselves.”
Collaboration, Lineage, and Community
The work grew collectively, through teachers and practitioners sharing insights, strokes, and experiments. Peggy names Seymour Carter, a student of Charlotte Selver, as a profound influence: “He allowed a softness that men rarely showed in those days. His sensitive touch inspired me deeply.”
Community has always been central for Peggy. Her family life in Big Sur was filled with children, artists, and open doors. “I think I inherited it from my father, who always welcomed relatives into the house. For me, it feels natural to welcome others into our lives, especially those without family nearby.”
“Every touch can be an offering. When I soften, when I listen, something larger flows through me.”
When asked how she sustains herself after decades of practice, Peggy smiles: presence. “Each client is new. I must recreate myself every time. The practice itself teaches me presence.”
She also roots herself in family, movement, and mindfulness. Midwifery — she attended around a hundred births — became another way of embodying the same capacity: to stay calm at thresholds, to honor the body’s wisdom, to trust life as it unfolds.
Receiving the Massage
Peggy’s simple advice to clients: stay with your breath, be open to receive, and speak up—you are the master of your own body. Adjusting pressure or pace is part of listening together.
Looking Toward EMGV26
As part of the Esalen Massage Global Village 2026 faculty, Peggy brings decades of experience, but also a beginner’s openness. “Massage is always changing,” she says. “We need to stay open to new influences, while remembering that presence and compassion are our foundation.”
Her dream is that this work reaches everywhere — even into prisons, hospitals, and communities in need. “We can change the world if we can help people touch each other with kindness.”
Learn More and Watch the Interviews
You can explore more of Peggy’s teaching and her book Connecting Through Touch at peggyhoran.com.
Bonus Video – Peggy Horan in Conversation (German)
This video was recorded in 2016 during a Work Scholar stay at the Esalen Institute by Lili Imboden.
It is a short interview in German, filmed in the Esalen garden, where Peggy shares her perspective on Esalen Massage.