Gestalt Awareness Practice
With Whitney Bell
Gestalt has been a foundational practice at Esalen Institute since the beginning — Fritz Perls himself was a central presence there — and its influence runs deep in Esalen® Massage. This workshop steps into that tradition, offering dedicated time to learn and practice the foundational philosophy and awareness tools that have always been part of the fabric of this work.
We'll move through key Gestalt principles together — present-moment awareness, the broadening of attention, the nature of contact — grounded more in experience than in theory. Whitney will draw direct lines between these principles and the Esalen® Massage practice, illuminating why developing your Gestalt awareness is one of the most powerful things you can do to deepen and enrich your work as a practitioner.
You'll be guided through experiential exercises and work in dyads and triads, practicing the kinds of awareness experiments that Gestalt is known for: simple, direct, and often quietly revelatory.
This is the ground the work grows from. Come curious and ready to show up for yourself and each other.