Presenter Bio: 

Ellen Watson is celebrating her 24th year on staff at Esalen Institute, where she studies, practices, and teaches various modalities of moving meditation practice. She is a teacher of Esalen® Massage, Gabrielle Roth’s 5 Rhythms™, Holotropic™ Breathwork, Liquid Yoga, SpiritDance, The Art of Essential Touch, and Your Body is a Musical Instrument.

Ellen offers workshops, retreats, and trainings at Esalen and at other inspiring locations around the globe. She is a licensed minister and believes that the core of all healing begins in the realm of the heart and the Spirit. From 1984 thru 2003 she developed the Movement Arts Program at Esalen.

Her work has been deeply influenced by her studies with many notable teachers, among them: Gangaji, Eli Jakson-Bear, Gabrielle Roth, Susan Harper, Emily Conrad, Terence McKenna, teachers of The Rhidwan School, Babatunde Olatunji, Angeles Arrien, Jack Kornfield, and Christina & Stan Grof.

Among her great pleasures are opening the door for people to dance, to sing and play and pray, to touch and be touched. She is passionate about spreading the good news about how waking up can heal and transform the mind, body and soul.

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Workshop Description:

A Celebration for International Dance Day

Spinning has long been a ritual in the ancient traditions of Tibetan Monks and Sufi masters. Join Ellen as she ushers you through her creation of 7 doorways to ritual spinning & ecstatic dance intermingled with mystic poetry. We’ll be on the grass or on other soft and welcoming surfaces. Please don't eat 2 hrs prior to this workshop and come with an open heart, prepared to put your mind in your feet and root yourself to the center of the earth. As you enter the spin, your chakras will open, empty and fill to balance, and you’ll enter the world of child like glee, where you may be witnessed frolicking, rolling in the grass, laughing and crying at the same time, and bringing yourself to grounded, embodied presence. What a great way to arrive at this destination.