Essential Balance Bodywork

Ranjot is consistently AMAZING. Every time!

I received a massage therapy session today with Ranjot and I left feeling inspired by the session. I have been a massage therapist for 5 years and tried a lot of massage therapists. Ranjot is truly exceptional and highly trained in many modalities (everything from deep tissue to hypnotherapy), and I can feel it when he’s working on me. I said I needed deep tissue work throughout my upper back and hips. The session was exactly what I needed. I can tell that Ranjot cares deeply about healing, and takes his profession seriously. His intentions and boundaries are clear, and he told me he’s been doing bodywork for 10 years. With his level of experience and range of techniques and modalities he is a rare gem. Highly recommended and I’ll definitely get another session with him soon.

Let me start by saying as a Chiropractor I have received a lot of body work in my life. Ranjot by far is the most intuitive massage therapist I have visited. I went to visit him while training for a marathon, he was an integral part of my wellness team which helped me to reach my PR in the run. If you are looking for a outstanding massage you have found your place!

I have been in the Bay area for three years and been looking for a good massage therapist all the time. Thanks you a friend that recommended Ranjot to me I finally found him! He fixed my contractured upper back muscles (that were hurting for weeks) in just one session! I definitely recommend him.

I have been going to Ranjot since I discovered him at Oakland Acupuncture. I have lived all over the Bay Area and been to a lot of massage therapists and if I could afford to go see Ranjot once a week it would be a no brainer… He is constantly upping his game, learning new techniques, new ways to help people heal. His enthusiasm and passion for his work are sincere, and it shows. I am grateful that he has moved back to the east bay from San Jose, and have had two sessions, one for massage and one for energy work. the energy work is very subtle and powerful, i recommend trying it if you havent already.

1.5 months ago I got my heart broken AND my dog had to be put to sleep, all within a few weeks of each other. I also had to move my entire house (plus my business) in the same time period. For most of March I’d been sleeping 14 hours a day, eating dessert with both my 8PM breakfast and my 4AM dinner, and listening to «Total Eclipse of the Heart» unironically. This was the space I was in when I saw Ranjot (aka Corey) last week.
I’ve had bodywork done by him before, as well as a number of other CMTs (a former partner of mine went through CMT training and I got to be his practice dummy) so I like to think I know my massage therapists. I told Ranjot when we met last week that I was feeling heavily weighed down by all the bad stuff in my life, that it felt trapped inside my body, particularly around the neck and shoulder area. He asked me if it was ok to do some energy work on me, in addition to the physical body work.
Incidentally, he is the only CMT I’ve ever worked with who I felt spent enough time on the neck/​shoulder area: even when asked, most others would just give it a cursory 10 mins or so, even though it’s the center of most of my tension. Ranjot gets all the way in there and works that shit out until it’s gone.
I knew that he would give that area the focus it needed from the 3 – 4 times I’d seen him before this, and give me an all around great bodywork session. What I didn’t know is he is also some kind of energy work wizard. I’m not a super woo-​woo person, but I’ve had energy work done on me before and I can feel that it works. But never like this.
I don’t know what he did exactly, but I could feel the bad, trapped stuff draining out of me as he was working, and when he was done, I literally felt like a 50lb weight had been removed from my body. I still feel lighter, more than a week later, than I did before I saw him. It’s not that I’m not feeling the crappy stuff I’m going through, cuz I am… it’s just not weighing me down the way it was before. Neither therapy, nor yoga, nor talking with friends, nor sex has been able to make me feel this consistently ok for this long since this shit all went down. I feel like I got some kind of emotional enema. It’s kind of amazing. And I know if it starts building up again, I can just go back.
In addition to being some kind of wizard/​genius, Ranjot makes you feel totally comfortable, no matter what your body type or gender. Trans people, fat people, queer people, all can feel comfortable on his table and benefit from his compassionate, skilled, ultra strong hands. And his sliding scale prices mean I can afford sessions when I really need them, which is usually not when I’m flush with cash.
I recommend 2 hours at a time. If he would do a 3 hour session, I’d pay for it.
I’m sure there are lots of talented CMTs in the bay area but the combination of his work, his energy, his personality, and his pricing makes Ranjot my first choice every time.

I met Ranjot (AKA Corey) a few years ago doing some continuing education work at Esalen Institute. As a massage therapist myself I have very high expectations for bodywork, and having received work from him I can tell you he is by far the best I have encountered. His knowledge and intuition blend seamlessly with excellent technique, pressure and stretching to make up a complete healing experience. I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking for a great therapist.

My latest bodywork session with Corey warrants a review… so here it goes.
Location: Corey’s practice is in Oakland’s Laurel District. A pretty quiet area — partly residential, partly commercial. I think I’ve seen a pediatrics clinic in one corner, a natural food store nearby, and a couple of small cafes down the block. All in all, it’s a good location to relax and to set your body ready for therapy.
Work: Within the past few months, I’ve been having a lot of pressure and tension on my shoulders and back which have generally been stress-​related. I needed to help my body to heal and relax and Corey is certainly helping me to address this. I’m no authority when it comes to massage therapy, but Corey’s ability to harmonize a specific technique and motion to a person’s body, body type, and body state is spot on. He knows how to respond to the (client’s) body’s breathing and knows exactly when to chime in with it.
All this goes in saying that (well, at least in my view), this is what makes Corey an excellent practitioner. He doesn’t require me to tell him precisely what my body feels so that I may give him instructions on how to treat it. And frankly, sometimes I just don’t know how my body feels. I’m not saying that he doesn’t ask questions… he does. But he does know how to work in the moment and respond to the body as it heals itself, organically. Lastly, he knows some things about energy and yoga philosophy… pretty interesting stuff.
Price: Reasonable

Corey is one of the most intuitive massage therapists I have met. He saw me with very little notice and helped me a ton with some pretty debilitating pain that I have been having in my shoulder and neck. He just sort of knows exactly where you need the most help and concentrates on those areas without over-​working you. I have been looking for a regular massage therapist in the Bay Area and I think that my search has ended. I cannot recommend Corey highly enough.

I have tried lots of massage therapists and never felt that they did much for me. All that changed when I found Corey! Even after 15 minutes I feel like he has put my body back into proper healthy alignment. I now see him once a week for 15 to 30 minute sessions. It is so great that he is willing to offer such affordable service! I’m sure he could charge double and still have people flocking to him! It is an extra bonus that you can schedule an acupuncture session before or after your massage. I used to go around with a stiff neck all the time — now I feel great thanks to Corey!

After visiting Corey, the most important thing I can say is this: it’s the only massage that has ever afforded me serious pain-​relief for my arms and back. Highly recommended.

I have worked with Corey in the past while he was the staff massage therapist. at Body Feng Shui in Belmont. He is very good at finding the tight spots, and his deep tissue techniques leave a lasting impression! Strong, but not painful, he feels the tension, and addresses the whole area.
Whatever he is doing works, the stiffness melts away leaving me more flexible and relaxed.
Corey, thanks so much for your excellent work! It is obvious that you have passion for healing. I wish you the best of luck in your new location. I am sure every new client will recommend you!