The twentieth century saw the development in Western societies of bodily approaches emphasizing movement, self-awareness and exploration. Inspired by Eastern traditions, a variety of practices emerged, such as the Alexander technique, Pilates, sophrology, Body-Mind Centering, and the Feldenkrais method. Many of these methods experienced a resurgence in the wake of the counter-cultural movements of the 1970s and 80s. The Esalen Institute, a pioneering New Age community in California, played an important role in fostering new approaches to the body based on movement, self-awareness and sensory experience. These approaches promoted authenticity, the interrelationship between the body and its environment, underscored the significance of inner authority, ritualized trance, and emotional release. Conscious body practices, which include movement and dance practices tinged with spirituality, began to emerge in the latter part of the twentieth century, in the spirit of Esalen. These practices reflect body pedagogies that appeared earlier in the West.