Most people who watch Ivy’s New Zealand Holistic Pulsing sessions describe the experience in the same way: deeply calming in a way that is hard to explain. The technique is unfamiliar to most viewers — even those who have watched ASMR massage content for years — and the visual quality of the work is unlike anything in the standard massage canon. Here is everything you need to know about it.
What Is New Zealand Holistic Pulsing?
New Zealand Holistic Pulsing (sometimes simply called pulsing massage or aquatic pulsing) is a bodywork technique developed in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s. It was originally developed for use in warm water — where the therapist would rhythmically rock and pulse the recipient’s body through the water — but the technique has since been adapted for use on a mat or massage table.
The defining characteristic of pulsing is exactly what the name suggests: the therapist applies rhythmic, oscillating movements to the recipient’s body, rocking and pulsing different areas in a gentle, wave-like way. There is no deep pressure, no manipulation, no stretching in the traditional sense. Instead, the work communicates with the nervous system through rhythm and repetition, creating a state of deep surrender that is difficult to achieve through any other method.
How Is It Different from Other Massage Styles?
The most common comparison is to being rocked to sleep as a child — which is not an accident. The rhythmic rocking motion of pulsing activates the vestibular system, which has a direct and powerful calming effect on the nervous system. This makes it particularly effective for anxiety relief.
Unlike Thai massage or deep tissue massage, pulsing does not target specific muscles or work to release tension through pressure. Instead, it invites the body to release tension by letting go — by surrendering to the rhythm of the movement. This is why clients often describe the experience as profoundly peaceful rather than physically relaxing in the conventional sense.
Ivy’s Pulsing Sessions
Ivy trained in New Zealand Holistic Pulsing specifically and has developed a distinctive approach to the technique. Her sessions with Betty and Suzie — both filmed outdoors, which adds natural ambient sound — are among the most unique content on our channel. The outdoor setting enhances the pulsing experience significantly — read our article on outdoor ASMR massage to understand why.
Who Benefits Most from Pulsing?
Pulsing is particularly effective for people who carry tension in a way that does not respond well to direct pressure — either because the tension is neurological rather than purely muscular, or because they find deep pressure uncomfortable. The gentle, non-invasive quality of pulsing makes it accessible to people who find conventional massage overwhelming.
It is also particularly well-suited to stress-related tension, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. For viewers who find standard massage content too stimulating for sleep, NZ Pulsing is often the answer — its slow rhythm creates an exceptionally reliable sleep-inducing effect.
Watching Pulsing ASMR
For viewers, the pulsing sessions have a different quality from other ASMR content. The effect tends to build more slowly — the first few minutes may not seem particularly triggering — but deepens considerably over the course of the session. Most viewers who persevere past the first five minutes find themselves in a very deep state of relaxation by the midpoint.
Ivy’s pulsing sessions are available free on our YouTube channel. Extended versions are in the Members Area. You can also see all of Ivy’s work on her therapist profile page.