January 2010 Esalen Catalog

Transcription

The Esalen Catalog
January– June 2010
the view from big sur
E
salen first existed, a half century ago, in the minds and hearts of two young dreamers, Michael Murphy
and Richard Price, both of them grad school dropouts, both with a deep hunger for something new in the
world. Their dream: to create a space, in Murphy’s words now, “for everything excluded and marginalized
from mainstream education of the day.”
D A N I E L B I A N C H E T TA
That “everything” has been quite a list, over the past almost fifty years since Esalen’s founding. Mind/body studies
and practices, “somatics” (a term which didn’t even exist before Esalen), health and healing (beyond the “illness
model”), lifelong personal growth (again, the term didn’t exist just a few decades ago),
the life of the emotions (“therapy” was for people who were “sick”), spiritual studies and
spiritual practices, spirit/body disciplines like yoga, tai chi, and others, relationships,
and relational skills—the list goes on, still expanding today.
Take “experiential learning,” a byword in education today. An ancient tradition of holistic,
integral education, running from Plato down through Dewey, had been mostly forgotten
in the regimented schools and colleges of Price and Murphy’s young days; that tradition
was reinvented and spread across the world, at Esalen and other pioneering, experimental
institutes and centers. Or citizen activism and “citizen diplomacy,” another term that didn’t
even exist yet, because it had to be invented—at Esalen. In so doing, Esalen helped lay the groundwork for today’s
hyper-networked world of Chinese ex-pats platforming Iranian dissidents on the Web, and the explosion of NGOs
around the world. (You can read about this and more, including Esalen’s pivotal, network-building role in the last
days of the Cold War, in Jeffrey Kripal’s fascinating, lively history, Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion).
We could go on and on, listing the models and forms that have been nurtured, midwifed, pioneered, and launched at
Esalen, often in partnership with the most forward-thinking sectors of universities and other experimental centers
like ours, and have gone out to the world.
If you think about it, these experiments inform and underlie many of the courses in this catalog as well. In the same
way, the initiatives and activities of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research —in Consciousness studies, in spiritual
activism, and our multi-tiered outreach to Islam programs, in eco-literacy and public-private eco-partnership and
leadership, and more—flow into some of our newest programs today, and tomorrow’s courses as well. You can learn
more about the Center for Theory and Research by visiting www.esalenctr.org.
This is the tradition you step into and become a living part of, when you take a course at Esalen. Your work, your
experiences here, become part of this rich stream, which you and your fellow students take out into the world again,
in creative ways we couldn’t have come up with without each other.
Here on the land, in the dramatic setting of the ocean cliffs of Big Sur, amid the resonance of millennia of healing
practices in and around these timeless natural mineral springs down by the water’s edge, we take heart and inspiration
for these amazing times we live in, and the daunting, exciting challenges that face our spirits and our world.
Once again – welcome to Esalen!
Gordon Wheeler
President
January – June 2010
Volume xlix, Number 1
contents
Esalen — A convergence of mountains and sea, mind and body,
East and West, meditation and action.
Esalen Notes .............................................. 2
Friends of Esalen ...................................... 2
Esalen — A center for alternative education, a forum for
transformational practices, a restorative retreat, a worldwide
community of seekers.
General Information ............................... 3
Dedicated to exploring work in the humanities and sciences that
furthers the full realization of the human potential, Esalen
offers public workshops, residential work-study programs,
invitational conferences, and independent projects that support
our mission.
Family Spotlight ....................................... 7
Children at Esalen.................................... 3
Guide to Workshops................................ 4
Seminar Spotlight ................................... 8
Esalen Seminars ..................................... 10
Special Programs .................................... 94
Work Study Program .............................96
Work Study Application.................... 100
As a center designed to foster personal and social transformation,
we offer those who join us the chance to explore more deeply the
world and themselves.
Biographical Information ................. 101
Reservation Information................... 110
Scholarship Information................... 110
Reservation Form ................................ 112
Continuing Education ....................... 113
contact
Website: www.esalen.org
E-mail: info@esalen.org
Welcome to
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
®
Mailing address: Esalen Institute,
55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920
General Information: 831-667-3000
(ext. 7402 to leave a message for a guest)
Workshop Reservations: Preregistration
is required for all Esalen programs.
Online: www.esalen.org
Phone: 831-667-3005
Monday–Thursday, 9 am–7 pm
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 9 am–5 pm
Fax: 831-667-2724
Mail: See address above
Mail and fax reservations must include a
completed reservation form, available on
page 112.
Express Reservations: If you have
previously taken a workshop at Esalen;
831-667-3000 ext. 7321
Other Reservations: For Personal Retreats,
healing arts appointments, and van service
between Esalen and the Monterey Transit
Plaza; 831-667-3000.
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esalen notes
Online Reservations
You can register for Esalen programs online at Esalen’s website,
www.esalen.org. Workshops appear
on the Web before the Catalog is
printed.
Esalen Movement Arts
Free Classes
The Esalen Movement Arts
Program has evolved into a popular
and varied schedule of movement
and meditation classes. Every day
of the week, classes are open to
everyone at Esalen, guests and staff,
and all levels of experience. Check
the Movement Program schedule
when you are here.
Point Houses for
Esalen Guests
Scheduling Private
Conferences at Esalen
The Point Houses are available
as upgraded accommodations
for seminarians and Personal
Retreatants. Nestled behind the
lush Esalen Garden and perched
at the cliff ’s edge, each house is a
private two-room suite with a
living room with wood stove,
separate bedroom, a sleeping loft,
full kitchen and dining area, private redwood deck overlooking
the Pacific, Ethernet connections
for your own laptop, and in-room
telephone. They can accommodate
up to 2 adults and 2 children.
As part of Esalen’s dedication to the
humanities and sciences, facilities
are offered to organizations and
individuals for private missionaligned conferences, meetings,
courses, and trainings for groups of
up to 124 participants. Conferences
can be two, five, or seven days and
include meals, movement classes,
and hot springs and Art Center use
when available. We schedule most
conferences at least one year in
advance. To schedule or for more
information, please contact conference coordinator Laura Doherty at
831-667-3028.
For details, see Reservation
Information on page 110 or call
the Esalen office at 831-667-3005.
A
s a Friend of Esalen you can help ensure
Esalen’s place in the world. It is through the
generosity of friends like you that Esalen
can continue its mission of developing human
potential. Your support not only benefits current
programs but helps secure Esalen’s long-term financial future. Donations are tax-deductible and provide
support for sustainability initiatives, intern programs,
our organic farm and garden, the Gazebo School
Park, special projects, and Esalen’s visionary Center
for Theory and Research.
As a way of showing our gratitude, Friends who
donate $50 or more will receive a $25 reduction on
all catalog workshops for the next twelve months.
Donors will also receive the Esalen Catalog and a
triannual Friends of Esalen newsletter for one year
and be eligible to book a Personal Retreat at Esalen.
Many Friends choose to make Esalen a part of their
long-range plans by including a bequest or deferred
gift to Esalen in their estate plans. A charitable
bequest is one of the easiest ways you can give that
will make a lasting difference to the Institute.
If you would like further information on donating
to Esalen, please contact Nancy Worcester at 831667-3032.
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A collective of former Esalen staff,
work scholars, and seminarians
have created an online grassroots
alumni group at www.IThou.org.
Providing ongoing support and
community, the site hosts daily
meditation, weekly weather
reports, and the talking stick tradition among other practices available to anyone who has been
touched by the spirit of Esalen.
Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, California 93920-9546
Catalog Requests: 831-667-3000
friends of esalen
S
An Unofficial Website
for the Global Esalen
Community
Friends Circle: $50+
Hot Springs Circle: $250+
Sustainers Circle: $500+
Benefactors Circle: $1,000+
Founders Circle: $5,000+
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Partners Circle: $15,000+
Anniversary Circle: $30,000+
Coast Circle: $50,000+
Trustees Circle: $100,000+
Esalen Board of Trustees:
Sam Yau Chair
Alyce Faye Eichelberger-Cleese
Mary Ellen Klee
Nancy Lunney-Wheeler ex officio
David Lustig
Anisa Mehdi
Michael Murphy
Carolin Phillips ex officio
Lyle Poncher
Marilyn Schlitz
Gordon Wheeler
Co-founder & Chair Emeritus:
Michael Murphy
President:
Gordon Wheeler
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Chief Executive Officer:
Tricia McEntee
Phone___________________________________________________________________________
Esalen Catalog Staff:
Programming:
Nancy Lunney-Wheeler, Cheryl Fraenzl,
Laura Doherty, Bonnie Singman
Editor: Stacy Carlson
Design & Production: Terry McGrath
Address_________________________________________________________________________
City __________________________________ State __________ Zip__________________
E-mail___________________________________________________________________________
Please make checks payable to Esalen Institute, in U.S. currency
drawn on a U.S. bank, or use one of the charge cards below:
q MasterCard
q Visa
q American Express
Amount ________________________________________________________________________
Card No. _______________________________________________________________________
Exp. Date ______________________________________________________________________
Signature ______________________________________________________________________
Please complete this form or the inside flap of the envelope insert
included in the catalog and return with your gift. Check the box on
the outside of the envelope marked “Friends of Esalen.” Donations can
also be made online at www.esalen.org. Thank you for your support.
Esalen Institute is a non-profit public charity corporation, exempt
from income tax under IRC section 501(c)(3). Contributions are
tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
The Esalen Catalog is published
biannually by the Esalen Institute,
Big Sur, California 93920-9546.
Printed on recycled paper.
©2009 Esalen Institute. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1088-2782
Subscription Information:
For a one-year subscription to the Esalen
Catalog (two issues), please submit the
enclosed subscription request form on the
envelope insert attached to this catalog.
If the envelope is missing, please send
your name, address, and e-mail address to:
Catalog Subscriptions, Esalen Institute,
55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, California, 93920.
Including your e-mail address grants Esalen
permission to e-mail news and information
to you including the Esalen eNEWS
newsletter. Catalog subscriptions are free in
the United States, but a donation to help
offset printing and mailing costs would be
greatly appreciated. Subscriptions are mailed
outside the United States for $35 per year.
cover photograph:Daniel Bianchetta
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general information
T
he esalen institute was founded
in 1962 as an alternative educational
center devoted to the exploration of
what Aldous Huxley called the “human
potential,” the world of unrealized human
capacities that lies beyond the imagination.
Esalen soon became known worldwide for
its blend of East/West philosophies, its experiential/didactic workshops, the steady influx
of philosophers, psychologists, artists, and
religious thinkers, and its breathtaking
grounds blessed with natural hot springs.
Once home to a Native American tribe
known as the Esselen, Esalen is situated on
the spectacular Big Sur coastline with the
Santa Lucia Mountains rising sharply behind.
bodywork are available by appointment, and
a schedule of community events is posted
on the bulletin board near the office.
There are various ways to experience Esalen,
ranging from an overnight visit to a long-term
stay as a seminarian. The weekend and fiveday workshops described in the Seminars section are the standard route for coming to
Esalen. “Experiencing Esalen” workshops
offer an introduction to practices such as
Gestalt, massage, sensory awareness, and meditation. From such a sampling, participants
can then choose those approaches they are
most attracted to and pursue them in subsequent seminars.
We would like those people who are planning
their first visit to Esalen to know that swimsuits are optional, and nudity common, in the
hot springs, massage area, and swimming
pool. We encourage each individual to choose
what is most comfortable, either wearing a
swimsuit or not, and emphasize that the
environment we strive for at Esalen is one
of personal sanctuary and respect for the
human body.
Another way of being at Esalen which allows a
greater involvement at a lower expense is the
Work Study Program, an intensive month-long
work-oriented program for individuals who
want to make a directed commitment to selfexploration and growth, and a contribution to
the Esalen community. For a full description of
the Work Study Program, please turn to page
96. For those who wish an extended stay, there
are periodic long-term programs which
involve didactic seminars or professional trainings as well as experiential workshops.
Personal Retreats (available on a limited basis)
give guests the opportunity to nourish body,
mind, heart, and soul without participating in
an Esalen workshop. Those on Personal
Retreat may use the baths, attend yoga and
movement classes, meditate in the Round
House, and enjoy the Esalen grounds.
Finally, there are other events that enrich life
at Esalen. There are forums in which visiting
and resident writers and thinkers share ideas
with the community. On Wednesday nights
there may be lectures, films, dance performances, or other events. Several types of
Esalen is a center for experimental education.
We offer neither psychotherapy nor assurances
of change.
Esalen is 45 miles south of Monterey, 11 miles
south of Nepenthe, on Coast Route 1. From
the south, we are 50 miles north of Hearst
Castle. A lighted sign on the ocean side of
the highway reads: Esalen Institute, By
Reservation Only.
The Hot Springs at Esalen
Accreditation and
Continuing Education
Many educational institutions recognize
Esalen programs as eligible for credit in their
curricula; check with your university or college. Esalen can provide additional program
information if needed. Esalen provides continuing education credit for psychologists,
MFTs, LCSWs, nurses, and bodyworkers.
See page 113 for details.
Children at Esalen
Esalen welcomes families and offers a selection of family-oriented workshops throughout the year. Esalen’s Gazebo School Park is
an on-site, state licensed, outdoor preschool
program for children ages 2-6. This program
is available during the week to children of
seminarians, workshop leaders, personal
retreatants, as well as Big Sur families. The
school offers children the opportunity for full
immersion with the natural world through
its rich, child-centered park environment and
ecology-based curriculum. Gazebo School
Park’s low teacher to child ratio allows for
individual attention. Activities include caring
for the school’s animals, gardening, harvesting
fruits and vegetables, cooking, expressive arts,
literacy activities, dramatic play, and excursions to explore Esalen’s unique campus.
Children may be enrolled for a half day, full
day, or several days while here at Esalen.
Hours are Monday-Friday, 9:30 am–4:30pm.
The Children’s Workshop extends Esalen's
childcare programs to children of all ages and
operates during evenings and weekends to
match parents’ workshop hours. For more
information and enrollment for Gazebo
School Park and the Children’s Workshop,
please call 831-667-3026. To ensure space in
the program we ask for at least two weeks
advance notice for enrollment.
Disabled Access
Many Esalen paths, though paved, are
extremely steep. We are in the process of
increasing our disability access; however,
access to some parts of our property remains
difficult. Nonetheless, we are committed to
accommodating guests who have disabilities.
If you think you might need assistance during your stay at Esalen, please discuss your
needs when making your reservation, at least
72 hours in advance of your arrival. If you are
in need of sign language interpretation for an
Esalen workshop, please notify us at least 2
weeks prior to your workshop. We will do our
best to meet your needs.
Friends of Esalen
We invite you to become a Friend of Esalen.
Your donation of $50 or more will benefit our
programs and help build Esalen’s long-term
financial base (see page 2). As a Friend of
Esalen you will receive the following benefits:
• $25 reduction in tuition for all workshops
for 12 months
• Friends of Esalen newsletters and the Esalen
Catalog for one year
• Eligibility to book Personal Retreats
• A tax deduction under IRS section 501(c)3
for the amount of the donation
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guide to workshops
T
his is a guide to the workshops
offered in this catalog. Many of them
defy easy categorization and could be
cross-referenced across many disciplines; most
are listed in one or two main subject areas. If
you have never been to Esalen or taken an
Esalen workshop, you might consider the
“Experiencing Esalen” workshop scheduled
throughout the catalog and listed in the
Integral Practices section of this guide. Please
call the Esalen office if you have questions
concerning a workshop.
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ARTS & CREATIVITY
Visual Arts
January 3-8 • Mosaic Art
January 15-22 • The Rhythms of Stone
January 24-29 • Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
February 14-19 • A Cleansing through Fire: Wax Casting
February 26-28 • Art as a Spiritual Path
March 7-12 • Alchemy in Art: Glass Fusing
March 12-14 • Awakening Creativity and Inspiration
March 14-19 • A Bottle of Ink, A Wooden Pen
March 14-19 • Cinema Alchemy
March 19-21 • Photographing the Seasons of Big Sur
March 26-28 • Making Art: A Hands-On Exploration
March 28-April 2 • Shamanic Visionary Painting
April 11-16 • Collage, Poetry, and Creativity
April 16-18 • The Art of Nonviolent Woodturning
April 23-25 • The Passion of Painting
April 30-May 2 • Encaustic Painting
May 2-7 • Zen and the Art of Photography
May 2-7 • Awakening The Creative: Painting
May 9-14 • Painting with Light
May 14-16 • Invisible to Visible: Papermaking
May 16-21 • Painting the Outer and Inner Landscape
May 23-28 • Alchemical Art: Making Glass Shrines
May 30-June 4 • Plein Air Painting in Big Sur
June 27-July 2 • Artplane Workshop
Writing
January 24-29 • The Writing Life
February 7-12 • Writes of Passage
February 12-14 • Mystery of Writing
February 21-26 • Dangerous Writing
March 12-14 • White Lotus Poetry Workshop
March 14-19 • The Writer’s Way
March 26-28 • Your Editor is Not Your Mother!
April 9-11 • Autobiography
May 21-23 • Three Personal Pieces
June 4-6 • (Re)Writing Your Story
June 20-25 • Deepening the Characters We Create
June 25-27 • Being True to Life: Poetic Paths
Music / Rhythm / Dance
January 1-3 • Got Rhythm? World Music
January 8-10 • Moving Meditation Practice
January 10-15 • Songwriting: Catch and Release
January 10-15 • Biodanza®: The AbunDance™ of Life
January 22-24 • Being Danced: 5Rhythms® Essentials
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January 24-29 • Kirtan Flight School
January 29-31 • Finding Your Long Lost Musician
January 31-February 5 • Finding Your Long Lost Musician
February 5-7 • The Brazilian Soul: Dance and Drumming
February 12-14 • Salsa Rueda: Celebrating Love
February 14-19 • Tango: More Than a Dance
February 19-21 • The Song of the Drum
February 19-21 • SoulMotion™: Alone, Together
February 21-26 • SoulMotion™: Begin Again
March 5-7 • Singing in the Stream
March 28-April 2 • Sacred JourneyDance™
April 4-9 • Spirit Songs: The Power of Gospel
April 9-11 • 5Rhythms® Wave: In the Belly of the Beat
April 18-23 • Dancing with the Spirits: Afro-Cuban Music
April 30-May 2 • SoulMotion™: Body Prayer
May 2-7 • The Spirit of the Drum and Voice
May 23-28 • The Embodied Heart
May 30-June 4 • Spiritweaves™: Sanctuary of Self
June 11-13 • Body of Sound
June 13-18 • SoulMotion™: Sanctuary
June 18-20 • Drumming Up Health!™
January 31-February 5 • Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier
February 21-26 • Intro. to Rolf Structural Integration
March 12-14 • Body, Voice, and Consciousness
March 19-21 • The Formless Form: Tai Ji
March 21-26 • SomatoEmotional Release II
March 26-28 • Cultivating Joy, Finding Aliveness Today
April 4-9 • Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues
April 4-9 • Balance: Your Body's Re-set Button
April 18-25 • Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier…
April 25-30 • Ageless Vitality
May 2-7 • Gyrokinesis®
May 7-9 • Gestalt, Movement, and Sport
May 9-14 • The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral I
May 14-16 • The Shamantra Experience
May 16-21 • Zero Balancing II
May 28-30 • Embodiment for Beginners
June 4-6 • ChiRunning®
June 11-13 • Getting Unblocked
June 25-27 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
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Creative Expression / Theater
January 3-8 • Sharing Your Life Story
January 15-17 • Dreaming Together
January 24-29 • Improv: Expanding Yourself
January 29-31 • Essence and Alchemy: Natural Perfume
February 19-21 • Transformational Speaking
February 21-26 • The Performance of Your Life
February 26-28 • Waking Up Lightly: Sacred Playground
April 18-23 • Storytelling from the Heart
May 2-7 • The MAX
May 7-9 • Freedom Through Foolishness
May 28-30 • Improv Comedy for the Soul
June 25-27 • Altar Your Joy: Making Personal Altars
June 25-27 • Human Potential in a Postmodern World
June 27-July 2 • Motion Theater: Dreaming on Your Feet
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THE BODY
Massage
January 3-10 • Seven Days of Advanced Esalen® Massage
January 15-17 • Esalen® Massage with a Touch of Yoga
January 22-24 • Esalen® Massage for Couples
February 5-7 • Weekend Esalen® Massage Intensive
February 14-19 • Reflexology and Esalen® Massage
March 5-April 2 • Massage Practitioner Certification
April 2-4 • An Esalen® Massage Retreat for Couples
April 4-9 • Esalen® Massage, Poetry and Digeridoo
April 25-30 • Bodywork: Hip-work, Feet, and Lower Legs
May 7-9 • Esalen® Massage for Couples
May 16-21 • Esalen® Massage for Women
May 23-28 • LaStone® Therapy: Hot Stone Treatment
May 30-June 4 • Deep Bodywork Level III
June 20-25 • Essential Touch: Esalen® Massage Retreat
Somatic Practices / Movement / Sports
January 3-8 • Practicing Presence
January 8-10 • Rosen Method Bodywork
January 10-15 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
January 17-22 • Compassionate Connection: Tender Touch
January 17-22 • Acupressure for Anyone
January 29-31 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
PSYCHOLOGY & RELATIONSHIP
Psychological / Transpersonal Process
January 1-3 • Uncharted Waters: Life Transitions
January 1-3 • This Year I Will...
January 3-8 • The I in the Storm: Self Leadership
January 8-10 • The Healing Power of Emotion
January 15-17 • The Sky is Falling, What Now?
January 15-17 • Cultivation of Eldership
January 17-22 • Living Beyond Self-Limiting Behavior
January 17-22 • Intimacy, Differences, and Community
January 22-24 • Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal
January 29-31 • Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice
January 29-31 • The Courage to Be You
February 5-7 • Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice
February 7-12 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
February 12-14 • Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For
February 14-19 • Radical Aliveness: Core Energetics
February 21-26 • Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion
February 21-26 • Not For The Feint of Heart
February 26-28 • Living Beyond Your History
February 26-28 • Arrive Already Loved
February 28-March 5 • Trauma, Memory, Restoration
February 28-March 5 • Constellations
March 5-7 • Body Keeps Score: Transformation of Trauma
March 7-12 • Exploring the Ordinary Miracle of Healing
March 12-14 • Living Heroically™
March 14-19 • Profound Simplicity: Gestalt
March 19-21 • From Self-Justification to Self-Actualization
March 28-April 2 • Self-Acceptance
April 4-9 • Finding Your Deepest Purpose
April 9-11 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
April 9-11 • What’s Next?
April 16-18 • Sweet Mischief
April 18-23 • Stronger at the Broken Places
April 25-30 • Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness
May 2-7 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
May 7-9 • Working with Dreams in Spiritual Traditions
May 9-14 • Abandonment to Healing
May 9-14 • Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal
May 14-16 • Awakening the Leader Within
May 14-16 • Start Over: Choose Aliveness and Intimacy
May 16-21 • A Somatic Approach to Self-Investigation
May 21-23 • The Undervalued Self
May 21-23 • Claiming Your Voice
May 23-28 • The Gifts of Grief
May 23-28 • The Bioenergetics of Relationships
June 4-6 • The One Thing Holding You Back
June 11-13 • Radical Self-Care
June 18-20 • Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones
June 20-25 • Mindful Body-Mind Psychology: Hakomi
June 25-27 • Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice
June 27-July 2 • Water in the Desert: Hope in Times of Loss
Relationship / Sexuality / Gender
January 3-8 • Love, Sex, and Intimacy
January 10-15 • Relationships: The Courage to Begin
January 17-22 • Bring Courageous Love to Relationship
January 29-31 • Rediscovering Self: For Women
February 5-7 • Undefended Love
February 12-14 • Finding True Love
February 12-14 • The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat
February 14-19 • Love, Sexuality, and Relationship
March 5-7 • Getting the Love You Want: For Couples
March 7-12 • Transforming Rage: For Women
March 14-19 • Sharing the Path: A Retreat for Couples
March 19-21 • Awakening Wisdom
March 26-28 • Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships
March 26-28 • Why Men Are the Way They Are
April 4-9 • Art of Romantic Intelligence: For Women
April 9-11 • Happiness in Marriage
April 11-16 • Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving
April 16-18 • Let’s Face It: Explore Our Changing Faces
April 23-25 • Passion Over the Lifetime: For Men
April 25-30 • More Than a Communication Workshop
May 7-9 • Mother-Daughter Journey
May 7-9 • The Dignity Model
May 9-14 • Women, Money, and Realizing Dreams
May 14-16 • Couples’ Communication Retreat
May 28-30 • Women in Transition: Your Authentic Self
May 30-June 4 • Holistic Sexuality: An Integral Approach
May 30-June 4 • A Long Term View
June 4-6 • Building Collaborative Relationships
June 4-6 • Rebalancing Your Relationship
June 18-20 • Gay Men Thriving!
June 20-25 • The Body Shop: Explorations for Couples
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NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
NEUROSCIENCE /
PARAPSYCHOLOGY
/
January 22-24 • Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways
February 14-19 • EEG and Spirituality
February 19-21 • Ignite the Genius Within
March 12-14 • Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, Consciousness
April 23-25 • Neurobiology of the Therapeutic Encounter
June 27-July 2 • Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons
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SOCIAL
/ POLITICAL ISSUES
March 19-21 • You Can Make a Difference: Social Change
June 11-13 • Human Rights Activism
June 13-18 • Be Present Empowerment Model®
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PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
TRAINING
/
January 24-29 • Meditation Greets the Psychotherapist
February 7-12 • Spark: Exercise and the Brain
February 14-19 • The Art and Science of Self-Compassion
February 21-26 • Brainspotting Training
February 28-March 5 • Transforming Trauma with EMDR
March 5-April 2 • Massage Practitioner Certification
April 11-16 • Non-verbal Communication
April 16-18 • Enhancement of Peak Performance
April 30-May 2 • Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve
May 2-7 • Chinese Pulse Diagnosis
May 14-16 • Mood and Anxiety Disorders
May 16-21 • CTI: Co-Active Fundamentals
May 16-21 • Body and Mind Integration
June 18-20 • Coaching Skills For Leaders
June 20-25 • Holoenergetic® Training
June 27-July 2 • The Language of the Body: Anatomy I
Continued on next page
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CHILDREN / FAMILIES
EDUCATION
/
March 26-28 • Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships
March 28-April 2 • Wondrous Stories
April 2-4 • By Land and By Water
April 4-9 • Family Arts Springtime Celebration
May 7-9 • Mother-Daughter Journey
May 7-9 • Mother’s Day Family Workshop
May 21-23 • Parenting From the Inside Out
May 28-30 • Smart and Playful Families
June 18-20 • A Celebration of Family
June 18-20 • Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day
R
ECONOMICS
LEADERSHIP
/ BUSINESS /
BENJAMIN FAHRER
January 8-10 • Everyday Leadership
January 15-17 • Crafting Careers that Truly Fit
February 19-21 • Spirit, Ecology, and Business
March 7-12 • Inspiring Leadership
March 12-14 • Hostage at the Table
April 2-4 • How Great Companies Get Mojo from Maslow
April 16-18 • Business and Human Potential
April 25-30 • Personal Leadership
April 30-May 2 • Financing Social Enterprises
April 30-May 2 • Callings: Finding an Authentic Life
May 30-June 4 • Leadership for Execs and Entrepreneurs
June 25-27 • The Money Vision Quest
R
R
PHILOSOPHICAL AND
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
February 19-21 • The Occult in America: Arcane History
February 26-28 • Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering
R
NATURE / ECOLOGY
SUSTAINABILITY
/
February 7-12 • Seduced By Earth
February 28-March 5 • The Permaculture Connection
March 5-7 • Training for Transition, Making a Difference
March 28-April 2 • Experiencing Esalen Farm and Garden
April 11-16 • Big Sur Wilderness Experience: Springtime
April 25-30 • Timeless Spring: Esalen Farm and Garden
May 9-14 • Walk on the Wild Side: Hiking
May 28-30 • Simply Wild: Experiencing Nature
June 13-18 • Mountains and Waves
June 18-20 • Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day
R
SPIRITUALITY
Contemplative / Spiritual Studies
January 1-3 • Applied Zen
January 10-15 • Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat
January 15-17 • Realization Process: The Essence of Being
January 24-29 • Kirtan Flight School
January 31-February 5 • Breaking Reactive Patterns
February 5-7 • Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga
February 5-12 • Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
February 26-28 • The Song of the Body
February 28-March 5 • Satsang Retreat
March 26-28 • Tasting Freedom: A Passover Experience
April 16-18 • Passion and Grace: Devotional Singing
April 18-25 • Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
6
April 25-30 • The Heart of Healing: For Clinicians
April 30-May 2 • Experiencing Your Spiritual Self
April 30-May 2 • Sacred Sound: A Sonic Alignment
May 14-16 • Awakening Joy
May 21-23 • Mind and Matter, Spirit and Sex
May 28-30 • Mind, Mood, and Happiness
June 11-13 • The Essence of Meditation
June 20-25 • Living Spiritual Depth
Yoga
January 1-3 • Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation
January 3-8 • A Doorway in Time
January 17-22 • Yoga and the Path to Vitality
January 31-February 5 • Yoga and Meditation
February 12-14 • Pieces of the Yoga Puzzle
February 26-28 • Yoga for the "Yogically Challenged"
February 28-March 5 • Gravity and Grace
March 14-19 • A Yogic Model for Personal Development
April 2-4 • A Growing Awareness: The Practices of Yoga
April 11-16 • Yoga, Health, and Happiness
April 23-25 • Yoga Ecstasy Spring Detox and Rejuvenation
May 9-14 • Yoga and the Act of Creation
May 21-23 • Anusara Yoga Journey through the Elements
May 23-28 • Hatha and Raja Yoga Practicum
June 6-11 • 6th Annual Yoga Festival
June 18-20 • The Yoga of Regeneration
June 27-July 2 • Yoga Ecstasy Summer Axé Retreat
R
Myth / Ritual / Shamanism
January 31-February 5 • The Way of the Shaman
March 21-26 • Everything Old is New Again
March 26-28 • MythBody at Play in the Year of the Tiger
April 11-16 • Shamanic Cosmology: Visionseeker Level 3
May 21-23 • Pachakuti Mesa Tradition Shamanism
June 13-18 • The Spiritwalker Teachings: Visionseeker 1
HEALTH
/ HEALING
January 8-10 • Living Deeply: The Art of Transformation
January 8-10 • The Esalen Cookbook
January 8-10 • Mindfulness and Heartfulness
January 10-15 • Cozy and Creative Winter Cooking
January 10-15 • Self-Actualization and Self-Healing
January 22-24 • The Mind/Body Connection
January 29-31 • Tai Chi Chuan
January 31-February 5 • Alchemical Healing
January 31-February 5 • Embodiment and Development
February 19-21 • Qigong and Inner Alchemy
March 14-19 • Chakras Actually
March 19-21 • Building Resiliency through Energy
March 19-21 • Improv Cooking for Health and Vitality
March 28-April 2 • Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power
April 2-4 • Love Yourself-For Everyone Else’s Sake
April 11-16 • Reclaiming Your Authentic Self
May 30-June 4 • Trauma First Aide™
June 4-6 • Mindfulness in Deep Relationship
June 6-11 • Vitalize Your Life with Living Foods
June 11-13 • Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways
June 13-18 • Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion
June 20-25 • Qigong Empowerment
June 25-27 • Relieve Neck and Shoulder Dysfunction
June 25-27 • The Money Vision Quest
June 27-July 2 • Breathe Into Being: Awakening
INTEGRAL PRACTICES
January 15-17 • Luminous Being: The Radiance Sutras
January 22-24 • Experiencing Esalen
March 12-14 • Wild Serenity
April 16-18 • Power of Practice: Embodiment of Esalen
May 7-9 • Gestalt, Movement, and Sport
June 11-13 • Experiencing Esalen
family spotlight
E
salen is a rich learning place for children and families. Centered in principles of connectedness,
awareness, discovery, and creativity, Esalen programs offer ways for families to grow together, as well as
opportunities for children to express who they are apart,
as individuals.
Discover
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Gazebo School
Park and the
Esalen Children’s
Workshop combine care and
concern for the
whole child with
the wellbeing of
the environment.
In these children’s programs, engagement with the cycles of
nature at Esalen, including planting, tending, observing,
harvesting, nourishing, and composting, is a living example
of the cycles of relationship, interdependence, care of self,
and growth. Gazebo teachers are passionate participants and
guides as children make choices and learn during a wide
variety of activities,
experiments, and
self-directed exploration. For more
information about children at Esalen, please see page 3
or www.esalen.org/info/gazebo.
Create
Throughout the year, Esalen offers a variety of weekend
and weeklong workshops designed for families and friends
to learn and play together. These programs are a unique
opportunity to tap into Esalen’s longstanding and everchanging commitment to growth and human potential.
The relationships and possibilities of family and friends
are valuable territory in which to bring new awareness,
celebration, and growth.
Here are highlights from a selection of this season’s family
programs. For a full list, please see the Guide to Workshops,
page 6. Complete descriptions for the programs below appear
in chronological order
throughout the catalog.
HARRY FEINBERG
Grow
Creating community,
support, and a positive
model for close and
connected motherdaughter relationships
is the aim of Thriving
in Mother-Daughter
Relationships, led
by Renee Schultz, March 26-28. Schultz is a family and
marriage therapist and founding member of the MotherDaughter Project, a grassroots network of evolving motherdaughter groups dedicated to disrupting old assumptions
about how mothers and daughters can relate, and creating
Play
a supportive context in which to explore issues such as
self-esteem, puberty, girls’ friendships, body image,
and sexuality. Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships
is an exquisite opportunity to deepen the special bond
between mothers and daughters while enjoying the
contemplative atmosphere and natural beauty of Esalen.
Combining art making, storytelling, and family fun,
Wondrous Stories – Writing for Children with Children is
a hands-on journey into the imagination led by fine artist
and former Disney animator Dave Zaboski and writing
teacher Tesa Conlin, March 28-April 2. Together, children
and adults will discover and develop a story and then,
through playful writing, drawing, collage, and more, craft it
into a book to take home and share. This process of creative
expression not only culminates in an original work of art
made collaboratively by adults and children, but offers a
special time for family members to learn about each other
and themselves.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Q
Go on an adventure in
nature’s wild laboratory
during By Land and
By Water, a workshop
offered April 2-4 for
children ages 5-14
and their parents. Be
prepared to explore,
observe, discover, and
have lots of fun with
leader Sunnie Kaufmann,
as she leads the group
into the cycles of growth
and life in nature to be
found all over Esalen
land. Sunnie brings
more than 15 years of experience creating children’s
programming. As community development director
with the Girl Scouts of Northern California, Sunnie offers
children and parents the opportunity to step outside their
regular routines to try new things and have fun together.
Imagine
Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day in the
Tradition of the Old Ways is an opportunity for fathers
and sons 14 and up to walk together in wild nature with
awareness. Offered June 18-20, participants will explore the
early-summer landscapes of Big Sur with longtime Esalen
leader Steven Harper, his father Kenneth, and his eighteenand fifteen-year-old sons, Kai and Kes. Contemplative and
awareness practices will be introduced as a way to become
more fully present to what may be encountered (in the
woods or within) during day-hikes. In the evening, the
workshop will come together as a group to share
experiences and stories.
Explore
7
Q
A Closer Look
seminar spotlight
I
n our efforts to expand our programming in new directions,
we continue to present leaders whose names may not be as familiar
to you as others in the Catalog. In this section we highlight a few
of these offerings by providing a bit more information than you’ll find
in the Seminars section.
Ghada Osman
Ghada Osman writes: “In the year 2000, I became
certified as a yoga instructor and finished my
Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies; both events
occurred within a few months of each other at
the dawn of a new millennium. As I started my
position as a college professor during the first
week of September, 2001, little did I know that
in just a few days a monumental event would
transpire that would thoroughly change the
dynamics between the Muslim world and the United States. From that
moment, “Islam” and “the West” came to be viewed as mutually exclusive
categories, as part of an us versus them relationship. As I taught, I was
disturbed by how some had come to view all Muslims as a violent “other”
who could not possibly share anything in common with us. This was an
anathema to my deeply-held yoga-derived beliefs that regardless of differences in religion, ethnicity, or other elements, humanity is deeply
interconnected.
“Divisive generalizations also run contrary to Sufism, the mystical path of
Islam, with its focus on oneness and love. Over the years, Americans have
adopted and adapted Sufi beliefs and practices, especially the thirteenthcentury Sufi figure Rumi. By learning about Sufism, a natural companion
to the yogic path, we can come to understand in our minds the diversity
of the adherents of Islam (and by analogy other faiths) and embrace in
our hearts its essence: humanity is ultimately all one.“
joined forces to treat groups of corporate workers who survived the World
Trade Center collapse, and to prepare firefighters at Fort Totten Training
Facility in Bayside, New York, to take over for their fallen comrades. It was
a tragic and inspiring time, and it sealed their friendship.
David says, “Christine has brought so much to my work with creativity,
performance, and healing. She is an artist, healer, and most of all a visionary.
Christine’s work has integrated with mine and has taken it a quantum leap
forward with her master stroke, Ignite the Genius Within. My approach,
Brainspotting, is based on the idea that where you look affects how you
feel. Christine’s approach shows you how you can change things simply
by how you look at them.”
Christine says, “Collaborating with David helped me finally integrate my
long-standing fascination with the intersection of science and mysticism
that had begun when I was a youngster mesmerized by magic and nature.
Using his techniques, I observed my clients gain access to parts of themselves that had been hidden away—usually because of trauma—and that
had been secretly blocking them from getting what they wanted in life.
They were literally making quantum leaps. My burning questions about
how and why led me to the study of quantum physics, which tells us that
the way we look at things literally changes what we see. That is, transformation only requires that you change the lens through which you see
yourself, your situation, your life, your universe. You already have everything you need inside of you. You’re already there. This is the single greatest
message of hope I can offer. When we all look at this quagmire of the
beautiful but tragic, traumatized world we’ve created, we feel helpless and
hopeless. I wrote Ignite the Genius Within to satisfy my desire to bring a
uniquely healing creative process to the general public, and to build a case
for taking another, deeper look at possibility.“
See Ignite the Genius Within: Bringing Expanded Consciousness to Everyday
Life, February 19-21, and Brainspotting Training, February 21-26.
See Come, Come Whoever You Are: Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga,
Erik Davis and Mitch Horowitz
February 5-7.
In a sense, Erik Davis and
Mitch Horowitz met over
the Ouija Board. Both
writers, who are known
for their explorations of
underground spiritual
movements, collaborated
for the first time at the
Esalen Center for Theory
and Research’s May 2009 conference, The Paranormal in History, Science,
and Popular Culture. Davis’s presentation on magic and pop culture –
spanning cinema, rock music, and enigmas like Ouija – provided the perfect complement to Horowitz’s talk on occult influences and personalities
from early American history, from colonial-era mediums to displaced
African medicine men.
Christine Ranck & David Grand
Christine Ranck and
David Grand met in 1999
when David taught a
workshop for actors, to
enhance character development and creativity.
He was demonstrating
his recently developed
BioLateral soundtracks,
designed to activate the deep brain, a technique that would later become
part of his therapy process called Brainspotting. Christine, a trauma
therapist and also a professional singer and actress, was astounded by the
results she witnessed, and a ten-year collaborative partnership in creativity
was born. After the events of September 11, 2001, David and Christine
8
“I approached Erik afterwards,” Horowitz says, “and told him that his
analysis of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and of the adolescent uses
of Ouija basically captured the religion of my early teenage years – he saw
the spiritual depth in things that are too often dismissed as novelties.”
Soon, the two decided to collaborate on an Esalen workshop, which
became The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History.
Davis wrote his cult bestseller TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in
the Age of Information in order to peel back the surface of contemporary
technology and show how much the modern world owes to ancient
myths and occult dreams. His most recent book, The Visionary State: A
Journey through California’s Spiritual Landscape, presents a richly-illustrated
overview of alternative religious currents in the Golden State, including
Yogananda, the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Grateful Dead, and, of course,
the Esalen Institute.
The editor-in-chief of metaphysical publisher Tarcher/Penguin, Horowitz
wrote his recent book Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism
Shaped Our Nation to give arcane religious movements, from hoodoo to
Spiritualism, and mysterious figures, from Madame Blavatsky to Manly P.
Hall, their proper due in American history. Occult America shows how
esoteric influences suffused America’s religious and political culture from
its earliest days – and helped make the nation into a launching pad for
today’s revolutions in alternative spirituality. Together, during their Esalen
workshop, Davis and Horowitz will reacquaint participants with American
spiritual ancestors and uncover the surprising sources and hidden histories behind the spiritual tools and abiding dreams we are using to shape
our lives today.
See The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History, February 19-21.
George Kohlrieser and Peter James Meyers
“If ever we needed to
understand the importance of authentic leadership,” says George
Kohlrieser, “the time
is now.”
A veteran hostage negotiator and author of Hostage
at the Table, Kohlrieser
recognizes a crisis when he sees one, and in the recent global economic
turmoil he identifies a troublesome pattern: Not only have so many leaders lost self-awareness, becoming unmoored from their core beliefs, but
the misguided actions of these leaders can now affect the livelihood and
morale of others on an unprecedented, global scale.
As a psychologist and professor of leadership at the International Institute
for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland,
Kohlrieser has been working for thirty years to help leaders reconnect
with the basic values they must draw upon to inspire excellence in themselves and others. In 2000, he teamed up with veteran stage director and
global leadership consultant Peter James Meyers to develop an advanced
leadership workshop at IMD for high-level executives. The program,
which was initially offered once a year, is now held four times annually.
Together, Kohlrieser and Meyers have coached more than 750 leaders
from dozens of countries around the world.
“Self-awareness is at the heart of what George and I are doing,” says
Meyers. “Too often, business managers focus on competence in numbers
at the expense of emotional intelligence and human relationships.”
Meyers says Esalen is the ideal setting for the work he and Kohlrieser are
undertaking. “This place is perched on the edge of the world,” Meyers says.
“It’s a safe, secure base where we can takes risks and expand our idea of
what’s possible — while grounding ourselves in the values that matter.”
Their workshop, Inspiring Leadership, offers an intimate and intensive
setting for senior executives to return to their guiding principles, overcoming internal blocks in order to face external challenges with bolder
vision and renewed confidence.
Admission to this workshop is by application only. Please contact program
coordinator Georgi Chase at (georgi@standanddelivergroup.com) to apply.
See Inspiring Leadership, March 7-12 and Hostage at the Table: How to Live
Your Dreams with Full Joy, March 12-14.
Tamar Miller
Tamar Miller brings breadth, depth, and wideranging expertise to making the world a better
place. As a social entrepreneur for social justice,
parent of three young adults, consultant to
international conflict mitigation organizations,
philanthropies, academic centers of research
and action, and governmental organizations,
she has a unique and powerful set of tools that
she uses to help people and organizations turn
dreams for social change into reality.
Miller points out that this process can be surprising. “Many people truly
want to make a difference by growing local projects or making grand interventions for urgent social problems. But not everybody has to be their own
social justice organization or government agency. I help people figure out
ways to realize their activist dreams and step into their power. Whether you
are creating curricula or have come up with a plan for a socially conscious
business, or if you are in a managerial sticky web of relationships or want to
figure out your next move in running your organization, this workshop is a
perfect place to explore, receive guidance, and move forward.” Miller adds,
“Of course, for those working on an idea for thirty years and it hasn’t come to
fruition, sometimes the best thing to do is shift energy in a new direction and
to simply let go. This workshop is about that kind of clarity, too.”
Miller works with the Abrahamic Family Reunion, a Track II Citizen
Diplomacy project out of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research and
with the Interfaith Engagement and Spirituality unit at the Fetzer Institute
in Three Rivers, Michigan. She is on the Board of Bereaved Families for
Israeli-Palestinian Peace and the Alliance for Middle East Peace. She was
director of Leadership Development and Executive Director of the
Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East at Harvard
University. She has directed social service programs for parenting and pregnant addicts and other community organizations in the voluntary sector
and was co-founder of two international businesses, Middle East Holdings
and American Higher Education, Inc. She recently created a new media
initiative called The PeaceBeat. “Its motto, some good news, some of the time!”
says Miller, “reflects commitment to bringing nuance, humor, and complexity into both private and public spaces. Through radio shows, community
organizing, and consulting to social justice organizations, PeaceBeat aims to
enhance our collective spirit and our power to act.”
See You Can Make a Difference: Strategies for Social Change, March 19-21.
9
esalen seminars
BENJAMIN FAHRER
S
Weekend of January 1–3
Got Rhythm? Develop Your Inner
Rhythm by Studying World Music
Matthew Montfort
Applied Zen: Creating the World
Around Us
Ji Hyang Padma
Every thought affects the world around us. In
the thirteenth century, Zen Master Dogen wrote
about this using the metaphor of water: “Some
see water as the seven treasures or a wish-granting jewel; some see water as a forest or a wall.” In
what we choose to see and how we frame it, we
create the world around us. By choosing to focus
on mindful awareness, we can respond to stimuli rather than react, and thus develop resiliency
and create positive outcomes. This is tangible;
it begins with ordinary people and their own
mindfulness practice, through which we return
to our original luminous awareness, like clear
water. This course combines Zen practice with
creative approaches that support mind/body
health to discover inner resources and create
positive outcomes in everyday life.
10
Learn the real musical knowledge behind the
sacred music of the world. This workshop is
based on Matthew Montfort’s book, Ancient
Traditions—Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training
through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India.
Material from the book has been used by teachers and musicians around the world, including
Reinhard Flatischler, founder of the TaKeTiNa
rhythm training process, and Steve Smith, jazz
and rock drummer.
The workshop is presented in an easy-to-follow,
entertaining yet educational format for all
music lovers. African polyrhythms, Balinese
kotèkan and Indian classical music are the
source material for the workshop because in
combination they cover the major types of
rhythmic organization used in most of the
world’s music. Not just for musicians and percussionists, this workshop can help anyone
with a desire to improve their rhythmic skills.
Melodic aspects of the traditions are also
explored through vocal chanting and ensemble
performance in a supportive setting. The workshop is open to all levels, and no musical background is required. Very simple percussion
instruments are provided, and participants are
free to bring any percussive or melodic instruments they enjoy playing.
($55 materials fee paid directly to the leader
for Ancient Traditions-Future Possibilities
unless you already have a copy)
Crossing Uncharted Waters:
Navigating Life Transitions
Mark Nicolson & Gustavo Rabin
Transition and change happen again and again
over the course of our lives, in our careers, our
relationships, our jobs. But we rarely allow ourselves the time to pause and focus on what is
changing and how to better navigate through
the process. During times when there are no
You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed.
external directions to help us move through
transition, resources do exist inside and outside
of us that are greater than we can imagine.
With the conviction that our personal and professional lives are in fact unfolding landscapes
of change and integration, this workshop begins
by reviewing the process of adult development,
the three-stage process of moving through transitions, and the issues we face during each of
these stages. With this foundation, we introduce
tools for discovering the emerging vision, capabilities, and supports for the next phase of our
lives. While the path of self-reinvention is not
clearly laid before us, we do already possess the
talent, life experience, and passion necessary for
the journey.
Participants identify their strengths and
resources, and discover the steps to navigate the
new path. There are one-on-one interactions
and group discussions to help deepen understanding of the current situation and to enable
discerning and courageous choices. We also
explore ways to integrate this new understanding with life and career goals, and learn how to
use the new map to emerge successfully on the
other side of transition.
CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113.
Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation
Scott Blossom & Chandra Easton
Shadow Yoga is a Hatha yoga system that integrates the common principles of yoga asana
(physical postures), martial arts, South Indian
dance, and Ayurvedic/Siddha medicine. The
practice includes spiraling, circular, and linear
movements combined with rhythmic physical
breathing and bandha work (core integration)
to free the physical body of energetic blockages and ignite the inner fire (agni) for healing
and meditation. Shadow Yoga circulates the
life force (prana) and creates a fluid, responsive state of mind–key qualities for seated
meditation.
The Buddhist meditation sessions include two
distinct forms of Shamatha (Calm Abiding)
meditation to bring about a deeper quality of
ease and focused awareness. Both are foundational practices that prepare us for more
advanced forms of meditation.
Scott Blossom and Chandra Easton weave
together their knowledge of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Ayurveda, Shadow Yoga, and
Buddhism to create a seamless tapestry of
healing and embodied wisdom.
This Year I Will...How to Finally
Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution,
or Bring a Dream into Being
M.J. Ryan
Every so often, we get inspired (again!) to lose
weight, get organized, start saving, find a better job,
or stop worrying. But by the time the rosy blush
of good intentions wears off, we’re back to our
old ways, frustrated and fed up with ourselves. It
doesn’t have to be this way. This workshop offers
you an opportunity to receive the breakthrough
wisdom and support you need to make this time
the time that change becomes permanent.
Change is hard. It’s not that we’re weak or lazy,
it’s just that bringing new behavior into being
takes energy, determination, self-awareness, and
practice. The tendency to keep doing what we’ve
already done is so strong because the neurons in
our brains that fire together wire together—they
tend to run the same sequence time after time,
whether we want them to or not.
If you have ever broken a resolution, fallen off
a diet, or given up on fulfilling a dream, this
experiential workshop is intended to use the
discoveries of brain science to help you make a
promise to yourself that you can keep. Through
discussion, lecture, journaling, and one-on-one
and small-group interactions from a blend of
emotional, spiritual, and practical perspectives,
each person leaves with a blueprint for implementing and sustaining lasting change.
January 3–10
Seven Days of Advanced Esalen®
Massage
Jessica Fagan & Tom Case
This seven-day intensive provides practitioners
with the opportunity to inspire their current
massage practice. Experienced Esalen Massage
and Bodywork practitioners Jessica Fagan and
Tom Case will offer unique explorations in the
practices of stretching and dynamic mobilization, and soft tissue release work. Elements of
Thai Massage will also be brought onto the table,
along with range of motion and passive release
techniques. This combination contributes to an
atmosphere of innovation and exploration.
Come prepared to practice and learn new methods of massage while enjoying the natural beauty
of Esalen. Previous massage training encouraged.
CE credit for nurses; see page 113.
CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113.
Week of January 3-8
Sharing Your Life Story:
From the Page to the Stage
Ann Randolph
As we write, we are both describing and
deciding the direction that our life is taking.
—Julia Cameron
Everything in your life, from the mundane to
the extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told.
This workshop is an invitation to discover your
own unique and powerful story. Michel de
Montaigne, the great personal essayist, said,
“Every man has within himself the entire
human condition.” The intention of this workshop is for you delve deep into your own personal narrative.
Writing from your deepest source, gain insight
and self-understanding that can bring peace and
healing. You will then make your words leap
from the page to the stage, sharing them orally
to uncover the power of story to transform your
life and your listeners.
Through improvisation, writing exercises, and
group discussion, you will find your authentic
voice, along with an honest, organic way to
express your truth. Ann Randolph creates a
supportive, fun, and dynamic space to create.
All levels are welcome. This is a workshop for
those seeking to explore personal essay, memoir,
solo performance, or the sacred practice of journaling. Topics include:
• Writing exercises to stimulate memory
• Learning to structure the narrative in a
compelling way
• Discovering ways to create spontaneously
• Overcoming performance anxiety
• Tools to release yourself from the inner critic
• Transforming your ideas/stories into
performance
Practicing Presence through
Body-Centered Awareness
Patrice Hamilton
Our bodies are our greatest resource and provide a direct path for exploring our unconscious,
limiting beliefs, and the emotions tied to them.
The issues are in the tissues. By increasing
awareness of our bodies, we connect with the
here-and-now, where change and growth are
possible. Habitual beliefs and behaviors formed
early in life lead to habitual ways of responding
See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts.
11
that limit life experience. When we learn to recognize the ways we have organized ourselves
around these beliefs we can discover that there
are other choices available. Through mindfulness, movement, and contact with others, we
can create new habits.
This experiential class blends the slow, developmental movement of Cortical Field Reeducation
(CFR) with Gestalt Practice and the Refined
Method of Hakomi. These awareness practices
can facilitate the release of physical restrictions
and suppressed emotions as well as a greater
understanding and felt experience of the connections between mind and body. You can
emerge from this workshop feeling more
grounded and comfortable in your body, more
empowered, and more able to fully express yourself in the world. All you need is willingness to
explore with curiosity and compassion. Join me
as we explore what is possible!
The I in the Storm: Bringing
Self Leadership to Everyday Life
Richard Schwartz
Mystical traditions agree that beneath our protective layers lies a Self, an untarnished essence
from which flows healing, spiritual energy, and
wisdom. Most of us rarely live from that state
because, through life experiences, parts of us
have absorbed extreme emotions and beliefs
that not only obscure our Self but also govern
our daily lives. This workshop offers participants the opportunity to learn and experience
concrete ways to help those parts trust that it is
safe to remain in the calm, confident, and compassionate state of self leadership, not only during meditation but throughout the day, even in
the face of strong provocation.
Love, Sex, and Intimacy:
For Individuals and Couples
Charlie Bloom & Linda Bloom
Intimacy is to the soul as food is to the body.
We are nurtured and enriched at the core of our
being in the experience of deep connection.
When the longing for intimacy is satisfied we
experience wholeness and sufficiency, we are at
one with ourselves and the world. In conjunction with a sexual connection, the experience
of intimacy can be exhilarating, inspiring, even
transcendent. The shadow side of this connection is the fear of intimacy, which is actually the
fear of loss, rejection, shame, or humiliation.
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These fears are common, even universal, yet
their presence need not prevent us from experiencing the joys of intimate contact. It is not so
much a matter of getting over these fears or
concerns, but of skillfully responding to them.
How do we maintain an open heart in the face
of powerful emotions? How can we redirect
and intensify the energy contained within these
feelings toward states of heightened awareness?
How can we open to the full range of feeling
that enters into our experience during these
times?
Confront these and other questions that directly
relate to our ability to dive fully into the bottomless pool of our heart’s truth, and feel love in all
its physical, sexual, and spiritual splendor. This
course presents ways of understanding and neutralizing patterns that limit intimacy and offer
practices to deepen and enhance it. Participants
also explore the inner landscape that exists
beyond intimacy, that territory of the heart
where the deep connection of “two” becomes
the transcendent “one.”
A Doorway in Time:
Yoga as a Journey of Being
Thomas Michael Fortel
In many ways, our whole life is a series of doorways and passages into new or forgotten ways
of being. Now, once again, we stand on the
precipice of a new decade, looking at the likelihood of a radically new way of life and being,
emerging before our eyes and unfolding
through our very own selves and intentions.
Over time, the practices of yoga can create a softening of habits and patterns, a clarifying of
mind, and a gradual opening of the spiritual
lotuses (chakras). All of this leads to an expanded field of awareness beyond our personal ego,
and into a wellspring of life-force (energy) and
our place in the ocean of consciousness.
One of the most profound environments for
retreat is simply being in nature. In this first
week of the new decade we will take time each
day for reflection, contemplation, and discussion. Each morning begins with meditation,
pranayama (conscious breathing), and journal
writing and continues after breakfast with an
active morning yoga practice. In the afternoons,
we’ll meet for restorative yoga and conclude
our days with a secret Esalen spiritual practice:
lawn-lying, meeting at various locations on the
Esalen property as we study the energy of
Mother Earth and Father Sun. We will sing too,
for sure. All levels of yoga practice are welcome;
please have at least three months of recent yoga
experience. Please bring a yoga mat and a journal.
Mosaic Art: From the Ordinary
to the Extraordinary
Jayson Fann
To invent you need a good imagination
and a pile of junk.
—Thomas Edison
Mosaic is the ancient art of assembling and
adhering variously colored and textured material, such as tile, stone, and stained glass. Known
for its rich texture and visual depth, mosaic is
found throughout the world. Whether in an
intricately-tiled portrait or a table in your home,
mosaic is a medium that transforms the ordinary
into the extraordinary.
In this workshop, students will be provided
with a wealth of colorful tiles and stones,
stained glass, jewels, and trinkets with which
to create. (Soon the sound of your favorite dish
shattering will ring with the delight of artistic
possibility.)
Students are free to work on a range of projects—
a hanging mirror, a lamp or small table, a sculpture, a garden stepping-stone. By the end of the
workshop students will have completed several
projects to take home with them.
($40 materials fee paid directly to the leader)
Living Deeply: The Art and Science
of Transformation
Cassandra Vieten & Constantine Darling
Humans are always changing, but sometimes we
encounter moments or periods of life that are so
potent, so full of potential, that they transform
our consciousness and fundamentally shift our
worldview, motives, and priorities. These
moments shift how we relate to ourselves, others,
and the world. Where we have been limited, we
expand. We become more open, balanced, and
aligned with our true values. Compassion for
self and others arises more naturally.
For over a decade, research at the Institute of
Noetic Sciences has examined how these transformations happen and how they can lead to
greater meaning, joy, and purpose. No matter
who you are, where you come from, or what
practices are especially helpful for people who
are experiencing emotional or physical concerns,
the universality of the experience makes this
program valuable for all.
CE credit for psychologists; see page 113.
Moving Meditation Practice:
Ecstatic Dance, Shamanism,
and the Esalen Baths
Ellen Watson
It is written in the book of the Sioux that
they have gone into the earth.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Nothing will bring them back until the
white man dances.
your current transformative path is—whether
you seek to transform your life completely or
simply make adjustments to add richness and
depth—learning more about the terrain of consciousness transformation can not only give you
a map, but also help you become the cartographer
of your own journey. Using lecture, video, discussion, creative process, and deeply embodied
experiential play, we will weave scientific findings with wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions and your own authoritative wisdom to
explore deep shifts in consciousness, and how
they can be integrated into everyday life.
The Esalen Cookbook
Charlie Cascio & Marion Cascio
This workshop revolves around the Esalen
Cookbook, compiled by Charlie Cascio, Esalen’s
kitchen manager from 1998 to 2004. Based on
the best of forty years’ worth of meals served in
the Esalen lodge, the book has re-worked recipes
designed to serve two hundred and fifty into
home-friendly recipes that serve four.
Participants enjoy hands-on work alongside
Charlie and Marion Cascio to prepare many
favorite recipes from the Esalen Cookbook in
the intimate Big House kitchen. Charlie and
Marion offer instruction on basic culinary techniques, the professional use of kitchen tools, and
healthy cooking tips that they have collected
during their combined fifty years of working in
the culinary arts.
—Chief Seattle
The group will prepare selected recipes from
each of the nine chapters in the Esalen Cookbook.
There will be plenty of tasting along with some
meal preparation from cookbook menus. If you
have a special recipe you would like to prepare
from the cookbook, please mention it when you
register.
($20 supplemental food fee paid directly to the leaders)
Mindfulness and Heartfulness
Three time-honored transformational practices
are offered in this experiential retreat: ecstatic
dance, Native American sweat lodge, and an
exfoliating herbal scrub in the Esalen hot springs.
Central to each of these practices is the cleansing of body, mind, and sprit, and dying to what
is old and being reborn to the present moment.
Ecstatic dance is dance enlivened by your
breath, powered by your heartbeat, and set into
motion by music from around the world. Since
the beginning of time people have danced to
celebrate, to petition, to give thanks, and to
cleanse. As we dance, we sweat our prayers,
dance our dreams, laugh and cry our way to feeling refreshed, revitalized, with new visions for
our future.
Mark Abramson & Fred Luskin
This program is designed to integrate the practice of mindful awareness with directed heartfulness to facilitate growth, healing, and change.
It is based on Fred Luskin’s research at Stanford
Medical School on the healing effects of forgiveness and heartfulness and Mark Abramson’s
work as the director of Stanford’s MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program.
The workshop introduces the practical application of techniques of mindfulness and heartfulness to transform emotional states and unleash
the great potential for deep healing of the body.
The goal is to learn new ways of relating to experience that allow greater opening, understanding, and the possibility of transformation. “Our
work,” write the leaders, “has shown us that this
creates an increasing experience of gentleness,
kindness, and respect for oneself and others.”
The program offers guided practice in mindfulness meditation, body movement, breathing
practices, and heart opening, interspersed with
lecture and interactive discussion. While the
We will enter the Native American sweat lodge
to sing our prayers, sweat our toxins, give thanks
to our ancestors, and pray for guidance for ourselves, our children and their children. Set on
the sacred ground of the Esselen tribe, we enter
a thousand-year-old tradition.
On Saturday afternoon, we will gather herbs,
flowers and roots, and brew and steep them
overnight. On Sunday morning, we will engage
in the ritual of cleansing our skin with sea salt
scrub before soaking in the herb-infused Esalen
mineral baths. This ritual cleansing has both
physical and metaphysical benefits, exfoliating
our skin and setting our spirits free.
Bring photographs of your ancestors, siblings,
and children, to be placed on the altar.
The Healing Power of Emotion
Dorothy Charles
Living a full and connected life requires the
capacity to feel and to make use of our emotion-
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al experience. Much of the alienation and separation in our relationships and family life is the
result of a fear of feelings. We disconnect from
our emotional life when we are afraid of being
overwhelmed, humiliated, or perceived as weak
or inadequate, only to pay the price later in
isolation, anxiety, and depression.
If we can be helped to feel safe enough to feel,
we can reap the profound benefits of experiencing and exploring our emotions. Safety is
created within the experience of accessing and
expressing feelings in the company of an accepting, attuned, and understanding other. In this
environment, our frightening or intolerable
sensations can be transformed into an essential
part of our vitality and connection to others.
We can become more alive, present, and free as
a result of facing what was previously avoided.
Our relationships improve and deepen as a
result of our ability to feel at ease with our own
feelings and to be present with the feeling of
others.
Dorothy and participants create a safe and supportive environment in which all emotions can
be met with curiosity, interest, and acceptance.
The format combines Relational Gestalt
Awareness Practice, guided imagery, small group
work, dyadic awareness exercises and discussion,
and includes opportunities for open-seat work
with the leader.
Rosen Method Bodywork: Accessing
the Unconscious through Touch
Students will be shown how to:
• Use hands that listen rather than manipulate
• Notice how chronic muscle tension is held
in the body
• Use subtle changes in the breath to follow
the relaxation process
• Allow unconscious feelings, attitudes, and
memories to emerge
• Remain vital and joyful while moving to
music
ways of showing up as a leader in your life–
whether it is in your family, community, organization, or the world.
Working with other participants, explore, test,
and play with your authentic leadership style.
When you embody it you can experience possibilities you have not yet dreamed of. Goals for
the workshop are:
This workshop qualifies toward certification
as a Rosen Method Movement teacher. See
www.RosenWest.org.
• A deeper understanding of your unique
leadership qualities
• Clarity about your purpose and vision as a
leader
• Ideas for taking action and making an impact
Recommended reading: Cashman, Leadership
from the Inside Out.
Everyday Leadership: Bringing All of
Who You Are to Everything You Do
Week of January 10–15
Athena Katsaros
Come discover the essence of your unique leadership and how to express it in every aspect of
your life. This workshop is based on the belief
that everyone has the capacity to be a leader and
that leadership is an expression of who you are,
not simply what you do.
This weekend is devoted to you discovering
what makes you unique and developing your
vision for the impact you want to have. Through
conversation, exercises, and a range of processes,
we move beyond conventional definitions of
leadership and toward bringing all of who you
are to everything you do. You will cultivate new
Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat
Zoran Josipovic
Nonduality is the natural condition of life, a
unity of Being in which we are free from the
fragmenting dualities of self vs. other, good vs.
bad, and spiritual vs. material. It has often been
said that to practice nondual meditation is to
take the goal of the spiritual practice itself as the
path, to abide in clear awareness and open heart.
This retreat is an opportunity to spend five days
at Esalen in an effortless yet deep practice
involving meditation, gentle movement, breathing
exercises, and dialogue. Even though much of
Jane Malek
This workshop introduces the touch that accesses the emotional material held in the unconscious parts of our bodies. Participants will be
taught to deepen awareness, observe the wisdom
of the natural breath, and experience living
more from personal truth. The group process
will amplify the opening to feelings that have
long been stored as muscular tension. Rosen
Method Movement helps to integrate these feelings and physical shifts into daily life. The workshop explores how both modalities complement
each other and emerge from the same theory.
14
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Marion Rosen’s vision of Rosen Method
Bodywork and Movement has brought her recognition as an international pioneer in the field of
body-oriented therapies. At the heart of Rosen
Method is the practitioner’s keen sense to see a
person’s true essence, often hidden underneath
chronic holding patterns. Using skillful touch,
gentle yet deep, the practitioner contacts the
client’s unconscious, allowing essence to emerge.
what we do is “non-doing,” abiding in nonduality can have some immediate beneficial effects
on our condition, such as:
• Deeper contact with self and others
• Greater ease in relationships
• More intuitive attunement to our
surroundings
• Reduced chronic stress
• Feeling more comfortable in one’s body
• Resolving fear and self-doubt
• Being more spontaneous and authentic
While this retreat provides space for in-depth
meditation practice, it will not be physically
demanding.
Cozy and Creative Winter Cooking
Charlie Cascio & Liam McDermott
Winter months awaken the cozy feeling of
comfort foods and those nostalgic memories of
sitting around a warm source of heat. Summer
produce speaks for itself and needs only gentle
encouragement from the cook, but when snow
turns the winter landscape white, cooking
seems more like alchemy. Transforming a pot
of lentils and a few chilies into a warming dal,
or winter root vegetables and chunks of meat
into a comforting stew, is sheer magic.
Join two creative chefs as they share savory,
sustainable, and nourishing winter recipes.
Working with Charlie Cascio and Liam
McDermott, participants will create all lunches
throughout the week and share their culinary
creativity in a midday meal. Participants will
learn to master some general principles of making food taste great, such as what to pair with
various ingredients, how to prepare them, how
to season and balance taste, evaluate when a dish
needs a little something or other, and what to do
to uplift its flavor.
Menus utilize local and organic vegetables,
meats, dried beans, pastas, and eggs, and participants will have the chance to forage for their
lunch ingredients from the Esalen Farm and
Garden. We will select from the winter bounty
of greens, root vegetables, and much more.
Menus draw on the cuisines of Mexico, India,
Thailand, Italy, Spain, France, China, and Japan.
Discussions around the fire at the Big House
will include nutrition, slow food, the language
of food, appreciation of ingredients, communicating with cooking, and cooking as a meditation. Open to beginning and advanced cooks.
Self-Actualization and Self-Healing
Ingrid Bacci
Self-actualization is a term that describes the
process by which you become everything you
can be, living up to your possibilities and the
inner dream that motivates your life. Full selfactualization is your birthright, and it is a goal
you can achieve by the regular, experiential
application of principles based on the fundamental unity of mind, body, and spirit.
To be fully self-actualized is to be radiantly
healthy and long-lived, mentally tranquil and
focused with refined intuitive faculties, emotionally centered, and spiritually connected to
your higher soul. It is to be fully self-empowered, with a spontaneous and loving commitment to helping others. In order to become all
that you can be, you must shed old paradigms of
what it means to be human, and absorb a more
accurate paradigm founded in science. After
introducing you to such a paradigm, this workshop takes you systematically through experiential work that includes psychophysical exercises
for health and healing, mental training through
meditative exercises, intuition training, techniques for identifying and releasing emotional
blocks, techniques for developing receptivity to
a higher power, and tools for identifying your
higher self and channeling your energy into
meaningful life goals. Applying these tools to
your daily life can help you toward full self-actualization.
Songwriting: Catch and Release
Cris Williamson
What’s in a song and how do I write one? “A
song is a made thing, and is most often composed of words, melody, rhythm, and a shape
that holds them all,” writes Cris Williamson.
“We will write every day. We will explore different ways of writing, which will allow you to
access your inner river of thoughts. We will
catch words from that river, fasten them to the
page, and add music to allow a song to emerge.
We will employ a combination of solo and
group writing. A compressed style of writing
can enable us to be more aware, to be better listeners, and to realize that songs live everywhere.
We must capture them and set them free.
“You do not need to be a musician or writer to
take this workshop. Anyone can do this, and I
will show you how. Not only can you do this,
but you can be good at it. We all start with baby
steps and grow before our own eyes. This is
deeply beautiful work, hard and so much fun.
Everyone is invited. There is so much joy in this
endeavor.”
Bring a small tape or digital recorder, a thesaurus, dictionary, and rhyming dictionary if
you have one. Bring an instrument if you play
one. You may also bring works-in-progress and
Cris will help you bring them to completion.
Biodanza®: The AbunDance™ of Life
Jaquelin Levin
Fall in love with life as you journey into the
sensuality of being. Biodanza: The AbunDance
of Life is an integrative movement system of
human potential aimed at organic renovation,
reeducation in love, and a relearning of the original functions of life. This integration is proposed through music, voice, movement, and
encounters within a safe group setting. Biodanza
is a scientifically sound method that can reduce
stress, release emotions, promote wellness, and
establish holistic homeostasis. Through creative
expression we learn to understand, embrace,
and manage our emotions while seeing ourselves and the other with compassion.
Biodanza was created in the 1960s and has since
developed into a global movement. Dances are
non-choreographed and are designed to induce
a “vivencia” (an intensified experience of the
here-and-now) in order to express an authenticity of identity from the root of our cells.
Come explore the primordial meaning life
together by unfurling the essence of our needs
and purpose—our vitality, creativity, sensuality,
affectivity, and transcendence—and who we
want to experience this earth dance with.
Biodanza creates community and consciousness
by building sustainable lives, relationship, and a
capacity for adaptability in our lives.
Everyone is welcome to come and experience
the fullness of being, to surrender to the music,
the human community, the cosmos, and become
the AbunDance. For more information, visit
www.biodanza-dancesoflife.com or www.biodanzausa.com.
Relationships: The Courage to Begin
Mary Goldenson
For one human being to love another: that is perhaps
the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate test
and proof, the work for which all the other work
is but preparation.
—Rilke
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Life is a precious gift. We have all experienced
moments of feeling totally alive, especially within our relationships. When beliefs, defenses,
fears, and emotions from the past enter into our
present-day relationships, we lose our ability to
feel love, trust, and joy.
tions that will often benefit from this approach.
Special emphasis will be placed on Skeletal
Awareness. Students will be given a new understanding of how tension and injury are often
involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of the body.
The goal of this workshop is to experience these
restrictive patterns and to create new ways to
relate to ourselves, others, and our work, thus
enabling us to create new beginnings. This
workshop can help you:
The workshop will integrate approaches derived
from Chinese-Indonesian energetic systems to
the field of bodywork. Touch and movement
methods of protecting and energizing the practitioner: grounding, generating, circulating, and
extending energy will be shared.
•
•
•
•
•
Find out how your relationships mirror you
Clarify what you want and how to get it
Examine ways you sabotage yourself
Learn more about how others see you
Learn practical tools and knowledge that will
help create empowered relationships
In a supportive and safe environment, experiential exercises will help you become more adept
at listening, empathizing, truth-telling, creative
problem solving, and taking responsibility to
create the relationships you want. Come alone
or with a partner. The workshop will draw from
Gestalt, Reichian work, dance, imagery, and
meditation.
Recommended reading: Goldenson, It’s Time—
No One’s Coming to Save You.
Spinal Awareness (with Humor):
Feldenkrais® and Energy Work for
Bodyworkers and Everyone
Patrick Douce
Spinal Awareness can improve body awareness,
flexibility, posture, and many chronic and acute
conditions. Spinal Awareness is a way of learning, not a therapy or treatment. It is taught with
movement, touch, and group interaction, and
based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais,
Chinese-Indonesian martial art, the Esalen
experience, and it continues to evolve.
In this week we will apply these techniques
specifically to the field of movement, massage,
and other bodywork. Practitioners and participants will be given specific tools to integrate
into their own disciplines. Movement and
hands-on techniques will be taught according
to the needs of the individual members of the
group.
This work will focus on how we can overcome
our limitations in movement and functioning.
Problem chronic and acute conditions in the
lower back, neck, shoulder, hips, knees, elbows,
ankle, wrist, and jaw are only some of the condi16
The use of joy and humor will be the undertone
of this week. Real freedom in the body is also freedom of spirit and fun. This is a program designed
for both the beginner and the professional.
January 15–22
The Rhythms of Stone
D.J. Garrity
Conceived at the dawn of artistic expression,
the rhythms and flow of stone carving remain
a meditative experience that joins mind, body,
and spirit in a creative odyssey. Award-winning
sculptor D.J. Garrity leads an exploration of
three-dimensional form and the creative energies that awaken through the ageless process
of stone sculpture. D.J., who served three tours
of duty as the sculptor-in-residence of Mount
Rushmore National Memorial, has a refined
and experiential approach to the art of direct
stone sculpture.
He guides participants through a hands-on
approach that uses the human face as an instructive template to establish a basic understanding
of the hand tools, techniques, and procedures of
stone sculpture. He also combines presentations,
lectures, and impromptu demonstrations as each
participant finesses an image from stone that
carries his or her unique creative imprint. The
completed work will weigh between thirty-five
and forty pounds; students are not required to
lift the stones. Please bring a pair of comfortable
safety glasses that accommodate your prescription glasses, comfortable clothes, a hat, and sunscreen. The workshop is appropriate for novices
or students with previous experience. The leader
supplies all stone, which may include limestone,
marble, and basalt, and all hand tools. No power
tools are used. For more information, visit
www.djgarrity.com.
Realization Process:
Attuning to the Essence of Being
Judith Blackstone
Spiritual traditions refer to an essential dimension of existence. They call it fundamental
consciousness, True Self, non-duality, and many
other names. This dimension is not an abstract
concept. It is the core of our own true nature
and can be experienced by anyone willing to
approach it with patience and openness.
Fundamental consciousness is experienced as
clear, luminous space pervading our body and
our environment, transcending the duality of
self and object. It is deeper than the physical
and energetic levels of our being and beyond
our psychological defenses, projections,
images, and archetypes. Realization Process is
a precise method of attuning to fundamental
consciousness.
Discover ways to integrate fundamental consciousness with the body and breath/energy
system. Experience oneness with nature and
people while remaining grounded in one’s body,
and see, hear, and touch on a subtler level.
Realization Process attunement exercises are combined with sitting and movement meditations,
and sound and breath work. Discussions include
the ways fundamental consciousness can facilitate
psychological and physical healing. Please come
prepared for deep, concentrated work.
Recommended reading: Blackstone, The
Empathic Ground, The Enlightenment Process,
and Living Intimately.
Crafting Careers that Truly Fit:
How to Work from Within
Susan Bernstein
More than 50% of Americans are dissatisfied
with their jobs. Often, we stumble or fall into
careers that don’t fit, and then we feel stuck.
When we try to make a change we’re guided to
analytical approaches—including career tests
and assessments—to try to figure out a new professional direction. Yet such structures, often
lauded in the business world, seldom help us get
in touch with what deeply energizes and moves
us. Our conditioning can make us feel like failures if we don’t get to a speedy resolution. We
rationalize away our true desires and continue
to make life-limiting compromises.
unconscious fears of losing socioeconomic
status and position. This led to reevaluating
our roles and (mythic) identities and directly
addressing the existential issues that have the
most meaning in our lives.”
BENJAMIN FAHRER
Common responses to the financial crisis and
other global conflicts include a range of psychological experiences—denial, mild anxiety, hysteria,
sheer panic, and apocalyptic fears. However, this
sets the stage for an opportunity to delve into
our most basic ways of coping with insecurity.
You can gain more clarity about your future life
and livelihood by awakening a form of intelligence we generally overlook: embodied intelligence. Our bodies know how to navigate chaos
and uncertainty although most of us have forgotten the innate wisdom that has been with
us since birth. When we tap into this inner
guidance, we know our next steps.
Through movement, writing, and discussion, we
will creatively listen to and learn to trust our
impulses and instincts as we allow our true life
energy to direct us. Both right and left brain
can feel satisfied as we create compelling new
visions of what work can be for each of us.
Please bring a notebook and a pen.
Luminous Being:
Embodying the Radiance Sutras
Lorin Roche & Camille Maurine
The beginning of the year is a good time to
refresh our connection with the life-giving
rhythms of nature. A symphony of rhythms is
always pulsating in our bodies. Breath is a
rhythm. The beat of the heart is rhythm. A day
is a rhythm of light and dark. Music is a rhythm
of sound and silence. We dedicate this weekend
to meditation and movement with the rhythms
of renewal and inspiration.
Together we will explore the luminous teachings of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, an ancient
text that describes 112 awareness practices for
touching the sacred in the midst of daily life.
The Radiance Sutras is a sensuous translation of
this tantra by Lorin Roche, who has lived,
breathed, and taught these techniques for forty
years.
The Radiance Sutras evoke a world of wonder,
awe, and delight. During our time together, our
focus will be on full-body spirituality—accepting
every breath, sensual experience, and emotion
as a doorway into deep and intimate contact
with the energies of life. You will have the
opportunity to explore the sutras that are calling
you, and receive coaching from Lorin and
Camille Maurine in making them your own.
You don’t have to be good or virtuous to practice
these methods. The sutras encourage you to
meet yourself wherever you are—restless, lonely,
loving, tired, excited, nostalgic, or quiet. The
emphasis will be on naturalness, spontaneity,
and being at home in the universe. All levels of
experience are welcome.
Recommended Reading: Roche, The Radiance
Sutras: 112 Tantra Yoga Teachings For Opening to
the Divine in Everyday Life; Maurine and Roche,
Meditation 24/7: Practices to Enlighten Every Moment
of the Day and Meditation Secrets for Women:
Discovering Your Passion, Power, and Inner Peace.
The Sky is Falling, What Now?
Embracing Uncertainty, Loss,
and Change
Eric Simon
“Many of us, my family included, are personally
affected by the global financial meltdown,” Eric
Simon writes. “It has been an interesting journey for us, involving, of course, our initial panic.
I later realized this panic was in part related to
Explore the roots of illusions regarding attachment, lack of boundaries, infiniteness, and
immortality. Examine the roles of myth, defenses, psychological development, and identity, and
emerge with a renewed sense of vigor, creativity,
purpose and meaning in how we embrace our
lives. Workshop methods include psychophysiologic self-regulation techniques, grounding
exercises, guided hypnosis, and dream analysis.
Most of all, a safe group process will be facilitated to deepen coherence of self in a healing groupcommunity.
Dreaming Together
Jon Lipsky
Dreaming Together offers a technique for reexperiencing your dreams—focusing on the full
embodiment of dream images with body and
voice. This process deepens your relationship
with your dream images and narratives, which
become the raw material for a theatrical experience. By working on dreams as an actor you naturally personalize the work and drop into
authentic emotional moments. At first we simply tell the dream narratives as we would tell a
story around a campfire or at the kitchen table.
Using listening techniques developed by Jungian
psychoanalyst Robert Bosnak, we first internalize the images of dreams, and then put them on
their feet. We enact the dreams using theater, to
give shape to all the characters and actions. The
dreamer plays all the parts, and in this way, views
the dream from many perspectives.
Dreaming Together also invites you to experience the dreams of others. By enacting other
people’s dreams, you get to walk in their shoes
and open up new paths of empathy. By embodying your own dreams, you can start to experience how deeply felt images, like dream images,
are continuously stimulating your waking
hours. In the end, you should have a new way of
looking at real life as a waking dream. You don’t
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have to have any experience in acting to do this
workshop, just a willingness to get up on your
feet and tell your dream stories. Please bring a
copy of Dreaming Together to the workshop.
Required reading: Lipsky, Dreaming Together:
Explore Your Dreams by Acting Them Out.
Change, Wisdom, and the Cultivation
of Eldership
Stephen Schuitevoerder
Personal change has the potential to be a great
transformer of our lives. Change, which can be
disturbing and often uninvited, leads us into
new worlds of experience. How we traverse this
journey is a challenge for each of us. If we follow
this journey consciously and with awareness, we
can transform these challenges into a richness
and wisdom at our journey‘s end. All challenges,
whether personal or societal, when worked with
skillfully, provide us with this same richness and
depth of spirit. In this workshop we will explore
the Process Work models of individual work and
Worldwork. We will explore how personal and
societal challenges provide us with powerful
insights and transformation, and lead us to our
own wisdom and eldership.
Dean Marson & Deborah Anne Medow
This workshop offers an introduction to the
elemental skills of Esalen Massage, with an
additional focus on yoga to enhance body awareness and maintain flexibility. Through demonstration and hands-on practice, participants will
learn the long, flowing strokes that define the
Esalen style. This approach emphasizes presence
and quality of contact, so the work is easy on
the practitioner, while bringing a sense of integration and connection to the receiver.
In addition to table work, participants will learn
ways of attending to their own bodies through
yoga. Simple asanas, or yoga postures, will be presented in gentle ways to help students rediscover
flexibility and fluidity in practice and in daily life.
This workshop is for people just beginning to
explore the art of touch as well as those wishing
to bring the Esalen “feel” into work they may
already be doing. There will also be time to
enjoy the healing waters of the Esalen baths and
the natural beauty of the Esalen land. Please
bring your favorite music, loose, comfortable
clothing, a yoga mat, and a good sense of humor.
The Impossible Dream: Living Beyond
Self-Limiting Behavior
Chris Chouteau, Julie Bowden
& Richard Balaban
A life beyond our greatest expectations is made
possible by knowing ourselves and being fulfilled in work and love. Self-limiting behaviors
and mood-altering substances undermine this
dream and prevent us from embracing actions
that promote our growth, wellbeing, and emotional health. Those committed to their own
dreams and goals in life can move beyond the
barriers caused by personal addiction, a loved
one’s addiction, and the other behaviors that
keep us from our true purpose in life. Living
with self-limiting behaviors and addictions
makes the normal passage through life’s developmental stages difficult and impedes the
important tasks of becoming a fulfilled human
being: self-esteem, expression of feelings, awareness of needs, establishment of trust, success in
relationships, to name but a few.
This workshop will use group and individual
work—meditation, awareness practice, feedback,
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Esalen® Massage with a Touch of Yoga
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experiential exercises, role-play, guided imagery,
and writing—to navigate a path toward effective
change, enhanced relationships, genuine intimacy, and spiritual growth.
Participants are asked to forgo alcohol and nonprescription drugs during these five days. This
sets the arena to identify self-limiting behaviors
and commit to living your dreams.
with curiosity discover habitual attitudes,
expressions, movements, and postures that
restrict contact with others. Through dyad and
group work explore what supports satisfying
contact and what inhibits it. You will have the
opportunity to experience how deep contact
with self and others gives life its most profound
meaning, supporting ease in body, heart, and
soul.
Intimacy, Differences, and the
Process of Community
Bill Say
Many of us hunger for community that is
deeply intimate, welcoming, and inclusive. To
create such a community environment, and
to make it sustainable, we must learn how to
integrate differences, conflicts, and emergent
change. In this workshop, experiment with
how to co-create a community experience that
is emotionally intimate, relationally healing,
aware, and deeply democratic. You’ll practice
resolving differences and conflicts, and learn
how to unfold deeply seated and limiting relational patterns in order to experience greater
connection. Using awareness as your guide,
you’ll see at individual and collective levels
how change is naturally emerging. Become
the person you are meant to be. Come create
a world where we all have a place.
Compassionate Connections:
Tender Touch and Human Contact
Deanna Darby
Touch, a gentle voice, and the tender gaze of
another are the foundation of compassionate
contact and part of our deepest sense of self. In
a world of cellular and cyber connecting, we can
be deprived of these vital elements that enable
human beings to thrive. We are hungry for
touch and long for a voice that affirms joy and
consoles sorrow, yet so often we don’t know how
to give or receive the most essential sources of
comfort. From birth to final breath, touch is the
comfort we seek when we’re hurt or frightened,
when we’re excited or celebrating. Physical isolation results in stress, irritability, depression, and
aggression. Touch sets in motion a biochemical
cascade of wellbeing. The affirming quality of
touch, that bespeaks presence and interest, connects us to the ground of our being and invites
us to rest into a deep abiding sense of existence.
Explore how to offer and receive touch in safe,
supportive, and respectful ways. Gently and
Bringing Courageous Love
to Your Intimate Relationship
Richard Schwartz
We all have been taught that our romantic partner should end our misery and make us feel
happy and alive. When a partner doesn’t, we
wonder if he or she is the right one. Yet, for
most of us, no partner is capable of keeping our
heads above the pools of pain and shame we
bring to intimate relationships. Only we can
drain those pools and become the primary caretakers for the young, needy parts of us that were
drowning in them. Once this inner trust is
achieved, we can love our partners courageously
and unconditionally because we don’t need them
to always do the heavy lifting of our spirits.
Using elements of Richard Schwartz’s Internal
Family Systems model of psychotherapy, you
and your partner can learn how to achieve
courageous love and find and heal parts of yourselves that interfere with intimacy. In addition,
discover the effectiveness of communicating
with your partner from a place of compassion,
calm, clarity, and confidence, called the Self.
When couples have Self-led conversations, their
relationships harmonize naturally. They can
discuss even highly charged issues productively
and safely reveal their most vulnerable parts
to each other. This workshop is for intimate
partners of any kind.
Recommended reading: Schwartz, You Are the
One You’ve Been Waiting For. Available from
www.selfleadership.org.
Yoga and the Path to Vitality
and Awareness
Debra Simpson
The Sanskrit word hatha translates as “sun and
moon.” Hatha yoga encompasses both of these
energetic poles, as well as a masculine and
feminine energy union. In this workshop, we
explore the delicate balance between effort and
ease, and intensity and grace, that inspires us
toward the path of vitality both on the yoga mat
and in the outside world of our lives.
Students are guided into sthira and sukha, stability and comfort, using the practices of asana
(postures) and pranayama (conscious breathing)
to discover the middle path in all aspects of
being. According to yogic philosophy, there are
five sheaths, or layers, to a human being. We
begin with the body, then move through energy
systems and emotional and mental layers, and
then toward the spirit. During morning active
asana sessions, we apply alignment foundations
and dynamic methods to quiet the mind for
contemplation. A quiet mind brings the physical
body into its most efficient state for optimum
productivity. We spend late afternoon sessions
in restorative postures with time to enjoy the
spirit and power of the land and sea in the beauty
of Esalen.
Please have a minimum of three months recent
yoga experience and bring your own yoga mat.
Acupressure for Anyone
Aminah Raheem
Acupressure is an ancient method of touching
the body on specific acupoints, the same ones
used in acupuncture, to promote holistic wellness. This healing method, which predates
acupuncture, has been practiced successfully
for over four thousand years in Asia. In the
current health revolution it is being used in
holistic clinics and hospitals as a complementary modality.
Aminah Raheem teaches simple but profoundly
effective ways to apply acupressure principles
and points to the clothed body. Learn how to
balance the body’s energy in a deeply relaxing
way, release stress, and address various common
symptoms such as headaches, backaches, and
colds. Learn how to easily work on yourself
alone or with friends and family. You are introduced to the SEVA protocol (seva means “selfless service” in Sanskrit), which was designed
after 9/11 to help with the shock and stress of
emergency helpers at Ground Zero. It was so
effective that it has since been taught around
the world for stress relief, in hospitals, hospices,
and clinics, to all types of people, from university students to Indian fabric dyers.
Ample practice in class assures that you can confidently take this form of acupressure wherever
you go, for yourself, family, and friends.
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The Mind/Body Connection:
Enhancing the Body’s Ability
to Heal and Function Optimally
Stephen Sideroff
Physical and emotional holding patterns as well
as habitual behaviors can result from emotional
pain and defenses. Along with stress, they cause
muscle tension and nervous system reactivity
and imbalance. This impacts physical symptoms
and interferes with healing and the body’s
optimal functioning.
Pain and other symptoms can also be maintained unconsciously as a distraction from emotional issues. By addressing the underlying
issues and coping better with stress, the body is
able to let go more readily. This improves blood
flow, affects biochemical balance, improves
physical health, and enhances performance.
This workshop is designed to help you recognize and release emotional and physical holding
patterns and learn more appropriate responses
to stress. Thus your body becomes more resilient
and heals better. Discussion along with experiential work will facilitate greater self-awareness,
emotional release, and body self-regulation. This
workshop addresses:
• The connection between emotions, stress, and
physical symptoms including pain
• Identifying and resolving emotional holding
patterns and unfinished business
• Introduction to relaxation and biofeedback
techniques
• Coping with stress and correcting the chronic
imbalance of your nervous system
• Redesigning your body’s “fight or flight”
response to enhance resilience
• Dealing with anger and depression
• Destructive patterns such as perfectionism,
obsessiveness, and addictions
• New and more effective ways of thinking and
controlling thoughts
• Creating your personal program for healing
and optimal functioning
Being Danced: 5Rhythms® Essentials
Andrea Juhan
“It is a glorious moment when we feel at one
with the creative life force that moves and
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breathes through us,” says Andrea Juhan. Here
is an invitation to engage with the 5Rhythms
movement practice and create a structure to
hold more of these moments. With roots in
shamanic and Sufi traditions, 5Rhythms is an
open form that catalyzes powerful emotional
and spiritual energies and invites these energies
to move through our physical bodies. Focusing
our awareness in each of the 5Rhythms—
Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness—
makes us present and grounded. We quiet our
minds and cultivate an expanded sense of Being
in our own bodies.
This is a practice that anyone, regardless of size,
shape, age, or level of fitness, can enjoy. No previous dance experience, 5Rhythms or otherwise,
is required. All you need is willingness, curiosity, and a desire to move and be moved.
Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways to
Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
professionals, and many of these methods can
be adapted for children.
Experiencing Esalen
Robin Fann-Costanzo
We must answer anew the old questions.
“What are the limits of human ability, the
boundaries of the human experience?
What does it mean to be a human being?”
—From the 1965 Esalen Catalog
This workshop is an introduction to some of the
transformational practices of Esalen. Designed
for first-time participants or those renewing
their acquaintance with Esalen, the emphasis is
on finding those approaches to personal growth
that work most effectively for each participant.
Sessions may include: meditation, sensory
awareness, Gestalt Practice, group process, art,
movement, and massage. There will also be time
to explore the magnificence of the Big Sur coast.
Rick Hanson with Jan Hanson
For thousands of years, meditators in many traditions have used the mind to change the brain,
open the heart, settle into blissful absorption,
and to experience liberating insight. Today,
scientists are studying the brains of longtime
contemplative practitioners—the Olympic athletes of mental training. Modern neuroscience
is confirming ancient practices and revealing
new ways to light up your own brain circuits of
happiness, love, and wisdom. Mental activity
changes neural structure in a process called neuroplasticity, which gives you a great opportunity
to redirect the brain, and thus your whole being.
For example, recent studies have shown that
focusing on gratitude and other pleasant feelings stimulates and strengthens the left frontal
lobes, which in turn lifts your mood. Similarly,
certain mindfulness practices enlarge the insula
in your brain, and the benefits include a greater
ability to tune into others.
Through group discussions, meditations, and
exercises, learn how to guide your brain to
improve concentration and memory, feel safer
and stronger, be more intimate with yourself
and others, and, if you like, deepen your meditative practices. In particular, learn how to defeat
the built-in “negativity bias” of your brain by
weaving positive resources into your brain and
your self.
No background in neurology or meditation is
required, and you can use these research-based
methods in daily life. Very relevant to helping
Esalen® Massage for Couples
Deborah Anne Medow & Tom Case
This weekend is designed to help couples renew
their relationship while exploring touch and
learning massage. The workshop will present
simple massage techniques, developed by Esalen
Massage practitioners, that have proven valuable
to anyone who wants to help a partner, friend, or
family member feel better. Massage methods
that help relieve pain, increase vitality, or simply
soothe the nerves will be briefly demonstrated
and practiced, with plenty of hands-on instruction. There will also be time to bathe with your
partner in the healing waters of the Esalen baths
and enjoy the magical beauty and power of the
Esalen grounds.
Please bring an open heart, your favorite CDs
for massage and/or dancing, loose, comfortable
clothing, and a good sense of humor.
Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal:
The Courage to Pause
David Schiffman
This is a workshop for people who need a
break—from working too hard, from concentrating too much, from being stuck under pressure
too long, or who are just plain tired from the
perplexity and strain over what comes next.
“While we pause,” writes David, “we’ll study the
three R’s and how they can be used to cultivate a
climate of renewed energy and enthusiasm, the
ability to think wisely ahead, and the presence
to relate honestly and authentically with others.
This weekend will emphasize breathing space
and ease of being for deep contemplation. There
will be soulful, encouraging company as well as
wise counsel available for emotional nourishment.
“We will draw on the power and spirit medicine
of Big Sur’s natural gifts for healing and inspiration. A special blend of music and movement
will create a mood of playfulness and spontaneity for the rejuvenation of spirit. Simple activities, including ceremony and personal practices,
will be used to deepen our feelings of being
lively and hopeful about our futures.”
kirtan groups or to introduce chanting to yoga
classes. If you’re one of those people, this workshop is for you.
All participants are organized into small ensembles. Each ensemble then chooses a chant,
rehearses it together, and presents a kirtan to
the group. The instructors rotate through the
groups, working closely with the participants to
develop rhythmic and harmonic concepts, solve
problems, and answer questions. The history
and philosophy of kirtan are also intensively
explored, and participants learn how to present
and discuss the mantras.
Participants are encouraged to bring musical
instruments with them, but it is understood that
the most important instruments are human
voices and hands. Instruction will be offered in
playing the harmonium and finger cymbals, and
a limited number of these instruments will be
on hand for use by all.
Kirtan Flight School
Dave Stringer & Band
Clifford Henderson & Dixie Cox
—JM Barrie, author of Peter Pan
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Kirtan, an Eastern form of call-and-response
mantra chanting, is experiencing a creative and
popular renaissance in the West. In this consciousness-transforming practice, singers seek
to vanish into the song just as raindrops merge
into the ocean. Ecstasy is both the process and
the product. Today, musicians and audiences all
over the world are reinvigorating this ancient
musical form with modern ideas and techniques.
Many people are now inspired to participate in
Clifford Henderson and Dixie Cox guide participants through simple improv exercises aimed at
personal expansion. Using the tenets of improv,
such as trust and spontaneity, participants are
encouraged to say “yes” to situations offered to
them by the group. The group also explores one
of the most compelling tools in improv: status,
the human pecking order. Participants familiarize themselves with the subtle clues they send
and receive to define their status, and have a
chance to try out new body language and status
choices. Rejuvenate your spirit through experiential play and laughter. For more information,
visit www.funinstitute.com.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Lynda Greenberg
Improv: Expanding Yourself
with Laughter
If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing.
unwillingness prevents them from experiencing
that potent tool we call play, which includes the
permission to try new ways of being, without
the serious consequences of real life.
Just as our muscles can tighten with stress
and age, so can our notions about ourselves.
Indeed, if these core beliefs aren’t stretched and
made flexible, we run the risk of growing into the
stereotypical narrow-minded “adult,” comfortable
with routines and unwilling to try new things.
One antidote to this curmudgeonly affliction is
the improvisational workout.
Children stretch their sense of self through the
powerful medium of play. Adults often don’t
because they find it too scary or foolish. This
For many of us, drawing seems to be a mysterious process reserved for the “talented” few, but
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has
debunked this myth.
Welcoming students who are convinced they
have little talent for drawing and those wishing
to expand their current artistic abilities, this
workshop offers an intensive combination of
discussion and studio exercises. The class is
designed to awaken the perceptual skills necessary for drawing with confidence and has proven
valuable to students at all levels.
Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Betty
Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side of the
Brain provides a forum on how to see and think
differently by tapping into the non-verbal (nondominant) side of the brain. Set in Esalen’s Art
Barn on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean,
students will have a host of stunning views to
draw and contemplate, including rocky streams,
sunsets, jagged cliffs, and an expansive evergreen forest. In a carefully sequenced process,
participants will explore the strategies of seeing
that will enable them to draw with a high
degree of skill. By workshop’s end participants
will have finished drawings and gained new
thinking strategies to help enhance their general problem-solving capacity.
Please register early; enrollment is limited to 20.
A materials list will be sent upon registration.
All exercises will be preceded by demonstrations and followed by assessments of individual
progress.
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and Buddhist practice intersect, and facilitate
case consultations from workshop participants.
We can include a dialogue on how dreams that
arise during the workshop may inform the
dreamer and the collective about the gathering
and expenditure of energy in our personal and
professional lives.
Essence and Alchemy:
A Natural Perfume Workshop
Mandy Aftel
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Fragrance has the instantaneous and invisible
power to penetrate consciousness. It is both
tangible and intangible, earthly and ethereal,
worthless and priceless, real and magical. To discover the art of natural perfumery is to participate in a spiritual process as well as an aesthetic
one. Using essential oils, with their rich histories, properties, and symbolism, immerses the
perfumer in a process of personal transformation.
The Writing Life
Extending the Exhale: Buddhist
Meditation Greets the Psychotherapist
Ellen Bass
Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.
— Anne Sexton
“This week,” writes Ellen Bass, “will allow us to
leave the rush of our busy lives and be still
enough to hear the stories and poems that gestate
within us. We’ll write, share our writing, and
hear what our work touches in others. We’ll help
each other to become clearer, go deeper, take
new risks. With the safety, support, and inspiration of this gathering, you will have the opportunity to create writing that is more vivid, more
true, more complex and powerful than you’ve
been able to do before.”
Whether you are interested in poetry, fiction,
nonfiction, memoir, or journal writing, this
workshop will provide a time to immerse
yourself in the writing life. Both beginners
and experienced writers are welcome.
For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are
delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it
always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to
tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.
— James Baldwin
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Constance Hills
Buddhist meditation allows us to calm our
minds and be fully aware of our bodies. As psychotherapists, a calm mind and a keen awareness of our bodies can help us be fully present
with our clients. When we’re keenly present in
the consultation room, our clinical work with
clients can reach its highest potential.
In this workshop for psychotherapists, we will
tend to ourselves by sitting in silence to calm
the mind, connect with the body, and gather
energy. The instructor will lead meditation
sessions from a Vipassana orientation, and
guided body-scan meditations. Participants with
any Buddhist meditation practice are welcome,
as are participants who have no meditation practice at all. There will be time to do some light
stretching of our limbs (paying close attention
to our hips and shoulders), and practice walking
meditation.
The instructor will present talks on how Buddhist
thought can inform our psychotherapy practice,
give clinical examples of where psychotherapy
This experiential workshop is designed for all
who wish to understand the world of scent and,
through it, discover aspects of creativity and
spiritual growth. Experience the fundamentals
of working with scent, including how to blend a
perfume and how to create a perfume formula.
Plenty of hands-on participation with essential
oils culminates in creating a liquid perfume and
a solid perfume from your own original formula. No experience or special skills are necessary.
Recommended reading: Aftel, Essence and
Alchemy: A Book of Perfume.
Rediscovering Your Self in the
Second Half of Life: For Women
Karen Ely
Join author, entrepreneur, and late-in-life adventurer Karen Ely for two days of fun, quiet introspection, insightful exercises, and life-changing
opportunities. Karen believes that in today’s hectic and time-starved world, it is vitally important
to find time for renewal, time to step back and
assess where we’ve come from and who we are
after a lifetime of being everything to everybody. Create a space to dream. A space to let go
of all the “wouldas, shouldas, and couldas” to
make room for a new way of being that’s firmly
based in our authentic selves, one filled with joy
and passion. Daring to Dream: Reflections on the
Year I Found Myself is Karen’s personal story of
rebirth following the end of her thirty-two-year
marriage, of coming to grips with a life that she
could no longer live and walking toward a self
that she no longer knew. Throughout the weekend, Karen will share her personal story and the
tools that supported her on a magical journey
back to herself. Through large and small group
exercises, quiet, music, joyful playing, and journaling, Karen will guide participants through an
exploration back to themselves. Women spend
time in silence and joy, eat chocolate mindfully,
connect deeply with themselves, and leave with
a passion and plan for the rest of their lives.
Tai Chi Chuan: Four Dimensions
of Purpose
Michael Mayer
Tai Chi Chuan stems from an ancient lineage of
postural initiation that includes four dimensions of purpose: self-healing, spiritual unfoldment, self-defense, and changing your life
stance. Michael Mayers’ perspective on Tai Chi
Chuan is based on research, imaginal mythopoetic exploration, and thirty years of practice
from Tai Chi Masters, and will be applied to the
Yang style Tai Chi set during this workshop.
Beginners, advanced practitioners, and Tai Chi
teachers can gain new perspectives and new
entryways into the treasures of Tai Chi as a lifelong practice.
You’ll be shown how to:
• Broaden your view of the purpose of Tai Chi
and experience how Tai Chi Chuan using the
four dimensions deepens your practice
• Cultivate Tai Chi’s unique ability to revitalize
and relax as you practice specific self-healing
movements and postures for your lifetime
preventative medicine program
• Learn how Standing Meditation Qigong is a
spiritual foundation practice for Tai Chi that
adds an energetic component that can be
transferred to your sitting meditation and
yoga practice
• Tap into Tai Chi’s essence to evoke deep states
of equanimity
• Discover how Tai Chi two-person selfdevelopment practices are initiatory pathways
into enhancing your stance with others and
embodying the elements of life
• Make Tai Chi come alive with Tai Chi Dance,
as you find the primordial animal forms of
Qigong hidden in Tai Chi movements
Recommended reading: Mayer, Secrets to Living
Younger Longer: The Self-Healing Path of Qigong,
Standing Meditation and Tai Chi; Energy
Psychology: Self-Healing Practices for Bodymind
Health; Bodymind Healing Qigong (DVD).
Finding Your Long Lost Musician
David Darling
Open your heart to the mystery of sound. Join
David Darling in this inspirational workshop
designed to provide tools for lifelong musical
performance and appreciation. Darling has
spent the last forty years developing methods
that bring people face to face with their own
wondrous and unique sounds and rhythms. He
creates a liberating environment in which each
participant has the opportunity to discover and
work with his or her musical abilities. Working
individually and in groups participants use their
voices, bodies, and instruments they already
play, have always wanted to play, or want to start
playing again.
During the workshop you can:
• Enjoy free movement, chanting, and
drumming
• Explore how we hear and receive musical
vibration
• Connect with and claim your own innate
rhythm and timing
• Discover how to eliminate stage fright and
a negative musical self-image
Darling is known for his energetic, loving, and
accepting style of bringing out the musical soul
in all of us. Sessions are relaxed and centered
on the profound qualities and the wonders of
music. Participants leave with a humorous,
joyful, and exhilarating sense of their musical
creations. No previous experience in making
music is necessary.
Please bring instruments that you want to play.
Piano and percussion instruments are provided.
This workshop is also presented in a five-day
format January 31–February 5.
Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice
Joyce Catlett & Lisa Firestone
Are you living the life you were destined to live
or are you living someone else’s? Are your
actions based on what you truly feel and believe,
or on negative programming from your past?
Lisa Firestone and Joyce Catlett, coauthors of
Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, are ready to
challenge your customary ways of thinking
about yourself, your relationships, and your
career. The goal? To expand your boundaries and
help you achieve more fulfillment in life. Based
on theories and methods developed by clinical
psychologist Robert W. Firestone, this workshop
can help you counter negative thinking and live
free from imagined limitations. Through videos,
interactive discussions, and various exercises,
the presenters will illustrate a number of important topics vital to an emotionally healthy existence:
• How do guilt and shame affect us in our
everyday lives? How do negative thoughts
about ourselves keep shame and guilt alive?
• How do destructive thoughts and attitudes
undermine our efforts to achieve our full
potential in our work lives?
• How does the inner voice interfere with
intimacy and closeness in our relationships?
• Why does sex seem to become unexciting or
routine for many couples after marriage?
• How can people challenge the destructive
thoughts or voices that influence addictive
behavior, and break free of these patterns?
• How can we deal effectively with negative
thinking that leads to a destructive spiral of
depression and hopelessness?
The Courage to Be You:
Letting Go and Moving On
Mary Goldenson
Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.
How do they learn it?
They fall, and falling, they’re given wings.
—Rumi
Much in life is beyond our control. Our choices
lie in how we respond to these moments. We
can develop the ability to move into these
moments with aliveness and passion. This
choice is an act of courage.
This workshop helps you explore what you are
holding in, holding onto, and holding back that
keeps you from experiencing who you truly are.
“The courage to be you” means the ability to
appropriately express the repressed anger, fear,
resentments, sadness, joy, and laughter that keep
you stuck in old patterns. Using emotional
release work, writing, movement, Gestalt, meditation, and silence, the workshop provides a safe
environment to explore your deepest emotions.
The focus will be on:
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• Having adult relationships with partners,
parents, and children
• Taking full responsibility for your life
• Discovering your own personal rhythm of
closeness
• Distinguishing accountability from blame
The workshop constitutes an in-depth life
review. All that is required is a willingness to
engage wholeheartedly. This workshop may
have up to 34 participants.
about not only freedom in the body but the
return to the childlike energy essential to us all.
This is a program designed for both the beginner
and the professional.
Week of January 31–February 5
Alchemical Healing: Entering the
Inner Laboratory of the Soul
Lorie Dechar & Benjamin Fox
Spinal Awareness (with Humor):
The Essence of Feldenkrais®
and Energy Work
Patrick Douce
conditions of your body. Spinal Awareness is a
blend of movement, touch, and group interaction, based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais,
Chinese-Indonesian martial art, and the Esalen
experience. It continues to evolve.
The movements of Spinal Awareness are quite
different from normal exercises. They emphasize learning how to move in ways that stimulate your awareness of your body. They involve
learning to use the floor to organize and integrate your own spinal column. Standing lessons
lead to a new awareness of ways to move with
better balance and fluidity. Special emphasis
will be placed on any difficulties participants
may have, such as lower back pain, hip trouble,
tension in the neck and shoulders, and knee
injuries.
This work will focus on how we can re-learn
how to overcome our limitations in movement
and functioning. Special emphasis will be
placed on Skeletal Awareness. Students will be
given a new understanding of how tension and
injury are often involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of our bodies.
Lessons inspired by Indonesian Silat will be
used to stimulate the energy body, effecting
internal health and increasing energy. These
movements, originating from the monasteries
of China and Tibet, further increase healing
possibilities. Safe and noninvasive hands-on
lessons will be presented that can greatly speed
up improvements
This workshop will evolve with humor and
playfulness. Fun partner lessons will help bring
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Alchemy is an ancient spiritual science that
focuses not only on physical forces and substances but also on the ephemeral aspects of life
traditionally regarded as the domain of the soul.
Rather than being a precursor to modern science, alchemy is a complementary system that
offers a unique set of tools to engage body, mind,
and spirit in the investigation of what it means
to be human. It opens us to the presence of
spirit as well as matter in all life.
Open a doorway to the alchemical laboratory
within by learning concepts and skills that can
transform the lead, or stuck places in your life,
into the gold of vital, new possibilities. This is
the essence of Alchemical Healing. Join us on an
adventure into the realms of European, Taoist,
and Vedic alchemy and other systems rooted in
alchemical consciousness, including Traditional
Chinese Medicine, archetypal psychology, evolutionary astrology, and plant spirit medicine.
Working with our own stories, imaginations,
bodies, and dreams as well as symbols and myths,
we use the support of our inner guides, the wisdom of the group, and the magical environment
that Esalen provides to create a unique piece of
alchemical inner healing for each participant.
The workshop is relevant for individuals working in health care who want to reinvigorate
their practices, support their patients in moving
beyond symptomatic quick-fixes, and deepen
their skillfulness in working at psychological
and spiritual levels. It will also be transformational to anyone who longs to bring eros, the
flow of life, back to their work, their relationships, and their being.
Breaking Reactive Patterns using
Mindfulness Practices
Michael Shiffman & Juliet Soopikian
Strong emotions capture our minds and bodies.
These difficult moments offer profound oppor-
tunities to witness our habitual patterns, retrain
our thinking, and reorganize our nervous system. Working with breath, body sensations,
thought, and meaning systems, we integrate
mindfulness practices with somatic techniques
to expand our capacity to process strong emotions.
This is an experiential workshop that draws
from the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, posttraumatic psychology, and somatic experiencing. Silent meditation and interactive practice
sessions reconnect different aspects of our experience. We balance this exploration with loving
kindness meditation (metta) and inspirational
poetry as a means for deepening self-care and
compassion.
Mindfulness practices create a safe container
and enhance our capacity to witness our experience. Somatic experiencing supports our innate
impulse to heal by assisting shifts in our bodymind system to reintegrate. Metta, or loving
kindness practice, opens our hearts to ourselves
and reminds us to live our life with ease.
We invite you to participate in a process of
becoming more alive and open to experience,
from the micro-level of a disorganized nervous
system to the broader strokes of our families,
the cultures into which we were born, and the
societies in which we live.
Embodiment and Development:
Foundations of Presence, Compassion,
and Healing
Susan Aposhyan & Dyrian Benz
In this course, we enter our bodies to discover
and develop what we witness there. We learn
basic embodiment practices that can be used
for personal growth or applied in therapeutic
settings. We also address the brain/mind-body
partnership and shed light on basic mechanisms in the human brain. In addition, we
explore how to shift our focus from pathology
to development while tapping into the natural
human functions of presence, compassion, and
healing.
This course is part of the Santa Barbara Graduate
Institute Certificate Program in Relational
Somatic Psychology. The Certificate Program is
inspired by the SBGI somatic psychology postgraduate academic curriculum and consists of a
rotating series of practice-oriented and academically sound Relational Somatic Psychology
courses. For further information, including
how shamanism can be applied in daily life to
help heal yourself, others, and the planet.
There will be opportunity for advanced work
with the spirits of nature in Esalen’s beautiful
and powerful setting. By learning from the
rocks and mountains, wind and waters, and
from sun, moon, and stars, shamans helped their
peoples live in harmony with the universe. In a
world out of balance, the way of the shaman can
teach us once again how to respect nature, the
earth, and its inhabitants at a deep spiritual
level.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
This workshop includes two Foundation for
Shamanic Studies courses: The Way of the
Shaman, and Shamanism and the Spirits of
Nature. After completing this workshop, participants are qualified to take advanced trainings
with Michael Harner and the faculty of the
foundation.
Please note: Bring a rattle or drum (if you have
one), a bandanna, and a pen and notebook to
record your journeys.
Recommended reading: Harner, The Way of the
Shaman.
special registration instructions, see Special
Programs, page 94.
Finding Your Long Lost Musician
Darling is known for his energetic, loving, and
accepting style of bringing out the musical soul
in all of us. Sessions are relaxed and centered
on the profound qualities and the wonders of
music. Participants leave with a humorous, joyful, and exhilarating sense of their musical creations. No previous experience in making music
is necessary.
David Darling
Open your heart to the mystery of sound. Join
David Darling in this inspirational workshop
designed to provide tools for lifelong musical
performance and appreciation. Darling has
spent the last forty years developing methods
that bring people face to face with their own
wondrous and unique sounds and rhythms. He
creates a liberating environment in which each
participant has the opportunity to discover and
work with his or her musical abilities. Working
individually and in groups participants use their
voices, bodies and instruments they already play,
have always wanted to play, or want to start playing again.
During the workshop you can:
• Enjoy free movement, chanting, and
drumming
• Explore how we hear and receive musical
vibration
• Connect with and claim your own innate
rhythm and timing
• Discover how to eliminate stage fright and a
negative musical self-image
Please bring instruments that you want to play.
Piano and percussion instruments are provided.
This workshop is also presented in a weekend
format January 29-31.
The Way of the Shaman:
Nature, Power, and Healing
David Corbin & Nan Moss
To the shaman’s eyes, the world around us is
alive and inspirited. In this introduction to core
shamanism, you can learn to see with those eyes,
explore the hidden worlds, and access the timeless wisdom known to our ancestors.
Through initiation into the shamanic journey,
you will be taught skills of divination and healing, and can experience the shamanic state of
consciousness to help awaken spiritual awareness. You will be provided methods for journeying to discover and study with your own spiritual teachers in non-ordinary reality, a classic step
in shamanic practice. You will also be shown
how to restore spiritual power and health and
Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier
Than Your Movement: Cortical Field
Reeducation® and the Feldenkrais
Method®
Carol Lessinger & Wendy Evans
Most of us want to be in a state where we feel
at ease and authentic, where our intentions and
actions coincide. How we move, and what we
don’t know about our movement are crucial to
rediscovering this state. When we are in pain,
we try to shut down the hurt area. This usually
doesn’t work, the pain continues, and the area
doesn’t receive the potentially rich support from
our consciousness to heal.
When we reeducate our brain-muscle-emotional
connections, the restrictions in our movement
can be released. Longstanding behaviors can be
replaced with freedom of choice and flexibility.
Experience a week of intelligent movement
sequences designed to promote the release of
deep, often unconscious, muscular contractions.
The movements are gentle, sometimes subtle,
and always deeply engrossing.
This work is for beginners or experienced CFR
students and equally beneficial for sedentary or
active people. It is for anyone who wants to
increase physical skills, reduce the risk of injury,
address the effects of injury or emotional trauma, and for the professionals who work with
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them. It is for the chronically tired who want to
take better care of their bodies and for those
who want to improve posture, flexibility, and
breathing. This work can restore greater comfort, fluidity, and childlike wonder. Awareness
in and of itself is transformative.
Please wear comfortable loose clothing, no jeans
or belts please. Participants must attend every
session and be able to get up from and down to
the floor unassisted.
Yoga and Meditation:
A Path to Renew and Restore
Charu Rachlis
Yogic practices help maintain strength and clarity as we embody and prepare for inner and
outer transformation. Our tools include:
• Meditation: the relaxation of the mind and
opening to the silence within
• Asana: physical postures that strengthen the
body, release emotional tension, and cleanse
the body/mind
• Pranayama: breath techniques that calm the
nervous system
• Restoratives: postures that creates a deeper
sense of awareness through profound
relaxation
The calling is to be present and to celebrate as
we let go and expand, relax, explore, and accept.
A new world is being born! Bring your own
yoga mat and eye pillows.
February 5–12
The “Pointing Out Way” of
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
Daniel Brown & Gretchen Nelson
This workshop–designed for either novice or
advanced meditators–is an integrative
approach to the practice of meditation with an
emphasis on intensive concentration meditation. The course begins with the Indo-Tibetan
Nine States of Mental Calming/Staying, then an
introduction to classic Tibetan emptiness meditation. A balance of mental stabilization and
emptiness practices will serve as a foundation
for the “extraordinary” or essence meditation
practices. Essence meditations like the
Mahamudra and the Great Perfection assume
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Despite immense challenges facing us on so
many levels, our world today offers an opportunity for unprecedented personal and global evolution. It is an invitation to all of us to draw on our
inner resources, strengthen our commitments to
life and the health of our mind, body, and spirit,
and ultimately the health of Mother Earth.
In yoga traditions there is an archetypal trilogy
that represents the cycle of life: Brahman, or
Creation; Vishnu, or Preservation; and Shiva, or
Destruction. According to these teachings we
are in a period of Shiva, the destruction that
includes rebirth into new life. Using this archetype as inspiration, renew and restore yourself
through yoga and meditation practice. By letting
go of the old world, we open up to new creative
possibilities.
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that wisdom is an inherent property of the natural mind that has become obscured through
conceptualization and negative emotional
states. Essence meditations are designed to
develop “awakened wisdom” through continuous, uninterrupted mindfulness, taking the
non-dual condition of the natural mind and
its spontaneous manifestations in the present
moment as both the point of observation as
well as the object of the meditation.
These essence meditations are taught within the
context of an ongoing relationship wherein the
teacher points out the mind’s real nature during
the right state of meditation. This relationalbased approach to meditation emphasizes short,
repeated meditation sessions, with detailed
instructions given before and after each session.
Instructions point out the desired state, the way
to attain it, and how to correct the problems
that typically occur at each stage of meditation
practice. Practice is followed carefully and
instructions are individualized for each student.
Enrollment limited to 36 participants, with first
priority given to individuals who have not taken
this retreat before. Participants must attend all
sessions.
Please bring a meditation cushion, if you would
like.
Weekend of February 5–7
Come, Come Whoever You Are:
Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga
Ghada Osman
In today’s society, we are turning more and more
to spiritual practices as a way of invigorating
the body, calming the mind, and nourishing the
spirit. The practice of yoga, for example, has
flourished across the United States. Another tradition emphasizing breathing, body movement,
and meditation is that of Sufism, the mystical
path of Islam. As a testimony to this, the Sufi
poet Rumi has remained the top-selling poet in
the United States for several decades, even as
Islam is a religion that has been cast into the
forefront of political controversy today.
Join Ghada Osman to explore the elements of
Islam and its mystical path. This workshop
brings together academic and experiential components so participants can experience the poetry and devotion of Sufism intertwined within
yoga practices of asana (physical postures),
pranayama (breathwork and exploration of life
energy), and meditation (observation and calming of the fluctuations of the mind). At the end
of the workshop, participants leave with knowledge of the origins and history of Sufism, its
main doctrines, its contemporary development,
and how it compares to yogic practice today.
Each session will focus on an aspect of the yogic
path and connect it with an element on the Sufi
path. The yoga practices covered in this workshop are geared toward both novices and experienced yoga practitioners; background in yoga is
not necessary.
In the words of the poet Rumi, Come, come
whoever you are, to explore the Sufi path and its
offerings to the mind, heart, and spirit. Please
bring a yoga mat.
See Seminar Spotlight, page 8.
The Brazilian Soul: A Dance and
Drumming Workshop
Cida Vieira & Jayson Fann
In Brazil, dance and music are a large part of
everyone’s life—a box of wooden matches
becomes a musical instrument; a soccer field
becomes a dance floor during games. Dance and
music are everywhere, present in all events in
which people celebrate love, friendship, sensuality, and zest for life. The premise: Life is happening right now, and this alone is enough to
become a celebration among friends, family,
and community.
During this weekend, Cida Vieira and Jayson
Fann offer a chance to experience the joyful
spirit of Brazil-away-from-Brazil. This hands-on
(and “feet-on”) workshop will explore the instruments, rhythms, music, and the samba dance
do jeitinho brasieliro (“of the Brazilian way”).
Cida writes: “My teaching focuses more on
movement than on technical aspects, so that
participants can achieve a lively workout and,
most important, have fun, until they begin to
feel the movement emerging from their own
body, heart, and soul.”
Drumming and dancing are for everyone with
the desire to join in. This workshop is for anyone who enjoys or wants to learn more about
the aliveness of Brazilian dance, music, and spirit. Please bring drums and/or any instruments
(if you have them), along with a significant item
to place on a communal altar as a way of sharing
your essence. No previous dance or drumming
experience is necessary. Open to participants
age 14 and up. Teens must be accompanied by
an adult.
Introduction to Gestalt Awareness
Practice
Christine Price
Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from
the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist
practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine
Price. The work integrates ways of personal
clearing and development that are both ancient
and modern. To the extent that awareness is
made primary relative to action, Gestalt
Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to
some forms of meditation. This form is similar
to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are
allowed and encouraged.
The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons
actively consenting to explore in awareness. The
leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect
whatever emerges in this process. The aim is
unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than
adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations,
and discussion. Open-seat work may be demonstrated.
Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy
Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape.
Undefended Love: When Close is
Not Close Enough
Jett Psaris & Marlena Lyons
The capacity exists in all of us to love without
defenses or requirements, so that real intimacy—
direct, unmediated, heart-to-heart connection
with ourselves and with our partner—becomes a
lifelong expression of our deepest nature. This is
the power of Undefended Love, a transformative
path that guides us beyond close, companionbased partnerships toward intimate relationships, where each moment is a fresh, spontaneous expression of who we genuinely are.
This workshop, open to couples and individuals,
offers a vision to cut through personal differences and reach the direct connection—with
ourselves and others—that can only occur when
the heart is undefended. The focus is on shifting
our center of gravity away from our conditioned
personality (the places where we feel stuck, confused, hurt, and defensive) toward our essential
self (the part of us that is free, whole, connected,
peaceful, powerful, and joyful). Through lively
experiential practices, participants can learn:
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• What unconditional love really is and how to
achieve it
• How to sustain our experience of ourselves
regardless of what our partner is feeling
• How to “dissolve” rather than “resolve”
relationship problems
• How problems can be entry points to deeper
connection
• Why there is no difference between men and
women when it comes to intimate loving
• How comfort and safety can prevent rather
than promote intimacy
Please bring a pen and journal.
Recommended reading: Psaris and Lyons,
Undefended Love.
®
Weekend Esalen Massage Intensive
Daniela Urbassek & Laurie Lioness Parizek
This weekend workshop will introduce the core
concepts of Esalen Massage. Through brief lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on practice,
the workshop will present essential tools and
information, including the long, balancing
strokes and stretches that are the foundation of
Esalen bodywork. Body and breath awareness
will be experienced through movement and
meditation, and the instructors will help participants in refining their quality of touch, while
encouraging self-care and effortless practice.
Come prepared to share in the healing experience of Esalen bodywork, surrounded by the
beauty of Esalen and the grandeur of the Big Sur
coast. All levels of experience are welcome.
Please bring your favorite CDs for massage and
dance.
Week of February 7–12
Seduced By Earth: Deep Imagination,
SoulCraft™, and the Dreaming of Nature
Bill Plotkin & Geneen Haugen
What if Earth is trying to seduce us for her own
purposes? What if Earth is dreaming through
us, through our own deepest imaginings and
allurements? What if the wild child that became
the “human potential movement” was seeded by
Esalen’s cliffs, ocean tides, hot springs, whales,
and great trees as much as by the daring, creative
humans drawn to this land? What if the wild
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blossom of your own most soul-rooted life could
be pollinated by the exuberant land? As Rainer
Maria Rilke writes: “Earth, isn’t this what you
want from us?”
Some places on Earth seem to summon our
deepest emotion, expanded imagination, and
greatest sense of possibility—both for our individual lives and for the community of all
species. By entering the landscape, we enter its
imagination, its atmosphere, its story. We are
each an expression of the dreaming of Earth.
“At Esalen,” the leaders write, “we’ll explore what
its wild sea, forest, canyons, curious gardens and
creatures (human and other) evoke in us, how
they animate our day- and night-dreams.
Practices we’ll use include soul-oriented dreamwork, deep-imagery journeys, council, poetry,
trance drumming, and dancing. We’ll encourage
solo wanderings on the land with Soulcraft
tasks designed to feed the mystery of our lives.
We will live the question: If Earth is romancing
us for her own purposes—very much the way
the nectar lust of bees serves the desires of flowers—what wild child, what honey, will we create
from this joining?“
Recommended reading: Plotkin, Soulcraft:
Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche and
Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness
and Community in a Fragmented World.
This program is offered in conjunction with
Harvard Medical School Department of
Continuing Education. For more information,
including how to register, see Special Programs,
page 94.
Approved CMEs for physicians.
Gestalt Awareness Practice
Christine Price
The Way, when declared
Seems thin and so flavorless.
Nothing to look at, nothing to hear—
And when used—is inexhaustible.
—Lao Tzu
made primary relative to action, Gestalt
Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to
some forms of meditation. This form is similar
to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science
of Exercise and the Brain
John Ratey
It is well established that it is possible to beat
stress, lift one’s mood, fight memory loss, sharpen one’s intellect, and function better than ever
simply by elevating one’s heart rate and breaking
a sweat. The evidence is incontrovertible:
Aerobic exercise physically remodels the brain
for peak performance. This course—for those in
the helping professions—is designed so that participants will be able to:
• Instruct their patients on the brain changes
resulting from routines of physical aerobic
exercise that will help manage mood
• Instruct parents and children as to the many
ways aerobic exercise makes the learner better
prepared to learn by changing the attention,
motivational, and impulsive control level as
well as the many alterations that make the
neurons ready to learn at the cellular level
• Prescribe aerobic exercise regimens for
patients to maximize their emotional health
and cognitive function as they age
The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and
respect whatever emerges in this process. The
aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth,
rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises,
meditations, and discussion. The format combines introductory group work with the open
seat form in which each participant will have
the opportunity to work with the leader in a
group context.
Writes of Passage:
Unmasking Your Authentic Voice
Akuyoe Graham
Writing is a medium used to explore identity as
it is informed by personal, cultural, and social
values. In this workshop, writing becomes a
spiritual discipline that brings participants into
contact with their authentic voices. The authentic voice can be trusted absolutely because it
never lies. In fact, it tells the sometimes difficult
truth which, once opened, must be listened to.
The heart of this journey takes place in the
silence—in the deep recesses of the soul. The
practice of daily meditation is used to embody
a deep spiritual perspective.
The aim of this workshop is to bring each participant face to face with the invincible Spirit of
his or her own being. Through guided exercises,
participants are once again allied with their
innate intelligence and soul’s wisdom. In
silence, in an atmosphere of contemplation,
they are able to recognize and appreciate the
essence of their being.
During the Writes of Passage writing retreat
participants will:
• Take a journey of “remembering” and discover
the sound of their true voice
• Break through limited self-concepts
• Get inspired and infuse their writing with
passion
• Participate in empowering creative writing
exercises and improvisations
• Take ownership of their intuitive authority
and learn how to hold their life as a sacred gift
Recommended reading: Graham, The Little Book
of Transformation/7 Days to a Brand New You.
create a safe and appropriate learning environment where group members can celebrate the
joy of being together as a group and the love
that emerges when a group works together
successfully toward a common goal.
something and make it automatic. But, the problem is that when circumstances change, our efficient brains keep trying to do things the same
old way.
In addition to a focus on the five C’s, students
will be introduced to four naturally-occurring
and universal orders or forces that influence systems: belonging, place, history, and exchange.
These, according to German Family Systems
therapist Bert Hellinger, exist in systems where
the emergent quality is love. No previous dance
or Salsa experience is necessary, and no partner
is required.
M.J. Ryan provides strategies to retrain your
brain and optimize your response to change,
step by step, by first accepting the new reality,
then expanding your options, and finally taking
effective action. You will leave with cutting-edge
tools for becoming calmer and less fearful, more
flexible, creative, and resourceful in your thinking. Best of all, as your “adapt-ability” increases,
so does your confidence that, whatever life
sends your way, you’ll be able to face it and find
new ways to flourish.
How to Survive Change
You Didn’t Ask For
Recommended reading: Ryan, AdaptAbility: How
to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For.
M.J. Ryan
Learn the secrets to taking any change in stride.
“Change is hard,” we say, and it is even harder
when forced upon us. In today’s tough times, we
may have to reinvent our career or downsize our
lives. At any point in life, we may lose a love or
a dream. Our first reaction to change we didn’t
ask for may be to rail against fate. But what if
we could see past today’s turmoil and spot the
opportunities that lie within unasked-for
change? Join author and change expert M.J.
Ryan to demystify the process of taking any
change in stride, and discover how to thrive
when change is absolutely required.
Why is it so hard to accept change?
Paradoxically, it is precisely because our brains
usually work so well. We are designed to learn
Finding True Love
Daphne Rose Kingma
“Love is the experience of emotional and spiritual awakening to the bliss that is the true condition of the soul,” says Daphne Rose Kingma.
“Love is an essential human quest and intimate
romantic partnership is love’s most luminous
expression.” Join this best-selling author and
expert on matters of the heart, for an immersion
into the spiritual and emotional preparations
necessary to attract love into your life. Focusing
on the four keys to true love—Faith, Intention,
Trust, and Surrender—Daphne guides you on a
step-by-step journey to self knowledge that can
liberate your heart.
Salsa Rueda: Celebrating Love
John Harris
BENJAMIN FAHRER
In this invigorating and joyous workshop, students will learn basic Salsa steps, turns, and
sequences before forming a Salsa wheel or
“Rueda” as it’s known in Spanish. The Rueda
begins with all the couples forming a circle and
a “caller” announcing frequent partner changes
and a variety of steps. The success of the Rueda
requires that each and every member in the
Salsa wheel plays his and her own part, interacts
with every other person in the circle, and contributes to the greater whole. During the workshop the five C’s of Salsa Rueda will become
apparent: cooperation, coordination, collaboration, communication, and contact. These make
this simple and enjoyable dance an excellent
metaphor for inspired communication and relationships where love flows and blossoms. John
Harris will draw on his knowledge of systemic
life coaching and social and intimate systems to
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As you move through each process, including
resolving emotional issues from your past, healing relationship wounds, examining your myths
about relationships, and identifying your life
theme (and discovering its effects upon your
past relationships), you can discover your own
internal barriers to intimacy and gradually
release them.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
This workshop is for people who are looking for
a love in the highest and deepest form, for those
who want to heal the pain of old unresolved
relationships, and for those who can’t seem to
bring themselves into alignment with the love
that is already waiting to approach them.
Activities include meditation, exercises, and
group process.
Recommended reading: Kingma, Finding True Love.
The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat:
The Couple’s Journey to Wholeness
Pieces of the Yoga Puzzle
Joyce Vissell & Barry Vissell
Harvey Deutch & Sarana Miller
This retreat is designed to take couples to the
true depths of their love and commitment.
Being with facilitators Joyce and Barry Vissell,
who are so much in love after forty-five years
together, can be just as helpful as their powerfully effective teachings.
This workshop offers an in-depth understanding of the how and why of the physical side of
yoga practice. The leaders will present efficient
biomechanical approaches to help overcome the
emerging obstacles you encounter in your yoga
practice. The emphasis will be on alignment and
foundation to establish a successful posture. The
more you practice yoga with the emphasis on
“practice,” the more you will discover what your
mind and body are capable of. This program is
designed to bring together some of the misunderstood pieces of the puzzle.
We all carry some degree of negative programming from our past, and there are loving and
effective ways to transform this programming
into a positive and vibrant celebration of our
connection.
The workshop includes:
• Exercises and practices for couples to do with
each other, with one other couple, and with
the group as a whole
• Coaching of each couple by the Vissells
• Meditations / visualizations designed to
deepen the love in the couple
• The support of other couples
• Time for sharing after each practice
Participants are shown tools for deeper appreciation and communication building, including
healthy communication of feelings, our partner
as a mirror (working with positive as well as
negative projections), understanding and
respecting each other’s differences, conflict resolution, healing past hurts, sexual wellness, inner
child/inner parent, the art of deep apology, and
developing a true inner connection.
This workshop is open to couples only.
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The workshop will also be a time of rest and discovery. Sessions will combine breathing, chanting, and active and restorative yoga practices
with sound principles of stability. The objective
is that you gain the inner wisdom to access your
spine and joints—all with a clearer understanding
of movement. Please bring your own yoga mat.
meditative techniques to go more deeply into
our experience. We learn skills and techniques
but never forget how to laugh, take risks, be silly,
or feel deeply. We combine short explorations,
exercises, and surprise, with a more lasting
endeavor. Those so inclined will also have the
chance to bring in visual images to deepen feeling and expression. We will each explore a passion, state an intention, and begin to expand
upon it. Helped by group support, you can plant
the seed of a future project or develop one you
are already writing. Writers of short or long
works, fiction, nonfiction, film, or memoir, are
all welcome, as are those who really don’t know
yet what they want to express or how. The workshop will help the “hidden writer” to come
forth. It will also demonstrate why expressive
writing can be so incredibly healthy for us,
physically and psychologically, and how it can
help open us to greater life meaning.
Mystery of Writing
Steven Pritzker & Ruth Richards
Find your voice, your message, yourself.
Whether you’re new to writing or more experienced, join us for this exploration that joins the
craft of writing to the mystery of creative inspiration. One may compare this process to calligraphy, where the artist masters certain skills,
stances, and brushwork, and then stands aside
to let the sacred come through. We mix fun
and freedom, support and sharing, to open our
expression and explore new forms. We use
The Art and Science of Self-Compassion
Christopher Germer & Kristin Neff
Self-compassion is a simple yet remarkably elusive state of mind that involves sending warmth
and understanding toward ourselves when we
suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than fighting our pain or flagellating ourselves with selfcriticism. Self-compassion also means holding
our difficulties in mindful awareness and feeling our essential humanness. Self-compassion is
a skill that anyone can learn. It’s the practice of
evoking goodwill toward ourselves, including
the deepest desire for all living beings to live
happily and free from suffering. As the Dalai
Lama says, self-compassion is the basis of compassion for others.
Two psychologists—an expert in the clinical
application of mindfulness and a leading
researcher on self-compassion—lead this innovative workshop that focuses on self-compassion as
a healthy response to the inevitable pain in everyone’s life. Designed for psychotherapists and other
health care practitioners, all participants are
nonetheless welcome.
This immersion in mindfulness and self-kindness includes meditation, talks, personal stories,
research, and discussion, all supported by the
natural beauty of Esalen. Special emphasis is
given to the art of loving-kindness (metta) meditation. By the end of the course, helping professionals in particular will be able to teach selfcompassion skills to their clients, and practice
mindful self-compassion themselves to deepen
their therapeutic presence, enjoy clinical work
more thoroughly, and experience an overall
sense of wellbeing.
Tango: More Than a Dance
John Harris
The purpose of this workshop is to authentically
engage with life via risk-taking, relating, creating, impacting, and being impacted upon, all
within the context of learning Tango, and supported by the facilitator’s knowledge of social
and intimate systems. At the core of dancing
Tango lies the ability to allow the subjective
experience of another to meet with, and have a
positive influence on, our experience of self—
somatically, emotionally, and relationally.
In Tango, this encounter is a metaphor for the
intimate relationships we are continually developing and deepening (or sometimes desiring) in
our lives outside the dance studio. Trust, respect,
mutuality, reciprocity, vulnerability, holding and
being held (both physically and psychologically), teamwork, purposefulness, and play are all
components both of this elegant dance and of
intimate relationships. Therefore, Tango, when
taught with relational dynamics in mind (that is,
not merely learning steps or routines) can be an
arena for experimenting and cultivating our
capacity for intimacy within a contained and
safe environment.
This workshop is appropriate for people with no
dance experience as well as for dancers who
want to explore intimacy and relationship
while improving their leading and following
technique. For more information, visit
www.morethanadance.com.
Please note: Wear comfortable shoes with hard
leather soles and loose, comfortable clothing.
EEG and Spirituality
Anna Wise
As the third millennium begins, we have a multitude of technological resources to help with
our health and wellbeing. While technology
improves beyond recognition, humankind is
simultaneously undergoing an unprecedented
evolutionary leap. For countless people today, a
return to spirituality, an increased awakening of
awareness, and a craving for an experience of the
ineffable are prime motivating forces. This workshop combines these two streams, technology
and spirituality, by using EEG (electroencephalography).
chronic patterns formed in your past to survive.
These live as frozen feelings and history in your
body and no longer serve you.
“Core Energetics is a powerful body-based system. It frees the frozen feelings and history in
your body by working with the blocked and
held energy. It helps you reconnect with deep
parts of the self that you disconnected from as a
child. It uncovers the power and goodness at the
source of your most destructive patterns. It leads
you to connection with your deepest essence.
“In this workshop, you will work individually
and in groups to understand, transform, and
release the past as you deeply explore, experience, and express your blocked and held energy.
You will work on your relationship to yourself
and explore relating to others in radically alive
ways. You will find what stands in the way of
your full potential for life.”
Please note: An interview is required for admission. Please e-mail ann@annbradney.com.
Anna Wise writes: “Twenty-five years of investigations into the brainwave patterns of ‘higher
states of consciousness’ has shown me the interrelationship of brainwave frequencies that
develops as this awakening occurs. This subtle
and individualized combination of beta, alpha,
theta, and delta can be identified, encouraged,
and trained.
A Cleansing through Fire:
Emotional Transformation
through Lost Wax Casting
Miles Eastman
Ann Bradney
In this workshop, we use a piece of jewelry from
your past to release emotional weight that no
longer serves you and transform the jewelry
into a new form that will. This is a conscious
cleansing through fire with the added bonus of
new manifestation—please come prepared to
transform! Learn the basics of the lost wax casting process, free-form waxwork, and quick
mold-making techniques. We will play with
mixing metal and making unique alloys for each
person’s individual casting and spiritual journey,
and explore how it all connects to emotional
and spiritual transformation. Dive into the heart
to find reconciliation and gratitude as you make
a pendant to wear close to your heart. We will
use nature, ritual, the four elements of earth,
water, air, and fire, meditation, and self-exploration, as we pour lots of metal. We will take the
past and transform it in the present and create
our future.
Ann Bradney writes: “There is a state in which
you are fully alive, authentic, and spontaneous.
You are open to all of your feelings, connected to
your strength and your truth. You are not afraid
to know anything about yourself. I call this radical aliveness. In this state you embrace your creativity and see life in all its possibilities.
Please note: We work hands-on with wax, clay,
and the elements, so please dress to get dirty. If
you have any chains or cords, please bring them.
Please bring a piece of silver or gold jewelry that
you’d like to transform. The leader will have
some additional silver to purchase during the
workshop. No experience necessary.
“Problems that occur with spiritual awakening—
for example, inordinate ‘psychic’ sensitivity and
accelerated kundalini experiences—can be
explained and assisted by studying EEG.
Meditation combined with EEG can help to regulate this process and to develop self-mastery.”
This experiential workshop will also provide
you with feedback on your brainwave patterns
along with practices you can continue at home
for optimum brainwave and consciousness
development.
Radical Aliveness:
A Core Energetics Workshop
“Standing in the way of radical aliveness are
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Love, Sexuality, and Relationship:
The Core Evolution® Approach
Siegmar Gerken & Cornelia Gerken
Love is resonance with the flow of life. It connects us with all existence. We are able to direct
this energy and make it personal in the expression “I love you.” When we commit to a relationship, we expand this love onto the personal and
social levels with the expression “I want to experience life with you.” Why is it so difficult, then,
to keep a relationship alive?
On the level of personality and social interactions love can become distorted in many ways.
We romanticize, sexualize, and idealize love and
attach our ideas, desires, needs, and hopes to it.
When this happens, we often lose our radiance,
we lose contact with the flow of love.
In this workshop for individuals and couples,
participants will explore the obstacles and character-resistances of these core moments. Core
Evolution addresses body-emotion-mind-spirit
as a unity. The experience of love unifies all
these aspects and therefore affects every state of
people’s lives. A person in love will communicate and create from a place of harmony, wellbeing, peace, joy, and a sense of fulfillment.
Participants will learn to identify and differentiate the nature and main elements of love, sexuality, and relationship, and their intention, motivation, needs, and wants in their relationship,
including the nature of triggers, causes of
unhappiness, and the possibilities for change.
For an eight-page magazine interview with
Siegmar Gerken on Love, Sexuality, and
Relationship, please e-mail mail@CoreEvolution.com.
Reflexology and Esalen® Massage
Deborah Ardell Hill & Vicki Topp
Esalen Massage offers the practitioner a welcome opportunity to incorporate other bodywork modalities. Reflexology, addressing feet,
hands, and ears, is a natural companion to
Esalen Massage. Almost anyone can practice
this relatively effortless form, regardless of physical vitality.
Combining the long integrating strokes of
Esalen Massage with the specific work of
reflexology produces a high-quality massage,
providing an alternative way to approach areas
of the body that may be too sensitive to directly address: axillary and groin lymph, tennis
elbow, and sciatic pain, to name a few. Using
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the positions introduced during this workshop,
it’s easy to incorporate reflexology techniques
with massage while working with the feet and
hands.
Recommended reading: Ranck and Nutter, Ignite
the Genius Within: Discover Your Full Potential.
This is a beginning course in Esalen Massage
and Reflexology. The intention is to provide a
solid foundation in Esalen Massage and set the
groundwork to continue your journey exploring
the wonders of bodywork, including Reflexology.
Ignite the Genius Within:
Bringing Expanded Consciousness
to Everyday Life
Christine Ranck & David Grand
We are all geniuses of creation, adaptation, and
survival. We contain the limitlessness of the
universe inside each of us, yet we consciously
use only a fraction of that awesome power to
solve problems and live creatively. Now you can
discover tools to activate and dramatically
expand your use of that power.
The human brain is the most complex object in
the known universe; within it are one
quadrillion firing connections that enable us to
travel to the farthest reaches of the cosmos and
change our brain’s very anatomy, all by using our
imaginations. To keep us alive the deep brain
runs a myriad of internal systems beyond our
conscious awareness. As a result, we are in a
state of flow 100% of the time, but our conscious
connection to that flow is occasional and tenuous at best.
This multi-media, experiential, consciousnessexpanding workshop can give you an experience of yourself that you’ve never had before:
the ability to access your flow state at will.
Through lively experiential process and demonstrations, David Grand and Christine Ranck will
guide you through and expand upon the exercises in the book, Ignite the Genius Within. Expand
your limited view of existence and become
more creatively resilient. When your inner
vision changes, everything in your outer world
is also transformed.
Please download the free soundtrack for Ignite
the Genius Within from www.christineranck.com
and bring it to the workshop on your iPod or
other listening device. The leaders can provide a
limited number of CDs and players. If you need
one, please contact ranckchris@aol.com.
Transformational Speaking: If You Want
to Change the World, Tell a Better Story
Gail Larsen
Do you want to experience a dramatic shift in
your capacity to communicate and be heard?
The ability to move others has little to do with
your facts and information. It comes from eliminating fear and distrust of expressing your deepest values. Gail Larsen’s approach explores what
holds fire and meaning for you, brings forth
your authentic voice, ignites your personal passion, and provides confidence and competence
as you build on your individual communications style. In this lively experiential program,
you can:
• Discover your Home Zone™, the place of your
personal power and authenticity
• Recognize the power of your story in building
trust and attracting clients and allies who
connect with the real you
• Explore the three speaking skills that will
transform your communications
• Give voice to your core message, the
foundation of the speech you were born to give
Our transformational times call not for polished
professionals and students of technique but for
authentic communicators committed to healthy
people, healthy communities, and a healthy
planet. Take this powerful and natural step into
your own magnificence and truth as you work
with Gail’s fundamental premise to “Be yourself.
Everyone else is taken.”
Spirit, Ecology, and Business
Josiah Cain
This workshop provides a setting for people to
find ways to create a meaningful relationship
between their spiritual and working lives, and
reconcile the dissonance between the environment and business. Some may be considering a
career change; for most this experience will contextualize their work within personal goals and
world views.
To understand our own personal “spiritual
ecologies” we will explore perceptions about
human philosophical connection to nature and
the relationship between humanity and ecological processes. Explore how these perceptions
either prevent or enable us as we envision new
ways of relating to ecology in response to escalating environmental and social crises.
All of us have a place in working toward a positive future, and the solutions may be closer than
we realize. Learn about trends, patterns, and
new technology that is changing business and
the way we build infrastructure. This workshop
addresses how our jobs relate to the current
global situation, and how this relates to our own
personal journeys.
In the closing session, we will discuss how to
avoid getting drawn right back into our old
patterns, and share resources for maintaining
strength and the support to stay on our courses
and maintain optimism in difficult and changing times.
The schedule will allow time for participants to
reflect, mingle, and enjoy the baths.
Qigong and Inner Alchemy: Inner Elixir
and the Practice of Pure Radiance
Roger Jahnke
No matter what form of spirit/mind/body cultivation you choose—yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi—
the essentials of deepening your practice are not
actually based in the form. Personal cultivation
(Qigong) is not merely a set of techniques; it is a
way of being whose roots tap entire worlds of
wisdom, including Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism,
ancient quantum systems, and the transcenden-
tal shamanic realms (Dancing Wu Li Masters).
This workshop begins by exploring a simple
Dao Yin Qigong called Vitality Enhancement
Method, a self-healing, medical Qigong to use
personally and share with family, friends,
patients, clients, and colleagues. Then, drawing
on the ancient Tao Te Ching, we will cultivate the
great “Way” using Qigong methods including
Natural Flow Qigong and the Nine Phases of
Mastery. Through this process, we can cultivate
golden elixir, the medicine within. Finally, we
will explore the Secret of the Golden Flower, a
highly refined form of traditional “elixir alchemy” renowned for its merging of Taoism,
Confucianism, and Buddhism. The most profound medicine for the spirit/mind/body is produced within us and this elixir is the light of
spirit within.
Health professionals, beginning students, and
those who seek healing are welcome, as are
experienced Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga practitioners and teachers. For more information, visit
www.FeeltheQi.com.
Recommended reading: Jahnke, The Healer
Within and The Healing Promise of Qi.
The Song of the Drum
Gordy Ryan & Mawuena Kodjovi
“Our goal is soulful communication, playing
and singing our way on a musical journey from
Nigeria to New Orleans,” writes Gordy Ryan.
“We begin with traditional songs of invocation
and ceremony from village life, then play the
dance music of highlife and Afrobeat, travel to
the Caribbean to play calypso and reggae songs,
and arrive in New Orleans to experience the
evolution of West African rhythms into the
musical gumbo that lives on in jazz, rhythm
and blues, Mardi Gras Indian festivities, and
funk.
“We open our ears, our voices, and our hearts to
the expression of Spirit, bringing the muse of
sweet inspiration into our lives. This is a celebration of funk and fun in an environment of compassion, love, and interaction among friends on
the path of a living cultural energy. Each session
presents hand-drum fundamentals and grooves
for the music we will play, then we build the
rhythm arrangements, add melodic instruments
and vocals—with everyone singing—and we
become One in the music. There is a place in this
orchestra for everyone who loves music, from
beginner to pro.”
SoulMotion™: Alone, Together
Vinn Martí
“Consider the many benefits available when we
focus attention on an unequivocal acceptance
of the present moment in our everyday dance
world,” says Vinn Marti. “We relax in the dance
that is taking place. We move into a broader
view of acceptance and compassion. Our gratitude quotient skyrockets to levels not experienced before. We move graciously between
events, conditions, and experiences knowing
that no feeling or thought is final. We are at ease
with ourselves.
“In this weekend SoulMotion retreat, we
become familiar with points of view of conscious dancing that inform us. Alone, together,
we invoke a frequency of aliveness that alone,
together, hones our responses to magic, mayhem, and mystery in our everyday dance world.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
“SoulMotion is a viewpoint of conscious dancing that invites practitioners to listen to the still,
small voice singing throughout the body dance,
as well as the music in the room. Using dance
and music to engender awareness, we court sensitivity and presence without shame or judgment.
It encourages practitioners to identify and nourish the song they sing in the body choir of
expression and ecstatic release.
“You are invited to move body and soul, centered on an edge of aloneness, together with the
unique song that sings and dances you in the
everyday world.”
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The Occult in America:
An Adventure in Arcane History
Mitch Horowitz & Erik Davis
Despite being a young country, America has a
long and venerable tradition of homegrown
occult mysteries. From Freemasonic sex magic
to Spiritualism, mental healing to hoodoo, and
neo-paganism to Rosemary’s Baby, Americans
endlessly reinvent arcane lore. This phenomenon not only has inspired the current wave in
alternative spirituality, but also dramatically
altered Western culture and our most intimate
sense of how we understand ourselves.
Now, Erik Davis (author of TechGnosis) and
Mitch Horowitz (author of Occult America), two
leading writers on the cultural impact of mysticism and the occult, explore the lost, unusual,
and hugely engaging story of how the occult
became American and then touched the rest of
the world.
We first consider the migration of mystical
philosophies to the colonial world, then explore
the revolutions in Spiritualism, mind-power,
Freemasonry, hoodoo (traditional African
magic), and other movements. Finally, we focus
on the twentieth and twenty-first century explosions in New Age and Aquarian ideas and practices that first blossomed on the West Coast
(very much including Esalen) before igniting a
spiritual revolution across the globe.
Both entertaining and intellectually rigorous,
this class on the history of American occultism
helps illuminate the way our own personal spiritual journeys have unfolded against a larger
historical backdrop. Through spirited lectures
augmented with photographs, film clips, and
discussions, we not only come to understand
America in a new way, but also meet the spiritual
ancestors who made us who we are.
The Performance of Your Life:
Acting into Awareness
Jonathan Bender
Is all the world, in fact, a stage? How would
things be different if you viewed your everyday
life as a play, in which you were a character? If
we’re performing in accordance to expectations
built up in society, then we’re not in alignment
with our authentic selves. By learning new ways
to “perform” in the course of your day, you can
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gain a greater degree of self-awareness, personal
power, playfulness, and joy. Through embodied
acting, vocal, and performance training techniques, you can experientially study life and
identity as ongoing yet unconscious performances. Combined with simple awareness practices, we non-judgmentally and compassionately
observe our habitual patterns and learn simple,
practical means to transform them.
Although this work is transformative and therapeutic, it’s not therapy. We will take time to
reflect on our experiences, yet the focus will be
more on learning and shifting experientially.
While performance skills will be taught, you
need not have any performance experience to
enjoy this workshop, and shall not be put on the
spot to perform unless desired. Bring a brief
piece of text that you would like to explore
(perhaps a poem, prayer, or speech). Wear comfortable clothing that’s good for movement,
and be ready to play.
SoulMotion™: Begin Again
Vinn Martí
Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion
Dorothy Charles
Experiencing and expressing emotions are integral to being alive. Yet, for many people emotions remain mysterious, confusing, and difficult to constructively express, especially those
that were unwelcome in our early environment.
As a result, relationships may be unsatisfying
and the choices we make may not reflect our
innermost desires or our true selves. Learning
to fully experience feelings and express them in
healthy ways enables us to be authentic and to
have more fulfilling relationships.
This experiential and didactic workshop will
blend individual and group Gestalt work with
dyadic exercises. Participants will experiment
with tracking emotions as sensations in the body
and learn to recognize them as signals calling for
attention rather than problems to be fixed.
Not For The Feint of Heart:
Be Bold in Your Personal Growth
Mariah Fenton Gladis
“Each time we gather to dance,” says Vinn Martí,
“we are poised at an open portal to divine presence. This presence takes notice each time we
use our body, heart, and mind to shape and shift
the forms and textures of its creation. Each one
of us occupies a unique vessel in which this
presence is able to manifest and know itself.
Our dance then becomes a vehicle to place our
bodies and our souls in motion.”
SoulMotion is a movement ministry, designed
by Vinn Martí and devoted to the mystery and
passage in our everyday dance from the known
to the unknown. It presents method and strategy to relax into this nameless dance. Each of us
improvises steps in a dance of self-awareness
and unconditional acceptance of all things. The
practices promote open-minded, warmhearted,
and lithe body approaches to whatever is at
hand. Participants practice the dance above,
below, in front, and behind the beat, and speak
the creative voice of the unfamiliar.
Says Vinn: “We will practice moving alone,
together, and in divine dialogue. We will allow
the inherent wisdom and memory of the body
to speak through us as movement, stillness, and
witness to the body-choir of dancers. We will
nudge the voice of our hearts ‘after years of
secret conversing to speak loudly in the clear
blue air.’ Through guided imagery and relaxed
induction techniques we will dive deep into the
body of the unconscious and resurface to ‘speak’
of our findings.” All are invited. All are welcomed.
If you’re “feint of heart,” you avoid confronting
the emotional injuries or habits that prevent
you from enjoying life to the fullest. You feint
this way and that, preserving the status quo
instead of moving past obstacles. This workshop
is not for the feint of heart—nor the faint of heart.
It’s for people who have a passionate commitment to creating healthy relationships within
healthy lives. It offers opportunities to benefit
from intensive individual healing work, which
may involve emotional injuries rooted in the
past, recurring themes or patterns of dysfunction, or personal longings in the here and now.
Whatever the content of your work, this workshop helps you:
• Discover the issues that are immediately
obstructing the quality of your life
• Learn contact skills to authentically and
effectively express yourself and assure healthy
interaction with others
• Risk working deeply in an atmosphere of trust
and mutual support
• Expand your capacity for generosity and
compassion for yourself and others
The didactic and experiential sessions are particularly helpful for human-relations professionals
and those committed to a path of personal betterment. Mariah Fenton Gladis, known for her
effective and innovative use of music to enrich
the workshop experience, will blend individual
and group Gestalt work in an environment of
trust, compassion, and emotional generosity.
A twenty-nine year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s
Disease, Mariah speaks with what she calls her
“ALS accent.”
Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a
Wounded Healer.
speaks. The class will be, as Annie Dillard has
called it, ‘alligator wrestling at the level of the
sentence.’ By studying sentences, by taking them
apart and looking at all their elements, by tuning
them to how our particular narrator thinks, and
ultimately speaks, we can begin to create a
music that is unique.”
Brainspotting Training
David Grand
An Introduction to Rolf Structural
Integration
Edward Maupin
This workshop is an introduction to the principles of Rolf Structural Integration, especially
designed for body-therapy professionals.
Strongly influenced by his research in Zen
Buddhism, Ed Maupin considers the Rolf
Method a meditation on physical presence as
well as a physical therapy. This approach, based
on forty years of Rolfing practice, strongly
emphasizes movement, balance in gravity, and
receptive touch. The workshop will combine
regular movement classes with hands-on
instruction in the first three sessions of Ida
Rolf’s original ten-session series. Nonprofessionals
are also welcome. Ed Maupin’s book, A Dynamic
Relation to Gravity, will be the text for the workshop.
Dangerous Writing
Tom Spanbauer
“What makes writing dangerous is something
personal, very small, and quiet,” writes Tom
Spanbauer. “In this class we will be asked to go
to parts of ourselves where there is an old
silence, where it is secret, where it is dark and
sore. One of the goals of the class will be to go
to where we’ve never gone before, writing down
what scares the hell out of us. Eventually to the
very foundation and structure of how we perceive, and in this investigation, we can challenge
old notions of who we are.
“In our investigation to the bone, the first thing
we will encounter is voice. How to create it.
Saying it wrong, saying it spoken rather than
written, saying it raw. By challenging old creative writing workshop language, we will investigate what my teacher called Burnt Tongue.
The New York Times, in its review of The Man
Who Fell in Love with the Moon, called it Poisoned
Lyricism. Character lies in the destruction of the
sentence. How a character thinks is how she
Muslim hajj to Mecca. We conclude with creating
a playful contemporary dance-drama, reinterpreting the mirthful and fun-poking medieval
Dances of Death. Here we invoke yet another
type of surrender, this time to the myriad ways
we can whimsically play with or mischievously
trick, tango with, or seduce death. Additional
exercises drawn from global spiritual traditions
are also actively explored.
This five-day professional training for psychotherapists and counselors includes Brain-spotting Phase One and Phase Two. Brainspotting
(BSP) is a powerful, focused treatment method
that works by identifying, processing, and releasing neurophysiological sources of emotional
and body pain, especially trauma. This neurobiological tool supports the clinical healing relationship and helps locate, focus, process, and
release experiences and symptoms that are typically out of reach of the conscious mind. BSP
also is a physiological treatment that has profound psychological, emotional, and physical
consequences. A “brainspot” is the eye position
related to the activation of a traumatic or emotionally charged issue within a certain area of
the brain. The client’s reflexive responses are
indicators that can lead a counselor into the
integrative, healing process of BSP. The method
can also be applied for performance and creativity enhancement and coaching. This training is
taught with lecture, PowerPoint, demonstrations, practica, and extensive question and
answer periods. For more information about
BSP, visit www.biolateral.com/brainspotting.htm.
The Song of the Body: Global Physical
Expression toward the Sacred
Sara K. Schneider
Use your body to inquire into ancient practices
designed to bring about a sense of surrender and
to promote insight or an experience of the
divine.
Beginning with experiential practices of surrendering to the Other, we try on bowing as it is
practiced in Japanese greetings and explore foot
washing, a Christian practice of hospitality and
humility. With our feet, we study pilgrimage,
comparing our own experience with that of the
In the process, we may discover that the experience of surrender is one not of terror but of
considerable joy, not of heaviness but rather of
fleetness of heart as well as foot.
We connect these culturally-embedded practices
with the ways in which, in contemporary
Western culture, we may mindfully surrender
to others, ourselves, and a sense of the divine.
Journaling and thorough debriefing allow participants to integrate their experience within
their own spiritual practices. Movement is gentle and easily adapted; participants of all physical abilities are welcome.
Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering:
A Workshop in Remote Viewing
Russell Targ
Physicist/consciousness researcher Russell Targ
describes how we can surrender the story of
who we think we are and experience the end of
suffering. This path can provide direct experience of the peace, love, and spaciousness we all
seek—in fact, it is who we are. This workshop
blends the enduring teachings of the East into a
modern framework that emphasizes experience
over belief.
Buddha taught us to live a helpful and compassionate life, to surrender our ego to the peace of
spaciousness. His Middle Path was expanded by
the second-century genius Nagarjuna. Where
Aristotle taught that an idea is either true or
false, Nagarjuna demonstrated that most things
are neither true nor not true. The so-called complementarity of waves and particles in modern
physics supports this view, as does the indeterminacy theorem of Kurt Gödel. The modern
physics of nonlocality and our own laboratory
experience with remote-viewing research all
show our potential for expanded awareness.
Targ, cofounder of the Stanford Research
Institute’s psychic research program, will
describe the evidence for extrasensory perception, precognition, intuitive diagnosis, and distant healing. The program will teach participants how to recognize the psychic signal, how
to separate it from the mental noise of memory,
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DANIEL BIANCHETTA
imagination, and analysis, and why we should
bother with ESP. Finally, there will be individual
lessons in remote viewing (as in the successful
Stanford program) and discussion of how this
awareness can lead to a discovery of who we
really are.
Recommended reading: Targ, The End of
Suffering: Fearless Living in Troubled Times, and
Limitless Mind: A Guide to Remote Viewing and
Transformation of Consciousness.
Living Beyond Your History:
Choosing the Authentic Life
Charles Varni
So you want a life with more love, deeper understanding, sweeter passion, soulful relationships,
and personal integrity? Are you waiting for the
prince, princess, guru, or angel who carries this
gift to knock on your door and bestow it upon
you? The exterior search for inner fulfillment is
the greatest false promise of our time and the
essence of all addictive relationships. The gift
you seek is already within.
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This is a workshop about growing beyond the
confines and stories of our lives and moving
more fully and unencumbered into the present.
It is about choosing to live more authentically
and transparently.
How would your everyday experience and relationships be different if you chose to live your life
by the four basic principles of “showing up” or
being present, having an open heart, speaking
your truth with compassion, and being open to
outcome? Here is an opportunity to explore the
meaning, application, and manifestation of these
principles in a small group environment of support, compassion, warmth, trust, and authenticity.
Practice living these principles and, in the
process, uncover the resistance and anxieties
that prevent us all from realizing our goals.
Utilizing experiential exercises, individual and
group sharing, journaling, psychodrama, Gestalt
dialogue, movement, dance, and ritual, we can
begin to transcend the origins of these barriers.
We uncover and develop new resources and
capacities to support us as we begin to live more
fully in the moment.
This workshop is limited to 20 participants.
Arrive Already Loved: Creating Sacred
Attachment with Yourself in the
Here and Now
Mariah Fenton Gladis
“Many people ask me how to have a fair shot at
developing a healthy relationship with another
human being,” writes Mariah Fenton Gladis. “I
advise them to arrive already loved. What does
that mean? It means the essential foundation of
being loved is to first love yourself. That doesn’t
mean a narcissistic pride, preoccupation with
self, or conceit. It does mean that the inner life
taking place in your body is a comfortable, loving, compassionate, and enjoyable place to be. It
is a home to which you can always turn to
receive your own solace, support, and unconditional acceptance. This prepares your internal
environment to accept love from the outside,
and prepares you to arrive anywhere already
loved. Remember, when it comes to needing
love, you cannot expect more from someone else
than you are able to give to yourself.”
Join Mariah as she blends her unique style of
individual and group Gestalt work with her
effective and innovative use of music to enrich
the workshop experience. This workshop helps
you:
• Realize that what’s inside is outside; you can
attract what you are
• Understand thinking as a personal
conversation with yourself
• Develop an active and rich inner dialogue
• Create an abundance of emotional resources
• Turn your meditations away from detachment
and separation, and toward intimate
meditation, by exercising Sacred Attachment
A twenty-nine year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s
Disease, Mariah speaks with what she calls her
“ALS accent.”
Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a
Wounded Healer.
Art as a Spiritual Path:
Paintings that Awaken the Soul
Paul Heussenstamm
The practice of painting is healing and meditative. No experience is necessary as we transform
our everyday consciousness into the inner artist
that lives in each of us. The weekend is designed
to introduce the possibility that you are an artist
and that the artist path is one of joy, insight, and
awareness. It’s amazing that in just a few days,
you can finish a colorful painting that reveals
many of the deep inner patterns that connect
you with your soul. After seeing mandalas made
during Paul’s workshop, Eckhart Tolle commented, “These paintings carry a healing presence.”
Deepak Chopra said, “These paintings are archetypal manifestations of higher consciousness.”
After the workshop, you will have the foundation
for painting sacred art and mandalas at home,
as you continue on this path of self-discovery
and the newfound relationship to art and your
soul.
Waking Up Lightly: A Sacred Playground
for Really Serious Seekers
Gwen Gordon
Most of us have been raised to think of play as a
frivolous distraction from the serious business
of living, not to mention the super serious business of awakening. In fact, we can get so darn
serious that we lose touch with our playful
selves, and our zest for life just drains away.
Seriousness is not going to wake us up, or solve
the world’s problems. But our love for life will,
and so will the flexibility, presence, and openness of play. Play is the natural expression of a
liberated consciousness; it is the lightness of
being that recognizes life as a sacred playground.
That’s why spiritually-realized people can be the
most playful of all.
This three-day romp dignifies both play and
rest as a spiritual path and unleashes its spontaneous magic in your life. Through a wide range
of play forms that embrace the whole body,
heart, mind, and spirit, you have the opportunity to surrender to the irresistible, contagious,
unbounded free play that is your true nature.
As we play with the very issues and beliefs that
block us from living fully we become free. This
infinite playground welcomes everything. It
invites a total YES! to reality just as it is and a
delicious break from the tyranny of seriousness.
Finally, you can relax the seeker while fully
engaging your path. Nothing is forced, everything is welcomed, and ridiculousness is highly
encouraged.
Yoga for the “Yogically Challenged”
Deborah Anne Medow
If in the past you avoided yoga classes because
you were “of a certain age,” you were just too
stiff, or you didn’t have a “yoga body,” this yoga
workshop is designed with you in mind. In this
program—for people who ordinarily wouldn’t
be caught dead doing the “corpse pose”—participants are gently guided through breathing exercises (purifications), meditation, asanas (yogic
body postures), and the coordination of breath
and movement within the asanas. Additional
emphasis is on yogic philosophy and theory.
With regular practice, yoga can strengthen,
rejuvenate, and help heal the body. It can also
calm the emotions, focus the mind, and uplift
the spirit.
This workshop lays the foundation for a yoga
practice that can be continued at home.
Although the workshop is intended primarily
for the more “yogically challenged,” everyone
is welcome. With Big Sur’s coastal beauty, and
the power and spirit of the Esalen land, it is
easy to fall into the natural rhythm of practicing yoga. What better way to spice up your
winter doldrums and turn toward the spring;
program something positive into your life: a
yoga practice.
Please bring a yoga mat, an open heart, and a
good sense of humor.
Week of February 28–March 5
Satsang Retreat
Eli Jaxon-Bear
“Satsang is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘association
with Truth.’ The purpose of satsang is to come
together to directly realize the truth of who you
are,” says Eli Jaxon-Bear. “It offers the opportunity to drink deeply of the nectar of being in a
fully supportive environment. Many people
have had glimpses or tastes or understandings
of who they are, but these seem to fade in the
light of the pressures of the world.” Here is an
opportunity to stop, to withdraw from the normal cares of your life and plunge into the depths
of true self inquiry, to realize deeply who and
what you are.
Whether you are sitting in silence with a community of like-minded people, working with Eli,
sharing reports and questions, or in guided meditations, there is a chance to discover the infinite
capacity of love, and to come to know the overflowing joy of your own nature. The ability to
stay true to what is realized in the face of all
tests is the fruit of true realization. The natural
result of coming together for a committed period is a deepening capacity to bathe in the
exquisite beauty of your own self, the source of
happiness and fulfillment, and then to stay true
to yourself when the world reappears.
Recommended reading: Poonja, Wake Up and
Roar; Jaxon-Bear, Sudden Awakening; Gangaji,
Diamond In Your Pocket.
The Permaculture Connection: Healing
Our Ecological and Social Relationships
Benjamin Fahrer
The practice of being in harmonious relationship with the land and the systems that support
us is essential for sustaining ourselves in these
evolutionary times. The practice of permaculture results in conscious design principles that
emulate nature’s own patterning of mutually
beneficial relationships. Based in ethics and the
principles of natural systems, permaculture provides a platform from which to create the world
we wish to live in. Join Benjamin Fahrer in the
Esalen Farm and Garden for hands-on experience designing dynamic ecosystems that produce an abundance of food, water, vitality, and a
greater sense of peace in our everyday lives.
Dig your hands into the earth every day and feel
the rich and amazing soil in the gardens at
Esalen. Design exercises include diverse sub-
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jects, from the home garden to broad acre application, and then lead into applying the permaculture design principles and the ethics to the
social-cultural realms as well. How can our own
habitual patterning be reconstructed to support
a surplus? What is the best strategy for you to
apply these concepts in your life? Explore these
questions and more.
This is a dynamic week in personal empowerment and re-creating a life of abundance.
Benjamin’s experience as an international
designer, a dynamic educator, and loving land
steward provides a positive and supportive environment to tune into nature’s design. We are a
part of nature and by understanding nature we
begin to understand our selves.
Most experience is automatically processed on
subcortical, that is, unconscious, levels in the
brain. Therefore, insight and understanding
have only a limited influence on people’s control
over these processes. We study and experience
the capacity of techniques such as EMDR, yoga,
Internal Family Systems Therapy, theater work,
and neurofeedback to help people overcome a
traumatic past and regain the capacity to be fully
alive in the present.
Constellations for Family and Personal
Issues: Liberating Your Potential
Judith Hemming
Transforming Trauma with EMDR:
Advanced Clinical Workshop and
Refresher Course (Part 3)
Laurel Parnell
Refresh your technique and review EMDR (Eye
Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
protocols and procedures, consult on your difficult cases, watch demonstrations, and practice
EMDR in small supervised groups. Instruction
will focus on using EMDR with complex cases,
resource development and installation, target
development, and cognitive interweaves.
This EMDR course is for participants who have
completed either Level II training or an equivalent EMDRIA-approved course.
Recommended reading: Parnell, Transforming
Trauma: EMDR, and EMDR in the Treatment of
Adults Abused as Children.
Constellations are a simple yet profound
method to shed light on any areas of unhappiness and distress in our lives. These areas often
occur as a result of unresolved and sometimes
hidden relational issues. The source of the
difficulty may lie beyond our awareness, often
in the human systems to which we belong,
such as a current relationship, family of origin,
friendships, community groups, or our professional life. When we witness and honor these
dynamics we are able to free ourselves from
suffering and energy-sapping entanglements.
This approach to healing was originally developed by Bert Hellinger and for the last twenty
years has been developed to provide deep levels
of resolution for issues such as:
• Relationship difficulties between partners,
including divorce and second marriages
• Inability to achieve what we want in life, life
choices, and changes
• Problems with money, career, or relational
issues at work
• Relationship difficulties between parents and
children
• Illness and addictions
• Bereavement
• Fertility, adoption, miscarriage, abortion
• Incest, rape, violence
• Family secrets and ruptures
Everyone is welcome. The work is suitable for
people who have no previous experience of
Constellations as well as those who wish to
deepen their previous experience and understanding. It is also suitable for people in the
helping professions who wish to explore how
the approach would add to their practice. There
will also be time for talks and explanations.
Gravity and Grace:
Tools for the Subtle Body
Peter Sterios
Hatha yoga is a tool for meeting resistance in
our bodies and thoughts in a productive way.
How we approach this practice determines the
quality yoga brings to our lives. As with any tool,
yoga’s possibilities depend on how sharp or
“tuned” our practice is and whether it is correctly applied.
Experience how to harness the subtle external
force of gravity, educate our bodies, and hone
Trauma, Memory, and the Restoration
of One’s Self
This course explores how trauma affects people’s
rhythms within themselves and with their surroundings. Trauma changes the way the brain
processes information and the body engages
with the world. Because of altered biological systems, traumatized people continue to be trapped
by their history and react to current experience
in a myriad of ways as a replay of the past. We
explore the neurobiology of self-regulation and
examine ways of befriending one’s body, both of
which are essential for the integration of traumatic memories: sensations, action patterns, and
physical sensations derived from the past.
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HARRY FEINBERG
Bessel van der Kolk
our practice through the power of surrender,
especially while we consistently meet physical
resistance. By repeatedly meeting this resistance, we sharpen our intuition as we look for
guidance and build trust in our “feeling minds”
(heart and navel).
sionist, songwriter, and storyteller with a multicultural background. He has toured internationally with the world music group WorldColor.
Maggie Wheeler is an actor, singer, songwriter,
and choir director.
This process opens us to the subtle internal force
of Grace, which appears when we face psychological resistance and guidance, usually in the
blink of an eye, from a source much greater than
ourselves. This, in turn, helps develop our inner
teacher as we cultivate a truly personal practice
and the wisdom borne of our own experience.
Classes during the week are progressive (step-bystep) and appropriate for all levels. Movement
classes include both live and prerecorded
acoustical music to help activate the feeling centers of the body. Please bring your own yoga mat.
The Body Keeps the Score:
Mind, Brain, and Body in the
Transformation of Trauma
Month of March 5–April 2
28-Day Esalen® Massage Practitioner
Certification Training
Char Pias & Oliver Bailey
For workshop description, see Special Programs,
page 94.
Weekend of March 5–7
Singing in the Stream
Emile Hassan Dyer & Maggie Wheeler
Singing is a communal activity but one that
many of us are afraid of. Every culture on earth
sings together for play, instruction, prayer, healing, social bonding, or entertainment. There is
no reason why you can’t join in. Emile Hassan
Dyer and Maggie Wheeler, co-directors of the
Golden Bridge Community Choir in Los
Angeles, invite you to step into the stream of
song in a safe environment.
Together, we learn songs of peace, hope, justice,
and praise from a variety of cultures, including
West African, Native American, Aboriginal
Australian, South African, and more. We also tap
into traditional and urban beatbox styles of
vocal percussion and body rhythms. No singing
experience is necessary to enjoy everything this
workshop has to offer. We learn all songs in the
oral tradition of call-and-response, allowing
those at all levels of musical ability to enjoy and
experience community and connection through
singing. Emile Hassan Dyer is a vocalist, percus-
Peter Levine & Bessel van der Kolk
This workshop unites two of the leading figures
in the field of trauma research and body-oriented treatment approaches. Together they will
explore the implications of recent findings in
the neurosciences, from how the brain and body
deal with emotional information to an understanding of effective therapeutic action.
The leaders will show how the trauma response
is a specific defensive bodily reaction that people initially mobilize in order to protect themselves, and then use against feeling the totality
of their horror, helplessness, or pain. However,
in the long range this response keeps them
frozen, stuck in the past, unable to fully be in
the here-and-now. Fixed in the defensive trauma
response, the shame, defeat, and humiliation
associated with the original event replays itself
over and over again in the body, detached from
history, but experienced in the present.
Traditionally, therapies have attempted to
change perceptions of the world by means of
reason and insight, along with conditioning,
behavior modification, drugs, and medications.
However, perceptions remain fundamentally
unchanged until the internal experience of the
body changes. Even after the death of a loved
one, physical injury, rape, or assault, people can
learn to have new bodily experiences, then
come to heal and accept what has happened
and create new lives and new communities.
maintain privacy. Couples are shown:
• New communication skills to break
destructive cycles of relating
• How to channel the energy from arguments to
create passion and stability
• How the unconscious forces that attract you to
your partner are also the source of conflict
• New tools for re-romanticizing their
relationship to reestablish the passion of their
early time together
• How to use their relationship for emotional
healing and spiritual evolution.
Activities include lectures, written exercises,
guided imagery, and live demonstrations of
communication skills and processes. Rick
Brown has been offering this workshop for over
twenty years, and has appeared on Oprah. The
methodology is based on Harville Hendrix’s
best-selling Getting the Love You Want. For more
information, visit www.rickbrown.org. Please
note: This workshop is for couples only.
($20 materials fee for manuals paid directly to the leader)
Training for Transition, Making a
Difference: Creating a Sustainable
World
Kat Steele & Maggie Seeley
Every person has the capacity to live in harmony with our world and use its resources wisely.
We can each make a difference. This seminar
empowers you to make thoughtful, practical,
and joyful choices, create a compelling personal
or organizational vision and action plan for a
sustainable future, and help build resilient communities for a post-carbon world.
Getting the Love You Want:
A Workshop for Couples
The converging crises of climate change, oil
depletion, and economic instability cannot be
solved separately or with technological miracles,
but by lessening dependence on fossil fuels. But
this doesn’t mean a bleak future. The heart of
transition is the belief that by engaging with
enough imagination and ingenuity to unlock
the collective genius of our communities, we
can choose a future that is more just and sustainable than what we have now.
Rick Brown
Participants will:
This workshop is designed to help couples
understand at a deeper level why they were
attracted to each other, why they get stuck in
endless power struggles, and how to safely begin
to work through those stuck places toward a
safer and more satisfying relationship. Couples
share only with their partner and are able to
• Explore the opportunities for transformation
presented by the challenges of peak oil,
climate change, and economic instability
• Learn key concepts of the transition model,
including permaculture principles,
community visioning, and setting up
transition groups
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• Raise awareness of the need for transition
• Meet other change leaders
• Explore concepts of addiction to consumption
and oil and the psychology of change
• Establish an action plan for yourself and your
community
• Visit sustainable projects at Esalen
• Have fun!
Time for yoga, meditation, walks, communitybuilding exercises, baths, and dancing is included. Visit www.transitionus.org.
Admission to Inspiring Leadership is by application only, and space is limited. Prior to contacting Esalen, to apply, please contact program
coordinator Georgi Chase at georgi@standanddelivergroup.com.
Exploring the Ordinary Miracle
of Healing
Peter Levine
Week of March 7–12
Inspiring Leadership
George Kohlrieser & Peter James Meyers
A great leader inspires. But who inspires greatness in the leader?
In this moment—fraught with new, global
uncertainties—true leadership demands profound self-awareness. It is only through a deep
examination of their own principles that leaders
can expect to inspire excellence in others and
achieve measurable, meaningful growth in their
organizations.
This seminar gives senior executives a way to
reconnect with their core beliefs—to overcome
internal blocks in order to face external challenges with a bolder vision and a renewed confidence. Led by psychologist, hostage negotiator,
and professor of leadership George Kohlrieser
and veteran stage director and global leadership
consultant Peter James Meyers, Inspiring
Leadership offers an intimate and intensive setting for business leaders to examine the basic,
human values that give their work meaning.
Through interactive exercises, dynamic discussions, and in-depth, individualized feedback
from Meyers and Kohlrieser, participants broaden their own self-awareness and enrich the voice
they use to engage and influence others. The
seminar will also offer strategies for sustaining
personal leadership growth into the future. This
is a unique opportunity for senior-level managers to plumb the depths of their own leadership capabilities, to renew the passion and purpose behind their work, and to break through to
higher levels of performance.
Kohlrieser is the author of Hostage at the Table: How
Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and
Raise Performance, an international bestseller that
won awards in France for Best Leadership Book
and in Germany for Best Management Book.
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While trauma is a fact of life, it does not have to
be a life sentence. In this workshop, participants
will have the opportunity to explore the possibility that the traumas and obstacles in their lives
also hold the potential for genuine emotional
and spiritual growth and self-transformation. For
this to happen, it may mean having the courage
to give up old “victim identifications” (that have
long been our “friends”) and trust in the emergence of a deeper, more authentic sense of self.
In this experiential and didactic workshop,
Peter Levine, a pioneer in stress and trauma for
thirty-five years and author of the best-selling
book Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma: The Innate
Capacity to Heal from Overwhelming Experiences,
will work with individuals in a supportive
group setting. In addition, body-centered awareness exercises, small-group work, and journaling
will be used to support participants in their
healing journey.
This workshop is open to both professionals and
nonprofessionals. There will be the opportunity,
if participants wish, for short discussion of their
work to enhance the learning process. Please
bring a notepad and pen.
Transforming Rage: Women Making
Inner Peace Possible
Ruth King
“Rage sits at the crossroads of personal transformation and is not to be understood as a useless
emotion, empty of story or knowledge,” writes
Ruth King. “Rather, rage is the daughter of our
traumas, the twin of our shame, the burden of
our denied histories, the foreign language of our
emotional pain, and the wisdom that helps us
heal. This retreat empowers women to open a
pathway to liberation. You will be guided
inward to deal with those aspects of yourself
that are dishonored. Through emotional release,
dance, dream work, art, ritual, and meditation,
you can learn how to stop contributing to your
own suffering, how to feed yourself when your
soul is starving, how to accept and forgive yourself, and how to rest in your own skin.”
During the retreat you will be shown how to:
• Discover your Disguises of Rage™, why you
wear them, and the wisdom behind them
• Utilize Percept Orientation Language, an
empowering, Gestalt-based technique to own
your reality, expand your perceptions, and
neutralize inner conflict
• Discover your Rage Inheritance™ and how to
transform this legacy
• Apply mindfulness techniques to weather
intense emotions without blame or shame
• Learn how to stay centered when others are
raging
Rage is fierce clarity and untapped fuel; a natural
resource of misused energy that requires our
loving attention. Embraced with compassion,
the trapped energies of rage are liberated and
become an intimate teacher of balance, integrity,
and resiliency, greatly enhancing our relationships and our service to the world.
($30 materials fee for art supplies paid directly to the leader)
Alchemy in Art: Glass Fusing
Dana Zed
Art is a happy kind of magic and glass is a particularly magical medium. Clear as water, strong
like stone, transparent yet solid, glass can be
invisible and yet act as a barrier. Being a synthesis of opposites, it is an ideal medium for us to
express our spiritual nature. Participants learn a
variety of glass sculpture techniques to give their
ideas form. The workshop begins with making
individual glass charms and talismans. As a
result of this process, glass becomes more familiar and participants can then choose to make
items of their individual choice using techniques
that are easy to understand and allow enormous
room for creativity. Objects made can include
jewelry, tiles, candleholders, coasters, boxes, tiles,
small bowls, plates, and more. Participants may
also incorporate drawings and objects brought
from home. The workshop is designed to be
nonjudgmental and easily accessible to all.
Participants are encouraged to find the magician
within. No art experience is necessary.
Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, and
Consciousness
The human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe and each of us has
one of these super-complex organs just behind
our eyes. Developments in the scientific
understanding of the brain are taking place at
a rapid pace and much new information has
accumulated about the molecular and cellular
basis of brain structure and function, the relationships between brain chemistry and behavior, and the factors involved in the growth and
repair of the nervous system. Yet many mysteries remain, including deep understanding of
the brain processes involved in memory, perception, mental illness, and arguably the greatest unanswered question in all of science, the
physical basis of consciousness and mind.
Participants have the opportunity to develop a
comprehensive understanding of the biology
of the brain and the neuroscience of consciousness, the effects of drugs on the brain and
mind, and the emerging synthesis between
neuroscience and the contemplative-meditative disciplines. The workshop is of interest
and value to anyone—including health professionals from all clinical areas—who wishes to
expand their knowledge about the mind-body
connection.
Hostage at the Table: How to Live
Your Dreams with Full Joy
George Kohlrieser
Are you a hostage to someone or something in
your life? The chance of being taken physically
hostage is relatively small. However, anyone can
become a “hostage” in a relationship with a boss,
employees, colleagues, spouse, children, even
with oneself. We all know people who feel
trapped, helpless, and afraid. These “hostages”
can feel as frightened and as paralyzed as a reallife hostage who has a gun to their head. Yet
there are people who, even with a gun to their
head, behave with personal power, focused emotion, and courage to do the impossible—achieve
freedom from the hostage taker.
In this workshop, George Kohlrieser, leadership
professor, psychologist, and veteran hostage
BENJAMIN FAHRER
David Presti
negotiator, will explore how the techniques and
psychological insights used in hostage negotiation can be applied to any personal or professional relationship. Step by step, the workshop
will outline the key factors that can remove the
blocks that impede resolving tough problems.
Business leaders, managers, teachers, doctors,
nurses, parents-all can learn to resolve conflict,
engage in productive dialogue, change mindsets,
and solve dilemmas. The techniques of hostage
negotiators can provide a potent framework in
any situation where the goal is to live with full
personal power.
By participating in this workshop you can:
• Recognize when you are a “hostage” and what
to do about it
• Learn to bond, even with an enemy
• Explore how to be a “secure base” to create
trust and cooperation
• Learn techniques to “rewire the brain” for
maintaining high motivation
• Learn the power of words and dialogue to
influence mindset changes
• Learn to resolve conflicts and handle difficult
conversations
Recommended reading: Kohlrieser, Hostage at
the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict,
Influence Others, and Raise Performance; Goleman,
Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human
Relationships; Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness, The Heart
of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness.
Living Heroically™
George Lough
“During difficult times when we are faced with
defeat and loss, and experience feelings of fear
and shame, we often resort to habitual ways of
coping,” writes George Lough. “We use behaviors that we learned in our families-of-origin
even though they have become outmoded. For
example, if the expression of anger was forbidden when we were young, we became overly
nice. Or perhaps we angrily rebelled or became
shut down as a way to survive. These ways of
handling life’s challenges now prevent us from
moving forward.
“Instead we need to live heroically. That doesn’t
mean being superhuman, or doing something
beyond our capabilities. It means having the
courage to break free of old patterns and go within to find our authentic selves. Then we can make
more mindful choices. For some this will lead to
forthright, outer action; for others it will mean
daring to go slow and be quiet. Whatever risk we
take, by going beyond the familiar we can step
into the potential that lies within and before us.”
Join Lough, psychologist, professor, and author, as
he helps you identify your survival system and see
how it has impeded you, and learn how to break
free of its restrictions. He uses lecture, group discussion, and writing and oral exercises to elicit the
hero within. Using stories and humor he can
inspire you to make the changes necessary to live
with more openness, honesty, and passion.
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Wild Serenity
poems whose form, rhythm, language, and
meaning work as an effective whole.
Lorin Roche & Camille Maurine
Wild Serenity is a radically liberating, deeply
revitalizing weekend of meditation, movement,
and energy practices. The workshop explores
the interplay between meditation and expression—the way that contact with the soul inspires
dynamic engagement with the outer world,
which in turn contributes to a rich inner life.
Meditation can be defined as paying attention
to the current of life and love flowing through
us and riding it inward to our essence. This is an
instinctive ability, a way of accessing inner wisdom, and we all can do it. The course alternates
sitting and moving meditations that awaken the
senses, soften the heart, and stretch the muscles
of the mind. Through body awareness, sound,
and breath, you gently and gradually let more
life force stream through you.
In this approach, you learn to embrace the fullness of your nature—vastness and vulnerability,
sensuality and surging power. You will discover
that what might seem like obstacles—raw emotions, restlessness, desire—are actually gateways
into vitality, renewal, and creativity.
Drawing on three decades of teaching and 25
years of relationship, authors Maurine and
Roche share their experience with humor and
compassion. If you’ve given up on meditation, or
are ready to take your practice to a new level; if
you want to tap into more joy and inspiration; if
you long for more intimacy with yourself and
others, then perhaps it’s time for Wild Serenity.
This course is also useful for those in the helping professions.
Recommended reading: Maurine and Roche,
Meditation 24/7 and Meditation Secrets for Women.
White Lotus Poetry Workshop
Ellen Bass
Its wonderful root and bud are snow-white, bright.
When was it parted with the western skies?
Nobody knows how deep the mud it grows in is.
When it emerges from the water, we know it is the
white lotus.
—Joshu
“In this workshop,” writes Ellen Bass, “we will
allow ourselves to extend our roots deeply into
the mud of our experience in order to give voice
to our poems. This is an opportunity to meet the
poems that gestate within us and to engage our
greatest resources—attention, courage, precision—in bringing them into being. We will
strive for language that is accurate, fresh, and
interesting in itself and we will work to create
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“This is an opportunity to delve deeply into our
writing without distractions or interruptions. In
our busy lives, many of us long for more time to
write. This weekend will be a way to nurture the
creative voice inside us and allow it to speak.
There will be time for sharing and for response,
hearing what our work touches in others, but
mainly it will be a writing retreat—a time to
explore and create.”
It is well to understand as early as possible in one’s
writing life that there is just one contribution which
every one of us can make; we can give into the
common pool of experience some comprehension of the
world as it looks to each of us.
— Dorothea Brand
Body, Voice, and Consciousness
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen
Discover more deeply and subtly the power and
flexibility of your voice in its dynamic relationship with your breathing, moving, and inner
states of consciousness. Through movement,
vocalizing, lecture, demonstration, partnering,
and discussion we will explore:
• Activating the six diaphragms (pelvic, thoracic,
shoulder, vocal, oral, and cranial)
• Shaping the laryngeal, oral, and nasal
pharyngeal cavities in relation to the three
basic planes (vertical, horizontal, and sagittal)
in the production of vowels and vocal
resonance
• Distinguishing the structures of the larynx
(hyoid bone and thyroid, cricoid, aryetnoid,
and corniculate cartilages) that produce the
voice in the two vocal registers (thyroid and
aryetnoid)
• Differentiating the placement of vowels and
consonants in relation to the palate, tongue,
and lips according to the Sanskrit tradition
• Initiating and aligning the movement of the
spine via the vocal structures
Bringing awareness to your vocal structures
brings greater freedom to your neck and spine
and expands your ability to more fully understand and express your feelings and thoughts.
This workshop is for anyone interested in discovering more consciousness in expressing
themselves through their voice—a deeper understanding of how much the voice effects breathing, posture, and movement and how breathing,
posture, and movement affects the voice.
Awakening Creativity and Inspiration
Jayson Fann
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
—Rumi
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the
mysterious. It is the true source of all art and science.
—Albert Einstein
Jayson writes: “This workshop is for those wanting to immerse themselves in a weekend of
abundant creativity. Silk painting, clay sculpting,
mask making, mosaic, and print making are
some of the media we will explore to entice
what lies beneath in the ocean of your imagination.”
What makes this workshop special is the opportunity to work with guest artists who will share
their knowledge in a variety of artistic approaches and mediums that are accessible and enjoyable. The workshop is structured to provide the
guidance, the materials, and a supportive environment for you to awaken and explore your
creativity and artistic passion. For added inspiration, there will be live musical accompaniment
woven throughout the workshop.
A Bottle of Ink, A Wooden Pen, and
Thou: Expressive Figure Sketching
Joanne Beaule Ruggles
Pen in hand, liberate the figure studies already
residing deep within your heart. Harness the
passionate energy of black India ink using primitive pens we will fashion ourselves from wooden dowels. These ancient and handmade tools
encourage a higher level of creative risk-taking.
Enjoy ample studio time in community with
others, observing the miraculous human anatomy and transforming those observations into
your own artworks that reveal and release the
human spirit.
Sometimes a blank page can seem daunting as
we begin. Learn how to create a preliminary
abstract environment of marks and shapes that
then interacts with the figure you draw on the
same page. This interaction can be a means to
unleash pure artworks–whether ink, mixedmedia drawings, or water-media paint sketches.
Nontraditional tools and techniques will be
emphasized along with a variety of strategies to
promote a more vigorous artistic response within your art practice. Prior experience working
with the human anatomy as artistic subject is
helpful but not required. A supply list will be
sent upon registration. For more information,
visit www.beaulerugglesgraphics.com.
Recommended reading: Herrigel, Zen in the Art
of Archery.
Cinema Alchemy: Using the Power of
Movies for Healing and Transformation
Birgit Wolz
Movies affect us powerfully because the combined impact of music, dialogue, lighting, camera angles, and sound effects enables a film to
bypass our ordinary defensive censors. Movies
draw us into the viewing experience, but at the
same time, and often more easily than in real
life, afford a unique opportunity to retain a perspective outside the experience: the observer’s
view.
Cinema Alchemy teaches the art of watching
films with conscious awareness, a form of mindfulness practice. Several techniques derived
from spiritual traditions and transpersonal psychology will be introduced, and can help us recognize aspects of our shadow selves and latent
capacities. This expanded awareness helps us let
go of unhealthy patterns and, consequently,
reconnect with our authentic self and spiritual
essence.
Like dream work, inquiring into emotional
responses to movies can open a window to our
soul. Together we will build a bridge between
our realizations in “reel” life and our experiences
in real life. How we relate to a film’s archetypal
motifs reveals our inner life. As we examine
reactions to the film, we avoid focusing primarily on the film or even the story. Instead, we
explore ways of watching favorite films that
connect us to our higher possibilities long after
this workshop ends.
Additional teaching materials are available
for clinicians who want to incorporate these
methods into their practice.
allow deeper and truer contact with self and
with group members who, in all honesty, are
representative of family and others in our lives.
In addition to intrapersonal and interpersonal
processes, we address issues of body defenses
(armor). We can explore this rebuilding of selfsupports together. The new and the unexpected
in our lives can then become creative opportunities rooted in our compassionate presence.
There will be appropriate didactic work.
The Writer’s Way:
Returning to Personal Truth
The Profound Simplicity of
Being Present: A Gestalt Workshop
Alan Schwartz
In The Feeling of What Happens, Antonio Damasio
defines the human organism as “really a sense
of self about one moment—now—and about one
place—here.” This has been the Gestalt point of
departure at Esalen for more than forty years.
Using the three E’s of Gestalt: Experiment,
Experience, and the Existential, you can access
the here-and-now as a personal foundation for
deepening strength and self-supports in the
uncertain present. In effect, we can increase
stability as we face an equally uncertain future.
This process involves recognizing and experimenting with self as a breathing mechanism
within a structure of fixed patterns of behavior.
We work toward as much deconstruction of
these patterns (fixed gestalts) as possible to
Nancy Bacal
At the tip of the pen confusion blossoms into riches.
“This is an invitation to join a dynamic community of writers for five days of intimacy and
experimentation, to permit our writing to be
coaxed to new ground,” Nancy Bacal writes.
“Our mission is to translate the bittersweet
paradoxes of life onto the page, to explore the
human condition by writing the stories of our
own lives. The process is risky, evocative, joyous.
It will offer enough courage to move past the
critic, beyond blocks and shame. Each writer
will be met at his or her own level, and be challenged to move beyond habit into the realm of
art. Life is not tidy. Writing will not change this,
but can provide a grateful container to receive it.
“The schedule will include movement, meditation, laughter, tears, moments of resistance and
amazing discovery! With caring support and
guidance, we will write daily in and out of the
group, share and discuss our material.”
Former students are particularly welcome. For
new people, an open mind and heart is crucial to
the process. Some writing experience is preferred.
A Yogic Model for Personal
Development and Leadership
in Challenging Times
HARRY FEINBERG
Thomas Michael Fortel & Ulrich Schwalb
We are living in exponential times: life around
us is not only changing quickly, but also in
unexpected directions and unusual ways. This
is commonly perceived as a crisis, yet it also is
an opportunity to see where we are and to move
forward with vision and hope. We may realize
that what has brought us to this moment in
time will not necessarily bring us to the next
place. New orientation, attitude, and awareness
are required to bring individuals, managers, and
their organizations closer to their goals. We
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higher consciousness are embodied in our lives.
Second, a deeper understanding of the chakras
can open us to a more palpable experience of the
divine.
This workshop integrates Nervous System
Energy Work with the chakra system as a means
to accelerate our personal and spiritual development. Aligning the chakra energies with our
nervous system, where they can be clearly felt,
is deeply transformative.
return home with a profound experience of the
full, loving potential of your relationship.
This workshop has proven extraordinarily beneficial for all couples—old or new, couples in need
of healing or couples in love seeking enrichment.
Same-gender couples are warmly welcomed.
For more information about the workshop,
including commentary from past participants,
visit www.sacredunion.com.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Our work includes:
must successfully deal with change without
losing sight of what is fundamental to our organizations, people, and to personal development.
• Learning to generate and identify the specific
energies of each chakra
• Using hands-on energy techniques to align
the chakras and open our nervous system to
carry those energies
• Incorporating an integral model to work with
different levels of consciousness
• Exploring meditations and practices with the
figure eight as a tool for a deeper connection
to the divine
• Integrating these processes with yoga,
breathing, movement, and other physical
exercises
This workshop involves individual creative
processes through interactive teaching, group
discussions, mutual coaching, and experiments
in our workshop laboratory. These activities are
based on the concepts of humanistic psychology, awareness practice/Gestalt, and supported by
a daily yoga practice. Yoga is seen primarily as a
form of physical exercise, yet is essentially a
reliable practice of mental purification. Yoga
enhances the capacity for optimal functioning
and provides an alternative reference point for
success and self-fulfillment. We engage the yoga
practices of pranayama (conscious breathing),
asana (postures), and yoga philosophy as a support for opening ourselves in reflection and the
group processes. All levels welcome. Please
bring a yoga mat and a journal.
No prior experience is required, but those who
have attended other workshops by the leaders
will find a whole new range of insight and
practice.
Offered for over twenty-five years at centers
around the world, this safe yet intensive experiential retreat has helped hundreds of couples
make deeper intimacy, partnership, and love
part of their living reality. “
Chakras Actually: Consciousness,
Energy, and Our Nervous System
Jim Kepner & Carol DeSanto
What does it take to bring spiritual consciousness into our daily life? How do we integrate the
wondrous states we experience in meditation,
yoga, and other practices? How can we make our
presence transformative and healing for others?
The leaders’ approach brings two essential keys
to unlocking these questions. First, it is through
our nervous system that chakra energies and
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Sharing the Path: A Retreat for Couples
Robert Gass & Judith Ansara Gass
Do you want to infuse your relationship with
renewed passion, skillful communication, mutual respect, heart-to-heart intimacy, and joy? Are
you ready to put an end to blame and disappointment and join with your partner in crafting a life-giving relationship to which you can
both say a joyful and wholehearted “Yes!”?
You will be challenged and supported as you
break free of destructive habits and receive guidance in the skills and practices of conscious relationship, including: authenticity, self-responsibility, empathy, appropriate boundaries, sacred
sexuality, deep listening, and effective problem
solving. After learning and sharing important
skills that will help you to continue to grow and
open in your ongoing life as a couple, you will
Finding Yourself in the Formless Form:
An Investigation of Tai Ji Practice
Chungliang Al Huang & Robert Walter
This weekend will be an experiential exploration
of the movement vocabulary and philosophical
perspectives fundamental to the Tai Ji form
developed and championed by Living Tao dancer
Chungliang Al Huang.
Joseph Campbell Foundation president Robert
Walter, who again joins Huang for their annual
investigation of the interpenetration of ancient
Eastern practices and contemporary Western
insights, describes this year’s activities as being
about “in essence, the story of the five moving
forces, the eight directions, and you.”
Prepare to be inspired, stimulated, and provoked, for Huang and Walter’s collaboration
promises to provide each Tai Ji dancer, whether
neophyte or adept, with a more profound and
visceral understanding of the importance of
developing and sustaining his or her own
unique practice.
For more information, visit www.livingtao.org
and www.JCF.org.
I’m Right and You’re Wrong:
The Journey from Self-Justification
to Self-Actualization
Elliot Aronson & Carol Tavris
Abraham Maslow, one of the founding fathers of
the human potential movement, taught us that
self-actualization is the ultimate goal of human
endeavor. The journey toward self-actualization
is the process of maximizing our potential and
becoming who we were meant to be. One of the
major roadblocks to self-actualization is self-justification: the need we all have to convince ourselves and others that we are smart, competent,
and moral—even when our behavior has been
otherwise. We do this in order to maintain our
self-esteem and the esteem of others. Self-justification is hard-wired; it has survival value
because it has benefits: It lets us sleep at night
after committing a blunder or making a bad
decision. But it can also have disastrous personal
and professional costs. It can keep us clinging
to outdated beliefs, traveling on self-defeating
paths, and harming the people we love most.
Ultimately, it blocks self-awareness and prevents
us from reaching our highest potential as
human beings. Elliot Aronson, who studied
with Abraham Maslow, is a leading researcher
on the causes and consequences of self-justification. Carol Tavris, Elliot’s coauthor on their book
on this subject, has conducted many workshops
on psychological themes. Through lectures,
group discussions, and group exercises, learn
how self-justification operates, how we can recognize it in ourselves and in others, and how we
can develop ways to overcome the hard-wiring
that produces it and move toward self-actualization. www.mistakesweremadebutnotbyme.com.
Building Resiliency through Energy
in the Autonomic Nervous System
Jim Kepner & Carol DeSanto
The functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a huge impact on our response
to stress, emotional stability, health, and daily
living. Psychologists, somatic therapists, yoga
teachers, bodyworkers, health care providers,
and other helping professionals know that fostering balance and resiliency in the ANS, and
lowering its reactivity, is an essential ground for
healing. This workshop is for these professionals. Most ways of affecting the ANS, such as
meditation, muscular relaxation, yoga, and psychotherapy, are indirect attempts at regulation.
Through Nervous System Energy Work (NSEW),
a hands-on system that works with subtle energy flow directly in the nerve pathways, practitioners have an immediate, palpable, and lasting
effect on the client’s capacity for resilience.
Working in this way modulates reactivity, opens
up previously unavailable autonomic response,
and helps foster better self-regulation. This
process provides great assistance for clients
whose ANS is dysregulated through stress,
health problems, emotional reactivity, trauma,
and other conditions.
Topics include:
• The fundamental principles and practices of
NSEW
• The basic physiological functioning of the
ANS
• A gentle, hands-on way to locate, sense, and
work with the sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems
• Techniques for harmonizing and balancing
the relationship between different aspects of
the ANS
• The relationship of the energetic nervous
system to the neuropsychology and
neurophysiology of stress, inflammation, and
neuro-immune response
Awakening Wisdom: Transformative
Teaching, Training, Coaching, and
Mentoring
Kim Hermanson
Explore the concepts “third space” and the
“imaginal world” in the teaching, training, facilitating, coaching, and mentoring relationship.
Third space and the imaginal world are places of
expanded knowing and intuitive wisdom; they
are the great unknown of inspiration and possibility. We could define the imaginal as a realm
that is just beyond our ordinary, everyday rational intellectual capacities. When groups of any
size come together in meaningful ways for a
shared purpose, there is a larger wisdom available to draw upon, a wisdom that lies within the
center of the group itself. Themes include:
• Exploring structure and structurelessness
• Using creative expression as a way toward
expanded group knowing
• Working with other people as a creative
process of embracing the unknown
• Teaching from a place of higher vision and
intuitive knowing
• Embracing group resistance and conflict
Each participant will connect with and develop
his or her own voice, personal vision, and
unique leadership style. This workshop is recommended for all in the teaching and helping
professions, and it also is useful for those preparing to teach, coach, mentor, or facilitate for the
first time. It may be particularly helpful for
those who sometimes experience resistant or
difficult audiences or clients, and for those who
simply wish to lead groups with more skill,
heart, and integrity.
Recommended reading: Hermanson, Getting
Messy: Taking Risks and Opening the Imagination
(available at www.aestheticspace.com).
Improvisational Cooking for Health
and Vitality
Leslie Cerier
In this hands-on vegetarian cooking class,
gourmet organic chef/teacher and cookbook
author Leslie Cerier presents whole foods that
are not just good for you, but also pleasurable
and delicious. Come cook and feast on exciting
vegetarian dishes that will enhance your
immune system, give you energy, rejuvenate
your senses, keep your bones strong, and help
you maintain an active lifestyle. During the
workshop, learn to:
• Stock a cornucopia of organic whole foods,
including beans, grains, sea vegetables, soy
foods, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, and
cook them easily from scratch
• Expand your cooking repertoire and boost
nutrition with exotic ancient grains like teff,
quinoa, Bhutanese red rice, and Chinese
“forbidden” black rice
• Use herbs and spices to enhance flavor and
create international dishes
• Mix and match foods that are high in
antioxidants, calcium, and iron to invent your
own recipes
• Substitute ingredients by color, flavor, seasonal
availability, texture, cooking times, and whim
Saturday is devoted to cooking up a feast for our
lunch and dinner. During our other sessions we
have group discussion about creative cooking
for health and vitality, and improvise more in
the kitchen.
Excite your palate with a treasure-trove of
healthy and taste-tempting recipes. This class
is guaranteed to delight the palate and inspire
home cooking. Leslie Cerier will show novice
and seasoned cooks how to make cooking and
eating deeply nourishing as we go through our
changing lives with grace and ease.
($25 ingredient fee paid directly to the leader)
You Can Make a Difference:
Strategies for Social Change
Tamar Miller
What are you called to do, and what are you
called to do now? This workshop is an exercise
in the practice of social entrepreneurship and
organizing for social change. Teachers, clinicians,
peacemakers, parents, journalists, administrators,
clinicians, storytellers, public officials, clergy,
activists, musicians, artists, and all citizens who
care deeply and are committed to act, are welcome.
45
We engage in individual and group exercises
based on yoga and other insight traditions as we
work through your ideas for social change in the
areas you care about most. However big or small,
global or local, you are welcome to bring your
ideas, spreadsheets, curricula, musical scores,
your organization’s management dilemmas, your
dreams or wildest fantasies, and your business
plans. Bring your humor, sense of the absurd
and yes, your frustrations too.
This work is inspired by the innovative
approach of Marshall Ganz, author of Why
David Sometimes Wins and on Tamar Miller’s
initiative, The PeaceBeat. We will use our personal stories to inspire us and our collective
assets to guide us toward action, turning what
may seem like meager resources into power
for change. We will help one another create
the next steps of our visions and our operations. Some of you may let go of a project or a
campaign and liberate new creative energy for
justice and peace. Our goal is to leave Esalen
with a way forward and the next set of strategies for social change.
You are welcome to share ideas prior to the workshop. Please contact TamarMiller@comcast.net.
Photographing the Seasons of Big Sur
Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta
& Daniel Bianchetta
Participants in this workshop will contemplate
with a camera the beauty of Big Sur. On Friday
night the group will meet to prepare for
Saturday’s photographic excursion by invoking
the use of photography as a tool for meditation,
healing, self-growth, and spiritual connection.
Saturday will be a time for connecting with
Big Sur in its spring attire: the wildflowers, the
sunsets, the misty panoramas. On Sunday morning the group will gather to share its creativity
together.
No experience is necessary and all levels are welcome. Please bring a digital or 35mm camera
you are familiar with, a journal, and any existing
photos you want to share with the group.
46
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Big Sur abounds with natural beauty in every
season. It is a land where the waves of the Pacific
caress the rugged California coastline, where the
sun and the fog perform their perennial dance
through magical redwood forests and over
grassy slopes.
Everything Old is New Again:
A Mythological ToolBox
(17th edition, revised)
Robert Walter & The Joseph Campbell
Foundation
Every year for more than two decades Joseph
Campbell celebrated his birthday, March 26th, at
Esalen. To explain why, he would tell of the day
that Carl Jung suddenly realized “what it means
to live with a myth, and what it means to live
without one.” Jung asked himself, What myth
am I living by? Finding that he did not know, he
wrote, “I took it upon myself to get to know ‘my’
myth, and I regarded this as the task of tasks.”
“That’s what a birthday is for,” Campbell concluded, “...and that’s what Esalen is about.”
In March 1988, five months after Campbell’s
death, some of his friends again met at Esalen
for what had become an annual tradition, the
Campbell Week. This unbroken progression of
springtime gatherings was eventually re-titled
A Mythological ToolBox, partly because these
explorations involve retooling the myths that
shape our lives, and partly because prior knowledge of Joseph Campbell is not required. The
only prerequisite is a sense of humor.
which may be physiological, psychological,
emotional, spiritual, or any combination of
these.
There is an eclectic array of tools in our exploration of mythmaking, so no two years are the
same. We might dance or sing, talk or sit quietly.
We might make music, masks, altars, or medicine bundles. We might tell stories, decode
films, unravel dreams, kindle visions. There is a
mix of solo exercises, small-group activities, and
collective projects to provide opportunities for
reflection and expression. Yet, always, we talk
of transformation: Who were you? What childhood stories were impressed upon you? What
were your favorite games? What did you treasure in your youth? What is enshrined on your
mantle, hung from your rearview mirror, taped
to your refrigerator door? What lies forgotten
in the basement? What’s secreted in the attic?
Whom do you aspire to be? What new adventures do you envision? What face do you hope
to see in the mirror? What’s set upon your
metaphoric altar, emblazoned on your bumper,
pursued in your fantasies?
By blending concepts of psychosynthesis,
Gestalt, and Jungian psychology with SER and
CST, the practitioner employs specific techniques to help clients increase awareness of the
“inner self.” Class exercises are designed to
strengthen the relationship between the conscious and the unconscious mind in order to
increase self-awareness.
If you are willing to re-vision yourself, then join
this improvisational ritual of rebirth. Please
bring a small totemic object that is both meaningful and expendable.
Foundation president Bob Walter will be joined
by Caldecott-award-winning author/artist
Gerald McDermott (www.geraldmcdermott.com),
Tai Ji dancer Chungliang Al Huang (www.livingtao.org), and a special guest, storyteller/musician/
poet/actor and music therapist, David Gonzalez
(www.davidgonzalez.com).
For more information, visit www.jcf.org.
The Upledger Institute’s
SomatoEmotional Release II
Stan Gerome
This course integrates SomatoEmotional Release
(SER) techniques with various creative and dialoguing methods. The emphasis is on wholeness
and self-healing. The goal: a comfortable holistic
mind/body approach to the resolution of problems related to client progress and growth.
Clearing negative (i.e. destructive) memories
and emotions related to buried experiences can
be helpful but often there remains “something
missing.” This might be the completion of a
naturally programmed and perhaps instructive
biological process that had been triggered. This
interruption creates what might be thought of
as a “frustration” of the biological process, serving as an etiologic agent for related dysfunctions
Participants must have completed The Upledger
Institute’s SER I, either at Esalen or elsewhere.
Please note: Registration for this workshop is
through The Upledger Institute only. Please call
1-800-233-5880.
Your Editor is Not Your Mother!
Kate Gale
Coaching? Midwifery? Child Rearing? Therapy?
What is the relationship between editor and
writer? This conversation is about what happens
in the editorial relationship, what the writer can
expect, what the editorial steps are from the first
draft to the polished draft you give to an editor
and what happens after that.
You write in solitude, you read your work, it
seems pretty good to you, but it keeps getting
rejected. Over and over. They don’t get it. They
don’t see the brilliance of what you’re doing. Are
they missing something or are you? We will talk
about the steps in editing, what you do yourself
and what you need help to do well. We will discuss what it takes to edit a manuscript well and
to prepare it so that an editor will understand
the magic you are creating. Editing makes magic
be realized.
Cultivating Joy, Finding Aliveness Today
Why Men Are the Way They Are
Brooke Deputy
Warren Farrell
How does joy find its expression in our lives?
What is the experience of having energy and
freedom of movement and awareness? What is
the feeling of aliveness right now, in this
moment? Working with the body and mind to
find new ways of being can lead to vitality,
increased pleasure, and joy in living. Developing
awareness of the holdings and contractions in
our bodies, we can discover the nature of our
character armor—the chronic muscular shapes
and tensions in the body—of which we are largely unconscious. When we bring these patterns
to light, we can express and release the held
energies. When we are open, we experience
more pleasure and more vitality.
This workshop is designed to help both sexes
understand each other via role-playing the life
experiences that mold the other sex’s psyche.
Men experience women’s view of sex and sexual
harassment; women walk a mile in their father’s
moccasins.
In a safe yet boundary-pushing environment,
Warren Farrell introduces innovative perspectives—initially challenging, perhaps, because not
only are they female-positive but also more
male-positive than is currently in vogue. Group
interactions are allowed to become emotional
enough to reflect how we communicate when
we’re defensive. Farrell then facilitates work that
demonstrates how both sexes can listen to criticism—including personal criticism—without
becoming defensive, thus creating a model for
expressing those tough-to-hear feelings. The
goal: to create more compassionate ways to
relate to the other sex and to view ourselves.
This workshop offers insights on everything
from why men fear commitment to why women
are so angry at men. A common response to this
workshop has been: “I’ve never felt so much love
for the other sex.”
Recommended reading: Farrell, Why Men Are the
Way They Are and The Myth of Male Power.
We work experientially and didactically, individually, in pairs, and in groups, focusing on finding those sensations and feelings that have been
held inside, often not in our conscious awareness. We invite the movement of emotions and
feelings, exploring the range of inner and outer
reactions. Students bring about healthy integration of body, mind, and spirit, which allows the
body to regain its natural aliveness and vitality.
This workshop utilizes experiential exercises,
awareness and expression, personal process, and
group interaction. Applying psychodynamic
processes, movement and dance, laughter, and
the stillness of meditation, we expand our ability to see, hear, sense and feel, and cultivate a
body capable of fully experiencing the pleasures
and pains, the joys and sorrows of life.
5See pages 94-95 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts.
47
MythBody at Play in the Year
of the Tiger
Chungliang Al Huang & Robert Walter
In the Chinese calendar, now in its 79th sexagenarian cycle, a year can be named in three different ways: after an animal in the Chinese zodiac;
by using the complex stem-branch system of
classification; and by referring to the number
of years since the crowning of the first king
of China, the Yellow Emperor, in 2697 BCE.
Accordingly, the current year in the Gregorian
calendar, 2010, is the year 4707 in the Chinese
calendar, the year of the Metal (yang) Tiger.
Though the Chinese zodiac, unlike its Western
analog, isn’t a fixed system, traditional belief
nonetheless holds that the ruling animal shapes
the traits—that is to say, shapes the “mythbody”—
of people born during a given year. So this year
we will play at discovering and domesticating
the feline within. Chungliang Al Huang coined
the term MythBody for his Esalen workshops
with the late Joseph Campbell. He and Joseph
Campbell Foundation president Robert Walter
continue to use that neologism in their continuing exploration of the vital interrelationship
between your physical being and your story of
yourself. The leaders write: “Over the course of
the weekend, as we explore the symbology of
the Tiger, we will share stories and anecdotes
associated with that mighty animal, not only
in Chinese lore, but also in the sagas of other
cultures. We’ll weave myth and movement, Tai Ji
and tiger tales, calligraphy and conundrums,
poetry and praxis—all in celebration of our
inner feline.”
For more information, visit www.livingtao.org
and www.JCF.org.
Tasting Freedom: A Passover Experience
for the Heart, Mind, and Palate
Jan Goldstein, Bonnie Goldstein
& Ellen Tussman
Passover is the quintessential holiday of liberation, elements of which can be found in many
other religious paths. The Seder is the cornerstone of the Passover experience: an ordered
meal of traditional foods during which poetry,
stories, and songs are part of the celebration and
renewal. During this workshop, participants
will experience preparing a Seder, and then
share the Seder dining experience in the intimacy of the Big House.
At the core of this exploration is freedom from
slavery and the human search to free ourselves
not only from physical shackles but also those
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of the spirit. How do we allow ourselves to be
enslaved in our everyday lives, from limiting
attitudes to unfulfilling relationships?
Conversely, how may we liberate ourselves from
such constraints, and give voice to inner freedom and creativity? The Hebrew word chametz,
“that which makes bread rise,” is also at the
center of the psychology of the holiday. We will
explore the elements that leaven our lives and
also those that cause the attitudes that hold us
back.
This workshop encourages Jews and non-Jews
to fashion an experience of personal meaning
through food preparation, rabbinic teachings,
self-reflection, and artistic creations. This
process can deepen our understanding of the
significance of Passover, and show us how it can
be a catalyst for reconnecting with our most free
and authentic selves.
Rabbi Jan Goldstein and his wife psychologist
Bonnie Goldstein collaborate with Ellen
Tussman, who brings her culinary expertise.
Come experience, share, taste, eat, journey, and
celebrate!
Recommended Reading: Dishon and Zion, A
Different Night, The Family Participation Haggadah;
Goldstein, Sacred Wounds: Succeeding Because of
Life’s Pain.
($18 materials fee paid directly to the leaders)
our relationships with them through adolescence and beyond.
Through experiential exercises and discussion,
we can:
• Expand our appreciation for the challenges we
may have faced in our own transition from girl
to woman
• Develop a rich, multi-storied understanding of
the mother-daughter relationship as daughters
and as mothers of daughters
• Fine-tune our understanding of the values that
guide us as mothers
• Develop a plan for nurturing our daughters
and ourselves
• Discover ways to create a strong community of
women and girls to support us and our
daughters
This workshop is appropriate for mothers of
daughters and women interested in the motherdaughter relationship for their professional
practice.
Recommended Reading: Hamkins and Schultz,
The Mother-Daughter Project: How Mothers and
Daughters Can Band Together, Beat the Odds, and
Thrive Through Adolescence.
See Family Spotlight, page 7.
Thriving in Mother-Daughter
Relationships
Making Art: A Hands-On Exploration
of Earthly Creation
Renée Schultz
Dave Zaboski
“Mothering a daughter is often among the most
intensely satisfying and challenging experiences
of a woman’s life,” writes Renée Schultz. “We
yearn for support for ourselves as mothers and
for wisdom in nurturing our daughters into
healthy women while sustaining close and
loving relationships with them. Yet many of
us fear that the wonderful ease and joy of our
relationships with our daughters will unravel
during adolescence. Honoring the hard work
of mothering while simultaneously caring for
our daughters and ourselves guides us toward
mutual thriving.”
Art is a call from one spirit to another across the
gap of time. This course is about bringing your
thoughts and feelings into form in the same creative ways that began in the caves of Lascaux
50,000 years ago and continue right up until
today. It is a practical, experiential exploration of
how and why we create. Join us as we participate
in drawing, painting, and creative exercises that
connect the past with the present and who you
are as a creator today. This course will connect
you emotionally, physically and spiritually with
creation throughout the ages, all with a view
toward what we are creating today and tomorrow for ourselves and the planet. Using live
models, exercises, and art history to gain an
understanding of the greater creative process,
we will come to better know ourselves as we
bring our ideas into form. The intention is to
deepen our awareness of the sacred, our sense of
movement, space, light, and finally our connection to our own creative powers. This class is
intended for creators of all levels committed to
Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships is a
workshop during which participants can explore
their experiences, values, hopes, and fears as
mothers while held in a community of compassion and playfulness. We use the practices of
The Mother-Daughter Project to question
damaging assumptions about mothers and
daughters and to discover how we can simultaneously nurture ourselves, our daughters, and
experience is required and all painting supplies
are provided. Please bring your own drum or
rattle if you have them, and also warm clothes
and a blanket.
($40 art materials fee paid directly to the leader)
Self-Acceptance: The Heart of Healing
Joe Cavanaugh
The heart has reasons which
reason knows nothing of.
—Blaise Pascal
BENJAMIN FAHRER
We commonly hear the axiom, Love is letting go
of fear. There is, however, another possibility:
Love means loving ourselves even when we are
afraid. This applies to all so-called negative emotions: fear, anger, doubt, jealousy, and so on. We
simply cannot be who we are not. Accepting
who we are allows healing to begin. Judging ourselves, we lose sight of the deeper message our
feelings bring to us, reinforcing the very negativity we are attempting to dissolve.
taking their art and their vision of what is possible
for humanity to the next stage of excellence.
Week of March 28–April 2
farming techniques. Afternoon and evening
sessions will look deeply into specific questions
and topics of interest.
From a seed planted with intention the world
can change. Come learn how to participate in
the amazing cycles of the season in the garden.
Experiencing the Esalen Farm
and Garden
Spiraling into Your New Self:
Shamanic Visionary Painting
Benjamin Fahrer & Esalen Farm
and Garden Staff
Schahila Ute Albrecht
Have you ever wanted to know how to grow
your own food? This new and dynamic five-day
experience gives you the opportunity to fully
participate in the Esalen Farm and Garden
alongside our talented and experienced staff.
In this day and age, local food security is a major
issue facing communities worldwide. It is said
that there is no greater form of activism than
growing one’s own food, no greater sense of connection to the land than sowing, cultivating, and
harvesting from the earth that sustains us. This
is the essence of SLOW food (Sustainable, Local,
Organic and in respect to the Wild) and through
it we come into a deeper relationship with and
celebration of the whole process.
By participating directly with the Esalen Farm
and Garden crew, you will experience the realities of what it takes to make a garden thrive.
Days will begin with the morning harvest and
hands-on experience with composting, seed
starting, cultivation, irrigation systems, transplanting, companion planting, and biodynamic
If you are transitioning to a new momentum in
your life, this workshop is a heartfelt invitation
to open to your higher self and sense of what is—
with and beyond the concerns and obligations
of daily life. This springtime sanctuary gives you
time and space to allow divine sparks of creation
touch and flow through you.
An introduction to expanding your consciousness into shamanic dreamtime provides the
opportunity to make contact with supportive
spiritual beings who are lovingly willing to
share their wisdom, strength, and healing capacities. These dreamtime experiences are recalled
by manifesting them into colors and forms on
paper or canvas.
The only intention of this creative process is to
embody the essence of experience and to let it
be expressed through us without being attached
to the outcome. We are life’s artists, after all.
Meditation, energetic cleansing, guided movement and dance, and opportunities for individual sharing with the group all support the flow
of the creative process. No previous painting
“Through personal and interpersonal processes,”
Joe Cavanaugh writes, “we will see how our
judgments, beliefs, and attitudes can undermine
our self-esteem and personal effectiveness. We
will create a space to heal our wounds from the
past while enhancing our capacity for greater
love and compassion. In a context of mutual
support and safety, we will learn to accept ourselves for who we are in the present moment.
We will then discover how these so-called negative emotions were in fact angels in disguise,
guiding us toward our Authentic Self.”
This workshop is designed for all those wishing
to enrich the quality of their lives and increase
their capacity for empathy and compassion for
themselves and others.
Prerequisite: Be willing to abstain from alcohol
and nonprescription drugs for the duration of
the workshop.
Recommended reading: Cavanaugh, Who Am I,
Really? How Our Wounds Can Lead to Healing.
Sacred JourneyDance™ and
Shamanic Ritual
Toni Bergins
“Open to the joy of life,” Toni Bergins writes.
“You are the prayer: your body, your movement,
your breath. You are the goddess: your passion,
your emotions, your sensual heart. You are the
warrior: your power, your intentions, your life’s
journey.”
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JourneyDance is an intuitive method of using
movement to discover and celebrate inner
strengths and to move through deep, personal
exploration into a loving, intimate relationship
with body, mind, and source energy. It is an
exhilarating union of dance, visualization, voice,
and ritual. In celebration of this seasonal
rebirth, Toni brings medicine woman Sanjivani
Marie Amma to hold the group in sacred healing ritual.
In a shamanic style, Toni and Sanjivani carry
participants through an intentional and seamless flow of guided ritual and free expression.
We embody our physical temple, unleashing
animal energies and awakening sensuality. We
connect with the inner shaman creator to burn
the mind’s clogging clutter and make space for
the abundance of joy available to us. We explore
our inner realms of the heart, listening deeply.
We open our voices authentically, to empower
our truth. We express ourselves as soul and ride
our pranic chi flow into prayer. As we create this
powerful dancing ritual together, we open the
body and mind to our highest vibration.
Join Toni and Sanjivani for this ultimate synergy
of sacred fire and healing water. We will dance
with the elements and invoke archetypal energies. For more information, visit
www.Journeydance.com.
Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power
to Create Health and Vitality
Meir Schneider
Experience your own self-healing through
gentle movement exercises, self-massage, visual
imagery, and breathwork. Release physical
limitations and the restricted concepts of health
that accompany them. Learn how to achieve
and maintain optimal health throughout your
life. Highlights include:
• Methods to let go of deeply held tension and
stress
• Natural vision improvement exercises
including a starlight walk, weather permitting
• Exercises for the pool and hot tub to enhance
joint mobility
• Exercises to overcome back pain and stiffness
• Strategies for preventing and overcoming
repetitive strain injuries.
Recommended reading: Schneider, Movement
for Self-Healing.
illustrator, Dave Zaboski, and National
Endowment of the Humanities award-winning
writing educator, Tesa Conlin, to reveal the story
that is in your heart.
We will engage in writing, drawing, painting,
photography, collage, and anything else within
reach as parents and children craft their stories
together.
From the glow of the campfire, songs and stories
will emerge, be crafted into form, and imagined
into pictures. Finally, your family will complete
the weekend with a presentable mock-up book
in hand to share with family, friends, and maybe
even a publisher or two!
Come together to play, unite, and create your
dream while producing a family treasure. This
workshop is for people with ideas, with tales to
tell, dreams to fulfill, and all families who want
to spend more quality creative time together.
(We recommend kids ages 4 and up.)
Wondrous Stories—Writing For
Children with Children
Dave Zaboski & Tesa Conlin
Have you been musing about a children’s story?
Do you have a tale or character that you want to
bring to life? Have you ever wanted to leave a
legacy of teachings to children of the world?
Isn’t it time for your story to be told?
Weekend of April 2–4
How Great Companies Get Their
Mojo from Maslow
Chip Conley & Vanda Marlow
In this lively experiential workshop, you and
your family will be guided by renowned former
Disney animator and children’s book author and
Chip Conley, author of the best-seller Peak, leads
this weekend workshop on how you and your
company can use the principles of Abraham
Self-Healing is body-mind work with rehabilitative and preventative applications. Every exercise teaches how to listen to the body and
respond to its needs. Self-Healing grew out of
Meir Schneider’s personal journey of natural
healing from congenital blindness using a
unique combination of eye exercises, movement, and self-massage. Meir read by Braille
until he was a teenager; today he drives a car
with an unrestricted license! During this period
of intense self-discovery, Meir began to craft
massage and movement regimens for disabled
people that brought about dramatic improvement. This method unlocks the healing potential within each person.
50
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Do you want to see better or get rid of your
glasses? Overcome chronic tension from stress
and computer use? Release the tension in your
aching muscles? Prevent problems that lead to
suffering, joint deterioration, and paralysis?
Would you like to age with vitality, mobility, and
health for the eyes and body?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to create a more
self-actualized employee, customer, and set
of investors. Twenty years ago, Chip founded
Joie de Vivre Hospitality, which has become
America’s second largest boutique hotel company. During the travel downturn of 2001-2004,
Chip reconnected with Maslow’s work and
developed an operating business theory that
suggests “peak experiences create peak performance.” Seeing that this theory paid big dividends, both financially and emotionally, within
his company of 2,500 employees, Chip began
to study companies like Google, Genentech,
Southwest Airlines, and Whole Foods Market.
He found that Maslow’s influence was profound
in these peak-performing companies.
To get the most from this workshop, the leaders’
recommend reading Chip’s book, Peak, and coming to the workshop prepared to talk about how
your company or organization might apply the
humanistic principles of the Hierarchy of Needs
to its key constituents. While a good portion of
the workshop will focus on applying Maslow in
the workplace, the last two sessions will cover
peak experiences and how to integrate Maslow’s
and Chip’s principles of transformation into
your personal life.
A Growing Awareness: Rebirth and
Renewal through the Practices of Yoga
Taking time for oneself to go on retreat is one of
the many spiritual practices available to us.
Often on retreat, we enter into the cradle of
nature where the pranic force (life energy) is
magnified and completely available for anyone
who comes. In a similar way, the practitioners of
yoga have journeyed for thousands of years to
the ashram (yoga community) to engage the
practices of meditation, pranayama (conscious
breathing), chanting and Hatha yoga. In
Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, the word
“shramas” literally means fatigue, and “ashram”
means removal of fatigue. Quite simply, when
we gather in community and engage the various
practices of yoga, we experience a sloughing off
of accumulated energy, the removal of fatigue,
and return home renewed and refreshed. You
are welcomed, on this classic spring weekend, to
join us as we practice, heal, and play together.
Please have a minimum of three months recent
yoga experience and bring your own yoga mat.
Love Yourself—
For Everyone Else’s Sake
An Esalen® Massage Retreat for Couples
Mark Abramson
Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman
This workshop directly challenges the confusion surrounding the issue of self-love. Self-love
is the most altruistic of all practices. When you
are free to be kind and loving to yourself, the
world and all the people in your life are
touched. This workshop is an experience of two
trainings taught at Stanford University Medical
Center. As director of Stanford’s MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program, Dr. Mark
Abramson has modeled his work after Jon
Kabat-Zinn’s program (featured on Bill Moyers’
PBS series Healing and the Mind). He has also
established a new program at Stanford called
“Love Yourself—For Everyone Else’s Sake.”
In any relationship, the art of Esalen Massage
can be a powerful tool for enhancing the skill to
touch. Surrounded by Big Sur’s natural beauty
and the healing waters at Esalen, Johanna and
Perry Holloman teach couples how to use massage as a source of nurturing support. The long
flowing strokes characteristic of this approach
radiate a sense of loving intimacy so important
within a loving relationship. With Johanna and
Perry’s guidance, couples learn to give each
other a full body massage that everyone can take
home as a new tool for exploring how to nurture your partner and your relationship.
This retreat is ideal for beginners and seasoned
practitioners who want to share a loving, relaxed
space with their partners. Johanna and Perry
share their knowledge of this work, and the
enrichment it has brought to them in their
togetherness. Along with plenty of supervised,
hands-on learning, there is time to enjoy the
stunning beauty of the Esalen grounds and the
healing waters of Esalen’s hot springs. Join us
for this healing retreat, and bring your willing
hands and an open heart!
Incorporating the latest research on mind/body
medicine, this workshop introduces practices
that create a profound physiological wellbeing,
plus the heartfulness to transform emotional
states and unleash the great potential for deep
healing of the body. The goal is to learn how to
use the awareness and mindfulness practices to
experience your own love in a peaceful, healthy
body.
According to Mark Abramson’s studies, this
work has been shown to create an increasing
experience of gentleness, kindness, and respect
for oneself and others. While the practices are
especially helpful for people experiencing emotional or physical concerns, the universality of the
experience makes this program valuable for all.
By Land and By Water
Sunnie Kaufmann
Have a fun family weekend by exploring the
land and water at Esalen in exciting and educational ways. We will explore the land through an
adventurous habitrekk, an outdoors investigation requiring observation, interpretation, and
data-gathering, and then presenting your findings. We will visit the animals at Gazebo School
Park and learn how humans and wildlife share
environments, and plant and harvest vegetables
on the farm (plant your own flowers to bring
home, learn how Esalen’s gardens grow, and
make a picture out of seeds for your family to
bring home and grow!). We’ll enjoy “Water
Olympics” to investigate the properties of water
by walking on water on a tightrope, vaulting
pennies over a surface of water, learning about
sculling by floating a soap bubble boat, and
conducting water tests by dropping water on
pennies to see how the coin reacts. Play together
in the baths or at the pool to celebrate what we
have learned about water (weather permitting).
In addition, we’ll make time for art activities,
nature walks, and yard games. This workshop
is open to parents, children ages 5-14, and any
family members who want to join us for this
adventure by land and by water!
($25 materials fee per family paid directly to the leader)
Week of April 4–9
Spirit Songs: Freeing Your Voice
through the Power of Gospel
Vernon Bush
In this uplifting and heart-opening workshop,
you can experience spontaneous, in-the-moment
expression and give your dreams voice with
abundant joy. Get ready to dive into rhythm,
singing, and dancing from a personal, spiritual
place. You’ll explore the roots of gospel and
inspirational music, song arrangement, harmony, and correct breathing. Through the practice
of truly listening to yourself and others you
will learn to free the voice that is uniquely and
exclusively yours.
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Vernon Bush is a singer/songwriter, recording
artist, musician, and educator who has worked
with Whitney Houston and Gladys Knight. He
is a musical director and featured vocalist at the
world-renowned Glide Memorial Church in San
Francisco. To learn more about Vernon, visit
www.vernonbush.com.
Develop the Art of Romantic
Intelligence: For Women
Frances Verrinder
Most unhappily single women have suffered
from emotional disruptions in their early family
relationships that make it difficult to feel safe in
intimate relationships and difficult to develop
rewarding long-term romantic partnerships
as adults. Utilizing attachment theory, family
systems, expressive arts, somatic awareness, and
mindfulness meditation, this workshop is
designed to help you:
• Identify your attachment issues
• Become aware of trauma-based responses,
ambivalence, and avoidance
• Identify fear, physical constriction, and body
language that send non-verbal stay-away
messages
• Demystify the process of approaching and
feeling close to others
• Develop flexible boundaries, learn
assertiveness and self protection
• Recover a strong sense of self and self love
• Cultivate a powerful sense of femaleness and
femininity
This workshop includes experiential small
group work, mini-lectures, and guided group
discussion to develop “romantic intelligence”
so that you can begin to move into the world
of successful relationship.
Recommended reading: Goleman, Social
Intelligence.
Character, Trauma, and Developmental
Issues: The Somatic Experience in
Psychotherapy
Diane Poole Heller
Participants in this course experience how the
body reveals character strategies, trauma, and
attachment wounds. They learn how trauma
may be transformed through the practical application of Somatic Experiencing® principles and
techniques as well as through corrective experiences. Life makes shapes. The body is shaped
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through the basic experiences and attitudes that
are held both consciously and unconsciously.
The way the self is formed is an expression of
one’s mental, emotional, and spiritual life. All
life strategies are organized, habitual patterns of
reaction to real or perceived joy and stress.
Through mindful awareness, participants experience how character strategies and core beliefs
are revealed through the body. Our emphasis is
on discovering, exploring, and working with
these soma-psyche patterns in the therapeutic
context.
courses. For further information, including
special registration instructions, see Special
Programs, page 94.
Balance: Your Body's Re-set Button
Jean Couch
If you have a physical problem that is preventing you from moving on with your life, or if you
find you are always chasing one symptom after
another, then this course is for you. There are a
few things you can do that will re-set your body
in a way that can take away pain and make you
strong again. From studying healthy people all
around the world we know precisely how they
sit, stand, bend, walk, and recline. How they do
these things is very different from what many
of us have been taught. Here is an opportunity
to learn how to align your spine and joints so
you are naturally strong and safe in all you do.
During this workshop, there will be specific
guidelines on how to sit, stand, bend, walk,
recline, how to sit in your car, how to lift and
carry, and essential stretches that accelerate
comfort. You will be given continual, individual,
hands-on guidance so you can experience for
yourself specifically what you need to do to
decrease pain and be strong again. There will be
slide shows that instruct and inspire, and easy
practice to do in and out of class, even in the
tubs. The same guidelines that take your pain
away revitalize your structure and can even
improve your appearance. Expect to be surprised, relieved, and to feel like yourself again.
It’s fun, you’ll see.
Finding Your Deepest Purpose
Rich Berrett
We often live our lives without awareness and
presence to the way we are living. It is as though
our lives are living us rather than we living our
lives. Finding emptiness in our accomplishments may manifest this state of being. Degrees,
monetary wealth, success, status, all can leave
us asking, Is that all there is? Joseph Campbell
recommended, as the most significant purpose
of living, that we seek our bliss. This week offers
time to explore that which is all too often unexplored, and that which is deeply satisfying: purpose that honors self and others.
This experiential workshop includes imagery,
movement, art, reflective writing, and music to
help you contact and express your deepest
desires and connect with the wisest and most
loving part of yourself: your inner wisdom. By
listening to that inner wisdom you can become
more present to who you are underneath the
thoughts and patterns of living with which you
are most familiar. Moreover, an understanding
of how our lives have the potential to support
the worth and dignity of all, and make a significant difference in a troubled world, will affirm
the place of relationships in a purposeful life.
Esalen® Massage, Inspired by Poetry
and Digeridoo
Robin Fann-Costanzo & Silvia Guersenzvaig
with Corey Costanzo
Are you ready to be inspired in your work? This
is a workshop for massage therapists and bodyworkers who are eager to reconnect with themselves and their passion for massage.
During this week, the leaders and participants
will create the foundation to inspire each other
by connecting with the essentials of Esalen
Massage: presence, quality of touch, breath, and
flow with a background of ocean waves, poetry,
and live didgeridoo music.
Along the way, the workshop will address specific
problem areas of the body, such as neck, shoulders,
arms, and low back. Specific techniques will be
demonstrated, ranging from rotations and
stretches to more subtle, yet deeply effective
methods of working with the body.
The leaders will introduce a variety of self-care
and movement practices, including meditations
and various exercises, with plenty of time to rest,
bathe in the hot springs, and enjoy gourmet meals
surrounded by the beauty of Esalen and Big Sur.
Come ready to fill your cup, renew yourself, be
inspired, and learn new techniques in a loving,
nurturing, joyful environment!
Family Arts Springtime Celebration
Katie Nash & Christina Dauenhauer
Come celebrate art and creativity with your
family this spring at the Esalen Art Barn.
This weeklong workshop is for parents and
children or any family members who want
to immerse themselves in the joys of creative
expression. Just as Mother Nature is bursting
with creative energy in springtime, we will
open to the flow of our own unique creativity
through a variety of art projects and the magic
of storytelling and theatre games. Here’s a sample of just some of the activities participants can
explore: creating treasure boxes, talking sticks,
paper and jewelry making, designing silkscapes
(painting with silk fabric), creating nature art,
painting and collage. There will also be time for
some outdoor adventures exploring Esalen as
the magnificent grounds display the natural
beauty of springtime. This workshop is for families with children who are 6-14 years old. All
children must be accompanied by an adult.
($70 materials fee paid directly to the leaders.)
• A radical new paradigm for an equal
partnership
All types of marriages, from the traditional nuclear
family to gay couples, from good marriages to bad,
can benefit from this workshop. It is designed for
people in any stage of marriage—those enjoying
the golden years, those just starting out, and those
in between; couples who are contemplating spending the rest of their lives together, as well as those
contemplating divorce. Even though there are
many stages of marriage, there are certain tools
and behavioral patterns relevant for any stage, such
as openness, honesty, and good will, that promote
communication, trust, and love. This workshop
can help reawaken the love and passion that
brought you together. Steven Stroud has been
happily married for twenty-six years.
Practice
Christine Price
Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic,
noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from
made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some
forms of meditation. This form is similar to
some Reichian work as well, in that emotional
and energetic release and rebalancing are
Happiness in Marriage
Steven Stroud
Do you want to live a longer, healthier, more
prosperous life? Study after study shows that all
you have to do is get married and stay married.
Of course, the stresses of a bad marriage can
outweigh the benefits of a good one. So, make
it a happy marriage.
The workshop offers a way to use self-responsibility to make changes in your relationship that
can help you find, nourish, and enhance happiness. Couples explore:
• How to use agreement as a dynamic engine for
intimacy, trust, and love
• How active listening can channel the energy
from conflict to intimacy
• How to deepen commitment and process
together without constantly questioning the
relationship
• Keys to happiness
meditations, and discussion. Open seat work
may be demonstrated.
Autobiography for Poets, Fiction
and Non-fiction Writers
Robert Sward
“If someone asked you to sum up the story of
your life in one sentence, what would it be?”
asks Robert Sward. “If you had to choose just
half a dozen family photos to tell your life story,
what photos would you choose? Why? In which
of those photos is there a contrast between
appearance and reality?
“You want to tell the truth, of course, but what
version? How far can you go in exploring the
darker side? How fair is it to reveal family
secrets? These are questions the workshop considers early on in order to set you free to tell
your story as it needs to be told.
“As for me, I was born on the Jewish North
Side of Chicago, bar mitzvahed, a sailor, amnesiac, university professor, newspaper editor,
food reviewer, and father of five children. I
love teaching this class because of the excitement and pleasure of serving as coach, midwife, and editor to the participants and their
auto (self-generated), bio (life story), graphies
(writings).”
Topics include:
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Use of dialogue and natural story telling voice
Audio/visual elements for interviews
Methods of organizing: Hook, lead, grabber
Getting your reader’s attention
Exploring the darker side
Telling secrets
How far can you go?
Incorporating photos, maps and other
documents
Bring six or more family photos and notes,
diaries, journals, and/or works in progress. Also
bring a notebook and pen for in-class writing
exercises, and a box of crayons and colored pencils. Upon registration, please send 2-3 pages of
your work-in-progress, if you have one, to
robert@robertsward.com.
5Rhythms® Wave:
In the Belly of the Beat
Lucia Horan
When we completely surrender in the dance we
can find a place where all boundaries disappear.
We are no longer the dancer. We are purely the
dance—in the moment, present, alive being
danced by the great mystery.
In the belly of the beat we practice the ancient
art of being fully alive in the present moment,
full of breath and inspiration. Journeying
through the 5Rhythms dance practice is an
opportunity to investigate the sacred wilderness of bone and breath, hands and hips, spirit
and flesh. Enter the realms of the feminine
mysteries through Flowing, the masculine
53
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
mysteries through Staccato, the integration of
feminine and masculine through Chaos, the
mystery of joy and transformation through
Lyrical. And finally, through Stillness, enter
the dance of wisdom.
In the belly of our own heartbeat we find all
rhythms united as one. Whatever your state
of body or mind it is never too late to become
the dancer. We are all born with the innate
wisdom to heal through dance. This is an
opportunity to reclaim that power and celebrate in the temple of the body. Here we use
the dance to explore the inner and outer landscape of our reality and deepen our relationship to our partners, our communities, and
ourselves. Creative writing, drawing, ritual
theater, and sharing circles also deepen and
integrate our experience during this weekend.
For more information, visit www.luciarose.com.
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What’s Next? Reviewing and
Revisioning Our Lives
Sam Keen
Periodically, we need to review and revision our
lives. Every decade of the life-cycle brings new
challenges, goals, pleasures, and horizons. Every
crisis—divorce, illness, tragedy, success, failure,
retirement—requires us to make a new beginning, take stock of our past, and look for a new
vision to guide us toward a more hopeful future.
In this workshop, join Sam Keen to explore:
• Where are you in your life-cycle? What have
you accomplished?
• What hasn’t happened yet? What haven’t you
done, been, or experienced?
• What have you given? Whom have you loved?
• What’s old, stale, worn-out, boring? What
destructive patterns do you repeat?
• What infantile guilt and shame lingers?
Whom have you not forgiven?
• What’s new, interesting, exciting, appealing?
• What decisions do you need to make? What
future do you see for yourself?
• What are your emerging passions? What
promises and potentials are still unfulfilled?
• What are your dreams, values, visions? Where
do you look to find what’s next for you?
Week of April 11–16
Shamanic Cosmology:
Visionseeker Level 3
Hank Wesselman & Jill Kuykendall
Over the past 35,000 years, indigenous shamans
developed a methodology to expand awareness
and explore the many dimensions of reality, generating a rich body of knowledge about the nature
and function of the sacred realms. Unfortunately,
ever-multiplying overlays of spiritual scripture
and esoteric literature have obscured our understanding of these hidden worlds. Today, this
confusion is being reversed as the methods of the
shaman are being reconsidered by non-tribal
Westerners seeking direct experience of the
transpersonal realms once again.
Hank Wesselman writes: “This workshop will
engage participants in investigative shamanic
fieldwork into the numinous regions of the
spirit worlds where all mysteries become
known. We will deepen connection with our
spirit helpers as well as our oversoul and the
elder spirits who serve as master teachers on our
Cosmic Committee. We will hone our abilities
in areas such as divination and attempt to learn
more about those localities where the most
creative work of souls is accomplished. We will
explore the nature of who and what we really
are, providing an expanded perspective on the
destiny of souls.”
This training is open to those who have completed the weeklong Visionseeker 1 workshop
or its equivalent. If in doubt, please contact
Wesselman at PO Box 369, Captain Cook, HI
96704, or e-mail hw@sharedwisdom.com.
Note: Bring a rattle, a drum, a notebook or
sketchpad, a set of oil or chalk pastels, a bandanna or eyeshade, and a light blanket. Please
refrain from alcohol during the workshop.
Recommended reading: Wesselman &
Kuykendall, Spirit Medicine; Wesselman, The
Journey to the Sacred Garden and The Spiritwalker
Trilogy.
Reading the Body: Tales and Tools
in Non-verbal Communication
Wendy Evans
Have you ever noticed how your physical posture changes depending on how you feel? “All
bodies tell a story but most of us only read
the book cover,” notes Wendy Evans. “Eighty
percent of communication is non-verbal so
there is an absolute wealth of potentially useful
information just sitting there waiting to be
noticed and used.”
This workshop is for people who want to
upgrade their professional and personal relationships by increasing their understanding and
effective use of body language and non-verbal
communication. From a place of curiosity,
explore the connections in your body among
your language, emotional habits, and movement
patterns. Hone your ability to recognize your
own patterns and those of others, and learn language and techniques to apply at work and at
home.
Drawing from Gestalt, Cortical Field Reeducation,
and leadership development with a lighthearted
perspective, activities will explore levels of
awareness ranging from bone to speech and
movement patterns.
Some concepts and theory will frame the mostly
experiential sessions. Activities include individual and partner work, and the opportunity for
open-seat work with the leader in a group setting. Bring your curiosity and sense of humor,
and wear comfortable loose clothing with no
straps or belts. You must be able to get up and
down off the floor unassisted.
Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving
Charles Muir & Leah Alchin
This is a “reset point” for couples who want to
dramatically improve the quality of sex and intimacy in their love lives and open up to more
ecstatic pleasure and spiritual connection in
their relationship.
Few of us have been blessed with healthy childhood conditioning and education regarding the
mysteries of sexual love and sexual energy. This
can leave individuals less successful and conscious in their sexuality than they are in other
aspects of their lives. Tantra transforms sex into
a loving meditation, putting more consciousness, energy, intimacy, joy, and love into sexual
exchanges.
It is time to study sex as an art form. Sexual loving is a vital skill to be mastered by every conscious individual. Sexual energy is a sacrament
that, used well, brings great harmony and joy
into one’s relationship so that love continues
to grow over the course of a lifetime, deeply
bonding the partners in joyous spiritual union.
This experience offers couples ways to increase
intimacy and passion in their relationship.
Practices include ways to free female sexual
orgasm and methods to increase pleasure for
both partners. Esoteric practices of kiss, movement, and touch, along with many other exotic
lovemaking skills are introduced in class, and
then practiced in the privacy of your own room.
Discover Tantric wisdom with insight, gentleness, humor, and love.
The workshop is open to couples only and is not
designed for same-sex couples. For twenty major
media articles about this work and a free informative CD on Tantra: The Art of Conscious
Loving, visit www.Sourcetantra.com.
Mapping the Soul:
Collage, Poetry, and Creativity
Patrice Vecchione
“Beneath the facade of daily life, just on the
other side of our skin, a wellspring of creativity
waits to be tapped,” writes the leader. “We’ll
immerse ourselves in that mysterious sea of
imagination, finding images and words to map
our souls. The exhilarating and democratic art
form of collage unites pictures from various
sources to make something new, a visual mirror
to tell the stories of our lives. Who gave the
small child wings, and where might she fly?
“In this workshop for non-artists and artists
alike, discover ways that creative expression can
enhance your thinking and your resilient
nature. Create with abandon in an environment
free of doubt and criticism. Collage and poetry
allow us to say what we didn’t know we could,
answer old questions, ask new ones, and unleash
the imagination!
“Participants will create several collages and
poems and work both figuratively and abstractly, small and large. Bring a pair of scissors, a journal, copies of old photos, receipts, birth certificates, small objects, whatever catches your eye.”
($70 materials fee paid directly to leader)
Yoga, Health, and Happiness
Michele Hébert & Mehrad Nazari
Our true nature is joy. It is only when we lose
sight of our spiritual essence that we experience
suffering and pain. The wisdom tradition of
yoga offers time-tested practices to reunite us
as whole and joyous beings.
The word health comes from the Old English
word “wholth.” In its broadest sense, true health
is the wellbeing of our whole self. Yoga and
health go hand in hand. The ancient yogis were
aware of this and now scientific research
demonstrates a direct correlation between happiness, health, and the immune system. Explore
the similarities between scientific findings in
the new field of positive psychology and the
principals of ancient yoga to provide a roadmap
for a healthier and happier life.
During this transformational workshop, dive
into stimulating and health-giving yoga and
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meditation sessions. The yoga practices are purposely chosen to help you release self-doubt and
limiting thought patterns and awaken to a lightness of being in a spiritually supportive environment. Michele Hébert and Mehrad Nazari
present a unique blend of sessions: daily Hatha
yoga, breathwork, yoga nidra (yogic sleep), meditation, laughing yoga, and inner exploration.
The morning sessions will emphasize asana
practice to align the meridians and in the afternoon and evening sessions you can experience
the inner practices of Raja Yoga as a blueprint
for a happy life. Applying a balanced approach,
Michele and Mehrad guide you through a consciousness-based journey into the joyful heart
of yoga. Please bring a yoga mat.
Reclaiming Your Authentic Self
Anne Watts
Have you ever found yourself thinking you
want one thing but doing something else? The
thing you’re doing comes from the inner child.
What, exactly, is the inner child? It has many
names: the authentic self, natural child, creative
energy, or inner place of knowing. The inner
child works differently in each of us. We are
often out of touch with this part of ourselves,
yet it is the part that runs our lives.
This workshop is for people who want to experience more joy and personal potency in their
lives. In a safe and loving environment you
will have the opportunity to tell your own story
and hear the stories of others, receive and give
appropriate, healing touch, and reclaim and
affirm the safety of your own body. You will also
uncover core beliefs that hold you back, move
through fear, and learn techniques for safely
releasing anger and sadness. Additionally,
through the use of visualization techniques,
drawing, and dynamic sculpting, you will discover your inner child and your inner nurturing
parent, and create the opportunity to see your
internal family images from new and different
perspectives. The partnership you establish
between the inner child and parent will enable
you to live your life with a new level of potency,
peace, and joy. For more information about Anne
and her work, please see www.annewatts.com.
Big Sur Wilderness Experience:
Springtime
Steven Harper & Michael Newman
Esalen is the trailhead to one of the most spectacular mountainous coastlines in the world.
With the Big Sur wilderness as the primary
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teacher, participants will explore the beauty of
this alive and wild coast, from ancient redwoodforested canyons to dramatic coastal beaches,
from rugged rocky mountains to the soft grassy
slopes of the Big Sur hills. Drawing from nature
and various experiential awareness practices,
individuals will be encouraged to open both to
the natural world and to the landscapes of their
inner world. It is said that Big Sur is not just a
place but a state of mind. This wilderness experience seeks to merge mind and place, then to
embody what is learned.
tion of the potential of the business organization. This workshop is recommended for people
who have had some exposure to the human
potential movement and want to find ways to
link all those weekend workshops to their
weekday lives.
Participants in this weeklong workshop will
venture out into the emerging springtime magnificence of Big Sur on five day-hikes, 4-10 miles
in length. The leader will draw from a wide range
of contemporary and age-old wisdom traditions,
borrowing from psychology, meditation, aikido,
and the natural sciences to weave together a
holistic experience of self and the natural world.
Each hike begins after breakfast and concludes
in time to enjoy the hot springs and dinner
at Esalen. Evening sessions include informal
sharing, basic awareness practices, and useful
outdoor skills, with attention given to incorporating what is learned during the week into our
daily lives. All levels of experience are welcome.
Be prepared for the invigorating challenge of
physical activity and the opportunity to simply
sit still in quiet reflection. More information
will be sent upon registration.
This workshop is designed for health professionals who work with clients wishing to
enhance their performance in avocational or
professional sports, the performing arts, or their
daily work. Participants will learn a variety of
psychological methods used in sports psychology as well as body/mind training techniques
drawn from the meditation traditions. The
course will review biological, psychological,
and sociocultural factors which improve peak
performance.
($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader)
Business and Human Potential
Sam Yau & Jay Ogilvy
How does the human potential movement point
to greater potential for business? Beyond the
motivational pep talk, or goal setting, or taking
responsibility for your life, are there lessons
from the human potential movement that point
toward a higher or deeper meaning of “success”
for ourselves and for our companies?
In this workshop, leaders Jay Ogilvy and Sam
Yau will pursue these questions, drawing from
their combined expertise in business strategy
and research, management and growth, and contemplative practice and philosophy. Participants
will share stories about their jobs and aspirations and ask whether and how work can be a
medium for self-expression and self-realization
for individuals. During the workshop, participants will look into ways that individual selfrealization can serve as a model for the realiza-
Enhancement of Peak Performance
in Sports, Performing Arts,
and the Worksite
Daniel Brown
The main emphasis will be on learning a variety
of peak performance interventions: (1) psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and hypnotic
methods for eradicating factors which hinder
peak performance; and (2) body/mind training
methods such as physical conditioning methods, concentration training, awareness training,
and techniques for cutting off scattered thought.
The workshop will include lecture, demonstration of methods, practice, and case presentation.
Case presentations will be drawn from recreational and professional sports, dance and music
performance, and managerial worksite training.
including how to register, please see Special
Programs, page 94.
Let’s Face It: Women Explore Our
Changing Faces
Carole Pertofsky & Wendy Oser
“Few transitions are as complex as when a
woman recognizes that she is aging,” write the
leaders. “While adapting to major biological
changes, we are bombarded by media imagery
and cultural messages that equate beauty,
strength, and value with the bloom of youth.
Not surprisingly, women may often feel emo-
tionally confused and spiritually challenged,
especially in the absence of good role models
and support.
“Together we will use our faces as an entry point
to explore the problems, paradoxes, and opportunities of aging. Through conversation and
individual and group processes, we will explore
how inquiry into growing older can lead us
toward deeper acceptance and freedom.
“By looking deeply at our changing faces, we
enter the twin realms of humor and sacred
inquiry. Through our open eyes and hearts, we
may find wisdom and wit as we move through
life’s passages with renewed appreciation for the
evolving Self.” Women of all ages are welcome.
With the Grain: The Art of
Nonviolent Woodturning
BENJAMIN FAHRER
“We will also view and discuss an award-winning documentary, Let’s Face It: Women Explore
Their Aging Faces. As seven mid-life women
address their ambivalent feelings about aging,
vanity, anxiety, humor, and compassion emerge
through each woman’s personal revelation.
Participants can choose to experience a personal
video-feedback session as part of their workshop experience.
shared, increasing the exchange of ideas. Let
your spirit soar with the shavings, all in the Art
Barn at the edge of the Pacific.
Jerry Kermode
Enjoy an opportunity to learn the ancient craft
of woodturning during this weekend of handson instruction in technique and philosophy.
Bring together the thrill of creating with the
sensuality of working with wood, as you peel
away the exterior to find the art within. Deepen
your understanding of how the fibers lie within
the wood and how the chisel slices those fibers.
Learn to make utilitarian items in which the spirit
of the wood and your own spirit commingle.
Jerry Kermode will assist you in using breath,
posture, and attitude to change fear into curiosity. Learn the discipline of carving on a lathe,
turning carving mallets, lamps, weed-pots, and
more, while also discovering the meditative
state that turning takes you to. The final project
is turning a bowl; create your own vessel, a
symbol of both holding and releasing.
In a relaxed, informative, and pragmatic style,
Jerry will share his love of trees and the beauty
they hold within. His style of woodturning is
based on the ability to allow the wood to be cut,
rather than forcing it to the turner’s will.
All materials, including mini-lathes and carving
chisels, are supplied, with two people sharing
each lathe. The activities will be individual and
The Power of Practice:
The Embodiment of Esalen
Barry Robbins & Pam Kramer
Integral Transformative Practice (ITP) is the creation of Esalen’s cofounder, Michael Murphy,
and President Emeritus George Leonard, distilled from their collective experience at Esalen
over the past forty years. This practice embodies
the essence of the integral movement which
these visionaries brought into the world.
This transformative, experiential workshop
involves movement, meditation, and
mind/body practices, leading you on an inner
journey to realize your inborn genius.
Each of us has an infinite capacity for creative
evolution. Our destiny may well be to evolve
our capacities to live a life that would now be
termed extraordinary. A most effective path to
our latent powers lies in a long-term practice
which integrates body, mind, heart, and soul.
The Power of Practice, led by certified ITP trainers Barry Robbins and Pam Kramer, offers the
direct experience of ITP, an exploration and
study of consciousness, and a daily practice for
increased vitality, fulfillment, and joy. In this
workshop, you will learn about:
• Body as a wise teacher using Leonard Energy
Training (LET) exercises
• Creation of effective affirmations to manifest
healthy changes in your life
• ITP Kata, a forty-minute integration of
physical, mental, and spiritual exercises
• Balancing and centering, breathing practices,
and focused surrender
• Heartful, effective communication with
yourself and others
This workshop involves physical movement but
is not strenuous. All that’s needed is a generous
heart and a willingness to participate.
Passion and Grace:
The Art of Devotional Singing
Jai Uttal with Daniel Paul
Embark on a journey into the multi-colored,
many-roomed mansions of the heart through
the practice of kirtan, chanting the ecstatic
songs of ancient India. Using call-and-response
singing and storytelling, recording artist Jai
Uttal invokes a space of prayer and heartfelt
expression.
In the practice of kirtan we come into contact
with our wide palette of feelings and begin to
freely express and share them. Rather than
being obstacles on our path, these emotions
become the fuel to connect us to the Spirit, to
our eternal beloved. This deep river of passionate surrender and prayer is known as Bhakti
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yoga, the yoga of devotion or personal relationship with the divine.
Join Jai and explore how to approach the path of
Bhakti yoga in our own lives, with our own personalities and identities. Through this process,
we can begin to understand a new meaning of
aesthetics wherein we create our most beautiful
prayers to spirit without the slightest concern
for the opinions or criticisms of others. This
workshop touches on the vast beauty of the
Indian Raga and Tala systems, and directs participants to further study in those areas. Jai opens
the floor to all kinds of questions, and, with a
very flexible and lighthearted approach, answers
from his personal experiences and ideas, and
the stories of ancient India.
Come join David Schiffman and friends in a
week of high spirits, joyful antics, and deep contemplation amidst all things considered. “Our
aim together,” writes David, “is to express our
deepest thoughts and feelings in a dreamtime
celebration of lighthearted intention. We will
call on the uplifting spirit medicine of ceremony, touch, dance, music, and song, along with
the powers of spirit-family and personal daring
and sharing. Our mission: to reconnect with
what is free, natural and alive inside us…A joyful
tune-up… A time designed to leave you feeling
more nimble, poised, and able to face the challenge of making the life you hope for.
April 18–25
Sweet Mischief: A Lighthearted Path
for Self-Realization and Restoration
David Schiffman
Step right up, step right in, come and enjoy
the trouble you’re in.
— Coyote Old Man.
The radiance of a light heart changes for the
better everything it reveals. It bathes us in an
atmosphere of playfulness, hope, and goodwill.
It is born of innate wisdom and is a blessing for
all who share it. If you feel that living a passionate, lighthearted, authentic life is a necessity, not
a luxury, if presence to deeper, wiser, more naturally uninhibited spirits helps you balance out
the needs and demands of others with your
own, if you feel being free and whole in your
own skin is the proper foundation for a real life
lived—then you’re ready for the lighthearted
path of sweet mischief.
The “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan
Buddhist Meditation
Daniel Brown
This workshop–designed for either novice or
advanced meditators–is an integrative approach
to the practice of meditation with an emphasis
on intensive concentration meditation. The
course begins with the Indo-Tibetan Nine States
of Mental Calming/Staying, then an introduction
to classic Tibetan emptiness meditation. A balance of mental stabilization and emptiness practices will serve as a foundation for the “extraordinary” or essence meditation practices. Essence
meditations like the Mahamudra and the Great
Perfection assume that wisdom is an inherent
property of the natural mind that has become
obscured through conceptualization and negative emotional states. Essence meditations are
designed to develop “awakened wisdom”
through continuous, uninterrupted mindfulness, taking the non-dual condition of the natural mind and its spontaneous manifestations in
the present moment as both the point of observation as well as the object of the meditation.
These essence meditations are taught within the
context of an ongoing relationship wherein the
teacher points out the mind’s real nature during
the right state of meditation. This relationalbased approach to meditation emphasizes short,
repeated meditation sessions, with detailed
instructions given before and after each session.
Leader instructions point out the desired state,
the way to attain it, and how to correct the problems that typically occur at each stage of meditation practice. Practice is followed carefully and
instructions are individualized for each student.
Enrollment is limited to 36 participants, with
first priority given to individuals who have not
taken this retreat before. Participants must
attend all sessions.
Please bring a meditation cushion, if you would
like to use one.
Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier
Than Your Movement: Cortical Field
Reeducation® and the Feldenkrais
Method®
Harriet Goslins & Sybil Krauter
How we sit, stand, move, or respond to contact
with others reflects patterns wired into our nervous systems by infancy. By early childhood,
conflicting intentions distort these patterns.
Feeling powerless, we attempt to survive and to
win love by figuring out “big people’s rules.” The
resulting strategies may protect us as children
but, deeply ingrained in our muscular postures
and movements, they imprison us as adults and
limit our choices. They remain outside of awareness, causing discomfort and limitation.
By reeducating the brain-muscle-emotion connection, restrictions in movement can be released,
freeing lifelong behaviors that have organized
around that movement, restoring freedom of
choice. The protective postures are altered, deeply
affecting the body’s habitual defense system and
allowing a higher level of energy.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
This workshop is a re-learning of the ease, fluidity,
and openness taken for granted as a child and
lost somewhere along the way. It is for the
sedentary; for the active who want to increase
physical skills and reduce risk of injury; for
those dealing with aftereffects of injury or
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emotional trauma, and the professionals who
work with them; for the chronically tired and
stressed who want to take better care of their
necks, shoulders, and backs; and for those who
want to improve their posture, flexibility, and
breathing while deepening their sense of connection and belonging.
Storytelling from the Heart
Karen Dietz
How many times have you heard a story that
moved you or inspired you in some way? Would
you like to move people in the same way? Do
you want to be more authentic and inspiring
when you speak? Would you like to feel confident and have fun? Then it’s time you turned
to storytelling. Telling stories quickly engages
people’s hearts and minds. Storytelling conveys
ideas, knowledge, and wisdom faster than any
other form of communication, and stories are
remembered long after they are told. Stories are
inspirational, empowering, and enjoyable. If you
want to learn the magic of storytelling and be
able to tell stories from your heart, join us for
this five-day intensive. This storytelling journey
is designed for everyone–educators, business
professionals, writers, artists, and entertainers
from all walks of life. Whether you are a novice
or an accomplished storyteller, this workshop
brings forth your own inherent wisdom and
storytelling heart. No artistic or storytelling talent is required. Just be willing to have fun and
be moved. Using a variety of techniques you can:
• Build storytelling skills and confidence
• Find which story to tell
• Deliver messages that touch the heart, mind,
and spirit without moralizing
• Create meaningful, memorable stories
• Experience your inner story wisdom
• Discover deeper meanings in your stories of
work and life
Dancing With the Spirits:
The Exuberant Joy of Afro-Cuban
Music, Dance, and Spirituality
Felix Pupy Insua & Catherine Calderon
“Salsa Can Save the World!” ran a recent headline in a Los Angeles newspaper. The article
explored the worldwide explosion of interest in
salsa music and dance. What is it about this
form that has captivated so many people? The
Cuban music and dance known today as salsa,
rumba, or mambo, has roots across the globe.
Deeply influenced by African rhythms and
joined with European orchestral music, this
rich, complex, intoxicating music even has
Indian, Asian, and indigenous influences. It is
truly a world culture. There is no easier way to
free your spirit and connect with heart-bursting
joy than to hit the dance floor to a blazing salsa
tune.
Join us in learning versions of several dance
forms: Afro-Cuban folkloric, Spanish- and
African-derived rumba, salsa, merengue, and
mambo. Fundamental drum rhythms and calland-response chants to invoke the energies of
Yoruban gods and goddesses are also taught.
Yoga poses and deep-relaxation techniques help
open the body and prepare for the rising of
Spirit. Of course there also is plenty of blowout
dance-partying! Experience the deep, soul-shaking effects when you open heart and body to
your own internal rhythms as you respond to
the call of the drums. This workshop is for
everyone, from professional dancers to “can’t
drag me out on the dance floor” types. The combination of expansive, ecstatic celebration of
Afro-Cuban drumming and dance joined with
the reflective, relaxing aspects of yoga offers a
powerful opportunity for freedom. Come dance
with the Spirits!
Stronger at the Broken Places
Charlie Bloom & Linda Bloom
Growth opportunities abound in life. They may
present themselves as problems, obstacles,
crises, or challenges, but all of these situations
offer us possibilities to more deeply develop
inner strength, courage, compassion, creativity,
and other virtues that promote greater wellbeing, and fulfillment in our lives. The key to
being able to exploit the growth potential of the
challenges that inevitably present themselves
in our relationships and our lives has to do with
the approach we take in meeting these situations.
This process often pits us against challenges that
expand our capacities and confront us with
unhealed wounds. It invites and even compels
us to go beyond the edges of our familiar reality
and into the terrain of the unknown. Each time
we successfully move into and through these
ordeals of the heart we claim increasingly larger
aspects of ourselves, bringing us to progressively
higher levels of awareness and understanding.
This workshop will illuminate the nature of this
process and clarify specific steps and actions
that will bring about the growth and empowerment that is available during these times. We
will also identify practices that can enhance our
ability to learn from, rather than avoid or defend
against challenges. We will utilize experiential
exercises, dialogue, group work, and guided
meditation in the seminar. It is open to individuals and couples of all ages
Recommended reading: Bloom & Bloom, 101
Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married.
Neurobiology of the Therapeutic
Encounter
Erica Ellis
The brain is designed to scan the environment
for portents of safety and danger. When someone feels safe, immune and cardiac functions
are enhanced and psychological issues such as
depression and stress are reduced. How can
clinicians build safety and healing within their
clients? New research suggests that we have
specific circuitry in our brains that can map the
mind of another person. This resonance circuitry, along with other mindfulness-based interventions, can foster deeper and more meaningful
healing in the therapeutic encounter. Weaving
together experiential exercises and scientific
theory, this workshop for clinicians explores the
basics of the brain’s system for resonance and
empathy and the way mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions can cultivate safety and
states of psychophysiological wellbeing.
Trained in several somatic modalities including
Sensorimotor psychotherapy, mindfulness meditation, yoga, and massage therapy, Erica Ellis
specializes in the bridge between neurobiology
and mind, body, and spirit.
The Passion of Painting
Erin Gafill
When we are struck by the awesome, the beautiful, or the extraordinary, we are compelled to
express our feelings through making a mark,
even something as random as a stroke of red
crayon on white paper. Yet often in the act of
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passions of boyhood and explore how those passions have been keep alive and/or lost. You have
the opportunity to find connections between
your own journey as a man and how it has influenced your current life, hopes, and dreams.
The Heart of Healing: A Transformative
Retreat for Clinicians
HARRY FEINBERG
Alejandro Chaoul & Jim Duffy
making this mark, we are besieged by self-doubt,
restraint, the voice of our inner critic, and the
bold and honest response is lost.
Painting with passion commits the artist to
exploring not only color, texture, composition,
and line, but love, death, the meaning of life, and
risk. Creating an environment that nurtures a
sense of safety and non-judgment, Big Sur artist
Erin Gafill leads participants through visual
explorations using expressive painting, tornpaper collage, and mixed-media image making.
By eliminating all but the nonessential forms,
participants must examine what matters and
what doesn’t, what to leave in and what to leave
out, in telling their visual story. Each participant
will create a series of pieces in various media,
exploring the passion of painting while learning
new techniques for seeing, thinking, drawing,
and self-examination.
concert to get your healing groove on, tribal art
with artist Domonic Dean Breaux, and Somafro
(somatic/afro-brazilian influenced) movement
meditations with Micheline Berry. The experience will leave you feeling deeply nourished
and in an empowered state of embodiment.
Micheline’s retreats are known for their ability
to catalyze healing and transformation through
the integration of yoga, meditation, ecstatic
world music and dance, indigenous ritual,
multi-media art, bodywork, ridiculous laughter,
and deep communion with pristine, wild environments. Please bring a yoga mat. For more
information about Micheline, visit www.michelineberry.com.
Discovering and Creating Passion
Over the Lifetime: An Experiential
Workshop for Men
Matt Englar-Carlson & Mark Stevens
Yoga Ecstasy Spring Detox and
Rejuvenation Retreat
Micheline Berry
Join Micheline Berry, DJ Drez, and musical
group Shaman’s Dream for a healing week of
celebration and silence, rejuvenation and
empowerment, purification and fun, stillness
and ecstasy. You will have the opportunity to
detox and re-energize while cultivating your
authentic creativity through invigorating “hot”
Vinyasa yoga sequences, ecstatic dance, funky
world beats, and empowering pranayama as we
explore the healing aspect of the “flow state” and
how to cultivate its evolutionary dance in many
diverse ways. There will be a special spring ritual
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“For many men with busy work and family lives
and responsibilities, it can be hard to set aside
meaningful time to focus on one’s own needs
and growth,” the leaders write. “Our experience
working with a diverse range of men has taught
us that something special happens when men
come together in a group to support each other
and connect around themes of masculinity.
Many men experience a longing to feel closer to
other men in a setting that allows them to share
common experiences and stories.”
Explore how you find meaning in the dreams,
desires, and activities that cultivate and maintain passion. Through storytelling, reflection,
and creative examination of our own lives,
you will have the opportunity to remember the
The work of healing has never been simple.
However, the 21st century health care professional is confronted by the unique challenge
of integrating the genius of science with the
wisdom of other healing traditions. Although
patients justifiably demand scientific competence, they also expect clinicians to be authentically present to their human suffering.
Sometimes this challenge seems overwhelming,
and there are escalating levels of burnout and
professional dissatisfaction among clinicians.
Unfortunately, medical education typically fails
to prepare health care workers for this challenge
and is focused more on “what we know” rather
than “who we are.” Here is an introduction for
clinicians to the inner tradition of healing, a
type of medical education that can revitalize
their spirits and renew their passion for their
work as healers.
Based on an integral approach to healing, this
contemplative approach recognizes and supports
the pivotal role that the healer’s personal
resilience plays in fostering the healing of both
patients and themselves. The workshop
includes:
• Informal didactics including a review of
recent advances in the neuroscience of
compassion, empathy, meditation,
consciousness, and integrative physiology
• Guided mind-body practices including Tibetan
meditative practices and yoga movements
• Contemplative clinical skills. These simple yet
profound practices can enliven our work as
healers, even in the most challenging of
circumstances
• Facilitated conversations. Explore experiences,
challenges, and ideas with other clinicians
This workshop is open to licensed health care
professionals only.
Ageless Vitality: Igniting the
Physiology of Natural Ecstasy
Elisa Lodge
It is the fire in your eyes and the flowing motion
of your spine. It is the joy in your walk and the
warmth in your voice. It is expressing a love for
life beyond all reason. Body language is universal
and reveals more than words can say. In this
workshop, participants will gain a deepened
appreciation of how their body language, emotional history, and self-image are intimately intertwined. The habit of “sameness,” or living life in
repetitive patterns that cause us to breathe, sit,
stand, walk, and talk with little variation, is a
major source of chronic tension, addiction, and
sedentary decline. Our nervous system thrives
on novelty! Together, we will contrast conditioned attitudes and static behavior patterns
with a vital physiology that reflects fluid flexibility, free-spirited breathing, resonant vocal power,
and authentic emotional energy. Integrating an
expressive vocabulary of feeling into daily life
activities eroticizes nerve fibers, warms the flesh,
and arouses the arteries, fires alertness, and
pumps blood into our hearts with undivided passion. With more unbridled energy and creative
vigor, there is renewed freedom to breathe as the
wind, walk with joy, speak with heart, and play
the game of life with grace, boldness, and daring.
More Than a Communication Workshop
Jean Morrison & Martine Amita Algier
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) has been
described as a powerful tool for social change, a
personal practice for clarifying and living one’s
values, a guide for interpersonal communication, an effective process for conflict resolution,
and a language of compassion. Deepak Chopra
has called this process “the missing link.”
In a fun, lively, collaborative, and supportive
environment, we integrate practices that are
changing the way people relate to themselves
and each other. Based on the internationallyacclaimed process of NVC, this workshop gives
tools and inspires hope. Learning NVC helps
liberate us from:
• Judging self and others
• Taking things personally
• Acting from fear, duty, obligation, and guilt
• Suffering in anger and depression
Learning NVC supports us in:
• Expressing ourselves honestly without blame,
shame, or criticism
• Hearing others’ pain without trying to fix them
• Creating new strategies that meet core needs
• Becoming more effective at everything we do,
including creating peace in the world
NVC was developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg
over a period of thirty years. It has been taught
to individuals and organizations in more than
thirty-five countries. Martine Algier, Jean
Morrison, and 200 certified trainers around the
world teach NVC in their communities, schools,
prisons, corporations, social-change organizations,
war-torn regions, and health care and government
institutions.
Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness
and Transform Your Life
Lauren Mackler
Many people search for a soul mate to complete
them. Others settle for unfulfilling relationships
out of a fear of being alone. Solemate is a program
developed by Lauren Mackler for achieving
mastery of your own life, a roadmap to help you
experience a sense of wholeness and wellbeing
on your own. It’s about becoming the person
you were born to be and shedding the old
beliefs and behaviors that keep you from realizing your greatest potential. It’s for people who
are single or divorced, or who seek greater independence within their partnership. Using
humor, experiential exercises, group work, and
loving clarity, Lauren teaches:
• How your family of origin impacts your adult
life
• The drivers of fear and how to override them
• How to reclaim your innate wholeness and
retrieve your authentic self
• How to “live deliberately” and align your
actions with your desired results
• Strategies for clarifying and achieving your
life vision
• How to build an inner and outer support
system
• Tools for sustaining your commitment and
follow through
Please bring a journal and a pen.
The Healing Art of Deep Bodywork
Series: Advanced Hip-work, Feet,
and Lower Legs
Mastering the art of moving deeply into the
body’s soft tissue layers adds a powerful dimen-
sion to any massage practitioner’s skill set.
Bodyworkers who have learned to work slowly
and with great sensitivity on these deeper layers
are sought after in both private practice and
spas. Perry and Johanna Holloman have created
a series of classes for massage professionals
designed to teach deep tissue skills that can be
readily integrated into their massage practices.
This class focuses on the hips at an advanced
level, and the feet and lower legs.
There is an increasing prevalence of hip pain,
which, if not resolved, can lead to hip replacement surgery. This is a complaint massage
practitioners hear more frequently than ever.
Learning to free the gluteus medius, minimus,
and the tensor fascia latae are an important
focus in this class. Opening the feet and freeing
the four primary soft tissue layers of the sole of
the foot is also taught. The resulting effects on
the entire body from competent footwork are
often remarkable. Learn how to move seamlessly from the foot onto the lower leg, with particular emphasis on the tibialis anterior and its role
in flexing the foot at the ankle. There is plenty
of time for questions, and discussion of actual
cases participants may have encountered in
their practices. Previous massage experience is
a prerequisite for this advanced class.
Personal Leadership: A Methodology
for Making a World of Difference
Sheila Ramsey & Gordon Watanabe
Personal Leadership is a methodology of two
principles, six practices, and a process technology called The Critical Moment Dialogue. It is
designed to help people stay connected to their
wisdom and inspiration, especially when faced
with the new and unfamiliar. The methodology
is a do-it-yourself approach to developing
human consciousness. Using it, you engage the
unfamiliar by choosing an internal state of
being that is energizing and enlivening. With
such an embodied commitment, you can:
• Discern right action for each particular time
and place
• Sustain high levels of motivation and
commitment, with more ease
• Engage challenging situations with curiosity
rather than fear
• Generate options for action where previously
stuck
• Disentangle from habits and default reactions
to maximize authentic behaviors
Participants rigorously apply Personal
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Leadership principles to their own specific situations. Focusing on individual interests and
engaging our collective creativity, the workshop
includes content-focused discussions and integrative conversations as well as opportunities
for quiet reflection. Developed over the last
fifteen years, Personal Leadership is applied in
contexts such as international education, teambuilding, community building, and global leadership development. It is described in Making
A World of Difference—Personal Leadership: A
Methodology of Two principles and Six Practices. For
more information, visit www.plseminars.com.
Timeless Spring: Groundwork in the
Esalen Organic Farm and Garden
Shirley Ward, Amigo Bob Cantisano
& Wendy Johnson
In this Earth Day season of the waxing April
moon, the young crops of summer take root and
begin to grow. This is a hands-on weeklong
immersion in the life of the bountiful, 5.5-acre
Esalen farm and garden, focusing on the practices
and principles of local, sustainable agriculture.
Co-led by Shirley Ward, Amigo Bob Cantisano,
and Wendy Johnson, organic gardening colleagues who have been working together for
many growing seasons, workshop topics will
include composting methods, soil management
and preparation, fertilization, cover cropping,
pest and disease control, beneficial insects and
beneficial habitats, weed management, crop
rotations, plant families, variety selection, seed
saving, harvesting techniques, appropriate
equipment, irrigation, inter-planting, year-round
growing for productivity and beauty, and plant
propagation.
Each day will include the opportunity for morning and evening meditation, morning sessions
of mindful work and teaching in the farm and
garden, and delicious shared meals prepared by
the Esalen kitchen staff using local produce. In
the afternoon there will be ample time for rest
and relaxation. Each day will close with an
evening program of teaching inspired by the
beauty of the Esalen farm and garden.
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DANIEL BIANCHETTA
There is a need to work together and create new
economic models to make sustainably produced
food a viable option for everyone. Whether you
are a first time grower dreaming of cultivating
your own containers and gardens, or a largescale experienced gardener-farmer, this workshop will teach you the skills needed to grow
your own vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit.
Weekend of April 30–May 2
Financing Social Enterprises
Charly Kleissner
Social enterprises are driven by a social mission.
They are either for-profit, not-for-profit, or
hybrid business ventures. Social enterprises are
led by social entrepreneurs—visionaries who
adopt a market-driven mindset tempered by a
responsible social and environmental perspective. They take risks, innovate, drive systemic
change, and question the status quo. Some of
the biggest challenges for these entrepreneurs—
access to financing and hybrid business structures—are not being taught in business schools.
These topics will be explored in this workshop.
An introduction to various financing methodologies together with an exploration of return
expectations of diverse types of investors will
provide the basis for looking at hybrid business
structures using multiple concrete examples. We
will then discuss the current universe of funding organizations, all the way from philanthropic entities to social venture funds; we will use
examples from workshop participants to evaluate options and trade-offs. This workshop is
primarily targeted at two audiences: Social
entrepreneurs, who already had, currently have,
or will soon have the need for accessing different financial resources in order to implement
their vision; and entrepreneurs who are putting
together innovative funding sources. Anyone
else interested in the topic is also welcome to
attend.
SoulMotion™: Body Prayer
Zuza Engler & Scott Engler
“Soul is flow, an ever-changing cloudscape of
textures, hues, sensations, scents, and feelings,”
Zuza Engler writes. “Soul is where the deathless
spirit meets and moves the finite human body.
Body Prayer is a wild and luminous offering of
the body in motion to this sacred Presence that
is continually breathing us into Being.”
SoulMotion movement practice is a meeting
with self and other in a dance that is profoundly
nourishing, creative, intelligent, emotionally
savvy, heartbreaking, soul-making, spirited, challenging, and transforming. It involves diving,
deepening, and dissolving into each movement
moment. It is a journey toward the dynamic
stillness at the center of all things, the place of
rest at the heart of sound and motion.
“This formless dance form allows space for passionate full-bodied movement as well as mindful inner explorations. It takes place at the
crossroads of the vertical drop into self and the
horizontal extension toward another, inside
the paradox of the mundane and the ecstatic. To
follow the divine choreography, we learn to fall
and flounder. Going deeply into contact with
self, we awake enveloped in communion. The
permission to relax and rejoice in community
invites a shift from alone to All One, from ‘my
dance’ to the One Dance.”
Encaustic Painting:
The Alchemy of Wax
Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta & Guest Leader
This workshop is an introduction to the ancient
and contemporary art of encaustic painting,
working with hot molten wax. The emphasis is
on incorporating our inner lives, dreams, and
spiritual expressions into our art-making
through meditation and creative explorations.
We invite you to come explore your creativity
with us.
Ancient Egyptian artists created an art form in
100 BC that is alive today with many contemporary artists, since its revival with Jasper Johns in
the 1950s. The alchemy of the elements of fire,
air, and earthy molten pigmented wax creates
the sensuous beauty of wax paintings. The
process of encaustic painting is a seduction and
an enticement to many creatives because its
varied uses and expressions are vast.
This work has an amazing range, from sheer and
translucent to boldly opaque and sculptural.
Paintings can be created on wood panel, plexi,
paper, or collaged with ephemera, found objects,
artifacts and photographs.
A materials list will be provide upon registration.
Please contact the instructor with any further
questions: www.cjbgallery.com.
Callings: Finding and Following
an Authentic Life
Gregg Levoy
Callings are urgings and imperatives from the
deep self that tell us what it will take to make
our lives “come true.” They point us toward
awakenings, course corrections, and powerful
authenticity.
This hands-on retreat takes a creative approach
to striking up a deep dialogue with our own
lives. Through writing, storytelling, myth,
improvisation, meditation, reflection, and
nature, participants explore the psychological,
spiritual, and practical processes we encounter
in finding and following our callings, whether
calls to do something (become self-employed,
go back to school, leave or start a relationship,
move to the country) or calls to be something
(more creative, less judgmental, more loving,
less fearful). You will have the opportunity to
learn how to:
•
•
•
•
•
Clarify your callings
Discern whether a call is true
Work creatively with resistance and conflict
Reconnect with your powers and gifts
Gain a renewed sense of possibilities
Recommended reading: Levoy, Callings: Finding
and Following an Authentic Life.
Experiencing Your Spiritual Self
John Hiatt & William Foote
Many of life’s important questions simply can’t
be figured out by using the tools of the ego.
Learn techniques for accessing different levels of
your being where useful information or insights
reside. You begin by formulating a significant
personal question and then learn two methods
for accessing information relevant to the
question or its resolution. The first is the
Transpersonal Experiential, a process for going
into altered states of consciousness. This
method draws on techniques known including
elements from Zen Buddhism, Vipassana,
Carlos Castaneda/shamanism, and other mystical traditions. It does not involve rigorous exercises or the use of drugs. It differs from guided
imagery, hypnosis, and meditation, and is best
likened to a waking dream, in which the ordinary limits of time, space, and causality do not
apply and the impossible can happen. The second method is based on the chakra system and
teaches how energy is held and how you can use
those patterns of energy to help understand
challenging or ambiguous situations.
The leaders assist everyone in their exploration.
Spontaneity is encouraged and prior expectation
discouraged. This allows for the appearance of
something new, which is a key requirement for
change and growth. Over the course of the
workshop, we will conduct a series of exercises
using these methods and follow each with a
discussion of its meaning both for our personal
process and as a window into the nature of the
universe and our place in it.
Sacred Sound: A Sonic Alignment
Lyz Cooper
Join sound practitioner Lyz Cooper on a journey
of discovery to identify and release energy
imbalances that may have been holding you
back for lifetimes. “The gentle tones of healing
sound can remove blockages in the energy system, therefore allowing the free-flow of prana, or
vital energy, to be resumed,” writes Lyz. “Certain
tones, instruments, and vowel sounds can be
used for different chakras, and to energize or
relax the system.”
Learn how to use your voice to identify energy
imbalances and how to use Himalayan and crystal bowls as powerful tools for healing and transformation. This process can improve health and
wellbeing and can raise consciousness. Relaxing
sound baths are given to allow your system to
interact with the sound and gently transmute
energy held at the mental, emotional, physical,
and spiritual levels of being.
Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve
Martha Stark
Relentless hope is a defense to which the patient
clings in order not to have to feel the pain of disappointment in the object; the hope is a defense
ultimately against grieving. The patient’s refusal
to deal with the pain of her grief about the
object (be it the infantile, a contemporary, or
the transference object) fuels the relentlessness
with which she pursues it. Maturity involves
transforming the need to have one’s objects be
other than who they are into the capacity to
accept them as they are.
Dr. Martha Stark will offer prototypical interventions specifically designed to facilitate transformation of the patient’s need to possess and
control the object into the mature capacity to
relent, grieve, accept, forgive, let go, and move
on. She emphasizes an approach that focuses on
accountability and development of the capacity
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to relent (on the parts of both patient and therapist), the ultimate goal being to render the
defense of relentlessness less adaptive, less necessary, and less toxic.
The objectives of this course are to:
• Appreciate the relationship between relentless
hope and masochism, and relentless outrage
and sadism
• Understand how the patient’s relentless
pursuit of the object speaks to her refusal to
deal with the pain of her grief about the object
• Utilize different psychotherapeutic
interventions designed to focus on the
patient’s accountability
• Recognize the importance of developing the
capacity to relent (in both patient and
therapist)
Programs, page 94.
Approved for CMEs for physicians.
Week of May 2–7
Zen and the Art of Photography
Douglas Beasley
Revitalize your creative process by exploring
your relationship to your subject, your camera,
and yourself. Through photo exercises and
assignments, you can deepen your visual awareness while clarifying your approach, making
images that are both more personal and more
meaningful.
Cultivate simplicity while taking photographs,
in support of the notion that a photograph is
not taken but made. You can learn to become a
better photographer by becoming more in
touch with your inner self and then use that
awareness to deepen your connection with your
chosen subject, whether person, place, or thing.
Attention is paid to lighting, composition,
depth-of-field, and exposure issues, but it is not
the technical concerns that drive our image
making. Practical advice will be given, but more
importantly we will use this information to
make more emotionally expressive images.
Mornings will be spent in class, and in the early
afternoon Doug will work with participants on
assignments or critiques. There will be time in
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the afternoons and after the evening sessions for
soaking and enjoying the natural beauty of
Esalen.
While participants must have a working knowledge of their camera, the creative process of
image making is emphasized over the mechanics
of camera use.
Please bring a digital or a print camera and film
if you need it. Please be aware that film processing is not available so you will be limited on
sharing and receiving critiques of work in
progress.
Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and
Integrating Western and Traditional
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Brian LaForgia & Brian Kie Weissbuch
This class is designed for acupuncturists, naturopaths, and health care professionals and consists of two interpenetrating parts: Chinese
Pulse Diagnosis and Traditional Western and
Chinese Herbal Medicine. Pulse diagnosis offers
a detailed map of a person’s past, present, and
future health, and so holds the possibility of
predicting and preventing disease. Yet, it is an
art that is often incompletely taught. The pulse
system brought out of China by Dr. John H.F.
Shen comes from an unbroken lineage of
Chinese medical practitioners. His student Leon
Hammer has extensively elaborated this system
and replaced the lengthy traditional apprenticeship form of learning with a small group, experiential hands-on format. The emphasis in this
class will be on learning the six principal and
twenty-two complementary pulse positions. The
qualities found in the pulse will be identified,
described, and interpreted including the three
depths, rhythm, and rate.
Treatment with herbal medicine is dependent
upon accurate and thorough pulse diagnosis.
We will discuss Dr. Shen’s herb formulas in the
context of pulse presentation and corresponding
treatment protocols. We will explore the
Traditional Chinese Medicine energetics and
indications of Western herbs; incompatibilities
and contra-indications of herbs with pharmaceuticals, food, and supplements; herb combinations; posology (dosage and administration);
phytopharmacology, pharmacognosy, toxicology
and dysjunct cosmopolitan Asian and American
species with similar properties and uses. The
plants in the Esalen garden and trails will be
introduced from the vantage point of botany
and Chinese medicine.
Christine Stewart Price
The Way, when declared
Seems thin and so flavorless.
Nothing to look at, nothing to hear—
And when used—is inexhaustible.
—Lao Tzu
Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic,
noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from
The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons
actively consenting to explore in awareness. The
leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect
whatever emerges in this process. The aim is
unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather
than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The
workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. The format combines
introductory group work with the open seat
form in which each participant will have the
opportunity to work with the leader in a group
context.
Awakening The Creative:
The Painting Experience
Stewart Cubley
The power inherent in painting is that it can
awaken a wild vein of passion that will not go
back to sleep. Using only the simple tools of
brush, paper, and paint, Awakening The Creative
invites you on a highly personal journey of daring and discovery, made possible through a safe
environment and the support of Stewart Cubley
and his experienced staff. The potential is to
tap into an extraordinary resource: the vibrant,
driving force of your own creative spirit.
In this workshop, everyone is a beginner. You
are welcome even if you’ve never picked up a
paintbrush. The goal is free expression, with the
emphasis on the creative process rather than on
technique or expertise. Awakening The Creative
is an opportunity to embark on the greatest of
all human adventures—embracing your own
path and confidently following it.
Stewart is the coauthor of the acclaimed book
Life, Paint & Passion: Reclaiming the Magic of
Spontaneous Expression. He has traveled throughout the world for more than thirty years working with individuals and groups to access the
potential within the human heart and imagination.
This workshop may be of interest to people
from a wide variety of disciplines, including
art, education, counseling, social change, and
meditative practices. All materials are supplied.
Gyrokinesis®
Juergen Bamberger
Gyrokinesis is a movement methodology based
on circular and spiraling body motion. It uses
the natural movement capabilities of the spine
to increase the circulation of vital energies.
Gentle undulations, spirals, and waves stimulate
and activate all systems and tissues within the
body. Through rhythm and synchronized
breathing, an internal massage effect is created.
The circular movements open all joints systematically and strengthen their surrounding structures. They stretch and strengthen major muscle
groups through full body coordination. Taking
this journey through your entire body opens
your awareness to your energetic and physical
structures.
years. Now, you can learn how to work with
rhythm and the voice for self-healing. Make
your own beautiful fifteen-inch elk skin medicine drum and embellish it with your prayers
for the future. You will also make a prayer rattle
and a drum beater. This process is powerfully
illuminating as you discover your own rhythm
and begin to set up a dialogue with your drum.
As the workshop progresses, your unique
rhythm sends your intention and prayers into
your drum as you focus on what you want for
the future. Together, our group experiences the
power of the drum journey and how to relax
and/or stimulate the flow of energy around
our system with the drum and voice.
Free your natural voice and allow it to dance
with your rhythm, gently massaging all levels of
your being. Release your heartsong, your unique
sound signature, and learn how to balance your
chakras with your voice. The ancient and powerful Peruvian whistling vessels further enhance
the transformational process. Lyz is the adopted
granddaughter of a Bear Grandfather of the
Pikuni nation and has spent many years working with the Sami Shamakas in Lapland. She has
studied ritual and ceremony and shamanism in
the UK for over twenty years.
Note: Participants must register for this workshop by April 16, 2010.
($90 materials fee paid directly to the leader includes all
drum-, rattle-, and beater-making tools and embellishments)
The MAX: Expanding the Limits
of Your Self-Expression
Paula Shaw
For over twenty years, THE MAX has held an
honored status among the Esalen staff and is
considered by many to be an essential rite of
passage for community members. The purpose
of THE MAX is to discover yourself beyond
who you know yourself to be. It is a voyage
through your own humanity—a journey to discover the extent of your self-expressive power.
Employing a variety of acting, communication,
and observation techniques, it’s designed to
expand your limits “to the max” and move you
into a new arena of personal creativity and selfexpression.
In THE MAX, participants undertake a challenging exploration of the sources of their emotional limitations. Working individually, “on
stage,” each person is encouraged and supported
to go at their own pace, playing to and with
other group members. With strong guidance,
people move through lifelong fears of being “on
the spot,” emerging into greater authenticity and
enhanced “presence.”
There are exercises that use raw emotion, roleplaying, and dress-up assignments. This is an
opportunity to experience yourself in ways you
may have dreamed about but never thought possible. The course is for those committed and
courageous in their process. And it has been
Each day starts with the awakening of your
body, followed by a full Gyrokinesis class, and
ends with meditation. Through this process
you explore the interconnection between
movement, breath, sound vibration, and subtle
energy flows.
The workshop is open to all levels. It is an
opportunity for an in-depth Gyrokinesis experience taught by one of the most experienced
teachers of this system. Weather permitting, a
sweat lodge will be offered, for which participants will be asked to make a small donation.
HARRY FEINBERG
The Spirit of the Drum and Voice
Lyz Cooper
The human voice and the drum have been used
for healing and transformation for thousands of
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one of the deepest human yearnings, knowing
how to treat one another in a way that honors
dignity does not come naturally. It is a missing
link in our understanding of what destroys
human relationships. The solution to restoring
failed relationships is embedded in the problem:
If indignity tears us apart then dignity can put
us back together again. The workshop takes participants through a step-by-step process of learning how to name and identify the Essential
Elements of Dignity, develop their own dignity
and honor it in others, maintain dignity in the
face of indignity, and how dignity can be used to
promote reconciliation.
While learning about dignity requires discipline
and effort, the goal is to expand our emotional
and spiritual capacities, not our intellect. The
workshop helps participants understand and
experience the common human struggle and
the need for the kind of human connections
that promote mutual growth and development.
Donna Hicks is a conflict resolution specialist at
Harvard University and conducts dignity workshops worldwide.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
A Mother-Daughter Journey into
the Mind, Body, Spirit, and Soul
Bonnie Goldstein & Loren Judaken
All women become like their mothers.
That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.
constructed with the understanding that this
kind of risk requires a very safe workspace. If
your heart beats faster when you think of taking
THE MAX, it may be just “the thing to do.” For
details visit www.themaxwithpaulashaw.com.
Please note: Due to the intense and sequential
nature of this workshop, attendance at all
sessions is necessary.
Requirement: Bring a 1-3 minute memorized
piece—monologue, poem, song, etc.
Weekend of May 7–9
Mother’s Day Family Workshop
the group’s interests and offer opportunities for
families to work and play together and apart. We
will use the Gazebo School Park, designed for
children to climb, bike, garden, make music,
dance, and care for Esalen’s farm animals, as well
as the Art Barn for relaxing, connecting, reflecting, and creating.
Saturday night we will offer a program for the
children, during which adults will be free to
enjoy Esalen alone or spend time with one
another. All are invited to explore and experience Esalen during this fun and supportive
weekend workshop. All ages are welcome,
including parents with small children. All
children must be accompanied by a parent or
guardian.
Joanna Claassen & Stephen Mercurio
This Mother’s Day weekend, celebrate and nourish yourself and your family. Esalen is a magical
place for adults and children alike. Together
with the Gazebo School teachers we will create a
community of families focused on fun, laughter,
renewal, and friendship. This will be a memorable weekend of exploration, connection,
creative expression, and play. We will build on
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The Dignity Model: Healing and
Reconciling Relationships in Conflict
Donna Hicks
The Dignity Model takes a hopeful approach to
building positive and respectful relationships
and healing those that have broken under the
strain of conflict. While the desire for dignity is
—Oscar Wilde
This weekend workshop is a celebration of the
mother-daughter experience. The journey will
revisit the power of this integral female relationship, whether traveled individually, with a
friend, or as a mother and daughter team.
Participants will explore the bonds of attachment through collaborative dialogue, guided
movement and meditation, creative experiences,
and individual journaling. Additionally, poetry,
mindfulness techniques, and body awareness
through somatic experiencing will foster our
individual and group experience. The natural
beauty and baths of Esalen will also play a part
in this exploration, along with music, candlelight, and a fireside ceremony. Bonnie Goldstein
draws upon a relational based/attachment
informed view of the mother-daughter bond in
order to foster and heal relationships. Loren
Judaken incorporates creativity into her exploration of psychological, sociological, and environmental effects on relationships.
This workshop is open to women and girls aged
14 and up.
Working with Dreams in Spiritual
Traditions
Jeremy Taylor
The religious and spiritual traditions of the
world all speak with one voice on this point: we
humans are often closer to the divine in the
dreams we remember from sleep than we are in
any other state of consciousness. Even the various schools of Buddhism, no matter how much
they may frown on “superstitious” attention to
dreams, celebrate the many dream experiences
recounted in the birth stories of the Buddha and
other teachings with dream revelations at their
core. The same is true of Judaism, Christianity,
Hinduism, and their many offshoots. Islam celebrates dreaming as an especially important spiritual practice. Earth-based religions, particularly
those embracing the practice of shamanism, put
tremendous spiritual emphasis on the experiences of soul travel and soul retrieval activities
in dreams.
After a brief orientation to Jeremy Taylor’s
egalitarian and emotionally safe “if it were my
dream…” style of group dream exploration, we
will share dreams, work, and play to discover
more of their inherent meanings and implications. We begin with the assumption that only
you can know for certain what your own dream
means. Simultaneously, each time we share and
work with dreams in a group setting we intensify
our awareness of our deep, shared humanity. All
dreams, even the worst, gut-wrenching nightmares, come in the service of health and wholeness, and speak a universal language.
Gestalt, Movement, and Sport:
Singing the Body Electric
Michael Haney & Carol Swanson
Movement is finding and contacting support,
vitalizing the experience of our embodied
selves. Movement can be play, in which we fully
give ourselves over to engagement with the
sport, dance, or game, and this play is a form of
dialogue with ourselves and with others. The
Gestalt approach and the movement of sport are
creative and exciting processes of finding support and facilitating growth. The Gestalt emphasis on bodily felt experience in the present
moment is valuable in sport, and sports practice
can support cultivation of attunement to
embodied experience in the present moment.
Gestalt theory and sport share a positive view of
healthy aggression as necessary to survival and
growth, and both can provide practices for cultivating and expressing healthy aggression nonviolently, in a cooperative context.
Our format will include discussion and experiments to support development of full and vivid
awareness of movement. Bring clothes that are
comfortable for moving, a good pair of walking
shoes, and your curiosity about the ways you
may be moved. All who are interested are welcome.
relationship by easing stress and deepening
non-verbal communication skills. Emphasis will
be on “hearing” with the hands, asking for what
you need, and taking the time to truly nurture
yourself and your partner. Sessions will include
basic quieting exercises, brief demonstrations,
hands-on guidance, and plenty of time for practice.
Carol Swanson and Michael Haney share longstanding interests in the Gestalt approach, and
in sport. Carol is a Gestalt therapist and trainer,
and has been engaged in “cycletherapy” for
years. Michael is a psychologist, and has competed in bicycle road racing for thirty-five years.
Join us for a weekend at Esalen, and share our
experiences of the interconnections of Gestalt,
movement, and sport.
This weekend of mutual giving and receiving is
for those who wish to learn the essential elements of Esalen Massage; no prior experience is
necessary. Please join us for a pleasurable time of
relaxation, renewal and re-connection with your
partner.
Week of May 9–14
Freedom Through Foolishness
The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral I
Paula Shaw
Karen Axelrod
This workshop is an adventure in releasing programmed patterns and discovering the delight
of spontaneous creation. The joy of playing
improvisational theatre games comes from surrendering to the process. Each game has focus
points that allow you to suspend your accustomed automated and controlled thinking. The
liberation that follows fully opens up your mind
to imaginative freedom, your voice to new and
surprising sounds, verbal humor, eloquence, and
flowing physical grace in movement.
CranioSacral therapy is a gentle, noninvasive,
hands-on technique to help detect and correct
imbalances in the CranioSacral system that may
cause sensory, motor, or intellectual dysfunction. It is used to treat a myriad of health problems, including headaches, neck and back pain,
TMJ dysfunction, chronic fatigue, motor coordination difficulties, eye problems, endogenous
depression, hyperactivity, and central nervous
system disorders.
In this work, you are never alone. The easy-tofollow instructions and coaching tune you in
with the other players, and when that connection is made, instantaneous creativity issues
forth effortlessly. Once you’ve allowed yourself
to join in, each improvised piece takes flight,
with truly amazing results. As a participant in
these games, you go back and forth from being
a player to being the audience. You play from
both positions, and both are filled with fun.
The program is an experience of how wonderfully well life can flow when you get out of your
own way, and the learning is what it means to
be able to do that. It is also full of falling-down
laughter. All are welcome. Prior improv experience will be forgiven.
Esalen® Massage for Couples
Dean Marson & Daniela Urbassek
Enjoy the serene beauty of Big Sur as you and
your partner learn to give each other an effective
massage. A tender touch can do wonders for any
Participants will learn the detailed anatomy
and physiology of the CranioSacral system, its
functions in health, and its relationship to the
disease processes. Half of the class time will be
hands-on, developing the sensitive palpatory
skills needed to detect subtle stimuli in the
human body.
Class material will concentrate on palpation and
its potential as an evaluative and therapeutic
process; fascial and soft-tissue release methods;
and the pressurestat model which explains the
mechanism of the CranioSacral system.
Participants will learn a ten-step protocol for
evaluation and treatment of the entire body. By
the end of this intensive program, participants
will be able to identify and localize significant
restrictions and imbalances in the CranioSacral
system.
Please note: Registration for this workshop is
through The Upledger Institute only. Please call
1-800-233-5880.
Recommended reading: Upledger &
Vredevoogd, CranioSacral Therapy (chapters 1-6);
Upledger, Your Inner Physician and You.
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Yoga and the Act of Creation
The themes of death, rebirth, and creation are
central and woven into the ways of yoga, from
Brahma the Creator, to savasana (corpse pose), to
a still point of equanimity and calm; moments
of Being without thought.
We students of yoga have established some practices that give us a daily respite from mind and
thinking. Some call it intuition, or centeredness.
It is essentially an empty state, yet very alert,
where we tap into a field of energy far beyond
the scope of one human being. This state is full
and bulging with potential. Whether in yoga,
writing, improv acting, or art-making, there is a
field of emptiness/ fullness available to us.
If we’re moving away from a materialistic way of
life, then the simpler forms of creative expression can become more important—dancing and
singing, journal writing, and creating with form
and color. A simple way of being is the connection point and allows the river of prana to flow
through us.
We begin each day with meditation, pranayama
(conscious breathing) and daily journaling, continuing after breakfast with a morning yoga
practice and an art project (pastels, stick and ink,
charcoal, and paint). In the afternoons we meet
for restorative yoga and conclude our days with
a secret Esalen spiritual practice: lawn-lying,
meeting at various locations on the Esalen property as we study the energy of Mother Earth and
Father Sun. We will sing, too, for sure.
All levels of yogic and creative expression welcome. Please bring a journal and yoga mat. All
other yoga props are provided.
($20 art supply fee paid directly to the leader)
Abandonment to Healing:
Overcoming Patterns of Self-Sabotage
Susan Anderson
“Abandonment is the most primal and the main
underlying issue of most emotional distress and
dysfunction,” writes Susan Anderson, author of
The Journey from Abandonment to Healing and
other abandonment recovery books. She is a
psychotherapist who has studied this field for
over twenty-five years and has developed a highly effective program of emotional and spiritual
healing that provides the means to reverse the
universal wound of abandonment. Participants
will learn specific exercises for each of the five
stages of abandonment (shattering, withdrawal,
internalizing, rage, and lifting); how to over-
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come deeply entrenched patterns of self-sabotage; how to overcome “abandoholism,” the tendency to attach to unavailable partners; and how
to set and achieve your goals and make new connections. Susan also shares recent findings from
the field of brain science that shed new light
on the biological and chemical processes that
underlie our emotional response to loss.
Whether you’re experiencing a recent breakup,
a lingering wound from the past, or having
trouble finding a relationship, this workshop
can help restore your sense of self, increase
your capacity for love, and fulfill your dreams.
Recommended reading: Anderson, The Journey
from Abandonment to Healing, Journey from
Heartbreak to Connection, and Black Swan: Twelve
Lessons of Abandonment Recovery.
Painting with Light: Inspiration from
the Forces of Nature
Sharon Virtue
Color and light are the theme and focus of this
weeklong painting workshop. No previous
experience is necessary. Allow yourself to be
bright, bold, and fearless as Sharon Virtue shares
her knowledge and experience in drawing and
painting, along with techniques to achieve particular effects. “We explore color, surface, and
design in an exhilarating, self-expressive way,”
writes Sharon. “Traveling around the world,
I have developed a love affair with Mother
Nature. Let us enter the incredible beauty within her realms at Esalen. Look to the landscape
for inspiration. Find a place that lifts your spirit,
and then look more deeply as you re-create your
experience in a painting. Work can be realistic
or abstract depending upon how you choose to
express your story. We will start with sketchbooks and develop our ideas into paintings and
drawings, using pencils, crayons, and acrylic
paints on paper or canvas. A landscape may or
not appear. In my years of teaching this class at
Esalen it is a voyage of unexpected magical discovery for the whole group.”
Walk on the Wild Side:
Hiking the Big Sur Country
Steven Harper & Michael Newman
“What’s the quickest way out of the city?” John
Muir is reported to have asked a stranger on the
street of the metropolis in which Muir had just
arrived. “Where do you want to go?” the man
asked. “Anywhere that is wild,” Muir replied.
This week is straightforward. You day-hike the
mountainous paths into the wilds of Big Sur,
breathe in the fresh mountain air, and soak in
Esalen’s natural hot springs overlooking the
waves of the Pacific—in short, you let yourself
touch and be touched by Nature.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places
to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal
and cheer and give strength to body and soul,”
said Muir. Drawing from various wisdom traditions, the group will be introduced to practices
that encourage openness to self and nature. As
Muir discovered, “I only went out for a walk,
and finally concluded to stay out till sundown,
for going out, I found, was really going in.”
Hikes (3-10 miles in length) begin after breakfast and finish in time to enjoy the hot springs
and wholesome food of Esalen. Participants
should be prepared for the challenge of invigorating physical activity as well as the opportunity to simply sit still in quiet contemplation.
More information will be sent upon registration.
Muir wrote, “The mountains are calling me and
I must go.”
Women, Money, and Realizing Dreams:
Control Your Financial Life and Live
Your Real Life
Susan Spraker
We all ask the question: Do I have enough
money? We worry, fret, argue, lose sleep, and
even divorce as we grapple with this question.
Rarely do we approach it methodically and find
the answer.
This workshop is designed specifically for
women to unlock the mystery of where they are
now in their financial lives as it relates to the
bigger picture of their lives, and examine how
they got there. Participants discover money
beliefs, what they want to accomplish financially
and why, and how to accomplish it.
Through didactic and experiential methods, participants will examine various financial profiles
and learn how they can empower themselves
through their money beliefs. We will examine
personal financial goals, income and expenses
before and during retirement, sample portfolios,
and asset allocation strategies. Discussions
include all areas of financial planning as well
as basic financial terminology. The goal of the
workshop is for each participant to have fun in
a safe, supportive environment to develop her
own personal financial outline that can be used
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
to create a complete and very workable financial
or retirement plan.
The workshop requires only an inquiring, open
mind, a desire to know thyself, and a willingness
to share financial information and work within
the group. Please bring a three-ring binder with
pockets, three-hole punched paper, pencils,
pens, and a calculator. You may wish to bring
copies of recent investment statements for your
own work.
Recommended reading: Breathnach, Simple
Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy; Metcalf
and Simon, Writing the Mind Alive: The
Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic
Voice; Eisenberg, The Number: What Do You Need
for the Rest of Your Life and What Will It Cost.
Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal:
The Courage to Pause
David Schiffman
This is a workshop for people who need a
break—from working too hard, from concentrating too much, from being stuck under pressure
too long, or who are just plain tired from the
perplexity and strain over what comes next.
“While we pause,” writes David, “we’ll study the
three R’s and how they can be used to cultivate
a climate of renewed energy and enthusiasm,
the ability to think wisely ahead, and the presence to relate honestly and authentically with
others. This weekend will emphasize breathing
space and ease of being for deep contemplation.
There will be soulful, encouraging company
as well as wise counsel available for emotional
nourishment.
“We will draw on the power and spirit medicine
of Big Sur’s natural gifts for healing and inspiration. A special blend of music and movement
will create a mood of playfulness and spontaneity for the rejuvenation of spirit. Simple activities, including ceremony and personal practices,
will be used to deepen our feelings of being lively and hopeful about our futures.”
Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Integrating
Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology
in Clinical Practice
Russell Vasile
Take part in an updated review of emerging
developments in the integration of psychopharmacological, psychodynamic, and psychosocial
treatments of major depression, bipolar disorder,
and anxiety disorders. In addition, psychological
and psychosocial issues are presented, including
exploration of the effect of Axis II personality
disorders on mood and anxiety disorders. Also
considered are the role of borderline personality
disorder and narcissistic vulnerability, and
issues in the choice of specific psychotherapy
modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, or psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy.
This course is designed so that participants will
be able to:
• Describe the diagnosis and treatment of
depression, manic-depressive illness, anxiety
disorders and mood disorders in narcissistic
and borderline personality disorders
• Describe emerging strategies in the use of
psychotropic medications in the treatment of
major depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety
disorders
• Understand and apply the integration of
psychodynamic psychotherapy and
psychopharmacologic treatments into a
comprehensive treatment plan
• Understand and apply principles of selfpsychology, relational psychology, and
cognitive therapy in psychotherapeutic
treatment;
• Discuss the use of integrated psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic strategies in
approaching the treatment refractory patient,
including patients with comorbid depression
and/or anxiety disorders and/or borderline
and narcissistic personality disorders;
• Describe the use of newly emerging strategies
in the assessment and treatment of major
depression and anxiety disorders, including
brain imaging techniques, and the use of
therapeutic brain stimulation techniques
including vagal nerve stimulation and
transcranial magnetic stimulation.
This course is offered in conjunction with
Programs, page 94.
Couples’ Communication Retreat
Warren Farrell
Our inability to handle personal criticism from
loved ones is a common Achilles’ heel. The more
deeply we are in love, the harder it is to handle.
Soon, couples feel they are walking on eggshells,
unable to express themselves honestly, and the
love fades. Raising children and dealing with
money during an economic recession magnifies
the problems even as those problems become
the reason couples stay together. The result?
Couples often remain legally married but psychologically divorced—in a minimum-securityprison marriage.
The biggest culprit in this dynamic is defensiveness. Active listening, a good solution, is rarely
used. Warren Farrell developed Cinematic
Immersion, a method that enables couples to
actively listen to their partner without feeling
defensive. Once defensiveness is replaced by
feeling loved, work on the discipline of mutual
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appreciation can begin. Through this process,
passion is reignited without sacrificing stability.
As couples master Cinematic Immersion and
the discipline of love, they will be shown how
to apply what they’ve learned to other family
members and to work colleagues.
This workshop is for couples. A couple is any
two people who have a history together (such
as parent-child, siblings, married or divorced
parents) and who want a future with improved
communication.
Required reading: Farrell, Women Can’t Hear
What Men Don’t Say, chapters 1-3.
and learn how to set up your own paper mill. At
the end of the day there will be time to look
at and discuss what has been created or is in
progress. As you become attuned with your artmaking, your inner body can awaken to bring
forth your soliloquy. A simple piece of paper can
be appreciated solely for its intrinsic beauty, or
it may become one of many to make a large twodimensional work of art.
Bring a notebook for your paper samples and to
keep a record of each process you’ve explored.
Bring natural objects of meaning to you such
as shells, bone, wood, and other significant
treasures such as lace, photographs, and letters.
All levels of experience are welcome.
From the Invisible to the Visible:
A Papermaking Workshop
Awakening the Leader Within:
Our Culture on the Couch
Diana Marto
Emmett Miller
In Eastern spiritual practices, handmade paper
is believed to be imbued with mystical and healing properties. It is in this spirit that you will
create your own paper art, inspired by tales
of the paper road in Tibet, Japan, the Yukon,
Zimbabwe, and Big Sur. Learn how to make a
simple piece of paper and later how to interact
with it in a profound way. Experience an outdoor nighttime performance ritual with handmade paper sculptures. We will gather fibers
from the plants and grasses surrounding you,
cook them, pound them, and then make paper.
You will make your own moulds and deckles,
What if it is true that there is a wise leader
inside of you, and that all our problems result
from our disconnection from this inner source
of wisdom, power, and love? What if you could
take one step forward and enter a new world,
where there is congruity between what you
most deeply want and the actions you take?
During this workshop participants will apply
Emmett Miller’s New Paradigm of Distributed
Leadership, which he explores in his book, Our
Culture on the Couch. In this process, each participant can more fully awaken to his or her own
leadership abilities and apply them individually
and collectively.
Through introspection, imagery, movement, and
dialogue about questions that matter, we will
explore the seven steps to global healing.
Recommended reading: Miller, Our Culture on
the Couch: Seven Steps to Global Healing, available
at www.drmiller.com.
Awakening Joy
James Baraz & Jane Baraz
True happiness is not about acquiring anything
but rather opening to the natural joy and aliveness right inside of you. Awakening Joy is based
on a popular ten-month course taken by thousands since 2003, and designed to develop our
natural capacities for wellbeing and happiness.
Learn basic principles and experiential exercises
drawn from Buddhist philosophy, and other
supportive practices which are presented in a
user-friendly way. Explore techniques for developing gratitude, learning to love yourself, opening up to the hard stuff as a path to joy, and finding joy in the happiness of others. Perhaps you
can’t imagine yourself skipping through a meadow with childlike exuberance. Don’t worry.
Truly happy people are not happy all the time.
They feel sad and angry and have the whole
range of human emotions. Joy is a general feeling of aliveness and wellbeing that is characterized by engagement with life, meeting its ups
and downs with authenticity and perspective. It
can look very different from person to person,
from a quiet sense of contentment to bubbly
enthusiasm. Identifying how joy expresses itself
uniquely through you is one of the discoveries
that awaits.
Please note: You do not have to be a “joyful person” to benefit from this workshop, though you
might have fun anyway.
The Shamantra Experience
Saffire Bouchelion
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Shamantra is deep sacred play designed to help
us remember the natural, joyous rhythms of
our collective hearts and voices. Through this
creative, percussive journey the entire being is
explored and enriched physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually through sounding,
movement, performance, music, and dance
(Nia).
Nia (Neuromuscular Integrative Action)
reminds us that pleasure is a choice the body
prefers and is an act of self-love. It is cardiovas70
cular for the body and cleansing for the soul.
By being present in the body now, Nia cultivates the joy of movement which naturally
leads to self-healing, a key ingredient of holistic
fitness.
Shamantra uncovers the heartbeat of community. True community happens when everyone
moves to the same pulse. Though each may have
a different relationship to that pulse, as long as
we are in relationship to it, we will also be in
relationship to each other. The single pulse is
what holds the center of community.
Communicating with each other through
sound and silence, call-and-response, transmitting and receiving, a singular pulse is created,
making music possible, making healing possible, and making community possible. This
workshop is open to everyone. Please bring a
journal and pen.
Start Over: Choose Aliveness and
Intimacy
Mary Goldenson
We have all experienced moments of feeling
totally alive, yet much of our life is spent in a
half-asleep, half-committed state of being. While
there are many life-situations beyond our control, we choose how we respond to these events.
The choice to be passionately alive is an act of
courage. To choose life is to:
• Open ourselves to all of life—suffering, joy,
success, failure, love, and grief
• Fully acknowledge the truth of who we are
• Commit to living our deepest values and
dreams
• Define what we must change in our
relationships
• Learn new ways to heal, forgive, and
communicate
The challenge is to honestly address the ways
in which we have compromised, given up, or
lied to ourselves and others. This workshop is
designed to bring to awareness our unconscious
choices of how we deaden ourselves and to create the possibility for new aliveness and passionate involvement.
Come alone or with a partner. A safe, supportive
atmosphere will be provided, using communication skills, movement, Gestalt, and Reichian work.
This workshop may have up to 34 participants.
Week of May 16–21
The Coaches Training Institute:
Co-Active Fundamentals
Athena Katsaros
This five-day Co-Active Fundamentals course
is the first course in the Coaches Training
Institute’s Co-Active Coaching curriculum.
Whether you are interested in using coaching
skills in your current profession, considering a
career in coaching, or just want to improve your
communication with the important people in
your life, Co-Active Fundamentals has something for you.
The Coaches Training Institute’s methods are
based on the idea that people are naturally creative, resourceful, whole, and completely capable
of finding their own answers to whatever challenges they face. During the Fundamentals
course, you can develop skills for more effective
relationship alliances with others, use the CoActive coaching model to enhance your communication, distinguish and use three levels of
listening to deepen your relationships, and
explore simple tools for maintaining balance
in your life.
Hands-on training provides a powerful introduction to the techniques and skills of CoActive Coaching. The focus is on participation
and practical experience rather than lecture,
with numerous opportunities to coach and
receive feedback on your newly acquired coaching skills. At the end of the course you will have
a very clear idea just how coaching might fit
into your life.
This program is offered in conjunction with the
Coaches Training Institute (CTI). For more
information, including how to register, see
Special Programs, page 94.
Body and Mind Integration: Effectively
Integrating Breath and Somatic
Awareness into Clinical Practice
Gabriele Hoppe, Dyrian Benz
& JoAnna Chartrand
Breath, touch, and mindful presence are some of
the oldest and most basic forms of healing. This
course will equip participants with fundamental
skills for developing a somatically-informed
psychotherapeutic practice, including the selfawareness skills of orienting, centering, and
attending to sensory experience. Students will
learn about the energetics of relationship,
including contact, distance, boundaries, pacing,
attention, and intention. Students will practice
these skills with their peers and receive feedback.
courses. For more information, including special
registration instructions, see Special Programs,
page 94.
Painting the Outer and Inner Landscape
Adam Wolpert
Painting in oils can be a profound experience,
one that engages all of our senses, minds, and
spirits. One of the most rewarding ways to
explore oil painting is through painting outside. Faced with nature’s dynamic forces we are
challenged to develop visual sensitivity, flexibility, and resilience. We come into deeper relationship with the world and with ourselves
when we open to the living landscape around
us. We begin to see the world as never before
and our paintings give evidence of that new
vision.
This workshop invites both beginners and experienced painters to immerse themselves in the
practice of oil painting. Daily sessions will be
devoted to painting rapid sketches and more
developed small oil paintings out of doors and
exercises in the studio during inclement weather. Basic oil technique, instruction in setting up
a palette, mixing colors, and brushwork will be
balanced with slide lectures on visual theory,
composition, and special issues in landscape
painting. Participants will learn from individual
instruction and each other, with opportunities
to share their paintings and experiences in a
supportive environment.
The spectacular beauty of Esalen, with its radiant gardens, flowing waters, and rugged coastline, provides the perfect setting to explore this
exciting practice. Bring a sun hat, layers of
clothes, and a portable easel. If you don’t have an
easel and need to reserve one of the available six
portable easels please let the instructor know.
Feel free to email with any questions:
adam@adamwolpert.com.
(Optional materials fee of $125 paid directly
to leader includes all supplies for the class)
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Zero Balancing II
Jim McCormick
This will be a special version of Zero Balancing
II. Because of the residential nature of the class
and the highly charged space at Esalen, students
will have the time and resources to delve deeper
into the spirit of Zero Balancing.
In all Zero Balancing II classes students learn
the second half of the full Zero Balancing
Protocol - amplifying and empowering the work
learned in Zero Balancing I. There is also review
of the basic ZB protocol with an emphasis on
quality of touch, focus, and positioning of the
practitioner.
In this class there is more time for individual
feedback from the instructor. The leader and
participants will devote time to creating awareness of each person’s unique energetic way of
working, and explore how to put more of yourself into your fulcrums. Students will advance
their ability to work with expanded states of
consciousness, and a premium will be placed
on individual personal growth.
Prerequisite: Core Zero Balancing I.
A Somatic Approach to Self-Investigation
Johanna Putnoi
Sensation, emotion, and thought join to create a
dynamic approach to life. When these forces are
in natural alignment, we thrive. We engage the
world as it is, and as it changes. But when clouded with bias, we suffer. Unconscious habits of
desire, ignorance, and fear disturb our natural
equilibrium. We feel uncomfortable inside our
own skin, blind to our own motivations, and
tricked by cognitive misunderstandings formulated in childhood.
A return to healthy engagement with the world
requires direct attention to the body/mind itself
– a clearing out of the old to make room for
change. What better place in nature to re-engage
with our real selves than Esalen? Surrounded by
the wonder and beauty of nature in a time of
uncertainty, we will speak the language of the
body, experience the posture of natural design,
and explore how a sustained, open attention
can lead us toward a vital reality.
This workshop, in the tradition of Lomi Somatics,
is an invitation to “come to your senses”— to
honestly investigate the differences between
experience fueled by defensive patterns, and
experience fueled by centered, clear attention.
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It is a compelling invitation to see what is, in
present time, in the company of friends. The
tools for this exploration are meditation, conscious movement, the enneagram, and Gestalt.
Our intention is to create an embodied presence
both individually and collectively; a presence
that embraces paradox, radiates abundance, and
inspires community. We invite you to join us.
Esalen® Massage for Women
Johanna Holloman & Nora Matten
Esalen Massage is best known for its long flowing strokes over the whole body, creating a
sense of wholeness and deep connection to self.
During this women-only workshop, we maintain
this connection in both the giving and receiving
of an Esalen Massage, as we nurture our contact
with our innermost feminine strength.
This retreat offers women space and time to
reconnect with their essential feminine nature.
In our busy lives as career women, mothers, and
homemakers, it is easy to lose touch with the
receptive and creative aspects of ourselves.
During our time together, we can reawaken
these qualities by nurturing our bodies and
replenishing our sense of the feminine within a
community of women. Through the practices of
Esalen Massage, dance, and yoga we will re-learn
how to access the sensual nature at the core of
our being. Surrounded by the wild beauty of the
Esalen grounds, gardens, and the healing natural
hot springs at the baths, we will easily relax,
unwind, and revitalize our feminine spirit,
while learning to give a complete full-body
Esalen Massage, a gift to bring home to share
with friends and family.
Class format will include massage demonstrations with plenty of time for supervised practice,
movement exercises, and a beautiful healing
bath with freshly harvested herbs and flowers
from the Esalen garden.
Bring your favorite essential oil, poem or piece
of music and join us in the beauty of Esalen to
celebrate our unique expressions of womanhood.
Anusara Yoga Journey through the
Elements: The Alchemy of Optimal
Energy Flow
Ulrika Engman
From a yogic perspective, the elements earth,
water, fire, air, and ether move and settle within
the body in unique combinations to give form
and expression to our individual nature.
Whether we are aware of the elements within or
not, they play a big part in how we move,
breathe, express, feel, dream, speak, meditate,
and practice each moment. Our yoga practice
can be a playground for this discovery.
Connecting to the elements through yoga practice, they can become a link between individual
and universal nature, through which optimal
energy flow opens in our practice. Alignment
arises more naturally out of the body’s wisdom
and breath flows with greater ease.
As we dive into our yoga practice with greater
elemental awareness, we’ll discover how every
asana (posture) has its own innate alchemy to
tap into for optimal enjoyment. We will practice
tuning into the gift of each asana to channel it
with greater sensitivity. The universal principles
of Anusara yoga will be taught and practiced as
the framework for our elemental experience
together. Throughout, we will also explore and
strengthen our awareness of the energetic link
between the elements and the vital organs of the
body.
The Undervalued Self: Reach the
Unconscious Voice that Holds You Back
Elaine Aron
Do you want to reduce the times when lack of
confidence holds you back, feel less tense at work,
help your close relationships stay loving during
conflicts, and feel better without making anyone
else feel worse? This seminar helps disentangle
love from competition in your life and reduce
your negative self-comparisons with others.
From the author of The Highly Sensitive Person
comes a fresh approach to one of our oldest psychological problems: low self-esteem. We start
with the premise that, like all social animals, we
are either ranking ourselves among others to see
who is best, or linking with others in friendship
or love. Most human problems come from ranking too much or at the wrong time, especially
ranking ourselves too low and, as a result, undervaluing ourselves. We want to switch to linking,
but our unconscious fears prevent it.
Through lectures, group work, and time for
inner exploration you can learn to:
• Recognize when you are too focused on who’s
best
• Work with your fear of being ranked
“worthless” at the bottom
• Avoid the six self-protections against defeat
that spoil relationships
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
• Understand your undervalued self and how
your past feeds it
• Heal the part of you that is wounded by abuses
of power
This is a quiet, thoughtful weekend for people
who want to explore in a group environment.
Those in crisis or seeking intense individualized
therapeutic encounters should not attend.
Recommended reading: Aron, The Undervalued
Self.
Mind and Matter, Spirit and Sex:
Speaking Frankly
Jeffrey Kripal
Ever wonder why most of the moral debates
involving religion in the news (same-sex marriage, “family values,” gay rights, gay priests,
celibacy, female ordination, abortion, clerical
pedophilia, etc.) involve some aspect of human
sexuality? Ever wonder why it seems to matter
so much whether deity is imagined as male or
female? Or as both? Or as neither? Why were
the ancient uses of female virginity and purity
codes tied up with inheritance and property
law? Why were the origins of Western monotheism symbolically linked to the ritual cutting of
the penis? What do The Last Temptation of Christ
and The DaVinci Code have in common that
made them such mega hits? Why do so many
great mystics describe their experiences in sexual terms? The questions are endless, but where
are the answers? The last forty years have seen a
stunning development of new tools that scholars of religion use to think and speak about sex,
but these tools have generally remained well
outside the public’s awareness.
Kripal, a scholar of comparative religion widely
known for his writings on the subject, tells this
story from the inside and then, through group
discussions and standard case scenarios, provides a set of practical tools with which to think
comparatively and frankly about the very difficult, but endlessly fascinating interface between
human sexual and religious experience. Jeff
Kripal also uses and teaches from his recent history of Esalen as a source for examples and illustrations of the basic ideas. Bring your questions.
They are the keys to your toolbox.
Parenting From the Inside Out
Mary Hartzell
As parents, we have an incredible opportunity
for personal growth because we are put back
into an intimate parent-child relationship—but
this time in the role of parent rather than child.
How parents make sense of their childhood
experiences has a profound effect on how they
parent their own children. Parents often find
themselves doing the very things to their children that felt hurtful to them as a child. They
can feel stuck in repetitive, unproductive patterns that don’t support the loving, nurturing
relationships they envisioned when they first
became parents.
This workshop can help free parents from patterns of the past that continue to negatively
affect them and their relationship with their
children. Based on her book, Parenting From the
Inside Out (coauthored with Daniel J. Siegel),
Mary Hartzell will help parents deepen their
self-understanding and build a more effective
and enjoyable relationship with their children.
Drawing on new findings in neurobiology and
attachment research, she will show:
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• How childhood experiences can shape our
attitudes and actions without our awareness
• How emotions shape our interpersonal world
and affect our parenting
• How our ability to communicate affects our
connections with our children
Parents will have an opportunity to develop an
approach to parenting that helps them in raising
emotionally secure and healthy children and
bring more joy into their relationships with
their children. This workshop is relevant to
parents with children of any age.
Recommended reading: Hartzell & Siegel,
Parenting From the Inside Out.
Claiming Your Voice
Meredith Haberfeld
Some of the greatest leaps in personal development come when we stop believing that others
have more access to deep wisdom than we do,
have superior opinions to ours, or hold sway
over us—when we finally know at the end of
the day that we can trust ourselves.
This workshop will address many aspects of
claiming your voice—in writing, in vocal work,
and, most importantly, in daily life through the
choices you make in it. The program will help
you gain access to your many inner voices as
well as different aspects of your character, many
of which you suppress and ignore, but which
can each provide important insights and wisdom
in your everyday life. Finally you can get comfortable in your own skin.
You will deepen the ability to hear yourself—and
all that there is to hear. What does your body say
about how you feel right now? What do your
emotions have to tell you? What feelings and
messages have you been resisting? This workshop will teach you to allow them to surface so
you can come deeper into your own power.
The days of being guided by pleasing others and
trying to fix yourself are over. This program is
for anyone of any age ready to sink into the
experience of being and trusting yourself.
Healing as Grace: Pachakuti Mesa
Tradition Shamanism
Pachakuti Mesa, like all properly consecrated
ceremonial spaces, allows self, culture, and
nature to harmonize through an exquisite dance
of aesthetic sensibility and compassionate living.
Workshop participants must bring: a ceremonial
cloth (suggested size 24”x 24”); a stone, shell, and
feather; their most personally meaningful
sacred artifact to serve as the center of their
Mesa. Participants are encouraged to wear loose,
comfortable clothing and bring their customary
ceremonial musical instrument. You may also
wish to bring a journal and meditation cushion.
Oscar Miro-Quesada
Participants in this apprenticeship will be
escorted through the Doors of Perception into
the sacred dimensions of life, and will have both
a didactic and experiential initiation into the
millennial soul of Peruvian shamanic healing
rituals.
As developed by Don Oscar, the Pachakuti Mesa
is a ceremonial altar ground conducive to the
revelation of rarely accessed powers and forces,
to be artfully used for healthful, personal, and
planetary transformation. Core teachings
include cross-cultural shamanism that can
shape-shift many common ills associated with
modern living, and heartfelt apprenticeship in
viaje con sombra (magical flight), vista en virtud
(psychic vision), rastreo (divinatory guidance),
and despertamiento del Ser (awakening wholeness
of self ) derived from ancestral Kamasqa
Curanderismo.
Don Oscar invites you to join this Sacred Hoop
of Life and celebrate the sacred trust that exists
between humankind and our living earth. The
Three Personal Pieces:
A Writing Workshop
Lynne Kaufman
Where does inspiration come from? Mostly from
the excitement of living.
—Martha Graham
In this workshop you select and express three
memorable events from your life. After an introduction to the craft of writing the personal
essay, you choose three turning points from
your life and learn to shape them into compelling stories. You write each episode during
the workshop sessions and share them in constructive dialogue. As you re-create the meaningful experiences of your life you may find that
the deeply personal is often the most universal.
This workshop is suitable for writers of every
level of experience.
Week of May 23–28
Alchemical Art: Making Glass Shrines
Dana Zed
Art is a happy kind of magic and glass is a particularly magical medium. Clear as water, strong as
stone, transparent yet solid, glass can be invisible and yet act as a barrier. As a synthesis of
opposites, it is an ideal medium for us to express
our spiritual nature.
Participants learn a variety of glass sculpture
techniques to give their ideas form. The workshop begins with making individual glass
charms and talismans. As a result of this process,
glass becomes more familiar and participants
can then choose to make a shrine.
CHRISTY HENGST
Shrine-making is something we already do,
whether we are aware of it or not. It can be as
simple as a special object, selectively placed. In
this workshop, a shrine can take many forms: an
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individual panel, a diptych, a triptych, an altar
box, or a house-like construction. Techniques
presented include: kiln-melting various kinds of
glasses, etching on glass, and making clay molds.
Participants may also incorporate drawings and
objects brought from home.
Warmed muscle tissue is easier to address,
manipulate, and massage. Using heated stones
to warm the tissue is grounding for the client
and easier on the therapist’s hands, forearms,
and elbows, allowing the practitioner to work
deeper without causing pain afterward.
The workshop is accessible and nonjudgmental.
Participants are encouraged to find the magician
within. No experience is necessary.
With the use of chilled stones it is possible to
promote reduction of inflammation caused by
deep tissue work, injury, or chronic or acute
pain. The cool stones break the pain-spasm-pain
cycle and reduce the chemical response that
causes muscle tissue damage.
Hatha and Raja Yoga Practicum
Srivatsa Ramaswami
Asana practice has caught the imagination of a
number of enthusiasts—especially Vinyasakrama,
the sequencing art form of yoga practice.
However, yoga has other important ingredients,
all of which promote a positive transformation of
the individual. A holistic approach would require
the yogi to practice not only asana and pranayama (the Hatha yoga aspects) but also chanting,
meditation, and contemplation of the philosophical and spiritual aspects (the Raja yoga aspects).
In this program, half of each session will be
devoted to different asanas, following the
Vinyasakrama method. It will involve doing
more than about 300 vinyasas, or variations in
classical yoga poses, in the course of the program. The other half of the time will be utilized
for detailed and varied yogic breathing exercises
and the other Raja yoga practices, like chanting,
meditation, and philosophical and spiritual contemplation of the yoga sutras. The objective is
that by the end of the program participants have
a well-rounded understanding and practice of
yoga, as opposed to doing only asanas or meditation. Hatha yoga and Raja yoga are aspects of the
integrated system of yogic progression.
This workshop is open to everyone. Please bring
a yoga mat.
LaStone® Therapy: The Original
Hot Stone Treatment
Deborah Ardell Hill
LaStone Therapy is a massage modality that
offers the ability to bring sustained temperature
to a massage through the use of hot and cold
stones (heat through basalt stones, chilled temperatures through marble, sardonyx, or jade
stones). This workshop, led by longtime LaStone
instructor and reflexologist Deborah Ardell Hill,
provides a comprehensive introduction to this
unique blend of deep tissue massage, energy
work, and ritual.
Physiologically this treatment can balance the
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems through the use of alternating short- and
long-term temperatures. LaStone Therapy is
designed to enhance muscle relaxation, tissue
repair, grounding, balancing, and release of
blocked memories.
Please note: This course is for massage therapists
with a minimum of two years’ experience.
The Embodied Heart
Jonathan Horan
The Way is not in the sky
The Way is in the heart.
The Gifts of Grief
Nancee Sobonya & Steve Waldrip
I saw Grief drinking a cup of sorrow and called out,
“It tastes sweet, does it not?” “You’ve caught me,” Grief
answered, “and you’ve ruined my business. How can I
sell sorrow, when you know it’s a blessing?”
—Rumi
Explore the powerful and mysterious nature of
grief. After viewing Nancee Sobonya’s film, The
Gifts of Grief, we inquire into our relationship to
loss and its potential gifts. In the film, Isabel
Allende and six other remarkable people share
their journeys through their personal losses.
Each come to different realizations of the gifts
they have gained by living with grief.
“Because each loss is unique, our grief can be
experienced in a variety of ways,” write the leaders. “Loss is also universal, even though people
often describe feeling alone or on a new journey
without a map. In this workshop we discover
how to navigate this new terrain and orient to
that light inside that can draw us forward. We
explore various outer resources that sustain us,
as well as those inner places where we find
strength, love, connection and support. What are
we learning from our losses? This question, along
with others, is asked as we explore the possibility that grief, while very painful, can also be a
doorway to growth, insight and transformation.
—Buddha
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. This is not only
the title to a great novel by Carson McCullers,
but also a haunting description of a certain state
of being. What are we hunting for? What do we
want that we don’t have? We want connection
and intimacy. More than anything else in this
world, we want to be loved.
Often, we don’t listen to our own hearts. In fact,
most often we think about our feelings rather
than experience them, and this separation
creates loneliness that turns the heart into a
hunter—we seek somebody to love rather than
being the force that is love. Love isn’t something
to do. It’s something to be.
Let’s take the time to stop the world and pay
attention to our hearts. Attention is like a spotlight. Feelings live in different parts of our bodies, and when we shine the light of our attention
on them, memories crack open and move, dissolving the hard hold they have on us. Using
the 5Rhythms® dance practice as a map to the
way our emotional energy morphs and moves,
we practice the lost art of falling in love and
landing on our own two feet.
“There will be opportunity to go through this
doorway and delve into the mysterious depths
of grief, personally and collectively. Through the
sharing of our personal stories, meditation, poetry,
artwork, movement/yoga, and ceremony, we
create an environment in which our grief will
be honored and held as sacred. Everyone is
encouraged to bring photos and other objects
of remembrances to place on a group altar that
we will create in the course of the workshop to
honor our losses.”
The Bioenergetics of Relationships:
Pleasure, Intimacy, and the Search
for Connectedness
Terry Hunt
This workshop is about healthy relationships in
love, friendship, and daily life with a focus on
how to nurture our own vitality when we long
for more authentic, safe, or rewarding connections. Bioenergetic techniques offer an opportunity to develop our capacity for healthy contact
and personal boundaries, which make it easier
to stay grounded and authentic in every relationship and situation.
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sure into enriching and creative moments of
wholeness. Come alone or with an intimate.
Smart and Playful Families
Joanna Claassen & Sarah Maloney
Here is an opportunity for adults and children
to explore, build, connect, laugh, and play.
Esalen’s extraordinary Gazebo School Park is
designed for children and includes opportunities to climb, ride, garden, act, and care for our
farm animals. The Art Barn is a place for relaxing, connecting, reflecting, and creating. There
are plenty of new things to try and time to
reflect during this memorable program for families. We will shape the weekend to follow the
interests of the group and offer opportunities
for families to work and play together and apart.
On Saturday night we will offer a program for
children in the Art Barn, during which adults
will be free to enjoy Esalen alone or spend time
with one another.
($10 materials fee for art and photo
supplies paid directly to the leaders)
Improv Comedy for the Soul
Jamie Denbo
BENJAMIN FAHRER
Improvisational comedy is the art of creating
comedic theater on the spot. It is a useful tool
for boosting confidence, improving listening
skills, trusting one’s instincts, and freeing the
mind. Benefits can be applied to any professional
or personal endeavor where the goal is to be
more connected to the moment. It facilitates
creativity and aids in building relationships.
Not to mention the fact that it inspires laughter,
which is truly the greatest soul food there is.
Pleasure is essential for healthy relationships.
Add the erotic element and the potential for
pleasure grows exponentially. But whether in
love or friendship, whether in same- or opposite-gender relationships, the reality of sustaining delight in one another over time is often a
mystery and a struggle. We substitute old avoidance patterns for intimacy as we play out roles
we developed during traumatic childhoods and
adolescences. Or, we repeatedly act and react out
of fear, sadness, or rage, keeping our relationships locked in the “cultural missionary posi-
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tion.” Giving up carefully honed pain avoidance
habits releases new energies for the pursuit of
personal fulfillment in relationships.
This workshop can help individuals and couples
identify myths that block the flow of joy. By
redefining the role of pleasure in our lives, we
can update our sexual and sensual selves,
explore new language that more honestly
communicates our desires, and encourage each
other to approach our gender gaps with intention rather than fear, and assertion rather than
suspicion. We will follow our instincts for plea-
Onstage, improv comedy performers practice
listening, agreement, adding information,
heightening ideas, and staying present. In real
life, this translates to self improvement, calming
anxiety, discovering one’s unique comedic voice,
and promoting more harmonious interactions
with others.
Participants will be led through a variety of
enlightening and entertaining exercises. There
will be opportunities to participate, as well as to
sit back and enjoy the fun. Most exercises
involve pairs or groups. Participants will eventually create fully organic, original comedic
scenes. Creating successful, improvised scenework can be an uplifting and even spiritual
experience (not to mention how funny it can be!).
Women in Transition:
Climbing into Your Authentic Self
Jnana Gowan & Suze Allen
Your house is on fire. Your boat is sinking. What
do you want to take with you? What are you
happy to watch sink or go up in flames? Gain a
deeper understanding of your life in transition
and find out what’s standing in the way of your
being your most authentic self.
Embrace the dark so you can move into the
light. Through creative writing exercises,
restorative and rigorous Hatha yoga, deep relaxation, and guided meditation, you can wake up
into present time. In this clear space you can
choose what you desire rather than what you
think you’re supposed to do or what others want
from you. Ah, freedom! Come spend the weekend in the beauty of Big Sur, interweaving
nature, ritual, and a healthy dose of humor into
the new fabric of who you are. The yoga is for all
levels. Please bring a yoga mat.
Mind, Mood, and Happiness:
Meditation and MindBody Healing
Ronald Alexander
People can learn to change their thinking and
behavior in ways that enhance happiness and
wellbeing. For 2,500 years, the wisdom teachings of the East have utilized what their texts
refer to as “skillful methods” for the study and
transformation of the mind/body. These meditation and visualization practices help cultivate
self-regulation through awareness, concentration, mindfulness, and other attention skills.
This leads to clarity of mind, spaciousness of
self, and greater compassion.
Using techniques from modern positive psychology, mindfulness, creative thinking and
non-dual teachings, participants will learn skills
to calm the mind, regulate mind body states,
develop trust with the unconscious, and explore
inner resources for activating creativity, vitality,
and wellbeing.
Methods include:
• Developing skills for accessing the resources
of the core self
• Utilizing the unconscious for activating
internal healing resources
• Meditating and practicing psychological skills
to promote insight
• Exploring natural mind/body healing
rhythms (yogic and somatic breathing
methods)
• Discovering Buddhist psychological antidote
remedies for unpleasant or painful states of
mind
• Discussing mind, self, dissatisfaction, and
happiness from Western and Buddhist
perspectives
• Discovering practices that promote lovingkindness
Recommended reading: Alexander, Wise Mind
Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times
of Crisis, Loss and Change; Fryba, The Art Of
Happiness:Teachings of Buddhist Psychology; Suzuki,
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.
Embodiment for Beginners
Stephanie Zone
It is our birthright to feel comfortable and joyful
in our bodies. Body image struggles can have a
tremendous influence on a person’s entire life.
Regardless of shape, size, or weight, we all
deserve to feel content with our body, view our
bodies through a non-critical perspective, and
forget about “how we look.” This is embodiment.
Incorporating movement, meditation, and
insight exercises, this workshop helps you rediscover personal body image satisfaction and
reawaken to the thrill of being embodied.
Experiencing body freedom creates an opportunity to be truly present and comfortable. One of
the wonders of body satisfaction is how it actually gives you the opportunity to forget about
yourself as an object (your earth suit) and feel
yourself from the inside (your inner spirit).
If the previous paragraphs seem unfathomable,
this workshop is especially for you. Come
explore the freedom and possibilities of living
in your body, rather than continuing to allow
your self-consciousness to drive your decisions.
Through yoga (appropriate for all levels), meditation exercises, and exploration, we will learn
ways to live in our bodies and to awaken joy and
playfulness as a crucial part of healing.
Esalen is well known for its clothing optional
hot springs. Although no workshop sessions
will take place there, during free time each participant may choose to enjoy the hot springs or
enjoy some of the many other delights of Esalen.
Simply Wild: Experiencing Nature
Steven Harper
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through
the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done.
—Mary Oliver
The weekend is simple. We stroll through the
wilds of Big Sur on hikes, soak in the natural
mineral hot springs, eat good wholesome food,
commune with ourselves, others, and nature.
With the bare attention of awareness, and
wilderness as our teacher we show up for our
life as it unfolds moment to moment. We come
into deep contact with the raw beauty of this
mysterious world.
The group will venture out on two hikes 2- 6
miles in length. Simple practices that encourage
awareness and contemplation (“how to be idle
and blessed”) will be shared with the group as
well as the wonders of the rich natural history
of Big Sur. No previous experience in simplicity
or nature is required. Further information will
be sent upon registration.
Week of May 30–June 4
Plein Air Painting in Big Sur
Jennifer McChristian
Join award-winning painter Jennifer
McChristian for a five-day intensive workshop
for all levels of artists who want to learn the
time-honored joy of painting en plein air.
Painting en plein air is a term made popular by
the French Impressionists and translates as
“painting in the open air.” The deep spiritual
connection to nature derived from this form of
intense observation has made it a lasting tradition which is especially needed in these modern
times.
The aim is to learn to interpret nature in terms
of paint, using light and color to create form.
Color relationships, design and composition,
simplifying, and the benefits of painting outdoors are discussed, as well as how to design and
build a painting that carries an emotional
impact. Students focus on values, shapes, edges,
and color as they relate to painting.
There are brief demonstrations each day and
one-on-one advice in the field. Exercises include
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creating small 6x8” color sketches, where students
will paint color block-ins and value studies prior
to working on larger canvases.
In the event of inclement weather students must
bring with them several reference photographs
of landscapes.
Spiritweaves™: Sanctuary of Self
Anneli Molin-Skelton & Michael Molin-Skelton
The human portrait is a prayer
rising and falling on the current of our breath
each movement
a revelation, an emerging dance
given shape by the threads of spirit
woven in this moment.
—Anneli and Michael Molin-Skelton
“Spiritweaves is a calling: a silent wakening,”
write Anneli and Michael. “Its cries and whispers stir a deep longing in our soul to fall toward
the core of our desire. It is a gathering: a living
tribal tapestry, a braiding of the rare and common
strands of our collective movements. Spiritweaves is a journey. A journey of destiny, not
destination. Its steps can be traced, faint and
deep, in the dark soil of our dance.
“As Spiritweaves we are invited to dance together the disparate parts of ourselves, to dance the
gap between ourselves and others, to dance
in the grace that we belong, to dance. In this
workshop, using the awakening energy of the
5Rhythms® dance practice as a catalyst and the
hallowed ground of SoulMotion as a container,
we will move to unveil and unmask the unique
and sacred expression of our own dance. Come
begin again.”
Everyone called is welcomed, no previous experience needed.
Trauma First Aide™: Bridging
Physiology and Psychology
Geneie Everett
Developed as a short-term trauma intervention,
Trauma First Aide (TFA) teaches skills to reduce
symptoms of acute traumatic stress and to stabilize the nervous system in high arousal and
urgent situations. Designed for therapists, nurses, physicians, teachers, military, first responders, clergy, disaster helpers, bodyworkers, and
activists, this workshop is also appropriate for
anyone interested in the human response to
trauma. It focuses on trauma education, early
intervention, and the prevention of secondary
traumatization by building resilience in the
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nervous system. Current research shows that
trauma contributes to more than mental health
problems, including an array of physical syndromes involving altered pain processing and
increased disease in cardiovascular, nervous, and
gastrointestinal systems. More and more, recent
trauma therapies include working with the nervous system to reestablish the mind-body connection as a vital part of the recovery process.
Viewing typical acute traumatic stress symptoms
as a dysregulated mind-body system response,
we will work directly with the trauma symptoms, using an integrative approach. Topics
covered include: background research; the
nervous system’s role in trauma; differences
between cognitive and somatic approaches;
effects of trauma beyond mental health; case
studies; and skills practice. TFA is useful for
complex trauma, first response, disaster settings,
and as a self-care model.
Leadership for Emergent Executives
and Entrepreneurs (LEEP)
James Wheal
From Silicon Valley to Burning Man, London
to Glastonbury, a new generation of leaders is
emerging that leverages the direct experience
of the sacred into stunning applications in the
mundane. Balancing mobility, time, and prosperity, they are the creators of a liberated economy and the standard bearers of a liberating culture. Just as the industrial economy gave way
to the information economy, the information
economy is now yielding to the experience
economy—a blank canvas of possibility for anyone with the capacity to imagine and the skills
to make it happen.
If it’s challenging to bridge your personal
growth with your professional aspirations, or if
the landscape is shifting so fast that much of the
advice and direction you receive is obsolete, this
program will offer the insights and practical
tools to support your development and accelerate your success.
Building on the Leadership Development
Profile (see www.cookkgreuter.com and Harvard
Business Review, “Seven Transformations of
Leadership,” April, 2005), participants will spend
a week delving into the spiral of adult development and identify where they find themselves
and where they are heading next.
Those participants who take the Leadership
Development Profile before the course will
receive personal one-on-one coaching from
Jamie Wheal during the workshop. This work-
shop is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs,
non- and for-profit leaders.
Holistic Sexuality:
A New Integral Approach
Marina Romero & Ramon Albareda
This workshop is for individuals who wish to
access the full potential of their vital primary
energy, understood here as sexuality, and
explore how this energy can be creatively
expressed and integrated holistically – at the
somatic, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.
The course is designed to teach you how to connect with this energy not only in your everyday
life, but also as a bridge to the deepest dimension of your reality, as a catalyst for a grounded
spiritual growth. The principles and practices
that shape Holistic Sexuality are inspired by seeing life’s natural processes as organic references
for transformation and healing. The fruit of
decades of research and experience, Holistic
Sexuality is affiliated with neither tantra nor
other methods of working with sexuality.
The leaders will facilitate group process as well
as counsel each participant individually to
design personalized practices. You will learn
how to safely self-regulate your own process
from an awareness of your present capabilities
and necessary boundaries. This workshop will
guide you in:
• Developing a path of self-knowledge,
regeneration, and creative evolution
• Transforming the limiting unconscious
tendencies of your vital primary world
• Working through conflicts that hinder your
sexual self-expression
• Integrating sexual and spiritual energies to
enhance the quality of your life
Please note: Instruction is given in English and
Spanish, with English translation provided.
Deep Bodywork Level III:
Healing the Shoulder, Forearm,
and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Deep bodywork, practiced with great sensitivity,
is one of the most effective healing modalities
available to the bodywork practitioner. Through
slowly opening the body’s deeper soft tissue
layers, we connect the mind to normally unconscious “stuck” areas of the physical body, which
can release enormous amounts of previously
held energy. This energy then becomes available
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
to support the body’s innate capacity to selforganize and self-heal, enabling practitioners to
support clients in overcoming previously stubborn, seemingly intractable physical conditions.
Focusing on deep bodywork as a healing art, this
program is designed for massage and bodywork
practitioners seeking to incorporate effective
deep tissue techniques into their work. Whether
in private practice or working in a spa, there is
growing demand for practitioners who have
mastered the art of moving deeply into the body
with skill and sensitivity. Areas of focus include:
Relieving chronic and acute pain in the back,
neck, around the major joints of the shoulder
and hip, and in the forearm and wrist. We spend
a good deal of time learning to recognize how to
feel “soft tissue lesions” with our hands wherever we find them, and learn why, at physiological
and energetic levels, competent deep bodywork
needs to be done slowly for greatest effect. The
teachers are available to answer questions of
specific interest to students as they arise during
our practice sessions, and we add new hip and
shoulder material for students who have previously attended this seminar.
A Long Term View: Cultivating
Marriage, Family, and Community
with the Future in Mind
Lisa Nave
In this workshop, we will explore how to cultivate marriages, families, and communities with
the health of future generations in mind.
Environmentalism teaches us to be good stewards of the earth; to conserve energy, protect our
lands and natural resources. The concept of A
Long Term View proposes that we can also be
good stewards of people; that we can conserve
and protect our social structures for generations
to come.
As a psychotherapist Lisa Nave has seen an
increasing number of clients with issues related
to social fragmentation, such as isolation, a lack
of extended family or community support,
divorce and multiple blended families, and a
general sense of indefinable emptiness–especially when they feel trapped on the accelerating
conveyer belt of modern life.
Topics that address these issues during the
workshop include:
• Environmental and social sustainability
• Attachment and neuroscience: sculptors of
social development
• The evolutionary history and development
of family and social systems
• The fragmentation of family and community
• Divorce culture
• A table for one
• Sacred relationships
• Widening the circle of compassion and service
• Practices and meditations
Participants explore ways to adopt a long term
view, thereby making their own lives more
socially sustainable through inquiry, contemplation, journaling, dialogue, and personal and
group exercises.
Weekend of June 4–6
ChiRunning®
Chris Griffin
ChiRunning is a revolutionary approach that
addresses the problem of injuries by combin-
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DANIEL BIANCHETTA
ing the inner focus of Tai Chi with running.
This innovative running technique brings
together body alignment and relaxation so you
can run with more ease and fluidity than you
ever imagined.
Many of us have experienced running as an
activity that takes a physical toll with sore muscles, knee injuries, hip pain, or shin splints. As
Danny Dreyer, founder of ChiRunning says, “It’s
not running that hurts your body … it’s the way
you run that does the damage.” The ChiRunning
method has been successfully taught to thousands of people with profound results.
Classes will include drills and exercises that
bring a new level of depth to your exercise routine and transform running from a sport to a
mindfulness practice. For those seeking a way
to supplement yoga practice with aerobic and
weight-bearing exercise, ChiRunning will show
you how to bring all the core strengthening of
yoga into both walking and running.
This workshop is designed for all abilities, from
total beginners to seasoned veterans.
Note: Bring running shoes, shorts, sweatpants,
and clothing layers that will allow you to adapt
to the weather. The class is open to people who
have no debilitating injuries that would prevent
them from fully participating. Running experi-
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ence is not necessary as long as you are a walker
with an interest in running.
Mindfulness in Deep Relationship:
The Sources of Nourishment
Jerome Front
Rebalancing Your Relationship to Keep
it Thriving
Gerald Smith
How can you be open and vulnerable to love
your partner, and, at the same time, free to continue to grow as an individual? This balance of
merging and still maintaining your own center
is never completely worked out, because each
partner is continually changing. However, this
dilemma of competing needs can be dealt with
in ways that will add even more aliveness to
what you already have together. In fact, a relationship that offers closeness, and at the same
time freedom, can be a superb opportunity for
your own deepest growth.
Much of your time during this weekend will be
spent with your partner separate from other
couples. There will be verbal, nonverbal, and
written experiences to increase openness, support, and affection, as well as skills to resolve
differences without producing scar tissue. Since
play is an essential part of a thriving relationship, there will be experiences to spark the imagination and create new ways to play together.
Enrollment is limited to twelve couples.
This retreat invites participants to open to their
most elemental relationship, that which exists
between the body, mind, and the natural world
as it manifests through eating, food, and our
senses. This inquiry will then widen to include
the deep nourishment we receive from being
in mindful relationship with each other. “As
individuals, we all know the hungers and unrequited longings that coexist at emotional, spiritual, bodily, and relational levels,” says Jerome
Front. “Fortunately, these basic needs also form
our common human ground. Opening to these
primal shared areas with a loving awareness
can create profoundly satisfying aspects of
deep relationship. These nourishing and transformative relational experiences include
understanding and being understood, a sense
of increased personal presence, and the soothing, releasing, and integrating experience of letting yourself be known in another’s accepting,
warm presence.” During this retreat, participants will taste a fuller range of being alive,
experience ways of belonging and open to the
nourishing possibility of being at home, more
regularly, within the moments of life. Retreat
topics include:
• The embodied mind and spirit: Western and
Eastern views
• Interconnectedness of self, other, and the
cosmos
• Creating resonance, attunement, and empathy
Participants will experience sensory work,
group sharing, silent meals, music, ritual, poetry,
deep relaxation, and instruction on mindfulness
meditation. Teachings and activities will alternate with periods of intentional silence.
Open to everyone, this retreat is an especially
rich resource for helping professionals, teachers
and nurses.
Building Collaborative Relationships
through Five Essential Skills
Jim Tamm
This is a “how to” course for people who want to
be more effective at creating climates of trust,
building relationships, and dealing with conflict—at work, at home, or within oneself. Many
personal and business relationships become
adversarial simply through a lack of relationship-building skills. This workshop provides
practical experience with five skills that are
essential for building successful collaborative
relationships.
The course has its roots in a Hewlett
Foundation/State of California pilot project
designed to teach collaborative skills in adversarial settings. Several follow-up research studies documented the dramatic long-term results.
Conflict was reduced by 85%, trust increased by
70%, defensiveness reduced by 50%, and participants were 45% more effective at getting their
interests met in conflict.
The course offers a combination of two powerful approaches to transforming conflict into
collaboration. The first is interest-based nonadversarial negotiations, well documented for
dramatically reducing conflict in business, government, and interpersonal relationships. The
second is a focus on behaviors and feelings that
can block resolution of conflicted situations.
Participants will learn how their often unconscious emotional needs in the areas of inclusion, control, and openness impact their effectiveness when building relationships and dealing with conflict.
This is skill-building to develop relationships for
long-term mutual success. The material will be
of immediate use to individuals as well as people
in interpersonal and work relationships such as
couples, families, team leaders and members,
and employers and employees. Approved by the
California State Board of Accountancy for 12
hours of CE credit.
unbounded. By listening to the language of your
inner song, you might rediscover a lost part of
yourself, or a self you have been longing to
encounter.
Beginners as well as experienced writers of all
levels are welcome. Whether you are interested
in poetry, essay, fiction, or drama, our openended practice allows the form to be discovered
along the way. The weekend of writing will
focus on exercises designed to facilitate the
stages of unearthing and digging deeper, with
guidance through the revision process as both
a literal and metaphorical journey for the self.
The One Thing Holding You Back:
Unleashing the Power of Emotional
Connection
Raphael Cushnir
Do you have an unrealized dream? Are you still
waiting to tap your full potential?
“Almost always, what prevents us from manifesting our greatest life vision is a reservoir of unfelt
emotion,” writes Raphael Cushnir. “Resisting
this emotion is what sabotages prayer, affirmations, or any other personal-growth technique.
Finding and feeling this emotion is what infuses
our mission with Spirit and makes us truly
unstoppable. It’s simple, but most of us never
learn precisely how—not at home, school, or
even in therapy.”
Raphael has pioneered a method of emotional
connection that virtually anybody can master,
and that can be learned in just one weekend. It
is grounded in both contemporary neuroscience
and the great wisdom traditions. He has shared
it with immediate and lasting results all around
the world. You can use this emotional connection to overcome lifelong struggles with career,
family, relationships, weight, self-esteem, and
addiction. This workshop is designed to help
you fall in love with every moment of your life.
It can lead to the kind of personal accomplishment you’ve longed for, and also help you serve
the world.
(Re)Writing Your Story
Elizabeth Rosner
Composing and revising personal stories can
serve as powerful tools for self-reflection and
transformation. This workshop is an invitation
to use the writing process as a means for unraveling and reinventing the stories of your life,
both on and off the page.
Invoking the spirit of play and inquiry, we can
uncover what has already been written inside
ourselves, and also what has been hidden or
disguised. Together we commit to expanding
our repertoire of words, images, memories, and
dreams. When you open to the sound of your
own voice, when you allow yourself to be heard,
the possibilities for healing and renewal are
Week of June 6–11
Vitalize Your Life with Living Foods
Charlie Cascio & Liam McDermott
Learn to eat living foods and enjoy more vitality, a sense of wellbeing, strong immune and
digestive systems, and downright juiciness.
Participants will master the basics of living
foods preparation as they create gourmet
meals and learn to include more living foods
and superfoods into their diets. Participants
will learn to grow and juice wheatgrass, practice sprouting seeds, nuts, and grains, make
live crackers and sprouted breads, and make
fermented and cultured foods like sauerkraut
and seed cheese. They will also make smoothies as well fresh vegetable and fruit juices from
organic produce available throughout the week.
After Sunday’s dinner in the lodge, all meals
will be enjoyed together in the workshop
meeting room. Following breakfasts of fruits,
sprouted grains and nuts, and/or juices and
smoothies, our main, gourmet feast will be at
midday, when the body is most able to process
food. Simpler evening meals highlight the
bountiful harvest of the organic Esalen Garden,
honoring the principle of eating locally and
seasonally. For those who wish to connect even
more with their food, there is an educational
grazing adventure into the garden. In the
evenings, we will sit around the hearth and
discuss all things nutritional: the merits and
nature of different dietary systems; maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system; and
cleansing techniques from around the world.
Participants are also encouraged to slow down
and eat mindfully, fully experiencing and
enjoying every bite. Seize this opportunity to
break old eating habits, to cleanse and rebuild
your body, mind, and spirit.
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Esalen’s 6th Annual Yoga Festival
JAMES WVINNER
to expand our hearts even in the most challenging situations. By immersing ourselves in
this week of guided living wisdom practices,
we will create a solid foundation for each
participant to return to his or her home and
family with more clarity, ease, and a deeper
understanding of how to continue on the yogic
path in everyday life.
Embodying the Divine:
Five Days, Five Deities
Week of June 6–11
Douglas Brooks, Saul David Raye, Janet Stone,
Sianna Sherman & MC Yogi
T
he stories and myths of yoga are one
of the most engaging ways to dive into
yogic practices. The rich texture of
each story carries us deeply into our hearts,
imaginations, and the profound domain of selfreflective insight. This sixth annual Esalen
Yoga Festival will have a special emphasis on
the stories, myths, and essential teachings that
transmit the sacred knowledge of the yoga
tradition and awaken the inner light of the
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Self. Your whole self will be honored and
engaged to dive into the divine possibilities
of expansion and identity. We will gather
every day with a different deity for asana practice, storytelling, chanting mantras, breath
meditation, music, and dancing. Five luminous
teachers will draw from their personal connection to each deity and invite us all to share our
sacred story of awakening, both in everyday
life and the larger awakening of our planet.
As we engage in the practices of yoga, greater
clarity begins to infuse every area of our lives.
A lightness of being begins to emanate from
our very core and we find ourselves more able
On day one, we will cross the threshold of our
exploration by welcoming Ganesha, whose
myths, forms, and mantras are gateways to the
secrets of the heart. On the second day, we will
leap across the ocean of karma to play with
Hanuman and see ourselves in the great yoga
of commitment, and in the opening of the midline of possibilities. On day three we will move
into the subtle light and the revealing darkness
of the great Mother Durga, the empowerment
of the heart’s longing and the protective energy
of grace. From Durga’s dynamic transformation, on day four we will move to the explosive
alchemy of Shiva’s expansive consciousness of
Self with chant and story, through images of
serenity and destruction, and with dance and
creativity. On day five we conclude with the
power of pure auspiciousness, the bounty and
resplendence of the goddess who celebrates
life’s affirmation, Lakshmi. Five days, five
deities: a journey through the maze, the house
of mirrors, and the prismatic change that is our
gift of human embodiment.
The early mornings will be free time to soak in
the tubs, stroll the beautiful grounds of Esalen,
and meditate on your own while breathing the
ocean air. After breakfast, there will be offerings of mid-morning asana classes with the
various teachers. Each day, MC Yogi will be
with one of the three asana teachers to infuse
the experience with rapping, stories, and electric fun. There will be free time after lunch to
receive massages, soak in the Esalen hot
springs overlooking the Pacific, rest, recharge,
and connect with other yogis. Dr. Douglas
Brooks will offer late afternoon sessions in
which we will explore our understanding of
each deity through story, lecture, mantra, and
guided meditations. There will be at least one
other afternoon offering in addition to the sessions with Douglas, including Acro yoga, sweat
lodge ceremonies (weather permitting), and
partner Thai yoga. Evenings will include devo-
Please note: This festival will be full and spirited.
Expect to be in large classes with yoga mats
very close together. Please bring your own yoga
mat, towel, a zafu (cushion) for meditation, a
block, and a strap.
Leaders
Douglas Brooks is a leading scholar of Hindu
Tantrism and the esoteric traditions of the
Goddess. In addition to his formal Western
education, Douglas lived for many years in
India in the house of his teacher, according
to the traditions of Guru Kulam in which
the student is initiated into all facets of the
Indian classical Sanskrit education, including
philosophy, yoga, ritual, and worship.
www.rajanaka.com.
Saul David Raye is known for his empowering
and transformational approach to yoga, healing,
and spirituality. He spent several years in Asia
and India studying and practicing yoga, Thai
massage, Pranic healing, and meditation. Saul’s
teaching draws on the depth of the yoga tradition, Ayurveda, tantra, and all forms of universal
light love and wisdom. He holds certifications
in yoga, bodywork, and energy healing, is an
ordained minister and musician who infuses his
classes with healing music and chants. He is a
student of Paramahamsa Nithyananda and continues his studies under his guidance. For more
information, please visit www.sauldavidraye.com.
Sianna Sherman is an internationally-recog-
nized Anusara yoga teacher who delights in
storytelling, poetry, spontaneous dance, and
long walks in nature. She has a special appreciation for the mythological roots of yoga and
often teaches workshops called Mythic Yoga
Flow which infuse Anusara yoga, stories, and
music. She began her studies of yoga in 1989,
lived in India where she met and studied with
Gurumayi Chidvilasanda and subsequently
had the great blessing of meeting her primary
mentor John Friend in 1995. She studies closely with Tantric scholars Dr. Douglas Brooks and
Dr. Paul Muller Ortega. www.opentograce.com.
In 1996, Janet Stone traveled to India, the
birthplace of her grandfather, where she met
a powerful yogi and became dedicated to a
conscious evolution through yoga. As one of
San Francisco’s leading yoga instructors, Janet
blends a wealth of knowledge and yoga experience to create a unique, vigorous-yet-sumptuous approach to Vinyasa yoga that effortlessly
melds awareness with movement and breath.
She currently follows the teachings of her two
young daughters, India and Lilianna, who shed
the light on all things profound and wondrous.
www.janetstoneyoga.com.
MC Yogi, aka Nicholas Giacomini, grew up in
Northern California painting graffiti and listening to hip hop. He spent most of his high
school years at a group home for at-risk youth,
and hip hop culture provided both a soundtrack and a creative outlet during those turbulent teenage years. Then at age 18 he discovered
yoga, and began studying the physical forms, as
well as meditation, philosophy, and devotional
chanting. By combining his knowledge of
yoga with his love for hip hop music, MC Yogi
creates an exciting new sound that brings
the wisdom of yoga to a whole new generation
of modern mystics and urban yogis.
www.mcyogi.com.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
tional chanting, a concert by MC Yogi, expanded time with Douglas, and a dance party on our
final night together.
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Body of Sound
Alyssa DeCaro
“There is a hidden language that lives deep within us,” writes Alyssa DeCaro. “It is a language of
the body, voice, breath, heart, and of the soul. It
goes beyond the fear that keeps us separate. This
language connects each one of us to our deepest
self-knowing. This language weaves our thread
into the web of all life.
“When we use our body and voice to access the
places within that are longing to be expressed,
we are in touch with our authentic self. This
generates a ‘feeling sense’ of belonging and connection that awakens the whole being and activates transformation.
“We explore a variety of modalities such as
movement awareness, ecstatic dance, vocal toning, body percussion, contact improvisation,
circle song, drumming, and Balinese Kecak. As
we deepen the connection between sound and
movement within ourselves, we discover the
possibilities of connection with each other and
our environment. As the nature around us
brings inspiration, we venture out into this
beauty to find instruments and to create music
and dance in nature.
“Let’s come together in song and dance, in movement and stillness, in sound and silence. We
listen, we experiment, we share, we connect, and
we celebrate the gift of this life as it moves
through each unique being. All are welcome.”
Getting Unblocked
Ann Weiser Cornell
Do you sabotage yourself? Is there something
you really need to get done but you just don’t do
it? Are there parts of your life that stay stuck no
matter how hard you try? Do you have to force
yourself to do what you need to do–and even
that doesn’t work?
Inspired by what she learned while releasing
her own writer’s block, Ann Weiser Cornell
created a step-by-step program to help you get
unblocked and find your forward-flowing
action. It’s based on Inner Relationship
Focusing, a body-based method for listening
deeply to yourself.
Learn how to create a climate of acceptance
and welcome within, so that you can hear your
blocking and pushing parts without getting
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caught up in the struggle. Discover the myths
and patterns of action blocks and why the harder you try, the less you get done.
In a safe and supportive atmosphere that respects
your inner sense of rightness, you start with a
blocked life issue of your choice and follow it
through a series of exercises to release what’s
been holding the block in place. You can take
home skills to use over and over whenever life
gets stuck. Helping professionals can learn
powerful tools for working with clients.
Human Rights Activism:
Joining the Human Family of Doers
Jack Healey
“I invite you to discover how a simple vision and
a simple desire can achieve big things without
money or power,” writes Jack Healey. Healey is
the former director of Amnesty International
USA and the founder of the Human Rights
Action Center in Washington, D.C. “And I want
you to help with your stories. The first person
to help is yourself, but you cannot stop there.
Everyone in this world needs something we
may be able to deliver or send or organize: a
belief system that says if I have some, others
may need a part of it. That could be wealth, but
more importantly, the world’s suffering people
need your brain, your vision, your hopes, your
decency, and your stories. Warming the heart
with stories could unleash a new power in the
world, a new force not seen before: a drop of
decency into Darfur or help to Haiti that allows
them to eat a good meal from their own labor.
This workshop is my attempt to motivate participants to action. I hope I can help you see the
big picture of human rights abuses without
getting scared or frozen by its brutality. I want
you to feel the family of doers and become one
yourself.”
This workshop is energized with opportunities
to reach into other lives with empathy and
promised delivery—to have a better, clearer
vision of the future for your own action and
deeds.
Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways
Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer
Journey to your inner world with Spiritual
Massage, shaman practices, and group healing
work. As you travel deeply within, discover the
old patterns engraved on different layers of your
energy body. These patterns hold stories and
emotions that keep you from being fully present
in the moment. By letting them go, you can
come alive. It is a wonderful sensation to
embark on this inner search in a supportive
group. Together we learn and share all we have
in common as we build new and more joyful
ways of being.
Spiritual Massage is a hands-on healing practice
that works directly on the energy body, can
cleanse old thought forms, and addresses emotional, physical, and spiritual blockages.
Working with emotions and feelings, we sit in
the circle and have the opportunity to express
ourselves. As we journey into the lower world,
we can bring our shadow into the light of consciousness so we can unify our self in all its
parts.
This workshop can be taken on its own or in
combination with Maria’s Spiritual Massage:
Lightbody Infusion five-day workshop, June 13-18.
The Essence of Meditation:
Returning to Ease
Peter Russell
For thousands of years, spiritual traditions have
taught meditation as a way to awaken to the
ease, joy, and love that are our true nature. Yet,
many people find meditation tedious and difficult, a never-ending struggle to quiet the mind.
This has led to the popular misconception that
meditation requires great discipline and years of
practice.
Peter Russell, who has been teaching meditation
for forty years, has found that the key is giving
up all trying and effort. The mind in its natural
relaxed state is already at ease. Nothing needs to
be “done” to find inner peace, we simply need
to let go of the various thoughts that keep our
minds busy and tense. The beauty of this
approach is that nothing needs to be changed
or eliminated. We simply surrender to the fullness of the present moment.
In this workshop we can:
• Learn to allow our minds to fully relax into a
state of profound ease
• Discover how something as simple as
surrendering all effort and resistance can open
us to peace and joy
• Learn some basic principles of letting go
• Find greater contentment in the present
moment
• Use our inner knowing to guide us during
meditation
• Integrate these approaches in our lives and so
find greater ease in daily activity
Guided meditations, talks, group discussions,
and periods of silence and inner reflection are
all part of this experience. It is suitable for beginners and experienced students of meditation.
Radical Self-Care
Sarah La Saulle & Sharon Kagan
This workshop is for people who want to develop a profound practice of self-care, something
that is as important to emotional and spiritual
life as it is to overall physical health. Activities
include developing a relationship with self by
identifying what has been needed and longed
for, but frequently ignored; defining the difference between self-care and indulgence; and
investigating self-neglect through honest reflection. We end by strategizing necessary lifestyle
changes that support self-love.
Esalen’s physical surroundings, the supportive
environment, and the many opportunities to
pursue caring for the self are the perfect backdrop for this course. Using visualization, creative process, and group discussion, participants
can come away with a greater feeling of self-love
and an eager willingness to nurture themselves.
Experiencing Esalen
Pablo Piekar
For workshop description see January 22-24.
Week of June 13–18
Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion
Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer
Spiritual Massage is a hands-on healing practice
that works directly on the energy body, balancing the chakras, cleansing old thought forms,
and gently facilitating release of emotional,
physical, and spiritual blockages. Born into a
family of healers with a generations-old tradi-
BENJAMIN FAHRER
In our busy lives, self-care is the last thing on
our to-do list. Taking time to address our own
deepest needs, desires, and dreams requires
some concentrated attention. Most of us don’t
even recognize when we have abandoned our
own care in an effort to keep up with the demands
of day-to-day life and the needs of others.
tion, Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer studied with
healers in her native Brazil, where Spiritism—
receiving healing knowledge from the spirit
world—is familiar to much of the population. In
1979 she came to Esalen and was sponsored by
Esalen cofounder Dick Price to learn Spiritual
Massage from Brazilian healer Luiz Gasparetto.
Maria presents practical methods for using the
hands as instruments of physical and spiritual
healing. Incorporating both hands-on and energetic work, Spiritual Massage emphasizes intentionality as the fundamental tool of any healing
art designed to move energy. The workshop
includes exercises for grounding and attuning
to energy as well as Afro-Brazilian shamanic
practices for self-protection. Special exercises
help prepare the group energy field for channeling sessions done by Maria Lucia (please bring
questions). Emotional release work and group
healing process are integrated as they emerge.
This work is accessible to anyone, including
nurses, bodyworkers, businessmen, counselors,
and all those interested in working with energy
and people’s bodies.
This workshop can be taken on its own or in
combination with Maria’s Spiritual Massage and
Shaman Ways weekend workshop, June 11-13.
SoulMotion™: Sanctuary
Vinn Martí
sanc•tu•ary n, 1. A sacred place, such as a church,
temple, or mosque. 2. A place of refuge or asylum.
Vinn Martí, designer of SoulMotion, asks,
“What is it like to move in a fresh, authentic
manner? Is it possible to hang in the place within that allows for unbridled expressive contact
with self, other, and divine?” This week in the
natural sanctuary of Esalen will open doors that
enter new rooms of creation, expression, and
union with others.
“SoulMotion,” writes Vinn, “is a movement ministry, a dance practice, and a philosophy of living
that supports our unconditional acceptance of
‘what is’ and our fearless exploration outside the
box of the familiar, sleep-inducing trance we
sometimes find ourselves dancing to. We use the
dance as metaphor for living a creative, expressive, and unified life of integrity, immensity, and
intensity. Our hearts are ablaze with love of the
divine and divine love toward all beings, and
this becomes the beat, and the steps, and the
music, to which we dance the everyday dance.
“During this time together we nudge the spirit
of innovative action and creativity to awaken
and hold a high watch of unconditional acceptance as we stumble our way toward self-expression, self-acceptance, and self-recognition: we
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are spirit dancing this human experience.
Through guided imagery and relaxed induction
we track conditions and attitudes which no
longer serve our ability to unwind in the stream
of creative expression, and we open ourselves to
the next movement moment with radical awe
and wonder.“
The Spiritwalker Teachings:
Visionseeker Level 1
Hank Wesselman & Jill Kuykendall
The rediscovery of shamanism has emerged as a
major thrust in the spiritual reawakening of the
Western world. The techniques of traditional
shamans provide an extraordinary method for
accessing hidden dimensions of reality and
connecting with inner sources of power and
wisdom.
Hank Wesselman writes: “We will rediscover
our indigenous heart through the classic
shamanic journey, reestablishing connections
with our spirit helpers, teachers, and ancestors,
as we engage in visionary fieldwork and examine the nature of health, illness, and healing
from the perspective of spirit medicine.” The
workshop offers a clear introduction for those
new to the shaman’s path, and, for the more
experienced, provides unique material on the
soul cluster from the Hawaiian kahuna perspective.
Wesselman has worked for more than thirty
years with scientists investigating the mystery
of human origins in East Africa and has spent
much of his life with indigenous people. In the
1970s, doing fieldwork in Ethiopia, he began to
have spontaneous visionary experiences strikingly like those of traditional shamans. His
wife Jill Kuykendall is a physical therapist and
transpersonal medical practitioner, specializing
in soul retrieval.
Bring drums and rattles, a notebook, sketchpad,
a small set of oil or chalk pastels, a bandanna or
eyeshade, and a light blanket. Please refrain
from alcohol during the workshop.
Recommended reading: Wesselman &
Kuykendall, Spirit Medicine; Wesselman, The
Journey to the Sacred Garden, and The Spiritwalker
Trilogy.
Be Present Empowerment Model®:
Actualizing an Inclusive Vision of
Community
Lillie Allen & Eugene Allen
What does it take to create and sustain positive
change in this world? We live in the social, political, and economic systems that we seek to
change. While many understand that they are
affected, they do not necessarily comprehend
just how deep the impact is on everyone, including children and young adults. Be Present, Inc.
believes that in order to create peace and justice
for all, people are responsible for examining
their role and society’s role in perpetuating the
“isms” (racism, classism, sexism, etc.). It is from
this understanding that we can model new ways
to foster tolerance, promote peace, and partner
for justice.
This family-friendly workshop teaches the Be
Present Empowerment Model®, a leadership
curriculum about how to develop self-awareness, understanding, voice, and purpose in
building sustainable relationships in our diverse
and changing world. Participants will learn in a
community of practice how to:
• Explore in a safe space the impact of race,
gender, class, sexual orientation, and gender
identity issues
• See the shifting and fluid nature of our social
identities
• Foster open dialogue and broadened
understanding
• Develop enduring partnerships for change.
Children and youth, our next generation of leaders, are active participants in this workshop.
Children of all ages are welcome.
Mountains and Waves:
Wilderness and Continuum
Steven Harper & Susan Harper
Wilderness is a primary teacher of movement,
creativity, and awareness whose richness and
beauty awakens our senses to the world around
us. Continuum is a unique movement practice,
an inquiry into our capacity to innovate and participate with the essential movement processes
of life. Continuum takes us inward in a dynamic
inquiry, rotating between inner investigation
and the flow of unfolding creative expression.
Integrating day-hiking in the magnificent Big
Sur backcountry with the subtle internal explorations of Continuum movement, this workshop combines and weaves together these two
practices.
The hikes will introduce participants to increasingly refined awareness practices to enhance
sensitivity to all that wilderness can offer, to
reawaken those elements of wilderness within.
During the indoor Continuum sessions, participants will explore movements that express and
embody what they have taken in during the
hikes, enlivening their ability to feel what they
experience in nature as well as in their own
inner nature. In this sensual environment, the
group will play with movement, breath, sound,
dreams, and ritual. This will be a time for contact with nature and wilderness, inside and out.
Participants need not have previous experience
in hiking or movement practices.
HARRY FEINBERG
Co-leaders Steven and Susan are a brother-andsister team who have taught this ever-evolving
program annually for over 20 years.
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questionnaire (web address given upon registration). The format of this workshop is highly
interactive.
Drumming Up Health!™
Gamo Da Paz
Consider for a moment how often we hear people say they feel “out of sync.” In other words,
they’re out of rhythm. Drumming is one way to
reconnect with life’s rhythm and get back into
a healthy cycle. In our busy days, we typically
juggle dozens of ideas and motions all at the
same time. Drumming as an external sensory
activity can relieve the mind of the numerous
thought processes that often contribute to
stress. Drumming Up Health! premiered at
Stanford University as part of their Health
Improvement Program, and it focuses on learning basic techniques of drumming while creating simple rhythms in a group setting.
Drumming, like meditation, is about focusing
on one thing intently; drumming converts
our thought impulses into pure motion.
Students join Gamo Da Paz, a third-generation
master drummer from Bahia, Brazil, to discover how to use drumming to achieve a meditative state that can help release stress, regain
mental and physical balance, and prepare
them for a more productive and attuned
sense of wellbeing. No previous drumming
experience is necessary.
Coaching Skills for Leaders,
Managers, and Coaches
Gustavo Rabin
How can we support change in others? As someone else is trying to be a better person in the
world, how can we assist their process? It is the
role of the coach to facilitate the process of
change and personal growth. Explore the different ways in which you—in the role of the
coach—could be instrumental in illuminating
a path to personal transformation for yourself
and for others.
We all want to achieve our potential, to
become the best possible version of ourselves.
In the role of the coach, you will open doors
for others to realize their potential. In this
workshop we review proven tools, processes,
and maps for transitioning through the
process of personal change. The learning
will be applicable to ourselves as well as for
coaching others.
Participants have the option of receiving their
leadership profile by responding to an online
The Yoga of Regeneration
Mark Whitwell
Experience a nurturing, regenerative weekend
of yoga in the ancient restorative atmosphere
and healing waters of Esalen. When you make
a promise to practice yoga, yoga will meet you
at every level, offering healing solutions to
your unique needs. During this week you will
learn an authentic yoga practice that takes you
into account. It is a real yoga for real people.
By the end of the week, you will have a practical yoga designed personally for you, with
your health, age, and lifestyle fully considered.
The gifts of this yoga can benefit all aspects of
your daily life—health, intimacy, wellbeing,
and joy.
It is not enlightenment we want, but intimacy
with life in every aspect. This intimacy and
unity with life is freely available to everyone,
even amidst our difficulties. A promise to yoga
is an interwoven, mutual promise. You promise
to practice yoga seven minutes each day, naturally, not obsessively. You open yourself to the gifts
that yoga can give back.
This workshop is suitable for everyone: longtime or beginning students of yoga. Please bring
a yoga mat.
Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones
through Mindfulness and Movement
support the changes made on any level, emotional, physical, or psychological. The safe, fun,
and nurturing environment helps support the
integration of past events. Join us to explore
what’s possible!
Gay Men Thriving! Developing Intimacy,
Self-Acceptance, and Love
Rik Isensee & James Guay
As gay men, we all have deep needs and desires
we seek to fulfill: a longing for trust, confidence,
intimacy, acceptance, and love. Yet growing up
gay in a homophobic culture, it’s understandable
that we may be wary of being vulnerable with
other men. Even when an intimate connection
is truly available, we may find ourselves resisting, pulling away, or getting scared.
This experiential workshop uses the gentle yet
powerful methods of mindful body awareness
to explore this paradoxical edge between longing and resistance. A deep awareness of physical and emotional reactions will reveal habitual responses that often keep us from getting
what we want. Then, through a range of
respectful (and entirely voluntary) experiences—including imagery, eye contact, evocative music, and supportive, nonsexual touch—
we will expand our ability to give and receive
heartfelt nurturing, attention, and loving kindness. Come join us for a fun and enriching
weekend! We will build on our strengths,
discover a joyful and playful side of gay men’s
creativity, and tap into the resources of our
own internal wisdom.
Patrice Hamilton & Dorothy Charles
A Celebration of Family
This experiential workshop blends slow, developmental movement with individual and group
Gestalt work to address how habitual unconscious beliefs and behaviors formed early in life
lead to habitual ways of responding that limit
life experience.
Sunnie Kaufmann
Through mindfulness, you can learn to increase
awareness of these unconscious ways of being
and move beyond those habits. Through gentle
explorations of forgotten movement patterns
and Gestalt Awareness Practice, you are better
able to contact the here-and-now, where change
and growth are possible. Release unnecessary
muscular contractions that drain you physically
and energetically, and emerge feeling more
empowered and able to fully express yourself
in the world. A change in habitual muscular
holding patterns can result in a body that will
What does family mean to you? Spend this wonderful weekend exploring the language of love
in your family. Experience the expression of
love through music, movement, and silence.
Create a family portrait using the tools of your
imagination. Share your family history in a special story circle. Together, begin to write a family
book that will grow with you as your family continues to grow. This workshop is open to parents,
children, and any other family members who
want to celebrate the love that makes a family.
We will be celebrating fathers on this Father’s
Day weekend as well; all forms of “Dad” are
welcome!
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Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s
Day in the Tradition of the Old Ways
Steven Harper, Kenneth Harper, Kai Harper
& Kes Harper
It is a wise child that knows his own father.
—Homer
It is a wise father that knows his own child.
—William Shakespeare
Over the ages, fathers and sons have journeyed
together into the wilds of nature, traveling light,
living simply, and stepping together on the path
of what is known and what is unknown as students and teachers for one another. This weekend
is a time for fathers and sons to come together as
individuals, family, and community to explore
the natural wild areas of Big Sur and the relationship of father and son in a community of men.
“Our time together is simple,” says Steven.
“Participants will be introduced to basic contemplative and awareness practices from various
wisdom traditions. Our time outdoors during
the weekend will be spent on day hikes (two to
six miles in length) into the rugged beauty of
Big Sur. Much of our time will be in silence,
quiet dialog, and reflective exercises that invite
participants to pay attention to that which has
heart and meaning. During indoor sessions we
will share experience, stories of the path, and
poems of inspiration…with a touch of creative
humor to add balance.”
Longtime Esalen leader, Steven Harper, his
father Kenneth, and two sons, Kai and Kes, will
lead the weekend. This multi-generational
father and son team along with the group will
weave together an eclectic mix that draws from
collective life experience and training.
All levels of experience are welcome, however
the group is limited to fourteen years and older.
More information will be sent upon registration.
($10 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leaders)
Week of June 20–25
Mindful Body-Mind Psychology and
Practice: The Hakomi Method
Ron Kurtz & Adama Hamilton
This course introduces the Hakomi Method, a
mind-body treatment approach that integrates
elements of mindfulness practice, loving presence, and enhanced bodily awareness of non-
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verbal indicators. Core cognitive structures that
shape how we relate to others and ourselves are
accessed by focusing on embodied habitual patterns. The healing relationship evoked by the
connection between therapist and client aims
to support a deeper awareness and greater
creativity in living.
Being mindfully aware and attending to the
richness of present experience creates scientifically recognized enhancements in brain physiology, mental functions, and in interpersonal relationships. Mindful, somatic awareness will be
studied and practiced as a therapeutic tool and
specific interventions will be considered. The
course is designed for those in the helping professions as well as interested non-professionals.
Qigong Empowerment: The Healing
Promise of Qi for Health Maximization,
Healing, and Spiritual Alchemy
Roger Jahnke
Chinese yoga, known as Qigong (Chi Kung), is
emerging as the self-healing tool of choice in
many people’s lives and in hospitals, spas, retreat
centers, corporations, and even the military.
This retreat is designed for those who seek
healing, empowerment, maximum personal
performance, inner peace, and the experience of
oneness. The program begins with the simplest
levels of self-healing, known as Dao Yin, including gentle Tai Chi-like movements, self-massage,
breath practice, and meditative mindfulness.
Then, drawing on Dr. Jahnke’s widely acclaimed
book, The Healing Promise of Qi, participants will
explore the insights of the ancient Qi masters,
discover the original meaning of Tai Chi, and
learn the potent Nine Phases Method of Qi cultivation and mastery. Throughout, participants
explore Chinese medical theory, journey into
the philosophies of the Taoists, Buddhists, martial artists, and ancient alchemists, and make
enlightening comparisons with Western physiology and quantum physics. Simple methods of
transmitting Qi to others will be introduced as
well.
Reflecting from his thirty years in the practice
of Chinese medicine and his numerous trips to
the hospitals and sacred sites of Asia, Dr. Roger
Jahnke notes: “For those who seek healing this
is an opportunity for deep immersion in
Qigong. For those who seek personal maximization and stress relief, this is an exploration of
one of the most eloquent empowerment systems ever developed. For those who seek the
light of spirituality, Qigong is a clear path to the
revelation of inner radiance. For all, we will be
intently creating and bathing in a field of pure
and radiant Qi.” For more information, visit
www.FeeltheQi.com.
Recommended reading: Jahnke, The Healer
Within, and The Healing Promise of Qi.
The Body Shop: Explorations in
Intimacy for Couples
Stella Resnick & Alan Kishbaugh
While sensitive discussion can bring closeness,
words are not the core of intimacy. As modern
neuroscience has shown—and body-based psychotherapists have known for decades—the core
of the intimate self is the body. Sometimes the
words we say to ourselves or to our partner confuse rather than illuminate, because they come
from habitual ways of thinking and expressing
ourselves. Love in all its incarnations—as attachment, romance, friendship, eroticism, sexual
union, and spiritual attunement—is a bodybased experience. Being part of a loving couple
is the ultimate evolutionary opportunity to heal
old body-mind wounds and to share nurturing
pleasures.
In this couples-only workshop, we’ll begin with
a brief look at what modern neuroscience tells
us about how our pre-verbal past is programmed
into our brain and nervous system. We’ll see how
the past is present in how we form emotional
attachments, handle stress, convey love, and
relate to sexual pleasure.
Deepening the Characters We Create:
A Writing Workshop
Lisa Doctor
The characters we create, according to Ernest
Hemingway, can and will evolve from caricatures into real people if we allow them to speak
in their own voices without interference. But
how do our characters turn into dynamic
beings? How do they find their own truths?
Through a series of writing exercises and discussion, we will create the profile of a character and
then allow him or her to answer challenging
questions designed to reveal hidden truths. Each
prompt is chosen specifically for the character;
no two characters receive the same questions.
As the week progresses, these emerging people
open up about that which haunts and thrills
• Embracing what IS as the gateway to deeper
reality
• Learning how to be truly present
• Cultivating surrender, forgiveness, lovingkindness, and trust
• Accessing deep inner guidance and wisdom
Miranda offers a blend of universal spiritual
teachings that includes guided inquiry, meditative processes, sensing body energy, intuitive
listening, and the practice of surrender. No
subject is off limits—this work embraces every
dimension of human experience and operates
on spiritual, psychological, energetic, and practical dimensions.
Awakening Your Healing Heart:
A Holoenergetic® Training Intensive
for Health and Healing Practitioners
and Therapists
Leonard Laskow
BENJAMIN FAHRER
A practitioner’s greatest gift is to be so fully present that the client’s essential nature, which is
one with the practitioner’s, is resonantly activated. Ideally, this shared field of undistorted,
nonjudgmental awareness or witnessing then
becomes the context in which all subsequent
therapeutic interaction transpires. Since “problems” for which clients seek help ultimately
derive from the illusion of separation from one’s
essential nature, true healing can only occur in
this contextual field of wholeness, which simultaneously includes and transcends all phenomena.
them. They explore their personal histories,
their concerns about aging, their longings, disappointments, and uncertainties. We will ask
them to speak freely about old wounds and their
compassion for others. They tell us what used
to be important to them but no longer is. By
the end of the week the character each writer
has created will have begun to emerge into a
separate being with an authentic voice and a
distinct identity.
This workshop is designed for writers of every
level, including beginners, who are seeking a
group writing experience in a safe and nurturing environment. The method used is particularly effective for those wishing to begin or are
in the midst of writing a novel, memoir, short
story, screenplay, or stage play, where a richly
drawn character takes center stage.
Living Spiritual Depth:
Bringing Grace Alive
Miranda MacPherson
This workshop is a sacred space to facilitate
perennial spiritual truths coming more fully
alive in our experience and to bring about deep
transformation. In a field of deep acceptance,
Miranda MacPherson will guide the way through
ego-identifications and habits, to access the radiant peace of our true nature—not just as concept
or idea, but as direct experience. Then, together
we can address our human challenges with new
wisdom, and explore what it takes to live from
spiritual depth and grace in every dimension of
life. Topics include:
• Exploring practices to access inner peace and
stillness
• Unwinding patterns of suffering
This intensive training is designed to teach four
powerful therapeutic tools that will enhance the
effectiveness and depth of the practitioner’s
work. At the same time, by using these techniques with an awakened heart, the practitioner
will be more fulfilled and enlivened by his/her
work. The intensive will focus on these four
processes:
• Accessing conscious heart space
• Establishing transpersonal alignment with
patients and clients
• Learning to “trace” illness, suffering, and
distress to its source—apparent separation
from the whole—and transform this energy of
separation into unitive love
• Engaging the grace and power of forgiveness
to release the inherent capacity to heal oneself
As the heart opens, the truth and splendor of
who we really are is finally revealed and
expressed as inner peace, love, joy and freedom.
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The Art of Essential Touch:
An Esalen® Massage Retreat
Brita Ostrom & Ellen Watson
Recommended reading and viewing: SteindlRast, A Listening Heart;Ackerman, A Natural
History of the Senses; Esalen Massage DVD; Watson:
Wake-Up 101, The Art of Essential Touch DVDs.
Altar Your Joy: Making Personal Altars
their own altar (materials provided), along with
an interactive group piece that we build
throughout the week. Wooden forms are transformed into sacred vessels using images, words,
special objects, and a variety of art mediums.
Natural elements will also be included. The simple and satisfying art of placement (composition), creative writing exercises, and meditative
guidance will crystallize the seeds of your voyage. Discover the joy that comes by focusing on
the life-affirming practices of beauty and art.
Altars can serve as visual and energetic reminders
for life intentions and future hopes. Their tone
can be grounding forces and aesthetic additions
to your home or work place, touchstones for
your spiritual practice, and platforms to honor
past memories, experiences, and people.
Virginia Ray
Delve into the world of altar-making while
exploring your personal joy during this spirited
and playful workshop that reinvents the ancient
theme of altars and shrines in new and imaginative ways. Tap into your lighthearted, gentle
nature in the process. Each participant makes
Bring a journal, a willingness to experience an
interlude of mystery and magic, and a few cherished items you’d like to work with. These could
include mementos, photos, favorite stones, or
other objects. No art experience is necessary!
For more information, visit www.virginiaray.net.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Esalen Massage is a healing art form, evolved
over forty-five years at the Esalen baths.
Influenced by the rhythms of the Pacific, this
form of touch engages all the senses and offers
deep release and relaxation to both giver and
receiver. This workshop invites participants to
explore the world of essential touch through the
gentle guidance of teachers with many years of
experience. We will offer the basic principles of
our work: grounding and centering, moving
from the core, quality of touch, and using breath
to bridge the connection between giver and
receiver. One of the key elements of this art
form is tapping into the flowing, creative energy
present in a living body and letting one’s massage style emerge from that experience. We will
include techniques, especially the Esalen signature moves, along with deeper work. We will
also spend time in the Esalen baths, combining
herbs from the Esalen garden with the hot mineral water to cleanse and tone body and spirit.
This retreat is open to beginners and experienced bodyworkers interested in learning new
and creative approaches to massage. Please bring
your favorite music for movement and massage,
and bring loose, comfortable clothing.
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Practice
Christine Price
meditations, and discussion. Open seat work
may be demonstrated.
The Money Vision Quest:
Transforming Your Financial Life
Brent Kessel & Spencer Sherman
Wealth managers and authors Spencer Sherman
and Brent Kessel share their methods for transforming money patterns to create peace, passion,
and power around finances.
Utilizing practices and insights from the world’s
great wisdom traditions and leading financial
minds, Spencer and Brent lead participants on a
courageous journey of self-discovery through
one of the most uncharted areas of our inner
landscape.
• A reclamation of your childhood money
initiation and discovery of true alignment
with your values
• A deeper sense of security and confidence
about your future
• Improved financial relationships with their
life partner, parents, children, and colleagues
• New ways to think about spending, saving,
giving, and earning money
• A greater ability to reach your most important
financial goals
Being True to Life: Poetic Paths to
Personal Growth
David Richo
Becoming healthy, psychologically and spiritually, includes releasing the full range of our imagination about who we are and can be. Writing
poetry is a surprising tool in that exciting venture. Using Buddhist and Jungian perspectives,
this workshop offers a fresh and inspiring
approach to personal growth, one that taps into
our inherent creativity and the versatility of
poetry. Here is an opportunity to give poetry a
try and see what we can discover about ourselves and our world. Poetry may have seemed
daunting in school but this is a chance for it to
become wonderfully personal as we use hearts
and pens to explore who we are. Simple poetrywriting techniques will be shared and you can
choose to share what we write, or not.
Most of what concerns and distresses us has two
sides. We usually have a conscious knowledge
of our issues. There is, however, also an unconscious dimension. A poem begins with a conscious intention but as we flow with our writing, we find out more than we might have
guessed about who we are and what is going on
inside of us. This is why writing poetry can help
us so much in self-discovery. We can find new
avenues into healing of our fears, our self-doubts,
our relationship issues. There is a power in poetry
to grant access to the lost territories in ourselves,
and, once there, to celebrate what we find.
Poetry reveals the path to new ways of living.
The workshop is meant for everyone, regardless
of wealth level. It can help participants redesign
the way they experience, think about, earn, save,
give, invest, and spend money. It is designed to
help all participants achieve a sense of financial
freedom and ease. Exercises are experiential,
written, group, solo, spiritual, and practical.
Recommended reading: Richo, Being True to Life.
Goals for the workshop include:
We live in a culture that extols constant productivity. From sunrise to sunset, we move at a
breakneck pace in order to meet the day’s
• A clearer understanding of the powerful forces
that have shaped your financial life
Revealing the Wisdom Within:
Relieve and Prevent Neck and Shoulder
Dysfunction
Harvey Deutch
demands, only to wake up the next day and do
it all over again. Is it any wonder that we’ve
distanced ourselves from the body’s signals of
discomfort in an effort to get things done? Such
signals may be manifested as a particular ache or
perhaps in overall stiffness in the body. Either
way this in a path leads to decreased energy and
an inability to embrace each day with optimal
vitality. But there is another path. First we must
unlock the mysteries of why and how our bodies hold onto unhealthy movement patterns.
Then we can address our body’s biomechanical
inefficiencies and so move through our day with
greater consciousness and fluidity, ultimately
opening, healing, and re-energizing ourselves.
Join Harvey Deutch, physical therapist and yogi,
for a weekend that focuses on spinal awareness
and mobility, including the cervical spine,
shoulders, and major joints systems of the upper
body. Through group discussion, pranayama
(conscious breathing), and Iyengar-influenced
yoga asana (postures), you can discover that
sacred balance that arises from the convergence
of core strength, awareness of the thoracic spine,
flexibility, and the spiraling lines of energy within the body. In addition to a yoga mat, please
bring your curiosity and desire to share in the
group experience, compassion for honoring
your body exactly as it is, and a sense of humor.
Human Potential in a Postmodern World
Bradley Lewis
We live in a time of deep transition. Our oncecherished truths have become uncertain and
unreliable as we move further and further into
postmodern times. This new postmodern world
forces us out of old patterns of living, creates
unprecedented and often dramatic social and
environmental problems, and demands imaginative and smart ways of being in the world.
But what exactly is “postmodernism?” What
does it mean to live in “postmodern times?”
This workshop, led by cultural theorist and New
York University professor Bradley Lewis, begins
by introducing key intellectual writers in postmodern philosophy, art, culture, and media.
Following this background, we turn our attention
to the personal and political significance of these
new developments. We will then explore what it
means for our individual lives to live in a postmodern era. What does it mean to be an engaged
political citizen of the new era? And, most importantly, how can we re-imagine and re-create a
viable counterculture in the postmodern era?
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What would the postmodern dream for a contemporary human potential movement look like?
The advent of postmodern times is in many
ways a frightening development. But, paradoxically, the postmodern era also offers new and
exciting life strategies that can work in harmony
with the new world order. In this workshop, we
focus on the emerging possibilities for releasing
today’s human potential.
Spinal Awareness (with Humor): The
Essence of Feldenkrais® and Energy Work
Patrick Douce
conditions of your body. Spinal Awareness is a
blend of movement, touch, and group interaction, based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais,
Chinese-Indonesian martial art, and the Esalen
experience. It continues to evolve.
The movements of Spinal Awareness are quite
different from normal exercises. They emphasize
learning how to move in ways that stimulate
your awareness of your body. They involve learning to use the floor to organize and integrate
your own spinal column. Standing lessons lead
to a new awareness of ways to move with better
balance and fluidity. Special emphasis will be
placed on any difficulties participants may have,
such as lower back pain, hip trouble, tension in
the neck and shoulders, and knee injuries.
This work will focus on how we can re-learn
how to overcome our limitations in movement
and functioning. Special emphasis will be
placed on Skeletal Awareness. Students will be
given a new understanding of how tension and
injury are often involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of our bodies.
Lessons inspired by Indonesian Silat will be
used to stimulate the energy body, effecting
internal health and increasing energy. These
movements, originating from the monasteries
of China and Tibet, further increase healing
possibilities. Safe and noninvasive hands-on
lessons will be presented that can greatly speed
up improvements
This workshop will evolve with humor and
playfulness. Fun partner lessons will help bring
about not only freedom in the body but the
return to the childlike energy essential to us all.
This is a program designed for both the beginner
and the professional.
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Week of June 27–July 2
Yoga Ecstasy Summer Axé Retreat
Micheline Berry
Join Micheline Berry, musical guests Craig
Kohland, DJ Drez, Shaman’s Dream World
Groove Ensemble, and dancers Vida Vierra and
Dani Lunn for this rejuvenating and healing celebration of Axé, the Yoruba word for “creative
life force.” Immerse yourself in mixed-level
Liquid Asana™ Vinyasa Flow yoga, AfroBrazilian dance and Orixa ritual, sound meditations, and spontaneous flights of ritual World
Beat music and ecstatic dance.
Most yoga sessions will be accompanied by live
and DJ’ed funky world beats by Shaman’s Dream
featuring DJ Drez to guide you deeper into the
flow.
The retreat will also include:
• A special summer ritual concert to get your
healing groove on, with Micheline Berry, Dani
Lunn, Vida Vierra, and Shaman’s Dream
• Tribal art-making with artist Domonic Dean
Breaux
• Afro-Brazilian Dance and Orixa ritual with
Vida Vierra and Dani Lunn
You will have the opportunity to: activate
dynamic asana sequences with creative, fluid
movement, core stability, and strength; cultivate
a deeply nourished and empowered state of
being through the purifying heat of vinyasa kramas (flowing sequences) that can lead to peak
states of embodiment; and open a free flow of
energy in the spine and major joint systems and
unlock stagnant areas within the body/mind.
Please bring a yoga mat. For more information
about Micheline, visit www.michelineberry.com.
Artplane Workshop
Nicholas Wilton & Jennie Oppenheimer
A lighthearted, playful exploration of the creative image-making process, Artplane presents
practical principles of painting combined with a
fresh approach to working more freely and intuitively. Explore color theory, harmony, value,
and design through in-class demonstrations, critiques, and extensive hands-on painting. There
is little time to worry about success or failure,
because the process takes the form of a flowing
series of small paintings on wood panels.
Participants sometimes paint on two or three
pieces simultaneously. Working in this way
counteracts the tendency to over focus and constrict the creative process. Recognizing and
remaining in this state of high creativity is a
fundamental idea of the class. Seeing the opportunities made possible by mistakes and learning
how to evaluate and improve upon your work
are also emphasized.
Come prepared for a whirl of creative selfexpression and the wonderful feeling of creating
a collection of your own paintings that celebrates the process of inspiration, reclamation,
and the journey of self-discovery. Only life experience and a willingness to play are needed.
($80 materials fee paid directly to the leaders;
details provided upon registration)
Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons
and the Performance of Other Minds
Barbara Stafford
Mimicry is a pre-linguistic skill with enabling
neuronal circuitry dating back at least 40 million years. Explore recent discoveries in the
brain sciences on sympathy and empathy,
including the “mirror neurons” of macaques.
These findings shed new light on the biological,
chemical, social, and aesthetic processes that
underlie our mirroring of others. What is so
fascinating is that this visual-motor capacity to
conjoin one being with another is apparently
universal.
Using a wide range of examples from the visual
arts—stretching back to ancient Australian petroglyphs and forward to contemporary video—
we will examine how the universe of art has
long drawn upon the imitative instinct. Art
embodies the fact that intentional or unintentional information about how we feel—our joy,
love, pain, passion—can have a direct impact on
someone else, and that another person’s happiness or suffering, in turn, can also be communicated to an observer reliably without language.
We routinely feel our way inside someone’s
mobile features, or predict from physiognomy,
or draw inferences from speech-amplifying gestures, through a kind of virtual simulation.
Through lecture and class discussion we will
wrestle with how recognition is re-cognition.
In what ways does physiological sight become
comprehending insight? How does the perception of behavior communicate the meaning of
that behavior?
Recommended reading: Stafford, Echo Objects:
The Cognitive Work of Images.
Breathe Into Being: Awakening to
Who You Really Are
municating more clearly about the body. Please
bring colored pencils.
Dennis Lewis
Required textbook: Kapit and Elson, The Anatomy
Coloring Book.
The ever-increasing speed, stress, and disharmony of the modern world conditions us not only
to a way of living in which the future is often
assumed to be more important than the present,
but also cuts us off from the immediate experience of ourselves as living, breathing beings. As
a result, many of us live as unconscious, breathless automatons, rushing faster than time itself
into an imaginary future and are seldom present
to the mystery and miracle of who we really are
right here and now. Our breathing is so constricted and incomplete that it undermines our
health, our vitality, and our consciousness. It
also deprives us of one of the great joys of living
on this earth: the expansive sensation of a free,
easy, boundless breath that engages the whole of
ourselves and opens us to the fullness of the life.
Based on his book, Breathe Into Being, and his
many years of study in the traditions of Taoism,
Advaita, and the Gurdjieff Work, Dennis takes
you on an inner and outer journey of presence
and awakening. Through guided self-inquiry,
self-sensing practices, breathing exercises,
qigong, and special movements, sounds, and
postures, learn how your breath can be a gateway into presence, into who you really are, and a
way to release constricting and disharmonious
mental, physical, and emotional energies.
Become conscious of your body as a sacred
temple—a temple within which you can awaken
to your fundamental nature.
Recommended reading: Lewis, Breathe Into
Being: Awakening To Who You Really Are and
Free Your Breath, Free your Life.
The Language of the Body: Anatomy I
Jim Gallas
Learn the language of Western professional
health care providers while exploring the
miracle of the human form. Material covered
includes the major muscles and bones, skin and
connective tissue, anatomical directions, types
of joints and joint actions, and a brief overview
of the body’s various systems. A wide variety
of teaching techniques will be used, including
lecture, movement, palpation, massage, guided
visualization, lots of review, and group interaction. This introductory level course is designed
for massage therapists, yoga and movement
teachers, and anyone with an interest in com-
Water in the Desert: Hope, Faith, and
Awe in a Time of Loss
Maria Sirois
As Stephen, a sixteen-year-old with a life-threatening illness, once said, “Every day counts. Even
if it’s a bad day and you’re in pain, it’s still your
day and it still counts.” How, then, in the presence of our bad days, when illness and loss rise
and swell, do we remember that the days matter
and that we can in fact find water in the desert?
How do we step into the world creatively and
compassionately when the tsunamis come?
Weaving together wisdom from the fields of
positive psychology, faith traditions, mind-body
medicine, and stories of those who have come
through darkness with opened hearts and
resilience, we gather the knowledge we most
need to invigorate hope, create a sustaining
faith, and to remember where we find awe.
With those tools and our shared wisdom, any
day becomes a day that turns a life forward.
We can create the possibility, as Viktor Frankl
expressed it, of shifting the question of life from
“why me?” to “who am I in the presence of this?”
From that shift, a replenished and sustaining life
is not only possible, it becomes likely. Participants
work together in lecture format, small group
discussion, meditation and guided imagery, and
through journaling.
“Everyone has a story to tell,” says Nina, “and stories reside as much in the body as in the mind.
So we begin with movement—slow stretches to
open the body. We open the voice with playful
classical- and jazz-based exercises. We meditate
to calm the heart, dance to free the spirit, find a
way to effortlessly compose with language. This
journey leads to giving voice and physicality to
the private characters and inner realities that
live in the subconscious mind and the cells of
our bodies.”
This workshop is like dreaming on your feet.
Expect to surprise yourself and to become more
playful and at ease before an audience. You
might even find that the sense of wellbeing
achieved during the workshop not only expands
your creative abilities but also enhances your
experience of daily life. And while it is not therapy, Nina’s work can be surprisingly, delightfully,
holistically healing.
Recommended reading: Wise, A Big, New, Free,
Happy, Unusual Life.
S
future
programs
The program listed below is scheduled for the
next catalog period (July–December 2010).
Although registration for this program is not
yet open, the information below can assist in
your long-term plans to participate. Please call
the Esalen office, visit www.esalen.org, or see the
next catalog for full program information.
November, 2010
Motion Theater: Dreaming On Your Feet
28-Day Massage Practitioner
Certification Program
Nina Wise
Esalen Massage Staff TBD
It is our nature to be free—and to express that
freedom spontaneously and without hesitation
through song and dance, poetry, and play.
Moreover, we each have the ability to wake up
to who we already know ourselves to be: people
dedicated to a sane and just world made up
of individuals who celebrate their common
humanity and this planet of indescribable
beauty through singing, dancing, playing, and
caring for all sentient beings.
The Esalen month-long massage program
provides comprehensive instruction in
basic massage skills. The training provides a
minimum of 150 hours. After the program,
students wishing to fulfill certification
requirements have six months to complete
and document 30 massage sessions. Upon
payment of a $100 processing fee, a
California state-approved Certificate of
Completion will be issued. To request an
application, contact the Esalen office at
831-667-3000.
This improvisation workshop allows the creativity that resides within us to have a voice.
93
special programs
HARRY FEINBERG
S
T
he programs listed below are either
part of an ongoing series, formatted
unusually, or longer than the standard
Esalen workshop.
March 5–April 2
28-Day Esalen® Massage Practitioner
Certification Training
Char Pias & Oliver Bailey
This professional course provides a minimum of
150 hours training in a unique approach to massage. Esalen Massage is not only comprised of
physical techniques, it is a way of being, a philosophy of touch. Classes include lectures and demonstrations of fundamental massage skills and supervised practice sessions. The teaching method is
primarily experiential learning. Emphasis is on
supporting students to develop a balance between
technique, intuition, and creativity. Meditation is
taught daily as a basis for centering and developing presence. A weekly group process class is
included to explore communication skills.
Optional yoga and movement classes are also
available outside of the regular class schedule.
Following completion of the program, students
wishing to fulfill certification requirements have
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six months to document thirty massage sessions.
Upon payment of a $100 processing fee, a
California state-approved certificate is issued.
This training is available to anyone with a genuine interest in Esalen Massage, whether for
personal growth or for professional goals.
Admission is by application. Please request
an application form from the Esalen office by
sending an e-mail to 28day@esalen.org or calling
831-667-3005. Applications are reviewed in the
order received and preference is given to those
who have previously completed an Esalen
Massage workshop. Because class size is limited,
early application is highly recommended.
Required reading: Biel, Trail Guide to the Body.
($10 materials fee paid directly to leaders)
Esalen® Massage 500-hour
Certification Program
Esalen's 500-hour Certification Program offers
advanced studies to Esalen Massage Practitioner
certified graduates. The focused coursework is
carefully selected from the regular workshop
schedule and encompasses a broad and special-
ized knowledge of bodywork, psychological and
communication skills, awareness practices, and
movement kinesthetic studies. This curriculum
is tailored to each student’s schedule, ability, and
professional goals. An on-site massage teacher/
advisor provides personal guidance and assessment throughout the program. The foundations
of human anatomy and physiology are studied
away from Esalen, at approved trainings near
where students live. The course is designed to
link body-mind-spirit in a professional bodywork study and practicum.
To be eligible, students must first complete an
Esalen-approved certification program of at
least 150 hours and must have earned their
certificate. When students return to Esalen
for their first post-certificate course, they
select an advisor from the teaching staff, give
the advisor an assessment massage, and draw
up a study plan. The 500-hour program is
approved by the California Board of Consumer
Affairs (formerly the California BPPVE) and
the NCBTMB.
Fees include the standard workshop fees (for
example, ten 5-day courses), plus approximately
$500 advisor and certification fees. For more
details see the Esalen Massage and Bodywork
Association website: www.esalen.org/sites/emba.
The Coaches Training Institute
The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) is the
largest in-person coach training school in the
world. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay
Area, CTI offers accredited coach training, comprehensive leadership training, professional
coaching certification, and powerful coaching
skills for people in any profession. CTI’s CoActive Coach Training curriculum consists
of five courses: Fundamentals, Fulfillment,
Balance, Process, and In the Bones. For more
information, visit www.thecoaches.com.
To register for a CTI course hosted by Esalen,
please first contact CTI: registration@thecoaches.com
or 415-451-6000 ext. 701. Only after you have
reserved a place in the course through CTI will
you be able to reserve your accommodations
with Esalen at 831-667-3005 (CTI receives
course fees, Esalen receives accommodations
fees).
The CTI courses, dates, and instructors offered
during this catalog period are:
Coaches Training Institute: Co-Active
Fundamentals, May 16-21, Athena Katsaros.
qualifies for an intermediate certificate; fourteen
qualifies for an advanced certificate. For complete
program information, including a list of all segments, please visit www.esalen.sbgi.edu.
The program can also be taken as a more scholarly course of study which includes additional
reading and writing for students who would like
to earn graduate credit toward a doctoral degree
program at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. To
use this training as credit toward a Ph.D. degree,
students must first apply and be accepted in the
Professional Specialty Ph.D. program at SBGI.
Information on the Somatic Psychology
Foundations Certificate and Ph.D. Professional
Specialty Program is available at www.sbgi.edu.
For information or to register, call 805-963-6896
or e-mail dharkin@sbgi.edu.
The SBGI courses, dates, and faculty offered
during this catalog period are:
Embodiment and Development: Foundations
of Presence, Compassion, and Healing,
January 31–February 5, Susan Aposhyan, M.A.
& Dyrian Benz, PsyD.
The Somatic Experience in Psychotherapy,
The Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Embodied
Psychotherapy Certificate Program in Relational
Somatic Psychology gives participants a foundation in the leading-edge field of somatic psychology. It is designed to meet the needs of professionals and practitioners (educators, health care
professionals, therapists, psychologists) as well
as individuals interested in learning an in-depth
somatic/psychological perspective. SBGI faculty
or affiliates teach all courses. An approved application is required. Complete the application
online at www.esalen.sbgi.edu and allow one week
for processing and for you and Esalen to be
informed of your status.
This certificate program is a series of courses
inspired by the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute
somatic psychology post-graduate academic curriculum. Completion of six segments qualifies
one for a beginner’s certificate; ten segments
February 7-12, John Ratey, M.D.
www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/brain.
Enhancement of Peak Performance in
Sports, Performing Arts, and the Worksite,
April 16-18, Daniel Brown, Ph.D.
www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/peakperformance.
Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve,
April 30-May 2, Martha Stark, M.D.
www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/relentlesshope.
Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Integrating
Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in
Clinical Practice, May 14-16, Russell Vasile, Ph.D.
www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/majordepression.
Harvard Medical School Accreditation
Please note: An approved application is required;
contact Esalen for registration only after your
application has been accepted by SBGI.
Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues:
The Santa Barbara Graduate
Institute Embodied
Psychotherapy Certificate
Program in Relational Somatic
Psychology
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science
of Exercise and the Brain,
April 4-9, Diane Poole Heller, Ph.D.
Body and Mind Integration: Effectively
Integrating Breath and Somatic Awareness
into Clinical Practice, May 16-21, Gabrielle
Hoppe, M.A., Dyrian Benz, PsyD. & JoAnna
Chartrand.
The Harvard Medical School
Continuing Education Series
Esalen has been selected to host Continuing
Education courses offered by Harvard Medical
School (HMS) Department of Continuing
Education. To reserve a space in any of these
courses, you must first contact HMS at 617-3848607 or e-mail Emily_Cannon@hms.harvard.edu.
Only after you have reserved your place in the
course through Harvard will you be able to
reserve your accommodations through Esalen at
831-667-3005 (course fees and accommodations
are separate). The courses, dates, and instructors
offered during this catalog period are:
Physicians: Harvard Medical School is accredited
by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Harvard
Medical School designates the weeklong Esalen
seminars for a maximum of 15 and the weekend
Esalen seminars for a maximum of 10 AMA
PRA Category 1 CreditsTM.
Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the
activity.
Psychologists: The Massachusetts Mental Health
Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education
for psychologists. All weeklong programs offer
15 credit hours. The weekend seminars offer
10 credit hours. Massachusetts Mental Health
Center maintains responsibility for the program.
Counselors: Massachusetts Mental Health Center
is approved by the National Board of Certified
Counselors to offer continuing education to
participants. All weeklong programs meet the
criteria for 15 credit hours. The weekend seminars meet the criteria for 10 credit hours.
Social Workers: For information on the status of
the application to the Massachusetts Chapter
of the National Association of Social Workers,
please call 617-998-5028 or e-mail:
infocme@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Nurses: Massachusetts Mental Health Center
is approved by the Arizona State Nurses
Association to offer continuing education credits to participants. All weeklong programs meet
the criteria for 18 contact hours. The weekend
seminars meet the criteria for 12 contact hours.
95
work study program
BENJAMIN FAHRER
S
T
he Work Study Program at Esalen is
a 28-day program for those interested in
an intense involvement with the Esalen
environment and an in-depth experience of the
Esalen approach to holistic personal and social
development. An integrated work, service, and
self-directed-learning program, it is rich, demanding, and often physically and emotionally challenging. Participants work 32 hours per week
in one of Esalen’s departments and participate in
that department’s programs and schedule.
At the heart of the Work Study experience is the
core evening group, in which Work Scholars
meet together in a group, four to five evenings a
week. The group emphasizes a particular
approach to transformative practice, such as
Gestalt process, meditative practice, creative arts,
movement, bodywork, or other forms of somatics. The group has its own leader, or leaders
(see schedule below), who is with the group
throughout the program, coordinating the study
schedule and facilitating many of the evening
sessions. Applicants must be committed to staying at Esalen for the duration of the program.
There will be introductory evenings in which
Work Scholars are introduced to the Institute’s
legacy through core practices of the Esalen cur-
96
riculum for integrated self-structured learning
and self-directed education. The practices
offered include skills in awareness (of self and
others), intentionality, personal visioning,
goalsetting, building support, communication
and relational skills, self-evaluation, and integration of learnings into your own life.
In addition to the evening program, Work
Scholars will be assigned to a work group in one
of four departments, and will contribute approximately 32 hours a week to this work group.
Esalen practices such as process and “check-in”
will be woven into the work environment,
providing rich opportunity for self- and group
exploration during the day. Each participant’s
work schedule will also allow for some participation in the daily open classes (movement,
meditation, yoga, and more) if desired.
The Legacy program is a new monthlong program at Esalen that is structured differently
than the traditional Work Study format. Legacy
Scholars are in class with a mix of other scholars
and Esalen staff interested in the particular subject. The Legacy program includes less class time
and more flexibility for students. Class happens
twice a week in the afternoon, with a more
intensive day once during the month, for a total
of 25 hours in-class time with approximately
5 hours of independent project work. In addition to the dedicated subject, Legacy Scholars
are able to attend any of the additional staff
trainings (Residential Education programs)
that Esalen offers. The work group hours of the
Legacy program (32 hours per week) and price
are the same as the traditional Work Study
program. For more information, please contact
workstudy@esalen.org.
Work Scholars are selected by application only,
to Work Study Coordinator Mary Anne Will.
Since this is a work and service program, preference is given to applicants who are open and
willing to learn about themselves within the
work context as well as within the study/process
groups. Because the work can be physically
challenging (lifting, bending, etc.), it may not be
suitable for all who wish to apply. First-month
work students, in particular, are assigned to
departments largely on the basis of community
need (usually the kitchen or housekeeping).
Please note: The Work Study Program is designed to
explore and apply human values and potentials. It is
not intended as a substitute for therapy or as a “cure.”
It is a drug- and alcohol-free program. No pets, drugs,
or violence allowed. We cannot accommodate children
of work scholars.
Work Study Programs 2010
March 14–April 11
Thai Massage
January 17–February 14
Relational Gestalt Awareness Practice
Each of us is born with an inherent drive for
self-expression. As we grow up, our sense of self
and our ability to be spontaneous often become
blocked. Knowing who we are, and what we feel
and want, can be difficult when our self-knowledge is distorted by family experiences and
cultural expectations. The focus of a month with
Dorothy Charles will be Gestalt Awareness
Practice, using group process to enhance communication and conflict resolution skills and to
develop empathy for self and others. Mindfulness
practice, meditation, and expressive arts will be
part of the curriculum.
February 14–March 14
The Path of the Buddha
Thai massage, or nuad boran (translated as “ancient
healing touch”) is a twenty-five-hundred-year-old
healing tradition rooted in the very heart of
Buddhism. A “moving meditation,” Thai massage
allows both practitioner and recipient to experience the four Divine States of Mind: Loving
Kindness, Compassion, Equanimity, and
Vicarious Joy. This program, led by Stephanie
Shrum, offers an opportunity to study, practice,
and understand the techniques of Thai massage.
Thai massage uses rhythmic compression, rocking, acupressure, passive yogic stretching, percussion, and meditative presence. The program will
also include dance, yoga, and movement
practice. The training encourages whole-body
participation, self-healing, deep understanding,
creative response, and confidence in giving Thai
massage treatments that are as healing for the
giver as the receiver. No massage experience is
necessary, just a desire to touch with presence
and the intention to heal.
tion of Buddhist teachers in the West, will act as
guide for this month of investigating the Buddha’s
teachings and meditative practices.
April 11–May 9
The path of the Buddha is much more than just
learning meditation, it is the practice of cultivating true happiness. All of the teachings and practices of Buddhism have the aim of ending suffering through increasing wisdom and compassion.
The wisdom and compassion that are uncovered
in meditation are then used to engage skillfully
with the suffering in the world. Buddhism is not a
path of self-help, it is a path of altruistic action,
from the inside out.
The answers and solutions to some of the world’s
most pressing questions in relation to the environment, economics, and social systems are
explored during this month-long permaculture
design course that focuses on creating and designing a culture that is regenerative in nature.
Together, scholars and teachers will create an
open learning environment that includes discussion, activities, presentations, and hands-on projects. By using Esalen’s facilities, gardens, and
work environments as a microcosm of the larger
world, Benjamin Fahrer will facilitate this powerful and transformative journey together with a
number of premier permaculture teachers.
Through meditation and group processing exercises, such as Council, and small group inquiry,
participants will explore what is blocking the happiness and freedom we seek, and learn to respond
with more and more wisdom and compassion to
all of the joy and sorrow in the world. This
month-long work study program is suitable for
both beginning meditators and long time practicioners.
• Personal sustainability for a balanced life
• Effective communication and interpersonal
skills for strong relationships
• Reading the land: identification and
classification of land components
• Earth stewardship: soil renovation, restoration,
and composting
• Hands-on intensive in “natural” buildings and
earthen construction
• Trees and their energy transactions
• Water awareness: health and conservation
Participants will be empowered with the confidence to live and function in a more just, sacred,
and sustainable future.
Work Scholars who complete this program can
apply to enroll in a second month of permaculture training to be offered May 10-June 7, 2010.
This 72-hour certification course in Permaculture
Design enables participants to become certified
through the TAGARI Permaculture Institute of
Australia. As a graduate of this program, you will
possess the skills to begin to design, consult and
teach Permaculture anywhere in the world.
Please contact workstudy@esalen.org for more
information.
Noah Levine, a leading voice in the new genera-
During this month of intensive immersion in the
practices of the Buddha, participants will experience the liberating power of Mindfulness, the
peace of Equanimity, the ease of Compassion and
the joy of Loving-Kindness. With the experience
of these spiritual practices, we are better equipped
to make a positive change in this world.
world. Topics and activities include:
Permaculture
Permaculture in essence is based in relationship
and responsibility and is a set of techniques and
principles for designing sustainable human communities. The skills one gains during this training
include a base understanding of design and development principles used in small- and large-scale
applications. Now more than ever we have to
empower ourselves with these skills in these great
times of transition.
In this course we will focus on the concepts and
methods of designing a more sustainable life and
May 9–June 6
Writing Your Life
If the story is in you, it has got to come out.
—William Faulkner
Everything in your life, from the mundane to the
extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told. This
program, led by writer/performer Ann Randolph,
focuses on the process of discovering your own
unique and powerful stories. By writing from
your deepest source, you will gain insight and
self-understanding. You’ll learn how to make your
words leap from the page to the stage, sharing
them orally to uncover the power of storytelling
to transform the lives of you and your listeners.
This workshop is full of heart and humor and
asks its participants for a willingness to delve
courageously past their perceived limits. Through
improvisation, writing exercises, and group discussion, you will find your authentic voice, along
with an honest, organic way to express your truth.
You will also learn how to speak your truth via
the Internet: guerrilla filmmaking, vlogging, and
blogging. The month will culminate in a theatrical
presentation for the Esalen community as well as
the opportunity to post your work to
www.youtube.com.
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• Writing exercises to stimulate memory
• Learning to structure the narrative in a
compelling way
• Discovering ways to create spontaneously
• Overcoming performance anxiety
• Tools to release yourself from the inner critic
• Transforming your ideas/stories into
performance
June 6–July 4
Esalen for a New Century
In today’s media and marketing age, a world that
encourages us to conform and consume, how can
we utilize practices developed at Esalen to evolve
toward self-actualization and sustainable living?
Over the past forty-five years, Esalen has pioneered a full curriculum for the human potential:
mind, heart, body, spirit, nature, and community.
This program, led by psychotherapist, cultural
theorist, and New York University professor
Bradley Lewis, will utilize experiential exercises,
discussion, film, and other media to explore, in a
group process setting, the Esalen curriculum and
how it can help create growth that contributes to
a more just and sustainable world.
Many evenings will be devoted to learning Esalen’s
diverse practices for personal growth (such as
Eastern wisdom, massage, personal and interpersonal group process, and creative expression).
Inspired by the deep ecology movement we will
spend time outdoors, immersed in nature, empathically connecting with the environment. The aim
will be a full exploration of our own human potential - and its application in the world today.
July 4–August 1
Sex of the Spirit
We tend to think of sex and the spirit as separate,
but they are not. Hence most of the cultural
debates involving religion in the news involve
some aspect of human sexuality (same-sex marriage, “family values,” gay rights, celibacy, female
ordination, abortion, etc.), The Last Temptation of
Christ and The Da Vinci Code became mega hits,
and great mystics have routinely described their
transcendent experiences in sexual terms. How
should one understand all of this? And how
should we respond when traditional teachings
result in moral confusion, emotional pain, political turmoil, and sexual suffering? What aren’t we
getting here?
98
This program, led by Jeffrey Kripal, writer and
teacher of comparative religion, provides a set of
very practical tools, a sexual-spiritual craft, as it
were, with which anyone can think and speak
clearly, frankly, and compassionately about sex
and religion. More specifically, the month will be
organized around the life-stories of the participants themselves via open discussions, personal
one-on-one mentoring, and journaling. A special
session led by guest faculty Christine Price,
longtime Gestalt practitioner, will be offered to
help process emotional content in a deeper way.
Additionally, optional Gestalt process sessions
will be available and led by other Esalen Gestalt
practitioners.
August 1–29
The Ensemble Process
In the centuries-old tradition of ensemble theatre,
individual charisma and creativity are vitally
bound up with the greater energy of the group.
Modern modes of expression and understanding
from jazz to systems theory have affirmed the
power of symbiosis. There is now a greater understanding of a model of leadership fueled not by
the decisions of a single personality but by the
pulse and wisdom of the ensemble.
During this program, Peter James Meyers, veteran
stage director and leadership consultant, will help
cultivate communication skills, self-assurance,
and physical presence through a process of group
discovery and performance.
Along the way, the group will practice movement,
voice, and improvisation techniques that will allow
each participant to amplify personal presence,
enhance spontaneity, and heighten clarity of
thought. In short, learn how to captivate a room
and shape an audience’s experience.
This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested
in blending performing arts with the art of leadership—expanding expressive skills while cultivating
the ability to command and inspire.
Participants will create an original theater piece
to be offered to the Esalen community at the end
of the month. Open to participants of all backgrounds and interests.
August 29–September 26
5Rhythms®: Dancing in the Present
Through dance we move into the mind of awareness, attending to what is and arriving into the
present, shedding the fear that keeps us from
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
All levels are welcome. Topics include:
expressing our true nature. We were all born with
the innate wisdom to dance, yet many of us have
lost touch with this truth. During this program,
Lucia Horan will lead the group toward reclaiming the power of the dance and awakening the
healer within.
5Rhythms is a moving meditation practice in
which we explore the dynamic nature of the body.
The practice is a map that helps us understand the
natural rhythms of life as they move through us.
We will enter the realms of the feminine mysteries through Flowing, the masculine mysteries
through Staccato, the integration of feminine and
masculine through Chaos, the mystery of joy and
transformation through Lyrical. And finally,
through Stillness, enter the dance of wisdom.
Additional practices include Esalen® Massage,
expressive art (painting), writing and poetry,
mantra (chanting), meditation, Native American
sweat lodge (healing and purification ceremony,
weather permitting), and sharing circles. All levels
of experience are welcome. For more information,
visit www.luciarose.com.
September 26–October 24
Streams of Energy
Jim Gallas leads “Streams of Energy,” a program
of Eastern bodywork and movement, including
Reiki 1 Certification, a thorough overview of
Shiatsu Massage, an introduction to meridian theory, and an easy-to-learn, powerful Chi Kung
form. Various meditations, self-massage, and
improv games will be used to encourage awareness and expression. The program is designed to
open students to their own innate healing potentials, to the power of safe, therapeutic touch, and
to being more fully present in their ongoing
unfolding. Participants will also receive valuable
tools to facilitate the healing of others. In a spirit
of compassion, laughter, and expanding awareness, students will be nurtured and nourished by
the group interaction and by a deeper connection
to Self.
October 24–November 21
Nonviolent Communication
I often say we’ve got a budget deficit that’s important,
we’ve got a trade deficit that’s critical, but what I
worry about most is our empathy deficit.
—U.S. President Barack Obama
During this month of intensive immersion in
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) principles
and practices with Jean Morrison, participants
are offered the opportunity to strengthen their
ability to:
• Live from a consciousness of compassion, for
yourself and with others
• Make peace with conflicts affecting emotional
health and wellbeing
• Replace distressing habits of mind and
language with new habits that create
compassion, connection, understanding, and
healing
• Liberate your thinking and reactions in order
to transform anger, hurt, and guilt into energy
and expressions that serve life
• Clarify and express emotions and needs,
distinct from blame
• Make empowering requests distinct from
demands and expectations
• Apply NVC principles and skills to your goals
and aspirations
The sessions include a balance of playful exploration, thoughtful inquiry, powerful exercises for
skill-development, and sharing of best practices
with participants’ real situations. Guest presenters
will augment our NVC practice with their expertise in the Enneagram, Mindful Meditation, art,
and movement.
November 21–December 19
Drawing Out Your Soul: Touch Drawing
Touch Drawing is a simple yet profound process.
It is a transformative art form developed by
Deborah Koff-Chapin that allows for deep
expression of the soul. The technique involves
moving your hands on paper that has been placed
over a surface of paint. The resulting impressions
are seen on the underside of the page. Multiple
images are created in a single session. It can feel
like your soul is flowing through your fingertips
and onto the paper. Touch Drawing helps develop
somatic awareness, intuition, and creativity. It
opens a portal to your multi-dimensional being.
This program will combine Touch Drawing with
complementary expressive arts practices. Deborah
will gently guide you into deep drawing sessions,
holding sacred space with live improvisational
music. Writing, moving, vocalizing, and drumming will enhance the experience and help
access insight from your drawings. Witnessing
with partners and sharing in circle will support
a sense of community.
The applications of Touch Drawing are endless.
You will be encouraged to integrate Touch
Drawing as a creative, therapeutic, and spiritual
practice in your life and work. No artistic confidence necessary.
Additional programs are always
being added. Please visit
www.esalen.org/workstudy
for the latest opportunities.
Commitment to the Work Study Program is
from 4 PM of the first Sunday to 7:30 PM of
the final Sunday. Inasmuch as the Work Study
Program is a complete program in itself, please
do not plan to take regularly scheduled catalog
workshops during your stay.
Fees: A deposit of $400 in U.S. currency is
required with your application. You may pay in
full at the time you apply. The work scholar fee
schedule is $1095 for the first month and $1045
for the second month. Fees are subject to change.
Work students may be invited to remain for a
second month depending on space available and
community needs. There are no scholarships
available for the first month of the Work Study
Program.
Food and Housing: Accommodations are
shared (occasionally co-ed), with up to four people to a room, some at South Coast Center, a staff
complex located 1.5 miles north of Esalen.
Housing and meals, often with home-grown
organic produce, are included in your tuition.
Transportation: When making travel plans,
note that the closest airport to Esalen is
Monterey. With at least 48-hour advance reservations, van service to Esalen is available from
the following locations on the Sunday
of your arrival:
Monterey Airport: Departs 2 pm. Cost: $40
Monterey Transit Center: Departs 2:20 pm.
Cost: $40
San Francisco Airport: Departs 11:45 am.
Cost: $100
For van reservations call 831-667-3010 or
e-mail workstudy@esalen.org.
Please note: Application is not registration in
the program. Registration is made only after
approval of application. If you do not pay in full
at the time of application, the balance of the fee
is due on arrival and is nonrefundable thereafter.
Cancellation policy: If you choose to cancel,
you will be charged the following amount:
15+ days prior to start, $100; 8-14 days, $200;
3-7 days, $300; 0-2 days, $400.
Please mail the application form (see next page)
with your personal statement and deposit to:
Work Study Program
Esalen Institute
55000 Hwy 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
or fax to:
Work Study Program
831-667-3069
We will contact you regarding your status
within 14 days of receipt of your application.
For more information contact the Work Study
Office at the above address or phone: 831-6673010; fax: 831-667-3069; e-mail:
workstudy@esalen.org.
Occasionally it is possible to stay for a longer
period as an Extended Student.
99
Q
work study program application
please print legibly.
First Name _____________________________________ Last Name __________________________________________________ o Male o Female Today’s Date ______________________
Phone: Evening ( ————— ) ____________________________________ Day ( ————— ) ____________________________________ Cell ( ————— ) _______________________________________
Home Address __________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip __________________________________________________________________________
mo / day / yr
Country ____________________________ Occupation (previous, if retired)____________________________________________ Date of Birth _________________________ Age ___________
E-mail Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you have any limiting physical/emotional conditions (e.g., bad back, severe depression) which might affect your full participation in this
program? o Yes o No Are you currently taking any medication? o Yes o No
If yes to either of these questions, please include details in your personal statement.
If a former Work Scholar, list where you worked and approximate dates _________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Work Study Program is for 28 days, beginning at 4 pm on Sunday and ending at 7:30 pm on the final Sunday. Sometimes particular dates
and/or leaders are not available. List below, in order of preference, the dates/leaders for which you are available.
Please note: Space may become available up until the program start date. You must let us know if you wish to be removed from a wait list; if you’re on a wait
list and space becomes available, you will be notified for confirmation. If you cancel after placement, you will be charged a cancellation fee.
start date
Choice 1 ______________________________________________________ Leader _________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No
Choice 2 ______________________________________________________ Leader __________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No
Choice 3 ______________________________________________________ Leader __________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No
If your application is approved and we cannot give you your first choice, we will place you in your next available choice.
Work students may be invited to remain for a second term, depending on space availability and the needs of the Esalen community. Please indicate your availability for such an invitation (no obligation): o No extension o One-term extension
We encourage ridesharing. Are you bringing a vehicle? o Yes o No; Are you willing to give a ride? o Yes o No; Receive a ride? o Yes o No;
I wish to rideshare from (if different from above address) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Assignments to departments are made according to community labor needs (usually kitchen or housekeeping). However, if you prefer housekeeping or kitchen, or if you have landscaping skills, please list them below. o Place me wherever I’m most needed – or – note my preferences below.
Choice 1 __________________________________________________ Skills/Experience ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Choice 2 __________________________________________________ Skills/Experience ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please attach a personal statement about your interest in the Work Study Program, telling us why you’d like to participate
and what you hope to take with you when you leave.
All applicants are required to sign a standard release-from-liability and assumption-of-risk form as a condition of participation
in the Work Study Program. This form will be mailed to you upon acceptance to the program.
Do you want van service? From o Monterey Airport, 2 pm ($40 fee); o Monterey Transit, 2:20 pm ($40); o San Francisco Airport, 11:45 am ($100).
Payment
o $400 deposit
o $1095
Card No. _______________________________________________________________________________
o Check (U.S. banks only), attached and payable to Esalen Institute
Credit Card Expiration Date _____________________________________________________
o MasterCard o VISA o American Express
Name and phone number (if different from above) _______________________
If you are making a credit card deposit, the balance will be
automatically charged to your card five days before your arrival.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Authorizing signature ______________________________________________________________
Applications cannot be considered without a deposit and a personal statement included. Deposits are not processed until your final
acceptance into the program.
100
R
biographical information
A
Mark Abramson is part of the Stanford
Center for Integrative Medicine and heads
Stanford’s Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction Program. He teaches at Stanford’s
School of Medicine and is on staff at
Stanford Hospital. p. 13,51
Mandy Aftel is an artisan natural perfumer and author of three books on natural
perfume, including Essence and Alchemy:
A Natural History of Perfume (North
Point Press, 2001). p. 22
Ramon V. Albareda is a clinical psychologist, theologian, and sexologist. He is
the founder/director of Estel, a personal
growth center and school of integral studies
in Barcelona, Spain. He coauthored
Nacidos de la Tierra: Sexualidad Origen
del Ser Humano. p. 78
Schahila U. Albrecht is a Germanborn spiritual artist with a background in
psychology, psychotherapy, and other modalities of shamanic healing arts. Schahila supports others in integrating their genuine
intuitive, psychic, and creative abilities
through workshops, private sessions, and
soul-development paintings. p. 49
Leah Alchin began her Tantric education in 1997. She is an advanced certified
Tantra Educator with the Source School
of Tantra Yoga and has her own private
practice. A survivor of childhood sexual
abuse, she is a powerful advocate of Tantric
sexual awakening and healing. p. 55
Ronald Alexander, psychotherapist
and director of the Open Mind Training
Institute, leads trainings internationally
in Mind Body Healing Therapies and
Transformational Leadership, and wrote
Wise Mind Open Mind: Finding
Purpose and Meaning in Times of
Crisis, Loss and Change. www.ronaldalexander.com. p. 77
Martine Amita Algier is a certified
trainer with The Center for Nonviolent
Communication and a founding member of
the West Marin Community Mediation
Board, teaching and consulting with families, business groups, schools, and other organizations in California and Europe since
the 1960s. p. 61
Eugene Allen is a Be Present, Inc. train-
er and member of the Regional Organizing
Core Group in Atlanta. Eugene’s area of
focus is to support the leadership of young
men and boys and partner with other organizations with a similar mission. p. 86
Lillie Allen is founder and executive
director of Be Present, Inc. and developed the
Be Present Empowerment Model™. Lillie
has over thirty years experience in public
health education, human development,
interpersonal relations, group dynamics,
and the interconnections and conflicts
between work, home, and personal goals.
p. 86
Suze Allen is a writer, editor, and coach.
She’s the owner of Manuscript Mentor, the
creator of Mama-logues: Writing Workouts
for Mamas, and coauthor of The TimeStarved Woman’s Guide to Emotional
Wellbeing with SD Shanti. p. 77
Susan Anderson has devoted 25 years
of research and clinical experience in treating the victims of abandonment trauma.
Founder of the Abandonment Recovery
movement, she is author of three books
including The Journey from
Abandonment to Healing.
www.abandonment.net. p. 68
Susan Aposhyan trains professionals
in her Body-Mind Psychotherapy. She is
the author of Natural Intelligence:
Body-Mind Integration and Human
Development and Body-Mind
Psychotherapy. She has been practicing
meditation and body-mind disciplines for
over thirty years and integrates science
with healing and meditative experience.
www.bodymindhealing.com. p. 24
Elaine Aron is a scientist studying love,
close relationships, and highly sensitive
persons. Dr. Aron’s research has been featured in The New York Times, Time
Magazine, and National Geographic.
She is the author of The Highly Sensitive
Person series of books. p. 72
Elliot Aronson is a social psychologist
who has taught at Harvard, Stanford, and
UC Santa Cruz. He has won all three of the
American Psychological Association’s highest awards. His 23 books include The Social
Animal and Mistakes Were Made (But
Not by Me!). p. 44
Karen Axelrod is a certified somatic
therapist and educator specializing in craniosacral therapy. Based in Redondo Beach,
Calif., she seeks to help clients and students
recognize and reconnect to inner resources
necessary for deep healing at a core level.
www.iahp.com/karen. p. 67
B
Nancy Bacal is a longtime Esalen leader.
Writer and lyricist, she edited Leonard
Cohen’s anthology Stranger Music, and
wrote and produced Raga, a film starring
Ravi Shankar. She conducts ongoing writing workshops in Los Angeles. p. 43
Ingrid Bacci is the author of The Art of
Effortless Living and a teacher of selftransformation. She healed herself from an
incurable connective tissue disease in her
early thirties, and teaches from experience.
She is certified in Craniosacral therapy and
the Alexander Technique. p. 15
Oliver Bailey is a practitioner and
instructor of Esalen Massage. His background includes training in Gestalt Practice,
neurolinguistic programming, intuitive
work, and meditation. p. 15
Richard Balaban, a licensed clinical
Juergen Bamberger is an educator
and pioneer in the Gyrotonic field who has
trained countless Gyrotonic instructors
around the world. His 20-year teaching
experience is infused with his background in
dance, many modalities of bodywork and
movement techniques, and energy work.
p. 65
Rich Berrett has committed over 35
years to enhancing and embodying awareness. He is a clinician, university professor,
and founding president of Imagery
International. His extensive background
reflects the importance of body awareness,
imagery, family systems, Gestalt, and deep
learning. p. 52
James Baraz has been teaching meditation since 1978. He leads workshops internationally, is a founding teacher of Spirit
Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, Calif.
and is on the International Advisory Board
of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. James
coauthored Awakening Joy, due in 2010
(Bantam). p. 70
Micheline Berry has led over 450 ecstatic
Jane Baraz has been practicing vipassana
meditation since 1976 and leads Awakening
Joy groups and workshops. She served on the
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Board of
Directors for eight years and helped start the
Spirit Rock Family Program. Jane also
teaches English as a second language. p. 70
Ellen Bass has supported and inspired
writers for 40 years. Her poetry books include
No More Masks!, Mules of Love, and The
Human Line and she is coauthor of The
Courage to Heal. She teaches at Pacific
University. www.ellenbass.com. p. 22, 42
Douglas Beasley’s photography
explores spiritual aspects of people and place.
Exhibited and published internationally, he
founded Vistion Quest Photo Workshops,
which emphasize heart, soul, and vision
over camera mechanics. www.douglasbeasley.com. p. 64
Jonathan Bender is a theater director,
performer, and writer, and teaches a holistic,
embodied approach to public speaking, acting, and self-expression. Artistic director of
The Illuminated Theatre in San Francisco,
he holds degrees in performance studies and
communication, and contemporary performance. www.wholespeak.com. p. 34
Dyrian Benz is director of external programs for somatic psychology and a professor
at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. He
wrote Group Field: A Practitioner’s
Guide and conducts trainings in Relational
Constellations. A cofounder of the Hakomi
Institute, Dr. Benz is currently a somatic
psychology educator in Santa Barbara,
Calif. p. 24, 71
Toni Bergins created JourneyDance™
and is a leading-edge movement facilitator
and teacher trainer. Toni leads programs
internationally and has a following of 175+
certified JourneyDance teachers worldwide.
p. 49
Susan Bernstein helps people navigate
transitions by integrating their embodied
intelligence. Her transformational
approaches blend left-brained logic honed
over 20 years in corporate America with
right-brain creative movement gleaned
from pioneering research in mind-body psychology. www.WorkFromWithin.com.
p. 16
dance/world music journeys since 1996.
Her work is informed by Shiva Rea’s Prana
Flow, Ashtanga and Iyengar influences,
and years of study of different dance forms,
including contact improvisation, AfroBrazilian, and movement meditation.
p. 60, 92
Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta is
an artist, dancer, and photographer, an
authorized Continuum Movement teacher
and former director of the Weston
Photographic Gallery, her websites are:
www.cjbgallery.com, www.sacredearthphotography.net, and www.movingspirit.net. p. 46, 63
Daniel Bianchetta has been teaching
meditation and intuitive practice at Esalen
for over 20 years. A photographer and
Esalen’s media coordinator, his photographic interests are the Big Sur coast and Native
American rock art. His work is collected
worldwide. www.bigsurphoto.com. p. 46
Judith Blackstone founded Realization
Process, a method of integrating nondual
realization, embodiment, and psychological
and relational healing. She is a psychotherapist and author of four books, most recently,
The Empathic Ground: Intersubjectivity
and Nonduality in the Psychotherapeutic
Process. p. 16
Charlie Bloom is an educator, therapist,
and seminar leader. He and his wife Linda
cofounded Bloomwork and coauthored the
widely acclaimed book, 101 Things I Wish
I Knew When I Got Married. He has
facilitated workshops internationally since
1982. www.bloomwork.com. p. 12, 59
Linda Bloom is a licensed clinical social
worker, educator, and seminar leader. She
and her husband Charlie cofounded
Bloomwork and coauthored the widely
acclaimed book, 101 Things I Wish I
Knew When I Got Married. She has
facilitated workshops internationally since
1986. www.bloomwork.com. p. 12, 59
Scott Blossom teaches a style of Hatha
Yoga Vinyasa and yoga therapy informed
by his training as a Traditional Chinese
Medicine practitioner and Ayurvedic consultant He is blessed to have received the
guidance of his teachers Robert Svoboda,
Zhander Remete, and Erich Schiffmann.
www.shuntayayoga.com. p. 11
Saffire Bouchelion, a black belt Nia
Instructor and the creator of Shamantra, is
also a professional performer/musician who
has performed nationally and been featured
on 38 CDs. He has taught Shamantra and
Nia internationally since 2003. p. 70
psychologist and certified group psychotherapist, has taught at Indiana University and
SUNY at Buffalo. His passion is for his family, his work, and life’s journey. p. 18
101
Julie Bowden, psychotherapist and
author, specializes in childhood trauma,
substance abuse, and forgiveness. Coauthor
of Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children
of Alcoholics and Genesis: Spirituality
in Recovery from Childhood Traumas,
she has been teaching at Esalen for over 20
years. p. 18
Ann Bradney is director of the Radical
Aliveness/Core Energetics Institute of
Southern California. She studied under
Core Energetics founder John Pierrakos and
teaches internationally. Ann’s Radical
Aliveness model expands Core beyond the
individual, to address community healing
and world issues. p. 31
Douglas Brooks is a leading scholar of
Hindu Tantrism with degrees from
Harvard Divinity School and Harvard’s
Center for the Study of World Religions. He
is professor of religion at the University of
Rochester, N.Y. www.rajanaka.com. p. 82
Daniel Brown is an associate clinical
professor of psychology at Harvard Medical
School. He is author of 13 books, including
Transformations of Consciousness
(with Ken Wilber and Jack Engler) and
Pointing Out the Great Way: The Stages
of Meditation in the Mahamudra
Tradition. p. 26, 56, 58
Rick Brown is executive director for the
Institute for Relationship Therapy in
Winter Park, FL. Rick was executive director for Harville Hendrix’s Institute, and he
lectures and gives workshops across the
country. He has been married 33 years. p. 39
Vernon Bush is a singer/songwriter,
recording artist, musician and educator. He
is musical director and featured vocalist at
Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco,
teaches vocal workshops, and with his two
musical groups has toured Europe and elsewhere. www.vernonbush.com. p. 51
C
Charlie Cascio managed the Esalen
kitchen for six years. He is a chef, restaurateur, consultant, and lecturer on vegetarian
and living foods who has worked and
taught in the U.S. and throughout Europe
for more than 30 years. Charlie wrote the
Esalen Cookbook. p. 13, 15, 81
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen’s work
with movement, touch, and the body-mind
relationship has influenced the fields of
yoga, dance, bodywork, and other bodymind disciplines. She founded the School for
Body-Mind Centering® and is the author of
Sensing, Feeling and Action. p. 42
Marion Cascio comes from a family of
cooks and has been involved with restaurants since childhood. She studied culinary
arts in Germany for five years and has
worked in many famous restaurants and
spas. She was a staff cook at Esalen. p. 13
Chip Conley created America’s second
largest boutique hotel company, Joie de
Vivre, in 1987 at the age of 26. He is the
author of many inspirational business
books including Marketing That Matters:
10 Practices to Profit Your Business and
Change the World. www.chipconley.com.
p. 50
Tom Case has been practicing massage
for the past 16 years. He has been on the
Esalen massage staff since 1993. p. 11, 20
Joyce Catlett is an author, lecturer, and
workshop facilitator who has collaborated
with Dr. Robert Firestone in writing twenty
professional articles and seven books, most
recently The Ethics of Interpersonal
Relationships and Beyond Death
Anxiety: Achieving Life-Affirming
Death Awareness. p. 23
Joseph Cavanaugh is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in the Sierra
foothills and a psychology instructor at a
local community college. He has facilitated
personal-growth workshops throughout
California for the past 30 years. p. 49
Leslie Cerier is a chef specializing in
whole foods and organic cuisine. She runs a
catering business that includes private and
group cooking instruction and coaching. She
has authored or coauthored numerous books
and teaches nationally. p. 45
Alejandro Chaoul teaches at the John
P. McGovern Center for Health, Humanities
and the Human Spirit in the University
of Texas Medical School, with an adjunct
position at the M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center. Dr. Chaoul’s research involves using
Tibetan Bon mind-body techniques with
cancer patients. p. 60
Dorothy Charles has been a student
Josiah Raison Cain was raised on an
organic farm in remote northern California.
He is an ecological designer with degrees
from UC Davis and Harvard, and a partner at Design Ecology, a design and planning firm specializing in green roofs, living
walls, and innovative water reuse systems.
p. 32
Catherine Calderon is a registered
yoga teacher and professional salsa dancer.
Owner of Shambhala Yoga & Dance
Center in Brooklyn, she has studied
Anusara and tantra yoga, Taoist healing
practices, dance, and is a priestess in the
Afro-Cuban Yoruba tradition.
www.shambhalayogadance.com. p. 59
Amigo Bob Cantisano is president of
Organic Ag Advisors, founded in 1988, and
managing partner of Heaven and Earth
Farm on the San Juan Ridge of the Sierra
foothills. He has 35 years of experience
growing and advising commercial-scale
organic crops in the Western U.S. and the
tropics. p. 62
102
and teacher at Esalen since 1982. A student
of Esalen cofounder Dick Price, she combines
Esalen body-centered Gestalt with relational
Gestalt theory, and leads workshops in Asia,
Europe, and the U.S. p. 13, 34, 87, 97
JoAnna Chartrand is a Europeantrained practitioner who has been a somatic
psychology educator since 1980. Her specialty is in somatically-based, transpersonal,
relational psychology and trauma work. She
is a codirector of The Constellation Institute
of California. p. 71
Tesa Conlin has taught in France,
England, and Italy. She has been recognized
by the National Endowment of the
Humanities, National Council of Teachers
of English, and has loved every moment of
her twenty-seven years of teaching writing,
literary analysis, and acting. p. 7, 50
Lyz Cooper has been working with energy medicine for 25 years and with sound for
15. She is the author of Sounding the
Mind of God, composer of therapeutic
music, and founder of the British Academy
of Sound Therapy. p. 63, 65
David Corbin is a shamanic practitioner
and teacher, serving on the faculty of the
Foundation for Shamanic Studies for over
15 years. He is coauthor of Weather
Shamanism: Harmonizing Our
Connection with the Elements and
CloudDancing: Wisdom from the Sky.
www.shamanscircle.com. p. 25
Ann Weiser Cornell is the bestselling
author of The Power of Focusing and
The Radical Acceptance of Everything.
She teaches her popular workshops in
Inner Relationship Focusing and Getting
Unblocked internationally, both in person
and by telephone bridge line. p. 84
Jean Couch, originally known for her
classic Runner’s Yoga Book, has shown
thousands of people of all ages how to
improve their health. She most recently
taught fifty physicians and their spouses,
one of whom wrote, “I now have hope for
me and my patients.” p. 52
Dixie Cox, cofounder of the Fun Institute,
has been facilitating people’s expansion
through improv for 15 years. Her background is theater arts and performs regularly with the improv groups Loose Cannon
Theater and Crash Test. www.funinstitute.com. p. 21
Joanna Claassen is Esalen’s Gazebo
Stewart Cubley‘s work has carried him
throughout the world in facilitating groups
to access the potential within the human
heart and imagination. Originally a scientist, he has led seminars in creativity for
more than 30 years. www.processarts.com.
p. 64
School Park director, outdoor and early
childhood educator, and community organizer. She leads parent education and seminars for educators. Joanna is inspired by
work happening in Reggio Emilia, Italy,
and the No Child Left Inside outdoor education movement. p. 66, 76
Raphael Cushnir contributes to O, The
Oprah Magazine, and presents workshops
worldwide. He’s written five books, including The One Thing Holding You Back,
and Surfing Your Inner Sea. His heart
was opened through profound grief.
www.cushnir.com. p. 81
Chris Chouteau is a change leader with
a 30-year career transforming organizations
and their environmental policies. He has
been a student of the twelve steps, awareness
practice, and recovery since 1989. p. 18
D
Deanna Darby is a licensed psychother-
apist in the Sierra foothills, specializing in
somatic psychotherapy. A certified massage
therapist for 20 years, her passion is bringing together mind, body, and heart to create
the opportunity for profound self-understanding and greater ease. p. 19
Constantine Darling has a 40-year
career teaching dance, martial arts, yoga,
Pilates, gymnastics, acupressure and applied
kinesiology to thousands of students. He
coauthored the forthcoming book Fields of
Consciousness. p. 12
David Darling is a Grammy-nominated
composer, cellist, and artistic director of
Music For People. An internationallyacclaimed recording artist and educator for
over 40 years, his album Mundannin
Kata, made with the Aborignal Singers of
the Bunum tribe, was one of the top-selling
ethnic albums on Amazon.com.
www.daviddarling.com. p. 23, 25
Christina Dauenhauer, a graduate of
the Art Institute of Chicago, is a multimedia
artist whose current focus is collage and
painting. A former landscape designer for 10
years, she was featured in 2002 in Elle
Decor magazine as a “designer to watch.”
p. 53
Erik Davis, a writer and culture critic,
explores the intersection of technology, culture, and consciousness. Author of The
Visionary State: A Journey through
California’s Spiritual Landscape,
TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and
Mysticism in the Age of Information,
and others, he has taught at UC Berkeley,
UC Davis, and elsewhere. www.techgnosis.com. p. 8, 34
Alyssa DeCaro is a performer and
choreographer with Gamelan X. She is a
graduate of Tamalpa Institute and has
assisted renowned teachers such as Anna
Halprin and Babatunde Olatunji. Her
training includes dance, yoga, martial
arts, and percussion.
www.OpeningPresence.com and
www.BodyofSound.com. p. 84
Lorie Eve Dechar wrote Five Spirits:
Alchemical Acupuncture for
Psychological and Spiritual Healing.
She practices acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy,
Gestalt, and archetypal psychology. She
teaches at Tri-State College of Acupuncture
and is cofounder of the Alchemical Healing
Mentorship. www.fivespirits.com. p. 24
Jamie Denbo is a professional improv
comedy performer based at the Upright
Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles. As
an actress and improviser, she appears regularly on The Late Late Show with Craig
Ferguson and others. p. 76
Brooke Deputy is a certified
Bioenergetic therapist with over 30 years
experience as a trainer and facilitator for
somatic therapies. An Esalen-trained massage therapist, she teaches in the Esalen
Movement Arts Program and is the executive director for the Chaplaincy Institute in
Berkeley, Calif. p. 47
Carol DeSanto is the cofounder of
Nervous System Energy Work and a psychotherapist in private practice. She has
been a longtime student of Rev. Rosalyn
Bruyere. Her special interests in energy
work encompass addiction-recovery, health
and healing, and work with cancer and
chronic illness. p. 44, 45
Karen Ely founded and directs A Woman’s
Way, a women’s retreat and workshop
program in Sedona, Ariz. She is a facilitator
and the author of Daring to Dream:
Reflections on the Year I Found
Myself and A Retreat of My Own.
www.awomansway.com. p. 22
Robin Fann-Costanzo has a lifelong
background in dance and movement. An
Esalen Massage practitioner, CranioSacral
practitioner, and certified yoga instructor,
she has taught and assisted Esalen Massage
trainings, yoga retreats, and Upledger
Institute trainings. p. 20, 52
Matt Englar-Carlson is an associate
Warren Farrell is author of the best-
Harvey Deutch has been both a physical therapist and yogi for the past 25 years.
His life path has blended the intricate
knowledge of movement with the practice of
yoga. He is the owner and one of many
physical therapists at Red Hawk Physical
Therapy in San Francisco. p. 30, 91
professor of counseling at California State
University, Fullerton. He specializes in educating helping professionals about the mental-health needs of men. He is coeditor of In
the Room with Men: A Casebook of
Therapeutic Change. p. 60
sellers Why Men Are The Way They
Are and The Myth of Male Power.
His Women Can’t Hear What Men
Don’t Say was a Book-of-the-Month
Club selection. He has appeared on
over 1,000 TV shows worldwide.
www.warrenfarrell.com. p. 47, 69
Karen Dietz is a business consultant,
coach, and former executive director of the
National Storytelling Network. With over
20 years of business experience and consulting, she coaches emerging and seasoned
leaders in becoming compelling storytellers
as an essential skill and career builder. p. 59
presence and healing, is a practitioner of
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and
Lomi Somatic Education. He holds a
black belt in Aikido and lives in
Petaluma, Calif. with his wife Zuza.
www.scottenglercranial.com. p. 62
Scott Engler, a longtime student of
Lisa Firestone is a clinical psychologist
and director of research and education for
the Glendon Association. Dr. Firestone is a
conference facilitator and coauthor of
Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice and
Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships.
p. 23
character development at the UCLA
Extension Writing Program. She is a former
motion picture executive and a nominee of a
Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild Award.
p. 88
Zuza Engler has been on the spiral path
of kinesthetic investigation into consciousness for two decades, in motion, stillness, and
process inquiry. She is a long-term student
and practitioner of Buddhism, SoulMotion,
and Gestalt Awareness Practice.
www.transformativedance.com. p. 62
vate practice for over 30 years. He has been
doing transpersonal work during most of his
career and has co-taught courses at the
American Psychiatric Association meetings
for many years. p. 63
Patrick Douce, one of Moshe
Ulrika Engman has been dancing on
Thomas Michael Fortel is a longtime
Feldenkrais’s first American students, has
been associated with Esalen since 1972.
Since 1986 he lives half of each year in Bali,
developing programs with Indonesian Silat
martial-arts-for-health schools. p. 16, 24, 92
the yoga path for 19 years leading popular
workshops and retreats worldwide. Certified
in Anusara Yoga and the Halprin Life/Art
Process, she combines the transformative
power of Yoga with the expressive arts into
a celebration of the heart. p. 72
yoga practitioner/teacher, influenced by
the Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Anusara styles
of hatha yoga, and drawing from his devotional experience in Bhakti yoga. He
travels widely, sharing his love for yoga.
www.yogawiththomas.com. p. 12, 42,
53, 68
Lisa Lieberman Doctor teaches
Jim Duffy is professor of psychiatry at the
University of Texas at M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center and at Baylor College of
Medicine. Dr. Duffy is a fellow of the
American Neuropsychiatric Association and
the American Academy of Hospice and
Palliative Medicine. p. 60
Emile Hassan Dyer brings a multicultural perspective to music, drawing on his
Cherokee and African heritage while performing the percussion instruments and
vocal styles of many cultures. He has worked
with Babatunde Olatunji, Bobby McFerrin,
Kevin Locke, Titos Sompas, David Darling,
among others. p. 39
Wendy Evans brings over 35 years of
body awareness practice and a practical,
physical perspective to her training, organization, executive leadership development
practice in Cleveland, Ohio. Her background includes Gestalt, Cortical Field
Reeducation, social science, and four children. www.EvansAlphaSolutions.com.
p. 25
Geneie Everett is director of Trauma
First Aide Associates and has 35 years experience integrating multiple approaches from
Western medicine and native cultures. She
teaches mind/body techniques working
with trauma to health care, military, and
first responders. p. 78
E
Miles Eastman is a sculptor and jewelry
maker casting in bronze and silver for over
9 years. He has studied sculpture in Italy,
worked in a bronze foundry in Los Angeles,
and is currently showing work in Los
Angeles. www.mileseastman.com. p. 31
Chandra Easton was named one of the
talented young teachers shaping the future
of yoga by Yoga Journal in 2008. She teaches Buddhist meditation and yoga internationally and cofounded Metta Journeys,
which offers yoga retreats internationally to
help women and children in developing
countries. p. 11
Erica Ellis was director of professional
education and training for Dan Siegel’s
Mindsight Institute and is adjunct faculty
at Antioch University’s Master of
Psychology program. Dr. Ellis teaches
nationally and maintains spiritual and psychoeducational coaching, psychotherapy,
and massage therapy practices in Los
Angeles, Calif. p. 59
F
Jessica Fagan, a member of the Esalen
massage staff, is a dancer and performer
who is deeply immersed in the practice and
teaching of Eastern and Western somatic
therapies as well as Vinyasa Yoga.
www.firewithin.ws. p. 11
Benjamin Fahrer is an internationally-
recognized Permaculture designer, educator,
and farmer. A community organizer and
progressive organic farmer, he has worked
intimately with front-line organizations,
nonprofits, and communities throughout
California. Ben is on the staff of the Esalen
Farm and Garden. p. 37, 49, 97
Jayson Fann has twenty years of experi-
ence as a musician, performer, visual artist,
musical director and multi-cultural arts
education consultant. The former director of
the Esalen Arts Center, he has taught at
California State University, Monterey Bay.
p. 12, 27, 42
William Foote is a psychologist in pri-
Benjamin Fox is a licensed massage
therapist, astrologer, and avid gardener with
more than 20 years of experience in the
fields of holistic medicine and organizational administration. He is a cofounder of
the Alchemical Healing Mentorship.
benjamin@anewpossibility.com. p. 24
Jerome Front teaches at Pepperdine
University and across the U.S., and has
written about mindfulness, contemplative
living, and mindful approaches to relationships. He leads retreats and clinical and corporate trainings, and is an LMFT in private
practice. www.JeromeFront.com. p. 80
G
Erin Gafill is a fifth-generation
California painter. She has taught at the
Monterey Museum of Art, the Central Coast
Art Association, and the Big Sur Land
Trust. In 2009, she was named Champion
of the Arts by the Arts Council for Monterey.
www.eringafill.com. p. 59
Kate Gale is managing editor of Red Hen
Press, president of the American Composers
Forum Los Angeles, and editor of The Los
Angeles Review. She is past president of
PEN USA. She teaches at Mount St.
Mary’s. She has published novels, short
fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and
cultural essays. p. 47
Jim Gallas, a Shiatsu teacher for over 15
years, has led workshops in California and
internationally. Creator of the DVD Zen
Thai Table Shiatsu: Deep and Effective
Body Work with Ease, Jim also teaches
Reiki, anatomy, yoga, and Chi Kung.
p. 93, 98
D.J. Garrity is known as a sculptor,
painter and journeyman along the margins
of abstract expression. Nuances of the human
condition are signatory in his work and
elicit a sense of restrained eloquence. p. 16
Judith Ansara Gass is an internation-
ally-known teacher who synthesizes a rich
background in spirituality, psychology,
social action, and the arts. Cofounder (with
husband Robert Gass) of Opening The
Heart workshops, her work is forged in the
living laboratory of her 40-year marriage.
p. 44
Robert Gass is a Harvard-trained psychologist, leadership coach, and consultant
to organizations from General Motors to
Greenpeace and MoveOn.org. He has taught
the art of relationship (with his wife of 40
years, Judith Ansara) since 1979. Chantmaster and recording artist, including bestselling Om Namaha Shivaya. p. 44
Cornelia Gerken integrates a spectrum
of psychosomatic and healing approaches.
With her husband Siegmar, she cofounded
and codirects the International Institute of
Core Evolution. She is the founder of
CoreSoma. www.CoreSoma.com. p. 32
Siegmar Gerken is the founder and
director of the International Institutes of
Core Energetics & Core Evolution®. Dr.
Gerken trains professionals and organizations in the interconnectedness of psychosomatic processes as they manifest on the levels
of body, feelings, mind, will and spirit. p. 32
Christopher Germer is a clinical
psychologist, a clinical instructor in
psychology at Harvard Medical
School, coeditor of Mindfulness and
Psychotherapy, and author of The
Mindful Path to Self-Compassion.
He leads workshops nationally on mindfulness and acceptance-based psychotherapy.
www.MindfulSelfCompassion.org. p. 30
Stan Gerome is an instructor and visiting therapist with the Upledger Institute
with a private practice in Ft. Lauderdale,
Fla. since 1986. He has been a CranioSacral
and SomatoEmotional Release practitioner
since 1986. p. 47
Mariah Fenton Gladis, founder/direc-
tor of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for
Psychotherapy and Training for over three
decades, leads workshops and trainings
around the U.S. and in Europe. She is recognized for the sensitive and creative way
she practices the art of Gestalt. p. 34, 36
Mary Goldenson is a clinical psychologist, chiropractor, and certified Radix
teacher in Los Angeles. She has a private
practice specializing in relationship therapy
and transitions, and leads mediation trainings and workshops around the country.
www.drmarygoldenson.com. p. 15, 23,
71
Bonnie Goldstein is a psychologist spe-
cializing in healing through the lens of
attachment theory and group psychotherapy. She teaches at USC’s School of Social
Work and is founder-director fo the Center
for Psychological Services. p. 48, 66
Jan Goldstein, rabbi and educator, has
been honored by Johns Hopkins University
and the U.S. Secretary of Education for his
work. He is author of two non-fiction books
and three best-selling novels. p. 48
103
Gwen Gordon designed and built
Muppets for Sesame Street. She teaches
at Spirit Rock Meditation Center,
Coaches Training Institute, Institute for
Transpersonal Psychology, and Holy
Names University. Her articles have
been published by many journals.
www.gwengordonplay.com. p. 37
Adama Hamilton is a certified therapist, teacher, and trainer who teaches the
Hakomi Method and energy work in the
U.S. and internationally. He formerly
worked in a community mental health
organization, as an iron worker, and as a
professional glass artist. p. 88
Harriet Goslins originated Cortical
and counseling in the Midwest before moving to California in 1996. She has spent
much of her time since then living, working,
and studying at Esalen, where she began her
training in CFR and was active in Gestalt
training and practice. p. 11, 87
Field Reeducation. A Feldenkrais practitioner and Integrated Awareness teacher, her
background is in psychosynthesis, applied
kinesiology, muscle energy, craniosacral
work, and social anthropology. She has been
teaching at Esalen for 23 consecutive years.
p. 58
Jnana Gowan, director of Powerhouse
Education and Seminars, developed yoga for
Mindful Motherhood by Dr. Cassandra
Vieten and Executive Stamina by Marty
Seldman. She conducts yoga, corporate
stress-reduction, and wellness retreats. p. 77
Akuyoe Graham is a Ghanaian born
writer, actor, and filmmaker and the author
of the critically acclaimed, The Little Book
of Transformation. She is currently working on the theatrical film version of her onewoman play, Spirit Awakening. p. 28
David Grand is the creator of the
Brainspotting treatment method and
author of Emotional Healing at Warp
Speed. He directed and produced the documentary Come Hell or High Water and
has been featured on NBC, CNN, and in
the New York Times. p. 8, 32, 35
Patrice Hamilton worked in education
Michael Haney is a psychologist practic-
ing for 20 years in Austin Texas, primarily
with those suffering anxiety problems, and
with couples. He teaches at the Gestalt
Institute of Austin, and is a member of the
Society for Psychotherapy Integration and
the Violet Crown Sports Association. p. 67
Rick Hanson is a psychologist and
Constellations worldwide. She has developed and taught applications of the systemic
approach in family, educational, and organizational contexts. She is a UKCP registered
psychotherapist and the director of Moving
Constellations in the United Kingdom.
www.MovingConstellations.com. p. 38
and grandfather of Kai and Kes. His rich,
diverse life has taken him from Africa to
public service in Washington D.C. to
administration of universities. He teaches
dance, tai chi, and counseling in Arizona.
p. 88
Chris Griffin is a Master ChiRunning/
ChiWalking Instructor, mentoring with the
founder of ChiRunning/ChiWalking,
Danny Dreyer. Chris lives in Mill Valley,
Calif., and travels throughout the U.S. and
Canada teaching this technique. p. 79
Kes Harper, age 15, is a native Big Sur
local and graduate of Esalen’s Gazebo
School. He has spent his entire life training
his father, Steven Harper, in the ways of
innovative parenting and hiking. p. 88
Esalen Massage teacher. Astrologer and
educator since 1977, she counsels internationally and is a bilingual practitioner and
teacher of Transformational Kinesiology
from Polaris International College,
Denmark. She created Openstars, Somatic
Astrology at Esalen in 2000. www.transformagroup.com.ar. p. 52
H
Meredith Haberfeld is acclaimed for
her work with individuals, couples, and
families. She taught her workshop Living
an Extraordinary Life at MIT, and her
advice has been included in Forbes,
Woman’s Day, and Glamour magazines.
www.meredithhaberfeld.com. p. 74
104
Michele Hébert is a master yoga and
meditation teacher, natural nutritionist,
and author. Yogiraj Walt Baptiste conferred
upon her the title Raja Yoga Guide, and she
has received initiation from Swami Veda
Bharati and H.H. The Dalai Lama. p. 55
Kai Harper, age 18, is a native Big Sur
local and graduate of Esalen’s Gazebo
School. He has spent his entire life training
his father, Steven Harper, in the ways of
innovative parenting and hiking. p. 88
art for thirty years and holds a Masters of
Fine Arts degree. She teaches at Antelope
Valley and Harbor colleges, among others.
She was trained by Dr. Betty Edwards,
author of Drawing on the Right Side
of the Brain. p. 21
Silvia Guersenzvaig is a certified
Amnesty International, heads the Human
Rights Action Center. A leader in the
human rights movement for over 25 years,
he helped move the topic of human rights
from closed-door diplomatic negotiations to
widespread awareness and direct citizen
action. p. 84
Diane Poole Heller is an expert in the
field of trauma resolution, attachment models, and integrative healing techniques. Dr.
Heller is a therapist, Somatic Experiencing®
trainer, and coauthor of Crash Course, a
guidebook on how to resolve auto accident
trauma. p. 52
Kenneth Harper is the father of Steven
(licensed marriage and family therapist)
and certified personal trainer in private
practice for the past 10 years. He specializes
in body image confidence with gay men.
www.bodyconsultation.com. p. 87
Jack Healey, former executive director of
author who has been teaching contemplative neuroscience since1974. Dr. Hanson
founded the Wellspring Institute for
Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom,
and teaches at Stanford, Spirit Rock, and
other organizations. His book, Buddha’s
Brain, is forthcoming in November, 2009
(New Harbinger Publications). p. 20
Lynda Greenberg has been practicing
James Guay is a psychotherapist
Geneen Marie Haugen is a writer
and guide to the mysteries of Earth and
psyche. Her work appears in many nature
anthologies, including American Nature
Writing and Going Alone: Women’s
Adventures in the Wild. She is a doctoral
student in Philosophy, Cosmology, and
Consciousness at CIIS. p. 28
Judith Hemming practices and teaches
Clifford Henderson cofounded the
Fun Institute in Santa Cruz, Calif., which
brings improv to the community and workplace. She performs with several improv
groups and has had plays and sketch comedies produced. Her novels include The
Middle of Somewhere and the forthcoming Spanking New. www.cliffordhenderson.net and www.funinstitute.com.
p. 21
Steven Harper is a wilderness guide,
author, artist, and Big Sur resident. He has
led both traditional and experimental
wilderness expeditions internationally for
over 30 years. He has an MA in psychology
and his work focuses on wild nature as a
vehicle for awakening. www.stevenkharper.com. p. 7, 56, 68, 77, 86, 88
Kim Hermanson teaches at Holy
Names University in Oakland, Calif. and
Meridian University in Petaluma. She has
taught at the University of California
Berkeley Extension and the Institute of
Transpersonal Psychology. Her books
include Getting Messy and Sky’s the
Limit:The Art of Nancy Dunlop
Cawdrey. p. 45
Susan Harper teaches Continuum
Paul Heussenstamm comes from a
workshops in the U.S., Canada, Europe,
and Japan. She also offers Quest trips—for
celebrating what is still wild, inside and
out—in the wilderness and in Asia. p. 86
John Harris presents partner dance and
life coaching workshops and seminars
worldwide, combining a Systemic approach
with his vast experience teaching Cuban
Salsa and Argentine Tango. p. 29, 31
Mary Hartzell has over 30 years’ experi-
ence working with children, parents, and
teachers. She is the director of a highly
respected, Reggio-inspired preschool in
Santa Monica, Calif. Mary also teaches parenting classes and has a thriving privateconsulting practice. p. 73
family immersed in art and spirituality.
At 35, he began painting in earnest after a
single art class expanded into a consuming
passion, a new profession, and a new perspective on life. He understands mandalas
as psychic maps and symbols of wholeness.
p. 37
John Hiatt, clinical professor of psychiatry
in the UCSF School of Medicine, also directs
General Outpatient Services at the San
Francisco VA Medical Center. He founded
the Transpersonal Care Program at the VA,
which offers spiritually-based treatment.
He recently opened a private practice. p. 63
Donna Hicks is an associate at the
Weatherhead Center for International
Affairs at Harvard University. Dr. Hicks
developed the Dignity Model, a new
approach to healing and reconciling
relationships in conflict. p. 66
Deborah Ardell Hill is a licensed
massage therapist and reflexologist experienced in a variety of modalities. Author
of Spiritual Reflexology, she also offers
integrations using quantum physics
theories. p. 32, 75
Constance G. Hills is a licensed psy-
chologist. She has a Vipassana meditation
practice and has studied with Dr. Rina
Sircar for over 15 years. Dr. Hills’ psychotherapy and consultation practice is in
San Francisco, Calif. www.conniehillsphd.com. p. 22
Johanna Holloman is a German-born
clinical psychologist, Diamond Approach®
teacher, and certified Esalen® Massage and
Deep bodywork instructor, teaching at the
Esalen Institute and internationally. She is
a Yoga teacher (E-RYT 500) and has created
the Esalen In-house Yoga training program.
p. 51, 61, 78
Perry Holloman has been a teacher
and practitioner of Esalen® Massage, Deep
Bodywork, and body-oriented approaches to
Gestalt therapy for over 20 years. He teaches
in the U.S., Asia, and Europe, and makes
his home in Big Sur, Calif. www.deepbodywork.com. p. 51, 61, 78
Gabriele Hoppe has been a Biosynthesis
trainer since 2000. She trained with David
Boadella and Silvia Specht-Boadella in
Switzerland. She is also a teacher at the
German Acupuncture Society. She co-created
Energy Medicine and Therapy. p. 71
Jonathan Horan is Gabrielle Roth’s son
and closest collaborator. He is on the core
faculty of her international institute, The
Moving Center. Jonathan has been immersed
in the 5Rhythms practice throughout his
life and continues to be a key catalyst in its
evolution. p. 75
Lucia Rose Horan was born and
raised in the Esalen community. She carries
on her family’s lineage through teaching the
5Rhythms ecstatic dance practice and Esalen
Massage. Lucia shares her passion and
inspiration as both an embodied practitioner
and teacher. p. 53, 98
Mitch Horowitz is editor-in-chief of
Tarcher/Penguin in New York and author
of Occult America: The Secret History
of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation.
His work has appeared in Esopus,
Parabola, and Fortean Times, and on
The History Channel, The Montel
Williams Show, and other national media.
www.MitchHorowitz.com. p. 8, 34
Chungliang Al Huang teaches Tai Ji
philosophy, East/West synthesis, and the art
of movement meditation. He is the founderpresident of the Living Tao Foundation and
director of Lan Ting Institute in the Sacred
Mountains of China. p. 44, 47, 48
Terry Hunt is a nationally-known
psychologist and coauthor of Emotional
Healing; Secrets to Tell, Secrets to
Keep, and Addiction as Transformation.
p. 75
Felix “Pupy” Insua, born and raised in
Cuba (a featured performer with Grupo
Folklorico Nacional de Cuba), he moved to
New York in 1995 to spread the healing
experience of Afro-Cuban music, dance, and
spirituality. He is a priest and healer in the
Cuban Lukumi religion. p. 59
Rik Isensee practices psychotherapy in
San Francisco. He is the author of Love
Between Men, Reclaiming Your Life,
and Are You Ready?—The Gay Men’s
Guide to Thriving at Midlife.
www.gay-therapist.com. p. 87
J
Roger Jahnke has practiced Chinese
medicine clinically for over 30 years. He has
traveled to China eight times and is the
director of the Institute for Integral Qigong
and Tai Chi. His books include The Healer
Within and The Healing Promise of Qi.
www.IIQTC.org. p. 33, 88
Athena Katsaros is a leadership and
life coach, and a principal of IdeaTribe. She
is a faculty member at the Coaches Training
Institute. As an executive council member
of Bpeace, Athena works with women
leaders in Afghanistan and Rwanda.
www.ideatribe.com. p. 14, 71
Lynne Kaufman is a novelist and
award-winning playwright. She teaches
writing at UC Berkeley, Dominican
University of California, and San Francisco
State University’s Lifelong Learning
Institutes. www.Lynnekaufman.com.
p. 74
Sunnie Kaufmann has created and
implemented children’s programming for
over 15 years. She is community development director with Girl Scouts of Northern
California. She is on the board of directors
for the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and
Referral Agency of California. p. 7, 51, 87
Sam Keen is the author of numerous books,
including The Passionate Life, Faces of the
Enemy, Hymns to an Unknown God, and
Learning to Fly. www.samkeen.com. p. 54
Eli Jaxon-Bear teaches and leads
retreats worldwide through The Leela
Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through
universal self-realization. His books include
The Enneagram of Liberation: From
Fixation to Freedom and Sudden
Awakening—Into Direct Realization.
p. 37
Jim Kepner is a psychologist and the
author of Body Process and Healing
Tasks. He teaches internationally on
the application of Gestalt Body Process
Psychotherapy to healing in trauma,
stress, and illness. Jim is the co-originator
of Nervous System Energy Work.
www.pathwaysforhealing.com. p. 44, 45
Wendy Johnson is a Buddhist medita-
and teacher in Sebastopol, Calif. He is
known as much for his sense of humor and
friendly manner as for his ability with the
chisel. He helps people understand the subtle
nuances of cutting wood without fear or
trepidation. p. 57
tion teacher and organic gardening mentor
who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
She is one of the founders of the organic
Farm and Garden program at Green Gulch
Farm Zen Center, in Marin County, Calif.
and author of Gardening at the Dragon’s
Gate. p. 62
Zoran Josipovic is a long-term practi-
tioner of meditation in the Tibetan
Buddhist traditions of Dzog-Chen and
Mahamudra and the Hindu tradition of
Advaita Vedanta. He is a research scientist
at the Rubin Laboratory, Center for Neural
Science at New York University. p. 14
Loren Judaken studied Interpersonal
Communication and Environmental and
Interior Design at UCLA. She facilitates
group dialogue that explores psychological,
sociological, and environmental effects on
relationship, incorporating creativity as a
means of expressing emotion. p. 66
Andrea Juhan balances the catalytic
nature of the 5Rhythms with a finely tuned
therapeutic instinct. Her teaching style is
both lively and challenging, creating a
field where participants are inspired and
supported to pursue their own growth. p. 20
K
Sharon Kagan is an award-winning
painter and installation artist, as well as an
art therapist. She teaches the Visual Journal
workshop enabling artists and non-artists
to fully express themselves. p. 85
Jerry Kermode is a woodturning artist
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
I
Mawuena Kodjovi, a gifted multi-
instrumentalist, was born in Paris and
raised in Togo. He absorbed the music of
West Africa, then studied jazz and harmony
in Paris to gain a vast knowledge of musical
traditions. In 1998, he came to New York to
join Babatunde Olatunji on guitar, vocals,
and percussion. p. 33
Deborah Koff-Chapin has been
developing Touch Drawing since 1974 and
is the founding director of the Center for
Touch Drawing. She teaches at the
California Institute of Integral Studies
and Wisdom University and is the author
of Drawing Out Your Soul.
www.touchdrawing.com. p. 99
of Abacus Wealth Partners, which has been
named one of the top 250 wealth management firms in the U.S. by Bloomberg
Wealth Manager. Brent has dedicated
himself to yoga since 1989 and is the author
of It’s Not About the Money. p. 91
George Kohlrieser is a professor of
leadership and organizational behavior at
the International Institute for Management
Development (IMD) in Lausanne,
Switzerland. His research, teaching, and
consulting incorporate the lessons learned as
a clinical psychologist and hostage negotiator. He is the author of Hostage at the
Table. p. 9, 40, 41
Ruth King facilitates transformative
retreats and is president of Bridges, Branches
& Braids—an organization working with
negative energies in positive ways, and
author of Healing Rage—Women
Making Inner Peace Possible. She is
based in Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 40
Pamela Kramer, a senior ITP teacher
and student of George Leonard and Michael
Murphy, creates a supportive community
setting to grow, learn, and enjoy. She has
co-led the longest-running ITP group in
the country. Pam is the president of ITP
International. p. 57
Daphne Rose Kingma is a therapist,
Sybil Krauter teaches Integrated
Awareness® and Cortical Field
Reeducation® internationally. Her background is in education, clinical hypnosis,
and neurolinguistic programming.
Currently her focus is on how we create
reality. p. 58
Brent Kessel is president and cofounder
lecturer, and teacher of relationships as a
spiritual art form. She is the best-selling
author of ten books on love and relationships, including Coming Apart, True
Love, The Men We Never Knew, Loving
Yourself and The Future of Love. p. 29
Alan Kishbaugh has been leading cou-
ples seminars with his wife Stella Resnick
for over 25 years. He is a writer with many
years of experience in book publishing,
urban planning, and parkland and open
space preservation. p. 88
Charly Kleissner is a philanthropic
entrepreneur utilizing his high technology
background in venture philanthropy. He
cofounded the KL Felicitas Foundation
and the Social-Impact initiative, which
help social entrepreneurs worldwide
accelerate and increase their social impact.
www.klfelicitasfoundation.org and
www.social-impact.org. p. 62
Jill Kuykendall is a physical therapist
and transpersonal medical practitioner who
worked in the standard Western medical
paradigm for 25 years. She is in private
practice specializing in soul retrieval,
and is the coauthor (with Hank
Wesselman) of Spirit Medicine.
www.sharedwisdom.com. p. 54, 86
Jeffrey Kripal is chairman of the
Department of Religious Studies at Rice
University. He has written four books focusing on the comparative erotics and ethics of
mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions,
and the history of Western esotericism.
p. 73, 98
Ron Kurtz created the Hakomi Method
and the Practice of Loving Presence. He is
the author of Body-Centred Psychotherapy:
the Hakomi Method and the coauthor of
The Body Reveals and Grace Unfolding.
Ron teaches internationally. p. 88
L
Brian LaForgia has been practicing
Chinese Medicine for the past 30 years. In
1992, he met Leon Hammer and studied Dr.
John Shen’s pulse system intensively with
him. Since 1995 Brian has been teaching
Pulse Diagnosis internationally. p. 64
Gail Larsen founded Real Speaking® and
received a U.S. Small Business Administration
Person of the Year award. She was executive
vice president of NSA, the association for
professional speakers. She wrote Transformational Speaking: If You Want to
Change the World, Tell a Better Story.
www.realspeaking.net. p. 32
Leonard Laskow is a Stanford-trained
physician who has studied the healing
power of love for over 33 years. Author of
Healing With Love, Dr. Laskow is a
behavioral and energy medicine consultant
in Ashland, Ore. and lectures and teaches
internationally. p. 89
Carol Lessinger, healer and interna-
tional movement educator, trained with
Moshe Feldenkrais and has a background
in modern dance, Bartieneff Movement
Fundamentals, cranial-sacral work, integrated awareness, and transpersonal psychology. p. 25
Jaquelin Levin is a writer, biocentric
activist, and didactic facilitator of
Biodanza®. She trained in psychology, performing arts, and was also initiated into the
medicine way. Jaquelin teaches in the U.S.,
South Africa, the UK and Europe.
www.biodanza-dancesoflife.com. p. 15
Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx
and Against The Stream, is a Buddhist
teacher and counselor, trained to teach by
Jack Kornfield. He is the founding teacher of
Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation
Society. p. 97
105
Peter Levine has a background in medical biophysics, psychophysiology, and psychology. He developed Somatic Experiencing
over the past 40 years, and teaches this work
throughout the world. Dr. Levine is the
author of the best-selling book, Waking the
Tiger, and the book/CD, Healing Trauma.
p. 39, 40
Gregg Levoy, author of Callings:
Finding and Following an Authentic
Life and This Business of Writing, is a
former adjunct professor of journalism at the
University of New Mexico who teaches
widely on the subject of callings. p. 63
Bradley Lewis is an associate professor
at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized
Study. He is the author of Moving Beyond
Prozac, DSM, and the New Psychiatry:
The Birth of Postpsychiatry. p. 91, 98
Dennis Lewis, a student of the Gurdjieff
Work, Taoism, and Advaita, teaches the
transformative power of presence through
breathing, qigong, meditation, and selfinquiry. He is the author of Free Your
Breath, Free Your Life, The Tao of
Natural Breathing, and the audio
program Natural Breathing. p. 93
Jon Lipsky, director and playwright,
wrote Dreaming Together and is former
associate artistic director of the
Vineyard Playhouse on Martha’s
Vineyard. In 2007, he received the
Boston Critics Eliot Norton Award for
best director. He teaches theater at
Boston University’s College of Fine
Arts. p. 17
Elisa Lodge has been teaching expressive
arts practices, movement, dance, drama,
sound healing, and bodywork for four
decades. She is the creator of Wowzacise –
Growing Young on the Ball and author
of Primal Energetics – Emotional
Intelligence in Action.
www.Wowzacise.com. p. 61
Miranda Macpherson is author of
Boundless Love: Transforming Your
Life with Grace and Inspiration, founder
of the Interfaith Seminary in London, and
a teacher at the Findhorn Foundation. She
has taught internationally since 1995. p. 89
Jane Malek trained with Marion Rosen.
She is a senior teacher of Rosen Method
Bodywork and Rosen Movement Training.
Jane established a certified Rosen Method
training center in Monterey, Calif.
where she has a private practice.
www.RosenWest.org. p. 14
Sarah Maloney is an early childhood
educator specializing in working with
infants and toddlers, expressive arts, and
teaching adults. p. 76
Vanda Marlow left a business career in
her native London to find her vocation.
Now, as a leadership and relationship coach,
she inspires people to the fearless pursuit of
joy-filled, juicy lives. www.ideatribe.com.
p. 50
Deborah Anne Medow, Esalen
Stephen Mercurio is a teacher at
and spiritual friend, living in Portland, Ore.
He teaches SoulMotion internationally, and
is a certified Chaplain and Prayer
Practitioner through the New Thought
Alliance of Churches. p. 33, 34, 85
Esalen’s Gazebo Park School. He has
worked as an early childhood and outdoor
educator for the City of Monterey and
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
for 10 years. p. 66
Diana Marto is an international environmental performance artist, visual artist,
activist, and teacher. She has performed and
exhibited in Asia, Africa, the Middle East,
Europe, and North America. She teaches
papermaking as a spiritual practice. p. 70
Peter James Meyers, accomplished
professional actor/director, founded the
award-winning Vector Theater
Conservatory and Stand & Deliver, an
executive training program that provides
high-performance training to business
leaders all over the world. p. 9, 40, 98
Edward W. Maupin, a psychologist
who was an Esalen scholar-in-residence
from 1966 to 1970, has practiced Rolfing
since 1968, when he was trained by Dr. Ida
Rolf. His early research in Zen Buddhism
strongly influenced his approach to the Rolf
Method. p. 35
Marlena Lyons is the cofounder of The
Camille Maurine coauthored
Conscious Living Center, a counseling and
retreat center in the San Francisco Bay
Area. She has been teaching workshops
about how to inhabit the full spectrum of
one’s humanity for the past 20 years.
www.undefendedlove.com. p. 27
Meditation 24/7 and Meditation
Secrets for Women. A dancer and performing artist who has taught movement,
meditation, and expression since 1975,
Camille is the creator of kinAesthetics and
the transformational Moving Theater
process. www.camillemaurine.com.
p. 17, 42
M
Michael Mayer presents his integrative
106
Esalen kitchen after studying at the
California Culinary Academy, which
followed earning his B.A. in Literature
from Stanford University. Now a massage
therapist, he is actively involved in nourishing the body on many levels. p. 15, 81
Vinn Martí is a movement artist, teacher,
Fred Luskin teaches and researches the
psychosocial and spiritual factors that lead to
health and disease at Stanford University.
He is director of the Stanford Forgiveness
Project and has written two bestsellers:
Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love.
p. 13
selling Solemate, created the Mastering the
Art of Aloneness roadmap, a process that
helps people break free from the shackles of
their life conditioning, activate their potential, and become the person they were born
to be. www.laurenmackler.com. p. 61
Liam McDermott was a chef in the
Dean Marson teaches Esalen Massage
and Ocean Yoga. He integrates meditation,
movement, and bodywork practices to assist
people in enlivening their bodies and their
lives. He has led workshops at Esalen and
internationally for over 20 years. p. 18, 67
chologist and university professor for thirty
years and is the coauthor, with John A.
Sanford, of the book What Men Are Like.
Visit his question/answer website at
www.AskDoctorGeorge.com. p. 41
Lauren Mackler, author of the best-
Jim McCormick trained with Zero
Balancing founder, Dr. Fritz Smith. He is
chairman of the board of directors and the
on the faculty of the Zero Balancing Health
Association. He is co-president of Cambridge
Health Associates, where he practices Zero
Balancing and traditional acupuncture.
p. 72
workshop leader and bodywork practitioner
since 1969, teaches yoga, massage, creative
movement, awareness practices, and related
healing disciplines throughout the U.S. and
Europe. She is also a certified nutrition educator, and manager of the Esalen Healing
Arts Department. p. 18, 20, 37
Nora Matten is a member of the Esalen
Massage crew and an Esalen Massage
teacher. As part of the Esalen Movement
staff she teaches dance and yoga. Her work
draws on Forrest Yoga, Soul Motion,
Vipassana meditation, Gestalt Awareness
Practice, and the Diamond Approach,
among others. p. 72
George Lough has been a licensed psy-
Jennifer McChristian is an awardwinning painter who has also worked as an
animation artist in Los Angeles and served
in the military service for five years. She
studied with Robert Blue, Karl Dempwolf,
Scott Burdick, and Steve Huston.
www.jennifermcchristian.com. p. 77
approach to Tai Chi Chuan/Qigong at conferences, hospitals, and in his Bodymind
Healing Certification Programs. Dr. Mayer
is author of 20 publications, including three
books on integrating Tai Chi/Qigong with
Western bodymind healing methods.
www.bodymindhealing.com. p. 23
Emmett Miller is widely recognized as
a founder of mind/body medicine and as
the inventor of the guided-imagery audiocassette/CD. He is the author of Deep
Healing and has recorded more than 50
deep-relaxation meditations and talks.
p. 70
Tamar Miller is a social entrepreneur
and consultant to social change and religious organizations. She works with the
Interfaith Engagement and Spirituality
unit at the Fetzer Institute and was director
of the Institute for Social and Economic
Policy in the Middle East at Harvard.
p. 9, 45
Sarana Miller is a faculty instructor at
Yoga Journal and teaches at The Claremont
Hotel and her own home studio. Trained in
the Iyengar and Forrest Yoga traditions,
her love of yoga was born at Esalen. p. 30
Oscar Miro-Quesada is a Peruvian
kamasqa curandero, Fellow in Ethnopsychology with the Organization of
American States (OAS), founder of the
Heart of the Healer (THOTH) Foundation,
UN Invited Observer to the Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues, and originator
the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition of cross-cultural shamanism. www.mesaworks.com.
p. 74
Anneli Molin-Skelton is living her
dream of inspiring people to discover the forgotten language of their souls by embracing
their sacredness and truth in movement.
She is a cofounder of the movement sanctuary Spiritweaves. www.spiritweaves.com.
p. 78
Michael Molin-Skelton listens to
prayers of the wind and hears music.
Michael reaches through dance rather than
teaches to dance. “Dance is not something
I do, it’s simply who I am.”
www.spiritweaves.com. p. 78
Matthew Montfort, leader of the
internationally acclaimed world fusion
music ensemble Ancient Future, is a bandleader, composer, and multi-instrumentalist
(scalloped fretboard guitar, electric guitar,
flamenco guitar, mandolin, charango, sitar,
and gamelan). He has performed worldwide. p. 10
Jean Morrison has worked in the
areas of health, education, business, and
restorative justice since 1985. She has been
a Certified Trainer with the global Center
for Nonviolent Communication since
1989, and coproduces materials for
learning Compassionate Communication
(nvcproducts.com). p. 61, 99
Nan Moss is a shamanic practitioner
and teacher, serving on the faculty of the
Foundation for Shamanic Studies for over
15 years. She is author of Weather
Shamanism: Harmonizing Our
Connection with the Elements and
CloudDancing: Wisdom from the Sky.
www.shamanscircle.com. p. 25
Charles Muir, a professional yoga
instructor for 35 years, is director of the
Source School of Tantra Yoga in Hawaii
and California. He is coauthor of Tantra:
The Art of Conscious Loving. His work
was featured in the Hollywood movies
Bliss and The Best Ever. p. 55
N
Katie Nash lived and worked at Esalen
for over 10 years. She is director of Apple Pie
School in Big Sur, Calif., where she lives
with her husband and their daughter. She
enjoys teaching improvisational theater and
dance, and leads workshops in creative
expression. p. 53
Lisa Nave is a psychotherapist with a
private practice in Mill Valley, Calif. She
is an author, speaker, workshop facilitator,
has created a social networking site for
building community among families, and
has taught at Golden Gate University.
www.lisanavemft.com. p. 79
Mehrad Nazari is a master teacher of
the Walt Baptiste Method of Raja Yoga.
Dr. Nazari received initiation from Swami
Veda Bharati, Kyozan Joshu Roshi, and
H.H. The Dalai Lama. As an industrial
psychologist he applies the ancient spiritual
practices to the corporate world. p. 55
Kristin Neff is an associate professor in
human development at the University of
Texas and leading researcher on self-compassion. She’s also the mother of an autistic
child featured in the book and film, The
Horse Boy. Kristin teaches internationally.
www.self-compassion.org. p. 30
Gretchen Nelson is a physical therapist
in San Francisco, Calif., focusing on the
needs of the in-home elderly population,
and on treatment of yoga-related injuries.
She is a senior yoga teacher who teaches
yoga not as sequence of postures but as a
way of living. p. 26
Laurel Parnell is an internationally-recognized psychologist, author, consultant, and
EMDR trainer who has trained thousands
of clinicians in the U.S. and abroad. The
author of four books on EMDR, she maintains a private practice in San Rafael, Calif.
p. 38
Michael Newman is an attorney-medi-
Gamo Da Paz is a third-generation
ator, surfer, and lifelong resident of the Big
Sur coast. He has an MA in psychology and
promotes the integration of wilderness into
contemporary life. p. 56, 68
master drummer from Bahia, Brazil and
an accomplished recording artist and traditional teacher who has performed and
taught in the U.S., France, Switzerland,
Italy, Germany, and Japan. p. 87
Mark Nicolson directs Ventana, a center that facilitates transformative learning
in leaders and organizations committed to
social change. Mark’s work also focuses on
life transitions. He is a graduate of Oxford,
Stanford, and the Esalen Extended Student
program. p. 10
O
Jay Ogilvy cofounded Global Business
Network and is partner of the Monitor
Group. His research and consulting revolves
around scenario planning and the role
human values and changing motivations
in business. He teaches widely and is the
author of Creating Better Futures:
Scenario Planning as a Tool for a Better
Tomorrow, among other books. p. 56
Jennie Oppenheimer’s work, a play-
ful exploration of pattern, texture, and color
inspired by fabrics, weathered architecture,
and colors found in cultures around the
world, has been featured in cookbooks and
magazines, as gift cards and papers, and as
backdrops for retail environments. p. 92
Wendy Oser is a filmmaker and produc-
er of the award-winning documentary Let’s
Face It: Women Explore their Aging
Faces (www.letsfaceit.tv). She pioneered
the use of video feedback for self-discovery,
leading workshops internationally since
1976. p. 56
Ghada Osman is a professor of Islamic
and Arabic studies at San Diego State
University. She is also a counselor and a
yoga teacher. p. 8, 27
Brita Ostrom, a licensed MFT, has led
massage and other workshops at Esalen for
over 20 years. She is trained in Gestalt
awareness work and participated in Esalen’s
two-year somatics education project. p. 90
Carole Pertofsky directs Stanford
University’s Wellness and Health
Promotion Services. She teaches The Pursuit
of Happiness and Health, is a life coach and
facilitator of national health and wellness
seminars and workshops. She cofounded
Spiritual Tools For Healing Center, for
cancer survivors. p. 56
Char Pias, a member of the Esalen mas-
sage staff since 1980, teaches internationally,
focusing on bodywork’s energetic, emotional,
and spiritual aspect. She is a Reiki Master/
Teacher, a Circle of Life facilitator/coach,
and a licensed graduate of The Center for
Spiritual Healing. p. 39, 94
Pablo Piekar, a former psychotherapist,
is an organizational development consultant and teacher. His work focuses on creatively promoting the unfolding of innate
talent in individuals and organizations.
p. 85
Bill Plotkin, founder of Colorado’s
Animas Valley Institute, is a depth psychologist, wilderness-based soul guide, and agent
for cultural change. Author of Soulcraft
and Nature and the Human Soul, he has
guided thousands of people through initiatory passages in the underworld of soul. p. 28
David Presti is a neuroscientist at the
University of California in Berkeley. His
areas of expertise include the chemistry of
the human nervous system, the effects of
drugs on the brain and mind, and the scientific study of mind and consciousness. p. 41
Christine Stewart Price is a teacher
and ongoing student of Gestalt Awareness
Practice and other approaches to developing
awareness. p. 27, 28, 53, 64, 91
Steven Pritzker is a professor of psychol-
P
ogy, writer, creativity coach, and director of
Creativity Studies at Saybrook University,
in San Francisco. He co-edits The
Encyclopedia of Creativity and wrote
for network television. p. 30
Ji Hyang Padma serves as director of
Jett Psaris is the cofounder of The
spirituality and education programs at
Wellesley College. She also teaches at
UCLA, Kripalu, and the Omega Institute.
Ji Hyang has been teaching Zen for fifteen
years. p. 10
Laurie Lioness Parizek graduated
from the Montreal General Hospital School
of Nursing, McGill University. She studied
and teaches hands-on interactive and energy healing and is a longtime teacher of
Esalen bodywork. p. 28
Conscious Living Center, a counseling and
retreat center in the San Francisco Bay
Area. She has been teaching workshops
about how to inhabit the full spectrum of
one’s humanity for the past 20 years.
www.undefendedlove.com. p. 27
Johanna Putnoi is the author of Senses
Wide Open: The Art and Practice of
Living in Your Body. She employs the
Enneagram as a tool for teaching Lomi
Somatics, and has a private practice in
Menlo Park, California. p. 72
R
Gustavo Rabin is a psychologist and
organizational consultant based in Silicon
Valley, Calif. He specializes in improving
leadership skills of individuals and the
effectiveness of teams and organizations.
Gustavo is also a cofounder of Skyline
Group. www.SkylineG.com. p. 10, 87
Charu Rachlis, born and raised in
Brazil, has been teaching yoga in San
Francisco since 1997. She teaches in a
Bhakti lineage. She has a 20-year history of
Tibetan Buddhist meditation, and is strongly influenced by Iyengar and Ashtanga
yoga. p. 26
Aminah Raheem is a transpersonal
psychologist, the originator of Process and
Clinical Acupressure, an international
teacher of body psychology, and the author
of Soul Return: Integrating Body,
Psyche and Spirit, and Soul Lightning:
Awakening Soul Consciousness. p. 19
Srivatsa Ramaswami was the longest-
standing student of the legendary Sri T.
Krishnamacharya outside the Master’s
family. He has written scores of articles,
four books, and recorded about 40 CDs
and cassettes of Sanskrit mantras.
www.vinyasakrama.org. p. 75
Sheila Ramsey is a founding partner
of Personal Leadership Seminars, LLC.
Dr. Ramsey has led seminars for the
US Department of State, the National
Albanian American Council’s Kosovo
Leadership Program, and the Smithsonian
Institute, among many other organizations.
p. 61
Christine Ranck is coauthor of Ignite
the Genius Within. She is a trauma therapist and psychoanalyst in NYC, and a
motivational speaker on freeing creativity.
Christine is also a professional singer whose
pop vocal trio, Jukebox Jane, performs internationally. p. 8, 32
Ann Randolph has been described as
“revolutionary,” a “tour de force,”
“Whitmanesque,” and “hilarious” for her
award-winning solo performances. Direct
from an Off-Broadway hit (produced by
the late Anne Bancroft), Randolph teaches
and tours extensively throughout the U.S.
p. 11, 97
John J. Ratey is an associate professor of
psychiatry, Harvard Medical School. Dr.
Ratey has been a leading teacher and
researcher on the brain and personality, and
is the author of Spark: The Revolutionary
New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
p. 28
Virginia Ray is a visual/conceptual artist
known for her transformative art work
exhibited in galleries and healing institutions around the Bay Area. She is currently
creating an art center in Santa Cruz.
www.virginiaray.net. p. 90
Saul David Raye has been on the
faculty of numerous national conferences
and is a cofounder of the Sacred Movement
Center for Yoga and Healing in Los
Angeles. He teaches yoga, bodywork,
and energy healing, and is an ordained
minister and musician who infuses his
classes with healing music and chants.
www.sauldavidraye.com. p. 82
Stella Resnick is a psychotherapist in
Beverly Hills specializing in relationship
and sexual enhancement. She is the author
of The Pleasure Zone, and former president of the Western Region of the Society for
the Scientific Study of Sexuality. p. 88
Ruth Richards, affiliated with Saybrook
University and Harvard Medical School,
has published numerous articles on creativity and edited two books, including
Everyday Creativity and New Views
of Human Nature. She is a fellow of the
American Psychological Association and
2009 winner of the Arnheim Award. p. 30
David Richo is a psychotherapist in
Santa Barbara and San Francisco. Dr.
Richo is the author of How To Be An
Adult In Relationships, The Five
Things We Cannot Change And The
Happiness We Find By Embracing
Them, and others. www.davericho.com.
p. 91
Barry Robbins, a senior teacher of ITP
and a student of George Leonard and
Michael Murphy, is the cofounder of the
longest-running ITP group in the country.
Barry serves as vice-president of ITP
International. p. 57
Lorin Roche has meditated since 1968.
He is the author of The Radiance Sutras,
a new translation of the Vijnana Bhairava
Tantra, and coauthored Meditation Secrets
for Women and Meditation 24/7. His
other books include Meditation Made
Easy, Breath Taking, and Whole Body
Meditations. www.lorinroche.com.
p. 17, 42
Marina T. Romero is a therapist and
teacher. She is a director of Estel, a personal
growth center and school of integral studies
in Barcelona, Spain. She coauthored
Nacidos de la Tierra: Sexualidad Origen
del Ser Humano. p. 78
Elizabeth Rosner, novelist, poet, and
essayist, is the author of two highly
acclaimed novels, The Speed of Light and
Blue Nude. Her work has appeared in the
New York Times Magazine, Elle, and
several anthologies. She has taught writing
for 27 years. p. 81
Joanne Beaule Ruggles has been
teaching for 35 years. As a Cal Poly studio
arts professor, she won the 2004 Distinguished
Research Award. Since 2005, she has
received grants from the James Irvine,
Puffin, and Capelli d’ Angeli foundations.
www.beaulerugglesgraphics.com. p. 42
Peter Russell is the author of ten books,
including The TM technique, The Global
Brain, Waking Up in Time, and From
Science to God. His work integrates
Eastern and Western understandings of the
mind, exploring their relevance to the world
today. www.peterruseell.com. p. 84
Gordy Ryan performed worldwide with
Babatunde Olatunji for three decades while
maintaining a prolific career as a recording
artist and composer. His band OBA has
released two CDs of original songs, One
Breath Away and The Beautiful Game.
www.obatheband.com. p. 33
107
M.J. Ryan is a change expert who coaches
individuals around the world and has written many books, including AdaptAbility:
How to Survive Change You Didn’t
Ask For. Her work is based on cuttingedge brain science and positive psychology.
p. 11, 29
Alan Schwartz, author of Life Force:
Death Force, pioneered the understanding
of energetic dynamics and its relationship to
Gestalt therapy. A student and colleague of
Laura Perls, he also studied with Lowen
and Pierrakos. He has taught the Gestalt
approach worldwide since 1970. p. 43
Richard C. Schwartz is a systemic
Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer has
practiced spiritual healing in Brazil and the
U.S. since 1982. She has been a resident
student and teacher at Esalen and conducts
trainings and seminars internationally.
|p. 84, 85
family therapist and an academic. Dr.
Schwartz developed the Internal Family
Systems model (IFS) and founded the
Center for Self Leadership. A featured speaker for national professional organizations,
Dr. Schwartz has published five books and
over fifty articles. www.selfleadership.org.
p. 12, 19
Sarah La Saulle is a psychotherapist
and teacher who specializes in healing
blocks to self-love and creativity. She is in
private practice in Santa Monica, Calif.,
where she is also an avid ballroom dance
student. p. 85
Maggie Seeley is a business consultant
to Fortune 500 companies, U.N. agencies,
and international businesses. She teaches
International Business at the University
of New Mexico and is cofounder of The
Sustain Ability Trust. p. 39
Bill Say directs the Community Healing
Paula Shaw, a professional actress and
S
& Leadership Training and teaches relationship and diversity awareness work, conflict
resolution, and community building internationally. He is a Process Work diploma
candidate. www.CoreCommunity.com.
p. 19
David Schiffman is a longtime group
leader at Esalen. His primary interest is in
facilitating people in transition toward a
more heartful, unstrained existence. p. 20,
58, 69
Meir Schneider is a health educator,
pioneer therapist, author, and founder of
the San Francisco non-profit School for
Self-Healing. His publications include
The Natural Vision Improvement
Kit, Movement for Self-Healing: An
Essential Resource for Anyone Seeking
Wellness, and Yoga for Your Eyes
(DVD). p. 50
Sara K. Schneider, performance
anthropologist, professor, and author of
three books on body and identity, directs
the Center for Bodylore and Learning in
Chicago, which links public education
about global cultures with the professional
development of teachers, health care professionals, and clergy. p. 35
Stephen Schuitevoerder is a
consultant, lecturer, and facilitator based
in Portland, Ore. Dr. Schuitevoerder
works with diversity issues, team building,
change management, executive development, and organizational conflict.
www.processconsulting.org. p. 18
Renée Schultz is cofounder of The
Mother-Daughter Project, international
speaker, and marriage and family therapist
with a specialty in sex therapy. She coauthored The Mother-Daughter Project:
How Mothers and Daughters Can Band
Together, Beat the Odds, and Thrive
Through Adolescence. www.themother-daughterproject.com. p. 7, 48
Ulrich Schwalb is managing partner
of the IAK, Institute for Applied Creativity.
He is a coach, author, trainer, and
Gestalt therapist who helps facilitate
leadership, personal growth, and
innovation. www.iak.com.
e-mail: Ulrich.Schwalb@iak.de. p. 43
108
acting teacher for over 40 years, has conducted
workshops in expanding self-expression,
well-being, and creativity for non-actors in
the U.S., Canada, and Germany. p. 65, 67
Sianna Sherman is a certified Anusara
Yoga instructor who loves to weave storytelling, asana, poetry, biomechanics, therapeutics, and empowering philosophical
understanding into her teaching. She enjoys
working with all levels of students. p. 82
Spencer Sherman has been regularly
named by Worth magazine as one of the
country’s top 100 wealth advisors. He is
CEO and cofounder of Abacus Wealth
Partners, a national wealth advisory firm,
and the author of the bestselling book,
The Cure for Money Madness. p. 91
Michael Shiffman founded L.A.
Dharma in 1999 and cofounded the Insight
Center in 2006. Dr. Shiffman has over 20
years experience working with trauma and
healing, substance abuse and recovery, and
body-oriented therapeutic practices. He
teaches, trains psychotherapists, and has a
mindfulness-based, body-mind oriented
counseling practice. p. 24
Stephanie Shrum has been practicing
massage and the healing arts for over 10
years. A certified Thai massage instructor,
she has returned to Thailand regularly
to deepen her practice. She created the
instructional video Introduction to Thai
Massage. www.CoCreativeHealing.com.
p. 97
Stephen Sideroff is a clinical psycholo-
gist and peak performance consultant in
Santa Monica, Calif. Assistant professor in
the Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral
Sciences at UCLA’s School of Medicine,
he was founder and former director of the
Stress Strategies Center at Santa Monica
Hospital. p. 20
Eric Simon is an expert in the range of
stress-related disorders and has published
extensively on how mental states can
improve clinical outcomes. Dr. Simon
developed the premiere pain-management
program for the US Army at Tripler
Regional Medical Center. p. 17
Debra Simpson has taught yoga since
2001 and teaches at Webster University.
She brings 25 years of wellness and movement experience to her yoga practice and
teaching, which has been influenced by
Iyengar and Vinyasa traditions. p. 19
Maria Sirois is an inspirational speaker,
author, and psychologist working where
psychology, spirituality, and mind/body
medicine intersect. Dr. Sirois weaves together story, research, poetry, and laughter to
help people toward a more vital life. p. 93
Gerald Smith is a licensed psychologist
in private practice in San Mateo, Calif. He
has written two books about relationships,
Couple Therapy and Hidden Meanings.
He has been leading couples groups at
Esalen since 1966. p. 80
Nancee Sobonya is a grief counselor,
educator, and filmmaker who produced and
directed The Gifts of Grief. She was the
bereavement coordinator at Pathways
Hospice in Oakland, Calif. She teaches at
Starr King School of Ministry and is a minister of the Ridhwan Foundation. p. 75
Juliet Soopikian has over 20 years
experience working with mental illness,
addictions, and family-related issues. In
Iran she practiced various meditations
since age 8, and learned Vipassana in 1998.
She cofounded The Insight Center where
she trains psychotherapists and has a
psychotherapy practice. p. 24
Tom Spanbauer has published four
novels: Faraway Places, The Man Who
Fell in Love with the Moon, In the City
of Shy Hunters, and most recently Now
Is the Hour. Tom has been teaching
Dangerous Writing classes for over 17 years.
Eighteen of his students have published
novels. p. 35
Susan Spraker did not qualify for the
manager trainee program at her job in 1973
because she was female. This ignited her
search for professional and financial independence and inspired her to advise others, especially women. Dr. Spraker is the founderpresident of Spraker Wealth Management,
Inc. www.sprakerwealth.com. p. 68
Barbara Stafford is the William B.
Ogden Distinguished Service Professor,
Emerita, at the University of Chicago. Her
work explores the intersections between
visual arts and the sciences. Her most recent
book is Echo Objects: The Cognitive
Work of Images. p. 92
Martha Stark is a clinical instructor in
psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and
on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute
for Psychoanalysis and the Center for
Psychoanalytic Studies at the Massachusetts
General Hospital. She has authored three
books, including Modes of Therapeutic
Action. p. 63
Kat Steele is a permaculture activist,
designer, and educator. Founder of the
Urban Permaculture Guild in Oakland,
Calif., she facilitates workshops on sustainability, natural building, and permaculture,
and speaks about urban eco-social design,
City Repair, and the power of placemaking.
p. 39
Peter Sterios is an internationallyrecognized yoga instructor and former c
ontributing editor for Yoga Journal.
His DVD, Gravity & Grace, was recently
honored as one of the top 15 yoga videos
of all time by Richard Rosen of
Yoga Journal. www.petersterios.com
and www.manduka.com. p. 38
Mark Stevens is a licensed psychologist
and director of university counseling services
at California State University, Northridge.
Former president of the APA’s Society for
the Psychological Study of Men and
Masculinity, Mark coauthored In the
Room with Men: A Casebook of
Therapeutic Change. p. 60
Janet Stone teaches yoga in San
Francisco, Calif. and leads retreats and
teaches workshops internationally, including in Bali, Mexico, Malaysia, and Costa
Rica. www.janetstoneyoga.com. p. 82
Dave Stringer, an artist of the new
international kirtan movement, has been
widely profiled in Yoga Journal, Time,
Billboard, and other magazines. He creates
a modern and participatory experience that
is accessible to all. Since 2000, Stringer and
his accompanying musicians have toured
internationally. p. 21
Steven Stroud was a residential fellow,
encounter group leader, and director of residential trainings at Esalen in the 60s. For
20 years he studied and taught with the
founders of many major disciplines within
the human potential movement, such as
Ichazo, Schutz, and Perls. p. 53
Carol Swanson has trained in Gestalt
therapy for over 30 years. She is cofounder
and executive director of the Portland
Gestalt Training Institute, teaches and
presents Gestalt internationally, and has
written and published several articles in
various Gestalt journals. p. 67
Robert Sward has taught creative
writing since 1987 and has served on the
faculty at Cornell University, the Iowa
Writers’ Workshop, and UC Santa Cruz.
A Fulbright scholar and Guggenheim
Fellow, he has published 30 books.
www.robertsward.com. p. 53
T
Jim Tamm, a former judge who has
mediated over 1,500 disputes, is the author
of Radical Collaboration: Five Essential
Skills to Reduce Defensiveness and
Build Successful Relationships. He is
on the faculty of the International
Management Program at the Stockholm
School of Economics. p. 81
Russell Targ is a physicist and author
who pioneered the development of the laser
and laser applications, and cofounded the
Stanford Research Institute’s investigation
into psychic abilities in the 1970s and 1980s.
He now pursues ESP research in Palo Alto,
Calif. p. 35
Carol Tavris s a social psychologist, lecturer, and writer. Her books include Anger:
The Misunderstood Emotion and The
Mismeasure of Woman. She has written
for The Los Angeles Times, New York
Times, Times Literary Supplement,
and many other publications.
www.mistakesweremadebutnotbyme.com
p. 44
Jeremy Taylor has worked with his
own and other people’s dreams for over 35
years. He teaches at many Bay Area seminaries, universities, and colleges, and is the
author of three books on working with
dreams. p. 67
Vicki Topp is a senior practitioner and
Patrice Vecchione, collage artist,
author, and teacher, has exhibited her
work in galleries and museums. She is
the author of Writing and the Spiritual
Life: Finding Your Voice by Looking
Within, a book of poems, Territory of
Wind, and the anthology Faith and
Doubt, among others. p. 55
Frances Verrinder is a marriage and
family therapist in San Francisco, Calif.
with thirty years of psychotherapy experience with couples, families, groups, and
individual adults. She is passionate about
cultivating loving relationships. p. 52
Cida Vieira, born at the heart of the
instructor of Esalen Massage and somatic
bodywork. She teaches workshops and
training groups internationally and is
a Registered Movement Therapist and
practitioner of Body-Mind Centering.
www.vickitopp.com. p. 32
dance circles of Brazil, has choreographed
and performed in the U.S., South America,
and Europe, with dance groups and artists
including Xuxa, Ray Charles, Daniela
Mercury, and Airto Moreira. Currently,
Cida is on the Movement Program staff at
Esalen. p. 27
Ellen Tussman was president and CEO
Cassandra Vieten is a psychologist,
of the Groaning Board Cooking Club, Food
Editor for the Berkeley Monthly, and
owner/operator of Savoy Catering for over
30 years and the Zagat-rated Dakota Grill.
She has also served on the Board of Directors
of the Gangaji Foundation. p. 48
director of research at the Institute of Noetic
Sciences, and a mind-body medicine
researcher at California Pacific Medical
Center. Dr. Veiten coauthored Living
Deeply: The Art and Science of
Transformation in Everyday Life. p. 12
ber of the Esalen massage staff. Her work
is strongly influenced by her studies in
craniosacral work, movement, yoga, and
dance. p. 28, 67
Sharon Virtue is a painter who also
works on community development projects.
She has been the recipient of many awards
and residencies, including from the San
Francisco Arts Commission and the
De Young Museum. She was recently
awarded an international residency to
work in Ghana. p. 68
Jai Uttal, a sacred music composer,
Barry Vissell is a psychiatrist who, with
U
Daniela Urbassek is a longtime mem-
recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and
ecstatic vocalist, combines influences from
India with influences from American rock
and jazz, creating a stimulating and exotic
multicultural fusion that is truly world
spirit music. p. 57
V
Bessel van der Kolk is a clinical psychiatrist and neuroscientist whose Trauma
Center incorporates a yoga studio, theater
program, and neurofeedback laboratory. He
was president of the International Society
for Traumatic Stress Studies and professor of
psychiatry at Boston University School of
Medicine. p. 38, 39
Charles Varni specializes in trauma-
sensitive addiction treatment and has
taught sociology, human services, and
counselor training at Allan Hancock
College, New Mexico State University,
Chico State University, and Washington
State University. He is a certified addictions
treatment counselor. His passions also
include surfing and ceramics. p. 36
Russell G. Vasile is associate professor
of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School,
and director of the Affective Disorders
Consultation Program at the Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Vasile is
a graduate of the Boston Psychoanalytic
Society and Institute, and is certified in
Forensic Psychiatry. p. 69
Gordon Watanabe is a founding
partner of Personal Leadership Seminars,
LLC and professor emeritus at Whitworth
University. He has facilitated diversity
initiatives with educational institutions,
corporate entities, and communities. p. 61
Ellen Watson has studied, practiced,
and taught somatic arts and meditation at
Esalen since 1984. Falling in love with
Rumi’s teachings, she developed an ecstatic
dance practice, “Dancing with Rumi.” Ellen
travels extensively, offering this work worldwide. www.movingventures.org. p. 13
Anne Watts was deeply influenced by
her father, the philosopher Alan Watts. She
studied with Virginia Satir and Dr. Stan
Dale, and taught special education in
public schools. Anne teaches at the Human
Awareness Institute, is a certified hypnotherapist and counselor, and leads workshops worldwide. p. 56
Brian Kie Weissbuch is a botanist
and acupuncturist in private practice in
Northern California since 1991. He founded
KW Botanicals, Inc. in San Anselmo, Calif.
He has 30 years experience as a botanist and
western herbalist. p. 64
Hank Wesselman is the author of
The Spiritwalker Trilogy, The Journey
to the Sacred Garden, and coauthor of
Awakening to the Spirit World (with
Sandra Ingerman). An anthropologist, he
works with an international expedition in
Ethiopia investigating the mystery of human
origins. www.sharedwisdom.com.
p. 54, 86
his wife Joyce, practices the medicine of
unconditional love worldwide. He and
Joyce coauthored The Shared Heart,
Models of Love, Risk To Be Healed,
The Heart’s Wisdom, and Meant
To Be, and have raised three children.
www.sharedheart.org. p. 30
Jamie Wheal is a leadership consultant
who has worked with Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, lectured at
national and international educational conferences, and published articles and essays in
academic journals. He is certified to administer and coach the Leadership Development
Profile. Jamie is also an avid outdoorsman
and expeditionary leader. p. 78
Joyce Vissell is a master’s level nurse/
Maggie Wheeler is an actor and enter-
psychotherapist who, with her husband
Barry, founded the Shared Heart
Foundation, dedicated to changing the
world one heart at a time. Together they
write a syndicated column for 80 periodicals
worldwide. www.sharedheart.org. p. 30
tainer best known for her work as Janice on
NBC’s Friends. She also is a singer, song
writer, choir director, and has been teaching
vocal workshops in and out of Los Angeles
for the past 15 years. p. 39
W
Steve Waldrip has worked in end-of-life
care for the past 17 years and has been a hospice chaplain for 12. He is a chaplain with
Hospice of the Central Coast, Monterey,
Calif. He is a minister in the Ridhwan
Foundation. p. 75
Robert Walter, Joseph Campbell’s
editor for a decade, is president of the Joseph
Campbell Foundation and a poet/playwright with several decades of experience
as group leader, teacher, publisher, and
theatrical producer/director/designer.
p. 44, 46, 48
Shirley Ward’s loving expertise has
blessed the Esalen Farm and Garden for the
last six years: as groundskeeper, farm manager, and consultant. Prior to Esalen, she
created magnificent, sustainable, organic
landscapes for a large East Coast clientele.
p. 62
Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a lifelong
relationship with the teachings of
Krishnamacharya through his students
T.K.V. Desikachar and Srivatsa Ramaswami.
He travels the world teaching Yoga and is
the author of Yoga of Heart: The Healing
Power of Intimate Connection. p. 87
Cris Williamson‘s body of work includes
over 30 albums. Recognized by Performing
Songwriter Magazine as one of the
decade’s most influential songwriters, her
groundbreaking record, The Changer
and the Changed remains a best-selling
independent record. p. 15
Nicholas Wilton’s paintings have
graced best-selling book covers, children’s
books, editorial and corporate print media,
in addition to gallery exhibitions and private collections. Developer of the Artplane
Workshop, he has taught in such places as
Esalen, Tokyo, and Sundance, Utah. p. 92
Anna Wise is an internationallyrecognized authority on EEG and consciousness. She is the author of The HighPerformance Mind: Mastering
Brainwaves for Insight, Healing, and
Creativity and Awakening the Mind:
A Guide to Mastering the Power of
Your Brainwaves. p. 31
Nina Wise is a performance artist and
founder of Motion Theater, a form of autobiographical performance. Her provocative
and original works have been honored with
seven Bay Area Critics’ Circle Awards and
three National Endowment for the Arts
fellowships. p. 93
Adam Wolpert is a painter, teacher,
and art program director at the Occidental
Arts and Ecology Center (www.oaec.org)
in west Sonoma County. He has offered
workshops and exhibited extensively
throughout California.
www.adamwolpert.com. p. 71
Birgit Wolz is a movie lover and psychotherapist in Oakland, Calif. She is the
author of E-Motion Picture Magic,
many professional articles, and
continuing education online courses.
www.cinematherapy.com. p. 43
Y
Sam Yau is board chairman of the Esalen
Institute (since June 2008) and currently
a director on the board of two public
companies. He was the CEO of National
Education Corporation from 2005 to 2007.
p. 56
MC Yogi, Aka Nicholas Giacomini,
combines yoga and hip hop to create sound
that brings the wisdom of yoga to a new
generation of modern mystics and urban
yogis. www.mcyogi.com. p. 82
Z
Dave Zaboski has been teaching
creativity for 15 years. As a fine artist,
entrepreneur, and former Disney animator,
he has shown his work internationally and
contributed his talents to modern classics
such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin,
and Lion King. www.davezaboski.com.
p. 7, 48, 50
Dana Zed has been making glass talismans
and temples for over 20 years. She has exhibited in museums and galleries throughout
the U.S. and has been published worldwide.
To see her work, visit www.danazed.com.
p. 40, 74
Stephanie Zone is a clinical psychologist, college instructor, registered yoga
teacher, and eating disorder specialist at
Kaiser Vallejo Psychiatry. She teaches
college psychology, women’s studies, and
sociology at City College San Francisco,
Calif. p. 77
109
Q
reservation information
Making Contact with Us
See box on page 1.
Fees and Accommodations
All workshop fees include:
• Workshop tuition: Unless otherwise noted,
participants must be 18 years or older.
• Food: Much of Esalen’s produce is organically
grown on our farm and picked fresh just hours
before mealtime. Whenever meat is served, a
vegetarian and a vegan option are available.
• Lodging: Including Friday and Saturday night
accommodations for weekend workshops and
Sunday through Thursday night accommodations for 5-day workshops; Lodging for 7-day
workshops varies, please inquire at registration.
• 24-hour use of hot springs bath facilities, the
Arts Center (except when a workshop is
scheduled), meditation Round House, and
the entire Esalen grounds
• Participation in movement classes scheduled
during time on property
• One-year subscription to the Esalen Catalog
There are a variety of accommodations options at
Esalen. Some room types fill more quickly than
others, so please register as early as possible. Please
indicate your second choice for accommodations
and workshop in case your initial choice is unavailable. We cannot guarantee specific room requests.
Standard Accommodations: This is shared
housing, with two or three people per room and
in some cases a shared bathroom. Couples will
be housed privately. Standard guaranteed single
housing is available on a limited basis for an
additional $120 per night.
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$670
$695
$1130
$1155
$1740
$1765
Premium Accommodations: Premium rooms
are offered as a guaranteed single or for couples,
and include upgraded bathrooms with walk-in
showers, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, in-room telephone, and enhanced sound and
climate insulation. Some rooms have in-floor heating. Call the Esalen office for additional details.
Premium Room Single:
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$1220
$1245
$2505
$2530
$3490
$3515
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$1890
$1940
$3635
$3685
$5230
$5280
Premium Room Couple:
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Point Houses: The three Point Houses are nestled behind the Esalen Garden and perched at
the cliff ’s edge. Each is a private two-room suite
110
with a living room with woodstove, bedroom,
sleeping loft, full kitchen and dining area, private
redwood deck overlooking the Pacific, Ethernet
connections for your own laptop, and in-room
telephone. North and Middle Point Houses can
accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 small children.
South Point House can accommodate up to 4
adults and 2 small children. Please call the Esalen
office for additional details.
Point House Single:
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$1570
$1595
$3130
$3155
$4540
$4565
Point House Couple:
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$2240
$2290
$4260
$4310
$6280
$6330
Bunk Bed Accommodations: This is shared
housing with four or more persons per room.
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$505
$530
$865
$890
$1335
$1360
Sleeping Bag Accommodations: Some Esalen
meeting rooms are used as shared sleeping bag
space. Storage space outside the meeting rooms
is available when the rooms are being used for
meetings (9 am–11 pm).
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$360
$385
$595
$620
$920
$945
Off-site Accommodations: If you are attending a
workshop and staying off property.
Friends Rate
Regular Rate
Weekend
5-Day
7-Day
$360
$385
$595
$620
$920
$945
Reduced Rate Options
Please request discounts at the time of registration.
Scholarship: Esalen provides some scholarship
assistance to workshop participants in exchange
for a work commitment in cabins or the kitchen.
Our policy is one scholarship per person per
year. Approved recipients will receive their
work schedules upon arrival at Esalen.
Weekend: $50, 4 hrs 5–7 days: $100, 8 hrs
Senior Citizen Discount: A discount is available to guests over 65, for workshops only. For
a weekend workshop, the discount is $25. For
5-day or longer workshops, $50.
Accommodations for Families: Two full-paying adults housed in standard accommodations
may have their children in the room for a meal
charge of $20 per child per day ($10 for children
under six). Note: If children are enrolled in
Gazebo School Park or an Esalen workshop,
additional fees are required. For more information about children at Esalen, see page 3.
Friends of Esalen: Friends of Esalen who
donate $50 or more will receive a $25 discount
on tuition for workshops registered for during
the twelve months following their donation.
Workshop Payment
In order to help Esalen with its mission and to
lower costs, we ask all who are capable of doing
so to please pay the full amount of their workshop or Personal Retreat at the time they make
their reservation, rather than only making a
deposit. To reserve a space in any workshop, we
require full payment of the following deposits:
Weekend: $150
12–14 day: $400
5–7 day: $300
More than 14 days: $600
Deposits pa]id by credit card will automatically
have the workshop balance drawn from your
credit card five days before arrival. Deposits are
payable in U.S. currency only; overseas residents
must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or
credit cards and are nonrefundable.
Workshop Cancellation Policy: If you cancel
or change any part of your reservation at least
seven full days before the start of your workshop(s), your nonrefundable deposit, less a
$75-per-workshop processing fee, will be transferred to an Esalen non-refundable credit
account to be used within one year.
If you cancel a workshop with less than seven
days notice, you forfeit your entire deposit. If
you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we
will retain the fees as stated above and return
the balance to you.
Cancellations must be made by phone with
one of our reservation staff. “Seven full days”
means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop, and
by Friday before a Friday workshop. Donations to
the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable.
Ongoing Residence Program
From mid-September to mid-June, the Ongoing
Residence Program is for those desiring an
intensive workshop program over a long term.
A Residence Program stay is 26 days (4 “weeks”
and 3 weekends). Participants may select any
five-day workshop offered during their stay,
with weekends open for Personal Retreat.
Occasionally workshops are cancelled; second
choices are advised.
The discounted cost is $4880 per 26-day period
for standard accommodations. No other discounts
apply. If you cancel or change any part of your
Residence Program reservation at least seven full
days before its start, there will be a $150 cancellation fee. If you cancel with less than seven days’
notice, the cancellation fee is $330.
Personal Retreat Fees
The Esalen Personal Retreat (PR) is a self-structured experiential program based on reflection,
integration, and choice. In an over-structured,
over-stimulated world, PR students have an opportunity to experience and learn more using tools of
contemplation, journaling, and refocusing.
Following program orientation, participants
may continue to build their own curriculum,
choosing from over 25 different class offerings
in a typical week, plus other learning, study, and
contemplative opportunities. Classes each day
are drawn from yoga, meditation and contemplative practices, movement and dance, Gestalt
"open-seat" sessions, martial arts, and other
subjects, with added enrichment from Visiting
Scholar programs, Wednesday evening presentations, Open Deck sessions, and other lecture and
discussion venues. Learning activities are also
available through Sustainability Tours, in the
Esalen Kitchen and Farm and Garden internship
programs, and in our structured Garden Retreat.
Most days feature three to six or more such offerings, plus unlimited access to Esalen's meditation center, baths and contemplative bath/music
offerings, garden walks, bodywork and other
booked sessions, and other opportunities for
deepening learning, reflection, and integration.
Study materials and diverse readings for maximizing your Esalen Personal Retreat are available to participants.
The Esalen Personal Retreat is open only to
Members of the Friends of Esalen program, supporting Esalen's transformational mission and
our many subsidized mission programs. For
additional benefits of Membership, and to join
Friends of Esalen please see page 3.
Personal retreat rates are per day and are per
person unless otherwise noted. They include all
meals for the duration of your stay. Applicable
taxes will be added.
Fri/Sat
Sun-Thurs
Standard
(2-3 persons per room)
$210
$160
Premium
(guaranteed single)
$450
$450
Premium
$600
(2 persons: priced per room)
$600
Point Houses
$700
(1 or 2 people: priced per room)
$650
South Point House
$150
(each person over 2 up to 4 total)
$150
Bunk Bed
$135
(4 or more persons per room)
$125
Personal Retreat Cancellation Policy: If you
cancel a Personal Retreat at least seven full days
in advance your nonrefundable deposit, less a
$75 processing fee, will be transferred to an
Esalen non-refundable credit account to be used
within one year.
If you cancel a Personal Retreat with less than
seven days notice, you forfeit one full night’s
fees. If you have prepaid your entire reservation
fee, we will retain the fees as stated above and
return the balance to you.
Cancellations must be made by phone with
one of our reservation staff. “Seven full days”
means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop,
and by Friday before a Friday workshop. Donations
to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable.
Massage
Many Esalen guests choose to enhance their
experience by receiving a luxurious Esalen®
Massage or other bodywork during their stay,
usually provided at our baths. Massage reservations for workshop participants or Personal
Retreat students must be made and paid for in
advance by credit card by calling: 831-667-3005.
If you are coming to Esalen for a massage only,
please call 831-667-3002.
Public Bathing in the Hot Springs
In addition to round-the-clock availability for
Esalen guests, the hot springs are open to the
general public, by reservation only, 1 am–3 am,
for a cost of $20 per person, payable by credit
card only upon reservation. Reservations can be
made 8 am–8 pm (except Friday and Sunday:
lines close at noon), at 831-667-3047.
Transportation to Esalen
Ridesharing: We encourage ridesharing to
reduce the number of cars on the road and at
Esalen. See the reservation form for ridesharing
options.
Van Service: A van service is available between
Monterey Airport/Monterey Transit Plaza and
Esalen on Fridays and Sundays. The incoming
service departs Monterey Airport at approximately 4 pm, and arrives at Monterey Transit
Plaza approximately 4:20 pm. Return service
departs Esalen at approximately 5:30pm. The
drive is approximately 1 1/4 hours to Monterey
Airport, so please plan plane flights accordingly.
Van service reservations must be made with
Esalen at least 24 hours prior to arrival. The $60
one-way fee (subject to change) is payable to
Esalen upon arrival.
Schedules
Check-in/Check-out: Guests are welcome to
arrive at Esalen any time after 2 pm; rooms
become available after 4 pm. Check-out time is
12 noon on departure days. Lunch is provided
on departure days; we ask that you leave the
property by 2 pm.
Workshops: Workshop schedules normally
begin on 8:30 pm on the first evening and end
at 11:30 am on the final day.
For Your Information
Esalen is located approximately 45 miles from
“civilization.” This isolation and tranquility can
deepen your experience at Esalen yet for many
guests it can be a significant change in environment. We have minimal electronic communications available; there are some terminals available for internet connection, though speed is
slow and availability limited. There is no cell
phone service at Esalen, but free WiFi is available in the Lodge, except during meal times.
Snoring: If you will be staying in one of our
shared accommodations and you snore, please
come prepared to do everything possible to
minimize the discomfort this may cause a roommate—consider taking a private room if possible.
If you are not a snorer, please come prepared
(earplugs, etc.) for the possibility of sharing a
room with a snorer.
Flashlights: Be sure to bring a flashlight for use
at night while walking on the grounds, as they
are very dimly lit.
Health Services: Esalen has no medical services
or pharmaceutical supplies on site. If you will
require medical attention or supplies during
your stay, please come prepared to administer to
your own needs. Esalen is 45 miles from the
nearest medical facility or pharmacy.
Illegal Drugs: In accordance with state and federal laws, the possession or use of illegal drugs
on Esalen grounds is strictly prohibited.
Lost and Found: To inquire about items left
behind from your Esalen visit, call 831-667-3019.
Money: Esalen is able to accept cash, checks,
and credit cards. Please bring sufficient funds
for incidentals as Esalen does not have an ATM,
and the nearest ATM is a 30-minute drive north.
Cash on property may be needed for purchases
of beverages and chocolate at our dinner bar,
and also for gratuities for massage practitioners.
Personal Guests: Seminarians are not allowed
guests on the property during their stay.
Pets: Other than registered animals in service,
pets are not allowed on the property.
Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in any
accommodations, meeting rooms, or other
indoor spaces.
Valuables: The Esalen office has no facilities to
store your valuables.
Volunteering: Esalen is a learning community/
organization made up of guests, students, staff,
and volunteers. Guests are welcome to contribute
a couple of hours to work with the Esalen staff,
usually in the kitchen. Your help enables us to
meet the pressures of peak working times and
enables you to experience Esalen from the inside.
Recommended Reading and Mail Order
Merchandise: All recommended reading is avail-
able online through our website www.esalen.org.
All other bookstore merchandise is available via
mail order. For ordering information, please see
www.esalen.org/bookstore.
111
S
esalen institute reservation form
A nonrefundable deposit for each person registering and each workshop applied for must accompany this form. (Please see Reservation
Information, page 110, under Fees and Accommodations, Making
Contact with Us, and Cancellation Policy.) Reservations can now be
Please use this form to reserve a space in Esalen workshops. If more
than one person is registering, photocopy and submit separate
forms unless you’re registering as a couple with the same address
and phone number. Unless otherwise noted in the workshop
description, workshop participants must be at least 18 years old.
made online at www.esalen.org.
Name of Registrant___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PLEASE PRINT
Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sex: M o F o Couple o
E-mail _____________________________________________________
City ______________________________________________________________________________________
State __________________________________________________
Home Phone ( __________ ) ____________________________________________________________
Work Phone ( __________ )___________________________________________________________________
o Check if you have previously been to Esalen and this is a new address.
Passenger Van Service:
I want transportation from (check one):
o Monterey Airport at approximately 4:00 pm on
Ridesharing: We support ridesharing and hope you will too. If you are driving to
Esalen and willing to give a ride to someone from your area, check here o
Occasionally there are unexpected situations that require us to contact you immediately
before your stay here. If you will not be at the above numbers during the two weeks prior
to the workshop, where may we reach you?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please mark your first and second choices for housing after referring to page 110 for accommodation descriptions and rates. Total cost includes workshop fees, lodging, and meals.
o
o
o
o
o
Check for standard accommodations, if available.
Check for bunk bed room, if available.
Check for sleeping bag space, if available.
Check for off-site accommodations.
Check if you wish to room as a couple.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other Notes:
All of our rooms are non-smoking. If you smoke, please plan to
do so outside.
automatically drawn from your credit card five days before your arrival.
Your signature below authorizes Esalen to charge your credit card for the balance.
Leader’s Name
No pets allowed, except registered animals in service.
Fee
Snoring: All of our accommodations are shared. Please come
prepared for the possibility of rooming with a snorer.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Workshop Deposits Enclosed __________________________
Tax-deductible contribution to Friends of Esalen (Optional, see page 2) __________________________
$5 Catalog Contribution (Optional) __________________________
Subtotal __________________________
Total Amount Enclosed __________________________
Check here for $10 prepay discount (see page 110).
Check here if this is your first visit to Esalen.
Check here if you need directions to Esalen.
Check here if you are a senior.
o Check here if you do not want your phone number given out
for ridesharing.
Please make checks payable to Esalen Institute, in U.S. currency
only. (There will be a $15 fee for returned checks.) Overseas residents must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or with one of
the charge cards below. Checks or credit card information must
accompany the reservations form. Or, you may fax this form to
us at 831-667-2724. If you do so, you must include payment
via one of the credit cards below.
Your reservation can be charged to:
o MasterCard
o Visa
o American Express
Name on Card ____________________________________________________________________
Card No. ____________________________________________________________________________
Expiration Date __________________________________________________________________
Authorizing Signature _________________________________________________________
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
DATE REC.
RES INITIALS
CIRCLE DEPOSIT
DEPOSIT AMT.
RES. BK
CC AUTH. #
DATE TYPED
TYPED INITIALS
112
The $60-per-person charge (subject to change) is payable on
arrival at Esalen. Please prepare to arrive at the airport well before
4:00pm so you do not miss our van. Esalen cannot be responsible
for taxi fare or other transportation costs. If your plans for use
service from Esalen is on Fridays and Sundays at approximately
5:30 pm. If you plan on taking this van please make sure that your
plane reservations are after 8:00 pm. Passenger van service is not
available at any other time.
All workshop reservations require a nonrefundable deposit. The balance will be
o
o
o
o
___________________________________________________________________________________
(date of arrival, Fridays and Sundays only).
o Monterey Transit Plaza at approximately 4:20 pm
(corner of Pearl and Alvarado, next to Ordway Drug)
of the passenger van service change after you have made
your reservation, please notify us. The only departing van
Write here the name(s) of any person(s) with whom you wish to room.
Workshop Date
Zip _______________________________
PP
SCHOL
CC
CK
LIMO
CA
SUS
SENIOR
Thank you for your reservation. As soon as it is processed you will
receive by return mail a receipt for your deposit and a notice of
confirmation. Please review your confirmation for accuracy.
continuing education programs
The Board of Registered Nursing has approved Esalen as a provider of
continuing education for registered nurses (provider number 01152).
For additional information on CE courses for nurses, contact Mary Anne
Will, R.N., 831-667-3010.
Please note: All two-day workshops offer 10 hours of CE credit and all five-day
Practicing Presence: Body-Centered Awareness
Jan 3-8
The I in the Storm: Self Leadership
n
Jan 3-8
Love, Sex, and Intimacy
n
Jan 3-8
A Doorway in Time: Yoga as Journey of Being
n
Jan 3-10
Seven Days of Advanced Esalen Massage
n
Jan 8-10
Living Deeply: Art of Transformation
n
n
Jan 8-10
Mindfulness and Heartfulness
n
n
Jan 8-10
The Healing Power of Emotion
Jan 8-10
Rosen Method Bodywork
Jan 10-15
Self-Actualization and Self-Healing
n
Jan 10-15
Relationships: The Courage to Begin
n
Jan 10-15
Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
Qigong and Inner Alchemy
Feb 21-26
Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion
n
Feb 21-26
Not For The Feint of Heart
n
n
Feb 21-26
Intro. to Rolf Structural Integration
n
Feb 21-26
Brainspotting Training
n
Feb 26-28
Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering
n
Feb 26-28
Arrive Already Loved
n
Feb 26-28
Yoga for the “Yogically Challenged”
n
n
n
n
Feb 19-21
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Apr 25-30
More Than a Communication Workshop
Apr 25-30
Deep Bodywork: Hips, Feet, and Lower Legs
Apr 25-30
Personal Leadership
n
n
n
n
Apr 30-May 2 Experiencing Your Spiritual Self
Apr 30-May 2 Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve
n
n
May 2-7
Chinese Pulse Diagnosis
May 2-7
May 2-7
May 7-9
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
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Awakening The Creative: Painting
n
n
A Mother-Daughter Journey Into Mind, Body
n
n
n
Feb 28-Mar 5 Trauma, Memory, and Restoration of Self
n
n
n
May 7-9
Gestalt, Movement, and Sport
n
n
May 7-9
Esalen Massage for Couples
n
n
n
May 9-14
Abandonment to Healing
May 14-16
Mood and Anxiety Disorders
n
n
n
n
n
May 14-16
Couples’ Communication Retreat
n
n
n
Mar 5-7
The Body Keeps the Score
n
n
Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat
n
Mar 5-7
Getting the Love You Want: For Couples
Realization Process
n
n
Mar 5-Apr 2
28-Day Esalen Massage Certification
Jan 15-17
The Sky is Falling, What Now?
n
n
Mar 7-12
Inspiring Leadership
n
n
n
May 14-16
Awakening the Leader Within
Jan 15-17
Change, Wisdom, and Cultivation of Eldership
Mar 7-12
Exploring the Ordinary Miracle of Healing
n
n
n
May 14-16
Awakening Joy
n
Jan 15-17
Esalen Massage with a Touch of Yoga
Mar 7-12
Transforming Rage
n
n
n
May 14-16
Start Over: Choose Aliveness and Intimacy
n
Jan 17-22
The Impossible Dream: Self-Limiting Behavior
n
Mar 12-14
Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, Consciousness
n
n
n
May 16-21
Zero Balancing II
Jan 17-22
Intimacy, Differences, and Community
n
Mar 12-14
Hostage at the Table
n
n
May 21-23
The Undervalued Self
Jan 17-22
Compassionate Connections: Tender Touch
n
Mar 12-14
Living Heroically
n
n
May 23-28
LaStone Therapy: Hot Stone Treatment
Jan 17-22
Bringing Courageous Love to Your Relationship
n
Mar 12-14
Body, Voice, and Consciousness
May 23-28
The Gifts of Grief
Jan 17-22
Acupressure for Anyone
Mar 14-19
Cinema Alchemy: Power of Movies for Healing
n
May 23-28
The Bioenergetics of Relationships
n
n
Jan 22-24
The Mind/Body Connection
Mar 14-19
Profound Simplicity
n
May 28-30
Mind, Mood, and Happiness
n
n
Jan 22-24
Being Danced: 5Rhythms Essentials
Mar 14-19
Yogic Model: Personal Development
May 28-30
Embodiment for Beginners
Jan 22-24
Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways
Mar 14-19
Chakras Actually
Jan 22-24
Esalen Massage for Couples
Jan 24-29
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Mar 19-21
I’m Right and You’re Wrong
Extending the Exhale: Buddhist Meditation
n
n
Mar 19-21
Building Resiliency through Energy
Jan 29-31
Tai Chi Chuan: Four Dimensions of Purpose
n
n
Mar 21-26
SomatoEmotional Release II
Jan 29-31
Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice
n
Jan 29-31
The Courage to Be You: Letting Go, Moving On
Jan 29-31
n
n
n
n
n
n
Jan 31-Feb 5 Breaking Reactive Patterns
n
n
Jan 31-Feb 5 Embodiment and Development
n
n
n
n
Jan 31-Feb 5 Life Cannot Be Easier Than Your Movement
n
n
n
Mar 26-28
Why Men Are the Way They Are
Mar 26-28
Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Mar 28-Apr 2 Self-Acceptance: The Heart of Healing
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
May 30-Jun 4 Trauma First Aide
n
n
n
n
Jan 15-17
n
n
n
Jan 10-15
n
n
n
n
n
Feb 28-Mar 5 Transforming Trauma with EMDR
Feb 28-Mar 5 Constellations: Family and Personal Issues
n
PS
YC
HO
F T LOG
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N &L
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SE SW
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BO
D
YW
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ER
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PS
YC
HO
F T LOG
s
IS
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N &L
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SE SW
s
BO S
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YW
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Jan 3-8
YC
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F T LOG
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N &L
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workshops offer 26 hours. If you wish to receive a certificate, please notify your workshop
leader. There is a $25 fee for each certificate of completion, payable to the office.
M
E
TL
TI
SE
UR
CO
S
AT
E
D
and also noted in the Seminars section. For further information, contact
Brita Ostrom at 831-667-3040.
M
E
salen is approved by the American Psychological Association to
sponsor continuing education for psychologists. (Esalen maintains
responsibility for this program and its content; California psychologists are required to report their hours to the MCEP Accrediting
Agency); Esalen is also approved for MFTs and LCSWs by the California
Board of Behavioral Sciences (provider number PCE1594); and massage
practitioners and bodyworkers by the National Certification Board
for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing
education provider under Category A (provider number 043062-00).
Workshops for which CE credit has been approved are listed below
M
Q
n
May 30-Jun 4 Holistic Sexuality
n
n
May 30-Jun 4 Deep Bodywork: Shoulders, Forearm
n
n
May 30-Jun 4 Long Term View: Building Community
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Jun 4-6
Mindfulness in Deep Relationship
n
n
Jun 4-6
Building Collaborative Relationships
n
n
n
Jun 11-13
Getting Unblocked
n
n
n
Mar 28-Apr 2 Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power
n
n
Jun 11-13
Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways
n
n
Apr 2-4
An Esalen Massage Retreat for Couples
n
n
Jun 13-18
Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion
n
n
Apr 2-4
Love Yourself-For Everyone Else’s Sake
Jun 13-18
The Spiritwalker: Visionseeker Level 1
Apr 4-9
Develop the Art of Romantic Intelligence
n
Jun 18-20
Coaching Skills for Leaders, Managers
n
Apr 4-9
Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues
n
Jun 18-20
Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones
n
Apr 4-9
Finding Your Deepest Purpose
Jun 20-25
Body-Mind Psychology: The Hakomi Method
n
Apr 4-9
Esalen Massage, Poetry, and Digeridoo
n
Jun 20-25
Qigong Empowerment
Apr 9-11
Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice
n
Jun 20-25
The Body Shop: Intimacy for Couples
n
n
Jun 20-25
Awakening Your Healing Heart
n
n
n
June 20-25:
Art of Essential Touch
Jun 25-27
Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Feb 5-7
Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice
n
Feb 5-7
Undefended Love
n
Feb 5-7
Weekend Esalen Massage Intensive
Feb 5-12
The “Pointing Out Way” of Tibetan Meditation
n
Feb 7-12
Seduced By Earth: Deep Imagination
n
Feb 7-12
Spark: The Revolutionary Science
n
n
Apr 9-11
5Rhythms Wave: In the Belly of the Beat
Feb 7-12
n
n
Apr 11-16
Shamanic Cosmology: Visionseeker Level 3
n
Feb 12-14
Finding True Love
n
Apr 11-16
Reading the Body: Non-verbal Communication
n
Feb 12-14
The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat
n
Apr 16-18
Enhancement of Peak Performance
n
n
Jun 25-27
Revealing the Wisdom: Neck and Shoulder
n
n
Feb 14-19
The Art and Science of Self-Compassion
n
Apr 18-23
Stronger at the Broken Places
n
n
Jun 25-27
n
n
Feb 14-19
EEG and Spirituality
Apr 18-25
The “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan Meditation
n
n
Jun 27-July 2 Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons
n
Feb 14-19
Radical Aliveness: Core Energetics
n
Apr 18-25
Life Cannot Be Easier Than Your Movement
Jun 27-July 2 Breathe Into Being
n
Feb 14-19
Love, Sexuality, and Relationship
n
Apr 23-25
Neurobiology of the Therapeutic Encounter
n
n
n
Jun 27-July 2 The Language of the Body: Anatomy I
Feb 14-19
Reflexology and Esalen Massage
Apr 25-30
The Heart of Healing: For Clinicians
n
n
n
Jun 27-July 2 Water in the Desert: Hope in a Time of Loss
Feb 19-21
Ignite the Genius Within
Apr 25-30
Ageless Vitality
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Jun 27-July 2 Motion Theater: Dreaming on Your Feet
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
113
n
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, California 93920-9546
Esalen Institute is a center to encourage work in the
humanities and sciences that promotes human values
and potentials. Its activities consist of public seminars,
residential work-study programs, invitational conferences, research, and semi-autonomous projects.
If you move, please let us know your new
address. It helps us save trees and money.
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Las Vegas, NV
Permit No. 2543

January 2010 Esalen Catalog

Transcription

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