June to December 2012 Esalen Catalog

Transcription

The Esalen Catalog
July–December 2012
Celebrating
Fifty Years
of Personal & SociaL
Transformation
“Unique and magical—a rare combination of mind-opening ideas, direct
contact with activists and thought leaders (both presenters and fellow participants!), and on top of that, a whale of a good time. We ranged from tears
to hilarity, from sober contemplation to excited dialogue to moments of sheer
raucous fun. Wouldn’t miss it for anything—we came straight home and put
it on our calendar for next year.” — A past participant
Esalen’s 50th Anniversary Benefit Weekend
Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Creating the Future
Special 4-Day Program – October 4-7, 2012
Marianne Williamson, Robert Reich, Byron Katie, Dean Ornish, Michael Krasny,
Anna Halprin, Chungliang Al Huang, Michael Murphy, Ken Dychtwald.
Other presenters and entertainers to be announced—see www.esalen.org/benefit for up-to-date details.
This year Esalen Institute celebrates fifty years as a leader and catalyst in the world of personal and social transformation. Concepts and experiences originating at Esalen have influenced a wide range of areas that are a vital
part of the world stage today: psychology, sustainability, health and healing, lifelong personal growth, citizen diplomacy, and our common search for meaning through religion, spirituality, and authentic personal commitments.
We are celebrating Esalen’s 50th Anniversary with a very special 4-day weekend benefit event that offers
what former Labor Secretary Robert Reich has characterized as “a true growth experience…a true pleasure…a
community of people that understands…that personal development and social development go hand in hand.”
Presenters include:
Marianne Williamson, spiritual activist, author, lecturer and founder of
The Peace Alliance and Project Angel Food
Robert Reich, leading economist, author, professor at UC Berkeley, and former US Secretary of Labor
Byron Katie, founder of The Work; author of four best-selling books including, Loving What Is
Dean Ornish, founder of Preventive Medicine Research Institute, author,
leading expert on fighting illness with dietary and lifestyle changes
Michael Krasny, scholar, critic, fiction writer, and host of KQED-FM radio’s award-winning Forum program
Anna Halprin, author, teacher, and for nine decades a seminal figure in the world of dance
Chungliang Al Huang, philosopher, musician, author, teacher of Tai Ji,
East/West Synthesis and the art of movement meditation
Michael Murphy, Esalen co-founder, author and head of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research (CTR)
Ken Dychtwald, (emcee) gerontologist, and the nation’s foremost authority on the
economic and cultural effects of the “age wave”
Additional activities in this extended four-day program include entertainment, music and movement, yoga and
meditation classes, Big Sur nature hike, a silent and live auction featuring Ashley Smith Johnson, an opportunity
to engage with other Friends of Esalen, to have fun, relax, enjoy the baths, meditate and just be…
All speakers are generously donating their time. By participating or sponsoring others to participate, you co-create
this weekend while providing philanthropic support for Esalen Institute.
To register or learn more, please contact Nancy Worcester, nancy.worcester@esalen.org, 831-667-3032 or
www.esalen.org/benefit for current pricing and to reserve your space. See page 63 for more details.
July – December 2012
Volume li, Number 2
contents
Friends of Esalen.......................................2
General Information................................3
Reflections on the Land..........................4
Guide to Workshops ................................6
Partner Programs ......................................7
DOUG ELLIS
Seminar Spotlight.....................................8
Esalen Seminars......................................10
Esalen Birthday Week ...........................62
Extended Benefit Weekend.................63
Join Our 50th Year of Expanding Our Sense of Humanity
28-Day Esalen Massage Training ........84
W
Work Study Program...........................105
ith this catalog season Esalen moves toward the climax of our
50th Anniversary Celebration events. Today humankind faces unprecedented
challenges and exciting new opportunities to create a world of sustainability,
humanity, and justice — the living promise of our creative human potential. Over the past
50 years Esalen has led the way in developing the new tools and practices that equip us to
address these challenges in ever-new ways, and evolve, adapt, and lead in an ever-shifting,
always open-ended future.
Rates and Reservations.......................110
Leader Index..........................................113
Continuing Education Programs.....114
In areas ranging from experiential education, lifelong personal growth and development,
sustainability and permaculture, integral leadership and organizational transformation,
relationships and intimacy, citizen diplomacy and social change, this catalog offers building
blocks for deep shifts in consciousness and windows into your own personal curriculum:
adventure, healing, and new tools for transformation in your life, and in our shared world.
contact
This catalog also brings you your special invitation to join us for Esalen’s 50th Birthday
Celebratory Benefit Weekend (inside cover, p. 63, and www.esalen.org), a unique 4-day event
this year, with an all-star roster of speakers plus the stimulating company of your fellow
celebrants. Don’t miss this one-time milestone extravaganza event! Also check out the fourday period leading up to the Birthday itself (p. 62), when Esalen will feature a special series
of days in honor and celebration of our remarkable past and our equally amazing present —
and most of all in full embrace of our shared, exciting future.
Mailing Address: Esalen Institute,
Always remember that the limits of the life we can create and the world we can build
together are set only by the limits of our ideas and our imaginations. Join us this fall and
anytime to nourish yourself and your journey with this rich feast of offerings, adding the
flavor of your unique experience and perspectives to this creative flow. Celebrate, learn,
and recharge! See you soon at Esalen.
Gordon Wheeler
President
Website: www.esalen.org
E-mail: info@esalen.org
55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920
General Information: 831-667-3000
Reservations: 9 am–7 pm every day.
Preregistration is required for all Esalen
programs.
Online: www.esalen.org/workshops/
reservations.html
Phone: Toll-free US: 888-8-ESALEN
(888-837-2536)
Local US: 831-667-3005
International: +1 703-342-0500
Fax: 831-667-2724
Mail: See address above
Mail and fax reservations must include a
completed reservation form, available
online at www.esalen.org.
Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, California 93920-9546
friends of esalen
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 also 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
Park School, special projects, and Esalen’s visionary
Center for Theory & 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 will 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 make
a lasting difference to the Institute.
To donate online: www.esalen.org/donate
Email: donations@esalen.org
Or call: 831-620-6249
Catalog Requests: 831-667-3000
q Friends Circle: $50+
q Founders Circle: $5,000+
q Hot Springs Circle: $250+
q Partners Circle: $10,000+
q Sustainers Circle: $500+
q Anniversary Circle: $25,000+
q Benefactors Circle: $1,000+ q Coast Circle: $50,000+
Name ___________________________________________________________________________
Phone___________________________________________________________________________
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.
Share the magic of Esalen by connecting with Esalen’s Facebook community at
facebook.com/EsalenInstitute or on Twitter at twitter.com/EsalenInstitute.
Esalen Board of Trustees:
Sam Yau Chair
Chip Conley
Bill James
Mary Ellen Klee
Nancy Lunney-Wheeler ex officio
David Lustig
Tricia McEntee
Anisa Mehdi
Gordon Wheeler
Cofounder & Chair Emeritus:
Michael Murphy
Program Staff:
Cheryl Fraenzl, Director
Jerilyn Hesse, Faculty Coordinator
Kristin Bellando, Admin. Coordinator
Jennifer Jaffe, Admin. Assistant
John Larmour, Event Coordination
Nancy Lunney-Wheeler, Advisor
Stacy Carlson, Editor
Terry McGrath, Design and Production
Esalen Staff:
Gordon Wheeler, President
Tricia McEntee, CEO
Jake Hesse, Facilities
Elizabeth Stacey, Advancement and Marketing
Doug Ellis, Marketing/Communications
Jan Sinclair, Guest Services
Phillip Burrus, Kitchen
Kathleen Kleinsmith, Reservations
Shirley Ward, Farm and Garden
Josef London, Housekeeping
Deborah Medow, Healing Arts
Christina Dauenhauer, Grounds
Eric Moya, Residential Education
Denise Byrne, Information Services
Sonya Sirrs, Accounting
Eric Erickson, Security
Daniel Cyrns, Maintenance
Carolyn Shearer, Bookstore
Scott Stillinger, Human Resources
The Esalen Catalog is published biannually by
the Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA 93920-9546.
Printed on recycled paper.
©2012 Esalen Institute. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1088-2782
front cover photograph: Doug Ellis
back cover: Kodiak Greenwood, Doug Ellis
Coming to Esalen? Bring Your Kids!
Did you know that our Gazebo Park School offers experiential daycare
as a service to visiting parents?
Gazebo offers children ages 1–7 the opportunity for full immersion in the natural
world through a rich, child-centered park environment. Activities include planting,
harvesting, eating, and composting fruits and vegetables, exploring nature, caring
for animals, art projects, cooking, stories, dramatic play, and more!
Childcare Rates for parents in workshops:
KODIAK GREENWOOD
• Daily: $150 full day/$75 half day
• Weekly: $500 full day/$250 half day
We offer monthly rates for local Big Sur families on a sliding scale based on income.
To reserve your spot, call Gazebo Park School at 831-667-3026 or email gazebo@esalen.org.
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general information
S
ince 1962, The Esalen Institute has been
devoted to the exploration of what Aldous
Huxley called the “human potential,” the
world of unrealized human capacities that lies
at the growing edge of consciousness. Esalen is
known for its blend of East/West philosophies,
experiential/didactic workshops, a steady influx
of expert teachers from around the world, and
its breathtaking grounds and natural hot
springs. Once home to a Native American tribe
called the Esselen, Esalen is situated on the spectacular Big Sur coastline with the Santa Lucia
Mountains rising sharply behind.
There are many ways
to experience Esalen.
Workshops
Weekend, five- and seven-day workshops and
seminars range in subject matter from Gestalt to
visual art. The Guide to Workshops on pages 6–7
provides a list of all programs by subject, and the
Seminars section contains full descriptions of
weekend, five-, and seven-day programs, listed
chronologically.
Work Study
Work Study programs provide an intensive
month-long course of study for those who want
to make a directed commitment to self-exploration, growth, and the Esalen community for a
longer period. See page 105 for a full description
of the Work Study program.
In addition to its structured
programs, Esalen has many
ongoing events and features
to enrich your stay.
Esalen® Massage and Bodywork
Esalen has long been known for its unique massage and bodywork modalities, developed by
innovative practitioners at the baths overlooking
the Pacific, and offered to guests during their
stay. Esalen Massage incorporates long flowing
strokes over the whole body, and helps release the
stresses of everyday life, leaving the receiver feeling integrated and deeply relaxed. Other modalities often available at Esalen include Cortical
Field Reeducation®, Craniosacral Work, LaStone®,
Rolfing, Shiatsu, Thai Massage, and Transformational
Kinesiology. Massage and bodywork reservations
must be made and paid for in advance through
Esalen Reservations. If you are coming to Esalen
for a massage only, or to make an appointment
for a massage at Esalen’s Carmel Center, please
call 831-667-3002.
Hot Springs
Esalen is the steward of a natural hot springs
overlooking the Pacific. The hot springs are a
source of relaxation and healing for those who
visit, and you may catch a glimpse into the life
of a sea otter, seal, or migratory whale while
you enjoy the baths. Swimsuits are optional,
and nudity common, in the hot springs and
massage areas.
Personal Retreats
Personal Retreats offer the opportunity to nourish body, mind, heart, and soul without participating in a workshop. Those on Personal Retreat
structure their time at Esalen themselves, and
can participate in daily yoga and movement
classes, enjoy the hot springs, meditate, and
explore Esalen’s beautiful land. Esalen Personal
Retreats are open only to members of the
Friends of Esalen program, which supports
Esalen’s transformational mission. For additional
benefits of membership, and to join Friends of
Esalen, please see page 2. See page 111 for
Personal Retreat fee information.
Daily Movement Arts Classes
Every day, Esalen offers a schedule of free classes
open to everyone. Offerings can include yoga,
chanting, meditation, free-form dance, and didjeridoo meditation at the baths. You will receive
a schedule when you arrive.
Wednesday Evening Programs
Esalen hosts visiting scholars and teachers,
who interface with the rest of the Esalen community in many ways. Usually there is a
scheduled program on Wednesday evenings
for visiting scholars, workshop leaders, or
Esalen staff to share their expertise with the
larger Esalen community.
Farm and Garden
Esalen’s five-acre farm and garden produces hundreds of varieties of vegetables for the kitchen.
In addition to enjoying the farm and garden’s
bounty during mealtimes, guests may wander
among the fields, enjoy the flowers during
spring and summer, participate in farm- and
permaculture-oriented workshops throughout
the year, and volunteer with the farm and garden
crew during their stay.
Children and Families
Esalen welcomes families and offers a selection
of family-oriented workshops and child care.
See page 7 for a full listing of family-friendly
workshops. See page 111 for child care options.
Accommodations
Esalen offers several types of accommodations
including standard shared rooms, premium
rooms, and the Point Houses. For full descriptions and pricing, see page 110.
Friends of Esalen
Friends of Esalen are supporters whose donations of $50 or more will benefit Esalen programs and help build Esalen’s long-term financial
base. Please see page 2 for a description of the
many benefits of becoming a Friend.
Accreditation and
Continuing Education
Many educational institutions recognize Esalen
programs as eligible for credit in their curricula;
check with your university or college. Additional
information can be provided if needed. Esalen
provides continuing education (CE) credit for
psychologists, MFTs, LCSWs, nurses, and bodyworkers. See page 113 for details.
For additional details
about your stay at Esalen,
please see page 112.
Esalen is a center for experimental education.
We offer neither psychotherapy nor assurances
of change.
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Community Voices
Reflections on the Land
Steven Harper is a wilderness guide, author, artist, longtime Esalen leader, and
Big Sur resident. His work focuses on wild nature as a vehicle for awakening.
See pages 13, 32, 49, and 74 for his workshops.
Wildness, rich diversity, and the dramatic meeting of edges — both inner
and outer — converge to create the place we call Big Sur. Here the elements
meet, greet, and co-create. Fire, Air, Earth, and Water come together in a
manner so clearly on display that we have no choice but to come to our
senses and awaken in our human body.
Esalen’s underlying support comes from a constellation of dynamic factors. Well before spoken word
and long before people, the elemental dance of creation has been and is now forming and shaping
this mountain seascape. If we look at Esalen as just
the human-inhabited grounds, we miss the deeper
integral webs that literally ground and connect us to
the extended community of things — to the timeless
source of everything. From this heartfelt and bodily-felt
basis we are supported in allowing ourselves to try on the new and different, to deepen, to ask the frightening questions, to touch that which
has not been touched. Nature here is not separate, but inclusive of all,
and it is the primary teacher of those human beings that choose to
inhabit this wild coast.
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Christine Stewart Price is a teacher and ongoing student
of Gestalt Awareness Practice. She was married to Esalen
co-founder Richard Price. See pages 11, 12, 48, and 78
for her workshops.
Long before any of us fell in love with this place it
was home to others, for many generations. In the
“Institute Era” of the past fifty years, there have been
weddings celebrated, often for couples who met on the
property. We have blessed pregnancies, held vigil during births, and
delighted in the babies who arrived. We’ve gathered to mourn our dead
and rejoice in their lives.
Within the shelter of the cypresses, fortified by the sound of the ocean, I
have birthed one child here. I’ve said goodbye to my father, my first husband, and another child here. In these very personal ways this property
holds my life, my history, and the history of so many of us.
I am only one of many who have experienced profound moments of
their lives within these village gates. This includes what happens within
the bodies, psyches, and souls of those who come here to explore their
inner landscape. In these moments of deep opening, we bond with this
land, like a newborn turning toward the biggest, nearest, warmest presence. From that moment forward, we belong to this place in some way,
and it to us.
DOUG ELLIS
Mackenzie (Mac) Murphy was raised on Esalen land. He is a holistic health
practitioner and the son of Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy
As an offspring of the land, I find myself interconnected with the elements in motion at Esalen. I feel the rhythms of the ocean in my heart and
the waves coinciding with emotions. All of the elements are represented
here: The crisp Big Sur air; the rocky cliffs emerging from
the waters; and the earth-warmed springs, bubbling into
the bathhouse. The healing culmination of the elements entices the seeker to ground, expand, and to
move into a primordial way of being. The spirit of the
land is powerful, magnetizing travelers from all over
the world. I pray for its continued prosperity — for the
land, the institute, and for the heritage and continuing
legacy of the Esselen Indians who inhabited this place for
so long. Esalen is a beacon of transformation: in the personal, social, and
spiritual domains — as long as we listen to the inherent wisdom that is
intertwined into the DNA of the Esalen land.
Geneen Marie Haugen & Bill Plotkin offer immersions in Soulcraft and in re-
wilding our relationships with nature and psyche. See page 103 for their workshop.
Esalen is a place where the veil between human dreams and Earth’s
dreams is thin, a place where the psyches of human beings become
porous to our planet’s longings. The land, waters, and sky of Big Sur
deeply inform the immersions we offer at Esalen, where
the splendor of the world is experienced in scents of
sea and jasmine, glimpses of otters, Gray whales, and
condors, thermal spring baths, and in the bounty of the
gardens and kitchen. Here, all but the toughest ego-identities
crack open in both ecstasy and grief — grief that the human
venture has strayed so far from honoring the exquisite
exuberance of life, and ecstasy for the glimmering sense
that far, far more is possible for each of us, and for our
species.
The Esalen Grounds Crew consists of five staff and three workscholars. They
tend Esalen land day in and day out.
We, the grounds crew, are stewards of this land. We have the privilege of
maintaining the beauty that exists naturally here. We start our days in silent
meditation, giving thanks for all that is provided. Then we make ourselves
heard Esalen-wide: singing, laughing, and working until we drop. When you
work in the dirt and breathe in the air this land becomes a part of you — a
part of us. We try to reflect that love back into the land, and thus better our
community. We hope that every person can have a piece of the beauty, love,
and magic that flow in this sacred land, and take it back out into the world.
Visit www.esalen.org for more Reflections on the Land.
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V
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.
S
ARTS & CREATIVITY
Visual Arts
July 1-6 • The Magic of Metal
July 13-20 • Guiding Lights in Film
Aug 5-10 • Framing Nature: Photography
Aug 12-17 • Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Aug 17-19 • The Passion of Painting
Sept 9-14 • The Alchemical art of Glass Fusing
Sept 16-21 • Painting the Inner and Outer Landscape
Oct 19-21 • Divinatory Cards: SoulCollage®
Oct 21-26 • SoulCollage® and the New Paradigm
Nov 11-16 • Painting Improvisations
Nov 25-30 • Inspired Art / Inspired Life
Dec 2-7 • Awakening the Creative: Painting
Dec 9-14 • Discover Your Soul Mandala
Writing
July 15-20 • Bone Knowing: Access Intuition
July 22-27 • The Writing Life
Aug 5-10 • The Way of Story
Oct 7-12 • Straw into Gold: Memoir
Oct 12-19 • The Artplane Painting Workshop
Oct 26-28 • The Sun Celebrates Personal Writing
Oct 28-Nov 2 • Writing the Wild
Nov 9-11 • Writing For Our Lives
Nov 18-23 • Deepening the Characters We Create
Dec 23-28 • Crafting Your Journey through Memoir
Music / Rhythm / Dance
July 1-6 • Soul Motion™: Taking Refuge
July 8-13 • Dance of Oneness®: Dance Your Passion
July 29-Aug 3 • Empowering Creativity
Aug 3-5 • The Ecstasy of Sound: Music and Healing
Aug 19-24 • Building a Vocal Community
Aug 31-Sept 2 • 5Rhythms®: Heartbeat
Sept 16-21 • Songwriting: Catch and Release
Sept 21-23 • Soul Motion™: Alone Together
Sept 23-28 • Soul Motion™: Sanctuary
Oct 14-19 • Spirit Songs: The Power of Gospel
Oct 14-19 • The Dancing Buddha
Oct 21-26 • Songs of the Heart
Nov 16-18 • Soul Motion™: The Dance of the Master
Nov 25-30 • 5Rhythms®: Heartbeat
Dec 23-30 • Soul Motion™: Tenderness
Dec 30-Jan 4 • The Natural Singer
Creative Expression / Theater
Aug 26-31 • Sharing Your Life Story: Page to Stage
Oct 12-14 • Everyday Spontaneity
Nov 23-25 • Improv Inspiration: Wit and Wisdom
Dec 23-30 • A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life
6
S
THE BODY
Massage
July 6-8 • Advanced Esalen® Massage
July 22-27 • Current Trends in Esalen® Massage
Aug 10-12 • Esalen® Massage in Motion
Aug 12-17 • Traditional Thai Massage
Sept 2-7 • Meridian Massage: Touch and Core Energy
Sept 14-16 • Massage Retreat for Couples
Sept 16-21 • The Art of Touch: Esalen® Massage
Oct 7-12 • Healing Art of Deep Bodywork
Oct 12-14 • Fundamentals of Esalen® Massage
Nov 9-11 • Esalen® Massage in the Side-Lying Position
Nov 30-Dec 2 • Esalen® Massage for Couples
Dec 2-7 • Deep Tissue Techniques
Dec 21-23 • Holiday Couples Group
Dec 23-28 • Esalen® Massage and Presence
Somatic Practices / Movement / Sports
July 1-6 • Introduction to Cortical Field Reeducation®
July 15-20 • Walking on Clouds: Tai Chi
Aug 3-5 • Recapturing Your Posture
Aug 19-24 • Core Zero Balancing—Part I
Aug 19-24 • Wild Serenity
Aug 24-26 • Energy Medicine
Aug 24-26 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
Aug 26-31 • Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 1
Aug 26-31 • The Gokhale Method™
Aug 31-Sept 7 • Gokhale Method® Teacher Training
Sept 9-14 • Therapeutic Imagery and Diolague 1
Sept 21-23 • Taoist Chi Kung: The Cloud Hands
Oct 12-19 • The Future of the Body: Continuum
Oct 14-19 • The Refined Hakomi Method
Oct 21-26 • CranioSacral Therapy 2
Oct 26-28 • Zero Balancing Open Forum
Oct 28-Nov 2 • Gateway to Soul: Process Acupressure
Oct 28-Nov 2 • The Spirited Body
Nov 2-4 • Anatomy Trains® and Fascial Fitness
Nov 4-9 • Visceral Manipulation 1
Nov 11-16 • Spiritweaves™: Rites of Belonging
Nov 18-23 • Feldenkrais® Spinal Awareness
Nov 25-30 • Essential Practice: Tai Ji
Dec 2-7 • Brilliant Body: Conquering Injury and Pain
Dec 7-14 • Gokhale Method® Teacher Training
Dec 14-16 • Luminous Being: Radiance Sutras
Dec 21-23 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor)
S
PSYCHOLOGY & RELATIONSHIP
Psychological / Transpersonal Process
June 29-July 1 • Strengthening the Heart
June 29-July 1 • Intro to Gestalt Awareness Practice
July 1-6 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
July 1-6 • Leading Your Life
July 8-13 • Not for The Feint of Heart
July 8-13 • Intelligent Risk Taking
July 15-20 • Families Under Pressure
July 20-22 • Public Speaking
July 22-27 • Awakening the Heart
July 22-27 • Meditative Hypnosis
July 29-Aug 3 • Relational Gestalt Process
Aug 3-5 • Introduction to Radical Aliveness
Aug 5-10 • The Radically Alive Leader
Aug 10-12 • Open Your Heart, Reclaim Your Health
Aug 17-19 • Walking an Authentic Path
Aug 19-24 • The Joy of an Open Heart
Aug 24-26 • Embodiment Tools
Aug 26-31 • Dream Action and Dream Meanings
Aug 31-Sept 2 • Claiming Your Voice
Sept 2-7 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
Sept 7-9 • The Work and Future Generations
Sept 9-14 • Eat by Choice, Not by Habit
Sept 14-16 • Presence: The Heart of Connection
Sept 14-16 • The Art of Joyful Living
Sept 16-21 • The Courage to Be You
Sept 28-30 • The Stories We Tell through Our Bodies
Oct 14-19 • Healing Traumatized Hearts
Oct 19-21 • The Art of Leadership
Oct 19-21 • Integrated Brief Therapy
Oct 21-26 • Living in Gratitude
Oct 28-Nov 2 • Abandonment to Healing
Nov 4-9 • Gestalt Awareness Practice
Nov 9-11 • Butterfly Wisdom
Nov 16-18 • Changes and Transitions: 30s and 40s
Nov 18-23 • Angels and Traitors
Nov 18-23 • The MAX
Nov 18-23 • Sweet Mischief: Self-Realization
Nov 25-30 • Reclaiming Your Authentic Self
Nov 25-30 • Gestalt Practice and CFR®
Nov 30-Dec 2 • Thriving in Uncertainty
Dec 2-7 • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Dec 2-7 • Total Immersion for Total Transformation
Dec 7-9 • Rest, Rejuvenation and Renewal: Pause
Dec 14-16 • Love Yourself and the Rest Will Follow
Dec 21-23 • Loving Yourself
Dec 28-30 • This Year I Will...
Relationship / Sexuality / Gender
July 13-15 • Getting the Love You Want: Couples
July 15-20 • Becoming Able-Hearted
July 20-27 • Healing the Pelvic Floor: Power, Sexuality
July 27-29 • Opening to Relationship: For Gay Men
Aug 10-12 • Why We Choose What We Choose
Aug 17-19 • Celebrate Seventy! For Women
Aug 17-19 • Couples’ Communication Retreat
Aug 26-31 • Relational Mindfulness
Sept 9-14 • Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving
Sept 9-14 • From Isolation to Intimacy
Sept 23-28 • The Intimate Couple: IBP
Sept 28-30 • The Extraordinary Couples Workshop
Oct 7-12 • Pleasure, Intimacy and Connectedness
Nov 11-16 • Secrets to Lasting Intimacy for Couples
Nov 16-18 • Wild and Precious Life: For Women
Dec 2-7 • The Second Half of Life: For Women
Dec 14-16 • Traer Calma y Equilibrio a Nuestras Vidas
Dec 21-23 • Mindful Communication
S
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY / NEUROSCIENCE / PARAPSYCHOLOGY
July 6-8 • Brain Integration and Self-Development
July 13-15 • Words Can Change Your Brain
Aug 12-17 • Forgiveness: Brain Change Therapy
Aug 31-Sept 2 • The Neuroscience of Resilience
Sept 23-28 • Buddha’s Brain
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SOCIAL /POLITICAL ISSUES
Nov 23-25 • Social Entrepreneurship
S
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH /
TRAINING
July 8-13 • Mindfulness with Youth Training
July 29-Aug 3 • Full Body Presence
Aug 12-17 • StoryPlay®: Play Therapy
Aug 31-Sept 7 • EMDR (Parts 1 and 2)
Sept 16-21 • Tai Chi Easy™
Oct 19-21 • Yoga One on One
Nov 18-Dec 16 • 28-day Esalen® Massage
S
PHILOSOPHICAL AND
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
June 29-July 1 • Paradigm Shift Then and Now
July 1-6 • Knowing the Self, Understanding the Mind
July 20-22 • Natural Mind-Brain Change Effortlessly
Aug 17-19 • The Energetics of Consciousness
Aug 19-24 • The Energetics of Consciousness
Sept 14-16 • Science Set Free: Dispelling Dogmas
Sept 28-30 • Science, Shamanism and the Hidden Self
Oct 19-21 • Civilized to Death
Nov 2-4 • What’s Next? Revisioning Our Lives
Nov 9-11 • The Holy Fool
Dec 28-30 • Living Deeply: Transformation
S
NATURE / ECOLOGY /
SUSTAINABILITY
June 29-July 1 • An Ecology of Relationships
July 1-6 • Simply Wild: Experiencing Nature
July 29-Aug 3 • Summer in the Full Moon Garden
Aug 3-5 • Succulent Design
Aug 5-10 • Big Sur Wilderness Experience
Aug 24-26 • Experiencing the Farm and Garden
Sept 2-7 • Belonging to Earth
Sept 23-28 • Experiencing the Farm and Garden
Oct 21-26 • The Nature of Movement
Nov 25-Dec 2 • Permaculture Teacher Training
Nov 30-Dec 2 • The Tao of Ecology
Dec 7-9 • Energy Efficiency for Climate Protection
Dec 21-23 • The Festive Cuisine of the Caribbean
S
SPIRITUALITY
Contemplative / Spiritual Studies
July 13-15 • Sacred Activism in a Chaotic Time
July 15-20 • Music, Spirituality and the Brain
July 20-22 • Buddhism and the Twelve Steps
July 20-27 • Tibetan Buddhism and Continuum
Aug 12-17 • The Transformational Enneagram
Aug 17-19 • The Embodied Life™
Aug 19-24 • Gratitude and Forgiveness
Sept 9-14 • The Shift: Living in the Flow
Sept 16-21 • Relaxed & Awake: Meditation, Feldenkrais®
Sept 21-23 • Hidden School, Open Path
Sept 28-30 • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Oct 12-14 • Being Present For Your Life
Oct 21-26 • Awake in the Wild: Meditation in Nature
Nov 9-11 • Falling in Love with the Divine:
Nov 11-16 • Way of the Dreamer: Active Dreaming
Nov 16-18 • The Heart of Buddhism
Nov 23-25 • Applied Zen
Nov 30-Dec 2 • Partners in Integration
Nov 30-Dec 2 • Spiritual Awakening: Meditation
Dec 7-14 • “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan Meditation
Dec 14-16 • Heartfelt Wisdom
Dec 14-16 • The Science and Practice of Mindfulness
Dec 21-23 • The Power of Mindfulness
Dec 23-28 • Entering the Heart of Love
Dec 30-Jan 4 • New Year’s Meditation
Yoga
June 29-July 1 • Learn to Thrive through Change
July 6-8 • Esalen Embodied Arts Retreat
July 27-29 • Advanced Yoga for Everyone
July 29-Aug 3 • Advanced Yoga for Everyone Intensive
Aug 5-10 • 2012 Maya Wisdom and Yoga Retreat
Aug 12-17 • Radiant Body Yoga
Aug 26-31 • Yantra Yoga: Perfect Rhythm of Life
Sept 9-14 • Jivamukti Yoga Immersion
Sept 16-21 • The Three Faces of Spirit
Sept 28-30 • Prime of Life Yoga™: Midlife and Beyond
Oct 12-14 • Yoga Psychology
Oct 14-19 • Yoga Practice: Body, Mind and Spirit
Nov 2-4 • Gratitude Retreat
Nov 4-9 • Yoga and Addiction Recovery
Nov 11-16 • Advanced Yoga for Everyone Intensive
Nov 16-18 • Advanced Yoga for Everyone
Nov 23-25 • Heart Fire: Tending the Flame
Nov 25-30 • Awakened Heart, Embodied Mind
Dec 14-16 • Kripalu Yoga Immersion
Dec 21-23 • Moving into Stillness: Winter Solstice Yoga
Dec 28-30 • Meditation, Yoga and the New Paradigm
Dec 30-Jan 4 • Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation
Myth / Ritual / Shamanism
Sept 14-16 • Chanting, Ritual and Resonance
Nov 18-23 • Thanksgiving and Gratitude
Dec 30-Jan 4 • Re-Wilding the Future
S
Aug 5-10 • Be Present Family Camp
Aug 10-12 • Magic and Music in the Gardens
Aug 24-26 • Kids Beyond Limits
Aug 31-Sept 2 • The Magical Family
S
V Check out this season’s
Milton H. Erickson Foundation
Promoting and advancing Erickson’s
contributions to the health sciences.
Brain Integration and Self-Development,
page 14.
Foster Natural Mind-Brain Change, page 23.
Meditative Hypnosis, page 24.
StoryPlay®, page 36.
Brain Change Therapy, page 37.
Dream Action, Dream Meanings, page 46.
Integrated Brief Therapy, page 71.
Gokhale Method Institute
Helping people reclaim pain-free posture and
movement.
The Gokhale Method® for a Pain-Free Life,
page 45.
Gokhale Method® Teacher Training,
pages 47 and 95.
International Alliance of Healthcare
Educators and The Upledger Institute
Partner Programs
Full Body Presence: Energize Your Life,
page 18.
Full Body Presence: Healthy Boundaries,
page 27.
Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 1, page 44.
Therapeutic Imagery and Dialogue 1,
page 51.
CranioSacral Therapy 2, page 72.
Visceral Manipulation 1, page 77.
Social Venture Network
Inspiring and supporting innovation and
influential social entrepreneurship.
Succeeding with Your Soul Intact, page 33.
Enlightened Leadership in Challenging
Times, page 33.
Stand and Deliver
Helping leaders achieve exceptional results
through powerful communication.
Speak to Inspire, page 35.
CHILDREN / FAMILIES /
EDUCATION
ECONOMICS / BUSINESS /
LEADERSHIP
July 8-13 • Creating the Work You Love
Aug 3-5 • The Leadership Clinic
Aug 10-12 • SVN’s Succeeding with Your Soul Intact:
Aug 10-12 • Speak to Inspire
Aug 17-19 • The Transition Catalyst Intensive
Nov 2-4 • SVN’s Enlightened Leadership
Nov 9-11 • Crafting Careers that Truly Fit
S
HEALTH / HEALING
July 6-8 • Practical Intuition: Intuitive Lifestyle
July 6-8 • The Alchemy of Abundance
July 13-15 • Full Body Presence
July 27-29 • Your Inner Voice: Power of Intuition
Aug 19-24 • Healing Your Heart 101
Sept 9-14 • Eat by Choice, Not by Habit
Sept 23-28 • Taoist Chi Kung: Enhancing Vitality
Oct 12-14 • A Renaissance In Herbal Medicine
Oct 19-21 • Living the Anticancer Lifestyle
Oct 21-26 • Alchemical Healing
Dec 7-14 • Wisdom Healing Qigong™
S
INTEGRAL PRACTICES
Aug 3-5 • Experiencing Esalen
Sept 21-23 • Experiencing Esalen
Sept 28-30 • ITP®: 40 Years of the Esalen Experience
Offering light-touch therapy training programs,
information, and products.
7
seminar spotlight
A Closer Look
I
n this section, we highlight a few of the programs we
are especially excited about this season, so that you can
learn a bit more about our faculty and their specific areas of
expertise. Enjoy!
Kelly McGonigal & Leah Weiss Ekstrom
Nora Bateson & Rex Weyler
Nora Bateson writes, “As a child growing up at Esalen, my
early memories are of scampering up Big Sur hillsides barefooted, reaching for stable footing on the crumbly earth. It
was a good metaphor; it taught me to be flexible. If there is
one thing I learned at Esalen, it is that with any luck, and
with a great deal of courage, the process of learning to learn
never stops.
Kelly McGonigal writes, “My passion is bringing together two
seemingly disparate ways of understanding suffering and
how to relieve it: science and Eastern wisdom. I’m trained as a
research scientist and I’m fascinated by new insights about how
the brain works, the mind-body relationship, what makes us
happy, how we find strength, and how people heal. I’m also a
long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation and yoga, and
have been profoundly moved by these traditions’ understanding of suffering. There is so much wisdom to draw on, from the
idea of deep practice as a path for freedom, to the importance
of supportive community.”
“Some may remember my father, Gregory Bateson, lumbering up from the Esalen baths in the 60s and 70s. His body
showed age, but his mind was incredibly nimble. He liked
to talk about ecology as the totality, or pattern, of relations.
Now, thirty-two years after his death, Gregory’s ideas are
experiencing a new traction. The world has changed. Now
more than ever, his notion of life within dynamic systems
provides useful tools to expand our frames of perception.
Between and among living things there is only integrated
interaction. It is the restless conversation between all
subjects: history, biology, creatures, math, psychology,
anthropology, and you and me.
“This year, as Esalen celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is an
honor to bring this conversation—that began so many years
ago—to new light. After traveling around the world with the
film, An Ecology of Mind, I am happy to be coming back to my
childhood home, to play with the ideas, to dangle in uncertainty, and to find footing in the rhythms of nature’s patterns.”
See An Ecology of Relationships in Science, Art and Life, June
29–July1.
8
Leah Weiss Ekstrom writes, “Sharing meditation practices
with refugees to heal trauma, and with clinicians to transform
burnout and compassion fatigue, has greatly informed my
approach to suffering and its alleviation. My adult life has alternated between clinical social service work and long meditation
retreats. That contemplative practice and service—together—can
engage personal and social suffering in a meaningful way is at
the heart of my understanding of compassion.”
McGonigal and Ekstrom’s workshop is offered through the
Center for Compassion and Altruism Research (CCARE), an
organization based at Stanford University that conducts and
supports rigorous scientific studies of compassion and
altruistic behavior.
See Strengthening the Heart with Compassion, June 29–July 1.
Miguel Angel Vergara & Saul David Raye
Mayan shaman Miguel Angel Vergara writes, “The ancient
Mayan teachers said, ‘Everything will be unveiled to humankind
in its right time and at the right hour.’ According to the Mayan
calendar the year 2012 is 12 BAKTUN, 6 AHAU, the ‘time of
the return of the wise men.’ All of us have been preparing for
this new beginning, in which
love and wisdom will shine
again.
“The Mayan prophecy of 2012
is about a time of hope, humility, forgiveness, and love. It is a
time to go to the very depths
of our being and a time to
share who we are for the benefit of humankind. The prophecy will exist only in the reflection of our state of consciousness and our belonging to the
Heart of the Earth and the
Heart of the Sky. The Mayan
elders are very clear that 2012
is not an exact date, and it is not the end of the world. It is the
time of a great shift in our consciousness.”
Don Miguel and yoga teacher Saul David Raye bring together
the sacred traditions of Mayan wisdom and Tantra yoga and
integrate these teachings with their students’ contemporary
lives. There are ancient connections between the Maya and the
yogis of India. The roots of yoga lie in a tantric and shamanic
past, connected to the cycles, rhythms, and forces of the universe. During their Esalen workshop, the leaders will explore
the profound ways to connect directly with those energies.
See Heart of the Sky, Heart of the Earth: 2012 Maya Wisdom and
Yoga Retreat, August 5–10.
Rick Hanson
Rick Hanson is a neuropsychologist who writes and teaches about
the inner skills of psychological
healing, personal growth, spiritual
practice, and healthy relationships.
Founder of the Wellspring
Institute for Neuroscience and
Contemplative Wisdom and
affiliate of the Greater Good
Science Center at UC Berkeley,
Rick has taught at Oxford,
Stanford, and Harvard, and in
meditation centers internationally.
After growing up in the suburbs of LA, he dove into the human
potential movement of the early 1970s. He went to graduate
school in developmental psychology and then got a Master’s
and a PhD in clinical psychology. His work developed into an
exploration of the intersection of three circles: brain science,
psychology, and contemplative practice, and in 2009, he wrote
Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and
Wisdom (now in 20 languages). “With the power of modern
neuroscience, informed by ancient contemplative wisdom, you
can use your mind alone to change your brain for the better,”
says Hanson. “This presents truly amazing opportunities for
personal wellbeing, fulfilling relationships, and a more peaceful
world.” His most recent book, Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha
Brain One Simple Practice at a Time, is about the power of practice:
doing those little things in your mind that add up over time to
big results.
Rick says he loves Esalen: “I’d of course heard about it forever,
and when I finally came here it was even more wonderful than
I’d imagined. It’s a great place for feeling nurtured, going deep,
having fun, feeding your soul, and lifting your heart.”
See Buddha’s Brain: Lighting up the Neural Circuits of Happiness,
Love and Wisdom, September 23–28.
Tom Myers
“My journey into the body started
at Esalen way back in 1974,” Tom
Myers writes. “This journey
began as a youthful lark, but
deepened rapidly into a career.
Through Michael Murphy’s book,
The Future of the Body: Explorations
into the Further Evolution of Human
Nature, and my studies with Ida
Rolf and Moshe Feldenkrais, I
burrowed into the literal stuff of
our corporeal selves: the nerves,
fluid exchange, the fascia. I developed a focus in my work and ended up writing some books
myself. Anatomy Trains and Fascial Release are all about how to
see the patterns between body and spirit and how to connect
parts into wholes. How can such base matter manifest such
alchemical gifts of spirit?
“Now we stand on a threshold: the industrial age is over and the
electronic age is washing over us like a tsunami. Our images of
heart as pump, lung as bellows, liver as factory, or muscles as
levers are all a century out of date. We are entering a world of
fluid information, of multiple but tenuous connecting bonds,
a world where many of our kids are thoroughly divorced from
‘nature’ as we oldsters knew it — a nature that anyway is rapidly
changing.
“How do we reduce the stress of constant adaptation for those
of us who grew up in a steadier-state world? How do we educate the Neolithic bodies of our youngsters to live successfully
in this electronic world? I am pleased to come back to Esalen to
present an experiential exploration of both ancient and modern
solutions to these questions. And I’m glad to say these solutions
are a lot of fun.”
See The Spirited Body, October 28 – November 2 and Anatomy
Trains and Fascial Fitness, November 2–4.
9
KODIAK GREENWOOD
esalen seminars
Weekend of June 29–July 1
An Ecology of Relationships in Life,
Science and Art
ences with nature and society, we will examine
the paradigms that keep us bound to non-sustainable thought patterns. We will liberate
habitual patterns and rediscover the creative
potential of an ever-changing mind in a changing world.
Nora Bateson & Rex Weyler
Our world is made of relationships. Our bodies
are a dynamic interplay of processes. Even our
most personal thoughts arise within an ecology
of ideas and contexts. Science does not describe
“things” but rather changes, patterns, and reciprocity. Simply: Relationships.
Humans co-evolve with every creature in nature
and with every social context. Our lives are the
stories of these relationships. Learning is a dance
with a dynamic world. Join Nora Bateson, daughter of Gregory Bateson and director of the film
An Ecology of Mind, and author and Greenpeace
International co-founder Rex Weyler for a
weekend of synchronizing our lives with
nature’s patterns.
Using Gregory Bateson’s ideas of communication and relation, and our own direct experi10
We’re on a quest for a new kind of thinking
before we propose solutions. We need to ask
new questions. When Gregory Bateson asked,
“What is the pattern that connects?” he nudged
us to observe relationships and change. Nature
is our guide because the patterns of living systems hold the secrets to revitalize human systems, grow healthy communities, and heal our
relationships.
See Seminar Spotlight, page 8.
Nora Bateson wrote, directed, and produced the
award-winning documentary, An Ecology of Mind,
a portrait of her father Gregory Bateson’s way of thinking. She has developed curriculum for schools, written
for several journals, and produced and directed multimedia projects on intercultural understanding.
Rex Weyler is a writer and ecologist. His books
include Pulitzer-nominated Blood of the Land,
Greenpeace: The Inside Story, and Chop Wood,
Carry Water: Finding Spirituality in Everyday
Life. Weyler was a cofounder of Greenpeace
International and the Hollyhock education center.
www.rexweyler.com.
Strengthening the Heart with
Compassion
Kelly McGonigal & Leah Weiss Ekstrom
Experience a weekend immersion in compassion cultivation, based on the Stanford
Compassion Training program developed by
psychologists, scientists, and contemplative
scholars at Stanford University. Explore strategies for strengthening self-compassion, connecting with others, finding peace in difficult
circumstances, and overcoming compassion
fatigue. This session will include lecture, gentle
yoga movement and breathing practices, meditation, self-reflection, and discussion. You will also
learn about the scientific research demonstrat-
Register online at www.esalen.org or by calling 888-8-ESALEN (888-837-2536).
ing the benefits of training compassion, and
strategies for sharing these practices with
others. To learn more about the Stanford
Compassion Training program, visit
www.ccare.stanford.edu.
mance. Her provocative and original works have been
honored with seven Bay Area Critics’ Circle Awards
and three National Endowment for the Arts fellowships.
Learn to Thrive through Change
CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113.
CE credit available for psychologists (pending); see page 113.
Amy Ippoliti
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a psychologist and lecturer
at Stanford University, and a senior teacher for the
Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism
Research and Education. She is the author of The
Willpower Instinct and Yoga for Pain Relief.
Leah Weiss Ekstrom directs compassion education
for the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research
and Education at Stanford University. She practices
in the Tibetan tradition and has taught meditation
in a variety of secular contexts for more than 10 years.
She cofounded the Foundation for Active Compassion.
Paradigm Shift Then and Now:
Building the Future Together
Ralph Abraham & Nina Wise
Many people believe we are on the brink of a
paradigm shift of great magnitude—as great as
the 17th Century’s Scientific Revolution which
effectively removed the earth from its tyrannical
reign at the center of the universe and set the
stage for material science to reign in the minds
of men. As so often happens in the course of historic developments, progress is made at the cost
of something of value being left behind. Many
have posited that in these early years of the 21st
century, as we move forward into perceiving the
universe not as a collection of distinct and independent parts but as a unified system of interconnected and interrelated beings, that we have
the opportunity to reclaim what was lost in the
past. In this workshop we will explore this last
major paradigm shift in human consciousness,
discuss its implications for those living today,
and together be active agents in ushering in a
new paradigm.
The workshop will include talks by Ralph
Abraham, dialogues between Ralph and Nina
Wise, group discussion, and some movement
and easy theater games led by Nina to loosen
our bodies and minds and create group synergy.
Ralph Abraham chaos mathematician and theorist,
is the author or coauthor of several math texts and
three philosophical books. He is professor of mathematics at UC Santa Cruz.
Nina Wise is a performance artist and founder of
Yoga teaches you that the only thing certain is
uncertainty, but it doesn’t just stop there, it
teaches you how to skillfully navigate the
changing tides of life, loss, and love. In this
weekend gathering you will be shown:
• Empowering standing poses, single-leg
balancing poses, and arm balances designed to
strengthen your resolve and fortify your core
• Fun, new poses that spark your creativity
• Morning rituals that you can do at home to set
the tone for your day and inspire you to take
action toward your dreams and goals
• Specific practices you can do at home to
instantly shift your mood and outlook on life
• How to be a leader even in the face of
challenge
• Make lifetime friends to support you as true
companions on the path
Please bring a yoga mat.
Amy Ippoliti travels the globe helping people bridge
the gap between ancient yoga wisdom and modern
day life. She has appeared on the covers of Yoga
Journal and Fit Yoga Magazine, and inside numerous publications nationally and internationally.
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, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a
strong relationship to some forms of meditation.
Emotional and energetic release and rebalancing
are also 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. This introductory
workshop is both didactic and experiential.
Utilizing group exercises, meditations, and discussion, participants work with each other to
explore ways of increasing our quality of awareness as well as working with what arises in the
process. Open seat work may be included but is
not the focus of the workshop.
Please note: Meeting times for this workshop are
longer than the average Esalen workshop.
Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy
Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape.
CE credit for nurses; see page 113.
Christine Stewart Price is a teacher and ongoing
student of Gestalt Awareness Practice and other
approaches to developing awareness.
Week of July 1–6
Knowing the Self through
Understanding the Mind
Pierre Grimes
Communications from the mind are as profound as they are utterly appropriate to our circumstances, for while the scope of the mind is
pervasive, its precision is always directed to
what is personally and philosophically significant. During this workshop, we will explore a
new paradigm that offers a profound understanding of the way the mind functions and
communicates with us for our benefit. The self
is always seeking completion; hence, our choice
of goals, the problems we face, the daydreams
and fantasies we have, the seemingly random
thoughts that occur during our meditations and
the dreams that visit us in our sleep—each and
every one of them is a doorway into the richest
source of insights into our lives. What we discover through these insights is that the mind
itself continually provides evidence of its own
goodness and intelligibility. The master craftsman of these communications is called the
Dream Master. Pierre Grimes has developed this
path of self-discovery over many years. It has its
roots in the Homeric/Socratic tradition. As we
focus on our dreams and daydreams with the
simple rules of this new paradigm, we are
brought to an awareness that our everyday existence can be the doorway to the profound and
that what is often ignored can be the key to our
inner development. Please bring writing material and a small tape recorder for recording your
dreams.
Motion Theater, a form of autobiographical perfor11
See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts.
Please note: There will be a property-wide celebration on July 4th.
Pierre Grimes is founder and president of the
Academy of Platonic Studies and the Noetic Society.
He wrote Philosophical Midwifery: A New
Paradigm for Understanding Human Problems.
He has led workshops and meditation retreats for 30
years.
Soul Motion™: Taking Refuge
Zuza Engler
Every heart to love will come–but like a refugee.
—Leonard Cohen
“To take refuge in Soul Motion means to engage
wholeheartedly in a kinesthetic exploration of
aliveness and to give oneself permission to be
changed in the process. Ultimately, Soul Motion
can be a path of liberation of the mind and
expansion of the heart toward a life of inclusion,
in service to the whole, where one can become a
refuge to others.”
Zuza Engler has been on the spiral path of kinesthetic investigation into consciousness for more than two
decades, in motion, stillness, and process inquiry. She
is a long-term practitioner of Buddhism, Soul
Motion™, and Gestalt Awareness Practice.
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 Aware-
DOUG ELLIS
“What would it be like to find a place of refuge
in the midst of a busy, overwhelming life?” Asks
Zuza Engler. “Soul Motion offers just that. More
akin to meditation than to formal dance, this
movement practice brings attention home to
simple facts of aliveness: breath and heartbeat,
space and ground, inviting a return to the felt
sense of kinesthetic intimacy with the body.
Both in solo and in partner or ensemble dances,
we are encouraged to investigate the shape and
force of motion in space. We are less concerned
with what the movement looks like and more
with the movement of attention. We move in all
directions at once, receiving and using inspiration from all around us. We pause in stillness to
listen more deeply while remaining fully present to the dance within and without.
12
ness 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. 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.
Leader bio on page 11.
The Magic of Metal: Blacksmithing,
Welding and Sculpting
TS O’Grady & Caleb Smith
There is a magic about metal that can mesmerize
those who appreciate it and energize those who
work with it. Experience blasting through steel
plates with a cutting torch to create fantastic
shapes, or heating, twisting, hammering, and
shaping hard metal rods or bars as if they were
clay. The results can be useful and infinitely
beautiful. The workshop focuses on the basics
of cutting, forging, and welding metal. Students
will learn through hands-on instruction, design
talks, and show and tell sessions. Each student
will take home the sculptural or functional
pieces they create during the week.
All levels are welcome; no experience is necessary. Returning participants can build their skill
level and tackle more complex projects. Bring
long-sleeved work clothes and leather boots that
you feel comfortable getting dirty in.
Recommended reading: Sims, Backyard
Blacksmith.
($100 materials fee paid directly to the leaders)
TS O’Grady is a metal worker and builder who
recently moved to New Orleans after a decade in
Big Sur.
Caleb Smith is an artist/blacksmith who resides
in Santa Fe, NM. He creates custom architectural
ironwork, works as a glass artist and woodworker.
He loves to bring all of these skills together to create
artwork. He loves to spread the joys of metal work
whenever possible.
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 week 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 make inquiry into the
process of getting out of our own way — doing
less and being more. Cultivating silence, space,
and simplicity we come into intimate contact
with the raw beauty of this mysterious world.
The group ventures out each day on hikes 4-8
miles in length, exploring the unique natural
diversity at the meeting of mountain and sea.
From ocean beach to deep canyon to open ridgeline, Big Sur in summer offers an invitation to
be fully alive. Simple practices that encourage
awareness and contemplation (“how to be idle
and blessed”) are shared with the group as well
as the wonders of the rich natural history of Big
Sur. As this workshop falls over the 4th of July
holiday, we will include space to join in the
Esalen community celebration on the 4th.
No previous experience in simplicity or nature is
required. More information and a waiver will be
sent upon registration. For an equipment list and
frequently asked questions about Steven’s workshops, visit www.stevenkharper.com/faqs.html.
Leading Your Life
Laurie Gerber & James Phills
Leadership is the most celebrated aspiration in
the worlds of business, politics, athletics, and
religion. We want to be or to have great leaders
because they inspire and guide us, and they
drive their organizations to be exceptional.
What if we took everything we know about
what makes leadership effective in these realms
and applied it on a personal level to the challenge of building an exceptional life?
This retreat applies conventional managerial
perspectives on the strategic leadership of organizations to the design and management of your
life. We’ll translate fundamental notions of purpose and vision to dreams and aspirations.
Apply basic elements of strategy such as scope
and competitive advantage to help evaluate basic
choices about how you lead your life. These constructs and more all have analogues in individual life—as does the core objective of performance and success.
The retreat begins with a hard-nosed and broadbased self-assessment of the quality of your life
along a variety of dimensions including relationships, career, money, spirituality, and health.
Based on this assessment you will develop a
strategy and a set of concrete goals for enhancing the quality of your life in targeted domains.
You will develop the skills and knowledge—but
more importantly the insight and capacity—to
be more strategic (in the best sense of the term)
and effective in how you lead your personal and
professional life.
Laurie Gerber is president of Handel Group™ Life
Coaching. Passionate about personal development,
Laurie has dedicated the last 15 years to coaching hundreds of individuals and leading large groups. She
blogs for The Daily Love, Huffington Post, Crazy
Sexy Wellness, and more. www.handelgroup.com.
James Phills is professor of organizational behavior
at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has
more than 25 years of experience as teacher, author,
and consultant in the areas of individual and organizational learning, leadership, and strategic change.
($20 park entrance fee paid directly to the leader)
Steven Harper is a wilderness guide, author, artist,
and Big Sur resident. He has led both traditional and
experimental wilderness expeditions internationally
for more than 35 years. He has an MA in psychology
and his work focuses on wild nature as a vehicle for
awakening. www.stevenkharper.com.
Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier
Than Your Movement: Introduction
to Cortical Field Reeducation®
Sybil Krauter, Ellen Kindl & Melissa Krikorian
How we sit, stand, move, or respond to contact
with others reflects patterns wired into our ner13
we use this concept of unity in our daily lives to
reach our goals and to create a stronger community where we can find an organic, supporting,
and supportive role? Many of us have been to
psychics and healers to help us find our way or
heal our physical, psychological, and spiritual
wounds, but how do we use these modalities as
a living practice in our lives and communities?
“In this workshop you will be taught intuitive
and healing practices that you can put into practice in your daily life and in your interactions
with others. Working together as a community
we will explore different intuitive and healing
modalities as we work with one another to heal
specific areas of our body, lives, and spirits.”
DOUG ELLIS
Within each of us is a psychic, a healer, and a
teacher. Drawing from her six books on intuition and healing, Laura Day will participate
with you in creating a supportive community
of healers and intuitives who can be a reciprocal
source of guidance and support for the rest of
your lives.
vous systems in infancy. By early childhood,
conflicting intentions distort these patterns.
Feeling powerless, we attempt to survive and to
win love by figuring out “the 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, and restoring
freedom of choice. The protective postures alter,
deeply affecting the body’s habitual defense system and allowing a higher level of energy.
This workshop begins the process of relearning
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 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.
Please wear loose comfortable clothing; no jeans
or belts please.
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CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113.
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.
Ellen Kindl began Harriet Goslins’ Cortical Field
Reeducation® as an attempt to control chronic pain
after a 21-hour surgery to fuse 14 vertebra. It worked,
she was certified as a teacher in 2000, and has taught
at Esalen and other locations nationally since then.
Melissa Krikorian, MPT is a physical therapist and
CFR® practitioner with a 20-year private practice.
She conducts CFR intensives at her Westlake Village,
Calif. clinic and co-teaches CFR workshops at Esalen.
Important Note: Intuition lends itself to direct,
clear insight. This workshop can be very confrontational and sometimes uncomfortable.
Please be sure you are able to approach this
work with that in mind, and are willing to push
your boundaries (and have your boundaries
pushed). For more information about Laura Day
and her work, visit www.practicalintuition.com.
Laura Day has taught at Esalen Insitute for more
than two decades. A New York Times bestselling
author of six books on intuition in business, love, and
healing, Laura travels the world creating communities of intuitives and healers. www.practicalintuition.com.
Brain Integration and Self-Development:
Ericksonian Hypnosis Seminars
Dan Short
Weekend of July 6–8
Practical Intuition:
The Intuitive Lifestyle
Laura Day
“Science, spirituality, and psychology are coming together in the 21st century to illuminate a
single concept: we share a unified energy field,”
says Laura Day. “We have scientists exploring
telepathy, doctors exploring faith, and psychics
in the law enforcement and business world.
There is no ‘para’ in psychology anymore and
new paradigms are addressing a more complete
understanding of the human condition. How do
What if someone told you that you must climb a
tall mountain but with one hand tied behind
your back, or with your eyes closed? Would you
accept? Most would not because we recognize
the importance of using all of our available
resources to meet complex challenges. However,
many people limit themselves when it comes to
the use of the brain. The problem is that modern
education and culture do not prepare individuals to address life’s problems with the full capacity of the brain. Rather, it is the left-hemisphere
that is developed (i.e. the logical-speech-oriented center of the brain). Not knowing any better,
we sometimes turn off entire regions of the
brain, thus limiting our overall functionality
and problem-solving capacity. In this workshop,
participants will engage in a variety of exercises,
demonstrations, and dialogue designed to
increase brain integration. This workshop is
open to anyone who wishes to learn how to “act
on instinct” or “trust one’s gut” or many other
abilities that originate in underused regions of
the brain. Some of these exercises will open
pathways to emotional experiencing. Others
will open pathways to greater emotional selfregulation. With increased brain regulation,
what seemed like a one-way street suddenly
transforms into two-way communication within
the brain. This workshop will include information on modern brain science, presented in a
logical and orderly way. At the same time, participants are likely to achieve understandings that
are difficult to define.
Dan Short, PhD, practices in Scottsdale, Ariz., and
teaches the dynamics of therapeutic relationships to
interns and professionals. He authored Transformational Relationships, coauthored Hope and
Resiliency, and currently serves as executive director
for the Milton Erickson Institute of Phoenix.
Esalen Embodied Arts Retreat
Micheline Berry with Joey Lugassy and
Red Musette Ensemble
Join us for an alchemical, healing celebration of
embodied creativity in the pristine nature of Big
Sur. During this somatic immersion, you’ll expe-
rience transformational Liquid Asana™ vinyasa
yoga, ecstatic dance, somatic ritual, tribal painting, spontaneous flights of ecstatic world music,
and a deep communion with the healing waters
of Esalen.
Yoga, painting, and dance sessions will be
accompanied by live or DJ’d music by Red
Musette Ensemble to guide you deeper into the
rhythmic flow of your authentic, embodied art.
Through dynamic asana sequences and somatic
movements that lead to peak states of embodied
creativity, you’ll cultivate a deeply nourished,
inspired, and empowered state of being that will
remain with you long after you return to your
urban lives.
The retreat will include:
• Four Liquid Asana™ Vinyasa Flow yoga
journeys, ecstatic dance, and meditations with
Micheline Berry
• Summer ecstatic dance concert with
Micheline Berry and Red Musette
• Tribal art making with artist Domonic Dean
Breaux and musicians
This retreat is open to all levels of yoga, dance,
and painting experience. Please bring a yoga
mat.
Micheline Berry is a pioneer in the healing integra-
tion of live world music with yoga sadhana. As
founder of Zen Dancing® and the world music
ensemble Shaman’s Dream, she has facilitated more
than 500 ritual world music concerts, retreats, and
multimedia events. www.michelineberry.com.
The Alchemy of Abundance:
The Healed Vision
Rick Jarow with Dawn Avery
Have you ever had the sense that everything in
your life is falling into place and that you are
right where you are supposed to be? Can you
imagine feeling this way on a regular basis? The
Healed Vision energizes your life in this truly
creative way. Rick Jarow teaches an in-depth and
effective process utilizing the power of community and the integrity of the individual to move
from what you imagine you want to what your
soul deeply seeks.
During this workshop you are guided to:
• Reflect on events that have occurred and
choices you have made in your life
• Identify and release conditioned responses
that keep you repeating the same scenarios
• Incubate “Healed Visions” that galvanize
the power of your Spirit into forward
momentum
Through deeply meditative and reflective
processes, you access the alchemy of the conscious and unconscious coming together, which
allows you to become the dynamic architect of
your life. Experience the phenomenal release of
energy through movement, writing, poetry,
group dialogue, and dream work that can fuel
your fundamental sense of wellbeing and
empower you to meet the challenges of your life
with dignity and creativity. Transform the “base
metals” of resentment, disease, and despair into
directed power, vibrant health, radiant compassion, and a new Healed Vision that opens you to
profound levels of abundance.
Recommended reading: Jarow, Alchemy of
Abundance.
Rick Jarow, PhD is professor of religious studies at
Vassar College, practicing career consultant, and
author of Creating the Work You Love and
Alchemy of Abundance, among others. His seminars on career, life-alignment, and transition have
been offered at holistic learning centers around the
world.
A Weekend of Advanced
Esalen® Massage
DOUG ELLIS
Deborah Anne Medow & Jessica Fagan
This weekend provides practitioners with the
opportunity to inspire their current massage
practice. Experienced Esalen Massage and
Bodywork practitioners Jessica and Deborah
will offer unique explorations in the practices of
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gentle extensions and dynamic mobilization,
along with soft tissue release work. Elements of
Thai massage will also be brought onto the table,
along with range of motion and passive release
techniques, creating an atmosphere of innovation and exploration.
Come prepared to practice and learn new methods of massage while enjoying the natural beauty and healing waters of the Esalen Institute.
Previous massage training and a good sense of
humor are encouraged.
Deborah Anne Medow, longtime Esalen workshop
leader, yoga instructor, and bodywork practitioner,
teaches yoga, massage, creative movement, awareness
practices, and related healing disciplines throughout
the US, Europe, and Japan. She is also a certified
nutrition educator, Zumba® dance instructor, and
manager of the Esalen Healing Arts Department.
Various curriculum models, lessons, and current
research will be presented and practiced, and
participants will spend time looking at how
these teachings apply to children of different
populations and ages. Other focuses will be on
working with resistance, trauma, and special
needs, and learning how schools and organizations are already successfully integrating these
practices.
Recommended reading: Greenland, The Mindful
Child; Trungpa, Training the Mind; Kabat-Zinn,
Wherever You Go There You Are.
Daniel Rechtschaffen, MA, is founding director of
the Mindful Education Institute. He has a private
psychotherapy practice and has taught mindfulness
practices to youth in such varied settings as highschool basketball and baseball teams, hospitals, and
summer camps. www.mindfuleducationinstitute.com and www.mindfulchildren.com.
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.
Not for The Feint of Heart:
Be Bold in Your Personal Growth
Mariah Fenton Gladis
Week of July 8–13
Mindfulness with Youth Teacher Training
Daniel Rechtschaffen
Through this transformative training, participants have the opportunity to deepen their own
mindfulness practices, learn from various mindfulness-based curricula, and bring these practices back into their lives and work. Research
shows that mindfulness practices decrease
stress, anxiety, and depression in children, while
improving emotional regulation, attention
capacity, and social relations—all proven contributors to academic achievement. When learned
at a young age, these skills have the capacity to
transform lives, families, and societies. This
training gives educators, counselors, parents,
and childcare providers the practical tools they
need to bring the many benefits of mindfulness
to children aged K–12.
The training begins with personal retreat time
including guided mindfulness sittings, movement, time spent in nature, and heartfulness.
Through settling the mind, relaxing into the
body, and developing insight, participants get a
taste of the inner teachings of mindfulness. By
embodying these teachings, participants train in
modeling empathy, presence, and attention.
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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 thirty-year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s Disease,
Mariah speaks with what she calls her “ALS
accent,” which will be translated.
Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a
Wounded Healer.
Mariah Fenton Gladis, founder/director of the
Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and
Training for more than three decades, leads workshops
and trainings around the US and in Europe. She
is recognized for the sensitive and creative way she
practices the art of Gestalt.
Creating the Work You Love:
Thriving in the New Economy
Rick Jarow with Dawn Avery
Has “work-life balance” become a meaningless
cliché? Might it ever be possible to “balance”
your life and your work in a truly integral way?
This can be done, but it requires the vision and
clarity to navigate the new economy in a powerfully engaged manner. Build a career that resonates with your deepest levels of spirit, integrity, passion, and purpose without sacrificing your
personal life.
In this richly experiential workshop, you can
gain clarity and inspiration, learn to discern
your true priorities, manifest your creative
visions in the world, and design a fluid vocational network that allows you to build a career
aligned with your entire life.
Utilizing a meditative format of internal exercises based on the chakra system, processes of
radical inquiry, and pragmatic methods for
designing your life’s work, career consultant
and founder of the Anti-Career process Rick
Jarow guides you through a step-by-step
process to:
• Harmonize your personal and professional
life
• Understand the emerging needs of the global
marketplace
• Successfully negotiate life transitions
• Learn techniques for clear, effective decision
making
• Discover a holistic approach to your life’s work
that reflects your heart’s compassion and soul’s
courage
ment, and service, live your flame to the extent
that even chaos feels like home.” Open to all.
The workshop includes ceremony and an ecstatic dance celebration. Please bring a yoga mat.
Recommended reading: Harvey, Light Upon
Light; Barks, ed. The Essential Rumi.
Recommended viewing: Sayyad and Harvey, In
the Fire of Grace DVD.
Banafsheh Sayyad is a pioneer in her unique
synthesis of dance and spirituality. A licensed
acupuncturist with an MFA in Dance from UCLA,
she teaches and performs worldwide a mesmerizing
offering of the timeless sacred feminine inside a contemporary gypsy dervish. www.namah.net.
The Practical Art of Intelligent
Risk Taking: Soulful Life Skills
David Schiffman
To live with integrity and originality in an
increasingly challenging world requires a wide
variety of skills, capabilities, and attitudes:
soundness in judgment, originality in action,
and knowing when and how to act.
This workshop examines the essential components of making intelligent, creative choices.
The foundation of the curriculum lies in considering the risks we must take to make a life of
depth, meaning, and integrity.
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Together we will consider:
Dance of Oneness®: Dance Your Passion
our bodies, our selves, and living as a Lover.
Banafsheh Sayyad with Tony Khalife
“Drawing from Sufism, tai chi, yoga, Persian
dance, flamenco and Middle Eastern tribal
dances, Dance of Oneness offers a foundation
for creative flight. Banafsheh and Tony will lead
the group through an exploration of the chakras
and how to ignite the flame in our heart
through a sacred marriage of all opposites with
structured and free dance, live music, chanting,
and meditation. Gain transformative tools to put
into immediate practice and move into a place
of living an ecstatic life with source energy flowing abundantly and opening you to your full
potential. Through peaceful groundedness,
empowered embodiment, passionate engage-
“In the changing face of our world, to survive
and truly serve we need to be passionately alive
and joyous,” writes Banafsheh Sayyad. “The time
is NOW to connect deeply with what you truly
love and align yourself with source energy to
ignite your creative flame and uplift yourself
and thereby the world. Since ‘No one can light
your flame for you and keep it alive but yourself,’ as Rumi says, it is imperative to have a
body/spirit-based practice that serves as a
cauldron to nourish this flame. Designed by
Banafsheh, Dance of Oneness facilitates a way to
embody the transcendent flame through loving
• The impact of origins and ancestry on our
risk-taking style
• Conventional thinking versus kaleidoscopic,
emergent logic and multi-focal vision
• Intuition and imagination: The mutability of
consciousness, perception, and presence
• Recognizing and developing allies, guardian
angels, and supporters
• Dealing with antagonists and the judicious use
of strength
• The soulful, energetic logic of improvisational
spontaneity and expressiveness
• The use of accurate appraisal and critical
analysis
• Affirmation and direction through oracular
and archetypal perspectives
• Fluency, intelligence, and adeptness as
measures for sound emotional expression
• Timing: The wisdom to know when and how
in manageable increments
• If at first you don’t succeed: Cultivating
persistence and emotional resilience
Together we’ll create a community based on
goodwill and mutual support aimed at develop17
ing risk-taking skills that minimize wasted
time and unnecessary suffering. It will be an
opportunity for examining and creating your
own unique risk taking style.
David Schiffman has taught at Esalen for 40 years.
His work combines creative elements ranging from
sweet mischief to intelligent risk taking and including ceremony, music, movement, and inner work.
He has been a consultant to California Institute for
Integrative Studies and Saybrook Institute, in San
Francisco.
www.gratefulness.org/brotherdavid/index.htm.
This seminar may be of interest to other health
and mental health professionals.
Francis G. Lu is the Luke & Grace Kim Endowed
Professor in Cultural Psychiatry at UC Davis. Since
1987 he has coled 24 seminars at Esalen exploring
film and the transpersonal.
Brother David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine monk,
psychologist, and author, has lectured on five continents. He was Spiritual Teacher in Residence at
Esalen, and is concerned with the unique challenges
and opportunities of our time.
July 13–20
Guiding Lights in Film:
Inspirations to Live By
Francis Lu & Brother David Steindl-Rast
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
—Nelson Mandela
Memorable film characters, luminous
actors/actresses, and even some unforgettable
great films themselves have inspired audiences
since the beginning of movies. This week-long
seminar focuses on sixteen feature films from
the US, Japan, France, and Germany dating from
the 1930s to the present that have depicted
teachers, mentors, and spiritual visionaries—
both secular and religious—who were able to
bring forth inspiration akin to its original meaning: “A divine influence or action upon the lives
of certain persons that is believed to qualify
them to receive and communicate sacred revelation interpreted within Christianity as the
direct action of the Holy Spirit” (Webster’s 3rd
International Dictionary, 2002). The films chosen evoke—through their characters, scenarios,
bold cinematography, and music—those qualities of inspiration and spiritual leadership that
have served to guide oneself and others to
embrace the courage, passion, and imagination
needed to take up a new way of living.
Film-viewing seminars led by Francis and
Brother David have become a tradition at Esalen
since 1990; this will be their 21st one together.
These sessions interweave fine films carefully
chosen and sequenced, extensive hand-out
materials, state-of-the-art home theatre equipment, and processing of the film-viewing experience through group interaction and personal
silent reflection.
For further information, contact Francis Lu
at francislumd@gmail.com. For a description
of their 2002-2011 seminars, see
18
Getting the Love You Want:
A Workshop for Couples
Rick Brown
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
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
partners to each other 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
more than 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)
Rick Brown is executive director for the Institute for
Relationship Therapy in Winter Park, Fla. Rick was
executive director for Harville Hendrix’s Institute, and
he lectures and gives workshops across the country. He
has been married for 33 years.
Full Body Presence:
Skills to Energize Your Life
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
Energize your daily life in this weekend workshop. Gain practical tools and skills that will
enable you to meet life’s challenges with new
resources that don’t fade but grow stronger with
practice.
Discover how to tune into your body’s wisdom
and acquire skills to stay energized in the face of
life stressors and draining situations. Learn
exact tools for re-charging your system to calm
physical tension and quiet your mind. Leave the
weekend more embodied, with clarity about
how your own full body presence can support you
in your world.
In today’s world we all need full access to our
inner and outer resources in order to survive
and thrive with the daily demands being presented to us. This course teaches the process of
allowing the deep wisdom of the body to inform
and help us navigate in our living, working,
healing, and relating in the world. Learning to
respect and listen to this body wisdom as the
ground of our knowing helps us rediscover our
innate spirituality and to develop our emotional
intelligence. Attend this workshop and acquire
effective skills to:
• Learn about healthy boundaries and how to
hold them
• Understand the dynamics of your own energy
habit patterns
• Nourish and rejuvenate in healthy, life-giving
ways
• Remain grounded, steady, and present, even
under stress
This course is valuable to individuals from all
walks of life, including healthcare professionals
and caregivers, life coaches and counselors, parents, and teachers.
Prerequisite: Read and listen to the audio CD in
Full Body Presence: Learning to Listen to Your Body’s
Wisdom.
Note: Registration for this workshop is through
IAHE only. To register, please call 1-800-3119204. Only after you have registered with IAHE
and paid tuition fees will you be able to reserve
accommodations at Esalen. Please see accommo-
dations costs under “Pricing for Partner
Programs” at www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html.
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, author of Full Body
strategy called Compassionate Communication
that integrates mindfulness, relaxation, and various “inner values” meditations. By staying
deeply relaxed and in the present moment, you
can use your tone of voice and facial expressions
to generate neurological trust and cooperation
in the listener’s brain.
Presence, CranioSacral therapy instructor since
1987, and creator of the Healing From the Core training series, specializes in conscious awareness and its
relationship to the healing process. She has taught
with the Upledger Institute, and at Esalen since 1994.
www.healingfromthecore.com.
Compassionate Communication undermines
neural patterns of defensive communication,
interrupts the inner speech that governs everyday consciousness, and promotes a spontaneous
dialogue that generates neurological empathy.
Words Can Change Your Brain:
Mindfulness in Personal and
Business Conversations
Mark Robert Waldman & Chris Manning
Effective communication is essential in virtually
all aspects of life, but the latest neuroscientific
evidence shows that the expression of any form
of negativity is damaging to both the speaker’s
and listener’s brain. Whether it takes place at
home or in the workplace, negative speech creates interpersonal stress, neural dissonance, and
work-related burnout.
Recommended reading: Newberg and
Waldman, How God Changes Your Brain.
teaches stress reduction and
communication strategies at Loyola Marymount
University. His research has been featured in Time,
The New York Times, The Washington Post, and
elsewhere. He is the author of Words Can Change
Your Brain, among other books. www.markrobertwaldman.com.
Mark Robert Waldman
Chris Manning, PhD, is professor of finance and real
estate at Loyola Marymount University. He is on the
editorial board for the Journal of Real Estate
Research and is a former president of the American
Real Estate Society. He has authored dozens of articles.
What Breaks Your Heart Open?
Sacred Activism in a Chaotic Time
Andrew Harvey
This workshop begins with an exploration of
the tremendous relationship between Rumi and
his great beloved, Shams of Tabriz, focusing on
how heartbreak shattered Rumi and opened
him into divine consciousness. Using this story
and some of the magnificent poems that were
created as its consequence, participants will discuss the ways that personal heartbreak can lead
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Mark Waldman, Andrew Newberg, and Chris
Manning have developed a new communication
This workshop combines experiential practices,
lectures, and group discussion. Participants will
be guided through the twenty-minute
Compassionate Communication training module and several basic mindfulness exercises.
Discussions include how to use this process
with children and conflicted couples, and Dr.
Manning will explain how to bring these strategies into all aspects of business, negotiation,
management, and sales. The material in this
class will be featured in Newberg and
Waldman’s forthcoming book, Words Can Change
Your Brain (June 2012).
19
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
to a great positive change and, more broadly,
how the heartbreak that is happening in the
world today can facilitate a more urgent confrontation with the problems, and our commitment to do everything we can to heal them.
Drawing on his book, The Hope, Andrew Harvey
will lay out his vision of Sacred Activism, a
fusion of mystical knowledge, peacemaking,
passion, and urgent action. He believes that the
fusion of the passion for God and the passion
for justice creates an evolutionary force of love
in action that can help us not only transform
our current crisis, but evolve into divine humanity. Participants will discuss the five forms of
service that are necessary to be a Sacred Activist,
the seven laws that Harvey has distilled from
the world’s mystical traditions that govern the
wise use of Sacred Activism, and the four kinds
of sacred practice that he recommends to all
Sacred Activists to help them build a holistic
spiritual container strong enough to withstand
the inevitable stresses and pressures we all face.
Recommended reading: Harvey, The Hope: A
Guide to Sacred Activism.
is an internationally renowned
poet, novelist, scholar, and mystic. He is the author of
more than 20 books, including The Hope: A Guide
to Sacred Activism and Heart Yoga: The Sacred
Marriage of Yoga and Mysticism. He has taught at
Oxford University and Cornell University.
Week of July 15–20
Music, Spirituality and the Brain:
Sacred Practices to Open Your Heart
and Mind
Mark Robert Waldman & Yuval Ron
This workshop takes you deeply into the sacred
music, movement, dances, rituals, and practices
of five ancient spiritual paths: Kabbalistic
Judaism, Sufism, mystical Christianity, Zen
Buddhism, and Hinduism. Experience the
sacred poetry and storytelling from these mystical paths as the leaders guide you through meditations and chants that have been shown to alter
the structure and function of your brain in ways
that enhance memory, cognition, and social
awareness while simultaneously reducing stress,
anxiety, depression, and anger.
Andrew Harvey
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The program includes live music performed by
Yuval Ron on the oud, an ancient Middle
Eastern lute used to accompany poetry and biblical prophetic recitations; Echad and Nigun
meditations; movement exercises from the Zen
tradition of Butoh; ecstatic dance and music;
and an orchestrated video presentation of the
neuro-scientific effects of meditation and prayer
on the brain. You can come away with a deep
understanding of the commonality of spiritual
practices and the love for life that is reflected in
these mystical paths.
Mark Robert Waldman bio on page 19.
Yuval Ron is an Oscar-winning and Grammy-nom-
inated musician, composer, and producer for film,
television, dance, and theater. He has performed for
the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Zia Iniyat
Khan, and has been featured on CNN and in
National Geographic. www.yuvalronmusic.com.
Walking on Clouds: Tai Chi
Kenn Chase
Move like a river,
Walk like a cat,
Be still as a mountain.
— Tai Chi Classics
The focus of this tai chi workshop is effortless
movement, with grace and serenity. A special
shortened version of Yang-style Tai Chi will be
introduced. This health form has twelve moves,
which, if practiced regularly, increase chi (personal energy), improve balance, and promote
strength and wellbeing. In addition to the
tai chi postures, students will learn Feldenkrais
Awareness Through Movement® and chi kung
practices.
group work in an environment of trust, compassion, and emotional generosity. A thirty-year
survivor of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Mariah speaks
with what she calls her “ALS accent,” which will
be translated.
The workshop will culminate in a group excursion to the New Camaldoli Hermitage for meditation followed by a trip to beautiful Sand Dollar
Beach for tai chi by the sea.
Recommended reading: Breslow, Beyond The
Closed Door; Lo, Inn, et. al, The Essence Of Tai Chi
Ch’uan; Man-ch’ing, Tai Chi Ch’uan.
Chris Chouteau & Julie Bowden
Kenn Chase has taught tai chi for more than 40
years. His Integral Way Practice combines tai chi, The
Feldenkrais Method®, chi gong, and meditation. He
is a stress management consultant and maintains a
private practice in the north San Francisco Bay Area.
Becoming Able-Hearted:
Essential Skills of Loving
Mariah Fenton Gladis
Are you able to communicate your love to those
most important to you? Do you hold back or
inhibit your expressions of love, verbally and/or
physically?
“In my practice I see the tragic consequences of
people’s inability to generate, embody, and
express their love,” writes Mariah Fenton Gladis.
“Even with the best of intentions and genuine
love, people are often plagued by the lack of skills
to utilize and deliver their love. There is perhaps
no more important work you can do than to
expand your capacity for creating fulfilled and
sustainable relationships.” This workshop is for
men and women or couples who want to develop
their capacity to create intimate connections with
a present or future partner. Much of the work you
will be doing in this workshop will be applicable
to other relationships as well.
You will be shown how to:
• Increase your knowledge base of sustainable
relationship skills
• Exercise and develop your emotional skill set
• Enliven and expand your self-expression
• Understand the importance of healthy sex and
touch in lasting relationships
Mariah Fenton Gladis, known for her effective
and innovative use of music to enrich the workshop experience, will blend individual and
Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a
Wounded Healer.
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 more than 20 years.
www.juliebowden.com.
Bone Knowing: Using Art, Body Sensing
and Writing to Access Intuition
Jennifer Allen
Families Under Pressure:
Diamonds in the Making
Every family is vulnerable to the pain of addiction, trauma, and loss. In crisis, family members
often feel confused, helpless, and frightened,
and fall back on old behaviors. Denial, anger,
blame, and control only increase the difficulties.
Just as the addict or the one who is sick needs to
seek recovery, so must the family. While there
are many resources available to the individual,
families are often included only as an adjunct,
mostly in the hopes of helping the identified
patient. But everyone in the family needs information, support, and guidance not just to weather the emotional and physical upset but also to
use it as a springboard to stronger ties and deeper satisfaction.
Share with others who are facing their family’s
challenges and learn the skills and strategies for
strengthening your closest relationships in
times of crisis. Learn how to separate the person
from the problem, distinguish between your
part and theirs, and discern what it means to
take care of yourself while caring about others.
The leaders bring decades of experience in the
fields of addiction, trauma, and recovery. Group
and individual work includes meditation, awareness practice, structured communication, roleplay, guided imagery, and writing to help participants navigate a path toward clarity, enhanced
relationships, and spiritual growth. Participants
will develop a plan for continued growth and
support back home.
This workshop is for family members age eighteen and up. Participants are asked to forgo alcohol and non-prescription drugs during these
five days.
Chris Chouteau is a teacher and student of awareness practice and recovery. He has facilitated change
for individuals and organizations over the past 30
years.
“What do you know deep in your bones?” Asks
Jennifer Allen. “With the crazy pace of the
world we live in, it can be difficult to access the
wisdom to guide us in relationships, life challenges, and creative blocks.
“Working from the ‘bones-up,’ we’ll leave the
realm of thinking. Residual inhibitions around
creativity can drop away as we enter the body
for guidance. Our body’s ‘felt-sense’ opens us to a
fresh perspective through the language of emotion, sensation, and metaphor. When we learn to
hold an opening and create from this place of
presence, we invite spontaneity and new knowledge via color, shape, and symbol.
“The Esalen Art Barn is where we’ll practice guided imagery to sense into our body’s brilliance and
express it through paint, pastels, and collage, followed by journaling exercises and group sharing.
Each of our five days will build on the last, deepening the experience and culminating in knowledge that can inform our daily lives.
See how to make this creative process your own
through various facilitated exercises and readings
from Jennifer’s memoir, Bone Knowing, which illustrate examples of intuitive knowing and using art
process. Each day will consist of a ‘sit’ to listen-in,
guided art experiences, group sharing, and plenty
of open-studio time to take explorations further.
Professional clinicians will learn, experientially,
how this process applies to clients.” Please bring an
8x10 blank journal or sketch book.
Recommended reading: Allen, Bone Knowing;
McNiff, Trust the Process; Malchiodi, The Soul’s
Palette; Rappaport and Kinsley, Focusing-Oriented
Art Therapy; Herring, Writing Begins with the
Breath.
($30 materials fee paid directly to the leader)
Jennifer Allen author of Bone Knowing, is an
artist, art therapist, and licensed psychotherapist specializing in children’s grief. She is active in Medicine
Wheel, Mystery School, and Elders’ Council groups.
www.jenniferallenbooks.com.
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July 20–27
Healing the Pelvic Floor:
Reclaiming your Power, Sexuality
and Pleasure Potential
“As women we have a unique power of creativity
in our reproductive system,” Suzanne ScurlockDurana writes. “That power is used not only to
create new life, but also to bring personal projects into being. However, that energy can be
blocked by physical, emotional, or spiritual trauma to the pelvic floor and the female organs.
This workshop for women uses guided imagery,
movement, and hands-on exercises (while
clothed) to heal the pelvic floor, including the
vagina and uterus, places that often hold our
deepest wounds: sexual abuse, rape, abortions,
childbirth tearing and scars, self-esteem, and
negative images about our femininity. Because
self-knowledge is important, scientific and
anatomic information will be presented.
Required reading and listening: Read Full Body
Presence and listen to the audio portion (available
from Healing From the Core at 703-620-4509, or
at www.healingfromthecore.com or www.fullbodypresence.com).
Recommended reading: Ogden, The Return of
Desire and The Heart and Soul of Sex; Berman and
Berman, For Women Only; Williamson, A
Woman’s Worth; Northrup, Women’s Bodies,
Women’s Wisdom.
Lotus Borne Perception:
Awareness Teachings of Tibetan
Buddhism and Continuum Movement
Susan Harper & Lama Drimed
In this retreat Lama Drimed and Susan Harper
open a multi-dimensional inquiry into our
spiritual, somatic, and creative human capacity.
Recognizing our natural state of awareness as
a foundation, we will explore a dynamic range
that includes meditative stillness, fresh perceiving, and movement and sounding, which opens
a vital flow of creativity.
Lama Drimed offers awareness teachings from
the Dzogchen tradition. Our natural state is recognized to be all-inclusive awareness. We awaken to the fresh perception of this moment—the
natural aliveness that is our birthright. This is
the essence of the ancient tantric ways that
celebrate the unfolding of our life as sacred.
Susan Harper offers explorations from
Continuum, a unique sound and movement
practice, in which we inquire into our capacity
to innovate, and participate with the essential
movement processes of life. The dynamics of
KODIAK GREENWOOD
“This workshop offers a rare opportunity for
deep healing. During these five days you can
experience new possibilities for renewed feminine energy, greater health, and a deeper sense
of pleasure in being a woman. We will spend
time exploring nature and how our connection
to the earth can deepen our connection to ourselves. The workshop will culminate with an
evening of nurturing at the Esalen natural hot
spring baths.” This course is valuable for healthcare professionals and anyone wishing to learn
alternative approaches to women’s health.
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how we perceive and relate are simultaneously
physical and psycho-emotional. They offer
perceptual practices to open ways that we
pay attention, listen, and speak about our
experience.
Lama Drimed and Susan share an innovative
teaching style, and are open and attentive to
each participant’s process of discovery, and to
the group process.
Many of our explorations will take place outside
in nature where we explore the elemental affinity between our bodies and the living lineage of
our breathing planetary body.
Susan Harper brings her thirty-six years of experience
teaching Continuum Movement internationally to
all the work she develops. She teaches a Continuum
Depths retreat twice yearly with Emilie Conrad, and
is developing Portals of Perception with Hubert
Godard.
Lama Drimed offers awareness teachings from
Great Perfection/Dzogchen and Tibetan Vajrayana
Buddhism. His Tibetan teacher, Chagdud Tulku
Rinpoche, recognized Lama Drimed as his lineage
holder in 1995. His vision is to open dialogues that
include current discoveries and the ancient tantric
arts.
Buddhism and the Twelve Steps
Kevin Griffin
The Buddha said craving is the cause of suffering. Twelve Step programs work with the deepest forms of craving. How can these two traditions come together to deepen our recovery and
our spiritual life?
Through a combination of traditional and contemporary Buddhist meditation practices, interactive exercises, lecture, and discussion, this
workshop will explore the ways that Buddhism
and the Steps complement each other on a path
of recovery. We will be delving deeply into the
practice of Buddhist insight meditation with
plenty of time for question and answer periods.
We will also do mindful walking, speaking/listening, and eating exercises as well as group
sharing. The goal is to bring a mindful approach
to all activities. This quality then informs our
recovery and our spiritual growth. There will be
time to enjoy the beautiful natural setting, as
well as the Esalen hot springs.
This workshop is open to all those interested.
You need not be in a Twelve Step program, nor
have a background in Buddhist meditation. The
workshop will include introductory meditation
instructions. Beginners are welcome.
Recommended reading: Griffin, One Breath at a
Time and A Burning Desire.
Kevin Griffin is the author of One Breath at a
Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD, is a psychologist in
private practice who, with her husband C. Alexander
Simpkins, specializes in study and research of mind
and brain. Together they teach widely on meditation
and hypnosis, have written twenty-four books, and
live in San Diego.
Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps and A
Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of
Recovery. A cofounder of the Buddhist Recovery
Network, he is a leader in the mindful recovery movement. www.kevingriffin.net.
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD, is a psychologist in
private practice, and, with Annellen M. Simpkins, is
the author of twenty-four books. Together they study
and research mind and brain, teach meditation and
hypnosis in seminars and workshops, and live in
San Diego.
Foster Natural Mind-Brain Change
Effortlessly: Ericksonian Hypnosis
Seminars
Public Speaking:
Powerfully Presenting Yourself
Annellen Simpkins & C. Alexander Simpkins
Milton Erickson (1901–1980) was one of the
foremost twentieth-century practitioners of
hypnotherapy. He created an original and highly effective hypnotic method to foster the natural mechanisms of mind and brain that we
all possess. Erickson’s hypnosis was based in a
firm belief that the unconscious is a reservoir
of potential and that hypnosis is the way to
access that potential. Recent neuroscience
research corroborates this belief in finding that
the brain has many intelligent, unconscious
pathways. These pathways function automatically and can be engaged and used to help
accomplish goals that might be difficult to do
deliberately. By working indirectly and unconsciously, people can bypass conscious limitations to resolve problems and live a happy,
fulfilling life.
This workshop will teach Erickson’s powerful
and individualized self-hypnosis approach. All
participants will be shown how to experience
trance in themselves, use direct and indirect
suggestion, experience the ideomotor mindbody link, work with the utilization method,
and experiment with varied trance phenomena.
Therapists will gain hypnotic techniques to use
with clients, and everyone can enjoy deep relaxation, fostering creativity, and the experience
of natural, effortless change. With stories from
case examples, guided trance experiences, handouts, and a clear understanding of the effects in
the brain, this workshop will inform, inspire,
and uplift.
Recommended reading: Simpkins and
Simpkins, Neuro-Hypnosis and The Dao of
Neuroscience.
Mary Goldenson & Robert Corff
Why are some people so inspiring and
impactive when they speak? What inhibits us
from delivering our message? This workshop
will explore the inhibitions to self-expression
and communication, and help participants move
beyond them with more freedom in both personal and professional life. It is designed for
those who want to develop a more powerful personal and public presentation, and better professional and business communication skills.
The leaders combine their expertise in the fields
of psychology and the performing arts to guide
you through this pulse-raising adventure. The
focus will be on self-exploration through individual and group work. Participants will use
voice and body to express themselves with
more power and passion.
Courage, passion, and clarity need not be
restricted to rare moments in life. Learn to
express yourself more fully and experience the
satisfaction of being more authentic and selfassured. This process can help awaken your
dreams and invigorate your life.
Recommended listening and reading: Corff,
Bob Corff ’s Speakers Voice Method; B. & C. Corff,
Achieving the Standard American Accent (CD and
workbook), available at www.corffvoice.com.
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.
Robert Corff is one of Los Angeles’ most prominent
performance teachers. His clients include such awardwinning celebrities as Sally Field, Samuel L. Jackson,
Vanessa Redgrave, and Hank Azaria. In addition, he
has had leading roles on Broadway, television, and in
motion pictures.
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Awakening the Heart
Week of July 22–27
Joe Cavanaugh
The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man
while he lives.
Writing and Knowing
Ellen Bass, Dorianne Laux & Joseph Millar
What another would have done as well, do not do it.
What another would have said as well or written as
well, do not say or write it. Be faithful to that which
exists nowhere but in yourself.
— André Gide
There is a world inside each of us that we know
better than anything else, and a world outside of
us that calls for our attention. Our subject matter is always right with us. The trick is to find
out what we know, challenge what we know,
own what we know, and then give it away in
language.
The leaders write: “We will write poems, share
our writing, and hear what our work touches in
others. We’ll also read model poems by contemporary poets and discuss aspects of the craft. But
mainly this will be a writing retreat—time to
explore and create in a supportive community.
Though we’ll focus on poetry, prose writers who
want to enrich their language will find it a fertile environment.”
There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy… that is
translated through you into action. And because
there is only one of you in all time, this expression is
unique. And if you block it, it will never exist…
It is not your business to determine how good it is…
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly,
to keep the channel open.
— Martha Graham
Recommended reading: Bass, The Human Line;
Laux, The Book of Men; Millar, Fortune.
Ellen Bass has supported and inspired writers for 40
years. Her many books include Mules of Love,The
Human Line (poetry), and The Courage to Heal,
which has sold over a million copies. She teaches at
Pacific University. www.ellenbass.com.
Dorianne Laux is the author of four collections of
poetry, Awake, What We Carry (a finalist for the
1994 National Book Critics Award), Smoke, and
Facts About the Moon. She has received a Pushcart
Prize for poetry, two NEA fellowships, and a
Guggenheim Fellowship.
Joseph Millar’s first collection of poems, Overtime,
was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. His work
has won fellowships from the NEA, received a 2008
Pushcart Prize, and has appeared in many journals.
Millar teaches at Pacific University’s Low Residency
MFA program.
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—Albert Schweitzer
We are born with an abundance of creative energy, vitality, and aliveness. Yet, simply by living in
an imperfect world, we have all experienced
some degree of wounding of the heart, causing
us to retract our love to protect ourselves against
further hurt. We then develop strategies to survive in a world of uncertainty and change. These
defense strategies, once essential for our survival,
now simply perpetuate our own suffering while
further alienating us from who we really are.
Through personal and interpersonal processes,
including Gestalt, psychodrama, meditation,
and other self-awareness tools, this workshop is
designed to assist participants in identifying and
working through their own self-imposed limitations and thus reclaim the true identity of their
authentic selves. This requires the courage to
awaken the heart from its slumber (from Latin,
courage cor means heart!) and embrace life to its
fullest, including the full range of our human
emotions. This, once again, opens us up to the
wellspring of joy and gratefulness (great-fullness)
that comes naturally from just being fully alive!
Prerequisite: Be willing to attend all sessions
and abstain from alcohol and non-prescription
drugs for the duration of the workshop.
Recommended reading: Cavanaugh, Who Am I,
Really? How Our Wounds Can Lead to Healing.
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.
Meditative Hypnosis—Trusting Your
Unconscious: Ericksonian Hypnosis
Seminars
Annellen Simpkins & C. Alexander Simpkins
We have all had the joy of accomplishing something almost effortlessly and automatically.
These intuitive moments may seem unusual,
and yet a large part of the brain is devoted to
unconscious processing. In fact, your unconscious is a reservoir of potential. Recent neuroscience research shows that the brain has many
intelligent, unconscious pathways. You can
engage and use these unconscious pathways to
help accomplish goals that might be elusive to
your deliberate efforts. Meditative hypnosis provides ways to access that potential.
This workshop will give an intensive and powerful experience of meditative hypnosis to activate unconscious processing automatically and
naturally. You will familiarize yourself with your
own positive unconscious through exercises
that develop an intuitive felt-sense. You will
learn to use different forms of direct and indirect suggestion, experience the ideomotor mindbody link, and learn focusing, open-monitoring,
and self-transcending meditation methods that
tap into unconscious processing. You will experience ways to bypass conscious limits and overcome barriers as you learn how to work with
your unconscious to overcome difficulties and
discover wellbeing. Therapists will also gain
techniques for attuning to their own unconscious and utilizing clients’ unconscious
resources to facilitate lasting change. This
workshop will inform, uplift, and transform.
Recommended reading: Simpkins and
Simpkins, Zen Meditation in Psychotherapy:
Techniques for Clinical Practice, Meditation and Yoga
in Psychotherapy: Techniques for Clinical Practice,
and Meditation for Therapists and Their Clients.
Leader bios on page 23.
Current Trends in Esalen® Massage
and Bodywork
Peggy Horan & Vicki Topp
This workshop is an invitation to explore and
experience the current trends in Esalen Massage
and Bodywork. During the week, attention will
be focused on various ways to:
• Sensitively and comfortably work at deep
levels
• Utilize both active and passive movement to
enhance effectiveness
• Develop a deeper understanding of the terms
listening, balance, and integration
The workshop leaders will offer various ways
of working that can easily be incorporated into
existing personal styles. Unusual, interesting,
and fresh aspects of Esalen Massage will also be
introduced, expanding technique repertoire
and inspiring creativity and innovation.
Sessions will include plenty of personal attention and assistance to support the process of
learning. Come prepared to touch and be
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
touched by the beauty, power, and spirit of
Esalen and the Big Sur coast. All levels of experience are welcome.
Peggy Horan has been practicing and teaching massage at Esalen for more than 35 years. She has also
been involved in childbirth education and has practiced midwifery in Big Sur for 15 years. Peggy is the
author of the book Connecting Through Touch.
Vicki Topp is a senior practitioner and 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.
Your Inner Voice: Awakening
the Power of Intuition
Judith Orloff
Intuition is an incredible source of wisdom
that everyone can tap into. The magic comes in
awakening it and trusting its guidance in our
lives. Yet too many of us walk around out of
touch with our inner voice. What stops us from
listening? How can we listen more?
Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist, intuition expert,
and author of Second Sight, shows how to reclaim
this intelligence. She passionately believes that
the future of medicine lies in using intuition to
access deeper insight, empathy, and greater wellness. Orloff offers practical methods to tap into
medical intuition and use it to improve the quality of your decisions, health, and life.
This workshop offers practices to help you
access your intuition. You’ll be shown how to
listen to the body, identify different forms of
intuition, incorporate the analytic mind, and use
medical intuition for healing. You will be taught
how to tell the difference between intuition and
fear, recognize what blocks intuition, and deflect
the negativity of others. You’ll also be shown
how to remember and interpret dreams as well
as recognize déjà vu, synchronicities, and predictions. For more information, visit www.drjudithorloff.com.
Recommended reading: Orloff, Second Sight and
Dr. Judith Orloff ’s Guide to Intuitive Healing.
Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and intuitive, is author
of the New York Times bestseller Emotional
Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative
Emotions and Transform Your Life and Second
Sight. She synthesizes traditional medicine with
intuition, energy, and spirituality. www.drjudithorloff.com.
The Promise: Advanced Yoga
for Everyone
Mark Whitwell
Yoga is not a linear process. It is direct intimacy
with life, and it is available to everyone. This
weekend, Mark Whitwell offers yoga’s advanced
practices in a way that you can integrate and
make your own, whether you are just beginning
to practice or have years of experience. The
weekend involves an interwoven promise: You
promise to practice yoga, and in return you
receive the promise of yoga’s gifts, including
health, intimacy, wellbeing, and joy. In order to
experience these benefits, your yoga practice
must be adapted to you, not you to yoga. With
Mark’s skillful and heartfelt guidance, you will:
• Explore the five principles of advanced
personal practice
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The atmosphere of the workshop is deeply rejuvenating, accepting, supportive, and alive. Our
focus is on exploring and gaining first-hand
experience of the Nine Principles of Harmony,
which can be applied in any activity or situation. Through the Nine Principles, we discover
a receptive mind, supportive feelings, and a
relaxed body. Breema bodywork and SelfBreema exercises are ideal vehicles for entering
into Breema’s comprehensive philosophy and
understanding of the meaning and purpose of
life.
Practicing Breema also brings increased flexibility, ease, comfort, vitality, and a tangible sense
of wholeness and aliveness. By the end of the
weekend, you will have learned a variety of SelfBreema exercises and Breema sequences that
you can comfortably and joyfully practice on
your own.
The bodywork is received fully clothed; participants should be comfortable sitting and working on a padded floor.
Recommended reading: Schreiber, Breema and
the Nine Principles of Harmony and Freedom Is In
This Moment.
is director of the Breema Center and
the Breema Clinic in Oakland, Calif. The author of
several books, he is also a licensed chiropractor. He
has taught Breema worldwide since 1980.
Jon Schreiber
DOUG ELLIS
Opening Our Hearts to Relationship:
A Workshop for Gay Men
Rob Bauer
• Dive into asana, pranayama, and meditation
as a seamless process
• Discover how yoga transforms life into an
intimate celebration with everything
• Experience the nurturing principle as a
constant in your life from now on
• Return home with understanding and the
embodied felt sense of your own joyful
practice
This program is a regenerative and joyful event
that will continue to reverberate through your
daily life in very practical ways. For all levels; no
prior yoga experience needed. Please bring a
yoga mat.
Recommended reading: Whitwell, Yoga of Heart
and The Promise; Desikachar, The Heart of Yoga.
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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.
Mark Whitwell
Breema®: The Art of Being Present
Jon Schreiber
Breema bodywork is a teaching of the heart, an
expression of the unifying principle of existence.
Its purpose is to enable us to live fully in the present. Both practicing and receiving Breema help
create harmony and balance between your mind,
feelings, and body, and in your relationship to
yourself, to others, and to all life.
We dream of loving and being loved. Yet we
often deny this need for love, support, and nurturing from another, even when we’re in a committed relationship. We struggle to find our true
selves but shut our hearts down. However, emotions and needs that we suppress do not go away
– they stay inside our bodies and psyches, affecting health and wellbeing.
In this workshop we will learn what keeps us
alone and apart, how we sabotage new beginnings, and how to be present in the moment
with another. We will find new ways to communicate and make contact with each other in
respectful, non-threatening ways. While many
of us have been taught to see touch with a man
as sexual and nothing more, we will learn how
the power of touch can initiate emotional and
physical healing. Most of all, we will share our
laughter, stories, and feelings, and reclaim our
souls.
Rob will teach through individual demonstrations, group process and hands-on techniques.
Join Rob Bauer, find your true self, and learn
what holds us back from relationship in the
stunning landscape of Big Sur. All gay, bi and
trans men are welcome, regardless of age or
relationship status. Rob has been working with
gay men singly and in relationship for more
than twenty-five years as a body-centered psychotherapist. He is celebrating fourteen years
of teaching at Esalen.
inspire, envision, and catalyze new resources
to bring back into daily life. The workshop is
designed for everyone, with no previous experience in dance/art needed. Live music by Billy
Cauley.
Recommended reading and viewing: Anna
Halprin, Moving Toward Life: Five Decades of
Transformational Dance and Returning to Health:
With Dance Movement and Imagery; Gerber,
Breath Made Visible: Anna Halprin (DVD); Daria
Halprin, The Expressive Body in Life, Art and
Therapy, Working with Movement, Metaphor and
Meaning, and Body Ensouled, Enacted and
Entranced.
Rob Bauer has been working with gay men for
25 years. His workshops incorporate the Rubenfeld
Synergy Method, a body-centered psychotherapy,
Imago Relationship Therapy, as well as experiential
exercises, relationship dynamics, and meditation. He
has presented workshops across America. www.robbauer.net.
Week of July 29–August 3
Empowering Creativity through
Movement/Dance and
Life/Art Metaphors
Anna Halprin & Daria Halprin
In celebration of Esalen’s 50th year, Anna
Halprin and Daria Halprin will join forces for
this one-time, very special workshop. They were
both part of the groundbreaking human potential movement that flourished in the early 1960s
and they worked with Fritz Perls, Ida Rolf, and
others in the early years at Esalen.
Throughout time, movement, dance, and the
expressive arts have provided individuals and
communities with a means of soulful expression, healing, and connection with the spirit.
This workshop will generate opportunities for
participants to find such meaning and connect
it with the real issues in their lives.
Pioneers in their respective fields of dance and
expressive-arts-based psychology, Anna and
Daria will interweave their original work in an
exploration of the body in movement and imagination, life and art, and individual and collective
stories and myths. The Life/Art Processâ developed by the Halprins includes the following
tools: movement/dance, drawing, poetic dialogue, individual and group dance, reflective
writing, and the natural environment. These
elements will be utilized to renew, regenerate,
Anna Halprin was named one of “America’s 100
Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage
Coalition. She founded the San Francisco Dancer’s
Workshop in 1955 and the Tamalpa Institute in 1978
with her daughter, Daria.
Daria Halprin, dancer, poet, psychologist, teacher,
and author, is among the leading pioneers in the field
of movement/dance and expressive arts education
and therapy. Her work bridges the fields of somatic
psychology, movement/dance therapy, expressive
arts therapy, and community-based arts and health
education. www.dariahalprin.org.
blocks. This will take place in a safe, supportive
circle, through guided explorations, conscious
intention, gentle movement, breath, journaling,
and dream work. This course is especially beneficial for healthcare professionals or anyone
wanting to be a healing influence in the world.
For more information about Suzanne ScurlockDurana’s work, visit
www.HealingFromTheCore.com.
accommodations at Esalen. Please see accommodations costs under “Pricing for Partner
Required reading: Scurlock-Durana, Full Body
Presence: Learning to Listen to Your Body’s Wisdom,
book and CD.
The Promise: Advanced Yoga for
Everyone Intensive
Mark Whitwell
Full Body Presence: Grounding and
Healthy Boundaries
To thrive in today’s demanding world, we all
need full access to our inner and outer resources.
This course teaches how the deep wisdom of
the body can help navigate our living, working,
healing, and relating. Listening to this bodywisdom as the ground of knowing enables us to
rediscover our innate spirituality and develop
our emotional intelligence.
Many of us are inspired to be a healing influence, to have a strong and beneficial presence in
our work and personal lives. Yet unless we know
how to hold a healing space for ourselves, the
outcome is often burnout. This course presents
a step-by-step process of reclaiming and transforming the tight, numb, or painful places within so that we can feel, in each moment, our
wholeness—the sense of aliveness that allows us
to be in a state of grace with our core.
Although each person’s journey is different, the
underlying principles are the same. These principles will be explored first conceptually, then
experientially. You will learn about your unique
energy flow and how to create new energy
habits that will help you heal your internal
week, Mark Whitwell offers yoga’s advanced
personal practice
• Dive into asana, pranayama, and meditation as
a seamless process
practice
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prior yoga experience is needed. Please bring a
yoga mat.
Intermediate Level Chinese Pulse
Diagnosis and Integrating Western and
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
Brian Weissbuch & Brian LaForgia
This intermediate level class is open to all
acupuncturists, naturopaths, and health care professionals who have attended the Introductory
Pulse course taught by Brian LaForgia or any of
the certified Shen/Hammer pulse teachers. We
will first review pulse positions, qualities, and the
Three Depths. Without a precise understanding
of the location of the positions and depths, it is
impossible to make accurate readings of the qualities, and then make an accurate diagnosis. The
leaders will then record the pulse qualities of
patient models, followed by the students attempting to feel the same qualities as are recorded. We
will then review the pulse picture and qualities of
the patient models and work up diagnoses. The
focus is on learning and developing the process of
preparing a diagnostic presentation.
Treatment with herbal medicine is dependent
upon accurate and thorough pulse diagnosis.
We will briefly discuss Dr. Shen’s herb formulas
in the context of pulse presentation and corresponding treatment protocols. We will continue
to build upon and explore the Traditional
Chinese Medicine energetics and indications
of Western herbs; incompatibilities and contraindications 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. For this seminar,
we will focus on slide presentations with an
emphasis on case histories and formulation.
and studied Dr. John Shen’s pulse system intensively
with him. Since 1995 Brian has been teaching Pulse
Diagnosis internationally.
High Summer in the Full Moon Garden:
Growing Food and Ourselves on the
Esalen Land
Shirley Ward, Amigo Bob Cantisano
& Wendy Johnson
From the beginning, the fertility of the garden
depends on the fertility of the gardener’s imagination.
seasoned growers are encouraged to attend this
dynamic workshop. No prior experience is necessary.
Join Shirley Ward, manager of the Esalen farm
and garden, Wendy Johnson, Buddhist meditation teacher, organic gardening mentor, and a
founder of Green Gulch Zen Center’s farm and
garden, and Amigo Bob Cantisano, one of the
most widely experienced and influential advisors in California organic agriculture.
Recommended reading: Johnson, Gardening at
the Dragon’s Gate.
—Wendy Johnson
Follow your heart’s desire to be connected to
the land that sustains you and feel the simple
pleasure of growing, harvesting, and sharing
food with community. There is a need to work
together and create new economic models to
make self-reliance a viable option for everyone.
This immersion in the life of the bountiful fouracre Esalen farm and garden will focus on the
fundamental practices and principles of local,
organic agriculture. Our teaching sessions will
include hands-on work experience in harvesting, cultivation, seed starting, transplanting,
compost-making, fertility, seed saving, and plant
propagation — as well as a full review of current
ecological practices to help enhance and maintain the health and vitality of any farm or garden. Our time together will include ceremony
and daily practices that connect us to the land
on the rugged Big Sur coast, as well as ample
time for rest and relaxation in the restorative
beauty of the Esalen environment. Aspiring and
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.
Wendy Johnson is a Buddhist meditation 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 and author of Gardening at the
Dragon’s Gate.
Relational Gestalt Process:
The Transformative Power of Emotion
Dorothy Charles
In order to become whole, we must engage in
the ongoing process of discovering our own personal truth. This truth may challenge us, may
even be painful, before it gives us new freedom
and expands our horizons. When we choose to
Recommended Reading: Hammer, Chinese Pulse
Diagnosis: A Contemporary Approach.
CE credit available for acupuncturists; see workshop leaders.
Brian Kie Weissbuch, LAc, is an herbalist and
Brian LaForgia, LAc, has been practicing Chinese
Medicine since 1979. In 1992, he met Leon Hammer
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DOUG ELLIS
acupuncturist in private practice in Northern
California since 1991. Cofounder of KW Botanicals,
Inc. in San Anselmo, Calif., he has 41 years of experience as a botanist and western herbalist.
remain content with intellectual wisdom only,
we limit ourselves and limit our relationships.
When we integrate the full breadth of our emotional wisdom, we open the path toward becoming whole.
Experiencing and expressing emotions are integral to being alive. Learning to fully experience
feelings and express them in healthy ways
enables us to have more pleasurable and fulfilling relationships. We cannot change the past.
We can change what we have come to believe
about our capacity for love and belonging.
This experiential and didactic workshop will
blend individual and group Relational Gestalt
work with the intention of finding individual
truths through our felt and expressed emotions,
and exploring how these truths will help
strengthen our relationships to self and others.
We will experiment with tracking emotions as
sensations and learn to recognize them as signals calling for awareness and attention, rather
than problems to be avoided.
Dorothy Charles has been a student 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 US.
Weekend of August 3–5
The Ecstasy of Sound:
A Music and Healing Workshop
Jennifer Berezan
At the core of all that exists in the universe is
vibration. Many cultures have long believed that
the world itself was created through sound.
Some peoples believe that illness is a musical
problem, a result of a lack of harmony in the system. This workshop will explore music as a spiritual practice and a path to opening one’s heart
and uncovering one’s true nature.
Participants will engage in a wide range of musical experiences, from traditional and contemporary traditions, designed to open the heart and
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Relational Gestalt process is a holistic, processoriented, dialogical, phenomenological, existential, and field theoretical approach to human
change with the centrality of contact, awareness,
and personal responsiveness and responsibility.
Primacy is given to the uniqueness of the individual. In this way of working, people are
viewed as an integrated whole with the innate
potential of growth and mature self-expression.
create equanimity, joy, ecstasy, and healing.
The workshop will include sessions of toning,
chanting, harmony and rhythm, improvisational
sounding, meditation, and silence, in a safe,
humorous, and sacred environment. No musical
experience is necessary. To learn more, visit
www.edgeofwonder.com.
Jennifer Berezan is a singer/songwriter, teacher,
and activist. Her groundbreaking work as a recording
artist and teacher has established her as a leading
voice in the field of music, ritual, and healing. She
has released 8 albums and produces large-scale multicultural, ecstatic ritual events.
Introduction to Radical Aliveness
Ann Bradney
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.
“Standing in the way of radical aliveness are
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.
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.
Recapturing Your Posture: Release
Biomechanical Stress and Maximize
Your Energy
Harvey Deutch
Sometimes it is sudden, but more often it is a
slow realization that our postures and energy
have started to slump and drag. We assume positions and engage in tasks that our bodies are not
meant to do nor were ever taught how to perform correctly. Without mindfulness and grace
in our movement and without awareness of our
energy systems, our bodies begin to break down
faster and earlier than expected. Is your body
heading down this path? Has your once pristine
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temple turned into a fixer-upper? Good news!
You can change this course and re-fortify your
foundation starting now. The key is to uncover
the “what” and the “how” of healing and aligning
your own body.
Come join us for a playful weekend of exploring
proven self-help practices to release tension in
your system. Incorporating the principles of
yoga, chi gong, and pranayama, and therapeutic
equipment such as foam rollers, medicine balls,
and yoga straps, we will draw from various methods of healing to help you regain balance and
harmony in your body and mind. Come prepared to unwind and laugh, and to fill your toolbox with simple do-it-yourself tactics to maximize your energy. It’s time to excavate the healer
that lives inside of you. Arrive curious, depart
aligned!
($45 materials fee for 3 containers and plants,
paid directly to the leader. More plants and
containers are available for an additional small fee.)
Christina Dauenhauer is a landscape designer
Succulent Design
Christina Dauenhauer
Containers can be elegant additions to any garden or patio. Here at Esalen, succulent plants
thrive; this is a perfect place to garden with
them. Containers of succulents are drought tolerant, easy to maintain, and a great accent to
Esalen’s gardens. In this workshop we will play
with basic design principles, exploring shape,
form, texture, color, and line. We will learn about
propagation and care of succulents (they thrive
in a wide range of climates), and each participant
will create and take home two to three small
container gardens. We will also replant a few
raised beds at Esalen (around the art center) to
explore succulent design in a larger space. I am
collecting found containers for our use and feel
free to bring your own smallish containers from
home. This beginner course will give you tools to
create your own inspired succulent containers
and keep the spirit of Esalen alive at home.
and manager of the Esalen grounds crew. She graduated from The Art Institute of Chicago in 1993, in
sculpture, and founded her own design/build landscape company in Seattle. Her passion for design,
rare plants, and found objects inspires her creative
work.
The Leadership Clinic
Gustavo Rabin
You may be familiar with tennis or golf clinics,
intended to examine your game and help you
improve it, but what about leadership? This
workshop is designed to rapidly identify what
may be limiting your leadership capability and
pinpoint how to gain the competencies needed
for the next stage of your personal and professional journey. Through short “lecturettes” and
discussion, we will review the principles of
effective leadership, powerful communication,
and how to build the executive presence needed
KODIAK GREENWOOD
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.
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to move your career forward. Participants in this
class will receive an individualized leadership
profile by completing an online assessment in
advance of the clinic. Based on these profiles, we
will review the traits and tendencies that best
support effective leadership and strengthen
those skills. The same reasons that keep us from
learning how to ride a bike just by reading about
it also apply to leadership.
This will be an experiential and highly interactive class. We will create a learning community
and a supportive environment in which to look
at ourselves clearly and compassionately and try
new ways of exercising leadership in relation to
self, others, and our work.
Recommended reading: Rabin, Becoming a Great
Leader.
($35 fee for leadership profile paid directly to the leader)
Gustavo Rabin is a psychologist and an 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.
Experiencing Esalen
Experiencing Esalen Staff
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?”
be exquisitely present, fully alive, and unafraid
to know anything about themselves. When you
can engage the powerful feelings of others without the need to control or tame them, that’s radical aliveness. When you can learn to hold a
space where conflict and challenge are welcome
because they serve as doorways to fresh insights,
that’s also radical aliveness.
This workshop is designed for established or
emerging leaders—therapists, businesspeople,
community leaders, health care workers, ministers, educators, social activists, and other professionals who want to learn the principles and
apply the techniques of Core Energetics and
Ann’s Radical Aliveness approach to bring more
charge and creativity to their work.
Participants will work with blocks to leadership,
facing conflict head-on, and opening to the unpredictable energy of life. Everyone will be encouraged to lead, take risks, be emotionally honest,
shed personal agendas, and help build a dynamic
group process where every member is an essential
part of the whole. The aim is to become leaders
who serve the greater purpose of life.
This group process may be like group work
you’ve done before, demanding courage, committed engagement with others, and a strong
desire to discover and develop your leadership
potential within an accelerated, intense time
frame and setting.
Please note: An interview is required for admission. Please e-mail ann@annbradney.com.
— From the 1965 Esalen Catalog
Experiencing Esalen is a workshop that introduces participants to some of the transformational practices of Esalen. Designed for firsttime 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.
Week of August 5–10
The Radically Alive Leader:
A Core Energetics / Radical Aliveness
Workshop
The Way of Story:
The Craft and Soul of Writing
Catherine Ann Jones
We’ve become lopsided living only in our heads.
Writing, in order to serve the soul, must integrate
outer craft with the inner world of intuition and
feeling.
—Catherine Ann Jones, New York Times
The Way of Story offers an integrative approach
to writing narrative, combining solid craft with
the experiential discovery of the intangible
dimensions of writing, because craft alone is not
enough. This unique workshop is for writers of
all levels and all narrative forms including plays,
screenplays, short stories, novels, and memoirs.
In this workshop, you can learn:
Ann Bradney
People in leadership positions who strive to be
inspiring, influential, and highly effective must
• The seven steps to story structure
• How to create memorable characters and
dialogue
• How to balance craft with intuitive skills
• How to access and free your potential story
Catherine Ann Jones is an award-winning
writer whose films and TV shows have enjoyed
widespread success. She has served on the writing faculties of several universities, lectures
internationally, and published a book on narrative writing and professional memoir, The Way
of Story (Michael Wiese Productions, 2007).
For more information visit www.wayofstory.com.
Recommended reading: Jones, The Way of Story
(The Craft & Soul of Writing).
Catherine Ann Jones is an award-winning author,
playwright, and screenwriter whose films include
Unlikely Angel, The Christmas Wife, and the
series Touched By An Angel. She was a Fulbright
Scholar to India and winner of the National
Endowment for the Arts Award.
www.wayofstory.com.
Heart of the Sky, Heart of the Earth:
2012 Maya Wisdom and Yoga Retreat
Saul David Raye & Miguel Angel Vergara
Join us for a powerful and inspiring week of
sacred wisdom teachings, ceremony, yoga, meditation, and chanting as you discover the common understandings and shared practices of the
Mayan Cosmo vision and yoga.
The ancient Mayans were great visionaries who
developed an advanced culture with systems of
mathematics, architecture, science, and art. They
were excellent astronomers fascinated by time
and space. According to the Maya, much of what
has been written through “his-story” is a misrepresentation of their culture, including what is being
taught about 2012. The Maya are very clear: 2012
is not the end of the world. It is the end of a cycle
of imbalance, greed, and darkness. It is not an
exact date per se, but a period of transition, a shift
in consciousness; and we are in that time now.
The roots of yoga lie in a tantric and shamanic
past of connection to the cycles, rhythms, and
forces of the universe and how people can connect with those energies. Tantra is the mother of
yoga. It is the harmonizing of the masculine and
feminine, an exploration of our essence that
weaves together all parts of ourselves into a state
of oneness.
Please join Mayan shaman and wisdom keeper
Don Miguel Angel Vergara and acclaimed yoga
teacher Saul David Raye to dive deeply into
these two ancient paths.
The morning sessions will include yoga, meditation, and chanting with Saul and the afternoon
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sessions will be lecture, meditation, and ceremony with Miguel. They will also co-teach during
certain sessions. Please bring a yoga mat.
and the PBS broadcast The Grove. His focus is using
the camera to create a bridge between ourselves and
our environment.
Saul David Raye is an internationally acclaimed
teacher, healer, and spiritual activist known for his
empowering and transformational approach to yoga.
He holds certifications in yoga, bodywork, and energy
healing, and is an ordained minister and musician
who infuses his classes with healing music and
chants. www.sauldavidraye.com.
Miguel Angel Vergara is a Maya priest and master
teacher who lives and works in Yucatán, Mexico. He
was a director at Chichen Itza for four years and has
written books and given lectures and conferences on
the Maya sacred knowledge internationally.
www.casakin.org.
Framing Nature: Photography as
Meditation and Mirror
Andy Abrahams Wilson
In every step of the process, photography is a
balancing of relationships (light, time, space,
etc.), the merging of which creates a still
moment–a meditation. Both an inward and
outward journey, this workshop invites you to
go deeply with the camera–into the world of
nature and your own nature. Photography
becomes a bridge, a metaphor for living, and a
means to experience flow. Through field trips,
photo assignments, and group critique, we
explore ideas of seeing and being, and discover
how our photographs tell us as much about
ourselves as what we photograph.
An adventure into the sights and secrets of
Esalen and Big Sur, the workshop allows us to
see the world anew: to alter perspective, shift
focus, find detail, notice contrast, and receive
the light and shadow around us. It is a way to
encourage intimacy and engagement with our
environment and our selves–sparking connections and insights, and creating an art that
informs our life. Taught by Emmy-nominated
cinematographer and photographer Andy
Abrahams Wilson, the workshop covers basics
of photography and camera, but is geared
toward those with some familiarity. Please bring
your own digital SLR camera, laptop, and photo
editing software, if possible. Enrollment is limited for an optimal and intimate group experience. Early registration is encouraged.
is an award-winning
filmmaker and photographer. Recent projects include
the Academy Award semifinalist Under Our Skin
Andy Abrahams Wilson
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Big Sur Wilderness Experience
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
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.
Participants in this weeklong workshop will
venture out into the richness of the summer
season of Big Sur on five day-hikes, four to ten
miles in length. The leaders 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 and a waiver will be sent upon registration. For an equipment list and frequently
asked questions about Steven’s workshops, visit
www.stevenkharper.com/faqs.html.
($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leaders)
Steven Harper bio on page 13.
Michael Newman is an attorney-mediator, surfer,
and lifelong resident of the Big Sur coast. He has an
MA in psychology and promotes the integration of
wilderness into contemporary life.
Be Present Family Camp
Lillie Allen, Eugene Allen & Noa Mohlabane
Be Present Family Camp brings together diverse
families to learn and practice the Be Present
Empowerment Model® (BPEM®), a holistic leadership development model for individual and
collective effectiveness. BPEM replaces silence
with information, assumptions with a diversity
of insights, and powerlessness with a sense
of personal responsibility. Through engaged
creativity, imaginative play, and community
celebration, Be Present, Inc. supports people
to create wellbeing within themselves and in
their families, organizations, and communities.
Family Camp empowers children and adults
with skills to build trust and connection,
improve communication, and help family
members transform challenging moments
into learning opportunities.
Our goal is for campers to:
• Experience sharing their voices in a nurturing
environment where their feelings and
experiences are validated and supported
• Increase knowledge of self and awareness of
others through learning how to listen in a
clear and conscious state
• Practice ways of supporting one another within
the family system and among peers to increase
feelings of connection and community
• Engage in the conversations that nurture and
sustain authentic relationships across the
interconnected issues of race, gender, class,
ethnicity, culture, language, religion, age,
sexual orientation, and gender identity
Family Camp integrates BPEM into child- and
adult-friendly activities with emphasis on the
process of the children. Families with children
of all ages are welcome.
Lillie Allen is founder and executive director of
Be Present, Inc. and developed the Be Present
Empowerment Model™. Lillie has more than
30 years of experience in public health education,
human development, interpersonal relations, group
dynamics, and the interconnections and conflicts
between work, home, and personal goals.
Eugene Allen is a national Be Present, Inc. trainer
and member of the Regional Community Organizing
Core Group in Atlanta, Ga. Eugene’s areas of focus are
developing the leadership of young men and boys, and
building sustainable partnerships with social justice
organizations.
Noa Mohlabane is a community activist who has
worked with families and teachers for more than 40
years in the nonprofit world in organizational development and program directing. She is a Be Present
Inc. regional core organizing group member, trainer,
and former board member.
DOUG ELLIS
Why We Choose What We Choose:
Career, Love and Everything in Between
Ayala Pines
Two of the most important choices we make in
life are work and love. Both may seem at times
random, but in fact reflect deep, largely unconscious processes. This is why we enter both our
careers and our love relationships with such
high expectations and why so often we are
disappointed and burned out.
What influences those choices and what is the
relationship between them? This unexplored
territory is the focus of this workshop.
In the workshop, participants will hear about
relevant theories and research and undertake a
series of experiential exercises and group discussions that will enable them to explore their
career and love choices and the relationship
between them, and understand why they
are experiencing burnout rather than joy and
satisfaction in their work, marriage, or both.
Social Venture Network’s Succeeding
with Your Soul Intact: Lessons from
Sustainable Business
The goal is to gain deeper understanding of the
underlying dynamic for our career and love
choices and learn better skills for coping with
both career and couple burnout.
Jeff Mendelsohn, Mike Hannigan
& Margot Fraser
This workshop is for individuals, couples, and
career and couple therapists interested in understanding the impact of career and love choices.
Recommended reading: Pines, Falling in Love:
Why We Choose the Lovers We Choose and Couple
Burnout: Causes and Cures.
Ayala M. Pines is a clinical social and organizational psychologist, a university professor, and the dean of
the faculty of management at Ben-Gurion University
in Israel. She is the author of 10 books, including
Career Burnout, Couple Burnout, Romantic
Jealousy, and Falling in Love.
This workshop can help you develop the art of
successful, values-based leadership. Through
interactive dialogues and exercises, explore ways
to create and grow the kind of organization
you’ve always wanted to work in—one that lets
you bring your values to work, is successful in
accomplishing its mission, and generates a
healthy profit. You will hear practical advice,
lessons, and confessions from visionary social
entrepreneurs who are members of Social
Venture Network, a San Francisco-based organization that supports a community of business
and social leaders to build a just and sustainable
planet. The group will share their stories and
insights throughout this interactive workshop,
and you will have the opportunity to schedule
one-on-one sessions with the presenters. This
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DOUG ELLIS
workshop is open to established and emerging
business and non-profit leaders, as well as those
in transition. It’s a great opportunity for those
interested in bringing more purpose, creativity,
innovation, and effectiveness into their professional lives.
founded New York Recycled Paper
in 1991, and New Leaf Paper in 1998. He has focused
his career on building a highly successful green business and driving a fundamental shift toward sustainability in the paper industry.
Jeff Mendelsohn
Mike Hannigan is president and cofounder of Give
Something Back, California’s largest independent
business-to-business office supplier. Founded in 1991,
GSB donates its profits to community organizations.
Margot Fraser founded Birkenstock USA in 1966.
Her focused and innovative management style turned
Birkenstock USA into a company with more than
$100 million in annual revenues. She coauthored
Dealing with the Tough Stuff in 2009, with Lisa
Lorimer.
Open Your Heart and Reclaim
Your Health
Eva Selhub
Fear, anger, and anxiety that go on for too long
can lead to a list of debilitating ailments that are
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so common we assume they are unavoidable:
insomnia, heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, and more. The key to reversing
the negative impacts of stress and reclaiming
our health is simple: love. Love sets off a series
of physiological events in the body that help us
adapt to life’s challenges, stop and reverse disease, maintain health, and make it easier for
our bodies to improve rather than deteriorate
with age.
Eva Selhub, MD, provides a practical framework
to rid the body of the ravaging effects of these
stressors, overcome hurtful past life events, and
shape an empowered personal future. The Love
Response® addresses how to change the body’s
physiology quickly and lastingly through the
deliberate evocation of biochemical reactions
that counteract the unhealthy effects of fear and
stress. This allows us to experience the myriad
health benefits of nature’s own antidote: love
and affection.
Recommended reading: Selhub and Infusino,
The Love Response.
Eva Selhub, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and trained in Eastern medical practices. A clinical associate of the Benson Henry Institute for
Mind/Body Medicine at the Massachusetts General
Hospital, she has a private practice and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School. www.theloveresponse.com and www.drselhub.com.
Magic and Music in the Gardens
Joanna Claassen & Banana Slug String Band
Celebrate summer in the land of rejuvenation
with a unique collaboration between the worldrenowned Banana Slug String Band and Esalen’s
Gazebo Park School environmental education
teachers. We will use music, theater, puppetry,
poetry, arts, and games to deepen our connection to this magical earth. The program will culminate in a performance by the budding children stars and the Banana Slug String Band.
Together we’ll create a community of families to
laugh, connect, and renew as we explore dance,
family yoga, harvesting and eating delicious
organic food, hiking among the redwoods on
the Esalen grounds, a night walk, stargazing, and
plenty of time to soak in the baths. We will
watch the sun set on the ocean bluff and feed
the goats and chickens at Gazebo Park School.
You’ve been busy all year; take the time to drop
into your sense of wonder and reestablish your
loving bond with each other and the earth. This
workshop is open to children of all ages.
Participants under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Joanna Claassen is Esalen’s Gazebo 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.
The Banana Slug String Band is a group of lovable
musicians and educators from the coastal redwoods
of Northern California. Since 1987 the Slugs have
dedicated themselves to making great music for kids
that teaches science and a love of this green earth.
www.bananaslugstringband.com.
leader and a strategy for your future growth.
Stand & Deliver only. To register please call 415627-7477 or email joanne@standanddelivergroup.com.
Only after you have reserved your place through
Stand & Deliver will you be able to reserve your
accommodations by contacting Esalen (course
fees and accommodations are separate). Please
see accommodations costs under “Pricing for
Partner Programs” at www.esalen.org/workshops/
reservations.html.
Peter James Meyers is the founder and president
of Stand & Deliver, a global communications consultancy that helps leaders and their teams to engage,
inspire and achieve exceptional results through the
vibrant power of human communication.
Speak to Inspire
Peter Meyers with Stand & Deliver Staff
Social networks and the instantaneous exchange
of information have made us more connected
than ever. But in this new era of virtual community, more and more people are left feeling
depleted and detached. In the face of this
uniquely 21st-century challenge, how can leaders rise above the din of data to truly connect,
engage, and inspire others through the power
of the human voice?
This exclusive weekend summit will bring
together leaders from around the world and
across industries to examine the critical question of their power and responsibility to foster
vital human connections in their organizations.
Peter Meyers, author of As We Speak and founder
and president of Stand & Deliver, a global communications consultancy, has worked for more
than a decade helping leaders and their teams to
enrich their presence and effectiveness through
greater clarity, credibility, and connection.
This workshop challenges high-level leaders to
tackle difficult questions about themselves and
their organizations. Most importantly, participants will learn—and practice—models and
methods for expanding their leadership voice;
provide insight in the face of confusion; create
confidence in place of doubt; and ignite empowering beliefs that inspire others to action.
Activities include lecture, group discussions,
self-awareness exercises, simulations, coaching,
and personal feedback.
You will have an opportunity to examine your
underlying assumptions and beliefs; overcome
inner blocks; discuss and test new ideas with a
group of accomplished peers; step away from
the frenetic demands of your day-to-day routine
and ask big questions in an awe-inspiring natural setting; and create a vision for yourself as a
Esalen® Massage in Motion
Brita Ostrom & Vicki Topp
We live our lives in motion. A muscle appears
static on the anatomy chart, and the ribs nicely
align, but in fact we are reaching, bending, and
coordinating dozens of fine motor skills every
second. A joyous mood opens the limbs wider;
an anxious thought freezes our breath and contracts our core. In this course, we will be shown
to use lifting, passive joint rotations, gentle
movement, and stillness to make our bodywork
more effective, fun for the receiver, and easier
for the practitioner.
We will build a field of trust by offering gentle
supportive lifts. We will practice passive
stretches to release the shoulders; we will roll
to access the low back; we will rock the leg and
articulate the hip; we will gently mobilize the
neck to free our minds. The diaphragm, keystone of a relaxed state will release, and we will
breathe more easily.
This workshop offers the practitioner a threedimensional approach into the body-mind experience. The basic lengthening strokes add another dimension to the massage, welcoming a sense
of release and acceptance.
The schedule allows ample time for guided practice sessions, feedback, and questions, including
individual attention from Brita and Vicki. The
course is suitable for those interested in learning
basic massage skills or for advanced practitioners who want to add a fresh dimension to their
massage.
is a founding member of the Esalen Massage School,
trained in Gestalt awareness work, and participated
in Esalen’s two-year somatics education project.
Vicki Topp bio on page 25.
Traditional Thai Massage:
Sacred Bodywork
Richard Gold
What in the West we call traditional Thai massage is known in Thailand as Nuad Bo’Rarn.
Nuad is a Thai word that translates as “to touch
with the intention of imparting healing.”
Bo’Rarn is derived from Sanskrit and translates
as “something ancient and revered.” Historians
date this traditional medical practice from
approximately 500 BC. Thai massage fulfills the
Buddhist principle of bringing spiritual philosophy into everyday life and work, allowing both
practitioner and recipient an opportunity to
experience the four divine states of mind: loving
kindness, compassion, mental equanimity, and
vicarious joy.
This workshop is an immersion into the practice of Thai massage. An extensive curriculum
in northern (Chiang Mai) style will be taught
and practiced. The course will focus on the
meditative aspects of this traditional healing
art, with emphasis on proper body mechanics.
Combining aspects of yoga, acupressure, and
assisted stretching, Thai massage is a healing
and deeply relaxing form of bodywork.
Practitioners learn to work with their feet,
knees, forearms, and elbows, as well as with
their hands. Thai massage is practiced slowly,
on a futon or mat placed on the floor, with the
client dressed in loose-fitting clothing. No
oils or lotions are used. Come and join this
comprehensive immersion into an ancient
healing art.
Required reading: Gold, Thai Massage: A
Traditional Medical Technique, 2nd edition.
CE credit for acupuncturists pending.
Richard Gold has been practicing and teaching
Oriental healing arts since 1978. A graduate in Thai
Massage from the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, he is chairman of the board of the
International Professional School of Bodywork in San
Diego, Calif. www.traditionalthaimassage.com.
Brita Ostrom, a licensed MFT, has led massage and
other workshops at Esalen for more than 20 years. She
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The Transformational Enneagram:
Mindfulness, Insight and Experience
Russ Hudson
A growing number of people are aware of the
Enneagram as an accurate and profound map
of personality. The nine Enneagram types are
based on the three primary centers of intelligence: thinking, emotion, and instinct.
However, in almost all human beings, distortions or blockages in these centers have led to a
loss of connection with our essential nature and
to the arising of ego structures to compensate
for this loss. Thus, while our Enneagram type
usually obscures our true nature with a characteristic web of defenses, it can also serve as an
opening to the deeper reality of spirit.
This workshop will emphasize recognizing the
ways that each of the nine types plays out in our
own personalities. It will combine psychological
insight into the inner workings of the types
with meditation practices and exercises to lead
participants toward a more direct experience of
qualities of essence such as presence, clarity,
compassion, and joy. Conversational instruction
will be combined with group meditations,
small-group work, physical movements, and
music so that participants can more fully integrate the richness of the Enneagram material
into their daily work and relationships.
Recommended reading: Riso and Hudson,
The Wisdom of the Enneagram, Personality Types
(Revised Edition, 1996), and Understanding the
Enneagram (Revised Edition, 2000).
Russ Hudson is executive director of the Enneagram
Institute in New York. He is the coauthor, with
Don Richard Riso, of several books, including The
Wisdom of the Enneagram and Personality
Types (Revised Edition).
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Lynda Greenberg
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 who
wish 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.
36
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
twenty. A materials list will be sent upon registration. All exercises will be preceded by
demonstrations and followed by assessments
of individual progress.
Recommended reading: Edwards, Drawing on
the Right Side of the Brain.
Lynda Greenberg has been practicing 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.
StoryPlay®: A New Ericksonian
Indirective Model of Play Therapy
Joyce C. Mills
This play therapy course for healing professionals teaches participants the origins, key
elements, and essentials of StoryPlay Therapy,
including therapeutic metaphors, storytelling,
story-crafts, sensory synchronicity, artistic
living metaphors, and therapeutic rituals and
ceremonies. A trauma and program development specialist, Dr. Joyce Mills shows how the
Play Therapy model of StoryPlay can be effectively utilized with specialized populations or
situations, such as natural and man-made disasters, PTSD, abuse, ADHD, attachment, grief
and loss; and various treatment modalities.
StoryPlay is a multicultural, resiliency-based,
indirective Play Therapy model that draws on
the natural inner resources, skills, and strengths
of each child, adolescent, adult, or family member to generate healing, growth, and change.
StoryPlay Therapy is founded on the principles
of Milton H. Erickson, indigenous teachings,
and the innovative approaches of healer and
therapist Dr. Mills. With the power and spirit
of therapeutic storytelling and play at its center,
each element of the StoryPlay approach provides
participants with play therapy, hands-on, creative tools for working with difficult or traumatized clients using their favored treatment
modality or philosophy.
By the end of the course participant will be
able to:
• Define three essential elements of StoryPlay
• Utilize Ericksonian psychotherapy to facilitate
positive change
• List the four stages of the Therapeutic
Metamorphosis process of healing
• Apply the StoryPlay steps for creating and
utilizing therapeutic metaphors
• Identify and utilize a child’s blocked sensory
system
• Recognize how to utilize the elements of our
natural ecology
Note: Esalen has been selected to host
Continuing Education courses offered by
StoryPlay®Global/Joyce C. Mills, PhD, LLC. To
reserve a space in this course, you must first
contact Dr. Joyce Mills, 602-923-2704 or visit
www.storyplayglobal.com/esalen. Only after you
have reserved your place in the course through
Dr. Joyce Mills will you be able to reserve your
accommodations through Esalen at 831-6673005 (course fees and accommodations are
separate). Please see accommodations costs
under “Pricing for Partner Programs” at
www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html.
Joyce C. Mills, PhD, is an award-winning, internationally recognized trainer, author, play therapist,
consultant, and program development specialist.
Founder of StoryPlay® Global and codirector of the
Phoenix Institute of Ericksonian Therapy, she has
authored 8 books including Therapeutic
Metaphors for Children and the Child Within
and Butterfly Wisdom.
Radiant Body Yoga
Kia Miller
As modern humans, we process a tremendous
amount of information each day. How can we
find a way to respond from a place of consciousness and grace, rather than blind reaction to the
immense demands of life? Yoga and meditation
are the technologies that have become ever
more applicable to these stressful modern times.
Radiant Body Yoga focuses on revitalizing energy, calming the fluctuations of the mind, and
thriving in life is more than an intellectual decision to forgive those who have harmed you.
Brain Change Therapy is a new approach that
shifts states of mind and conditions happier and
more stable emotions so that you can access clarity of thought, successful actions, a sense of personal control, confidence, and heightened intuition and awareness.
This is a five-day Deep Dive workshop that
invites you into the alpha/theta states where
you can gently release and resolve old wounds.
We will explore patterns that block you from
being happier, discover your unique gift and
purpose, and plan for your life success. By journeying to the edge of sleep and observing your
own archetypal imagery, you can unlock and
apply the best in life.
The Deep Dive process involves naming chronic
negative states including people and events that
have harmed you, and what triggers them; creating a sanctuary for releasing trauma; learning
how to release inner forgiveness, love, and compassion; practicing the witness mind state to
move beyond survival strategies; creating an
action plan, commitment to the life you want,
and follow-through.
Carol Kershaw, EdD, is a psychologist, codirector of
the Milton Erickson Institute of Houston, and coauthor of Brain Change Therapy. She is an international trainer and has produced several programs on
personal growth and creating lasting solutions.
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Bill Wade, PhD, is a licensed professional counselor,
marriage and family therapist, and codirector of the
Milton Erickson Institute of Houston. He is coauthor
of Brain Change Therapy (2012, WW Norton). He
has taught meditation and given Dharma lectures at
various Buddhist temples.
connecting with the divine. In this exciting and
comprehensive workshop, Kia Miller shares her
deep experience and love of yoga as a way to
thrive in these turbulent times. Participants will
explore ancient yogic teachings that have been
passed down from teacher to student for thousands of years. The group will practice Vinyasa
Flow to open and strengthen the body as well as
Kundalini yoga and meditation to shift through
energetic blockages and build vitality and
awareness. Take this “time out of time” to rejuvenate yourself in the healing waters of Esalen,
connect with like-minded individuals, and
establish a practice that will enable you to touch
and experience your true self and connect to
your neutral mind and purpose. This workshop
is for anyone looking for a toolbox for elevation,
ways to excel in life, and to be a lighthouse for
all those around you. All levels welcome.
Kia Miller teaches at YogaWorks in Los Angeles and
leads several of their 200- and 300-hour teacher training programs. Trained in Hatha and Kundalini yoga,
she offers a powerful combination of asana, breath,
meditation, and chanting that leaves students uplifted and empowered.
The Heart of Forgiveness—Brain
Change Therapy from Trauma to
Thriving: Erickson Hypnosis Seminars
Carol Kershaw & Bill Wade
Life trauma hinders you in the pursuit of your
dreams. The secret to resolving trauma and
Walking an Authentic Path:
Awakening to Purpose and
Meaning in Your Twenties
Soren Gordhamer & Kerena Gordhamer
Saltzman
Are you part of the “Y” generation of people currently in their twenties? Generation Y grew up
in the information age of social networking, texting, and constantly-connected life, yet often
seek a more authentic, deeper connection to
their inner wisdom. This workshop is for people
who want a life that is aligned with the deep
care and passion that they feel inside for the
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world—a life that is not confined by ideas of
who others think they are and who their families want them to be.
We will practice mindfulness meditation, dyad
self-inquiry exercises to reveal inner calling, and
give and receive authentic feedback in the larger
group.
AATISH MEHMOOD
People will have the opportunity to find a deeper connection to what is true for them and create next steps to express this truth. Through the
various activities, we will allow people to more
clearly see what life is calling forth in them and
how that calling wants to be expressed in the
world. Participants will come away with a deeper connection of what is true for them, potential
next steps to take, and ways the group can support each other after the workshop.
Soren Gordhamer is the founder of the Wisdom 2.0
Conference. He has written several books, walked for
a year through various countries, and has taught
mindfulness to incarcerated youth, trauma workers in
Rwanda, teachers in Nigeria, and at US technology
companies.
Kerena Gordhamer Saltzman, LCSW, is a Gestalt
therapist who founded the business Through Insight.
The company works with UCSC students. Kerena
and Soren Gordhamer are siblings and were former
staff at Esalen in their twenties.
ing, and those attending will be supported in
moving to the next level of their own spiritual
development.
Recommending reading: Selig, I Am the Word:
A Guide to the Consciousness of Man’s Self in a
Transitioning Time.
Paul Selig’s channeled books are I Am the Word:
I Am the Word: The Energetics of
Consciousness
Paul Selig
In his breakthrough work of channeled literature, I Am the Word, author and medium Paul
Selig recorded a program for personal and planetary evolution as humankind awakens to its
own divine nature. Through a series of lectures,
attunements, and energy activations, workshop
participants will be introduced to the frequency
of the Word, which can be described as the energy of “God in action.”
You will be shown exercises for healing the self
and others, along with practical techniques for
developing and sustaining higher levels of consciousness. You will also receive individual
instruction that will support you in moving
through the physical and emotional blocks that
may be keeping you from manifesting your own
higher nature. You can discover how realizing
your own true potential is inexorably linked to
the wellbeing of others and our planet.
Paul’s workshops can be deeply transformative.
The energy he works with is palpable and lov38
Transitioning Time and The Book of Love and
Creation (Tarcher/Penguin, 2012). A conscious
channel, intuitive, and empath, Paul also directs the
MFA in Creative Writing Program at Goddard
College. www.paulselig.com.
Celebrate Seventy! How Women
Flourish in the Eighth Decade
Jane Giddan & Ellen Cole
“What does it look like and feel like to be
women in our seventies today?” ask the leaders.
“What are our challenges? Are we still working
for a paycheck? If not, how do we identify ourselves, particularly if we had meaningful
careers? And above all, what brings us satisfaction and joy? How are we thriving and flourishing as we enter and proceed through our eighth
decade?
“We have been blogging (www.70candles.com)
and conducting conversation groups for seventy-ish year-old women and have learned, above
all, that the benefits are tremendous when we
meet together to share our stories and celebrate
our lives. After all, we are the generation that in
our thirties invented consciousness-raising
groups; we are indisputably the generation that
began to change the landscape for professional
women. We pre-baby boomers have much say to
one another and to the multitude of women
closely behind us who are about to turn seventy.
“In this weekend workshop, participants will
explore what’s been written and said about our
generation and will have the opportunity to
look back at our lives, share our challenges and
joys in the present, and imagine our futures.
Longtime Singing Gestalt teacher and former
Esalen programs director Nancy LunneyWheeler will help us celebrate with music and
Janet Carnay, LMFT and Board certified Art
Therapist, will expand our explorations through
the visual, tactile, and creative arts. We will conclude with a seventy candles birthday party.
Jane Giddan, M.A.,CCC-SLP, is a speech-language
pathologist and professor emerita of the department of
psychiatry, University of Toledo College of Medicine.
She has specialized in language development and disorders and is coauthor of numerous articles and books.
www.70Candles.com.
Ellen Cole, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in
women’s mental health and human sexuality and
is professor of psychology emerita at Alaska Pacific
University in Anchorage. At age 70 she earned a second master’s degree in applied positive psychology
from the University of Pennsylvania.
www.70Candles.com.
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
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, pages 1-87.
All methods devoted to human potential
emphasize the importance of awakening to the
present moment. All that we long for—love, joy,
peace, harmony, truth—require the fundamental
capacity for presence.
This seminar uses ancient and modern methods
for directly and simply uncovering this natural
capacity. Put simply, we need the capacity to:
1. Sit quietly with our own thoughts.
2. Mindfully welcome our feelings/emotions.
3. Find comfort in our own bodies.
The meditation we will practice is a bare-bones
approach to experiencing the present moment
“As It Is.” This is the basis for being at home in
ourselves. Chairs are available and help is given
to those who find sitting challenging. Guided
Inquiry includes a variety of awareness experiments based in the Focusing method of Eugene
Gendlin. Learning to bring a warm, caring, curious presence to our feelings/emotions/“negative” thoughts is truly transformative. The movement lessons of Moshe Feldenkrais are perhaps
the most neurologically sophisticated and effective ways of transforming our motor patterns
and self-image; these lessons are also interesting
and fun. Through meditations, awareness
practices, movement lessons, and conversation,
we anticipate a meaningful and joyful time of
learning together.
This retreat is open to all people who are interested in living an awakening life.
Participants are welcome to register for this
weekend seminar only or combine it with the
five-day workshop, August 19-24.
Recommended reading: Farrell, Father and Child
Reunion and Why Men Earn More - What Women
Can Do About It.
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
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.
Recommended reading: Gafill, Drinking From a
Cold Spring: A Little Book of Hope.
and cofounded the Big Sur Arts Initiative. She was
artist-in-residence at the Children’s International Art
Museum in Hamada, Japan. In 2009, she was named
Champion of the Arts by the Arts Council for Monterey.
is author of the best-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 more than 1,000 TV shows
worldwide.
Warren Farrell
The Transition Catalyst Intensive
Charles Eisenstein
KODIAK GREENWOOD
The Embodied Life™: Meditation,
Guided Inquiry and the Teachings of
Moshe Feldenkrais
—Rumi
Erin Gafill with Tom Birmingham
Erin Gafill is a painter who teaches internationally
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you—
don’t go back to sleep.
The Passion of Painting
Russell Delman
Russell Delman studied with Moshe Feldenkrais for
many years. One of the first Feldenkrais trainers, he
has been teaching the method since 1975. He has also
maintained a Zen meditation practice for more than
35 years, and conducts workshops and training programs internationally.
What would life look like if money were aligned
with the more beautiful world our hearts tell us
is possible? Today, for most people, it is not—
whether on a personal level or the level of political change, social renewal, or ecological wellbeing. Crises in the economy, the ecosystem,
health, education, water, energy, and more portend the end of the world as we know it. These
crises are propelling our civilization toward a
radically different way of living on earth.
39
This gathering is for people who want to deeply
understand our unique historical moment, and
who also want to embody it, energize it, and catalyze the transition. We will approach it through
the lens of money and all that surrounds it: gratitude, gift, scarcity and abundance, community,
work and purpose, and the sense of being at
home in the universe. The transformation of
money mirrors a shift in our own psychology
and the way we relate to the world. We can
indeed live in sacred economy today, seeding
cultural rebirth through our words and actions.
This program applies stories, dialogue, and
engaged processes to bring clarity to: what
money is and could be; financial collapse and
what’s next; the story of the self, from separation
to reunion; the story of the people, from ascent
to cocreation; aligning money with the sacred;
integrity in a monetized world; and finding life
purpose.
Charles Eisenstein is the author of Sacred
Economics and The Ascent of Humanity, a
teacher, and speaker considered by many to be a leading voice of his generation. He is on the faculty of
Goddard College. www.charleseisenstein.net.
inner resources one can muster. Drawing on
three decades of teaching and twenty-nine 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 Secrets for Women; Roche, The Radiance
Sutras (available at www.lorinroche.com) and
Meditation Made Easy.
Living and loving fully takes courage and all the
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Your heart is your life! Change your heart,
change your life.
Camille Maurine coauthored 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.
Kenn Chase has taught tai chi for more than 40
years. His Integral Way Practice combines tai chi, The
Feldenkrais Method®, chi gong, and meditation. He
is a stress management consultant and maintains a
private practice in the north San Francisco Bay Area.
Lorin Roche has meditated since 1968. He is the
author of The Radiance Sutras, a new translation
of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, and coauthor of
Meditation Secrets for Women and Meditation
24/7. His other books include Meditation Made
Easy, Breath Taking, and Whole Body
Meditations.
more than 30 years. She is the executive director of
the Heart Health Institute in Marin County, Calif.,
and has managed cardiac rehabilitation and stress
management programs since 1981.
Vicki Chase, RN, has been a health educator for
Building a Vocal Community
Ysaye Barnwell
Camille Maurine & Lorin Roche
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.
• Individual risk assessment and strategic plan
for lowering risk
• Up-to-date facts regarding activity and
nutrition
• Mindfulness techniques including tai chi,
Feldenkrais™, and meditation
• Group discussion
• Discussion of the medical aspects of heart
disease
• Natural and complementary medicine options
Wild Serenity
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.
Utilizing their unique comprehensive and integrated approach, this workshop includes:
Your heart is essential to life and yet, as a nation
and worldwide we choose a lifestyle that threatens our very existence. Heart disease remains
the number one cause of death, but it is mostly
preventable. Since the time of Aristotle, we have
touted the health benefits of exercise, good
nutrition, and relaxation. Most people know or
think they know what to do to maintain a hearthealthy lifestyle, but they struggle to integrate
these life-giving habits into their daily routine.
There is an awesome power in the human voice,
and when uncommon voices are blended for the
common good they become a “vocal community” at its best. Masterfully led by Ysaye Barnwell,
composer and longtime performer with Sweet
Honey in the Rock, singers and non-singers
alike will share the common experience of
learning in the oral tradition and singing
rhythms, chants, traditional songs from Africa
and the Diaspora, and a variety of songs from
African American culture including spirituals,
ring shouts, hymns, gospels, and songs from the
civil rights movement. The historical, social, and
political context will be provided as an introduction to the songs.
Kenn and Vicki Chase have been teaching heart
disease prevention and rehabilitation for more
than twenty-five years with amazing results. In
this workshop, you will explore evidence-based
and clinically proven approaches to preventing
and/or reversing heart disease. The Chases use a
balanced, practical approach to maximizing your
health and energy. Through activities designed
to increase awareness, you’ll learn how to transform old patterns into a new, heart-healthy
lifestyle.
Throughout this experience, the group will
explore from an African-American worldview
the values embedded in the music, the role of
cultural and spiritual traditions and rituals, ways
in which leadership emerges and can be shared
by and among community members, the nature
of cultural responses to and influences on political and social struggle, and, finally, the significance of a shared communal experience in one’s
personal life. A willingness to sing is all that is
required.
Healing Your Heart 101: Combining
Science and Spirituality to Maximize
Heart Health
Kenn Chase & Victoria Chase
Ysaye Barnwell, a member of the African-American
female a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in The Rock,
is a composer, arranger, author, and actress. A vocalist
with a range of more than three octaves, she appears
on more than 25 recordings with Sweet Honey and
other artists.
I Am the Word: The Energetics of
Consciousness
Paul Selig
In his breakthrough work of channeled literature, I Am the Word, author and medium Paul
Selig recorded a program for personal and planetary evolution as humankind awakens to its
own divine nature. Through a series of lectures,
attunements, and energy activations, you will be
introduced to the frequency of the Word, which
can be described as the energy of “God in
action.”
Paul’s workshops can be deeply transformative.
The energy he works with is palpable and loving, and those attending will be supported in
moving to the next level of their own spiritual
development. This five-day intensive will offer
the opportunity for more individual work,
advanced teachings, and a deeper immersion
in the higher energies.
Recommending reading: Selig, I Am the Word:
Transitioning Time.
The Joy of an Open Heart:
Love, Awareness and Intimacy
Karishma Darby
There is a natural desire in all of us to fully be
ourselves, to live and love from our deepest
essential nature. We feel this desire most keenly
in our longing for authentic human intimacy.
Unfortunately, painful and frightening experiences often lead us to withdraw from the gift of
our own luminous beauty. Instead of cultivating
our capacity for intimacy, we hide from ourselves and others, too anxious, depressed, or
numb to honor and embody our true radiance.
In this workshop we will embark on an odyssey
of self-discovery, exploring how the barriers and
blocks that keep us from fully being ourselves
can simply melt away in the light of our own
welcoming consciousness. Through listening,
awareness, and movement, we will gain an experiential understanding of our patterns of reaching and withdrawing, opening and closing, contracting and expanding, and pausing and moving in the immediate play of relating to others.
Through dance and movement, silent and
dynamic meditations, psychotherapeutic practices, and interpersonal processes, we can come
alive to our inner topography, moving from our
inner awareness to the experience of open and
transparent relating. We will discover how to
live our joy and share that joy with others.
Join us for an opportunity to nourish your own
deep aliveness and experience the essential radi-
DOUG ELLIS
You will be shown exercises for healing the self
and others, along with practical techniques for
developing and sustaining higher levels of consciousness. You will also receive individual
instruction to support you in moving through
the physical and emotional blocks that may be
keeping you from manifesting your own higher
nature. You can discover how realizing your
own true potential is inexorably linked to the
wellbeing of others and our planet.
41
DOUG ELLIS
ance of your own being as it dances with the
radiance of those you meet face-to-face.
Karishma Deanna Darby is a licensed psychotherapist 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.
Gratitude and Forgiveness:
Deepening into The Embodied Life™
Russell Delman
During this five-day seminar, you will experience direct, enjoyable, and reliable practices for
inviting embodied presence. You can uncover
the natural meditation of “just sitting” as you
learn to walk through the doorway of embodiment.
mation. Research confirms the life-giving influence of these mind states. We can experience
practices which can change fear into love,
resentment into forgiveness, and disappointment into gratitude.
Please see the description for The Embodied
Life™: Meditation, Guided Inquiry and the
Teachings of Moshe Feldenkrais, August 17-19,
for a full description of the work.
Participants are welcome to register for this fiveday seminar only or combine it with the weekend workshop, August 17-19.
If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’
that would suffice. —Meister Eckhart
Core Zero Balancing—Part I
Fritz Smith
We will also work directly with the thinking
and feeling patterns that interfere with our natural radiance. Growing our capacity for gratitude and forgiveness is central to this transfor42
Zero Balancing (ZB) is a nondiagnostic system
of healing which clarifies and coordinates energy fields in the body, balances body energy with
body structure, and focuses on bone energy and
the skeletal system. Science has shown that
energy and matter are fundamentally coupled;
psychology has shown that the mind and body
are interconnected. ZB embodies both perspectives. It is based on the experience that balancing the body’s energy with its structure has
a direct positive effect on physical, mental,
emotional, and spiritual health. Imbalances
often lead to loss of vitality, chronic pain, and
decreased potential for vibrant health. The
body’s structural/energetic interface is beneath
conscious awareness. When imbalances occur at
this level, the body tends to compensate around
them rather than resolve them. Rooted in both
Eastern healing and energy and Western medicine and science, ZB brings unique touch and
relevant design to overcome imbalanced patterns.
This program, part one of a two-part Core Zero
Balancing series, is the entry level program.
Didactic and experiential, it is open to all health
care professionals. The workshop will teach
newcomers how to perform a complete handson session, and for the experienced it will deep-
en understanding and enhance skills. It also
includes theory and practice of the ZB protocol,
methods for evaluating and balancing the body’s
structural/energetic interface, and how to use
energy as a tool. This workshop qualifies for
credit toward Zero Balancing certification.
Recommended reading: Smith, Inner Bridges: A
Guide to Energy Movement and Body Structure and
The Alchemy of Touch; Hamwee, Zero Balancing:
Touching the Energy of Bone.
CE credit available for acupuncturists.
is a physician, osteopath, cranial
osteopath, certified acupuncturist, and founder of Zero
Balancing. He is the author of Inner Bridges: A
Guide to Energy Movement and Body Structure,
and Alchemy of Touch.
Fritz Smith
ly expanding and vitally important frontier
called energy medicine.” This workshop is for
anyone interested in awakening the body’s
potentials and learning to heal with energy.
Assisting Donna will be her husband David
Feinstein, a clinical psychologist and longtime
Esalen workshop leader.
Wendy Palmer is a sixth-degree black belt in aikido
Recommended reading: Eden, Energy Medicine.
Kids Beyond Limits: Transforming the
Lives of Children with Special Needs
is among the world’s most sought, joyous, and authoritative spokespersons for energy healing. Her classic book, Energy Medicine, is published
in 10 languages and won Health Book of the Year in
the Nautilus competition. She teaches internationally.
Donna Eden
David Feinstein is coauthor of The Mythic Path
and The Promise of Energy Psychology. He serves
as executive director of the Energy Medicine Institute
and has taught on the faculty of The Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine.
Energy Medicine:
A Hands-on Experience
Donna Eden with David Feinstein
By learning how to work with your body’s energies, you can improve your health, increase your
vitality, and enrich your life. In a class designed
to be both transformational and fun, Donna
Eden will show you how health concerns can be
a path to a more harmonious and joyful relationship with your body. Your body is designed to
heal itself and feel good.
During this hands-on training, you’ll be shown
how to:
• Test for energy blocks and dysfunction and
move energy in yourself and others
• Use energy tools to improve the harmony of
all the body’s systems and help alleviate pain
and stress
• Boost your energies when you are exhausted,
strengthen your immune system, and feel
more alive
• Discover the ways health problems can be
helped, if not overcome, by intelligently
shifting the energies that are maintaining
them
Dr. Jean Houston, one of the foremost visionary
thinkers of our time, called Donna’s approach
“perhaps the most comprehensive and effective
system in the genre that I have ever seen.” Dr.
Christiane Northrup, pioneer of health and
wellness, has referred to Donna as “one of the
most joyous and effective pioneers in the rapid-
Embodiment Tools for an
Empowered Life
Wendy Palmer
Many of us aspire to be more centered, mindful,
and compassionate in our lives and as leaders,
but we return again and again to unskillful reactions and habits. When stressed or when faced
with conflict we are unable to embody the
changes that we know we want. Founded by
Wendy Palmer, the Conscious Embodiment personal development program draws on the traditions of Aikido and mindfulness practice to
offer simple yet powerful practices that help you
recognize how your mind and body habitually
react to pressure, and how to access different
ways to be powerful and to collaborate with others. During this workshop we’ll explore the following three basic energetic leadership competencies:
• Inclusiveness. It is the foundation of
leadership, and should infuse the way we
communicate the message, “we are in this
together.”
• Action without aggression. Take a stand and
speak and act in a genuine way that is clear
and magnetizing.
• Listen without taking it personally. To listen
and hear what is being said without reacting,
a leader needs an open mind, a strong center,
and the ability to detach while maintaining a
receptive presence. The exercises associated
with each competency provide a vivid sense
of what it feels like to align conceptual,
emotional, and embodied aspects of yourself.
and the author of two books, The Intuitive Body
and The Practice of Freedom. She leads trainings
in the US, Canada, Europe, and South Africa. She
has been practicing aikido and mindfulness for 40
years. www.embodimentinternational.com.
Anat Baniel
Is there a child with special needs in your life
that you love and care for? Whether a family
member or a helping professional, you most
likely are facing tremendous challenges in your
quest to help this child. Imagine being given
easy-to-use and highly effective tools that can
help your child grow, learn, and transform on
a daily basis, leaving both you and your child
feeling happier and more empowered. Imagine
being able to “talk” with your child’s brain
through the language of movement and the
Nine Essentials of the Anat Baniel Method™,
a method fully supported by current brain science, and which harnesses the brain’s remarkable capacities to heal itself. With a better and
stronger brain, no matter what your child’s
diagnosis, improvements that weren’t possible
before become possible: in movement, thinking,
emotion, and social skills.
Imagine shifting from trying to fix your child
to better connecting with your child, freeing
yourself and your child from dreary and at
times painful routines, or from not knowing
what to do. Learn how to awaken your child’s
inherent intelligence and turn the brain into
the miraculous learning machine that it’s
designed to be. Become a better leader in your
child’s life and a more enlightened parent. In
this workshop experience the remarkable powers of your brain to change through movement
lessons, lectures, demonstrations, and practice,
and learn to apply the Nine Essentials in your
child’s daily life.
Recommended reading: Baniel, Kids Beyond
Limits and Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for
Lifelong Vitality.
Anat Baniel established an international reputation
for her breakthrough work with children with special
needs. A clinical psychologist who trained and worked
with Dr Feldenkrais, she has refined her method for
over thirty years, and now runs the Anat Baniel
Method Center. www.AnatBanielMethod.com.
43
Experiencing the Esalen Farm
and Garden
Farm and Garden Staff
For more than forty years, the Esalen Farm and
Garden has provided a holistic model of food
security and sustainability—producing food that
sustains, heals, and educates the community.
Growing one’s own food is a powerful form of
activism and a deep source of spiritual experience. The Esalen Farm and Garden staff strives
to cultivate soil, plants, and people while honoring the spirit of the land and its ancestors.
This dynamic workshop experience provides
the opportunity to immerse yourself in the
Farm and Garden alongside our talented and
experienced staff. This week will introduce you
to the practical and experiential knowledge
needed to start or refine your own garden, as
well as a chance to revel in the beauty and power
of the Esalen land. You will gain hands-on experience with topics including seed starting, harvesting, cultivation, transplanting, composting,
seed saving, flowers, and herbs.
We invite you to explore working on the land as
a physical, emotional, and spiritual experience.
As an Esalen work tradition, Gestalt awareness
practice is integrated into our time together, to
support our growth processes and group relationships. Each morning after harvest, we gather in a sharing circle to connect with ourselves
and each other before the day of learning and
working. We ground and connect with the land
through mindful and playful activities and rituals. The week culminates with a farm-to-table
dinner that we prepare and share in gratitude
together on the beautiful farm.
Spinal Awareness (with Humor):
The Essence of Feldenkrais® and
Energy Work
Patrick Douce
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
44
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.
Patrick Douce, one of Moshe 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.
enhancing the quality of each participant’s more
subtle and powerful energies. The following
series of movements will be taught during this
workshop: The Vairocana Position, The Nine
Purification Breathings, Lungsang (Purifying
the Prana), Tsadul (Controlling the Energy
Channels), and the Pranayama of Rhythmic
Breathing. Please bring yoga clothing and a
yoga mat.
Recommended reading: Norbu, Yantra Yoga:
The Tibetan Yoga of Movement.
Recommended viewing: Andrico and Diaz,
Tibetan Yoga of Movement: Perfect Rhythm of Life
and Breathe: Perfect Harmony of Breathing.
Fabio Andrico is an internationally recognized
expert on the unique tradition of Tibetan yoga known
as Yantra Yoga, from the lineage of Dzogchen Masters
Vairocana and Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Andrico
has been studying, practicing, and teaching Yantra
Yoga since 1978.
The Upledger Institute’s Advanced
CranioSacral Therapy 1
Stan Gerome
The Advanced CranioSacral course is especially
designed to provide an in-depth experience for
the serious CranioSacral Therapy practitioner.
Class is limited to ten participants.
Course highlights include opportunities to:
Yantra Yoga: Perfect Rhythm of Life
Fabio Andrico
Yantra Yoga is one of the oldest recorded systems of yoga in the world. It originated in Tibet,
a land that holds a vast, rich Buddhist knowledge and heritage. Yantra Yoga’s unique series of
positions and movements, combined with conscious breathing, can help coordinate and harmonize one’s personal energy so that the mind
can relax and find its authentic balance. This is
a superb method to attain optimal health, relaxation, and harmony through the coordination
of breath and movement.
In this workshop, senior Yantra Yoga instructor
Fabio Andrico will help participants discover
the real essence of Yantra Yoga by clarifying its
rich theory and practice. Andrico will begin by
demonstrating techniques that will help participants discover the experience of naturally
relaxed, complete breathing. Using this fundamental experience as a base, he will then introduce the most essential Yantra Yoga exercises,
which can reshape, transform, and deepen the
effect of the practice by coordinating and
• Participate in multiple hands-on sessions
• Benefit from one-on-one instructor-toparticipant skill evaluation
• Refine technique applications and further
develop palpatory capabilities
• Participate in an in-depth mind/body
integration study using the craniosacral
system as the core vehicle
The prerequisite for this course is Upledger’s
SomatoEmotional Release 2 (SER2).
accommodations at Esalen. For accommodations pricing chart, see www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html.
Stan Gerome is an instructor and visiting therapist
with the Upledger Institute. He’s had a private practice in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. since 1986. He has been a
CranioSacral and SomatoEmotional Release practitioner since 1986.
DOUG ELLIS
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 to 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 in which to cre-
ate. 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:
even in our stillness (sleeping)? And why do
some populations in the world enjoy pain-free,
relaxed, and potent lives into old age? How can
we improve our situation?
• 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
In this workshop you will be taught to use
everyday activities to support pain-free Primal
Posture. In a small group, using gentle touch,
images, and reason, Esther Gokhale will help
you realign and restore your spine to its natural
shape, restructure the arches of your feet, realign
your knees, hips, and shoulders, and elongate
your back. Reduce back pain, neck pain, foot
problems, and muscle or joint dysfunction.
Discover improved appearance and athletic
performance, as well as a new level of wellness
in your body.
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 US.
The Gokhale Method™ for a
Pain-Free Life
Esther Gokhale
Why are so many of us in pain? Why are we
damaged from our normal activities (bending
and lifting), exhausted from our most basic positions (sitting and standing), and uncomfortable
The Gokhale Method is based on historical,
anthropological, and medical research on populations who have virtually no musculoskeletal
pain. Interwoven intellectual, visual, kinesthetic,
and aesthetic cues make the Gokhale Method
remarkably efficient and effective. Join Esther
Gokhale for this transformative and empowering five-day experience…and expect to grow half
an inch taller!
45
Esther Gokhale, LAc, author of 8 Steps to a Pain-
Free Back, was educated at Harvard, Princeton,
SFCAOM (in Chinese medicine), and by people in
non-industrial cultures worldwide. She and other certified Gokhale Method instructors offer instruction
online and all around the world.
Relational Mindfulness—A Path to
Intimacy and Reducing Barriers to Love
Robert Fisher & Dyrian Benz
During the workshop you can learn how to:
• Develop compassion for yourself and your
partner
• Find your relationship’s strengths and
resources
• Apply mindfulness to couples dynamics
• Discover the hurts and beliefs that shape our
present experience
• Clarify and change limiting, repetitive
systemic patterns of interaction
• Develop clear and compassionate boundaries
• Explore sex with kindness and mindfulness
• Deal with your partner’s anger and complaints
• Communicate without hurt and blame
Robert Fisher, MFT, is a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice in Mill Valley, Calif. He is
an adjunct professor at JFK University and the codeveloper of the certificate program in mindfulness and
compassion for psychotherapists at CIIS in San
Francisco.
Dyrian Benz, PsyD, is a mindfulness and somatic
psychology educator. A cofounder of Hakomi Institute
and Embodied Psychology Association, he conducts
trainings in Relational Constellations and is a longtime Diamond Approach student. He published
Group Field: A Practitioner’s Guide.
Dream Action and Dream Meanings:
Eric Greenleaf
Jung said that “Dreams are the reality of the psyche,” and Freud called dreams “The royal road to
the unconscious.” Their emphasis was on the
interpretation and amplification of the meanings of dreams. Yet, throughout the world,
before and outside of western psychiatry,
dreams are seen as sources of guidance in action.
They are seen as prophetic or as a set of spiritual
instructions to be ceremonially enacted in social
groups, healing ceremonies, and individual
quests.
Milton H. Erickson saw the unconscious not as
a one-way flow of information, passing through
the translation booth of the analyst. Rather, he
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
This workshop is designed for couples and the
therapists, coaches, and healers who work with
them. Short talks on key couples’ issues culled
from thousands of hours of couples’ therapy will
be followed by experiential exercises designed
to help heal these areas and move couples from
contraction to expansion, from alienation to
closeness. The concepts and exercises will be
immediately useful to couples themselves, as
well as applicable to a therapeutic setting. We
will use mindfulness, art, movement, interaction, and present-moment experience in the
body to uncover the issues deeper than simple
communication often permits, and begin to
transform key issues that keep you from your
partner and yourself.
46
imagined a set of processes that operate
resourcefully to the benefit of the person. He
also believed that there are means—story, trance,
art, ceremony—by which to enact and communicate with these unconscious resources. Eric
Greenleaf has incorporated active approaches to
dream material that move easily between dreamlife and waking life. He has utilized elements of
Active Imagination, Senoi dreamwork, and his
own work of Passing the Trance.
This workshop will be highly experiential and
involve lecture, demonstration, practice, and
each day emphasis on a different approach to
dream materials, mental imagery, dream trances,
and trance ceremonial. The group will follow
Senoi prescriptions with one another based on
our nighttime dreams.
Eric Greenleaf, PhD, has practiced and taught
Ericksonian hypnotherapy for 40 years. He has studied Balinese trance possession and healing ceremonies
for 20 years, and he ran a dream group continuously
from 1968 to 2008. He wrote The Problem of Evil:
Ancient Dilemmas and Modern Therapy.
classes, doing initial consultations, and teaching
the six-lesson Gokhale Method Foundations
course to small groups and individual students.
Prerequisite: Students must have already completed a Gokhale Method Foundations course.
Note: There are additional requirements to be
completed after the teacher training week at
Esalen before a teacher is qualified to teach the
Gokhale Method. Please see www.egwellness.com
for full details.
the Gokhale Method Institute only. To register,
go to www.egwellness.com or contact teachertraining@egwellness.com. Only after you have
registered with the Gokhale Method Institute
and paid tuition fees will you be able to
reserve accommodations at Esalen. Please see
accommodations costs under “Pricing for
Partner Programs” at www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html.
Transforming Trauma with EMDR:
Comprehensive Training (Parts 1 and 2)
August 31–September 7
Gokhale Method® Teacher Training
Esther Gokhale
The Gokhale Method uses kinesthetic, visual,
intellectual, aesthetic, and technological cues to
gently guide students back to the way they
moved when they were children—the same way
their hunter gatherer ancestors moved. Gokhale
Method teacher training teaches the craft of
restoring primal architecture and movement
patterns. Using high-touch and high-tech tools,
teachers guide their students in relearning the
daily movements of life. By mastering powerful,
basic techniques such as stretchsitting, stacksitting, stretchlying, tallstanding, hip-hinging and
glidewalking, Gokhale-trained teachers are able
to help their students get to the postural root of
most back, neck, hip, knee, foot, and shoulder
problems. Through observation and hands-on
experience with real cases, study of relevant
anatomy, and instruction in use of databases,
apps, and class blogs, teachers learn to use both
ancient wisdom and state-of-the-art technology
to facilitate life-changing experiences. They
learn to be eloquent with their hands, perceptive
with their eyes, and compelling with their voices. When they graduate, Gokhale Method teachers are proficient in presenting introductory
the standards for basic EMDR training, participants must complete this course, receive ten
hours of consultation from recommended
EMDRIA-approved consultants, and then take
Laurel Parnell’s Advanced Clinical Workshop
and Refresher Course in order to complete the
requirements for basic EMDR training.
Participants will be required to submit licensure
documentation before attending and must bring
copies of their professional licenses or certification to the training. Interns must submit a letter
from their supervisors stating that they will
supervise the interns.
Required reading: Parnell, A Therapist’s Guide to
EMDR: Tools and Techniques for Successful
Treatment. Recommended reading: Parnell,
Transforming Trauma: EMDR, EMDR in the
Treatment of Adults Abused As Children, and
Tapping In: A Step-by-step Guide to Activating Your
Healing Resource Through Bilateral Stimulation.
Laurel Parnell is an internationally recognized psychologist, author, consultant, and EMDR trainer who
has trained thousands of clinicians in the US and
abroad. The author of four books on EMDR, she
maintains a private practice in San Rafael, Calif.
Laurel Parnell
Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapeutic
method for healing trauma-based problems.
Shedding new light on trauma survival—including sexual and physical abuse, accident and surgical trauma, and grief—EMDR is opening doors
of the heart to genuine spiritual transformation.
This course is limited to mental-health professionals who are licensed to provide treatment,
and mental-health interns who are currently
being supervised by an EMDR-trained supervisor. Through lecture, hands-on practice, and
demonstrations, participants will be shown:
• Protocols and procedures for using EMDR
with a wide range of diagnostic categories
• Client selection criteria and cautions
necessary for safe use of EMDR
• Techniques for working with blocked
processing and abreactions (catharsis)
• The use of imaginal and cognitive interweaves
• How to use EMDR with adults traumatized
as children
• Methods for developing inner resources used
for interweaves, ego strengthening, and client
closure
This course has been approved by the EMDR
International Association. In accordance with
Weekend of August 31–
September 2
The Neuroscience of Resilience and
Renewal
Linda Graham
This experiential workshop is saturated with
brain-savvy resources for recovering resilience—
our body-brain’s innate capacity to cope with the
dilemmas and disasters of everyday life and
restore vitality and life balance. Linda Graham
guides participants through practical tools and
techniques including resourcing through breath
and movement; deepening emotional empathy
and self-compassion; shifting perspectives
through mindful awareness and reflection;
expanding relational resonance and resourcing
in community; and evolving consciousness
toward compassion and connection.
Linda integrates recent discoveries from modern
neuroscience with guided meditations and visualizations, experiential exercises and inquiry in
dyads and small groups, and stimulating dialogue
and discussions in large groups. Participants learn
how to harness their own neuroplasticity to:
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• Reduce stress, return to their window of
tolerance, and restore well-being after
overwhelm
• Activate the release of oxytocin, the hormone
of safety and trust, bonding and attachment,
calmness and connection
• Cultivate pro-social emotions to antidote the
negativity bias of the brain
• Re-wire habitual patterns of response and
resolve old traumas to increase adaptability
and flexibility in coping strategies
• Recover social connectivity and replenish the
wellspring of balance and wholeness
Participants can take home new understanding,
new perspectives, and a new sense of competence to recover their own inner resilience.
Recommended reading: Hanson, Buddha’s Brain;
Goleman, Social Intelligence; Siegel, Mindsight.
Linda Graham, MFT, is a psychotherapist and trainer specializing in the integration of relational psychology, somatic resourcing, mindfulness, and neuroscience. She is writing a book on the neuroscience of
recovering resilience. www.lindagraham-mft.net.
The Magical Family
Ivy Mayer Lavie
The Esalen Art Barn is home base for this weekend of play, creativity, and celebrating the
renewal of the season. Families will have the
opportunity to explore, make art, and celebrate a
renewed connection with each other. There will
be space to connect as a family unit, and connect
with the larger community. Special discussion
for parents and those in the health professions
will offer information on assisting children with
self regulation utilizing dyadic regulation techniques, nature, and the arts. There will be visual
arts activities, including making puppets, magic
wands, painting, and more. Expressive arts such
as yoga, dharma games, sports, night hikes, and
exploring in nature are also shared. Families
can journey through a magical space that brings
together the natural California coast and the creativity that emerges when a group comes together.
This workshop is designed for families of all
configurations, with children of all ages.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. If
you have specific questions, please feel free to
contact the workshop leader at
ivymayer@yahoo.com.
($10 fee paid directly to the leader)
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Ivy Mayer Lavie, MFT, is influenced by Somatic
Experiencing, the Hakomi Method, and her teaching
experience, including for The Marin School, The
Moving Center School, Spirit Rock, and Yes!. She
offers Coming of Age programs, psychotherapy, trauma and resiliency work, and movement workshops.
5Rhythms®: Heartbeat
Lucia Horan
The body does not lie.
–Gabrielle Roth
Embark on a journey into Gabrielle Roth’s
5Rhythms: Heartbeat map. “In this practice, we
embody the art of being a fluid emotional athlete,” writes Lucia Horan. “We will learn how to
use the tools of the dance to lead us in a healthy
and creative way through life. We have a rich
landscape to investigate in the territory of the
body. As we dance, the old energies that have
been hidden in our hands, hips, and chest begin
to shake loose. We will explore how we have
been shaped by our emotions. We will work
with these forms, learning how to unwind them,
expressing our past and present in each unique
dance. In this place we are able to notice when
our hearts are open and when they are closed.
We all have the need to love and be loved.
Through the embodiment of this practice, we
will learn skills to take home and use in our
daily lives. We will dance, write, and create ritual
theater. Please come with a journal and pen, and
ready to dance.”
Recommended reading: Roth, Sweat Your Prayers
and Maps to Ecstasy.
Lucia Rose Horan was born into the family of the
5Rhythms® and raised at Esalen Institute. She
became a 5Rhythms® teacher in 1997, is now internationally recognized, and a current faculty member
of Gabrielle Roth’s Moving Center School, NY.
www.LuciaHoran.com.
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.
Meredith Haberfeld is acclaimed for her work with
individuals, couples, and families. She participated in
the creation of the life coaching program at MIT, and
her advice has been included in Forbes, Woman’s
Day, and Yoga Journal magazines.
Week of September 2–7
Christine Price
—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
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 introducto-
ry group work with the open seat form, in which
each participant will have the opportunity to
work with the leader in a group context.
Belonging to Earth:
Finding Our Place in Nature
our sense of place, of nature, and of belonging to
this earth.
Steven Harper & Michael Newman
This program will explore our relationship to
the earth through increasing our knowledge of
the basic life and earth sciences, and increasing
awareness of self and nature. Participants will be
introduced to an overview of the natural sciences and then to the geology, weather, ecology,
native peoples, flora, and fauna that make up the
incredible landscape we call Big Sur.
In every moment of our lives we are supported
by natural systems, both seen and unseen. Yet,
in our culture, many of us are cut off from the
natural world. We have little contact with wild
nature, little idea of where we live, and little
notion of what directly sustains our daily life.
Esalen, surrounded and sustained by wild natural systems, is an ideal place to learn more about
This workshop will include evening introductory lectures, dialog, and day-hikes that venture
into Big Sur’s backcountry for field sessions that
expand our practical knowledge of nature and,
more specifically, of Big Sur. Attention will be
paid to how we take our newfound eco-literacy
and integrate it with how we sense our belonging so that we may more fully inhabit this extraordinary third planet from the sun.
This program is open to all levels of experience
in hiking and the natural sciences. Participants
should be prepared to hike in varied terrain (four
to six miles), enjoy periods of silence, and have
a curiosity about nature and our place in the
world. More information and a waiver will be
($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader)
Steven Harper bio on page 13.
Michael Newman bio on page 32.
Meridian Massage:
Touch and Core Energy
Brita Ostrom & Daniela Urbassek
Esalen Massage® combines the personal experience of present-centered attention with awareness of the whole energetic field. During this
week, we will highlight the core meridian system of Asian medicine with the attentive flowing strokes of Esalen Massage. The result will
bring greater balance and chi energy flow without loss of the personal, intuitive connection.
DOUG ELLIS
The course will address the basic premises: how
to begin a massage in a calm, centered state by
utilizing balancing chi gung movements, ways
to easily incorporate the slow integrative strokes
following structural and meridian pathways,
and how to add depth and detail.
Attention will also be directed to the physiology
of relaxation and to the impact of touch. Guided
practice sessions will include individual attention to problem areas, feedback, and questions.
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DOUG ELLIS
This course offers a refreshing opportunity to
learn the Asian energy anatomy within the core
of Esalen massage, and for practitioners to
reconnect with the heart of the work.
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes, but in having new eyes. —Marcel
Proust.
Brita Ostrom bio on page 35.
Daniela Urbassek is a longtime member of the
Esalen massage staff. Her work is strongly influenced
by her studies in craniosacral work, movement, yoga,
and dance.
turnaround. “When we question our thoughts,”
Katie says, “we see choices that we could never
have imagined before.” In this workshop, Katie
and her daughter Roxann will guide the group
in using The Work to create a kinder and more
joyous world with and for our children, and will
help awaken the best gift we can pass on to
future generations: our own true selves.
Byron Katie is founder of The Work; a simple yet
revolutionary process of inquiry, and author or coauthor of four best-selling books: Loving What Is; I
Need Your Love—Is That True?; A Thousand
Names for Joy; and Who Would You Be Without
Your Story?
Weekend of September 7–9
The Work and Future Generations
Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving
Byron Katie with Roxann Burroughs
Charles Muir & Caroline Muir
with Diane Greenberg
Byron Katie has one job: to teach people how to
end their suffering. She does this through a simple but powerful process of self-inquiry called
The Work, which shows us how to examine our
stressful thoughts using four questions and a
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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.
Recommended reading: Muir and Muir, Tantra:
The Art of Conscious Loving, available at
www.Sourcetantra.com.
Charles Muir, a professional yoga instructor since
1976, 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.
Caroline Muir, founder of the Divine Feminine
Institute and coauthor of Tantra: The Art of
Conscious Loving, inspires women of all ages to
claim their birthright to be all they can be and to
delight in their sexuality.
The Upledger Institute’s Therapeutic
Imagery and Dialogue 1
Stan Gerome
This workshop offers a dynamic adjunct to the
work of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and is
designed to help you access the client’s “inner
physician” by using the cranial rhythm, the soft
touch of CST, and interweaving concepts from
the work of Carl Jung, Fritz Perls, and Roberto
Assagioli. With this method you are guided by
imagery as it is presented by the client, rather
than serving as the guide to imagery.
Course highlights:
• Explore techniques to bring your
“nonconscious” into a more material existence
• Practice drawing your nonconscious images
and dialoguing with them face to face
• Use sounding vowels and other internal
vibrations, along with a ten-step protocol
designed to enhance imagery and dialogue
• Discuss in detail Dr. Upledger’s ideas on
imagery and dialogue and the psychosynthesis
map
• Practice using the significance detector
Prerequisite: The Upledger Institute’s
SomatoEmotional Release 1
accommodations at Esalen course fees and
accommodations are separate). Please see accommodations costs under “Pricing for Partner
Cod, Mass. Deborah teaches shame and belonging
work at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and elsewhere.
Jivamukti Yoga Immersion
Gabriela Bozic
From Isolation to Intimacy:
A Relational Journey
Deborah Ullman & Carol Swanson
Many of our most difficult and stuck behaviors
developed in a felt sense of isolation from our
world. These include a sense that we should be
able to pull ourselves together, ought to stop
needing the approval of others, must initiate the
changes we long for in our lives on our own.
These are shameful feelings generated in a
world that celebrates individual competitive
accomplishments over cooperation and shared
vulnerability. Shame and the defenses we develop for managing shameful feelings are among
the most difficult of all our life experiences. We
develop strategies, some of which are clearly
protective postures, to defend ourselves from
further wounding. On the other hand, shame
can open us to finding our way to the wholeness
and intimacy we long for.
The workshop leaders will cocreate a safe space
for sharing journeys that can transform these
longings we have for connecting into new experiences of support, balance, and belonging. We
will explore specific ways to change the impact
of our history on our current relationships.
The outcome of our time together will be tools,
including a seven-step practice, for transforming
shame and fear of new woundings, and the
habitual, often self-destructive behaviors we’ve
developed to protect or comfort ourselves, into a
new sense of creative empowerment, accessible
support, and belonging. This can infuse our relationships with clients, colleagues, throughout
our personal life, and as visionary leaders in the
larger world. This work is especially important
for psychotherapists and healing practitioners.
It is also helpful for leaders, managers, and parents.
Recommended reading: Ullman and Wheeler
(eds.), Cocreating the Field; Jacobs and Hycner
(eds.), Relational Approaches in Gestalt Therapy,
chapter titled, “The Scarf that Binds,” by Carol
Swanson; Lee and Wheeler (eds.), Voice of Shame.
Deborah Ullman is editor and codirector of
GestaltPress. She has more than 20 years of Gestalt
coaching practice and bodywork practice on Cape
The Jivamukti Yoga Immersion takes you deep
into the study of Jivamukti Yoga. The curriculum is derived from the Jivamukti Yoga Teacher
Training Course, and Gabriela Bozic is an
advanced certified Jivamukti teacher who has
been on the faculty of the international
Jivamukti teacher training. This course provides
a terrific opportunity to awaken or deepen your
yoga practice, meet old and new friends, and
build a global yoga community. Immersions are
suitable for practitioners of all levels and spiritual disciplines who are looking to broaden their
knowledge and techniques of yoga. The immersion schedule includes meditation instruction
and practice, daily asana practice including a
deeper look at alignment, study of the Bhagavad
Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, practical exploration of the link between yoga and spiritual
activism, integration of the yogas of karma (service), jnana (knowledge) and bhakti (devotion),
and question-and-answer sessions with the
leader. Please bring a yoga mat. For more information about Jivamukti Yoga, visit www.jivamuktiyoga.com.
Gabriela Bozic, MA, is cofounder of the Jivamukti
Yoga Centers in Munich, Germany. She holds a master’s degree in linguistics and advanced certification in
Jivamukti Yoga. Currently based in London, Gabriela
leads workshops internationally and is an established
presenter at yoga conferences worldwide.
www.gabrielabozic.com.
The Alchemical Art of Glass Fusing
Dana Zed
Glass is a particularly magical medium for making art. 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 through which we can express
our spiritual nature. During this workshop we
will learn a variety of glass sculpture techniques
and use these to give our ideas form. When we
play with light and color and glass, the objects
we make will change in satisfying and surprising ways. Light through colored glass can create
desirable illusions and we will take this inspiration into the land of symbol and beauty.
Meaningful personal jewelry, small unique treasure boxes, tiles with special messages, logo
51
medals that change colors, and magic wands are
some of the projects you might choose. Many
ideas will be presented, but you will be encouraged to find your own voice. Glass is a gorgeous
medium and very seductive, so you may want
to leave the world of thought behind and
immerse yourself in its colors, textures, and
forms. Whatever your heart’s desire, the workshop is designed to help you take your highest
spiritual intention and transform it into a beautiful material form.
Dana Zed has been fusing glass into art for three
decades. A pioneer in the field, she has abundant
experience in many artistic aspects and media. Zed
Studio creates fine art sculpture, and public and
private commissions. She exhibits and is published
worldwide. www.danazed.com.
Eat by Choice, Not by Habit:
Bring Consciousness to Your Eating
Experience
Sylvia Haskvitz
Using Marshall Rosenberg’s powerful
Nonviolent (Compassionate) Communication
process, this workshop helps you uncover the
past and present messages that underlie your
eating patterns. You will be shown practical
strategies for developing a healthier relationship
with your body and food, and the group will
explore what is keeping you from having the
kind of relationship with food that you would
like and support one another in making change.
During the workshop you will:
• Uncover the needs of your inner critic
• Practice skills of self-connection
• Translate your “should” messages into your
“wants”
• Insert a pause between stimulus and response
when emotions are triggered
• Transform self-judgments and judgments of
others into underlying needs
• Recognize your emotional and physical body’s
needs
• Observe the triggers for eating more than your
body would like
• Differentiate between a need for food and
using food as a strategy to meet other needs
• Practice a “power with” relationship with food
• Increase your capacity to say “no” with
compassion
• Support others on their food journeys
Sylvia Haskvitz, MA, RD, is a certified NVC trainer
and nutritionist, and author of Eat by Choice, Not
by Habit. She offers Nonviolent Communication
training and Eat by Choice workshops worldwide.
She cares about what goes into your mouth and what
comes out of it. www.eatbychoice.net.
The Shift: Living in the Flow
Jim Dreaver with Lee Chiacos
The shift is like a zen satori. It is a moment of
true awakening, when you become aware of
awareness itself, aware that the world between
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Food is a basic human need. But what if you are
caught in cycles of over consumption or emo-
tional eating? Are you tired of the struggle, tired
of trying every new diet and not finding sustainable relief? Are you ready to make peace with
your body and food?
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your ears—all thoughts, beliefs, and stories—is
unreal, yet you, as a conscious being, are still
very much here. The shift always results in a
profound feeling of inner peace and wellbeing.
Right action then flows naturally. Jim teaches a
simple, powerful practice which helps facilitate
the shift. You use it whenever you experience
conflict, upset, or struggle. It starts with welcoming whatever you are feeling because it is
showing you where you are not yet free. Then
you notice the stories around the emotions and
see how they, like the suffering, come and go,
but you are still present. You are right here, now.
Learn how to:
• Free yourself from stress, anxiety, fear, guilt,
anger, depression, and other emotional
upsets
• Forgive everyone in your past so you can
develop relationships rich in love, joy, and
meaning
• Awaken to the inner peace that does not
depend on circumstances
• Discover your unique purpose, and embody
it with clarity and certainty
This work is experiential, involving dialogue
and processes designed to uncover and free ourselves from the stories that keep us bound. Lee
will lead us in daily meditation and chi gong.
Recommended reading: Dreaver, End Your Story,
Begin Your Life.
Jim Dreaver was on a spiritual journey for twenty
years before finally awakening to the freedom that is
his true nature. His mission now is to guide others to
the same realization, but in a much shorter period of
time. www.jimdreaver.com.
• Transforming suffering that arises from
loneliness, loss, and overwhelm due to “over
caring” for others
• Cultivating states of mindfulness and softer,
spacious self-awareness
• Avoiding “thinking barriers” that arise from
analysis and avoidance
• Learning to strengthen bonds that sustain us
in our inner and outer communities
Experiential exercises will help us to tap the
unlimited resources of the bioenergy system,
the generative creative mind, the restorative
“deep self,” and collective spirituality and intelligence. This course is suitable for mental health
practitioners.
Recommended Reading: Kabat-Zinn, Full
Catastrophe Living; Phillips, Finding the Energy to
Heal and Reversing Chronic Pain.
Maggie Phillips has created an online multi-media
self-healing program. She teaches uses of Energy
Psychology with stress-based difficulties. As a member
of the Somatic Experiencing international faculty,
Maggie specializes in methods that release trauma
and relieve emotional and physical pain.
www.reversingchronicpain.com.
Noelle Poncelet is a psychologist and trainer in
hypnotherapy in the US and Europe. She is also on
the international faculty of the Foundation for
Shamanic Studies.
The Healing Voice: Chanting, Ritual
and Resonance
Jill Purce
Presence: Living the Heart of Connection
Maggie Phillips & Noelle Poncelet
The stress of our hectic lives, as well as effects of
past trauma, can rob us of the rich experience
of full presence. Join us for a replenishing weekend focused on exploring the heart of connection with yourself and others. You will be shown
how the quality of connection changes and
repairs your brain; how to forge a “sole mate”
relationship with yourself through radical selfacceptance practice; how to change injury into
acceptance through true forgiveness; and how to
befriend pain and fear to support forward movement that is guided by wisdom and aliveness.
Additionally, we will practice:
Liberate your voice, your heart, and your mind
in a joyful and uplifting exploration of breathing, chanting, mantra and sonic meditations,
sacred chants, trance healing, and shamanic ceremony. Discover and master the power of your
voice to free you from anxieties and negative
thought patterns. Develop breath and sound in
ways that set parts of the body and mind into
resonance while experiencing the healing capacity of sonic massage.
In this workshop, Jill Purce will guide you in
pursuit of the lost voice. Working with ancient
vocal purification practices, you’ll learn to cleanse
and tune the chakras and experience the nature
of the radiant body. You’ll enter subtle dimensions of reality through magical voice techniques and Mongolian and Tibetan overtone
chanting. You’ll work with powerful, healing,
sonorous ritual to be acknowledged and to safely
give up those parts of yourself that no longer
support you. You’ll discover an unlimited source
of power through the encounter of your own
voice in resonant and ritual community.
Working with the voice in this way—freeing the
voice to find physical health, emotional joy, and
spiritual ecstasy—is one of the most effective
ways to empower your life, balance the mind
and body, and ultimately achieve enlightenment. For more information, visit www.healing
voice.com.
Jill Purce, international pioneer of the sound-healing
movement, rediscovered ancient vocal techniques, the
power of group chant, and spiritual potential of the
voice as a magical instrument for healing and
meditation. She is the author of The Mystic Spiral
and Overtone Chanting Meditations.
Experiencing Esalen
Experiencing Esalen Staff
For program description, see page 31.
Science Set Free: Dispelling Dogmas
and Opening New Frontiers
Rupert Sheldrake
Many scientists like to think that science already
understands the nature of reality, in principle.
The fundamental questions are answered, leaving only the details to be filled in. The impressive achievements of science seemed to support
this confident attitude. But recent research has
revealed unexpected problems at the heart of
physics, cosmology, biology, medicine, and psychology. Rupert Sheldrake shows how the sciences are being constricted by assumptions that
have hardened into dogmas. Should science be a
materialist belief-system, or an exploration?
Sheldrake turns the dogmas of science into questions, opening up startling new possibilities,
some of which this workshop will explore. For
example, the “laws of nature” may be habits that
change and evolve. The Fundamental Constants
may not be constant. Minds may extend far
beyond brains. The total amount of matter and
energy may be increasing. Memories may not be
stored as traces in our brains. In this workshop,
his first weekend event in the US after the
September 2012 publication of his book, Science
Set Free, Sheldrake will suggest that the sciences,
and our own personal lives, would be better off
without the dogmas of materialism: freer, more
interesting, and more fun.
Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, is a biologist and author of
10 books, including Science Set Free (September
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2012). He was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge
University, a Research Fellow of the Royal Society,
and from 2005 to 2010 the Director of the PerrottWarrick Project for research on unexplained human
abilities. www.sheldrake.org.
The Art of Joyful Living
Linda Bloom & Charlie Bloom
The desire to experience happiness is the
underlying motivation behind nearly all of our
behaviors. Acts characterized as altruistic as
well as those seen as selfish are all driven by an
expectation that we will be happier as a result.
Happiness does more than make us feel good; it
enhances our health, our wellbeing, our relationships, the quality of our lives, even our longevity. Happiness is the experience that affirms that
we are where we belong in life, that we are who
we need to be, and that the world is right as it is.
This is not a Pollyanna-ish concept that denies
life’s challenges and difficulties, but rather a
state of mind in which there is a sense of goodness, wholeness, and sufficiency that allows us
to see life’s possibilities and blessings with clarity and hopefulness. In cultivating happiness,
we don’t deny suffering, but rather bring a
perspective that allows us to experience everpresent grace and to see with eyes unclouded
by delusion and fear.
coauthors of Secrets of Great Marriages: Real
Truth from Real Couples about Lasting Love and
101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married.
www.bloomwork.com.
with sensitivity with children as well as friends
and family, providing a useful tool for health
and wellbeing.
Massage Retreat for Couples
Laurie Lioness Parizek graduated from the
Laurie Lioness Parizek & Oliver Bailey
This workshop is designed for loving partners
who wish to bring the nurturing practice of
massage into their daily lives and spend a special
weekend together cradled in the beauty and
intensity of the Big Sur coast. It is also for couples who want to deepen already existing skills
and for those who want to create more time in
their lives for healing and intimacy.
This weekend intensive will focus on teaching
couples to give and receive a pleasurable fullbody massage. It will also address issues such as
keeping love, touch, and a healing interchange
alive at home during busy or stressful times,
touching with care and sensitivity, asking for
what you need, and reciprocity so that both
partners feel nurtured and loved. Sessions will
include both demonstrations and hands-on
instruction with plenty of practice time.
Although our emphasis will be on loving touch
and communication between couples, the massage techniques presented are useful for relaxation, pain, and stress and can often increase
vital energy. The techniques may also be used
Perennial wisdom reminds us that happiness is
to be found within, not in pursuit of external
rewards, yet the compulsion to look outside of
ourselves is relentlessly reinforced by our culture. The focus of this seminar is to de-condition
the internalized tendencies to focus on changing external conditions and to strengthen our
capacity to cultivate inner happiness. Thus we
can more fully tap into the happiness that has
always been within us, regardless of the external
conditions of our lives.
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KODIAK GREENWOOD
Linda Bloom is a licensed clinical social worker
his wife Linda are cofounders of Bloomwork and
Oliver Bailey is a practitioner and instructor of
Esalen® Massage. His background includes training
in Gestalt Practice, neurolinguistic programming,
intuitive work, and meditation.
The Three Faces of Spirit:
Practicing Enlightenment
Sally Kempton
In this contemplative retreat, we’ll explore
enlightened awareness through three different
perspectives, or “faces.” One face of spirit is the
innermost essence of yourself—your pure I
awareness. The second is the divine other—the
Friend, the Beloved, the Guru or guide. The
third is the living presence that manifests
through the natural world.
Sally Kempton teaches at the cutting edge of contemporary tantra, and is known for her ability to
transmit deep meditative states through the heart.
A former monk and 40-year practitioner of Shaiva
yoga, Sally teaches internationally and writes the
“Wisdom” column for Yoga Journal.
Charlie Bloom is an educator and therapist. He and
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.
Though most traditions concentrate on one facet
of spirit, for true enlightenment we need to
unfold them all. As we unfold them, you’ll discover aspects of practice that you may not have
explored, and recognize how each approach to
spirit can expand your heart, empower your
actions, and propel you into a more enlightened
relationship with yourself, others, and the world.
The retreat includes deep meditation, daily yoga
practice, interpersonal processes, journaling,
contemplation, and study of key sutras from
from two tantric texts, the Vijnana Bhairava and
the Shiva Sutras. Please bring a yoga mat.
The workshop will include interactive exercises,
meditation, dialogue, and group process. It will
also include suggested practices for the cultivation of happiness.
and educator. She and her husband Charlie are
cofounders of Bloomwork and coauthors of Secrets of
Great Marriages: Real Truth from Real Couples
about Lasting Love and 101 Things I Wish I
Knew When I Got Married.
www.bloomwork.com.
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 com-
DOUG ELLIS
posed 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.
Cris Williamson’s body of work includes more than
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.
Tai Chi Easy™: Practice Leader
Certification Training
Roger Jahnke
The most profound medicine for body, mind, and
spirit is produced in the human system for free.
Bring the best of the ancient Chinese wellness
methods—Tai Chi and Qigong—to your community as a Tai Chi Easy Practice Leader.
In the Chinese language, Tai Chi means the
“balance and harmony” of natural forces within
ourselves and our world. This can mean physical
balance and harmony for stability of body and
mind, work/life balance, harmony between the
practical and the spiritual life. Tai Chi is a form
of the ancient self-healing art known as Qi
Gong, which means to cultivate healing life
energies and resources.
In this Practice Leader Certification Training,
Dr. Roger Jahnke, one of the nation’s foremost
experts on Chinese medicine, Tai Chi, and Qi
Gong, will train participants in a step-by-step
program for bringing Qi Gong and Tai Chi home
to their schools, corporations, community centers, faith ministries, hospitals, social service
agencies, YMCAs, spas, etc. In the new health
care system, health professionals and inspired
citizens will help to empower people to improve
health, prevent disease, enhance longevity, and
achieve inner peace. Tai Chi Easy is a mind/body
practice which combines exercise and meditation (in motion) to activate inner self-healing
forces that the ancient Chinese texts call the
“healer within” and the “elixir of life.”
In this program you will learn to share simple
Qi Gong and Tai Chi practices with others and
join the holistic health revolution. For more
information, visit www.TaiChiEasy.org.
55
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Roger Jahnke has practiced Chinese medicine clini-
cally for more than 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.
Painting the Inner and Outer Landscape
Adam Wolpert
Painting in oils can be a profound experience,
one that engages all of our senses, our minds,
and our 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 weath56
er. 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.
(Materials fee of $125 paid directly to leader
includes all supplies for the class. No materials fee
if you bring your own supplies.)
Adam Wolpert is an artist, teacher, and facilitator.
He cofounded the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
in Sonoma County, Calif. In addition to leading art
workshops and exhibiting his work, he has been leading trainings in decision-making, facilitation, and
consensus process for more than a decade.
Relaxed and Awake: Mindfulness
Meditation and Feldenkrais® Movement
Wesley Nisker & Dan Clurman
By changing our habits of movement, we relax
and awaken the body; by changing our habits of
thinking, we awaken and relax the mind. We
can then join in the dance of existence with
freedom and ease. This workshop combines the
traditional practice of Buddhist mindfulness
meditation with sessions of Feldenkrais
Awareness Through Movement® lessons, the
brilliant sensory-motor approach to reeducating
the nervous system and developing self-awareness. Periods of meditation will alternate with
guided Feldenkrais movement lessons, allowing
the practices to support each other and create a
sense of mind-body connection, vitality, and
wellbeing. The workshop will provide ample
time for discussion and interviews, as well as
attention to individual challenges. There will
also be talks, poetry, and good humor. Wes
Nisker has practiced Buddhist meditation for
more than thirty-five years in Asia and the West.
Dan Clurman brings more than ten years of
Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement
teaching experience. The workshop is appropriate for both experienced and beginning students
of either mindfulness meditation or The
Feldenkrais Method®.
Recommended reading: Nisker, Buddha’s Nature
and Essential Crazy Wisdom.
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
Wesley “Scoop” Nisker is a Buddhist meditation
teacher, radio commentator, and performer. His
books include Essential Crazy Wisdom, Buddha’s
Nature, and Crazy Wisdom Saves the World
Again! Wes teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
in Woodacre, Calif. He founded and co-edits the journal Inquiring Mind. www.wesnisker.com.
is a Feldenkrais Practitioner and
personal coach who integrates somatic work with his
coaching. He has led Feldenkrais Awareness Through
Movement classes for more than 10 years. His books
include Floating Upstream and You’ve Got To
Draw The Line Somewhere.
Dan Clurman
The Art of Touch, An Esalen® Massage
Workshop
Rob Wilks & Jessica Fagan
This week is an exploration of “quality of touch”
and its importance in Esalen Massage. Our
hands play a very important role in gathering
information about our clients. Deepening our
understanding of touching and feeling brings
us closer to understanding our clients’ physical
structures and where habitual muscular tension
is held. Our touch facilitates and encourages the
release of this muscle tension. When using this
conscious touch, a strong component of Esalen
Massage, the result is full-body integration and a
general release of both recent and long-held tensions.
Workshop sessions will include demonstrations
of Esalen Massage with detailed focus on common problem areas, breath work, and yoga.
Whether you are a working practitioner or just
beginning on the bodywork pathway, this workshop may expand your idea of what it means
to feel.
Recommended reading: Juhan, Job’s Body.
Rob Wilks is a full-time bodywork practitioner and
yoga teacher at Esalen. He specializes in Deep
Bodywork®. He has taught experiential leadership
education in the US and Eastern Europe.
Jessica Fagan bio on page 16.
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:
• 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 thirty-four participants.
Recommended reading: Goldenson, It’s Time—
No One’s Coming to Save You.
Soul Motion™: 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 Soul Motion 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.
“Soul Motion 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.”
Vinn Martí is a movement artist, teacher, and spiritual friend, living in Portland, Ore. He teaches Soul
Motion internationally, and is a certified Chaplain
and Prayer Practitioner through the New Thought
Alliance of Churches.
Hidden School, Open Path:
The Peaceful Warrior Awakening
Dan Millman
This new workshop presents key elements from
Dan Millman’s forthcoming book, The Hidden
School, a spiritual adventure. These are the elements that prepared Dan for the death-andrebirth described in Way of the Peaceful Warrior.
Participants will have a rare opportunity to
explore higher states of awareness through various meditative and partner exercises, supportive
lectures, and direct insight into their true
nature—and some may even experience that
flash of awareness described as kensho in the
Zen tradition.
This workshop includes:
• The paths to awakening: “Different fingers
pointing to the moon”
• How to “die” in order to truly live—a
meditation preparation
• How to move beyond the beliefs that shape
your world, your work, your life
• How to see through the self—an
enlightenment process
• How to explore free will: Does it exist?
• The higher self meditation
• Dialogues with Dan and with one another
All that you may have read or heard from Dan
Millman, along the peaceful warrior’s way, is
57
preparation for these final steps to breaking
through and waking up. A variety of partner exercises—and your own confrontation with the paradoxical separate self (or ego)—provide a taste of
enlightenment and a re-cognition of secrets you
have always known at deeper levels of your being.
Join Dan to discover for yourself how to live
with your head in the clouds and your feet on
the ground—with a peaceful heart and a warrior’s spirit.
Dan Millman is a former world trampoline champion, Stanford University gymnastics coach, and
Oberlin College professor whose books, including
Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Everyday
Enlightenment, The Laws of Spirit, and Living
on Purpose, have inspired millions of lives in 29
languages.
Taoist Chi Kung: The Cloud Hands
Share Lew & Juanita Lew
The youthful ninety-four-year-old Master Share
K. Lew will teach his beginning set of Chi Kung
exercises, The Cloud Hands. This set of Chi
Kung builds a foundation for both better health
and further Chi Kung. The Cloud Hands consists of five relatively non-strenuous movements
along with quiet seated meditation which is the
core of the Chi Kung system. These traditional
Taoist exercises help your body to maintain good
health and increased vitality. The time required
for practice will easily fit into anyone’s schedule
once participants are home after the workshop.
Master Share K. Lew, a youthful 94 years old, is a
healer and Taoist priest from Wong Lung monastery
in Southern China with more than 70 years of experience teaching Taoist health practices such as Chi
Kung.
Juanita Lew co-teaches Taoist health practices such as
Chi Kung with her husband, Master Share K. Lew.
Soul Motion™: 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 Soul Motion, 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
58
natural sanctuary of Esalen will open doors that
enter new rooms of creation, expression, and
union with others.
“Soul Motion,” 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
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.”
Experiencing the Esalen Farm and
Garden
Farm and Garden Staff
For more than forty years, the Esalen Farm and
Garden has provided a holistic model of food
security and sustainability—producing food that
sustains, heals, and educates the community.
Growing one’s own food is a powerful form of
activism and a deep source of spiritual experience. The Esalen Farm and Garden staff strives
to cultivate soil, plants, and people while honoring the spirit of the land and its ancestors.
This dynamic workshop experience provides
the opportunity to immerse yourself in the
Farm and Garden alongside our talented and
experienced staff. This week will introduce you
to the practical and experiential knowledge
needed to start or refine your own garden, as
well as a chance to revel in the beauty and power
of the Esalen land. You will gain hands-on experience with topics including seed starting, harvesting, cultivation, transplanting, composting,
seed saving, flowers, and herbs.
We invite you to explore working on the land as
a physical, emotional and spiritual experience.
As an Esalen work tradition, Gestalt awareness
practice is integrated into our time together, to
support our growth processes and group relationships. Each morning after harvest, we gather in a sharing circle to connect with ourselves
and each other before the day of learning and
working. We ground and connect with the land
through mindful and playful activities and rituals. The week culminates with a farm-to-table
dinner that we prepare and share in gratitude
together on the beautiful farm.
Buddha’s Brain: Lighting up the Neural
Circuits of Happiness, Love and Wisdom
Rick Hanson with Jan Hanson
Using the power of modern neuroscience,
informed by ancient contemplative wisdom,
you can use your mind alone to change your
brain for the better. 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.
During this workshop, you will explore “selfdirected neuroplasticity” for steadying the mind
(a key to both worldly success and spiritual practice), cooling the fires of stress reactivity, and
weaving positive experiences into the fabric of
your brain and self. And as a bonus, you’ll learn
about the research-based foods and supplements
that optimize neurochemistry.
Rick Hanson is a leading neuropsychologist
whose work has been featured on the BBC,
Consumer Reports Health, US News and World
Report, and elsewhere. He has been meditating
since 1974.
Recommended reading: Hanson, Buddha’s Brain:
The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and
Wisdom.
is a psychologist and author who has
been teaching contemplative neuroscience since 1974.
Dr. Hanson founded the Wellspring Institute for
Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, and teaches at Stanford, Spirit Rock, and other organizations.
He is the author, most recently, of Buddha’s Brain.
www.RickHanson.net.
Rick Hanson
The Intimate Couple: Integrative Body
Psychotherapy (IBP)
Jack Rosenberg & Beverly Morse
Trust, love, erotic sexuality, and a core experience of self are building blocks for a vital rela-
ing themes in your relationship and provide
tools to deal with them before they become
terminal problems. It will also provide tools
for experiencing heightened aliveness, sustaining a sense of self in the body, making sex
better, and an opening to existential/spiritual
themes of intimacy and aging. With IBP, couples can learn how to regain their hope and
excitement.
Please note: This workshop is for couples only.
Recommended reading: Rosenberg & Morse,
The Intimate Couple; Rosenberg, Rand & Asay,
Body, Self, and Soul; Rosenberg, Total Orgasm.
Jack Lee Rosenberg is in private practice in Venice,
Calif. Founder and clinical director of the RosenbergKitaen Integrative Body Psychotherapy Central
Institute and the 12 IBP International Institutes,
he authored Total Orgasm and coauthored Body,
Self, and Soul and The Intimate Couple.
Beverly Kitaen Morse is a marriage and family
therapist in private practice in Santa Monica, Calif.,
and executive director of the Rosenberg-Kitaen
Integrative Body Psychotherapy Central Institute and
the 12 IBP International Institutes. She is coauthor of
The Intimate Couple.
Taoist Chi Kung: Enhancing Vitality
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Share Lew & Juanita Lew
tionship. Yet, unless our bodies are awakened,
these remain elusive ideas rather than familiar
body feelings. Until we recognize the themes
that distort our views, cause our prejudgments,
and perpetuate old defensive patterns, it is difficult to trust or be trusted. For a conscious relationship, or even just one that works well over
time, we must know ourselves and have practical body-mind mental health tools to resolve the
inevitable dilemmas that interrupt our sense of
wellbeing.
Today, most couples want an equal and reciprocal relationship, but few know how to accomplish this attunement of partnership. Once you
simultaneously experience the internal feeling
of self and attunement with your partner—and
know what gets in the way—you will know how
you got there and how to achieve it again and
again.
Designed as a preventive model, this workshop can help you uncover the key undermin-
Master Lew, a monastery-trained Taoist priest
from southern China, will introduce traditional
Taoist concepts of health, longevity, and harmony with nature. The core of the workshop will
be instruction in the Shen, a set of twelve Chi
Kung exercises (six standing, six sitting) whose
primary purpose is self-healing. These rare exercises can also help develop better concentration,
increase visual and auditory acuity, and enhance
sensitivity to oneself and others. Master Lew
will tell stories from his Taoist practice as well as
his life in the monastery. Master Lew, now ninety-four, was among the first to openly teach Chi
Kung (Taoist internal energy cultivation) to
non-Chinese. His monastery style, Tao Ahn Pai,
dates back 1300 years to Lui Dong Bin of the
Tang Dynasty, who is one of the Eight
Immortals of Taoism.
Recommended reading: Wong, The Pocket Tao;
Feng, Tao Te Ching.
59
Opening to the Infinite: Science,
Shamanism and the Hidden Self
Stephan Schwartz
Recommended reading: Schwartz, Opening to the
Infinite; Radin, Entangled Minds; Dossey, The
Power of Premonitions.
Stephan A. Schwartz is Senior Samueli Fellow for
Brain, Mind and Healing of the Samueli Institute,
research associate of the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory of
the Laboratories for Fundamental Research, and a BIAL
Fellow. He is cofounder of Remote Viewing research.
The Secret Narrative: The Stories
We Tell through Our Bodies
Michael Clemmens & Patrice Hamilton
Your body is a tremendous resource. It has been
present for every experience and stores the
memories of these events. Our physical presence, posture, and gestures and our tone of voice
and speech patterns all relay a message. We “tell”
others how to be with us and how to treat us by
this presence—our embodiment. What story
does your body tell the world about who you
are, your experience of the world, and how you
expect to be treated? Habitual beliefs and behaviors formed early in life lead to habitual ways of
responding that limit life experience. How has
your childhood, your primary relationships, and
the culture and environment you grew up in
informed who you are today?
Learning the language of your body opens a
doorway into clarifying the connection between
DOUG ELLIS
Explore the part of your consciousness not limited by space and time. There is no way to
understand the nonlocal, what traditionally has
been called the spiritual, as an abstraction. It has
to be experienced to be fully comprehended.
This workshop teaches you protocols to do that,
using paths grounded in science and also found
in both shamanic and spiritual traditions:
remote viewing, therapeutic intention/healing,
and psycho-physical self regulation. Stephan
Schwartz walks you through doing them, so that
you can have the actual experience. One of the
acknowledged founders of remote viewing, a
modern mental yoga, and a scientific approach
to experiencing the nonlocal, Stephan has spent
four decades studying meditation, healing, creativity, the power of intention, and how that is
successfully expressed to change culture. His
workshop is based on three things: years of scientific research; his study of shamanic and religious traditions throughout the world; and his
own personal experiences. The workshop systematically covers techniques for accessing the
nonlocal, and then follows with an experience
of what has just been discussed. You will do several remote viewings, experiencing consciousness outside of space time— experiences that can
be objectively validated. Then there will be an
intuitive diagnosis, and feedback given as to
accuracy. Stephan also shows how the individual experience expressed collectively shapes
culture, and how individuals and small groups
can and have changed history. You will leave
empowered to do the same. The workshop
closes with remote viewing your own future.
60
Michael Craig Clemmens, PhD, is a psychologist
and trainer in Pittsburgh, Pa. He is a faculty member
of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and teaches at the
Metanoia Institute in London. He is the author of
Getting Beyond Sobriety and numerous articles.
Patrice Hamilton has worked in the fields of education and counseling for more than 20 years. She holds
an MEd in counseling, is a certified Cortical Field
Reeducation practitioner and teacher, a certified
Hakomi Practitioner (The Refined Method), and is
trained in Esalen Massage.
The Extraordinary Couples Workshop
Anne Watts & Jason Weston
Do you remember the magic of the beginning of
your relationship, when just seeing your partner
got your adrenaline running? Perhaps you met
only weeks ago, or maybe years ago, and the
electricity is still there. Is it possible that the
“juice” can feel even more intense?
Presented by the Human Awareness Institute, The
Extraordinary Couples Workshop is designed
exclusively for couples, and focuses specifically on
couples’ issues. This workshop is very interactive
and experiential, and focuses on you and your
partner, with the goal of deepening and embodying love—between partners and within the self.
You will spend most of your time together, some
time alone, and time working in small groups and
the full group. It is open to adults of any sexual
orientation or gender identification.
The Couples Workshop creates a safe environment in which to explore your relationship
and take a fresh look at parts of it, regardless
of what state your relationship is currently in.
Participants may be couples who are at the
beginning of their relationship or who have
been together for many years; couples who are
already happy and loving; or couples who are
fighting or upset.
Couples whose relationships were faltering or
stalled (or just needed a boost, or were doing
great already) have come away more deeply in
love than they had ever been. For more information about the Human Awareness Institute, visit
www.hai.org.
Anne Watts was deeply influenced by her father, the
pioneering philosopher Alan Watts. She leads workshops on four continents, teaching adults to have
more loving, fulfilling relationships. Anne has been
leading Love, Intimacy and Sexuality workshops
since 1985. www.annewatts.com.
Jason Weston has more than 30 years of experience
with the Human Awareness Institute. He assists people
in creating the lives they really want by guiding them
to see and express their own beauty, power, and love. He
is the Executive Business Director for HAI Global.
DOUG ELLIS
body, mind, and spirit and can assist in increasing self-awareness, uncovering “the issues that
are in the tissues,” letting go of beliefs that no
longer serve you, and creating a different reality.
Join us as we explore our earliest movements
and learn within the safe context of the group
that which we learned in relationship to our
families and culture. Through mindfulness,
movement, and contact with others, we can
learn to move beyond limiting ways of responding we learned as a child. Literally rewiring our
nervous systems, we allow more functional
movement patterns and more nourishing relationships to develop.
Prime of Life Yoga™: Optimum Health
for Midlife and Beyond
Larry Payne & David Allen
Prime of Life Yoga reflects adaptations recommended for the majority of our population,
which is now in the second half of life. In a balanced format of lecture and movement, two
health professionals provide an introduction to
the Prime of Life Yoga lifestyle program. This
year’s lecture topics by Dr. David Allen include
the latest concepts on nutrition, mind-body medicine, and longevity. The yoga, taught by Larry
Payne, offers a safe, gentle, breath-oriented
approach based on the needs of participants and
inspired by the teachings of Indian yoga master
T.K.V. Desikachar. In addition to the emphasis on
breath and movement for general conditioning,
focus will be on movement of the spine, with
special consideration for lower and upper back
problems and chronic knee and hip ailments.
The workshop will also include effective stressreduction techniques, advanced breathing
methods simplified for all levels, biomechanical reeducation, healthy lifestyle tools, and
guided meditation.
Please note: This workshop is not recommended
for people with acute back problems. It is also
not recommended for those seeking a vigorous
yoga workout. For more information, call 1-800359-0171. Please bring your own yoga mat.
Larry Payne was named one of America’s most
respected yoga teachers by the Los Angeles Times.
He is coauthor of Yoga for Dummies and Yoga Rx,
and founder of Yoga Therapy Rx and Prime of Life
Yoga certification programs at Loyola Marymount
University. www.samata.com.
David Allen, a graduate of UCLA School of
Medicine, has 25 years of experience in anti-aging
and preventative medicine, as well as in alternative
treatment of acute and chronic diseases. He is boardcertified in emergency medicine, Chinese medicine,
acupuncture, homeopathy, and body-mind medicine.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Training
Mark Abramson
The impact of stress on health is well recognized. Now the efficacy of stress reduction as
an adjunct to medical treatment is being recognized in more and more health care settings.
In 1996 Dr. Mark Abramson founded a program
at Stanford University Medical Center using
the 2,500-year-old technique of Mindfulness
Meditation to train patients as an adjunct treatment for many different medical conditions.
Mindfulness is “nonjudgmental awareness.” This
requires one to pay attention to direct experience in the present moment, neither clinging to
what is perceived as pleasant nor reacting with
aversion toward what is perceived as unpleasant.
In both mental and physical stress, much of the
perpetuating cycle of pain or discomfort is a
result of one’s judgmental struggle to push away
what is experienced as unpleasant. Yet as one
becomes willing to directly meet the actual
experience, it becomes finite. One begins to see
that it can be workable to deal with a finite level
of discomfort one moment at a time.
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Approximately 3,000 people have taken this
training with Dr. Abramson. Most patients
report a significant increase in their ability to
manage their illness and significant reductions
in stress and physical complaints. Dr. Abramson
adds, “What I most appreciate is participants
reporting improved ability to respond to themselves with kindness and compassion.”
Recommended reading: Kabat-Zinn, Full
Catastrophe Living.
Mark Abramson is part of the Stanford Center for
Integrative Medicine and heads Stanford’s MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program. He teaches at Stanford’s
School of Medicine and is on staff at Stanford Hospital.
Integral Transformative Practice®:
Embodying 40 Years of the Esalen
Experience
Pam Kramer & Barry Robbins
Are you living the life you were most meant to
lead? Join us on a journey of transformation
through the use of meditative movement, visioning exercises, powerful affirmations, and the support of a warm-hearted community. In this experiential workshop, you’ll discover your infinite
capacity for creative evolution, get a clearer picture of your true nature and take home a daily
practice for ongoing integration of body, mind,
heart, and soul. Integral Transformative Practice
(ITP), the creation of Esalen Institute co-founder
Michael Murphy and President Emeritus George
Leonard, is a synthesis of their forty years of experience at Esalen. ITP is a well-researched program
that cultivates all aspects of your being and is
designed to increase your vitality, fulfillment,
and joy. Presented by senior ITP teachers Barry
Robbins and Pam Kramer, this workshop uses
Leonard Energy Training (LET) exercises to boost
your resilience and to help you solve everyday
challenges by tapping into your body’s vital flow
of energy. You will learn practices designed for
living life to the fullest and discover new capacities that you may have only dreamed were possible. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
• Practice the ITP Kata, a series of integrative,
fluid movements that include relaxation,
visualization and meditation
• Create affirmations for manifesting vital and
positive changes in your life
• Access your body’s wisdom through LET
• Master highly effective and peaceful
communication skills with yourself and others
• Discover the power of intentionality, deep
relaxation, and presence
The workshop involves physical movement
but it is not strenuous. All that’s needed is a
generous heart and a willingness to participate.
Recommended reading: Leonard and Murphy,
The Life We Are Given.
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 coled the longest-running ITP group in the
country. Pam is the president of ITP International.
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.
Come Celebrate Esalen’s 50th Anniversary!
This fall, join us for a two-part week celebrating our 50th Year.
“The Best of Esalen: A Moveable Feast” (see below)
Esalen’s 50th Anniversary Benefit Weekend: Honoring the Past,
Celebrating the Present, Creating the Future. (see facing page)
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Sunday, September 30 – Thursday, October 4
The Best of Esalen: A Moveable Feast
Esalen has always been a remarkable confluence of body, mind, spirit,
and community. Help us honor our past and welcome the next fifty
years by joining us for part or all of a four-day celebration for our 50th
year. Choose from a medley of uniquely Esalen offerings, including,
(but not limited to) extraordinary teachers and presentations, dance,
singing, yoga, and Gestalt, and more — plus time to enjoy the healing
hot springs, movement, massage, meditation, and food harvested
straight from our farm and garden.
This promises to be a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience, and,
for ease of scheduling and budget, you can join us for one, two,
three, or all four days of the event. Call 888-837-2536 to register.
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The Best of Esalen is offered for Personal Retreat prices plus a $25
per person per day activities fee. Room, board, and most activities
are included.
You may also choose to stay for the 50th Anniversary Benefit
Weekend starting on Thursday, October 4 – Sunday, October 7.
Tickets for special events and registration for the 50th Anniversary
Benefit Weekend are priced separately.
Visit our Birthday Party Week web page at www.esalen.org/esalen50th
for updates, news, and to plan your visit. You never know who might
show up for this party!
Esalen’s 50th Anniversary Benefit Weekend
Thursday, October 4 – Sunday, October 7
2012 presenters include:
A special 4-day event
Marianne Williamson, spiritual activist, author of the inter-
T
his year Esalen celebrates fifty years as a leader and catalyst
in the world of personal and social transformation. Concepts
and experiences that originated at Esalen have influenced a
vast spectrum of areas that are a vital part of the world stage today:
psychology, sustainability, health and healing, lifelong personal growth,
citizen diplomacy, and our common search for meaning through
religion, spirituality, and authentic personal commitments.
Join us to celebrate Esalen’s 50th Anniversary with a very special benefit
event This year Esalen welcomes an extraordinary group of presenters
to lead you on a wide-ranging journey of ideas, activism, and entertainment. Other activities include music and movement, yoga and meditation classes, a Big Sur nature hike, a silent and live auction featuring
Ashley Smith Johnson, an opportunity to engage with other Friends
of Esalen, to have fun, relax, enjoy the baths, meditate, and just be.
This intimate 4-day experience promises to inspire and empower, with
ample opportunity for questions, dialogue, informal conversation, and
reflection in the magical setting of Esalen. With the guiding hand of
our facilitator Ken Dychtwald, each of us may find new opportunities
to make a difference in these unprecedented times— through philanthropy and through our own roles as change agents and leaders.
national bestseller A Return to Love, lectures widely and
founded The Peace Alliance and Project Angel Food. She
has been a popular guest on television programs such as
Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America and
Charlie Rose.
Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at the Goldman
School at the University of California at Berkeley. He has
served in three national administrations, most recently
as Secretary of Labor under President Clinton and is
author of several books including Supercapitalism.
Byron Katie is founder of The Work, a simple yet revolu-
tionary process of inquiry, and author or coauthor of
four best-selling books: Loving What Is; I Need Your Love—
Is That True?; A Thousand Names for Joy; and Who Would
You Be Without Your Story?
is founder and president of the non-profit
Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito,
Calif. He is a clinical professor of medicine at the
University of California, San Francisco. He is an author
and leading expert on fighting illness with dietary and
lifestyle changes.
Dean Ornish
Michael Krasny is a professor of literature at San Francisco
State University and an award-winning broadcaster who
hosts the weekday talk program Forum on KQED radio,
the San Francisco National Public Radio affiliate. He is
also the author of Sound Ideas and Spiritual Envy.
Anna Halprin was named one of
MICHAEL MURPHY, ANNA HALPRIN, CHUNGLIANG AL HUANG, KEN DYCHTWALD, ROBERT REICH, ASHLEY SMITH JOHNSON
“America’s 100
Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage
Coalition. She has created revolutionary directions for
the art form and inspired fellow choreographers to take
modern dance to new dimensions. She founded the San
Francisco Dancer’s Workshop in 1955 and the Tamalpa
Institute in 1978 with her daughter Daria.
Chungliang Al Huang teaches Tai Ji philosophy, East/West
Register early—this unique event will sell out. The cost is
$2,070/person for shared room ($1,000 tax deductible);
$2,950 guaranteed single (limited availability, $1,500 tax
deductible). Call the number below for pricing on our premium rooms. Staying off-property rate (includes entire program
and food): $1,583/person ($1,000 tax deductible).
To learn more and register, please call 831-667-3032 or email
nancy.worcester@esalen.org.
synthesis, and the art of movement meditation. He is
the founder-president of the Living Tao Foundation and
director of Lan Ting Institute in the Sacred Mountains
of China.
Michael Murphy is Esalen’s co-founder, an author, head of
Esalen's Center for Theory & Research and leader of a
new human story, integrating consciousness studies,
science, political realities, and spiritual practices.
Ken Dychtwald (emcee) is a gerontologist, psychologist,
author of 13 books, and the nation’s foremost authority
on the economic and cultural effects of the “age wave.”
For up-to-date information please visit www.esalen.org/benefit.
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DOUG ELLIS
Week of October 7–12
Straw into Gold: The Alchemy of Memoir
Katy Butler
Do you have a story you are longing to tell? This
is your chance to take a great leap forward with
the help of a memoirist whose writing has
appeared in The New Yorker and The New York
Times Magazine. In a spirit of spontaneous play,
using prompts and free-writing, we’ll first let the
pen glide rapidly over the paper in short bursts.
Be prepared to be surprised by what turns up,
and to draw deeply from wells unfamiliar to
you. Later, you’ll spin straw into gold, refining
first drafts and long-held memories into polished scenes that can electrify other readers,
even strangers. The workshop will pay careful
attention to questions of craft, voice, and narrative structure. This is a perfectionism-free zone.
Nothing is off-limits. Although this workshop is
not therapy, writing your truth and unleashing
your creativity can be joyful and, almost by accident, therapeutic. You may tame your inner critic, heal your heart, and take home tools that
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deepen and enliven everything you write from
now on. Be prepared for a personal writing
breakthrough. This workshop is suitable for
beginning and experienced writers. Please bring
250 pages of lined paper, a favorite passage of
published memoir, and plenty of smooth-flowing pens.
Katy Butler is an award-winning writer and teacher
whose personal essays and journalism are widely published and anthologized in many places, including
Best American Essays 2011, Best Science
Writing 2011 and Best Buddhist Writing 2006.
She was a finalist for a National Magazine Award.
Healing Art of Deep Bodywork:
Healing the Back, Shoulders and Hips
Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman
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 in turn becomes available to support the body’s innate capacity to self
organize and self heal, enabling practitioners to
support clients in overcoming previously stubborn, seemingly intractable physical conditions.
This program, designed for professional massage
and bodywork practitioners, will focus on
exploring the modality of deep bodywork as a
healing art, and 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,
the demand for practitioners who have mastered the art of moving deeply into the body
with skill and sensitivity is growing.
Our areas of focus will include relieving chronic
and acute pain in the back, and around the
major joints of the shoulder and hip. We will
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 to be most
effective.
The teachers will be available to answer questions of specific interest to students as they arise
during our practice sessions. Professional massage experience is highly recommended for this
advanced level class.
rather than fear, assertion rather than suspicion.
We will follow our instincts for pleasure into
moments of wholeness.”
Come alone or with an intimate.
Please visit www.deepbodywork.com for more
information.
Recommended reading: Hunt & Paine-Gernée,
Emotional Healing and Secrets to Tell, Secrets to
Keep.
Recommended viewing: (DVD) Deep Bodywork I:
Healing the Back, Shoulders and Hips, available at
www.deepbodywork.com.
Terry Hunt is a licensed psychologist and certified
Perry Holloman has been a teacher and practitioner
of Esalen® Massage, Deep Bodywork, and body-oriented approaches to Gestalt therapy for more than 20
years. He teaches in the US, Asia, and Europe, and
makes his home in Big Sur, Calif.
Johanna Holloman is a German-born clinical psychologist, Diamond Approach® teacher, and certified
Esalen® Massage and Deep Bodywork instructor,
teaching at Esalen and internationally. She is a yoga
teacher (E-RYT 500) and created the Esalen In-house
Yoga training program.
Bioenergetic therapist with a private practice in
Boston. He is coauthor of Emotional Healing,
Secrets to Tell, Secrets to Keep, and Addiction
as Transformation. His life work revolves around
the enhancement of vitality in everyday lives.
Terry Hunt
This workshop is about healthy relationships—
in love, in friendship, in daily life. The focus is
on how to nurture our own vitality in situations
where we long for connections that are more
real, more safe, or more rewarding.
Pleasure is essential for healthy relationships.
Add the erotic element and the potential for
pleasure grows exponentially. But whether in
love or friendship, in same- or opposite-gender
relationships, the reality of sustaining delight in
one another is often a mystery and a struggle.
We substitute old avoidance patterns for intimacy as we play out the Good Girl and Super Guy
roles we developed during traumatic childhoods
and adolescences. Or we repeatedly act out of
fear, sadness, or rage, keeping our relationships
locked in the “cultural missionary position.”
Giving up carefully honed pain-avoidant habits
releases new energies for the pursuit of personal
fulfillment in relationships.
This workshop is designed to help you identify
myths that block the flow of joy. Terry Hunt
writes, “Together we will redefine the role of
pleasure in our lives and create updated images
of our sexual and sensual selves. We will explore
new language that more honestly communicates our desires. We will encourage each other
to approach our gender gaps with intention
Please note: Advance approval and prior
Continuum experience is required. Please contact the Continuum Studio and speak to Donna
at 310-593-4651 before registering for this course.
Participants are encouraged to register early.
is the founder of Continuum. Her
work has been incorporated by international professionals in rolfing, craniosacral, osteopathy, physical
therapy, dance, and psychoneuroimmunology, among
others. Emilie is the author of Life on Land.
Emilie Conrad
October 12–19
The Future of the Body:
A Continuum Workshop
Emilie Conrad
I-You-Us: Pleasure, Intimacy and the
Search for Connectedness
beyond time/space. Like trees growing their
roots farther into the earth with branches that
spread eagerly toward the sky, we, in fact, have
the same ability and purpose. It is time for us to
claim our birthright and its future. For more
information about Continuum, please visit
www.continuummovement.com.
Since 1967, Emilie Conrad has been a pioneer
in somatic studies. She founded Continuum,
through which she teaches that as humans we
are fundamentally an expression of an emergent
planetary process. Our bodies are a continuum
of a boundless intelligence that permeates every
cell, every nerve fiber, every neuron with the
memory of its own source.
Cells thrive through communal resonance, creating a range of inclusion that increases their
function and viability. Cellular resonance at the
human level allows for a larger body in which a
greater field carries the opportunity of restorative health.
Vocal sounds are used to stir the magnificent
fluid that resides within our tissues. When
awakened, the primary choreographer of our
bio-sphere begins its remarkable dance as our
bodies become glistening examples of timeless
shifts.
We learn that our spines are our “cosmic antennae” as we adventure through the miracle of
undulating vertebral play. Our heads become
chambers of discovery, our throats the song of
trees and wind, our hands and feet reflect the
nuanced array of unburdened movements—we
are now free to move among the many streams
of what it means to be alive.
Like awakening from a deep sleep, we comprehend that our systems were designed to continue interactions with the environment far
The Artplane Painting Workshop:
Artful Life
Nicholas Wilton & Jennie Oppenheimer
This workshop is a playful exploration of the
creative image-making process. Utilizing
imagery inspired from our own personal stories
and life experience, we will engage in a handson exploration of fundamental painting principles. Throughout the week, we will work on a
series of small paintings on wood panels, often
working on several pieces simultaneously, leaving little time to worry about success or failure.
We will also explore how themes of change and
spontaneity enable us to create our own unique
artwork, and illuminate life lessons inherent in
the creative process. We seek to engage both
sides of the brain, inviting mistakes, intuition,
and spontaneity, along with our knowledge of
the six Artplane principles: value, design, color,
texture, risk, and soul. Generous time will be
given for experimentation with new tools, mediums, and techniques. Join us as we celebrate a
process of inspiration, reclamation, and the journey of self-discovery through painting. This
workshop is designed for people from a wide
variety of disciplines. All skill levels are welcome. For more information, visit www.artplaneworkshop.com.
($80 materials fee paid directly to leaders
includes everything needed for the course)
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.
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Jennie Oppenheimer’s work, a playful 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.
Weekend of October 12–14
Everyday Spontaneity:
Improvising Our Lives
Patricia Ryan Madson
This weekend is especially for those who cannot
imagine themselves as improvisers. Join Stanford
professor and award-winning author Patricia
Ryan Madson, who will shepherd participants
with a gentle hand and a twinkle in her eye.
Imagining can be as effortless as breathing.
Come and kindle the spark of the spontaneous
life.
Recommended reading: Madson, Improv
Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up; Johnstone,
Impro: Improvisation and Theatre.
Patricia Ryan Madson, an Emerita professor from
Stanford, is the founder of the Stanford Improvisers
and a certified Constructive Living instructor.
Winner of the 1998 Dinkelspiel Award for innovation in undergraduate education, she is author of
Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up.
Being Present for Your Life: Introduction
to Mindfulness Meditation
James Baraz
How much are you present for your own life?
Most of us spend more time in our own inner
world—worrying about the future, replaying the
past, or lost in fantasy—than experiencing what
life is offering to us right now. The present
moment is where we can most directly be intimate with our life—touched by beauty and intimacy, while learning through the difficult
lessons how to open our hearts.
Mindfulness—or vipassana—meditation is the
practice described by the Buddha for developing
wisdom, compassion, and peace by learning to
be mindful of what is actually happening in the
present moment. Using the breath, body sensations, thoughts, and emotions as objects of
attention, we can learn to be more fully awake.
DOUG ELLIS
“Improvising asks us not to be clever but rather
to be awake,” says Patricia Ryan Madson. “It calls
upon us to access our common-sense intelligence as well as our chutzpah. Sometimes as we
age, the world starts to become gray and serious.
We lose touch with our capacity for delight and
play. Fortunately there is a yellow brick road
back to this place of color and adventure: The
world of improvisation offers a metaphor and a
practice that can renew our vision and crack
open our hearts to unexpected insights.
“We will explore the terrain of saying YES, making mistakes, and learning how to work with a
partner. The games and exercises focus on seeing what is inherently real around us. Improv
teaches us to use what we have and to make an
artful life from what comes to us unexpectedly.
We will tell stories, find gifts, and above all, learn
to trust our own voices. Life lessons emerge as
we laugh, play, flounder, fall, pick ourselves up,
and help others to do so.”
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When we see directly that the nature of reality
is change, we begin to let go of clinging to the
pleasant or avoiding the unpleasant. We become
more capable of meeting each situation with
spontaneity, fearlessness, and love.
Participants will be introduced to this meditation practice and the principles on which it is
based. There will be periods of silent sitting and
walking meditation as well as discussion, providing a foundation for applying mindfulness
practice to everyday life.
Recommended Reading: Baraz and Alexander,
Awakening Joy: 10 Steps that will Put You on the
Road to Real Happiness; Goldstein, The Experience
of Insight; Salzberg, Real Happiness.
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 with Shoshana
Alexander.
A Renaissance In Herbal Medicine
Brian Kie Weissbuch
For over 13,000 years, herbal medicine has been
a primary healing art. Practitioners have studied,
practiced, and taught succeeding generations
in extended apprenticeships, with empirical
and clinical knowledge accumulating over the
centuries. Today modern scientific research
and technology provides an evidence-based
approach to herbal safety and efficacy. The
union of empiricism with laboratory and clinical studies provides validation for many herbal
treatments and opens new avenues of discovery.
In this seminar, we will explore the glorious
garden, canyon, and trails of Esalen and learn to
identify plants and discern their proper usage.
Topics include botany, pharmacognosy/laboratory and clinical studies, traditional and modern
uses, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and
western herbal energetics, safety, rational usage
of medicinal plants, and when to seek professional help. Please bring layers of clothing and
comfortable walking shoes. We’ll have indoor
presentations during our evening sessions. This
seminar is open to everyone and does not
require previous experience. We utilize stories
and case histories to personalize each plant.
Yoga Psychology: Authenticity and
Reality-Based Spirituality
James Bailey
“The term reality-based spirituality is a simple
way of saying that the work in yoga and in spiritual life in general is in the here-and-now, contained within the real issues before us: relationships, our thoughts, conditioned reactions, trauma, ego defensiveness, shame, shadow elements
of our life, attachments, addictions, denial, etc.,”
James Bailey writes. “In contrast, there are yogis
out there who devote themselves to teachers
and hindu deities and sadly avoid the real issues
right in front of them. They can recite the
Hanuman Chalisa 108 times every morning but
they’re still angry with their mothers and can’t
hold a stable relationship. Yoga was designed
traditionally to be a practice of consciousness
and was largely a psychological set of techniques
and tools.
“In my work I have refined the traditional psychological methods of Patanjali’s yoga and found
ways to make it relevant and applicable in these
times. This course is an exploration into the psychological teachings and practices of yoga.
Participants can expect a combination of lecture,
dialogue, and meditation practices. Most of the
study will be from the pratyahara limb of yoga,
which teaches sensory awareness, witnessing,
detachment, and withdrawal methods that are
applicable to daily living beyond yoga practice.
There will be no asana/physical postures practice. Participants will go home with a clear
understanding of how the mind works and how
yoga works as a mindfulness practice.”
CE credit for acupuncturists pending.
James Bailey, LAc, Dipl OM, Dipl Ayu, E-RYT
is a licensed practitioner of Ayurveda and Oriental
Medicine and has been teaching yoga philosophy and
advanced yoga worldwide for nearly 20 years. He specializes in eastern teachings. He teaches internationally and maintains a private practice in Pacific
Palisades, Calif.
Fundamentals of Esalen® Massage
Daniela Urbassek & Robin Fann-Costanzo
This workshop will introduce the core concepts
of Esalen Massage. Through brief lectures and
demonstrations, and with plenty of personal
supervision of hands-on work, the workshop
will present essential tools and information,
including the long, balancing strokes and gentle
stretches that are the foundation of Esalen bodywork. The principle elements of bodywork,
including breath awareness, grounding, move-
ment, and quality of touch will also be introduced and practiced, creating a firm foundation
for learning massage. Come prepared to enjoy
the healing waters of the natural hot springs and
the magical beauty of the Esalen grounds. All
levels of experience are welcome. Please bring
your favorite CDs for massage and dance.
Daniela Urbassek bio on page 50.
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.
Yoga Practice: Refining and
Magnifying Body, Mind and Spirit
Thomas Michael Fortel
“One of the fundamental tenets of yoga philosophy,” writes Thomas Fortel, “is that every human
being is, at core, an expression of divine light
and love. The yogis refer to this as the Supreme
Self or Inner Self. We can imagine it as consciousness expressing itself as an individual.
Many of us glimpse this from time to time, but
the thrust of our journey is to honestly address
the physical, mental, and emotional toxicity that
covers up our inner luminosity. This is the necessary paradigm shift as we move into a fuller
expression of our true nature.
“Yoga practice is a double-edged sword requiring
both effort and surrender. Effort is necessary as
we purify, refine, and integrate body, mind, emotion, and spirit. Surrender is critical in the face
of alchemical transformation; letting go leads us
into the restoration and edification of our true
nature, divine light. These principles unfold in
the yoga room as we place our bodies into postures (asanas), focus our awareness on breath
(pranayama), and enter the sanctuary of the
heart (meditation or dyana).”
Everyone is welcome. Please have a minimum of
three months of recent yoga experience. Please
bring a yoga mat.
Thomas Michael Fortel is a longtime yoga practi-
tioner/teacher, influenced by the Iyengar, Ashtanga,
and Anusara styles of Hatha yoga, and drawing from
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his devotional experience in Bhakti yoga. He travels
widely, sharing his love for yoga.
Spirit Songs: Freeing Your Voice
through the Power of Gospel
Vernon Bush
Do you want to feel musical and spiritual freedom in every cell of your body? Connecting to
your spirit through song, gospel rhythm, and
spontaneity is what this lively, heart-opening
workshop is all about. You can experience inthe-moment expression and give your dreams
voice with joy and laughter. Get ready to dive
into rhythm, singing, and dancing from a personal spiritual place. You will explore gospel and
inspirational music, powerful breathing techniques, song arrangement, improvisation, harmony, and also learn how to truly listen to yourself and others to free the voice that is uniquely
and exclusively yours. All levels are welcome.
Vernon Bush is a singer/songwriter, recording artist,
musical director, and educator who has taught the
power of reclaiming your voice through singing for
more than 20 years to many individuals around
the world. He also is a featured vocalist at Glide
Memorial Church in San Francisco. www.vernonbush.com.
Healing Traumatized Hearts:
The Power of Attachment, Intimacy
and Autonomy
JoAnna Chartrand & Dyrian Benz
Love and a sense of belonging are the cornerstones to fulfilling relationships throughout life.
When the flow of love and acceptance is interrupted, especially through traumatic events, the
soul and the family soul suffer.
With Relational Constellations we uncover the
disturbances and entanglements so that we, as
well as our family members, can find strength,
value, dignity, love, and a deeper sense of belonging. At the same time constellations also look
for resources of strength and potential that may
help us in dealing with any issue at hand.
The body is the reservoir for somatic-based
memories of trauma going back many generations. The hidden memories are locked into the
fibers of our bodies. Historical amnesia burdens
our hearts, minds, and bodies, establishing
repetitive patterns and familial dynamics that
are at the source of suffering. In Relational
Constellations we aim to reconcile this intergenerational stress, trauma, and suffering. Traumatic
experiences in the nervous system and in our
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consciousness are passed on through the
generations (epigenetics), and they need to be
processed. We want to find ways to help love
flow freely again. We will include Powerpoint
presentations, family and systemic constellations, mindful and somatic practices, and focus
on how to deal with bonding attachment trauma. By exploring relationships, family, ancestors,
and trauma, we are looking at loss of connection
to ourselves, to our family soul, to our surroundings, and to embodied presence.
JoAnna Chartrand is a European-trained 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.
Dyrian Benz bio on page 46.
The Refined Hakomi Method of
Body-Centered Self-Discovery
Adama Hamilton
Healing isn’t just about telling our stories. It’s
about remembering what happened in a new
way. It happens through re-experiencing and
re-consolidating old memories with the guidance
and loving support from those around you.
—Ron Kurtz, creator of Hakomi
The Refined Hakomi Method embraces new
and powerful concepts based on the principles
of mindfulness, nonviolence, and mind-body
holism, including recent discoveries in neurology. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, the
Refined Method is a simple, elegant, and powerful method of assisted self-discovery.
This five-day Hakomi retreat offers The Refined
Hakomi Method. This method is the latest version of Hakomi, developed and fine-tuned by
Ron for more than forty years. During our time
together, we will explore the details and innovations that define the legacy and full refinement
of Ron’s life’s work.
The Refined Hakomi Method is easy to understand and apply for anyone who is passionate
about their personal growth and awareness and
wants to help others. No formal background in
medicine or psychology is required. The course
will include many experiential exercises,
demonstrations, videos of Ron working, and
discussions of principles and techniques.
Participants will learn how to create the safety
required to release core emotional blocks, weave
together elements that reconsolidate past mem-
ories, and support the spontaneous and lasting
re-patterning of core beliefs. Opportunities for
profound personal growth and nourishment
will be offered and received, while participants
are taught one of the most respected and powerfully innovative holistic methods of our time.
Recommended reading: Writings from Ron
Kurtz, available at www.hakomi.com.
Adama Hamilton apprenticed and cotaught with
Ron Kurtz, originator of The Hakomi Method, during the last eight years of Ron’s life. Along with
Marina McDonald, he was entrusted to teach Ron’s
refinements and methodology the way Ron saw it at
its most polished. www.ronkurtzcenter.com.
The Dancing Buddha: Meditation,
Movement and the Divine Abodes
of the Heart
Heather Munro Pierce & Donald Rothberg
In this workshop, we will combine traditional
Buddhist practice of the “Divine Abodes” (brahmavihara) of lovingkindness, compassion, joy,
and equanimity, with movement meditation and
ecstatic dance, to help us access and cultivate
these wonderful and transformative qualities of
the open heart. We will particularly focus on
developing embodied expressions of these four
abodes based on our understanding that embodied practices are the key to making the qualities
real in our daily lives.
Most of the workshop will involve silent practice and spaciously guided freeform movement
meditation and ecstatic dance to music, complemented by talks. There will also be some time
for discussion and interactive exercises. We will
begin with a foundational emphasis on mindfulness and embodiment. We will then build on
this foundation by bringing in, over the five
days, teachings and practices on the “Divine
Abodes” and explorations of these themes
through dance. We will emphasize especially
how lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity interpenetrate each other as they
become more mature and how these qualities
might be further expressed in our daily lives.
Come join us in celebration and inspiration as
we evoke the depths of our hearts through
silence and sound, stillness and movement.
Movers and meditators of all levels are welcome.
Please Note: Some mornings will be in silence
and there will be optional sessions offered
before breakfast.
STEVEN HARPER
Heather Munro Pierce is the founder of
TransDance® and has led inspirational, transformative, and healing movement for more than 20 years.
Her passion for movement springs from her own
experience with dance as a path to healing, health,
and wholeness. www.TransDance.com.
Donald Rothberg, PhD, is the author of The
Engaged Spiritual Life, coeditor of Ken Wilber in
Dialogue, and a member of the Spirit Rock Teachers
Council in northern California. He teaches meditation, daily-life practice, and engaged spirituality.
www.donaldrothberg.com.
The Art of Leadership:
Communication, Creativity and Vision
Ronald Alexander
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities
While in the expert’s mind there are few.
—Suzuki
This workshop is for individuals who are inter-
ested in exploring an intensive experiential
process to become more effective as mindful
leaders both in personal and professional life
settings. Designed for entrepreneurs, executives,
managers, and others committed to improving
their communication and leadership skills, it is
especially intended for those open to doing
deep personal work to transform the self. The
major areas of focus will be resolving conflict,
developing trust with those who feel threatened,
addressing blind spots in self-esteem, healing
blocks in creativity, and building support for
transforming vision into reality.
The workshop includes Gestalt open-seat work,
sharing feedback on leadership and communication styles, improving coaching skills, developing the unconscious to creatively solve problems, mindfulness meditation practice, and roleplaying exercises for real-life work situations.
We will also explore the functions of building
and shaping mindstrength, a power tool for
change that enables you to enter and lead from
the state of Big Mind, Wise Mind, and Open
Mind. Enrollment is limited to thirty-five participants.
Recommended reading: Alexander,Wise Mind
Open Mind; Heider, The Tao of Leadership; Bennis,
On Becoming A Leader; Goss, The Last Word on
Power.
Ronald Alexander, PhD, is the director of the Open
Mind Training Institute, and leads trainings internationally in mindfulness, mind-body therapies, and
transformational leadership. He is the author of Wise
Mind Open Mind. www.ronaldalexander.com.
Civilized to Death
Christopher Ryan
Comedian Louis CK said, “Everything’s amazing,
but nobody’s happy.” In this workshop, we’ll
explore why this is so by looking at points of conflict between the creature we evolved to be and
the “civilized” life we’re expected to live in the
modern world. These conflicts create psychological, emotional, and physical trauma from which
we all suffer to some extent every day of our lives.
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CHRISTY HENGOT
By elaborating a holistic understanding of the
evolutionary trajectory of Homo sapiens, and
viewing that trajectory in the context of contemporary life, we’ll learn to anticipate and possibly mitigate these conflicts. We’ll look at many
aspects of the life cycle, from how we exercise to
how we work, from our sexuality to our diets,
from the way we’re born to how we die.
In this interactive workshop, the group will
help determine which aspects of life we’re going
to examine in most detail. We’ll begin with an
in-depth look at the physical and social world in
which our ancestors evolved and then examine
our own lives, looking for often surprising
sources of discontent. We’ll then work on generating novel approaches to resolving these conflicting demands.
The workshop will be especially valuable for
therapists and clinicians seeking a systemic
understanding of the sources of dis-ease in their
clients, as well as for anyone looking for a comprehensive understanding of what kind of ani-
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mal Homo sapiens really is, how and why we
became that way, and how we might create a
healthier, more human and humane world for
future generations.
those touched by cancer. Starting with their
own individual lifestyles, participants will learn
specific recommendations for living the anticancer life, from diet to mind-body practices.
Chaoul and Cohen will present the most recent
scientific evidence that demonstrates the link
between lifestyle and cancer and how this
empowers us to create change in our lives. The
workshop will address four main areas where
we can change our risk of cancer and influence
outcomes for those with cancer: diet/nutrition,
physical activity, stress management, and social
network. Participants will leave the workshop
with an increased knowledge of cancer and how
to increase the odds of preventing cancer and
improving outcomes. Participants will learn
about simple, tasty, and healthy eating; how to
incorporate physical activity into aspects of
everyday life; how to harness and expand the
benefits of one’s social network; and how to use
mind-body practices as part of a daily routine to
foster inner calm. The leaders will emphasize
concepts of mindfulness throughout the week-
Christopher Ryan, PhD, coauthored Sex at Dawn
with Cacilda Jethá. An interdisciplinary and multicultural scholar, he specializes in the prehistoric roots
of human sexuality and distinguishing the human
from the cultural. He’s been featured on NPR,
Oprah, in the New York Times, and elsewhere.
http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-dawn.
Living the Anticancer Lifestyle
Alejandro Chaoul & Lorenzo Cohen
During this weekend, Drs. Alejandro Chaoul
and Lorenzo Cohen will discuss the current
worldwide cancer epidemic and how to lower
your risks of cancer and improve outcomes for
end and the ways this important construct will
ultimately lead to success in living the anticancer life. The workshop will take advantage
of Esalen’s beautiful environment, activities,
and nutritious food to enhance the learning
experience.
M. Alejandro Chaoul, PhD, has studied with emi-
nent teachers of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon for more
than 20 years, including Lopon Tenzin Namdak.
He teaches internationally and is assistant professor
at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center, where he conducts research and holds a clinic
in mind-body practices as part of the Integrative
Medicine Center.
Lorenzo Cohen is professor and director of the
Integrative Medicine Program at The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Cohen conducts research examining the biobehavioral effects of
programs aimed at reducing the negative aspects of
cancer treatment and improving quality of life and
clinical outcomes. www.mdanderson.org/integrativemed.
Yoga One on One:
The Art of Teaching Privately
Julie Wald
Teaching yoga one on one, whether it is in the
context of a yoga experience or any therapeutic
relationship, requires a unique skill set. In this
workshop designed for yoga teachers, social
workers, and psychotherapists, Julie Wald presents important material that is not discussed
in yoga teacher training programs or graduate
schools, and reveals the secret to meeting people
where they are and using yoga to create transformational experiences. Informed by her background as a psychotherapist and mentor for
teachers at her company, Namaste New York,
Julie shows you how to approach working with
people from a holistic and nonjudgmental perspective.
Topics covered in the workshop include how to:
• Develop the ability to quickly assess your
clients’ needs
• Know what it means to meet your clients
where they are, and the value of doing so
• Address the physical, emotional, and spiritual
needs of your clients with confidence and
compassion
• Work intuitively
• Provide clients with real tools to cultivate a
greater sense of wellbeing
This special workshop teaches you how to give
and receive more as a teacher or therapist and
enables you to build, enhance or refine your
practice with joy and excitement.
Others, he is a recipient of the prestigious APF
Cummings Psyche Prize for lifetime contributions to
the role of psychologists in organized healthcare.
Carol A. Erickson, MSW, is a licensed marriage and
family therapist and clinical social worker based in
Northern California. The oldest daughter of Milton
H. Erickson, MD, she has taught therapy and hypnosis workshops worldwide.
Julie Wald, CSW, RYT, founded Namaste New York,
and teaches private yoga to leaders in business, philanthropy, and the arts in NYC. Julie’s work is influenced by her former practice as a therapist, life coach,
meditator, and mother, and by her deep love for her
students.
Integrated Brief Therapy:
Michael Hoyt & Carol Erickson
How we look influences what we see, and what
we see influences what we do. Some stories are
better than others, some ways of looking and
acting are more invigorating and rewarding
than others. People often come to therapy when
their ways of looking aren’t getting them what
they want. They come looking for a new story,
a new perception, a new way of understanding—
which can lead to new behaviors and new outcomes.
Many therapies involve brief lengths of treatment, including a single session. In this workshop for therapists and other healing professionals, a structure will be presented for organizing the tasks and skills involved in different
phases (pre-, early, middle, late, follow-through)
of therapy. Drawing from the work of Milton
Erickson and others, numerous case examples
will illustrate brief therapy techniques (including goal setting, seeding, utilization, reframing,
suggestion, hypnosis, storytelling, future pacing)
that can be useful both in initial sessions and in
the course of longer treatments. Participants
will learn productive therapist attitudes, methods for finding a focus, and ways of facilitating
clients’ strengths and resources. They will gain
skills associated with different phases of treatment, including recognizing why and how to
end therapy successfully, and have fun!
Recommended reading: Hoyt, Brief
Psychotherapies; Haley, Uncommon Therapy: The
Psychiatric Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, MD;
Short, et al, Hope and Resiliency: Understanding the
Psychotherapeutic Strategies of Milton H. Erickson,
MD.
Michael Hoyt, PhD, is a pioneering brief therapist.
The author of Brief Psychotherapies: Principles &
Practices and Some Stories Are Better than
Create Personal Divinatory Cards with
SoulCollage®
Seena Frost & Mariabruna Sirabella
Imagine spending a creative weekend beginning to collage (or continuing to collage) your
own deck of imaginal cards. You will browse
through piles of images and find those that call
to you. They could be images that represent
some of the many guides, allies, and challengers
active in your soul. Using these images you will
collage cards that depict your personality parts,
your archetypal guides, your energetic companion animals, and even some of the sentient
beings that have loved, taught, and challenged
you. Along with time for creating cards will be
time to gather in small groups and speak from
your images. You will be surprised by the wisdom that bubbles up from your deep soul when
you step imaginatively into an image and speak
to a question from this new perspective. A supportive community listening as witnesses and
scribing your words will help make this a memorable experience.
For people new to SoulCollage, we will give
explanations of the four suits and the three
transpersonal cards that are in a typical
SoulCollage deck. For advanced SoulCollagers,
there will be additional work with the founder
of the process, Seena Frost. The process is based
on the work of C.G. Jung, James Hillman, psychosynthesis, and more. For more information,
visit www.soulcollage.com.
Seena Frost, LMFT, MDiv, is a clinician, teacher,
poet, and gardener from California, and the founder
of the SoulCollage® process. She wrote SoulCollage®
Evolving and has recorded several CDs. Currently
she trains SoulCollage® facilitators. www.soulcollage.com.
Mariabruna Sirabella, LMFT, MS, is an artist, edu-
cator, and SoulCollage® trainer. Her clinical work
blends ancient wisdom and Jungian humanistic psychology aimed at soul mentorship. She founded
BodYnvocations™: Imagination in Motion. For her
CDs and articles visit www.sirarte.com.
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The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral
Therapy 2
Eric Moya
CranioSacral Therapy 2 studies cranial-base
dysfunctions as diagnosed and treated by Dr.
William Sutherland, the “father” of cranial
osteopathy. The course material and hands-on
sessions will focus on cranial-base dysfunctions,
the masticatory system-hard palate, mandible
and temporomandibular joint; whole body
evaluation; and the energy cyst with regional
unwinding. An introduction to SomatoEmotional Release will also be presented.
The prerequisite for this course is Upledger’s
Institute CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1) and
thorough working knowledge of the 10-Step
Protocol.
accommodations at Esalen course fees and
accommodations are separate). Please see accommodations costs under “Pricing for Partner
Recommended reading: Upledger & Vredevoogd,
CranioSacral Therapy (chapters 7–15); Upledger,
CranioSacral Therapy II: Beyond the Dura (chapter 3).
Eric Moya, MFCT, CST-D, is a career manual ther-
apist, instructor for the Upledger Institute, and mental health therapist specializing in mind/body awareness and growth. Eric is also director of education at
the Esalen Institute, where he oversees staff and student development.
Alchemical Healing: Entering the Inner
Laboratory of the Soul
Benjamin Fox & Lorie Dechar
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.
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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.
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.
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.
Awake in the Wild:
Meditation in Nature at Esalen
Mark Coleman
Following ancient spiritual traditions that
value the transformative power of nature, this
experiential workshop will be spent meditating
outdoors in the natural beauty and mystery of
Esalen. Whether it is during a sunset meditation, listening to the soothing sounds of the
ocean, or sitting graced in the stillness of
cypress trees, we will open to the profound
serenity and wisdom of nature. We will learn
about the practice of mindfulness—the capacity
to be present to ourselves and our environment,
and then learn how to apply this receptivity to
developing a contemplative relationship with
nature. By cultivating this inner quiet and open
curious spirit outdoors, we can learn from
nature and deepen our connection and appreciation of the earth in which we live. We can discover how meditative time outdoors leads to
beautiful states of joy, peace, wonder, love, and
connection with oneself, one another, and the
larger web of life.
During the week, there will be nature-based
meditations, individual and group exercises, and
talks on meditation and nature. There will be
time to relish the silence outdoors and ample
opportunity to explore and discuss the art of
meditation in nature. This workshop is appropriate for beginning and experienced meditators
who are curious about meditation, mindfulness,
and how to deepen our connection with the
beauty and mystery of the natural world. Be prepared for unexpected rapture, delight, mystery,
and stillness. Please bring comfortable layers of
clothing and be prepared for cool or warm days
spent outside.
Recommended reading: Coleman, Awake in the
Wild.
Mark Coleman is author of Awake in the Wild. He
has studied Buddhist meditation since 1984. He is a
Spirit Rock meditation teacher and has led wilderness
meditation retreats from Alaska to Peru. Mark is also
a coach and therapist. www.awakeinthewild.com.
Living in Gratitude
Joe Cavanaugh
Gratefulness is the key to joy. Joy is the happiness that
doesn’t depend on what happens.
—Brother David Steindl-Rast
Many ancient wisdom traditions refer to the
natural state of the human psyche as joy, peace,
and love. The Greek word psyche means soul, and
the essence of the soul is love. Yet, simply by living in a world of uncertainty, we all have experienced some wounding of the heart, which causes us to retract our love to protect against further hurt.
When we hold on to our stories from the past,
we perpetuate our suffering in the present and
alienate ourselves from our natural state of love
and joy. Utilizing group processes including
Gestalt, psychodrama, and meditation, this
workshop will assist you in working through
self-imposed limitations to release the burden of
the past. It will provide participants, including
mental health professionals, with the skills necessary to identify and overcome self-defeating
thoughts and behaviors, shift the emotional
meaning of past experiences to enhance person-
al growth, and develop a healthy internal support system and cohesive sense of self.
Songs of the Heart: A Songwriter’s
Inspiration and Craft
When we empty ourselves of stories from our
past, we open to the wellspring of joy and gratefulness (great-full-ness) that spontaneously arises in the present moment from the core of our
being. In this state of gratitude (Latin, gratia, “to
give thanks”) we recognize that love is for-giving,
and we naturally experience greater empathy
and compassion for all human suffering.
Johnsmith
Participants must be willing to attend all sessions and abstain from alcohol and non-prescription drugs for the duration of the workshop.
Recommended reading: Cavanaugh, Who Am I,
Really? How Our Wounds Lead to Healing.
Johnsmith has been writing heartfelt songs for more
than 30 years. He’s won national awards and contests,
The Nature of Movement:
Embodiment and the Wilds
Steven Harper
Throughout the ages and across cultural traditions, nature has inspired the human spirit. The
wilderness of Big Sur allows us to imprint the
collective wisdom of this alive and wild coast in
our bodies. The ancient redwood-forested
canyons, dramatic meeting of earth and sea, and
soft grassy hills remind us of the presence, wisdom, and deep sense of belonging that live in
each of us.
This workshop will present simple yet profound
practices designed to access our capacity to
innovate and participate with the essential
movement processes of life. Through physical
practices, work in pairs, group discussions, and
DOUG ELLIS
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.
Take your seat in a circle of songwriters and join
us as we delve into the emotional heart of our
personal story, and translate those experiences
into song. Learn to cultivate your own unique
songwriting voice through writing exercises,
song assignments, group performances, co-writing, and constructive feedback. Explore the
tools of the craft: verse, chorus, and bridge,
melody, rhythm, and rhyming. Break open your
emotional heart and learn how to tap the wellspring of all songs. Come roll up your sleeves,
do the work, and bust through old limits bringing forth the deep elusive songs of your life.
This workshop is for individuals who have had
some experience in songwriting and are working on refining their musical voice. It is not
required to play a musical instrument, but if you
have one, bring it. There are also evening jams.
was a staff songwriter in Nashville, and has recorded
6 CDs. He’s taught songwriting workshops nationwide, and has been featured on NPR’s “New
Dimensions.”
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direct experience of nature, we draw on ancient
movement traditions of tai chi and aikido and
contemporary somatic practices that offer ways
of centering, grounding, and knowing our
belonging to the greater community of being.
During our time together, we will venture out
on hikes four to eight miles in length. During
this time in the wild, we can literally come to
our senses. We will experience increasingly
refined awareness and perceptual practices to
enhance our sensitivity to all that wilderness
can offer, and reawaken the elements of wilder-
ness within. With awakened senses we can
receive nature’s richness and beauty, inspiring
our deepening relationship with ground, center,
and embodiment. All evenings and most meals
will be at Esalen. All levels of experience are welcome. More information and a waiver will be
($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader)
SoulCollage® and the New Paradigm
Seena Frost & Mariabruna Sirabella
During this workshop participants will collage
personal cards, speak to questions from their
card images, and discover firsthand how this
creative practice reflects vital elements of the
dawning paradigm. Collage itself is a metaphor
for what millions of people are, right now
around the world, calling into reality: a new,
cosmic unity. With collage we take separated,
seemingly unrelated images, and find how they
fit together into a beautiful and balanced unity.
The more we practice the SoulCollage process
the more our innate creativity will unfold in all
aspects of our life. We become co-creators on
many levels. Cooperation takes the place of
competitiveness; feminine energy rises to balance masculine energies. We learn the value of
listening to many perspectives, both internally
as our many personality parts state their needs
(and gripes), and externally as the needs (and
gripes) of other persons and other nations are
listened to and honored. These are critical pieces
of the new paradigm and of this practice.
SoulCollage is deceptively simple; no special
artistic talent is needed. And still it can jostle
and wake up a part of the human soul which
this dying paradigm has ignored or minimized:
our creative core. Arising in the new paradigm
must be the compassionate, heart energy of creative souls. For more information, visit
www.soulcollage.com.
Zero Balancing Open Forum
Fritz Smith
This weekend is an opportunity for people
practicing Zero Balancing to reconnect with
Fritz Smith, with Zero Balancing, and with each
other.
“It is critically important,” says Fritz, “to periodically meet with like-minded people and to openly, freely, and safely discuss problems, insights,
and successes of your work—in this case, the
leading-edge therapy of balancing energy and
structure.”
DOUG ELLIS
The workshop’s agenda will vary with the needs
of those who attend, but will focus on personal
nurturing and recharging, and will include giving and receiving sessions, refining touch, hon74
ing the ZB protocol, observing demos by Fritz,
and looking at the newer emerging possibilities
of ZB. Come and rekindle your sense of belonging, of not being isolated in the world.
Prerequisite training: Core Zero Balancing I.
This open forum qualifies for 12.5 hours of class
credit toward Zero Balancing Certification.
Recommended reading: Smith, The Alchemy of
Touch, Inner Bridges; Hamwee, Zero Balancing.
CE credit for acupuncturists; see workshop leader.
For a complete program and a list of materials
to bring (or to order a free-trial issue of the
magazine) visit www.thesunmagazine.org. A large
enrollment for this workshop is expected; we
recommend registering soon.
The Sun is offering two full scholarships to aspiring or established writers (application deadline
August 17). Scholarships cover lodging, meals,
and tuition for the weekend. Visit www.thesunmagazine.org for details.
Sy Safransky
is editor and publisher of The Sun.
Fritz Smith is a physician, osteopath, cranial
osteopath, certified acupuncturist, and founder of
Zero Balancing. He is the author of Inner Bridges:
A Guide to Energy Movement and Body
Structure, and Alchemy of Touch.
Week of October 28–November 2
Writing the Wild
Marisa Handler
Into the Fire: The Sun Celebrates
Personal Writing
Sy Safransky & Authors from The Sun
To write about ourselves in a way that touches
others and reminds them of our fundamental
connectedness we must be willing to take a
leap—with all our passion, fear, and longing—
into the fire. And that fire is not just a metaphor.
It’s as real as our own mysterious existence; as
real as a painful moment that has broken, and
maybe opened, our hearts.
Since 1974 The Sun has published the kind of
brave, revealing writing that lives up to the magazine’s motto, a line from concentration-camp
survivor Viktor Frankl: “What is to give light
must endure burning.” We invite you to join Sun
readers, authors, and staff — including editor
and publisher Sy Safransky and authors Doug
Crandell, Tony Hoagland, Gillian Kendall,
Frances Lefkowitz, Alison Luterman, and
Sparrow—for a weekend of investigating our
lives through the written word. We’ll discuss
essays, fiction, and poems with their authors,
who will lead exercises geared to bring forth
similar elements in your own writing. Readers
Write-style writing sessions will help get your
pen moving. (You don’t have to be a writer to
attend. We create a space in which people can
tell their stories from the heart.) The weekend
will conclude with Sy Safransky reading from
his Notebook.
Of course, the best part of a Sun gathering is getting to meet everyone: staff, writers, and other
people who love the magazine and share its
compassionate, unflinching view of the world.
We hope you’ll join us.
“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in
Nature, which if we unconsciously yield to it,
will direct us aright.” As Thoreau reminds us, the
wildness of nature is paramount to the fathoming of the wildness within. Have you forgotten
the ebbs and flows of the wilds within, their
fierce beauty, the Dionysus of your soul? Have
you forgotten the passion that is continually
crafting you? It is time, then, for a return. It is
time now to uncover your own buried mysteries.
In the tradition of Joseph Campbell, our five
days together will traverse the hero’s journey
through our perennial questions. Writing our
way into these wilds can lead to revelations we
had no idea we possessed, to insights that stem
from a place deeper than our conscious minds.
We will use writing as a tool to unearth the
dynamic between the natural world and our own
minds and hearts. We will quiet our minds to
meditatively listen to the divine elements of
nature to which we are drawn, and experiment
with writing from that fresh perspective.
Together we will go spelunking into the rich hidden questions that have lain within us longer
than we can remember; we will look to the natural world for inspiration, echoes, reflections,
and a thickening of the mystery with which we
began our inquiry. Please bring warm layers for
when we’re outside, and a blank notebook.
Recommended reading: Rilke, Letters to a Young
Poet.
Marisa Handler, is the author of Loyal to the Sky,
which won a 2008 Nautilus Gold Award for worldchanging books. Her essays, journalism, fiction, and
poetry have appeared in numerous publications, and
she teaches creative writing at Stanford and the
California Institute for Integral Studies.
www.marisahandler.com.
Abandonment to Healing: Overcoming
Your Self-Defeating Patterns
Susan Anderson
Abandonment is a primal human fear and the
underlying cause of emotional distress and dysfunction. Susan Anderson, psychotherapist and
author of Taming Your Outer Child and Journey
from Abandonment to Healing, will share powerful
tools of emotional and spiritual healing to help
you reverse abandonment’s universal wound.
You will be taught exercises for each of the five
stages of abandonment: shattering, withdrawal,
internalizing, rage, and lifting; how to conquer
“abandoholism” and other outer child behaviors;
how to make new connections; and steps for
healing abandonment. Whether you’re experiencing a recent breakup, a lingering wound
from the past, or struggling to overcome selfdefeating patterns, the tools will propel your
growth, help restore your sense of self and
increase your capacity for love.
Recommended reading: Anderson, Taming Your
Outer Child, Journey from Abandonment to Healing,
and Black Swan: 12 Lessons of Abandonment
Recovery.
Susan Anderson, is a psychotherapist who has spent
30 years of research, scholarship, and clinical experience
working with victims of abandonment trauma and
loss. Founder of “Abandonment Recovery,” she is author
of Taming Your Outer Child, Journey from
Abandonment to Healing, Black Swan, and others.
www.outerchild.net and www.abandonment.net.
Gateway to Soul: Process Acupressure
Aminah Raheem
Would you like to find wise inner guidance
from all parts of yourself? From your body’s
internal promptings, your heart’s intelligence,
your mind’s clearest insight, and even your own
soul’s wisdom? Would you like to get all of yourself together in an integrated way? Process
Acupressure teaches you how to gain a holistic
perspective on your life directions and general
health. And it teaches the skills of how to
uncover the wise guidance that lies at your own
unique center.
This class teaches a combination of body/mind
skills, including hands-on work to the body
(fully clothed), movement, meditation, and dialogue. The acupressure protocol strengthens
and balances the body’s vital energy (chi) flow
that opens to soul consciousness and the
Infinite Source. Psychological and spiritual
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process skills facilitate more awareness in body,
emotions, and thought. This combination of
bodywork and conscious processing reveals the
whole person and facilitates individual organic
growth.
Buckminster Fuller as well as in traditions of esoteric
anatomy and mystical practice. Tom lives on the coast
of Maine.
The skills can be applied with health care
clients, family, or on oneself alone. PA is helpful
for bodyworkers who want to know more about
processing psychological material, and for psychological helpers who want to learn more
about the body. It is valuable for anyone who
wants to understand more about integrative
development.
Weekend of November 2–4
Recommended reading: Raheem, Soul Return:
Integrating Body, Psyche, and Spirit and Soul
Lightning: Awakening Soul Consciousness; Mindell,
Working with the Dreaming Body.
Aminah Raheem is a transpersonal psychologist,
the originator of Soul Lightening Acupressure, an
international teacher of body psychology, and the
author of Soul Return: Integrating Body, Psyche
and Spirit and Soul Lightning: Awakening Soul
Consciousness.
The Spirited Body
Tom Myers
Written in your body is your entire story. But
the body gets stuck and blocks that story from
unfolding in its full glory. This workshop uses
body work, voice work, dance, writing, and
body-centered meditations to gently expose
and advance your untold or unfinished stories.
Grounded in contemporary somatic science
and interwoven with spiritual traditions from
Sufism, gentle martial arts, the book of the Tarot,
and other esoteric practices, this course is
designed to stretch your being, open your voice,
and give you more capability to create meaning
in your outside life. With minimal talk-talk and
maximal experience, come prepared to work,
play, and move. Help your inside match your
outside and vice versa by energizing your own
physically spirited body with five days of
expressive fun, deep exploration, and time to
give the soft animal of your body room to love
what it loves.
Tom Myers, author of Anatomy Trains and Fascial
Release, directs Kinesis, which offers seminars for
manual and movement professionals. Tom worked
directly with Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais, and
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Gratitude Retreat
Janet Stone
“We gather at Esalen in Big Sur for a weekend to
remember, with our bodies, minds, and spirits,
all that we have to be grateful for,” Janet Stone
writes. “This experience includes yoga, reflection, renewal, soaking in the healing baths, hiking, and detoxification of body, mind, and spirit.
Before you step into the swirl of the holidays
this year, give yourself the gift of looking within.
Immerse yourself in a dynamic ritual of asana,
pranayama, chanting, meditation, and yoga
nidra.
“Let’s recognize each breath as a gift as we’re
nourished by delicious organic meals, the natural hot springs, hikes amongst the majestic redwoods, or simply curl up in an ocean-view chair.
Whether you come alone or with loved ones,
you are sure to return to your daily rhythm with
a newfound sense of ease, inspiration, and deep
gratitude for the life you’re living.”
Janet Stone traveled to India in 1996, where she
dedicated herself to a conscious evolution through
yoga. Janet blends a wealth of knowledge and yoga
experience to create a unique, vigorous-yet-sumptuous
approach to Vinyasa yoga. She teaches in San
Francisco, and leads retreats internationally.
www.janetstoneyoga.com.
Anatomy Trains® and Fascial Fitness
Tom Myers
An understanding of the unique properties in
the fascinating fascial webbing is essential to
any contemporary therapist involved with the
body. Originated by Tom Myers, Anatomy Trains
is a revolutionary lens for seeing myofascial patterns. This workshop combines an overview of
the Anatomy Trains “myofascial meridians” with
applications to both manual therapy and movement training. Open to all massage therapists,
physiotherapists, personal trainers, Pilates and
yoga teachers, dancers, and anyone who has a
body, this workshop teaches you to see and
work with the deep and underlying strain patterns that produce chronic pain. The “fascial fitness” material in this course takes recent amazing research on the fascial web and applies it to
stretching, injury prevention and repair, and
long-term healthy functioning. Train your eyes
to see the patterns, train your hands to release
them, and get the latest on the cutting-edge
research.
CE credits available for Pilates Method Alliance;
please see instructor.
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?
Sam Keen is the author of numerous books, includ-
ing The Passionate Life, Faces of the Enemy,
Hymns to an Unknown God, and Learning to
Fly.
Social Venture Network’s Enlightened
Leadership in Challenging Times
Greg Steltenpohl, Jeff Mendelsohn
& Drummond Pike
How do innovative entrepreneurs deal with
overwhelming challenges? How can we learn
and grow during the most difficult times of our
lives? These are just two of the questions we will
KODIAK GREENWOOD
explore in this deeply personal and interactive
workshop.
You’ll hear personal stories from pioneering
business leaders who experienced unexpected
adversity, moved forward with courage and
integrity, and emerged even more committed to
lead with passion and authenticity. Come prepared to be inspired, share your insights and
experiences, and perhaps most of all, strengthen
your resolve to lead with courage. This workshop is open to business executives and community leaders, as well as activists and artists.
Greg Steltenpohl, founder and former CEO of
Odwalla, Inc., values environmental sustainability,
employee empowerment, creative corporate culture,
and community-based marketing. Greg currently
spearheads projects that bring value-added products
from farm producers to the consumer.
Jeff Mendelsohn founded New York Recycled
Paper in 1991, and New Leaf Paper in 1998. He has
focused his career on building a highly successful
green business and driving a fundamental shift
toward sustainability in the paper industry.
Drummond Pike is a philanthropist, activist, and
social entrepreneur. In 1976 he founded Tides
Foundation. Pike helped pioneer the practice of
donor-advised funds in philanthropy.
Week of November 4–9
The Upledger Institute’s Visceral
Manipulation 1
Dee Dettmann Ahern
Visceral Manipulation (VM) was developed by
French osteopath and physical therapist JeanPierre Barral. It addresses functional and structural imbalances throughout the body including
musculoskeletal, vascular, nervous, urogenital,
respiratory, digestive, and lymphatic dysfunction. It evaluates and treats the dynamics of
motion and suspension in relation to organs,
membranes, fascia, and ligaments. VM increases
proprioceptive communication within the body,
thereby revitalizing a person and relieving
symptoms of pain, dysfunction, and poor
posture.
Course Highlights:
• Learn invaluable manual “Listening
Techniques” developed by Jean-Pierre Barral to
locate, evaluate, and normalize primary areas
of dysfunction within the abdominal cavity
• Explore the dynamics of motion and
suspension in relation to organs, membranes,
and ligaments
• Examine the relationship of organs and
structural or neuromusculoskeletal
dysfunction
• Assess the quality of functional activity and
somatic structures as they relate to an overall
pattern
Prerequisite: Experience with sensitive, lighttouch palpation.
the International Alliance of Healthcare
Educators (IAHE) only. IAHE is a coalition of
curriculum developers united to advance innovative therapies through high quality continuing
education programs. To register, please call 1800-311-9204. Only after you have registered
with IAHE and paid tuition fees will you be able
to reserve accommodations at Esalen. For
accommodations pricing chart, see
www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html.
Required Advance Reading: Barral, Visceral
Manipulation; and either Netter, Atlas of Human
Anatomy or Clemente, A Regional Atlas of the
Human Body.
Dee Dettman Ahern, RPT, has been a manual
physical therapist since 1978 and has studied with
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DOUG ELLIS
The Upledger Institute since 1984. A practitioner of
Visceral Manipulation since 1987 and a teacher since
1994, she teaches and speaks internationally for the
Barral Institute.
Christine Price
—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 emotion78
al and energetic release and rebalancing are
Yoga and Addiction Recovery:
A Celebration of Healing
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.
Nikki Myers, Noah Levine & Rolf Gates
Join us as we bring together the ancient tools
and practices of yoga and meditation as a way to
deepen the exploration of recovery from addictions. The leaders represent a wide variety of
backgrounds and modalities in this dynamic
field. They gather to share their experience,
strength, and hope through the journey from
addiction to recovery.
Addictive behaviors separate us from ourselves,
each other, our environment, and the Divine.
Yoga offers us a set of practices that directly
address the range of issues caused by the family
disease of addiction. Connected to our wholeness, we more readily recognize our addictive
behaviors and find the inner strength to move
beyond them. Through this retreat experience,
we will connect our inner and outer worlds
and awaken the joy and peace from within by
learning how to bring recovery alive in our
practice.
The mornings will begin with an asana and
meditation practice embracing such concepts as
surrender, letting go, acceptance, and gratitude,
and each day different workshops will be
offered, allowing us to explore more fully the
convergence of the path of yoga and recovery.
Our evenings will be filled with kirtan, speakers,
dancing, and free time to mingle, reflect, soak in
the hot springs, rest, rejuvenate, and connect.
Through these magical five days, we will celebrate the vision for our life paths.
Everyone is welcome—all recovery, all addictions, family members, all seekers, and those
who work as healing professionals in the field.
There will be something for everyone. Please
bring a yoga mat and a meditation cushion if
you use one.
Roxanne “Nikki” Myers founded CITYOGA School
of Yoga and Health, and cofounded the Yoga of 12Step Recovery program, featured in the New York
Times and Yoga Journal. Nikki assists and coteaches
with her sister/friend Seane Corn at workshops and
conferences across the US and abroad.
Noah Levine is the founder of the Against The
Stream Buddhist Meditation Society with two centers
in Los Angeles and more than 20 affiliated groups in
North America and Europe. He teaches meditation
groups, gives workshops, and leads retreats. He is the
author of Dharma Punx, Against the Stream, and
the forthcoming Heart of the Revolution (Harper
One, Feb 2011).
Rolf Gates, author of Meditations from the Mat:
Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga, conducts
national 200-hour and 500-hour Vinyasa teacher
trainings. A former social worker and US Airborne
Ranger, Rolf and his work have been featured nationally on television and in print.
Butterfly Wisdom: Inviting
Metamorphosis into Our Lives
Joyce C. Mills
When you know where you are, you’ll know
where you’re going.
Often in life we go through times of great uncertainty, fear, and darkness. During this workshop,
award-winning author, storyteller, and healer
Joyce C. Mills shows how we can discover exactly where we are in the process of change, and
how to overcome obstacles to ultimately discover how to live a balanced and joyful life. In her
uniquely captivating and spirited style, Joyce
creatively combines science, spirit, metaphor,
indigenous teachings, and Ericksonian philosophies to show how each of the four passages of
the butterfly’s development mirrors our inner
journey and quest for full-winged emergence.
This workshop coincides with the annual
Monarch butterfly migration that fills Esalen
with thousands of fluttering winged creatures.
Joyce will share how the scientific secret of the
butterfly’s transformation relates to our inner
gifts, skills, and soulful resources. “Each individual’s unfolding is as miraculous and natural as
the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly,” says Joyce. “For each of us, it requires that we
simply tune into our stage of change to discover
what we most yearn for in our souls.”
Through group exercises, experiential practices, meditation, and interactive discussions,
participants will be able to see where they are
in their personal process of change and how to
apply what they learn to their personal development. Joyce will offer individual readings
using her award-winning Butterfly Wisdom
Transformation cards. Additionally, each participant will create their own Butterfly Wisdom
Mandala and receive a Butterfly
Transformation Kit.
Recommended reading: Mills, Butterfly Wisdom
and Reconnecting to the Magic of Life. Available at
www.drjoycemills.com/store.html.
Joyce C. Mills, PhD, is an award-winning, internationally recognized trainer, author, play therapist,
consultant, and program development specialist.
Founder of StoryPlay® Global, and codirector of
the Phoenix Institute of Ericksonian Therapy, she
has authored 8 books including Therapeutic
Metaphors for Children and the Child Within
and Butterfly Wisdom.
Falling in Love with the Divine:
Devotion and Tantra of the Heart
Sally Kempton & Marc Gafni
For many contemporary spiritual practitioners,
devotion is a missing ingredient in their practice. Yet part of what gives practice its juice
and excitement is the living relationship with
the personal face of the divine—the BeingIntelligence of all that is—by which you are personally addressed, loved, challenged, and held.
Devotion, heart practice directed toward a
divine other, or the divine other in a beloved, is
a secret of inner awakening, and a key to emotional healing and evolutionary transformation.
It’s no wonder that some of the greatest sages
and teachers of all time, from Rumi to the
Hasidic masters, were also followers of the devotional path.
In this workshop, two heart masters merge their
gifts in the service of the unfolding of your own
secret heart-tantra. Awakened Heart meditation
teacher and author Sally Kempton joins Dr.
Marc Gafni, rabbi, author, and teacher of
Kabbalah and evolutionary spirituality, for this
unique offering. You’ll explore:
• How to see beyond the myth of god to the
reality of divine presence
• Transformative insights from three great
traditions about surrender to the divine
• How divine presence can both uncover and
heal emotional wounds
• How to find your own right relationship with
the personal divine
• How a relationship with the divine changes all
other relationships
• How to balance discernment and trust
The weekend is layered with meditation, chant,
partner work, contemplation, and deep dharma
transmission.
Sally Kempton bio on page 54.
is a rabbi, spiritual teacher, author, television personality, and mediator. The author of seven
books, including the best-selling Soul Prints, his
teaching is marked by a deep transmission of heart,
love, and leading-edge provocative wisdom.
Marc Gafni
The Holy Fool: Crazy Wisdom from Van
Gogh to Tina Fey and The Big Lebowski
Phil Cousineau, Jeff Dowd & Gregg Chadwick
You’re only given a little spark of madness.
You mustn’t lose it.
—Robin Williams
Have you ever suspected that the upside-down,
off-kilter, whimsical ways of history’s holy fools
might inspire something new and exciting on
your own meandering wisdom path? If so, join
author and filmmaker Phil Cousineau, Jeff
Dowd, the inspiration for “The Dude” in The
Big Lebowski, and painter Gregg Chadwick to
explore the weird and wild power of your inner
court jester.
Jump down the rabbit hole and consider the
notion that within every creative person is a
holy fool who reveals the truth by performing
seemingly ridiculous acts. Our models are plentiful, from philosopher-fools like Lao Tzu,
medieval court jesters, to humorists like Mark
Twain, Jon Stewart, and Tina Fey, artists from
Van Gogh to Karen Finley and Basquiat, inven-
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tors from Leonardo da Vinci to Buckminster
Fuller, and all manner of hipsters, rebels, and
dudes.
Together, let’s seize the crazy moment and take
the path of “the fool’s journey” from innocence
to wisdom as we use hilarious film clips, uproarious slide shows, wildly innovative painting and
writing exercises, and freewheeling open discussion to gain access to the spontaneous genius
within all of us. The workshop is designed for
artists, comedians, teachers, psychologists, innovators, and inventors —everyone who believed
Steve Jobs when he said, “Stay foolish.”
Recommended reading: Cousineau, Stoking the
Creative Fires.
Phil Cousineau is a writer, filmmaker, teacher, and
youth baseball coach. He has published more than 30
books, including the bestselling The Hero’s Journey:
The Life and Work of Joseph Campbell. He also
has written award-winning documentary films.
www.philcousineau.net.
Jeff Dowd is a writer, film producer, and the inspiration for “The Dude,” the main character in the worldwide cult movie The Big Lebowski. His current project is a modern adaptation of Mark Twain’s
Huckleberry Finn.
Gregg Chadwick is a painter based in San Francisco
and Los Angeles, Calif. His work has appeared in
galleries all over the world, as well as in the book
collection, The Speed of Light.
Writing For Our Lives
Ellen Bass
“The philosophy behind this workshop experience,” writes Ellen Bass,” is best expressed by
Martha Graham, who said, ‘There is a vitality, a
life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because
there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never
exist through any other medium, and be lost.
The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly
and directly, to keep the channel open.’
“This workshop will help keep the channels
open. It will be an inspiring environment in
which to write, share our work, and receive supportive feedback. We’ll help each other to
become clearer, go deeper, express our feelings
and ideas more powerfully. From beginners to
experienced, all writers are welcome. Whether
you are interested in poetry, fiction, nonfiction,
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or journal writing, this workshop will provide an
opportunity to explore and expand your world.”
Recommended reading: Bass, The Human Line
and Mules of Love.
Ellen Bass has supported and inspired writers for 40
years. Her many books include Mules of Love, The
Human Line (poetry), and The Courage to Heal,
which has sold over a million copies. She teaches at
Pacific University. www.ellenbass.com.
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.
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.
Susan Bernstein helps people navigate transitions
by integrating their embodied intelligence. Her transformational approaches blend left-brain logic honed
over 20 years in corporate America with right-brain
creative movement gleaned from pioneering research
in mind-body psychology.
Esalen® Massage in the Side-Lying
Position
Nora Matten & Peggy Horan
During this weekend workshop, we will explore
the basic principles of Esalen Massage: quality of
touch and presence, long, integrative and flowing strokes, and passive movement, with the
client lying in the side position.
Working in the side-lying position opens a wide
range of new possibilities for both the practitioner and client, allowing the practitioner to
simultaneously access the front and back of the
body and move the limbs in a variety of ways.
This position is especially wonderful for pregnant women as well as people who are facing
physical challenges and are unable to lie on
their backs or fronts.
This workshop is suitable for practitioners,
doulas, and all others who are interested in
exploring Esalen Massage from the side-lying
position.
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.
Peggy Horan bio on page 25.
Way of the Dreamer:
A Journey into Active Dreaming
Robert Moss
In this high-energy adventure in Active
Dreaming, Robert Moss’ original synthesis of
modern dreamwork and ancient shamanism,
learn to find and fulfill your heart’s desires with
the help of a warm and supportive circle. Master
a fun, fast way to share dreams and take creative
action to bring their energy and insight into
waking life. Discover how to use dreams and
synchronicity for guidance and healing, how to
dream the future and change it for the better,
how to free the creator and healer in you—and
live a life filled with natural magic.
You’ll be shown the ancient shamanic arts of
dreaming, including:
•
•
•
•
•
The art of dream travel
Medicine dreaming
The sign language of the world
Interactive dreaming and tracking
How to scout the possible future and visiting
other life experiences
Spiritweaves™: Rites of Belonging
Susan Harper & Michael Molin-Skelton
The world offers itself to your imagination, calls to
you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—over and
over announcing your place in the family of things.
–Mary Oliver
We belong to the beauty that lives in the natural
world. Our belonging reminds us that our
nature is nature. Rites of Belonging is a call to
bring forth our unique offering: our own way of
being in this world. In this retreat we explore
intimacy and the relational capacity of the heart
to refine the compass of our own genuine longing and belonging.
Using the awakening energy of dancing
through the 5 Rhythms® and Soul Motion™, we
will move with the grace of our belonging and
the struggles of our exclusion. Through the
organismic movements and sounding in the
inquiry style of Continuum Montage we will
explore the intelligent dynamics of the elements—water, air, fire, earth, and space—in our
bodies, deepening our inherent connection to
our wild breathing planetary body.
Through movement and ritual, we will explore
the meaning of how and where we belong in
ourselves and our lives, and the places where we
feel exiled from ourselves and others. We will
actively step into the participation required to
belong, responding to the call that stirs a deep
inner longing to fall into the place we call home.
We will experience the possibility of resting
through our bodies and listening to the silences
within; to trust and surrender as gravity repeatedly tells us, ‘I have a place for you: it is called
here.’
Susan Harper bio on page 23.
Michael Molin-Skelton listens to prayers of the
DOUG ELLIS
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.”
• Soul recovery healing: recovering vital energy
lost through trauma, grief, or wrenching life
choices, and raising our animal spirits
• Soul remembering: finding and honoring the
“secret wishes of the soul” and reclaiming the
bigger story of our lives
• Dream enactment: developing personal rituals,
performance, and spontaneous art to celebrate
the powers that speak to us in dreams
We’ll share wonderful sacred teaching stories
and learn how we can work with dream energy
to become poets of consciousness, capable of
shapeshifting reality and living a life of natural
magic.
Everyone Intensive
Required reading: Moss, Active Dreaming.
Mark Whitwell
Recommended reading: Moss, Dreamgates and
Dreaming the Soul Back Home.
Yoga is not a linear process. It is direct intimacy with life, and it is available to everyone.
This week, Mark Whitwell offers yoga’s
advanced practices in a way that you can integrate and make your own, whether you are just
beginning to practice or have years of experience. The weekend involves an interwoven
promise: You promise to practice yoga, and in
return you receive the promise of yoga’s gifts,
is the creator of Active Dreaming, an
original synthesis of modern dreamwork and ancient
shamanic techniques for healing and journeying. His
books include Conscious Dreaming, The Three
“Only” Things, Dreamgates, Active Dreaming
and Dreaming the Soul Back Home. www.mossdreams.com.
Robert Moss
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including health, intimacy, wellbeing, and joy.
In order to experience these benefits, your
yoga practice must be adapted to you, not you
to yoga. With Mark’s skillful and heartfelt
guidance, you will:
personal practice
practice
prior yoga experience is needed. Please bring a
yoga mat.
Elsbeth Meuth & Freddy Zental Weaver
Feel more passionate, deeply intimate, and fulfilled in life, love, and intimacy! In this workshop, which is open to couples of any sexual
orientation, you will be shown how to expand
joy, pleasure, and creativity in your life and your
relationship. In a safe, respectful, and joyous
environment, you will be introduced to the
foundational principles and practices of the
“yoga of love,” as developed by the TantraNova
approach. Through a step-by-step process that
includes meditation, conscious breathing,
energy awareness, tantric bodywork, and communication exercises, you will be taught how
to unleash your full capacity for intimate connection and bliss, both within yourself and in
your relationship.
In this workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to
rediscover the source of creative energy, let go of
blocks and conditioning from the past that no
longer work, and create fulfillment and pleasure
within yourself and your partner in everyday
life. Women may reawaken their luscious feminine energy, uncover the secrets of flow and
playful joy, and tap into new ways of experiencing trust with an open heart. Men can discover
new ways to be confident, fully present, open in
their hearts, and grounded in their manhood. As
a couple, you will be shown how to deepen your
intimate connection, enter the dance of joy and
bliss, and use the differences of masculine and
feminine energies to expand your love connection.
Recommended viewing: TantraNova, Creating
Intimacy & Love DVD.
Elsbeth Meuth, EdD, is a certified tantra educator,
relationship coach, and cofounder of the TantraNova
Institute in Chicago. She trained as an ontological
coach, employing a methodology based on the philosophy of language. She also co-produced the DVD series,
Creating Intimacy & Love.
www.tantranova.com.
Freddy Zental Weaver is a certified tantra educator,
relationship coach, and cofounder of the TantraNova
Institute in Chicago. Over the past decade, he has
helped thousands of people expand their intimacy
and love. He is also co-producer of the DVD series,
Creating Intimacy & Love.
www.tantranova.com.
DOUG ELLIS
Secrets to Lasting Intimacy:
Tantra for Couples
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Painting Improvisations:
A Visual Jazz Exploration
Joanne Beaule Ruggles
The performing and visual arts share a common
language and process. Visual artists can learn
valuable lessons from jazz musicians, whose creations depend on exploration, improvisation,
and collaboration.
This workshop will lead participants through a
series of visual exercises that develop the skills
needed for risk-taking in the arts. Participants
will discover ways to remember the fearless play
of childhood while letting go of concerns about
“abiding by the rules” or “getting to the right
answer/representational image.” Students will
identify specific aspects of the creative process
that produce joy and explore ways to infuse
them more frequently into their art making.
Participants with diverse interests will find ways
to incorporate nonobjective abstraction (patterns, abstract designs, free-flowing marks, or
“visual jazz”) into their creative process and final
artwork.
Whether your artistic interests fall in landscape,
figure, still-life, or abstract painting, there will
be something valuable for you in this workshop.
Each day, additional mystery materials will be
provided to participants for group activities.
You can view Joanne’s artwork at www.beaulerugglesgraphics.com.
Recommended reading: Nachmanovitch, Free
Play: Improvisation in Life and Art.
Joanne Beaule Ruggles has been teaching since
1975. 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.
Soul Motion™: The Dance of the Master
Vinn Martí
“This is the Dance of the Master: The movement
of the moment is his only concern,” writes Vinn
Martí. “She cultivates and nourishes the return
again and again to the present. He sees total
view, and pauses with ease. She moves through
the dance floor with confidence. No body is
ever challenged to do anything by his presence.
She supports all in their expression of sound
shaped by the body.
“Soul Motion is a conscious dance practice that
brings together deep self-inquiry with an exploration of the outer worlds of relations, creative
expression, and divine dialogue. Non-choreographed movement with a clear set of working
platforms and points of view gives Soul Motion
its unique character. Soul Motion is a movement
practice, a life philosophy, and pedagogy of a
dance practice. The Dance of the Master weekend
is about practicing the natural, alive moments of
the dance that come and go without our commentary.”
Changes and Transitions in Your 30s
and 40s: How to Stay True to Yourself
Phillip Moffitt
Your 30s and 40s are a transitional time in life.
For most people, these decades are a time to
make unique choices about how you want your
life to be, and to find and step into your power.
Yet these years can be fraught with questions,
concerns, and fears. How do I know what will
make me happy? What is meaningful? How can
I be more authentic? Who am I, anyway…and
how do I make big decisions? This workshop
offers tools, practices, and principles that can
help you answer these questions.
The program will explore topics including intimacy, self-esteem, fulfillment in work, money,
doubts and insecurities, and life balance. Each
day there will be teachings, small group discussions, personal inquiry, and participatory exercises. You’ll have the opportunity to assess the
issues in your life, develop options, and create a
plan for making decisions. Each day there will
also be some form of movement practice and a
meditation experience. The workshop will
emphasize making wise choices through clarification of your values. Additionally, there will
be written assignments to allow you to get
clearer on where you are presently in life and
also create a vision for yourself. This retreat
will specifically focus on looking within versus
dwelling on external circumstances. Expect a
weekend of self-exploration, self-inquiry, and
ultimately, self-knowing for people in their 30s
and 40s.
Phillip Moffitt, former CEO and editor-in-chief of
Esquire magazine, founded the Life Balance Institute
and now teaches vipassana meditation with an
emphasis on living the dharma in daily life. Phillip is
the author of Dancing with Life and From Chaos
to Clarity.
Everyone
Mark Whitwell
weekend, Mark Whitwell offers yoga’s advanced
personal practice
practice
prior yoga experience needed. Please bring a
yoga mat.
Your One Wild and Precious Life:
For Women
Jean Shinoda Bolen
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
—Mary Oliver
In this gathering for women, Jean Shinoda
Bolen will bring myths, goddess archetypes,
dreams, and the sacred feminine to life.
Contemplating or facing a life transition—in a
significant relationship, career or work, motherhood, health, menopause, a life-threatening illness, or decision to follow an activist or spiritual
calling—invites us to sit with Hecate, archetype
of the wisewomen, medium, midwife, and goddess of the crossroad. In the depth of her soul,
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every woman is moved by symbols, images, and
feelings related to the archetypes in her. The
phases of the moon or the maiden-mothercrone aspects of the Great Goddess whose worship preceded patriarchal gods are powerful
metaphors. Humanity and the planet also are
approaching a Hecate crossroad. 2012 may truly
be a transition time for patriarchy, the outcome
of which may depend on women.
Through storytelling insights, guided meditation, self-reflection, and in sacred circles, we are
invited to share and learn from one another,
reconnect with archetypal sources of meaning
and creativity, and acknowledge what is true for
us. Music and poetry will add to the experience
as we gather and explore what the poet Mary
Oliver called our “one wild and precious life.”
Recommended reading: Bolen, The Millionth
Circle: How to Change Ourselves and the World.
Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, is a psychiatrist, Jungian
analyst, and author of 11 books. She leads the effort
for a 5th World Conference on Women at the United
Nations, is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the
American Psychiatric Association, and a former clinical professor of psychiatry. www.jeanbolen.com.
The Heart of Buddhism
Noah Levine & Vinny Ferraro
In the Buddhist tradition of overcoming hatred
with love, fear with faith, ignorance with understanding, and greed with generosity, this weekend of meditation and reflection will focus on
cultivation of the heart’s natural qualities of wisdom and compassion. We will learn to develop
a greater sense of care for ourselves and for our
world through the revolutionary spiritual practices of the Buddha. The workshop explores the
way that true spiritual practice is an engagement
with life that goes against the norms of our confused society, and is therefore an act of rebellion.
Instructions in meditation and guidance in the
subversive Buddhist path to liberation will be
offered. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and long-term practitioners.
Recommended reading: Levine, Against the
Stream and Dharma Punx.
Noah Levine bio on page 79.
Vinny Ferraro has been practicing meditation since
1993. He has taught meditation to incarcerated youth
and adults and is the head trainer for the Mind Body
Awareness Project. He also is a Spirit Rock
Community Dharma teacher.
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Esalen® Massage
and Bodywork
Professional Training
Esalen Massage is a unique modality developed by Esalen practitioners at the baths
overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Esalen is
approved by the National Certification Board
of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
(NCBTMB) and the California Department
of Post-Secondary Education as a provider
of basic massage trainings and continuing
education.
In addition to weekend and five-day workshops, Esalen offers a semi-annual 28-day
Esalen Massage practitioner certification
training, and other advanced specialized programs. The Esalen Massage and Bodywork
Association offers membership and similar
coursework worldwide. Please visit
www.esalen.org/info/massage.html for full
details. Contact massageschool@esalen.org
with questions.
November 18–December 16
28-day Esalen® Massage Certification
Program
Char Pias, Dean Marson & Ellen Watson
Esalen Massage is a unique style that reflects
an attitude about touching that goes beyond
physical manipulation. Practitioners of Esalen
Massage think holistically and acknowledge
the intimate relationship of the physical body
with thoughts, emotions, and spirit, and additionally, to the connection with the world
around us. At the heart of this method is compassion and gratitude. Expressed through the
language of touch, the intention is to facilitate
an individual in restoring a sense of harmony
and to awaken inner resources for healing.
Esalen Massage is an approach of listening,
responding, flowing, and pausing that makes
for an extraordinary experience.
This 175-hour certification training is open to
nonprofessionals and professionals. For newcomers to the field, it provides a foundation
from which to grow, and for those already certified in other modalities, it offers a fresh
approach for practitioners and their clients.
Classes include lectures and demonstrations
of fundamental massage skills and supervised
practice sessions amongst the class participants. Students learn the appropriate use of
joint mobilizations and stretching, professional draping, and how to conduct an interview
with their clients. The study of massage technique will be augmented through applied
anatomy, ethics and business practices, pathology, methods of self-care and self-knowledge.
Emphasis is on supporting students to develop a balance between technique, intuition and
creativity. The primary teaching method is
experiential learning.
Upon satisfactory completion, and after documenting thirty additional massages at your
home site, a Certificate of Completion will be
issued. The certification fee is $115. Students
seeking to fulfill the California State Certified
Massage Practitioner requirements may add 3
additional catalog bodywork courses to equal
250 hours of training. Esalen's pending application for reapproval by the CA Bureau for
Private Post-Secondary Education has not yet
been reviewed.
This is a professional training with limited
admission. Please request an application from
the Esalen office by calling 831-667-3004 or
by emailing 28day@esalen.org Applications
will be reviewed in the order received and
preference given to those who have previously
completed an Esalen Massage workshop.
Tuition: Standard accommodations: $5155;
Bunk bed rooms (considered as scholarship):
$3885.
Char Pias, a member of the Esalen massage 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.
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 more than
20 years.
Ellen Watson travels extensively, sharing the
essence of her 26 years at Esalen. Ellen founded
MovingVentures, whose mission is vocational education in the fields of breathwork, and somatic and
movement arts. Since 1998, she has focused on supporting the people of Bali, Indonesia. www.movingventures.org.
Angels and Traitors
Daniel Ellenberg & Judith Bell
“Angels and Traitors” may sound like a video
game, but it’s actually an ever-present conflict
going on inside you. The angels are the good
guys, doing their best to steer you where you
want to go to reach your greatest potential. The
traitors, however, are making sure you stay safe.
They’re not bad or evil. They’re just keeping you
stuck believing, behaving, thinking, and feeling
in ways that keep you exactly where you are
now.
If this internal conflict has blocked your path to
fulfillment, don’t despair. Juanita and Eugene
Sagan (first cousin of Carl), created a relatively
unknown system of resolving these dilemmas
by working with your angels and traitors. The
Sagans taught this method to a small group of
people, including co-facilitator Judith Bell.
Daniel and Judith add their 60+ years of combined experience to expand on and guide you
through this process of transformation.
This workshop will provide a powerful context
in which you can address and resolve core challenges that may have plagued you for decades.
Using expressive arts and action-oriented exercises, you’ll work in small groups, pairs, and
alone to enliven your most important angel
characters and befriend your most powerful
traitor characters.
You’ll leave with tools to help you balance the
competing voices inside your head, while gaining understanding and acceptance and ultimately, greater freedom and joy. You’ll also have fun
in the process.
Daniel Ellenberg, PhD, is a leadership coach, group
facilitator, organizational trainer, and licensed therapist. He is a principle in both Relationships That
Work and Authentic Leadership Institute. He leads
men’s growth groups and co-authored Lovers for
Life.
Judith Bell, MS, founder-president of the Authentic
Leadership Institute, trains consultants nationally
and internationally. While working with NASA frequently, she addresses productivity through people
skills, co-authored Lovers for Life, and chaired
Antioch San Francisco’s Creative Arts Therapy
Master’s Program.
The MAX: Expanding the Limits
of Your Self-Expression
Paula Shaw
Please note: There will be a celebratory
Thanksgiving dinner in the Esalen Lodge.
For more than 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.”
ELISE CROHN
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
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 one- to three-minute memorized piece—monologue, poem, song, etc.
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CELINE NADEAU
of this week. Real freedom in the body is also
freedom of spirit and fun.
Paula Shaw, a professional actress and acting teacher
for more than 40 years, has conducted workshops for
those interested in expanding their self-expression,
wellbeing, and creativity, in the US, Canada,
Germany and the UK. www.themaxwithpaulashaw.com.
Lessons adapted from Indonesian Silat originating from the monasteries of China and Tibet
will be shared which greatly expand the scope
and effectiveness of each session. The concepts
of grounding, extending, generating, protecting,
circulating, and efficiently using our energies
will be experienced. The energetic components
of life and movement will greatly affect participants’ yoga and bodywork practices.
Feldenkrais® Spinal Awareness for
Yoga, Bodyworkers and Everyone
Patrick Douce
Spinal awareness is a combination of the
Feldenkrais Method®, Taoist energetic science,
and the Esalen experience. In this workshop,
participants will experience movements that
help bring new awareness as well as maintain
health and assist in the rehabilitation of pain,
tension, stiffness, limitation, and injury. Spinal
Awareness focuses on relaxing, integrating, and
developing a new relationship with the spine
and the whole body.
The use of joy and humor will be the undertone
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Safe, non-invasive touch lessons will be used to
help in the understanding of our spines.
Focusing on the actual bones, muscles, nerves,
and energy of the spine, participants will be
given a new, relaxing, healing experience of
themselves. Lively partner lessons will add to
the learning and the freedom to be experienced
in our bodies.
By increasing awareness and fluidity in the
spine, students will find new ways of being sensitive to and improving their yoga and other
abilities. The improved flexibility and awareness
will greatly strengthen whatever discipline you
practice.
Those people with chronic or acute tension,
stress, stiffness, or pain will find tools specific to
their needs that will help in their improvement
and often healing.
Thanksgiving and Gratitude:
A SpiritDance and Tribal Journey
Ellen Watson & Rudy Tihikpas Proctor
with Special Guests
“We invite you to celebrate Thanksgiving week
with us on the sacred lands of Esalen,” write the
leaders. “We will embody teachings of antiquity
through the framework of tribal ceremony and
SpiritDance Meditation. Our tribe is not one of
bloodlines or lineage; we ask that people of all
tribes, beliefs, and colors join this journey of the
mind, body, soul, and spirit. Let’s dance, sweat,
sing, pray, meditate, and relax together as one
global tribe, as we honor the Native American
roots of Thanksgiving Day.”
Tikhikpas and Ellen, both elders, have spent
their journeys studying diverse spiritual traditions and praying with native peoples around
the world. They will guide us in song, dance,
prayer, breathwork, chanting, a mini-vision
quest on the Esalen grounds, and a purifying
sweat lodge (optional and weather permitting).
These practices have grown organically from the
land of Esalen and are an amalgamation of wisdom teachings from around the world.
To deepen our experience and enrich our learning, special guests will facilitate several sessions.
Mac Murphy, raised on Esalen land, will facilitate the ritual of the three sacred waters and
inspire us with his embodiment of the spirit of
the land. Tom “Little Bear” Nason is an eighthgeneration documented Spiritual Leader of the
Esselen tribe of Monterey county. He is the carrier of his ancestors’ prophecy of the coming
together of the four root races (red, yellow,
black, and white) at the “Western Gate” — Big
Sur and the Ventana Wilderness. Little Bear will
share his knowledge of the Esselen heritage, his
understanding of the relationship between the
Esselen and Hopi tribes, and walk the Institute’s
grounds, locating specific historic ceremonial
sites.
Bring your beginners mind and pictures of your
ancestors for the altar. Ekae! (It is good).
Recommended reading: Steindl-Rast,
Gratefulness: The Heart of Prayer.
Recommended viewing: Watson, SpiritDance
DVD.
Ellen Watson bio on page 84.
Tigaro Tihikpas, “He who flirts with all life.” A tribal elder formally educated in Europe and fluent in
several languages, Tihikpas has facilitated sweat
lodges at Esalen and across Europe. His theological
background includes Native American, Judaism,
Christianity, Gnosticism, Buddhism, and mystic
traditions.
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.
midst of writing a novel, memoir, or short story,
where a richly drawn character takes center
stage.
Come join David Schiffman and friends for 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.”
Deepening the Characters We Create:
A Writing Workshop
Lisa Doctor
The characters we create can and will evolve
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 discussions, 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 writers will receive the same exercise. As the week progresses, these emerging
people will open up about that which haunts
and thrills them. They will explore their own
personal histories, their concerns about aging,
their longings, disappointments, fears, and
uncertainties. We will ask them to speak freely
about old wounds and their compassion for others. They will 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
Lisa Lieberman Doctor teaches character develop-
ment at the UCLA Extension Writing Program. She
is a former motion picture executive and a nominee of
a Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild Award.
Heart Fire: Tending the Flame
of Your Sva Shakti
Shiva Rea
The time has come to turn your heart
into a temple of fire.
—Rumi
“Join our annual Thanksgiving retreat to tend
your heart fire authentically as the center of
your creativity, vision, inspiration, wisdom, and
most of all the transforming power of love,”
writes Shiva Rea. “For many years, we have
retreated to the warm springs of Esalen during
the Thanksgiving weekend for a ritual deepening and renewal of the heart fire. This popular
retreat is open to those returning from previous
years and newcomers who are transforming
Thanksgiving weekend into an ideal time for
unwinding, healing, and tending the sacred fire
of the heart.”
Together we will explore:
• The universal and ancient understanding and
practices of our heart center from tantra,
Hatha, and Bhakti yoga, integrated with our
heart’s intelligence for releasing our capacity
for healing wisdom and love
• Dynamic and meditative vinyasa flow yoga to
awaken the body mandala and heart fire
• Chanting of the bija mantras of the heart
chakra and the body mandala
• Simple householders homa for connecting to
the heart fire in daily life
This immersive retreat is for practical mystics
seeking equal parts transformational vinyasa
yoga, meditation, ecstatic movement meditation,
and group exploration. Every year has been a
great adventure that weaves live music, chanting, and ritual into a heart-based approach to the
flow of yoga. Please bring a yoga mat.
Shiva Rea is a yogini firekeeper, sacred activist, global
adventurer, and innovator in the evolution of vinyasa
flow yoga that integrates the tantric bhakti roots of
yoga, Krishnamacharya’s teachings, and a universal,
quantum approach to the body.
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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. Activities include Zen
practice, kido (chanting meditation), and personal journey work. Using techniques from Riz
Virk’s book, Zen Entrepreneurship, we will explore
how to bring the creative process into the flow of
work, through leadership that is aligned with the
rhythms of life. We will also use group journeys,
sacred ceremony, and metta meditation to harness the power of group consciousness for the
purposes of personal and societal transformation.
Recommended reading: Padma, Zen Practices for
Transformative Times; Chodron, Comfortable with
Uncertainty.
Ji Hyang Padma has taught Zen for 19 years. She
directs Spirituality and Education Programs at
Wellesley College. She also teaches at Babson College
and Omega Institute. She is the author of Zen
Practices for Transformative Times.
Improv Inspiration: Wit and Wisdom
in an Instant
Paula Shaw
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.
In this work, you are never alone. The easy-tofollow instructions and coaching tune you in
with the other players, and when that connec88
tion 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.
who has won numerous honors for her work transforming conflict worldwide. She is the author of
Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution during
South Africa’s Transition to Democracy.
www.sfcg.org.
John Marks is president and founder of Search for
Common Ground, an international conflict transformation organization. He also heads Common
Ground Productions. A best-selling, award-winning
author, in 2006 he was awarded a Skoll Fellowship
for Social Entrepreneurship. www.sfcg.org.
Social Entrepreneurship: From Spiritual
Values to Effective Action
Susan Collin Marks & John Marks
There is a growing longing in many of us to do
something that will have a positive impact on
the world. We hold a vision of infusing our spiritual values into the political, economic, and
social life of our planet to create a kind and dignified world for all. We want to be social entrepreneurs. This workshop offers the accumulated
experience of Search for Common Ground,
which grew out of meetings at Esalen in the
early 1980s into the world’s largest non-profit
organization in conflict transformation. The
keys to Search’s success have been profound creativity, nimbleness, and an unswerving, compassionate vision, which is reflected in the range of
their work: TV and radio soap operas that reach
tens of millions of people, multiethnic kindergartens in the Balkans, a Common Ground
News Service in the Middle East, and consensus
building among polarized communities in the
US.
Innovation in Experiential Education:
A Permaculture Teacher Training
Kat Steele & Michael Kramer
Permaculture is a holistic design system for creating and sustaining regenerative human settlement patterns for healthy living. This permaculture course offers a new way to teach solutionbased, eco-social design concepts by applying
the principles of permaculture to the teaching of
permaculture. Teachers and practitioners in any
field can apply these skills and practices. This
course will cover every aspect of being an effective educator and promoter of mutually beneficial relationships for a more sustainable and just
future. By taking the approach of whole person
learning and using teaching combinations from
educators from all over the world, this course
provides invaluable information about facilitating and how to frame concepts and ideas to people from all walks of life and cultural contexts.
This course also teaches the basics of how to
administer the core permaculture design course,
as well as planning and preparing for specialized
permaculture-focused workshops and practica.
Highlights include:
During this workshop, Search founder and
president John Marks and senior vice president
Susan Collin Marks will take you deep within
yourself to unfold and define your own vision.
They will share the Principles of Social
Entrepreneurship and offer individual coaching
through a clinic that draws on their experience
as well as the wisdom of the group. They will
lead you through the possibilities that abound
when you grasp your inner potential to make
the difference you long to make, and the world
needs, right now.
For more information, visit www.sfcg.org.
Susan Collin Marks, senior vice president of Search
for Common Ground, is a South African peacemaker
• How to identify learning styles and adapt to
various audiences
• Techniques to help you organize and prepare
quickly and effectively
• A comprehensive manual and DVD of
permaculture resources and teaching materials
• Course planning, marketing, and evaluation
• Constructive critique of participant
presentations
• Teaching tools and the core exercises of the
permaculture curriculum
This course offers powerful teaching practices
gleaned from the leaders’ many years of permaculture teaching. Their experience, combined
from the transcriptions of his early years of
teaching with Alan Watts at Esalen. You are
invited to discover and explore the magic of tai
ji and living your own Tao: The Watercourse
Way of the Dance of Life.
To work with Huang is to learn to move with wind
and water—not only in the tai ji exercises, but also
in the course of everyday life. In going with the
Watercourse Way, he is as fresh as the mountain
streams and as deep and powerful as the Yangtze
River. Chungliang woos and beguiles his students
instead of forcing them. This is the mark of a truly
superior teacher who works upon others as the sun
and rain upon plants.
–Alan Watts.
Chungliang Al Huang teaches Tai Ji philosophy,
East/West synthesis, and the art of movement meditation. He is the founder-president of the Living Tao
Foundation and director of Lan Ting Institute in the
Sacred Mountains of China.
Reclaiming Your Authentic Self
Anne Watts
DOUG ELLIS
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.
with the knowledge of permaculture teachers
and mentors from around the globe, make this
one of the most comprehensive teacher trainings available.
award and started a chapter of BALLE Network in
Hawaii. www.naturalinvesting.com.
Kat Steele is a permaculture activist, designer, and
educator. Founder of the Urban Permaculture Guild,
she facilitates workshops on sustainability, permaculture, and eco-literacy. Her focus has been urban ecosocial design, city repair, and the power of placemaking. Kat presently leads the Growing Beyond Green
Sustainability Initiative at Esalen.
www.esalen.org/info/sustainability.html.
Michael Kramer made a lifelong commitment to
personal and global sustainability. He has co-developed permaculture teacher training curricula, is an
accredited investment fiduciary, and managing partner at Natural Investments LLC. He won a B-Corp
Essential Practice from the Esalen
Tai Ji Deck
Chungliang Al Huang
Esalen elder Chungliang Al Huang has taught
Living Tao philosophy on the Esalen deck for
nearly five decades. This weekend will be dedicated to bringing the most essential gems of
Chungliang’s teaching from his perennial Tai Ji
classic, Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: The
Essence of Tai Ji, published thirty-seven years ago
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.
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Awakened Heart, Embodied Mind:
A Journey toward Wholeness and
Healing for Body, Mind and Spirit
Hala Khouri & Julian Walker
In the rich tradition of Esalen as a growing-edge
forum for human potential, Hala Khouri and
Julian Walker present this transformative and
integrative journey into the possibilities of
twenty-first century spirituality. The workshop
will include morning meditation, yoga, ecstatic
dance classes, and afternoon information sessions to create context for the experiential practices. We will explore somatic psychology and
neuroscience to deepen and accelerate growth
and healing, and discover an energetic map of
the mind-body connection that brings the
chakra system alive as a powerful tool for selfawareness.
Hala Khouri, MA, E-RYT, has spent over more than
15 years integrating yoga and counseling, and is
certified in Somatic Experiencing. She teaches yoga
and leads workshops and retreats internationally.
www.halakhouri.com.
Julian Walker, E-RYT, is a mind-body healer, yoga,
meditation, and ecstatic dance teacher, DJ, musician,
and writer who invites you to discover the sacred
where you stand. He teaches yoga and leads workshops and retreats internationally. www.julianwalkeryoga.com.
Gestalt Practice and Cortical Field
Reeducation®: Developing Emotional
and Somatic Resources
Patrice Hamilton & Dorothy Charles
Increasing awareness of our somatic sense of
self provides new options for developing more
effective psychological and physical patterns.
This experiential workshop blends the slow,
developmental movement of Cortical Field
Reeducation® 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.
Through mindfulness, explorations of forgotten
movement patterns, and Gestalt Awareness
Practice, we contact the here-and-now, where
change and growth are possible. As we become
more present in our bodies, we may discover an
inability to identify what we are feeling, or that—
because of painful memories, and difficulty in
experiencing feelings directly—we have been
avoiding them.
This is a relational process. Working in an
empathic, supportive group setting creates a
container in which new ways of moving and
being can be expressed and explored. This
workshop provides the experience of making
contact with people who are present and accepting, making it possible to develop a greater
capacity for feelings. We can then learn to use
our feelings as guides that help us live more
authentically, moving beyond habits of being
CHRISTY HENGOT
Hala and Julian are a dynamic pair. Each offers a
distinct style of teaching and sharing to create a
well-rounded workshop that is nurturing and
grounded as well as ecstatic and unique. The
ecstatic poetry of Rumi, Kabir, Hafez, Mirabai,
Lala, and Walt Whitman, as well as luminous
wisdom from the newly translated tantric text,
The Radiance Sutra, will light the way.
Techniques from Somatic Experiencing and
depth psychology perspectives also will guide
the process. Please bring a yoga mat.
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and relating that no longer serve us. In addition,
changes in habitual muscular holding patterns
result in a body that is better able to support
changes made on any level—emotional, physical, or psychological.
fying art of placement, and the impact of shapes
and textures. Other creative exercises will be
offered to surprise your imagination. Let lightness and joy lead your life. Creativity exists in
each one of us. No art experience is necessary.
Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Verbatim;
Feldenkrais, The Potent Self.
Bring a journal, a willingness to experience an
interlude of mystery and play, and a few cherished items you’d like to include. These could
be photos, favorite stones, or other meaningful
items.
Patrice Hamilton bio on page 61.
Dorothy Charles bio on page 29.
Virginia Ray is a visual/conceptual artist known
for her transformative art work exhibited in galleries
and healing institutions around the Bay Area. Her
studio is in Santa Cruz, Calif. www.virginiaray.net.
®
5Rhythms : Heartbeat
Lucia Horan
material will come to life as we make it our own.
The instructor will draw specific examples from
his work with returning veterans in the Coming
Home Project. This workshop is designed for
everyone. Mental health professionals will learn
skills helpful in the transformation of emotional
suffering and trauma.
Joseph Bobrow is a Zen master and the founder
and director of Deep Streams Zen Institute. He is
also a licensed psychologist, relational psychoanalyst,
and a father. His most recent book is Zen and
Psychotherapy: Partners in Liberation. He teaches
nationally. www.cominghomeproject.net.
Love is not a mood, but a dynamic way of being.
—Gabrielle Roth
The spontaneous heart is one that knows how
to love and be loved. The Heartbeat map is a
guide to how our emotional energy moves and
morphs. In this practice we embody the art of
being a fluid emotional athlete. This map teaches us how to navigate the emotional terrain of
life without getting stuck, holding on, or pushing away.
We will explore how the body has been shaped
by our emotions and we will learn to track when
the heart is open and when it is closed. As waves
of feeling move through us, we learn how to trust
the dance to lead us in a healthy and creative
way. Through the embodiment of this practice,
you will learn skills to take home and use in
your daily life.
Inspired Art / Inspired Life
Virginia Ray
Rediscover how to approach life as an inspired
human being during this uplifting, playful, and
creative workshop. Everyday life has so much
beauty to offer when we adjust our vision to recognize it. Do you save special stones or tidbits
from nature, or treasures and mementos from
life events? If so, the journey of appreciation
has already begun. We will each make our own
unique art piece as a touchstone to the heart. All
materials will be provided, including handmade
papers, natural fibers, and treasures, found
objects and other magical items, wood for bases,
and hardware to hang your art. Open your eyes
to new ways of seeing. Learn the value of visual
simplicity, a benefit that can be carried into all
facets of life. We’ll explore the simple and satis-
Weekend of November 30–
December 2
The Tao of Global and Personal
Ecology: Making Healthier Choices
in Our Daily Lives
Chungliang Al Huang & Amory Lovins
Partners in Integration:
The Interplay of Spiritual Practice
and Emotional Growth
Joseph Bobrow
Emotional growth and spiritual practice appear
to be strange bedfellows. One path helps us
create a working sense of self, while the other
exhorts us to forget the self. One encourages us
to let go of afflictive emotions, while the other
provides a safe place to explore the range of our
emotions. One cultivates integration of the person, the other encourages transcending the veil
of the personal into our true nature. One sees
attachment as a human need throughout life,
the other as a prime cause of suffering. In reality,
however, psyche and spirit—and the principles
and practices of psychotherapy and meditation—
are not opposed; they complement and enrich
one another.
This workshop explores how our capacity to live
full, wise, and compassionate lives is enhanced
by an integrative model in which spiritual and
emotional growth coexist and blend with each
other. How? Spiritual practice, exemplified here
by Buddhist teachings and practices, helps us
engage each moment of our lives with maximum aliveness, and experience for ourselves
our essential nature, beyond success and failure.
Personal and interpersonal emotional work in
all its forms help us become whole selves. It
takes a differentiated, integrated person to fully
embody our no-self nature.
Through presentations, meditation practice
(sitting, walking, and occasional mindful eating), experiential exercises, and discussion, this
For more than three decades, Amory Lovins and
Chungliang Al Huang have shared a special kinship in the natural wisdom of the ineffable Tao.
As pioneers in their individual paths, they continue to merge in their shared living philosophy
and way of being. Many years ago, in a collaboration between Lovins’s Rocky Mountain Institute
and Huang’s Living Tao Foundation, a calligraphic poster was created of “The Tao of
Leadership,” based on Verse 17 from Lao Tzu’s
Tao Te Ching. Now it is a collector’s gem gracing
the walls of executive offices around the world.
This seminar will be another continuing open
dialogue between these two special friends.
They will share with participants their mutual
respect and convergent ways to invest deeper in
harnessing the powers that be, whether from
personal ecology or in consort with global politics, especially in relationship to China—the
upcoming mighty nation’s influence on world
culture, economics, and ecology. To enhance the
breadth, depth, and flow of this intensive dialogue, the leaders will also provide music and Tai
Ji movement, their personal passion and lifelong
practice, to lighten the heart and enlighten the
mind.
Chungliang Al Huang bio on page 89.
Amory Lovins is chairman and chief scientist of
Rocky Mountain Institute and chairman emeritus of
Fiberforge Corporation. Published in 29 books and
hundreds of papers, his innovations in energy, security, environment, and development have been honored
internationally. He advises governments and major
firms worldwide on advanced energy and resource
efficiency.
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Thriving in Uncertainty: A Workshop
in Sensory Awareness
Lee Lesser
Life is uncertain. As much as we try to create
stability and predictability, each moment brings
its own surprise and its own unique offering.
The more we can show up for each moment of
our life just as it is, the more we can thrive in
the midst of uncertainty. Our sensations are
wonderful allies in this process. As we pay attention to our sensory experience, the more connected we become to what is actually happening. Charlotte Selver, the founder of Sensory
Awareness in the United States, used to say,
“Every moment is a moment. Every moment
makes a certain request of us. The question is
how we answer it.”
KODIAK GREENWOOD
This workshop focuses on tools that help us to
be present, that are antidotes to the busyness in
our heads. So much energy is dispersed and lost
as we fight against what scares us, or what is
uncomfortable. In this workshop, we have a laboratory to explore and practice, and to apply
these tools. By simplifying our activities we can
connect with our sensations. This experiencing
reveals our habits and the possibility that can
unfold when we get out of our own way and
find freedom in the midst of any experience. For
more information about Sensory Awareness,
visit www.returntooursenses.com.
Recommended reading: Littlewood and Roche,
Waking Up: The Work of Charlotte Selver;
Lusseyran, And There Was Light; Masters, Finding
Freedom.
Lee Klinger Lesser led Sensory Awareness work-
shops with Charlotte Selver. She has taught workshops in English and Spanish for more than 34 years.
She also leads diversity and equity trainings, and has
been developing a program to support returning veterans through sharing mindfulness and meditation
practices. www.returntooursenses.com.
Spiritual Awakening: A Meditation
Retreat and Voyage into Love
Peter Rengel
Trying to meditate can be tricky. Often you may
experience sitting in silence and thinking…and
thinking! You can stay within the limitations
of the linear mind forever. Or you can awaken
your divinity beyond thoughts. This retreat
offers specially designed meditations and exercises to exchange universal love, sit in silent
meditation, open your heart chakra, and directly
experience a depth of love that can change your
life forever.
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This meditation retreat/workshop offers the
following components: Peter Rengel’s Heart
Meditation; developing the inner witness to the
negative mind so that negativity cannot run
you; “Touching Souls” puja circles to celebrate
your divinity; paired exercises to tenderly
embrace your humanness; active meditations
to uninhibitedly express your passion, joy, and
laughter; silence between sessions with possibilities of tender connections; an in-depth exploration of Peter’s book, Living Life in Love, and
much more.
Honor your soul’s thirst for enlightenment.
Deepen your inner peace, whether you have
ever meditated or not. Rediscover that your life’s
purpose is really quite simple: not only to love
and be loved, but to experience that you are
Love.
Recommended reading: Rengel, Living Life in
Love and Seeds of Light.
Peter Rengel is a heart meditation teacher and
counselor specializing in assisting individuals and
couples to transcend psychology in order to awaken
their love and to live in harmony with life’s spiritual
rhythm. www.peterrengel.com.
Connection through Touch:
Massage for Couples
Nora Matten & Oliver Bailey
This weekend is designed to help couples renew
their relationship while exploring touch and learning massage. The workshop presents 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.
At each session, following a demonstration and
warm-up exercise, couples will exchange massages. There will also be ample time to explore
the beauty of Esalen’s land and enjoy the
warmth of the healing waters of the mineral
baths.
Nora Matten bio on page 80.
Oliver Bailey bio on page 54.
Week of December 2–7
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.
Deep Tissue Techniques for Massage
Practitioners: An Introduction to the
Psoas, Healing Knees and Deep
Visceral Work™
Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman
Because demand for practitioners with Deep
Bodywork skills is growing, Perry and Johanna
Holloman have developed a series of seminars
designed to teach massage practitioners this
healing art. Each seminar has a specific focus in
terms of the physical structures touched and
their related functions. An overall emphasis is
placed on how to integrate this work into the
format of a flowing massage.
This seminar will focus on understanding the
structure and function of the knee, the psoas
muscle, and the importance of deep, sensitive
touch in supporting the overall functioning of
the abdominal viscera. Subjects of specific focus
will be the role of the thigh and hip muscles in
supporting the knee; how to work on the iliotibial band; learning to palpate and release the
psoas; and massaging the abdominal viscera
slowly and deeply. The role of the psoas in
chronic pain of the back and hip will also be
discussed.
This program is designed as an advanced course
of study for those wanting to integrate deep tissue skills into their work. Prerequisite for this
seminar is prior experience as a massage practitioner or the equivalent of 150 hours of massage
training.
For further information, visit www.deepbodywork.com.
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.
Developmental Trauma, Character
Patterns and Resilience: Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy
Christina Dickinson
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.
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.
Experience the way the body reveals and transforms character strategies, trauma, and core
beliefs. Life makes shapes. The body is shaped
through the basic experiences and attitudes that
are held both consciously and unconsciously.
The way the self is formed is an expression of
mental, emotional, and spiritual life. All life
strategies are organized, habitual patterns of
reaction to real or perceived joy and stress.
When muscles are repeatedly mobilized in unison with mental and emotional patterns, they
become part of a complex, integrated response.
These patterns leave their imprint on our body
and mind and develop into a particular way of
being, into character. Character structure is
formed in response to life and is the enduring
quality of how we meet the world.
We will also explore the role of resilience and
the ability to maintain a stable balance and equilibrium in life. Resilience relates to protective
and healthful factors supporting positive outcomes and healthy personality characteristics
even after exposure to unfavorable, adverse, or
traumatic life circumstances. Resilience is the
ability to maintain healthy levels of functioning
even after exposure to a potentially disruptive
traumatic event.
Through mindful awareness, participants can
experience how character strategies and core
beliefs are revealed through the body. Our
emphasis will be to discover, explore, and work
with these soma-psyche patterns in the therapeutic context. This course is focused on a skillbuilding, therapist level primarily for practitioners, but is also open to any interested individual.
Christina Dickinson, CAC II, is a founding trainer
of the Sensorimotor Psychology Institute, a certified
addictions counselor in Colorado, certified in Hakomi
Therapy and Focused Expressive Psychotherapy. She
maintains a private practice in Boulder, Co.
Total Immersion for Total Transformation
Raphael Cushnir
This workshop is right for you if
• You’re willing to perform a rigorous emotional
and spiritual self-assessment
• You want to determine which aspects of your
life are calling for healing and change
• You’re ready to begin that healing and change
on the very first day of the workshop
• You want to take a giant leap forward in
consciousness
• You can support a small, like-minded
community committed to the same leap
Raphael Cushnir will create a safe and gentle environment to help call forth your very best, using
tools that include emotional release work, journaling, small group exercises, meditation, movement,
yoga, chant, collage, subtle energy practices, and
mind-heart attunements. As a highlight of this
workshop, you will co-design and experience a
unique transformational experience all your own.
In addition, you’ll leave the workshop with a practical roadmap for real-life integration.
Raphael Cushnir contributes to O, The Oprah
Magazine, and presents workshops worldwide. He’s
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written five books, including The One Thing
Holding You Back and Surfing Your Inner Sea.
His heart was opened through profound grief.
Rediscovering Your Self in the
Second Half of Life: For Women
Karen Ely
Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake.
—Henry David Thoreau
Karen Ely believes that in today’s hectic, timestarved world it is even more 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. “We
must find a space to dream,” she writes. “A space
to let go of all the wouldas, shouldas, and couldas in order to make room for a new way of
being, one 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. It chronicles coming to grips with a life that she could no
longer live, and walking toward a self that she
no longer knew. Throughout the workshop,
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, participants will be taken on a quiet journey back to
themselves, and given the opportunity to leave
with a passion and plan for the rest of their
lives.
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,
A Retreat of My Own, and Breathing Space:
Mini-retreats for the Heart and Soul.
www.awomansway.com.
Karen Ely
Brilliant Body: Fundamentals of
Conquering Injury and Pain
Jean Couch
Do chronic tension, stress, or aches and pains
plague you? Are you fit, but injured? Do you feel
tight all the time?
In our cultural love affair with muscles, we have
overlooked a key component of wellness: our
skeleton. Whether you are a high-performance
athlete or sit in a chair all day, making your
bones work for you instead of against you can
put you on a path of unimaginable wellness and
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efficiency. Healing begins with an understanding of alignment patterns that cause premature
aging, tension, pain, and/or injury. This course
will re-examine alignment patterns of everyday
activities including sitting, standing, bending,
sleeping, and walking. With new patterns for
these daily fundamentals, you can shed pain and
tension and go home with a healthy regimen
that easily and timelessly integrates into everyday life. Simple yet profound changes will give
you a new relationship with your body—one you
used to have as a child.
This course will bust many exercise, health,
and pain myths of our time. Each participant
receives individualized understanding of his or
her specific vulnerabilities in the back and
joints through hands-on adjustments, and photographic and video feedback. What you learn
about your patterns in these fundamental activities can be applied to your physical activities of
choice and make you a stronger, more efficient,
longer-lasting human machine. Join us and
never look back.
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 50 physicians and their spouses, one
of whom wrote, “I now have hope for me and my
patients.”
December 7–14
Wisdom Healing Qigong™
Mingtong Gu
The purpose of this retreat is to cultivate
Wisdom Healing Qigong, a profound and effective system of healing and empowerment that
integrates gentle movement, sounds, visualization, and meditation into a systematic synergy
of all dimensions of your being.
By participating in this retreat, you can:
• Learn to clear and balance the emotions so
that a deeper healing can occur
• Develop a quiet and creative mind to realize
healing most effectively
• Learn the ultimate method to transmit chi
(the formless energy from which all forms of
life are made) for healing self and others
• Organize a chi field and learn group healing
• Learn theories and practices for energy
healing, and better understand your healing
capacity
The practices you will be taught are based on a
natural healing process that was developed by
Dr. Pang Ming, founder of the world’s largest
qigong hospital in China, Zhineng Qigong
Center. Over two decades, this hospital documented the treatment of more than 200,000
people with all types of illnesses including cancer, autoimmune disease, strokes, depression,
insomnia, and headaches, and found a 95%
effective improvement rate.
The daily program includes intensive qigong
instruction and practice along with group healing sessions and healing instruction.
The retreat is designed for people who seek a
direct path for deep healing, including those
with serious physical or emotional diseases,
caregivers, healing professionals, and anyone
who simply wishes to work for the awakening
of healing and human potential within themselves.
Mingtong Gu is an internationally recognized
teacher and healer who received his training from a
variety of Grandmasters in China and at the world’s
largest Qigong hospital. www.chicenter.com.
The “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan
Buddhist Meditation
Daniel Brown & George Protos
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 thirty-six 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.
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.
Esther Gokhale
The Gokhale Method uses kinesthetic, visual,
intellectual, aesthetic, and technological cues
to gently guide students back to the way they
moved when they were children—the same way
their hunter gatherer ancestors moved. Gokhale
Method teacher training teaches the craft of
restoring primal architecture and movement
patterns. Using high-touch and high-tech tools,
teachers guide their students in relearning the
daily movements of life. By mastering powerful,
basic techniques such as stretchsitting, stacksitting, stretchlying, tallstanding, hip-hinging and
glidewalking, Gokhale-trained teachers are able
to help their students get to the postural root of
most back, neck, hip, knee, foot, and shoulder
problems. Through observation and hands-on
experience with real cases, study of relevant
anatomy, and instruction in use of databases,
apps, and class blogs, teachers learn to use both
ancient wisdom and state-of-the-art technology
to facilitate life-changing experiences. They
learn to be eloquent with their hands, perceptive
with their eyes, and compelling with their voic-
es. When they graduate, Gokhale Method teachers are proficient in presenting introductory
classes, doing initial consultations, and teaching
the six-lesson Gokhale Method Foundations
course to small groups and individual students.
Prerequisite: Students must have already completed a Gokhale Method Foundations course.
Note: There are additional requirements to be
completed after the teacher training week at
Esalen before a teacher is qualified to teach the
Gokhale Method. Please see www.egwellness.com
for full details.
the Gokhale Method Institute only. To register,
go to www.egwellness.com or contact teachertraining@egwellness.com. Only after you have registered with the Gokhale Method Institute and
paid tuition fees will you be able to reserve
accommodations at Esalen. Please see accommodations costs under “Pricing for Partner
Programs” at www.esalen.org/workshops/
reservations.html.
KODIAK GREENWOOD
George Protos has studied the “pointing-out” style of
meditation with Daniel Brown since 1995. He leads
weeklong retreats and an ongoing meditation study
group in Marin County, Calif., and created an online
user support group for meditators.
Gokhale Method® Teacher Training
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Weekend of December 7–9
Advanced Energy Efficiency and
Alternative Supplies for Profitable
Climate Protection
Amory Lovins
Half of America’s oil and gas and three-quarters
of its electricity can be saved more cheaply
than supplying them from existing facilities.
Dramatic advances in efficiency technologies,
ways to combine and integrate them, and ways
to market and implement them are synergistic
with parallel revolutions in low- or no-carbon
energy supplies. All are rapidly expanding. For
example, “micropower” (cogeneration plus distributed renewables) already provides a sixth
of the world’s electricity and greater than
two-thirds of its new electricity.
Together, efficiency and alternative supplies
offer profitable, business-led solutions to such
problems as climate change, oil dependence,
and nuclear proliferation. Drawing on three
decades of practical experience at the forefront
of the energy transition and on his pathfinding
March 2007 lectures as MAP/Ming Professor at
Stanford University, Amory Lovins will lead an
integrative, wide-ranging, state-of-the-art exploration of energy technologies, design and business innovations, implementation, and implications for a cooler, richer, fairer, and safer world.
This transdisciplinary workshop will be most
useful to intermediate and advanced practitioners, executives, activists, and concerned
citizens, and will emphasize opportunities
and needs in the private sector, chiefly in
oil (www.oilendgame.com) and electricity
(www.rmi.org, Library). The latest insights from
Reinventing Fire (www.reinventingfire.com) will
be discussed.
Recommended reading: Lovins, Datta et. al,
Winning the Oil Endgame; Lovins, Small is
Profitable; Hawken, Lovins & Lovins, Natural
Capitalism; Lovins & Burns (ed.) The Essential
Amory Lovins; Lovins & Rocky Mountain
Institute, Reinventing Fire.
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 week 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,
DOUG ELLIS
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will be used to deepen our feelings of being lively and hopeful about our futures.”
Art as a Spiritual Path:
Discovering Your Soul Mandala
Paul Heussenstamm
The mandala, an ancient symbol and concentric
map of the psyche, has been used by various
cultures around the world, including Tibetan
Buddhism, Aborigines, and Native Americans.
This workshop will introduce you to the mandala and, through it, to the mystery of the soul
and the passionate world of the inner artist. It
offers a supportive initiation for all participants,
regardless of experience, to open to their natural
creativity through art, meditation, ritual, and
music. Each participant will complete a colorful
personal mandala as a symbol to live with, to
study, and to begin a process of learning, growing, healing, and artistic development.
Discover your soul symbols as powerful tools for
personal and professional transformation. Come
to a deeper understanding of your own creative
forces. Mandala painting can open your eyes in a
heart- and soul-connected way—to see and feel
things you may never have experienced before.
Art supplies will be provided. No previous experience is necessary.
Recommended reading: Heussenstamm, Divine
Forces: Art that Awakens the Soul.
Paul Heussenstamm comes from a 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.
Love Yourself and the Rest Will Follow
Mike Robbins
Self-love is one of those things that many of us
know is important on our personal journey, yet
can be challenging to embody and experience in
an authentic way. This workshop explores why
it can be hard for us to genuinely love our-
selves—the familial, cultural, and personal influences, the thoughts and fears that lead us to
believe that we are not good enough and that
self-love is arrogant or narcissistic, and the difficulty we may have practicing true loving kindness towards ourselves. With fun and vulnerability, we delve deeply into some specific and
powerful ways to experience love towards ourselves, which in turn impacts our relationships,
work, personal growth practices, and lives in a
profound way. The ideas and exercises laid out
in this interactive program give you specific
practices to:
• Make peace with and forgive yourself
• Accept and appreciate all of who you are
• Care for and nurture yourself in an authentic
way
• Experience and express your authentic self
• Deepen your capacity to love others
Recommended reading: Robbins, Focus on the
Good Stuff and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already
Taken.
Mike Robbins is the author of Focus on the Good
Stuff and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already
Taken. He delivers seminars around the world, his
books are translated into 12 different languages, and
he writes for The Huffington Post. www.MikeRobbins.com.
Heartfelt Wisdom: Quieting the Mind,
Listening to the Heart
Rik Isensee & Lori Anne Schwanbeck
This workshop teaches the art of balance, inner
harmony, and peace—the basis for spiritual
awakening and creating a meaningful life. It’s
also an opportunity to slow down and reflect
in the midst of the holiday season.
Many of us yearn for a calmer, more centered
life, yet with all the pressures we encounter
every day, it can seem beyond our grasp. How
can we successfully handle daily stress, tame
our negative voices, and release ourselves from
obsessive thinking? This workshop will teach
the art of balance, inner harmony, and a path
toward peace. This really is the basis for spiritual
awakening, and for creating a meaningful life.
Following a near-fatal accident, Lori
Schwanbeck felt the presence of death several
times. She had a strong desire to let go, yet there
was a magnetic pull in her heart to stay embodied and to share the realized wisdom of living a
heart-centered life. Rik Isensee had an experience through his mindfulness practice of being
“steeped in grace,” which inspired his book, Shift
Your Mood, a guide for how to release emotional
tension and shift to the source of your own love
and inner wisdom.
We may genuinely believe that true happiness
comes from our own inner resources, but how
do we access this inherent wisdom? Using tools
from positive psychology, along with eastern
perspectives on awakening to the present
moment, we will explore the link between western psychological understanding and spiritual
realization. Combining mindfulness, body
awareness, and insights from the new science of
happiness, we will provide some easy and accessible practices to expand your ability to live
more vibrantly, confidently, and at peace—even
when faced with challenging circumstances.
Participants will come away with an understanding of how to shape their own emotions
and behavior, and create clarity in their lives.
They will also be able to apply this in a clinical
setting, if desired.
Recommended reading: Isensee, Shift Your Mood:
Unleash Your Life! Your Pathway to Inner
Happiness.
Rik Isensee practices mindfulness-based somatic
psychotherapy in San Francisco. He is the author of
Shift Your Mood: Unleash Your Life! Your
Pathway to Inner Happiness.
Lori Anne Schwanbeck is a mindfulness-based
somatic psychotherapist. Lori developed Sense and
Sensibility, a sensory-focused mindfulness treatment
for emotional regulation, which she teaches internationally. She is cofounder of Mindfulness Therapy
Associates, located in San Francisco. www.mindfulnesstherapy.org.
Luminous Being: Embodying the
Radiance Sutras
Camille Maurine & Lorin Roche
Immerse yourself in love-drenched meditation
and movement. 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 musical, sensuous translation of this tantra by Lorin Roche,
who has lived and breathed these yogas for forty
years. The Radiance Sutras evoke a world of
wonder, awe, and delight. The focus of this
workshop is on full-body spirituality—accepting
every breath, sensual experience, and emotion
as a doorway into deep and intimate contact
with the energies of life. The practices include
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mudra (energy gestures), pranayama (breath),
mantra (sound), and dhyana (meditation).
Anyone can practice these methods. The emphasis is on naturalness, spontaneity, and being at
home in the universe. You meet yourself wherever you are, whether you are restless, lonely,
loving, tired, excited, nostalgic, or quiet. This
workshop is an opportunity to dive into the
Sutras that are calling you and receive coaching
from Lorin and Camille to make them your
own, so that you can embody, move, and breathe
this luscious reality. All levels of experience are
welcome.
Required reading: Roche, The Radiance Sutras.
Available at www.lorinroche.com.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. He
teaches at Stanford’s School of Medicine and is on staff
at Stanford Hospital.
Traer Calma y Equilibrio a Nuestras
Vidas: Confiando en Nuestras
Sensaciones Como Aliados
Philippe Goldin, PhD, spent 6 years in India and
Nepal studying various languages, Buddhist philosophy, and debate at Namgyal Monastery and the
Dialectic Monastic Institute. He is currently a
research scientist and directs the Clinically Applied
Affective Neuroscience group in the Department of
Psychology at Stanford University. http://caan.stanford.edu.
Lee Lesser
Kripalu Yoga Immersion:
Move Towards Love
Jovinna Chan
Recommended reading: Roche, Meditation Made
Easy; Maurine and Roche, Meditation Secrets for
Women.
The highest form of spiritual practice is self
observation with compassion.
—Swami Kripalu
The Science and Practice of Mindfulness
and Compassion Meditation
Mark Abramson & Philippe Goldin
Given the ever-increasing interconnectedness of
individuals all over the world, there is a growing
interest in integrating the practice of mindfulness and compassion at all levels of society,
including health care, education, and work and
family settings. Fortunately, there is a long tradition of such contemplative practices. One of the
challenges of our time is to learn how to infuse
mindfulness and compassion practices into our
lives in a skillful manner. There has been a related
explosion of interest in the domains of clinical
science and neuroscience in investigating the
effects of different contemplative practices in
reducing symptoms of stress, depression, and
anxiety, as well as enhancing wellbeing and social
interconnectedness. The goals of this workshop
are to introduce participants to a variety of mindfulness and compassion meditation practices that
address intra-personal and inter-personal functioning, and to provide a summary of findings
from clinical and neuroscientific studies that
help us understand the effects of the practices
and also why, how, and for whom they work.
Recommended reading: Kabat-Zinn, Full
Catastrophe Living.
Mark Abramson is part of the Stanford Center for
Integrative Medicine and heads Stanford’s
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Esalen is proud to offer this Spanish-language workshop, Bringing Ease and Balance into Our Lives:
Relying on Our Sensations as Allies. This workshop is
for women only.
Nuestras sensaciones físicas son un aliado y
recurso que muy seguido ignoramos. Lo que
sucede en nuestros cuerpos son reflejos de lo
que pasa en todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas.
Cuando comenzamos a tranquilizarnos,
podemos sentir dónde es que nosotros mismos
nos tensamos y restringimos. Esta tensión es
creada frecuentemente a través de nuestros pensamientos, hábitos y actitudes y a través de nuestras preocupaciones, miedos y estado de mantenernos ocupados.
The word “kripalu” means compassion. Kripalu
yoga is a practice of deep self-inquiry. It teaches
a way of living that encompasses all expressions
of life and cultivates courage and discernment
to embrace truth and enter into a loving and
authentic relationship with oneself.
Al poner atención al simple y concreto mundo
de las sensaciones podemos comenzar a liberar
algunos aspectos que forzamos en nuestras
vidas. Podemos comenzar a encontrar más
calma.
The inquiry-based Kripalu yoga methodology
awakens curiosity about life and instills a letting
go of what is right and wrong. With consistent
practice, one can increase the ability to “tolerate
the consequences of being oneself.” The practitioners become more skillful in dealing with life
challenges.
Este taller experimental crea un entorno seguro
y cómodo para explorar lo que sucede en las
actividades más simples: levantar un brazo, sentarse y ofrecer nuestro peso; dar y recibir un
objeto o conectar con el aire que se mueve dentro de nosotros. La forma en la que se nos presentan las cosas en estas simples actividades es la
misma forma en que se nos presentan en otros
aspectos de nuestras vidas.
During the retreat, participants will explore
Kripalu’s Three Stages of Transformation, the
doorway to enter into a practice of loving and
accepting oneself. The first stage focuses on
alignment principles, building postures from
the ground up while cultivating the union of
body and breath. Drawing attention inward to
focus on sensations while sustaining a pose is
the second stage, strengthening witness consciousness in the multi-dimensional self. In the
third stage, surrender to the wisdom of prana
and find your unique expression of yoga and
movement through meditation in motion—the
hallmark of Kripalu yoga.
Experience a weekend of unfolding into your
true self in a sacred and safe environment. Yogis
of all levels and traditions are welcome.
Jovinna Chan, ERYT-500, is the assistant dean of
the Kripalu School of Yoga, where she also serves as a
faculty member for yoga teacher training programs.
She is a transformational leader and teacher of the
Kripalu Yoga lineage, Kripalu Yoga Dance, and Soul
Motion. www.jovinnachan.com.
A medida que nos volvemos más quietos y nos
conectamos con nosotros mismos, nos podemos
conectar más con la gente que amamos y la
gente con la que interactuamos de manera cotidiana. A medida que vivimos con más calma,
podemos ayudar a que nuestros hijos, amigos y
compañeros de trabajo aprendan a vivir con más
calma.
Aprender a estar conciente de nuestras sensaciones es como aprender un nuevo lenguaje.
Requiere de práctica y de permanecer alerta.
Nuestras sensaciones están siempre con
nosotros y nos proveen de las herramientas para
enfrentar cualquier situación con más tranquilidad y libertad.
Please note: This workshop will be taught entirely
in Spanish. Participants must be fluent in
Spanish; translation will not be provided.
The Power of Mindfulness
Mark Coleman
For thousands of years, people have cultivated
mindfulness as a complete path to awakening.
Contemporary research now reveals that mindfulness greatly improves attention, reduces
stress, and increases health, wellbeing, and
capacity for happiness. What is true is that we
can all learn to live with this mindful presence
today and greatly enhance every aspect of our
lives.
Mindful awareness allows us to be attentive in
the present moment with the quality of acceptance, spaciousness, and equanimity. It is the
foundation for living with wisdom and compassion and is the seed from which springs much
joy, delight, and peace.
In this course we will explore the innate quality
of awareness and what interferes with establishing this mindful presence. Participants will
learn to cultivate it through accessible yet pro-
found meditations on the breath, the body, and
how to work with feelings and thoughts that
can often hamper our meditation wellbeing.
There will be periods of guided sitting and
walking meditation, talks on meditation, and
ample opportunity for questions and discussion.
Suitable for beginning and experienced students.
This course can be taken on its own or together
with Entering the Heart of Love, December 2328, for a seven-day immersion experience.
Loving Yourself
Daphne Rose Kingma
You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire
universe, deserve to be loved.
—Buddha
Contrary to the Jingle Bells culture, the holiday
season can often be difficult and stressful, especially if you’re feeling a disconnection from others or yourself. Although it has been said that
we should love others as ourselves, out of all
the forms of love, loving ourselves is often the
most difficult. We don’t know how to do it.
Sometimes we’re not even sure that we should
love ourselves, and if there’s a way to learn how
to do it, we’re often not sure just what that
might be.
Contrary to what you may think, it’s actually
possible to learn how to love yourself—no matter
how wounded you’ve been, no matter how
habitually hard on yourself you may be. In this
simple but profound workshop, you can learn
how to claim your own beauty, hold yourself in
your own compassion, and treat yourself with
kindly care. Through teachings, meditation, and
exercises, we will explore the following topics:
• Why you need and deserve your own love
• How we get lost on the path to self love
• The many (and subtle) forms of not loving
yourself
• The four steps to self-compassion
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
What better time to reconnect (or finally connect) with the precious treasure that you are.
Find true support during this often challenging
time and receive the remarkable gift of loving
yourself!
Please note: There will be a celebratory Christmas
Eve dinner in the Esalen Lodge.
Recommended reading: Kingma, Loving Yourself.
99
path appears to come to a stop before reversing
direction. Winter solstice is a time to pause and
reflect; a time to cultivate vitality and take extra
care to nurture ourselves. Moving into stillness,
we can return to our lives refreshed and
strengthened for the new year to come. Please
bring a yoga mat.
Sarana Miller is a faculty instructor at Yoga
Journal and has led annual retreats at Esalen and
Wilbur Hot Springs, and in Mexico and Alaska.
Trained in the Iyengar and Forrest Yoga traditions,
she has been teaching for more than 10 years.
DOUG ELLIS
Spinal Awareness (with Humor):
The Essence of Feldenkrais® and
Energy Work
Patrick Douce
Daphne Rose Kingma is the best-selling author of
ten books on love and relationships. Her most recent
book, The Ten Things to Do When Your Life Falls
Apart: An Emotional and Spiritual Handbook, is
a heartfelt guide to living through very hard times.
www.daphnekingma.com.
Mindful Communication:
Truth Without Blame
Jean Morrison
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.
By learning NVC, we can liberate ourselves
from judging self and others; taking things personally; and acting from fear, duty, obligation,
and guilt to release ourselves from suffering.
NVC supports us in expressing ourselves honestly, hearing others’ pain without trying to fix
them or taking it personally, creating new strategies that meet our core needs, and becoming
more effective at everything we do, including
creating peace in the world.
In an interactive, supportive learning environment, we’ll discover old habits of mind and speech
that produce distress and walls of separation, and
explore the possibility of new habits that create
compassion, connection, and healing within ourselves and with others. We’ll learn steps to liberate
our thinking and reactions so that we transform
anger, hurt, guilt, and disappointment into energy
and expressions that serve life.
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NVC was originally developed by Marshall
Rosenberg, PhD, more than forty years ago.
Since then, more than 300 Certified NVC
Trainers worldwide have continued to enrich
and deepen this process with their own creativity and ongoing learning. NVC is currently
taught in communities, schools, prisons, corporations, social-change organizations, war-torn
regions, and health care and government
institutions, as well as with families, couples,
and individuals.
Jean Morrison, MA, earned CNVC trainer
certification in 1989, and specializes in whole brain
learning and thinking, experiential learning, and
interactive games. She has facilitated NVC trainings
in schools, prisons, business teams, and community
organizations internationally. She also is in private
practice.
Moving into Stillness:
A Winter Solstice Yoga Retreat
Sarana Miller
For centuries, winter solstice has been a time
of reflection. Today, the holidays can be a hectic
time of doing, leaving us feeling stressed and
depleted. During this retreat we will use the
practices of yoga (asana, meditation, and chanting) in the exquisite and healing natural environment of Esalen to revitalize the body and calm
the mind. Together, we will focus our attention
on being rather than doing.
The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol
(sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the
solstices, the seasonal movement of the sun’s
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.
Holiday Couples Group, The Gift of Touch
Deborah Anne Medow & Rob Wilks
Give your significant other or good friend a wonderful holiday gift of touch. Enjoy the serene
beauty of Big Sur as you and your partner learn to
give one another an effective Esalen® Massage. A
tender touch can do wonders for any relationship
by easing stress, releasing tension, and deepening
nonverbal communication skills. Emphasis will
be on listening with both your heart and hands,
asking for what you need, and taking the time to
truly nurture yourself and your partner. Sessions
will include basic quieting exercises, movement,
brief demonstrations, hands-on guidance, and
plenty of time for practice.
This weekend of mutual giving and receiving is
for those of you who wish to learn the essential
elements of Esalen Massage and share a lovely
experience with your partner; no prior massage
experience is necessary. Come for a pleasurable
time of relaxation, renewal, inspiration, and
reconnection with your partner; soak in the
healing waters of the natural hot springs, and
enjoy the magical beauty of the Esalen grounds.
It’s a magnificent way to celebrate the holiday
season.
shop is a journey through all the aspects of creating fresh, healthy, flavor-rich dishes and beverages from the Caribbean. The group will harvest
herbs and flowers from the beautiful gardens of
Esalen that surround the workshop kitchen.
Freshly picked condiments will accompany an
abundance of fresh vegetables, fruits, and spices
such as okra, plantain, achiote, cassava, papaya,
mangos, coconuts, and many other Caribbean
delights. The dishes include pasteles en hojas, a
rich plantain paste stuffed with vegetables and
spices, then neatly wrapped in a green plantain
leaf; rosca de reyes, known in English as three
kings cake; empanaditas, small savory pastries,
and many other new dishes to share with your
families in the coming years.
Deborah Anne Medow bio on page 16.
Rob Wilks bio on page 57.
Sharing at the Holiday Table:
The Festive Cuisine of the Caribbean
Dulce Maria Perez
“My early childhood memories of the holidays
are deeply marked by the coming together of
my family at grandmother’s house in the small
village where she lived in the Dominican
Republic,” writes Dulce Maria Perez. “Everybody
was included in the preparation of the special
meals we cooked.” Join Dulce for a celebration
of the sacred and healing properties of food and
the special community that forms around the
winter holiday meals.
The Caribbean cuisine uses a cornucopia of aromatic, textured, and colorful ingredients, born
of a cultural crossroads that brought together
traditions from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the
indigenous Taino tribes. This hands-on work-
Recommended reading: Wise, A Big, New, Free,
Happy, Unusual Life; Lamott, Bird by Bird; Rilke,
Letter to a Young Poet.
($40 ingredients fee paid directly to the leader)
carried her passion for cooking
with her when she moved from her native
Dominican Republic to the US. She studied at Anne
Marie Colbin Natural Gourmet Institute in New
York, the California Culinary Academy, and the Ann
Wigmore Institute.
Dulce Maria Perez
December 23–30
All levels of massage experience are welcome.
Please bring an open heart, your favorite CDs
for massage and/or dancing, and a good sense
of humor.
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.
A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life:
Self-Expression as Spiritual Practice
Nina Wise
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.
This improvisation workshop in Motion
Theater® allows the creativity that resides within us to have a voice. “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
Soul Motion™: Tenderness at the Heart
of the Dance
Zuza Engler & Scott Engler
“Soul is flow, an ever-changing cloudscape of
textures, hues, sensations, scents, and feelings,”
writes Zuza. “Soul is how the deathless Presence
meets and moves a finite human body. In this
workshop, we will reclaim the body-in-motion
as a doorway to the soul’s flow, to the life that is
unfolding just under the surface of everyday forgetting.
“Soul Motion is a meeting with self and other in
a dance that is deeply nourishing, creative, intelligent, emotionally savvy, heartbreaking, soulmaking, spirited, and transforming. It is a movement toward the dynamic stillness at the center
of all things, the place of rest at the heart of
sound and motion. We will gather to listen
deeply and hover on the threshold between
doing and being, solitude and togetherness,
awkwardness and grace.
“Dancing at the edge of the continent, the edge
of another beginning, the edge of Love despite
all odds, we will move with our delight and our
sorrow, inspired by the promise of light returning into the heart of darkness. This formless
dance form allows for passionate full-bodied
movement as well as mindful inner explorations, art making, ritual, and luscious lounging. 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, restore, and rejoice in
community invites a shift from alone to All
One—from ‘my dance’ to the One Dance.”
Bring an object, a poem, or an image for the altar
to be created as a symbol for the simultaneous
possibility of self-expression and belonging.
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published widely and she has taught at Columbia,
NYU, and elsewhere. www.danishapiro.com.
massage from your core, from a place of ease
within yourself, and in the flow of a loving
presence.
Zuza Engler bio on page 12.
Entering the Heart of Love
Scott Engler, a longtime student of presence and
Mark Coleman
healing, is a practitioner of Biodynamic Craniosacral
Therapy and Lomi Somatic Education. He holds a
second degree black belt in Aikido and lives in
Petaluma, Calif., with his wife Zuza.
This time of year, during the winter solstice, is a
poignant time to retreat, slow down, and reflect
on letting go of the old and inviting what you
want to bring in for the coming season. For
many traditions, this season is also a time of love
and light, and so what better time to cultivate
the heart through meditation practices that
open you to deeper experience of love, compassion, and joy?
With brief lecture and hands-on supervised
practice, we will focus on common areas of
tension while addressing posture, breath, and
intention. To assist in connecting you with your
inner resources, visualization and meditation
will also be included. Come and enjoy the beautiful Big Sur coast, while learning how to effortlessly give an Esalen Massage. This workshop is
open to beginners and those who wish to
inspire their current massage practice.
Devotion: Crafting Your Journey
Inward through Memoir
Dani Shapiro
How do we begin to know our own stories, and
to tell them in a way that feels universal? How
can we structure our inward journeys so that
they resonate with others? In this interactive
workshop, we will explore multiple aspects of
writing a memoir.
There is a profound difference between “journaling” and writing memoir. In journaling, we
are interested in writing only for ourselves. In
memoir, we are also conscious of our readers. As
we craft a memoir, we want to make art out of
our lives, turning confession and even confusion into clear-sighted, purposeful prose.
In many traditions, the year’s end is a time of
contemplation and meaningful reflection on
one’s own life. This workshop—accessible to
writers of absolutely all levels from the published to the beginner—encourages an inventory
of the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories
we are compelled to share with others.
During this retreat, with the help of ancient
Buddhist meditation practices of metta (love),
karuna (compassion), and mudita (joy), we will
learn how to meet ourselves, one other, and the
world with a kind, wise, and joyful heart. We
will also explore the simple but profound practice of mindfulness. Cultivating mindfulness
meditation forms the foundation for self awareness, empathy, self-compassion, and releasing
the boundaries between self and other.
Mark will lead the group in a variety of rich
meditations, which will include taking in the
beauty and love of nature at Esalen, and how
that equally opens and enriches the heart. We
will also engage in experiential exercises and
playful practices that explore bringing the open
heart into the world around us.
This course can be taken on its own or together
with The Power of Mindfulness, December 2123, for a seven-day immersion experience.
Eve dinner in the Esalen lodge.
There will be plenty of time for meditation, personal writing, guided exercises, and coming
together as a group in a supportive and nurturing atmosphere.
Dani Shapiro, bestselling novelist and memoirist, will guide the group through exercises
designed to open the channels to memory and
emotion. In an intimate and supportive environment, she will provide useful, hands-on tools
for beginning to shape our journeys into compelling narratives.
Dani Shapiro is the author of the memoirs Devotion
and Slow Motion, and two novels. Her next book,
Still Writing: The Pleasures and Perils of a
Creative Life, will be out in 2013. Her work has been
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Esalen® Massage and the Art of
Continuous Presence
Oliver Bailey & Silvia Guersenzvaig
Oliver Bailey and Silvia Guersenzvaig invite you
to participate in a five-day journey to replenish
your spirit with touch by learning how to give
an Esalen Massage.
Esalen Massage is best described as the interface
and integration of form, energy, structure, and
soul. With its nurturing contact, long integrating strokes, and detailed attention to the whole
body, an Esalen Massage provides a state of deep
relaxation and healing.
The intention of this week is to offer tools and
techniques that allow you to give a whole body
Oliver Bailey bio on page 54.
Silvia Guersenzvaig is a certified 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.
This Year I Will...How to Finally Change
a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Bring a
Dream into Being
MJ Ryan
Every year end, 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.
MJ Ryan is the author of This Year I Will…and
AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You
Didn’t Ask For, among others. A member of
Professional Thinking Partners, she currently serves
as an advisor to entrepreneurs, senior-level executives,
and leadership teams, and leads workshops around
the world.
Living Deeply: The Art and Science
of Transformation
Cassandra Vieten & Daniel Ellenberg
We are each always changing, always growing.
But sometimes we encounter moments or
periods of life that are so potent, and so full of
potential, that they transform our consciousness, fundamentally shifting our worldview, our
motives and priorities, and 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 more than 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 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 can 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 together 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. Join us, as 2012
turns to 2013, to reorient, remember, and renew
your commitment toward living more deeply
every day.
Daniel Ellenberg, PhD, is a leadership coach, group
facilitator, organizational trainer, and licensed therapist. He is a principle in both Relationships That
Work and Authentic Leadership Institute. He leads
men’s growth groups and co-authored Lovers for
Life.
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.
Meditation, Yoga and the New
Paradigm in Consciousness
Week of December 30–January 4
Charu Rachlis
Re-Wilding the Future: Soul,
Imagination, and a New Planetary Era
Our world is in great flux. Changes come every
day. Our old beliefs may not fit any longer.
There is a great call to all of us from Mother
Earth and the cosmos to open up and receive a
new alignment in consciousness. Many of us
find it difficult to respond to this call, but also
there is a sense of relief and excitement.
In this workshop we will practice meditation,
which supports us to stay centered and open to
receive these new energies in a more balanced
way. In our time together we will also practice a
gentle yoga—moving into our bodies with ease
and using our breath to feel each pose.
Asana (yoga postures) are an ancient medicine
to release the body from mental, emotional,
and physical stress. It is a preventive medicine!
We will take time in restoratives postures to
renew and rejuvenate ourselves. Our early
mornings will be dedicated to pranayama
(breath awareness), which also helps us to center
and relax.
The workshop is designed to support each
participant in going deeper into their heart,
to reflect, rejuvenate, and deeply relax, and to
create the opportunity to open up to this infinite possibility that exists in each moment.
Bill Plotkin & Geneen Marie Haugen
In the liminal time when one year morphs into
another, we often anticipate change; the final
days of 2012 are especially saturated with both
uncertainty and possibility. Whether or not we
believe the astrological implications or mythic
prophecies about 2012, most of us experience
this time as unpredictable and susceptible to
radical change. Much is in flux: economy, government, climate, consciousness—the stories we
live by. For some, this may feel more destabilizing than welcome; for others, the unknown
future buzzes with possibility. How might we
participate with the archetypal potentials—evolutionary and revolutionary—of one era’s end
and another’s beginning?
Reclaiming our own wilder psyches, which
overflow with endless creativity, ecological
genius, and emergent possibility, is a necessary
prelude to re-wilding the future. To this end,
we’ll evoke non-ordinary consciousness in multiple ways: conversations with nature; approaching the world as if everything is animate and
intelligent; attending our deepest allurements;
and listening for the voices of future ones who,
even now, call for our forward-seeing imagination and activism. Our practices will draw from
DANIEL BIANCHETTA
Cassandra Vieten, PhD, is director of research at
the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a licensed clinical psychologist in San Francisco, and vice-president of the
Institute for Spirituality and Psychology. She co-wrote
Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life.
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council, dreamwork, nature-based ceremony,
expressive arts, and solo time on the land. We’ll
invite what Thomas Berry calls “the wild fertile
forces of the planet” to nourish both the wild
human psyche and a future filled with wildly
fertile possibility.
Please join us for experiential re-wilding in the
auspicious atmosphere of Esalen at the auspicious
end of 2012. Where else would you rather be?
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.
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.
Geneen Marie Haugen
The Natural Singer
Claude Stein
Come and celebrate the awesome healing power
of your voice. Whether you already sing or have
always wished you could, this exciting workshop can change your life.
During this week, you will be shown how to
find and use your true, natural voice. There will
be great individual attention with exercises to
relax the throat, build confidence, increase
range, sing in key, and project with power. Then,
using favorite songs, participants will develop
the extraordinary gifts we are all born with. The
results can be simply amazing as each of us, no
matter what level we’re at, triumphs over the
physical, emotional, and psychological issues
that limit us—even if you’ve never been able to
carry a tune!
You can find confidence through the gentle whisper of a lullaby, release emotion with the cry of
the blues, or rekindle your passion with a driving
rhythmic chant. No special talent or previous
experience is necessary. Whether you already
sing in public and want to take the next step, or
you just want to hit the notes when you sing in
the car, you’ll find yourself communicating freely
and singing like you’ve always wanted to.
Therapists, coaches, and workshop leaders will
also find the techniques valuable for use with
their clients.
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Note: Bring instruments, CDs, and songbooks
if you like.
Claude Stein has 25 years of experience blending
psychology and voice training. His clients include
RCA, Warner Bros., Sony, Atlantic, Island Records,
Juilliard, Harvard Medical School, the Actors
Institute, Sprint, Siemens, and JPMorgan.
Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation:
Wisdom in Action
Scott Blossom & Chandra Easton
The feminine principle of wisdom, known as
prajna paramita in Buddhism, shakti in Tantra,
and gnosis in Christianity, represents the awakening to our essential nature through direct
experience. In Sanskrit, prajna paramita means
“perfection of wisdom” and is the name for the
Great Mother. She is a deity, a symbol, a sutra;
and above all, she represents the ground of
being, pregnant with all phenomena, the genetrix of the awakened state.
Shadow Yoga is a Hatha yoga system that
employs vigorous stance work for strengthening
the bones and marrow. It utilizes spiraling and
circular movements to free the circulation of
the life force in our limbs and to enkindle our
digestive fire for healing and strength, making
the practitioner a suitable vessel for meditation
practice. Scott will teach one of the three
Shadow Yoga Prelude forms in a sequential
manner so that it may be memorized.
In this retreat, Scott and Chandra will weave
together the dynamic, penetrating, and sublimely simple practices of Shadow Yoga and
Buddhist Prajna Paramita meditation. Begin
your day with Shadow Yoga practice with Scott.
After breakfast, Chandra will share mantra practice, source texts, and Prajna Parmita meditation.
In the afternoon, Scott and Chandra will weave
together the yoga and meditation practices to
create a seamless tapestry of healing and embodied wisdom.
Prior yoga and meditation experience is highly
recommended. Please bring a yoga mat, meditation cushion, and a journal. To learn more about
Scott and Chandra, visit www.shunyatayoga.com.
Scott Blossom is a Traditional Chinese Medical
practitioner, Shadow Yoga teacher, and Ayurvedic
consultant. He has studied yoga for more than 18
years and taught for 12. His primary teachers are
Zhander Remete, founder of Shadow Yoga, and Dr.
Robert Svoboda, Ayurvedic physician and scholar.
www.shunyatayoga.com.
Chandra Easton studied Buddhist philosophy, medi-
tation, and Tibetan language at the Library of
Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India,
and translated Tibetan Buddhist texts on meditation
with B. Alan Wallace. Chandra has taught meditation and yoga since 2001. www.shunyatayoga.com.
New Year’s Meditation: Opening the
Mind, Awakening the Heart
Shauna Shapiro
The winter solstice and New Year’s Eve is a
potent time to reflect, renew, and invite our
deepest intentions for the coming year.
Meditation offers a profound opportunity to
focus inward, and to deeply connect with oneself, create intentions, and reflect on life values
and aspirations. This darkest season is the prelude to a return of the light. It is a perfect time
to cultivate the heart, body, and mind through
meditation practices that open us to our deeper
experiences of love, compassion, joy, and wisdom.
During this retreat, we explore the simple but
profound practice of mindfulness as the foundation of living a fully embodied, joyful, and
awake life. We will engage with the rich, sensual
experience of Esalen, the sounds and beauty of
the ocean, and the wonder and profound richness of our moment-to-moment experience. We
will also engage in mindful movement practices
and practices of metta (love), karuna (compassion), and mudita (joy). We will learn about the
revolutionary research in mindfulness and neurobiology that illustrates the profound impact
meditation can have in cultivating greater
health and wellbeing in our lives. Out of this
depth of connection, we will set clear intentions
and aspirations for the New Year.
Recommended reading: Shapiro, Carlson and
Kabat-Zinn, The Art and Science of Mindfulness;
Kornfield, A Path With Heart; Salzberg,
Lovingkindness.
Shauna Shapiro, clinical psychologist and associate
professor at Santa Clara University, researches mindfulness meditation and has published more than 60
articles and co-authored The Art and Science of
Mindfulness.
work study program
T
he Work Study program is a twenty-eight day immersion in Esalen’s integrative approach to personal and social
development. The program combines a rigorous
course of study in one area of transformative
practice with the opportunity for deep relationship with the Esalen land and community.
Work Study is a rich and challenging way to
embody the idea that mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social dimensions of the
self are inextricably connected. Please see the
following pages for descriptions of Work Study
courses.
At the heart of the Work Study experience are
the evening sessions. During these meetings,
which occur four to five evenings per week,
workscholars in each discipline meet together
for core studies. The group leader or leaders for
each discipline are highly experienced teachers
who coordinate the course of study and guide
scholars throughout the month. As a complement to their studies, workscholars participate
in Esalen’s daily operations by volunteering 32
hours per week, usually in the housekeeping
department or the kitchen, in exchange for
their housing and meal costs. Contemplative
and transformative practices are woven into
the work environment at Esalen, so each day
there are valuable opportunities for self and
group exploration, including group process
and check-in.
The Legacy Program is a second type of twentyeight day work study experience at Esalen. With
class sessions meeting just twice a week, with
one intensive day of classes during the month,
Legacy workscholars have more flexibility in
their schedules to attend residential education
classes (regularly occurring learning events
designed for Esalen staff ) and daily movement
arts programs. Legacy programs are usually a
mix of workscholars and Esalen staff. Legacy
workscholars also volunteer 32 hours per week
with an Esalen department, and the tuition for
Legacy is the same as the traditional Work Study
program.
Workscholars are selected by application only.
After applications have been accepted, participants may register for the program. Some of the
work can be physically challenging, including
lifting, bending, and repetitive movements.
Please be sure you are capable of the work you
may be assigned. Workscholars are assigned to
departments on the basis of community need,
so please be ready to jump in anywhere.
The Work Study application is on page 109.
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.”
Esalen encourages workscholars to refrain from alcohol use during their stay. No pets, drugs, or violence
allowed. We cannot accommodate children.
Commitment to the Work Study program is
from 4 PM of the first Sunday to 7:30 PM of
the final Sunday. Do not plan to take regularly
scheduled catalog workshops during your stay.
Fees: A deposit of $400 in US currency is
required with your application. Fees will not
be processed until your place in a program is
secured and you have accepted. The workscholar
fee is $1,150 for the month. Fees are subject
to change and are due upon your arrival.
Workscholars may be invited to remain for a
second month depending on space and community needs. Occasionally it is possible to stay
for a longer period as an extended student.
Food and Housing: Accommodations are
shared (occasionally co-ed), with up to four people to a room. Some workscholars stay at South
Coast Center, a staff complex located 1.5 miles
north of Esalen. Housing and meals are provided in exchange for 32 hours of volunteer work.
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, 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 to confirm that we
DOUG ELLIS
received your application within 14 days
of receiving it. We will inform applicants of
admission three months prior to the program’s
start date. After that time, there are generally
wait lists for Work Study programs.
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Work Study Programs
July–December 2012
July 8–August 5
A Half Century of Human Potential
Have you ever wondered how so many people,
perhaps you, became “spiritual but not religious?” Have you ever felt alone, or disconnected, in your own story and wondered whether it
fit into a larger cultural narrative or super-story?
It does. 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary of
the first official seminars on “the human potentiality” at the Big Sur Hot Springs, which would
soon become the Esalen Institute. Jeffrey Kripal
will guide a group of work scholars through this
American story through his own history of the
institute, as well as through novels, film, audio
media, photographs, and a variety of guest
speakers from the Esalen community. A wilderness retreat in the mountains and coasts surrounding the institute with Esalen teacher
Steven Harper will introduce the work scholars
to the natural world of Big Sur that lies at the
heart and soul of Esalen’s unique story, and work
scholars will compose and process their own
personal narratives as a means of locating and
grounding them in this half century of human
potential.
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.
Legacy Program: Eco-conscious
Transformational Leadership for
Our Local and Global Future
Sustainability and environmental leadership is
vital for our long-term survival on this planet.
As citizens and business/organization leaders
we need to intimately understand stakeholder
engagement, reputation, ethics, and market viability and see them all as equally important to
balance when making the case for sustainability
in our lives and organizations.
During this experiential, cross-cultural leadership work study program, Kat Steele will help
you develop a heightened sense of place and
self-awareness, while deepening your practice of
leadership to enable you to take new skills into
your personal life and projects.
With an emphasis on honoring your inherent
wisdom and uncovering and awakening your
natural leadership strengths, we will explore
moving from transactional to eco-conscious
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transformational leadership. Elements of the
program include but are not limited to
• Personal growth and sustainability practices
for a balanced life
• Effective communication and interpersonal
skills for strong relationships
• Empowerment with the confidence to live and
function in a more just, sacred, and sustainable
future.
• Group dynamics and facilitation skills
• Time to connect with the sacred land and
waters of Esalen
This program will include a certificate of completion for a Transition training through
www.transitionus.org.
table Shiatsu massage sequence, an introduction
to meridian theory, and an easy to learn, powerful chi kung form. The group will explore both
Yang (deep and penetrating) and Yin (light and
energetic) styles of touch as well as various
meditations, self massage, and improv games 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.
See leader bio on page 89.
August 5–September 2
Jim Gallas, a Shiatsu teacher for more than 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.
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, selfassurance, 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.
Recommended reading: Meyers, As We Speak:
How to Make Your Point and Have it Stick.
Legacy Program: Streams of Energy
Jim Gallas leads this program of Eastern body
work and movement which includes a full body
September 2–30
5Rhythms® Waves/Heartbeat:
A Moving Meditation Practice
“In the art of the 5Rhythms® practice, movement
is our medicine,” writes Lucia Horan. “There are
no rules. We are only invited to keep moving as
we navigate the experience of life. Movement is
our key to enter the gateway of the body. Here
we unearth what has been buried below the surface. We invite each of the rhythms to be our
guide as we navigate the territory of body, mind,
and soul. In the process, we learn to awaken our
authentic power, creative wellspring, and inner
source of loving.
“During this work study month, we will investigate the map of the rhythms, becoming mindful
as we track our past, present, and future, and
informed by all that is held in the bones and
cells of this body. In the first part of the month,
we will work with fundamentals of the
5Rhythms® Waves practice. This will ground us
and prepare us for the next part of our journey.
In the second part of the month, we will dive
into the realm of 5Rhythms® Heartbeat. In
Heartbeat we explore the emotional component
of our human existence, in relationship to the
rhythms. We will dance, create art, poetry, ritual
theater, and use conscious touch to integrate
what comes up in the process. No experience is
required for this class.”
Legacy Program:
Embodied Relationship
October 28–November 25
“We develop relationships with ourselves and
others through the physicality of our vision,
smell, touch, and movement,” says Michael
Clemmens. “These relationships, or dances,
shape what we believe is possible and how we
behave in the present. In this program, our
focus will be on the ways in which we create
relationships through our bodies. By attending
to our present dance with others, we can
become more aware of our existing context
and optional ways of interacting.
September 30–October 28
The Buddha offered a timeless teaching on how
to live a life that is sourced from kindness, compassion, and appreciation. These teachings and
practices are as applicable today as they were
two thousand years ago. We all have the ability
to access the innate wisdom and compassion of
the heart—all we have do is turn inward through
meditation and eventually we will uncover an
endless source of happiness.
DOUG ELLIS
“The structure of the program will be experiential exercises, practice sessions, and group discussion to develop our awareness of self and the
group. We will begin with our earliest movements (prior to birth) and then explore how we
co-create our bodily membership in the more
complex gestalts of family, groups, and cultures.
Our goals will be to experience how we create
relationships through embodiment, and to develop skills in attending to ourselves and others.”
The Heart of Buddhism
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, the work can be surprisingly, delightfully,
holistically healing.”
Motion Theater®:
Dreaming on Your Feet
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.
This improvisation workshop in Motion
Theater allows the creativity that resides within
us to have a voice. “Everyone has a story to tell,”
says Nina Wise. “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 jazzbased 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.”
The sessions will include meditation, gentle and
vigorous movement, exploring the range of
vocal expression, writing exercises, as well as
solo, duet, and ensemble improv games.
Legacy Program:
Each of us is born with an inherent drive for
aliveness and self-expression and belonging. As
we grow up, our sense of self and our ability to
be spontaneous may become blocked. Knowing
who we are, and what we feel and want, can be
difficult when we have lived with the absence of
adequate attunement and responsiveness to our
emotions. This lack can result in self-judgment
and the belief that our emotions are the problem, instead of signals that can point the way
toward a better understanding of ourselves and
our environment.
The focus of a month with Dorothy Charles and
Relational Gestalt Process will be creating a
group experience that will provide a context in
which feelings can be held and integrated.
Individual work with the leader, communication skills and group process, will be used to
develop awareness and self- responsibility to create relationships with self and others that are
supportive and enlivening. Meditation, and
expressive arts will also be part of the curriculum.
During this course, Noah Levine will be joined
by Spirit Rock Community Dharma teacher
Vinny Ferraro for a program that combines the
regular and Legacy work study groups for a
unique synergy. Legacy work scholars will have
the opportunity to join the regular work study
group for some portions of the course, and vice
versa. Together, Levine and Ferraro will guide
you into your heart’s depths through a series of
guided meditations, small group explorations,
lectures, and dialogue. The month will be based
upon the Buddha’s teachings of the Divine
Abodes of heart—kindness, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity, as well as an in-depth
process of forgiveness.
All levels of experience are welcome, but be
warned you will be asked to open your heart
and stand undefended in the presence of your
own truth.
Noah Levine bio on page 79.
Vinny Ferraro bio on page 84.
Nonviolent Communication
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is internationally recognized, taught, and implemented as
a tool for quality of life. During this month of
intensive immersion in 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
107
• 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.
Please note: Participants in this program are signing up for five weeks at Esalen. For four weeks,
you will be in a group with Jean Morrison. For
the fifth week you will be participating in
Esalen’s staff week. During this week, Esalen
is closed to the public. There will be staff-only
fun, work, and learning during this time.
Legacy Program:
Presence and Touch that Heals
Touch is a powerful tool for healing. Touch combined with a presence that truly meets the person you are touching is a gift beyond compare.
To develop this skill set involves several key
elements. Join Suzanne Scurlock-Durana and
Carlos Durana for this interactive and experiential legacy month that will explore each of these
elements as well as offer the opportunity for indepth personal growth and healing through
multiple hands-on bodywork sessions.
Participants will work with the Full Body Presence
book and audio download to cultivate their capacity to be present in a powerful, yet ethical and loving way. Also, participants will be shown the foundation level of touch used in all CranioSacral therapy, which unlocks the door to the body’s deepest
wisdom. They will be shown how to follow energy flow through the body and release restrictions
using the meridian system, returning the system
to balance and better health.
This program will be coupled with the visiting
teacher program, which will offer an opportunity to be mentored by advanced CranioSacral
therapists and to receive multiple hands-on
advanced healing work in evening sessions.
Please bring a journal for reflection time and
notes, as well as a binder for handouts.
Required reading and listening: ScurlockDurana and Upledger, Full Body Presence: Learning
to Listen to Your Body’s Wisdom, book and audio
download or CD.
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana bio on page 19.
108
Carlos Durana, PhD, MAc, is a licensed acupuncturist and clinical psychologist; he is also a body worker and writer/researcher with many years of experience in Chinese herbology, medical qigong, life and
wellness coaching, meditation, stress management,
exercise, and nutrition.
www.Seasonsinourlife.com.
December 23–January 20
Healing with Humor: Spinal Awareness
Patrick Douce will lead an in-depth experience
of Spinal Awareness, a program of health and
healing (with humor). Spinal Awareness is a
way of learning that improves body awareness,
flexibility, posture, and most chronic and acute
conditions of the body. Taught with movement,
touch, and group interaction, it is based on the
work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Taoist-ChineseIndonesian martial art, and the Esalen experience.
Spinal Awareness emphasizes learning how to
move in ways that stimulate your awareness and
support the health of your own body. Lessons
inspired by Indonesian Silat will also be used to
stimulate the energy body, effecting internal
health and increasing energy. Students will participate in floor exercises that organize and integrate the spinal column, and standing lessons
that improve better balance and fluidity.
The course will include safe and noninvasive
hands-on lessons to greatly speed improvements. Fun partner lessons will be intermixed
to help bring about not only freedom in the
body but a return to the childlike energy
essential to us all.
and body in a spirit of bhakti, or devotion.
Participants will learn how to bring awareness
to the felt sense of each posture and move energy and consciousness through the body, rather
than just assume yogic shapes. In addition to
asana, we will practice pranayama (breathing
techniques) and kirtan (devotional chanting).
As we surrender ourselves into these practices,
we further open our hearts to realizing our connection with the divine, and we can carry that
awareness with us out of the yoga room into
a richer more fulfilling experience of life. All
levels of practice and experience are welcome.
Carl Swanson a devoted student and practitioner
of yoga for the last decade, has been teaching yoga
at Esalen since 2004. His teaching is influenced by
Anusara and Vinyasa Flow styles of hatha yoga, his
love of kirtan, and his experience as an Esalen
Massage practitioner and instructor.
Nora Matten bio on page 80.
Work Study Programs
January–June 2013
Please visit:
www.esalen.org/workshops/workstudy.html
for complete program descriptions.
January 20-February 17
Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion
with Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer
February 17-March 17
Wordsmithing: Opening the Creative
Channel with Johnsmith
March 17-April 14
Relational Gestalt Process with Dorothy
Charles
Legacy Program: Yoga as a Practice
of Devotion and Surrender
The fruition of yoga is the state of connection
with the deepest source of our consciousness,
often described as a sacred and blissful union
between the student and the Divine. In shorter
yoga classes we are often preoccupied with the
physical aspects of our practice as we try to
achieve various physical yoga postures (asanas).
For many students yoga can be reduced to a
stretching and strengthening exercise. We may
miss or forget that the true aim is to more fully
experience and express our intrinsic goodness
and beauty, our divine inner light.
In this course, Carl Swanson and Nora Matten
will guide students through an exploration of
yogic practices as a way to open the heart, mind,
April 14-May 12
T’ai Chi with Kenn Chase
May 12-June 9
Sharing Your Life Story with Ann Randolph
June 9-July 7
Embodied Relationship with Michael
Clemmens
Additional programs are always
being added. Please visit
www.esalen.org for the latest
opportunities.
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 __________________________________________________________________________
Country _____________________________ Occupation (previous, if retired) ____________________________________________ Date of Birth __________________________ Age ___________
mo / day / yr
E-mail Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you have any physical/emotional condition (i.e. bad back, severe depression) that might affect your ability to participate? o Yes o No
Are you taking medication? o Yes o No If yes to either of these questions, please include details in your personal statement.
Are you a former workscholar? o Yes o No If yes, list dates and the dept. where you worked: _______________________________________________________________
Are you an ILEAD student? o Yes o No If yes, from what school? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
See www.esalen.org/workshops/workstudy.html for more info about ILEAD.
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
If your application is approved and we cannot give you your first choice, we will place you in your next available choice.
Workscholars 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? Van service rates are subject to change. From o Monterey Airport, 2 pm ($50); o Monterey Transit, 2:20 pm ($50);
o San Francisco Airport, 11:45 am ($100).
Payment o $400 deposit o $1,150
Name on Card_______________________________________________________________________________
o Check (U.S. banks only), attached and payable to Esalen Institute
Card No. ______________________________________________________________________________________
o MasterCard o VISA o American Express
Expiration Date _____________________________________________________________________________
If you are making a credit card deposit, the balance will be
automatically charged to your card five days before your arrival.
Billing Zipcode___________________________ CVV (security) code ______________________
Name and phone number (if different from above):
Applications cannot be considered without a deposit and a
personal statement included. Deposits are not processed until
your final acceptance into the program.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Authorizing Signature ____________________________________________________________________
109
reservation information
Reservations
Workshop Tuition Including Accommodations
Point House Single
Weekend
Workshops
$1,595
Five-day
Workshops
$3,155
Seven-day
Workshops
$4,565
Point House Couple
$2,290
$4,310
$6,330
Premium Room Single
$1,245
$2,340
$3,535
Premium Room Couple
$1,940
$3,555
$5,390
online: www.esalen.org
phone: 888-837-2536
If you prefer, download the reservation form at
www.esalen.org/workshops/reservations.html and
fax (831-667-2724) or mail it in.
Standard
$730
$1,215
$1,855
Bunk Bed
$555
$935
$1,430
Sleeping Bag
$405
$650
$990
Off-site
$405
$650
$990
Esalen Rates Are All Inclusive
All workshop fees include:
•
•
•
•
•
Workshop tuition or Personal Retreat fees
Organically grown food
Vegan and vegetarian options for all meals
Coffee, tea, and bread bar open 24/7
24-hour use of hot spring bath facilities,
Arts Center (except when a workshop is
scheduled), meditation Round House,
and the entire Esalen grounds
• Participation in scheduled daily classes
such as yoga, dance, meditation, art, and
special events
• One-year subscription to the Esalen
catalog
Friends of Esalen receive a $25.00 discount on rates. For information on Friends of Esalen, see page 2.
Accommodations
Point Houses: See below.
Premium Accommodations: See below.
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 $125 per night.
Bunk Bed Accommodations: This is shared
housing with four or more persons per room.
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).
Off-site Accommodations: If you are attending
a workshop and staying off property.
This is Your Time…
ou have carefully selected a workshop,
or made the decision to take a Personal
Retreat. You are stepping out of your busy
life to stop and breathe, heal, explore.
Why not treat yourself to the finest
accommodations
during your stay
at Esalen?
Point Houses are private suites nestled behind
the Esalen Garden and perched at the cliff’s edge
with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Each of
the three Point Houses offers a living room with
wood stove, a master bedroom, a sleeping loft, full
kitchen and dining area, private redwood deck
overlooking the Pacific with outdoor clawfoot
tub, Internet connections, and in-room telephone.
Point House
Premium Room
South Point House Annex
Premium Room
Point House
Premium Room
Premium Rooms offer upgraded bathrooms
and enhanced sound and climate insulation.
Various rooms have different amenities including Internet connection, in-room phones,
in-floor heating, and ocean views.
Please call 888-837-2536 for details about Point
Houses and premium room accommodations
and availability.
110
KODIAK GREENWOOD
Y
Workshop Payment
If possible, please pay full workshop fees at the
time of reservation. To reserve a space in any
workshop, we require the following deposits:
Weekend: $150
5–7 day: $300
Deposits paid by credit card will automatically
have the workshop balance drawn from your
credit card five days before arrival. Deposits are
payable in US currency only; overseas residents
must pay by checks drawn on US banks or credit
cards. Deposits are nonrefundable.
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 deposit and refund you the balance.
If you cancel a Personal Retreat reservation at
least 7 days before your reservations date, a $75
processing fee will be charged for each reservation (per person) and the remaining balance
will be refunded. If you cancel with fewer than
7 days notice, you will forfeit the price of one
night’s lodging (per person).
CELINE NADEAU
Esalen 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 $75per-workshop processing fee, will be transferred
to an Esalen credit account to be used within
one year.
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.
Personal Retreat Fees
Fees listed are per night.
Family Accommodations
and Children’s Fees:
Fees for children under 14 enrolled in family
workshops are: $100 for weekend workshops
and $200 for 5-day.
Two full-paying adults housed in standard
accommodations may have their children stay
with them (not enrolled in a family program)
for a meal charge of $20 per child per day
($10 for children under 6).
Fri/Sat
Sun-Thurs
Esalen may cancel a workshop due to low
enrollment.
Standard
(2-3 persons per room)
$220
$165
Cancellations must be made by phone with
one of our reservation staff. “Seven full days”
Premium
(guaranteed single)
$450
$450
Note: If children are enrolled in Gazebo Park
School, additional fees apply.
Premium
$600
(2 persons: priced per room)
$600
Gazebo Park School is an on-site, state-licensed,
Point Houses
$700
(1 or 2 people: priced per room)
$650
South Point House Annex $175
(add’l South Point House bedroom
for up to 2 people, priced per person)
$175
Bunk Bed
$140
(4 or more persons per room)
$130
means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop,
and by Friday before a Friday workshop.
Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable. Esalen may cancel a workshop due to
low enrollment two weeks before the workshop
start date. You may either switch to another
workshop, come for a Personal Retreat, or get
a refund.
Money at Esalen: Esalen accepts cash, checks,
and credit cards. Esalen does not have an ATM,
so please bring enough cash for incidentals such
as beverages and chocolate at the dinner bar, or
gratuities for massage practitioners.
Schedules
Reduced Rate Availability
Please request discounts at the time of registration.
Work Exchange: Some assistance is available for
workshop participants in exchange for a work
commitment in housekeeping or the kitchen.
Weekend: $50, 4 hrs. 5–7 days: $100, 8 hrs.
Scholarships: Limited scholarships are available
for those in financial need. See the Esalen website for details and application.
Ongoing Residency Discount: A 20% discount
is available for a consecutive, four-week-long
workshop experience. Call the Esalen office for
details.
Accommodations include Friday and Saturday
night for weekend workshops and Sunday
through Thursday night for 5-day workshops.
Schedules for 7-day workshops vary; please
inquire at registration.
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 at 8:30 pm on the first evening and end
at 11:30 am on the final day.
outdoor preschool program for children from
infants to age 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
Park School’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. Gazebo
Park School hours are Monday-Friday, 9:30 am–
4:30 pm. Qualified childcare providers may be
available for parents taking workshops outside
of the Gazebo Park School hours. For more
information and to enroll for Gazebo Park
School, please call 831-667-3026. To ensure space
in the program, we ask for at least one month
advance notice for enrollment.
111
information for your visit
Location and Transportation
Esalen is located 45 miles south of Monterey
and 11 miles south of Nepenthe restaurant on
Coast Route 1. This isolation and tranquility
can deepen your experience, yet it can also be
a significant change in environment.
Ridesharing: We encourage ridesharing to
Van Service: A van service is available between
Monterey Airport/Monterey Transit Plaza/
Monterey Airbus Station and Esalen on Fridays
and Sundays. The incoming service departs
Monterey Airport at approximately 4 pm, arrives
at Monterey Transit Plaza at 4:15 pm, and
Monterey Airbus Station at 4:20 pm. Return
service departs Esalen at approximately 5:30 pm.
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 $65 one-way fee (subject to change)
is payable to Esalen upon arrival.
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.
Private Conferences
As part of its dedication to the humanities
and sciences, Esalen offers its facilities to organizations and individuals for mission-aligned
private conferences, meetings, courses, and
trainings. Esalen can accommodate groups up
to 124 people.
Conferences can be two, five, or seven days and
include meals, movement classes, and use of
the hot springs and Art Center when available.
Most conferences are scheduled at least one
year in advance. For more information and to
schedule, contact the conference coordinator
at 831-620-6244.
DOUG ELLIS
reduce the number of cars on the road and at
Esalen. See the reservation form online at
www.esalen.org for ridesharing options.
Phone and Internet: There is no cell phone
service at Esalen. There are two shared
Internet stations available and the Lodge has
free WiFi access, except during meal times.
Due to Esalen’s remote location, all connectivity (phones and Internet) is provided on a
best-effort basis; we can’t guarantee service.
Age Restrictions: Workshop participants
must be 18 years or older unless otherwise
noted. See page 111 for family options at
Esalen.
Snoring: If you are staying in shared accom-
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 lost
during your stay, call 831-667-3019.
modations and you snore, please be prepared
to do everything possible to minimize the discomfort this may cause a roommate. Consider
taking a private room. If you do not snore,
please come prepared with earplugs for the
possibility of sharing a room with a snorer.
ed outdoor areas only. Not permitted in
accommodations or meeting areas.
Flashlights: Esalen paths are very dimly lit
Valuables: The Esalen office has no facilities
Pets: Other than service animals, pets are not
allowed.
Smoking: Smoking is permitted in designat-
at night. Please bring a flashlight.
to store guest valuables.
Health Services: Esalen has no medical
Volunteering: Guests are welcome to contribute time during their stay to work with
Esalen staff, usually in the kitchen or in cabins. This help enables us to meet the pressures
of peak working times and provides an opportunity for guests to experience Esalen from
the inside.
services or pharmaceutical supplies on site.
Please come prepared to administer to your
own needs. Esalen is 45 miles from a medical
facility and pharmacy.
Accessibility: Many Esalen paths, though
paved, are very steep. Access to some parts
of the property may be difficult depending
on your level of mobility. Please discuss your
needs with an Esalen representative at the
time of registration (at least 72 hours prior
to arrival) and we may be able to assist.
Personal Guests: Seminarians may not have
guests on property.
112
Nudity: In the hot springs, massage area, and
pool, swimsuits are optional and nudity is
common. We encourage each individual to
choose what is most comfortable for him or
her. The environment we strive for at Esalen
is one of personal sanctuary and respect for
the human body.
Recommended Reading and Mail Order
Merchandise: All recommended reading is
available online through www.esalen.org.
All other bookstore merchandise is available
via mail order. For more information, see
www.esalen.org/bookstore.
leader index
A
D
Ralph Abraham, 11
Mark Abramson, 61, 98
Dee Dettman Ahern, 77
Ronald Alexander, 69
David Allen, 61
Eugene Allen, 32
Jennifer Allen, 21
Lillie Allen, 32
Susan Anderson, 75
Fabio Andrico, 44
Karishma Deanna Darby, 41
Christina Dauenhauer, 30
Laura Day, 14
Lorie Eve Dechar, 72
Russell Delman, 39, 42
Harvey Deutch, 29
Christina Dickinson, 93
Lisa Lieberman Doctor, 87
Patrick Douce, 44, 86, 100, 108
Jeff Dowd, 79
Jim Dreaver, 52
Lama Drimed, 22
Ken Dychtwald, 63
B
James Bailey, 67
Oliver Bailey, 54, 92, 102
Banana Slug String Band, 34
Anat Baniel, 43
James Baraz, 66
Ysaye Barnwell, 40
Ellen Bass, 24, 80
Nora Bateson, 8, 10
Rob Bauer, 26
Judith Bell, 85
Dyrian Benz, 46, 68
Jennifer Berezan, 29
Susan Bernstein, 80
Micheline Berry, 15
Charlie Bloom, 54
Linda Bloom, 54
Scott Blossom, 104
Joseph Bobrow, 91
Jean Shinoda Bolen, 83
Julie Bowden, 21
Gabriela Bozic, 51
Ann Bradney, 29, 31
Daniel Brown, 94
Rick Brown, 18
Vernon Bush, 68
Katy Butler, 64
C
Joseph Cavanaugh, 24, 72
Gregg Chadwick, 79
Jovinna Chan, 98
M. Alejandro Chaoul, 70
Dorothy Charles, 28, 90, 107,
108
JoAnna Chartrand, 68
Kenn Chase, 20, 40, 108
Vicki Chase, 40
Chris Chouteau, 21
Joanna Claassen, 34
Michael Craig Clemmens, 60,
107, 108
Dan Clurman, 56
Lorenzo Cohen, 70
Ellen Cole, 38
Mark Coleman, 72, 99, 102
Emilie Conrad, 65
Robert Corff, 23
Jean Couch, 94
Phil Cousineau, 79
Stewart Cubley, 93
Raphael Cushnir, 93
E
Chandra Easton, 104
Donna Eden, 43
Charles Eisenstein, 39
Leah Weiss Ekstrom, 8, 10
Daniel Ellenberg, 85, 103
Karen Ely, 94
Scott Engler, 101
Zuza Engler, 12, 101
Carol A. Erickson, 71
F
Jessica Fagan, 15, 57
Robin Fann-Costanzo, 67
Warren Farrell, 39
David Feinstein, 43
Vinny Ferraro, 84, 107
Robert Fisher, 46
Thomas Michael Fortel, 67
Benjamin Fox, 72
Margot Fraser, 33
Seena Frost, 71
G
Erin Gafill, 39
Marc Gafni, 79
Rolf Gates, 78
Laurie Gerber, 13
Stan Gerome, 44, 51
Jane Giddan, 38
Mariah Fenton Gladis, 16, 21
Esther Gokhale, 45, 47, 95
Richard Gold, 35
Mary Goldenson, 23, 57
Philippe Goldin, 98
Soren Gordhamer, 37
Linda Graham, 47
Lynda Greenberg, 36
Eric Greenleaf, 46
Kevin Griffin, 23
Pierre Grimes, 11
Mingtong Gu, 94,
Silvia Guersenzvaig, 102
H
Meredith Haberfeld, 48
Anna Halprin, 27, 63
Daria Halprin, 27
Adama Hamilton, 68
Patrice Hamilton, 60, 90
Marisa Handler, 75
Mike Hannigan, 33
Rick Hanson, 9, 58
Steven Harper, 13, 32, 49, 73
Susan Harper, 22, 81
Andrew Harvey, 19
Sylvia Haskvitz, 52
Geneen Marie Haugen, 103
Paul Heussenstamm, 97
Johanna Holloman, 64, 93
Perry Holloman, 64, 93
Lucia Rose Horan, 48, 91, 106
Peggy Horan, 24, 80
Michael Hoyt, 71
Chungliang Al Huang, 63, 89,
91
Russ Hudson, 36
Terry Hunt, 65
I
Joseph Millar, 24
Kia Miller, 36
Sarana Miller, 100
Dan Millman, 57
Joyce C. Mills, 36, 79
Phillip Moffitt, 83
Noa Mohlabane, 32
Michael Molin-Skelton, 81
Jean Morrison, 100, 107
Beverly Kitaen Morse, 58
Robert Moss, 80
Eric Moya, 72
Caroline Muir, 50
Charles Muir, 50
Heather Munro Pierce, 68
Michael Murphy, 63
Roxanne "Nikki" Myers, 78
Tom Myers, 9, 76
Amy Ippoliti, 11
Rik Isensee, 97
N
J
Michael Newman, 32, 49
Wesley “Scoop” Nisker, 56
Roger Jahnke, 55
Rick Jarow, 15, 16
Johnsmith, 73, 108
Wendy Johnson, 28
Catherine Ann Jones, 31
K
Byron Katie, 50, 63
Sam Keen, 76
Sally Kempton, 54, 79
Carol Kershaw, 37
Hala Khouri, 90
Ellen Kindl, 13
Daphne Rose Kingma, 99
Michael Kramer, 88
Pamela Kramer, 62
Michael Krasny, 63
Sybil Krauter, 13
Melissa Krikorian, 13
L
Brian LaForgia, 28
Dorianne Laux, 24
Ivy Mayer Lavie, 48
Lee Klinger Lesser, 92, 98
Noah Levine, 78, 84, 107
Juanita Lew, 58, 59
Share K. Lew, 58, 59
Amory Lovins, 91, 96
Francis G. Lu, 18
M
Patricia Ryan Madson, 66
Chris Manning, 19
Susan Collin Marks, 88
John Marks, 88
Dean Marson, 84
Vinn Martí, 57, 58, 83
Nora Matten, 80, 92, 108
Camille Maurine, 40, 97
Kelly McGonigal, 8, 10
Deborah Anne Medow, 15, 101
Jeff Mendelsohn, 33, 76
Elsbeth Meuth, 82
Peter James Meyers, 35, 106
O
TS O'Grady, 13
Jennie Oppenheimer, 65
Judith Orloff, 25
Dean Ornish, 63
Brita Ostrom, 35, 49
P
Ji Hyang Padma, 88
Wendy Palmer, 43
Laurie Lioness Parizek, 55
Laurel Parnell, 47
Larry Payne, 61
Dulce Maria Perez, 101
Maggie Phillips, 53
James Phills, 13
Char Pias, 84
Drummond Pike, 76
Ayala M. Pines, 33
Bill Plotkin, 103
Noelle Poncelet, 53
Christine Stewart Price, 11, 12,
48, 78
Tigaro Tihikpas Proctor, 86
George Protos, 94
Jill Purce, 53
R
Gustavo Rabin, 30
Charu Rachlis, 103
Aminah Raheem, 75
Ann Randolph, 45, 108
Virginia Ray, 91
Saul David Raye, 8, 31
Shiva Rea, 87
Daniel Rechtschaffen, 16
Robert Reich, 63
Peter Rengel, 92
Barry Robbins, 62
Mike Robbins, 97
Lorin Roche, 40, 97
Yuval Ron, 20
Jack Lee Rosenberg, 58
Donald Rothberg, 68
Joanne Beaule Ruggles, 83
Christopher Ryan, 69
MJ Ryan, 102
S
Sy Safransky, 75
Kerena Gordhamer Saltzman,
37
Banafsheh Sayyad, 17
David Schiffman, 17, 87, 96
Jon Schreiber, 26
Lori Anne Schwanbeck, 97
Stephan A. Schwartz, 60
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, 18,
22, 27, 108
Eva Selhub, 34
Paul Selig, 38, 41
Dani Shapiro, 102
Shauna Shapiro, 104
Paula Shaw, 85, 88
Rupert Sheldrake, 53
Dan Short, 14
Annellen M. Simpkins, 23, 24
C. Alexander Simpkins, 23, 24
Mariabruna Sirabella, 71, 74
Caleb Smith, 13
Fritz Smith, 42, 74
Kat Steele, 88, 106
Claude Stein, 104
Brother David Steindl-Rast, 18
Greg Steltenpohl, 76
Janet Stone, 78
T
Vicki Topp, 24, 35
U
Deborah Ullman, 51
Daniela Urbassek, 49, 67
V
Miguel Angel Vergara, 8, 31
Cassandra Vieten, 103
W
Bill Wade, 37
Mark Robert Waldman, 19, 20
Julian Walker, 90
Shirley Ward, 28
Ellen Watson, 84, 86
Anne Watts, 61, 89
Freddy Zental Weaver, 82
Brian Kie Weissbuch, 28, 67
Jason Weston, 61
Rex Weyler, 8, 10
Mark Whitwell, 25, 27, 81, 83
Rob Wilks, 57, 101
Cris Williamson, 54
Marianne Williamson, 63
Andy Abrahams Wilson, 32
Nicholas Wilton, 65
Nina Wise, 11, 101, 107
Adam Wolpert, 56
Z
Dana Zed, 51
113
continuing education programs
Special note for July-Dec 2012 season: Esalen’s ability to offer CE for psychologists is under review by the APA. Please refer to the website or inquire prior
to registering for updated APA CE status.
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Aug 19-24
Gratitude and Forgiveness: The Embodied Life
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Oct 19-21
Civilized to Death
Aug 19-24
Core Zero Balancing: Part I
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Oct 19-21
Living the Anticancer Lifestyle
Aug 24-26
Energy Medicine: A Hands-on Experience
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Oct 19-21
Yoga One on One: The Art of Teaching Privately
Aug 24-26
Kids Beyond Limits: Children w/ Special Needs
Oct 19-21
Aug 24-26
Spinal Awareness: Feldenkrais & Energy Work
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Oct 19-21
Create Divinatory Cards with SoulCollage
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Aug 26-31
Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 1
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Oct 21-26
The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral Therapy 2
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Aug 26-31
The Gokhale Methodª for a Pain-Free Life
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Oct 21-26
Living in Gratitude
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Aug 26-31
Intimacy and Reducing Barriers
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Oct 21-26
SoulCollag® and the New Paradigm
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Aug 26-31
Dream Action and Dream Meanings
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Oct 26-28
Zero Balancing Open Forum
Aug 31-Sep 2 The Neuroscience of Resilience and Renewal
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Oct 28-Nov 2 Abandonment to Healing
Aug 31-Sep 2 The Magical Family
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June 29-July 1 Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice
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July 1-6
Soul Motion: Taking Refuge
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July 1-6
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July 1-6
Intro to CFR
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July 6-8
July 6-8
The Alchemy of Abundance: The Healed Vision
July 6-8
A Weekend of Advanced Esalen Massage
July 8-13
Mindfulness with Youth Teacher Training
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July 8-13
Not for The Feint of Heart
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July 13-15
Getting the Love You Want: Couples Workshop
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July 13-15
Full Body Presence: Skills to Energize Your Life
July 13-15
Words Can Change Your Brain: Mindfulness
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Aug 31-Sep 7 Gokhale Method¨ Teacher Training
July 13-20
Guiding Lights in Film: Inspirations to Live By
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Aug 31-Sep 7 Transforming Trauma with EMDR
July 15-20
Essential Skills of Loving
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Sep 2-7
July 15-20
Families Under Pressure
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Sep 2-7
Meridian Massage: Touch and Core Energy
July 15-20
Bone Knowing: Art, Body Sensing and Writing
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Sep 7-9
The Work and Future Generations
July 20-22
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Sep 9-14
Therapeutic Imagery and Dialogue 1
July 20-27
Healing the Pelvic Floor
Sep 9-14
From Isolation to Intimacy: a Relational Journey
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July 22-27
Awakening the Heart
Sep 9-14
Eat by Choice, Not by Habit
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July 22-27
Sep 14-16
Presence: The Heart of Connection
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July 22-27
Current Trends in Esalen® Massage & Bodywork
Sep 14-16
The Art of Joyful Living
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July 27-29
Awakening the Power of Intuition
Sep 14-16
Massage Retreat for Couples
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July 27-29
Sep 16-21
Practice Leader Certification Training
July 27-29
Sep 16-21
Mindfulness and Feldenkrais
Sep 16-21
The Art of Touch: Esalen® Massage Workshop
Sep 16-21
The Courage to Be You: Letting Go, Moving On
Sep 21-23
Taoist Chi Kung: The Cloud Hands
Sep 23-28
Buddha’s Brain
Sep 23-28
Integrative Body Psychotherapy
Sep 23-28
Taoist Chi Kung: Enhancing Vitality
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Breema¨: The Art of Being Present
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Opening Hearts to Relationship: For Gay Men
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July 29-Aug 3 Empowering Creativity through
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F T LOG
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Workshops for which CE credit has been approved are listed below and
also noted in the Workshops section. For questions regarding continuing
education, contact ce@esalen.org.
M
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June 29-July 1 Strengthening the Heart with Compassion
Esalen has been 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.
YC
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F T LOG
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N &L
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In order to receive CE credit, participants are required to attend all scheduled workshop sessions. If you wish to receive a certificate, please notify
your workshop leader at the beginning of your workshop. There is a $25
fee for each certificate of completion, payable to the Esalen front office.
Please be prepared to provide your professional license number.
Acupuncture workshops are approved individually for continuing education. Please refer to the website or inquire prior to registration for updated
CE status.
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July 29-Aug 3 Grounding and Healthy Boundaries
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July 29-Aug 3 Intermediate Level Chinese Pulse Diagnosis
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Reviewing and Revisioning Our Lives
Nov 4-9
The Upledger Institute’s Visceral Manipulation 1
Nov 4-9
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Nov 9-11
Butterfly Wisdom: Inviting Metamorphosis
n
Nov 9-11
Esalen Massage in the Side-Lying Position
Nov 11-16
Secrets to Lasting Intimacy for Couples
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Nov 16-18
Your One Wild and Precious Life: For Women
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Nov 18-23
Angels and Traitors
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Nov 18-23
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Nov 25-30
Essential Practice from the Esalen Tai Ji Deck
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Nov 25-30
Emotional and Somatic Resources
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Nov 25-30
5Rhythms: Heartbeat
Nov 30-Dec 2 Spiritual Practice and Emotional Growth
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Nov 30-Dec 2 Connection through Touch: Couples Massage
n
Dec 2-7
Awakening the Creative: The Painting Experience
Dec 2-7
Deep Tissue for Massage Practitioners
n
Dec 2-7
Fundamentals of Conquering Injury and Pain
n
n
Dec 7-14
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation
n
Dec 7-14
Gokhale Method¨ Teacher Training
n
Dec 14-16
Quieting the Mind, Listening to the Heart
n
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Dec 14-16
Luminous Being: Embodying Radiance Sutras
n
Dec 14-16
Science and Practice of Mindfulness Meditation n
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Dec 21-23
Loving Yourself
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Dec 21-23
Mindful Communication: Truth Without Blame
n
Dec 21-23
Spinal Awareness: Feldenkrais and Energy Work
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Dec 21-23
Holiday Couples Group: The Gift of Touch
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Dec 23-28
Esalen Massage & Art of Continuous Presence
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Dec 23-30
A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life
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Dec 23-30
Tenderness at the Heart of the Dance
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Dec 28-30
The Art and Science of Transformation
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Sep 28-30
Opening to the Infinite: Science, Shamanism
The Radically Alive Leader: A Core Energetics
n
Sep 28-30
The Stories We Tell through Our Bodies
Aug 10-12
Why We Choose What We Choose
n
Sep 28-30
Optimum Health for Midlife and Beyond
Aug 10-12
Open Your Heart and Reclaim Your Health
Sep 28-30
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training
Aug 10-12
Esalen Massage in Motion
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Sep 28-30
ITP: 40 Years of the Esalen Experience
Aug 12-17
Traditional Thai Massage: Sacred Bodywork
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Oct 7-12
Deep Bodywork: Back, Shoulders and Hips
Aug 12-17
The Transformational Enneagram
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Oct 7-12
Pleasure, Intimacy, Search for Connectedness
Aug 12-17
StoryPlay: A New Ericksonian Indirective Model n
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Oct 12-14
Intro to Mindfulness Meditation
Aug 12-17
Brain Change Therapy from Trauma to Thriving
n
Oct 12-14
A Renaissance in Herbal Medicine
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Aug 17-19
An Authentic Path: Purpose in Your Twenties
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Oct 12-14
Fundamentals of Esalen Massage
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Aug 17-19
Celebrate Seventy! For Women
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Oct 12-19
The Future of the Body: Continuum
Aug 17-19
Couples' Communication Retreat
n
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Oct 14-19
Yoga Practice: Body, Mind and Spirit
Aug 17-19
The Embodied Life: Meditation and Feldenkrais
Oct 14-19
Healing Traumatized Hearts
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Aug 19-24
Wild Serenity
Oct 14-19
The Refined Hakomi Method
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Dec 30-Jan 4 Opening the Mind, Awakening the Heart
Aug 19-24
Healing Your Heart 101: Science and Spirituality
Oct 14-19
The Dancing Buddha: Meditation, Movement
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Aug 19-24
Love, Awareness and Intimacy
Oct 19-21
Leadership: Communication, Creativity, Vision
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The Leadership Clinic
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Aug 5-10
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Nov 18-Dec 16 28-day Esalen Massage Certification Program
Aug 3-5
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Feldenkrais Spinal Awareness
Recapturing Your Posture
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Introduction to Radical Aliveness
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Nov 2-4
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Aug 3-5
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Anatomy Trains¨ and Fascial Fitness
Aug 3-5
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Nov 2-4
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July 29-Aug 3 Relational Gestalt Process
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Oct 28-Nov 2 The Spirited Body
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Oct 28-Nov 2 Gateway to Soul: Process Acupressure
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Aug 31-Sep 2 5Rhythms: Heartbeat
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M
A
ll eligible continuing education two-day workshops meet the
qualifications for 10 hours of education credits, and five-day courses
meet the qualifications for 26 hours of education credit. Esalen’s status as a provider of continuing education is approved by the following boards:
LCSW/MFT: California Board of Behavioral Sciences. (Provider number
PCE1594). Massage practitioners and bodyworkers: National Certification
Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (provider number 043062-00);
registered nurses: Board of Registered Nursing (provider number 01152);
and acupuncturists: California Acupuncture Board (provider number 946).
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Esalen Institute
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Big Sur, California 93920-9546
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your new address. It helps us
save trees and money.
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Esalen is a leading center for exploring & realizing human potential through experience, education & research. We are all capable of the extraordinary.
www.Esalen.org

June to December 2012 Esalen Catalog

Transcription

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