Esalen is currently closed. We will reopen on Friday, 2/9.
Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the alternate route directions.

Faculty

Esalen faculty represent a spectrum of disciplines, experiences, and perspectives — our faculty members have included Premal Shah, founder of Kiva.org; Robert Walter, Joseph Campbell’s longtime editor; mindfulness researcher Shauna Shapiro; and Wisdom 2.0 creator Soren Gordhamer.

Interested in teaching at Esalen? Learn more.

Featured Faculty

Current and Recent Faculty

Mark AbramsonA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Mark Abramson

Dr. Mark Abramson is the founder of Stanford University Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. He teaches at Stanford, conducts programs in mindfulness for corporations, and has a private dental practice.

Xochitl AsheA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Xochitl Ashe

Xochitl (So-chil) Ashe is a trained herbalist with deep indigenous roots. A fifth generation medicine woman in the healing traditions of her Peruvian ancestral lineage, she has worked with sacred plant medicines since age 16.

James BarazA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
James Baraz

James Baraz is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He has been teaching the popular “Awakening Joy” online course since 2003. His books include Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to Happiness and Awakening Joy for Kids.

Sravana Borkataky-VarmaA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Sravana Borkataky-Varma

Sravana Borkataky-Varma studies Indian religions focusing on esoteric rituals and gender and lectures at Harvard Divinity School and University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

Jessica BrittA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Jessica Britt

Formerly an Esalen Institute Gestalt staff member, Jessica Britt has been a student of Hameed Ali since 1977 and a teacher since 1985. She directs training  in Europe, Canada and the US.

Sadia BruceA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Sadia Bruce

Sadia Bruce teaches and practices in the tradition of Krishnamacharya as transmitted by Desikachar. She draws on an array of movement modalities to share an understanding of yoga that is integrative and vitalizing.

Keith Edward CantúA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Keith Edward Cantú

Keith Edward Cantú is an academic, musician, and polyglot with a deep professional and personal interest in South Asian religion and spirituality, especially tantra.

Dorothy CharlesA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Dorothy Charles

Dorothy Charles has been a student and teacher at Esalen since 1982. A student of Esalen co-founder Richard Price, she combines Esalen body-centered Gestalt with relational Gestalt theory.

Mark ColemanA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Mark Coleman

Mark Coleman is an author and Buddhist meditation teacher who has been teaching insight meditation for 20 years. He leads nature-based meditation retreats and mindfulness teacher trainings in the U.S. and Europe.

Raphael CushnirA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Raphael Cushnir

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He lectures worldwide and has written six books, including Setting Your Heart on Fire.

Erik DavisA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Erik Davis

Erik Davis, PhD, is an author, journalist, and teacher based in San Francisco. His wide-ranging work focuses on the intersection of alternative religion, media, and the popular imagination.

Laura DavisA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Laura Davis

Laura Davis is the author of seven bestselling books. With a heart to teach others, she’s helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft for more than twenty years.

Paola di FlorioA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Paola di Florio

Paola di Florio is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated writer, filmmaker, and TV producer whose critically-acclaimed work features extraordinary individuals and the triumph of the human spirit.

Dustin DiPernaA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Dustin DiPerna

Dustin DiPerna is a Harvard-trained scholar of world religions and adjunct professor at Stanford University. He is a senior teacher of Tibetan meditation. His books include Streams of Wisdom and Evolution's Ally, among others.

Kevin DockeryA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Kevin Dockery

Kevin Dockery, MFA, is an artist and teacher of the Feldenkrais Method and contact improvisation. He teaches workshops internationally and is on the faculty of TensegrityU in Nevada City, CA.

Diane DomondonA small white oval over a larger white oval, meant to represent a person.
Diane Domondon

Diane Domondon is a Reiki Master with a private practice in NYC, where she teaches classes and treats clients in Usui Shiki Ryoho, the Usui Method of Natural Healing.