Faculty

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.

Ihab and Ora Balha, a Muslim man and a Jewish woman, have been teaching the Sufi path for 20 years in the midst of the Holy Land. They are trained in the Mevlevi tradition of Jelaluddin Rumi.

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.

Barbara Bogatin is a cellist with the San Francisco Symphony, chamber music performer, and a mindfulness educator.

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

Lindsay Branham is a psychologist focused on embodied and erotic ecology. She is trained as a Buddhist eco-doula and is finishing her PhD in psychology focused on the reciprocal, embodied relationship between humans and the Earth.

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.

Stacia Butterfield is a certified Holotropic Breathwork® practitioner with 15 years of dedicated service and close work with Stanislav Grof, the originator of Holotropic Breathwork and a pioneering psychedelic researcher.

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

Jovinna Chan, E-RYT 500, YACEP, is a trained personal transformational facilitator, yoga teacher trainer, conscious dance teacher, and performing artist.

Amy Chan is the founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp. The Observer calls her "a relationship expert whose work is like that of a scientific Carrie Bradshaw.'' Her New York Times-featured book was an instant bestseller.

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.

A former elite gymnast and diver, Cristi overcame a severe injury and advanced-stage cancer, inspiring her teachings on resilience and healing. She leads global programs emphasizing body-rooted practices and women's empowerment.

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 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 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.