Josef London has been a cornerstone of the Esalen community for more than 30 years. In our conversation Josef shares about the leap of faith that brought him to Esalen from Rio de Janeiro in search of healing, transformation, and a place to call home. Today, guests know him from the Gate; he is one of the first people they meet upon arriving at Esalen. He has a delightful smile, but what they may not know is that Josef is steeped in the philosophy of Gestalt, and that he is decidedly not conflict averse — rather, he believes that conflict is where the truth comes out. At the same time, Josef believes fun is mandatory. He is a lover, with a huge heart, and in this conversation he speaks lovingly and at length about the love he lost, his wife Montgomery. You'll be touched by this conversation with one of Esalen's memorable characters. "Thank you so much."

Photo by Kate Kondratieva