Esalen Institute has announced that Executive Director Ben Tauber will be shifting roles, stepping away from daily management of the nonprofit organization and returning to his role as a member of the Board of Trustees. This change will be made effective the end of this month. General Manager Terry Gilbey will oversee operations as well as workshop programming and fundraising moving forward.
“We were fortunate to have leveraged Ben’s passion for Esalen as well as his entrepreneurial spirit into a hands-on leadership position a year ago,” said Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Kripal. “We brought him in to help effect change; and in a short period of time he helped to bring a renewed life into the organization. Under Terry’s leadership, we anticipate continued positive growth and transformation.”
Ben was named Executive Director of Esalen just before severe winter storms created multiple landslides in the Big Sur area forcing the Institute to close to the public for nearly six months. It reopened last July with significant support from the larger community and will celebrate its one-year opening with workshops that feature some of Esalen’s longstanding teachers including Anna and Daria Halprin and Fritjof Capra. Future workshop programming, inspired in part by Ben’s vision to move Esalen into a more active role in key issues facing society today, include Conscious Artificial Intelligence and the Impact of Technology on the Human Experience.
There is no current plan to undergo a search for a new Executive Director, providing the Board of Trustees time to consider what is needed in organizational leadership according to Jeff Kripal. Jeff points to the seamless transition in leadership as Terry and Ben worked closely during the closure and subsequent reopening of Esalen.
“Terry’s strong operational experience, including serving as Chief Operating Officer at Wikimedia and as the former Executive Director of Enterprise Operations at Kaiser Permanente, will serve Esalen well at this time,” added Jeff. A former seminarian, work scholar and extended student, you can read more about Terry in a previous Esalen News story.
While access to Esalen has been possible to the north since last Fall, Highway One to the south has been closed for more than a year due to a massive slide which covered more than a quarter mile of the roadway. It is anticipated that the highway will be cleared by end of July to once again allow south-bound traffic from Southern California with direct access to the Central Coast. For the most current updates from Esalen, connect with us on Facebook.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Esalen Institute has announced that Executive Director Ben Tauber will be shifting roles, stepping away from daily management of the nonprofit organization and returning to his role as a member of the Board of Trustees. This change will be made effective the end of this month. General Manager Terry Gilbey will oversee operations as well as workshop programming and fundraising moving forward.
“We were fortunate to have leveraged Ben’s passion for Esalen as well as his entrepreneurial spirit into a hands-on leadership position a year ago,” said Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Kripal. “We brought him in to help effect change; and in a short period of time he helped to bring a renewed life into the organization. Under Terry’s leadership, we anticipate continued positive growth and transformation.”
Ben was named Executive Director of Esalen just before severe winter storms created multiple landslides in the Big Sur area forcing the Institute to close to the public for nearly six months. It reopened last July with significant support from the larger community and will celebrate its one-year opening with workshops that feature some of Esalen’s longstanding teachers including Anna and Daria Halprin and Fritjof Capra. Future workshop programming, inspired in part by Ben’s vision to move Esalen into a more active role in key issues facing society today, include Conscious Artificial Intelligence and the Impact of Technology on the Human Experience.
There is no current plan to undergo a search for a new Executive Director, providing the Board of Trustees time to consider what is needed in organizational leadership according to Jeff Kripal. Jeff points to the seamless transition in leadership as Terry and Ben worked closely during the closure and subsequent reopening of Esalen.
“Terry’s strong operational experience, including serving as Chief Operating Officer at Wikimedia and as the former Executive Director of Enterprise Operations at Kaiser Permanente, will serve Esalen well at this time,” added Jeff. A former seminarian, work scholar and extended student, you can read more about Terry in a previous Esalen News story.
While access to Esalen has been possible to the north since last Fall, Highway One to the south has been closed for more than a year due to a massive slide which covered more than a quarter mile of the roadway. It is anticipated that the highway will be cleared by end of July to once again allow south-bound traffic from Southern California with direct access to the Central Coast. For the most current updates from Esalen, connect with us on Facebook.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Esalen Institute has announced that Executive Director Ben Tauber will be shifting roles, stepping away from daily management of the nonprofit organization and returning to his role as a member of the Board of Trustees. This change will be made effective the end of this month. General Manager Terry Gilbey will oversee operations as well as workshop programming and fundraising moving forward.
“We were fortunate to have leveraged Ben’s passion for Esalen as well as his entrepreneurial spirit into a hands-on leadership position a year ago,” said Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Kripal. “We brought him in to help effect change; and in a short period of time he helped to bring a renewed life into the organization. Under Terry’s leadership, we anticipate continued positive growth and transformation.”
Ben was named Executive Director of Esalen just before severe winter storms created multiple landslides in the Big Sur area forcing the Institute to close to the public for nearly six months. It reopened last July with significant support from the larger community and will celebrate its one-year opening with workshops that feature some of Esalen’s longstanding teachers including Anna and Daria Halprin and Fritjof Capra. Future workshop programming, inspired in part by Ben’s vision to move Esalen into a more active role in key issues facing society today, include Conscious Artificial Intelligence and the Impact of Technology on the Human Experience.
There is no current plan to undergo a search for a new Executive Director, providing the Board of Trustees time to consider what is needed in organizational leadership according to Jeff Kripal. Jeff points to the seamless transition in leadership as Terry and Ben worked closely during the closure and subsequent reopening of Esalen.
“Terry’s strong operational experience, including serving as Chief Operating Officer at Wikimedia and as the former Executive Director of Enterprise Operations at Kaiser Permanente, will serve Esalen well at this time,” added Jeff. A former seminarian, work scholar and extended student, you can read more about Terry in a previous Esalen News story.
While access to Esalen has been possible to the north since last Fall, Highway One to the south has been closed for more than a year due to a massive slide which covered more than a quarter mile of the roadway. It is anticipated that the highway will be cleared by end of July to once again allow south-bound traffic from Southern California with direct access to the Central Coast. For the most current updates from Esalen, connect with us on Facebook.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org