Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths

Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
A retrospective soak at the beloved healing space
Darnell Lamont Walker leading Rituals Writing Workshop

“Esalen is the land of the three waters. There’s the ocean. There’s the Hot Springs Creek, which carries the fresh water from the mountains. Then there are the hot springs that come from the rocks through the mountains and pour into fresh water. The hot springs and freshwater come together with the ocean. You can sit and look at the ocean — at the interplay between the ocean and the mountain — how they are carving into each other and clashing, creating a confluence. The three waters can be a metaphor: blending of different energies, different religions, different spiritualities. These different flags are coming together to make this big quilt of unity,” Mac Murphy, workshop leader and son of founder Michael Murphy, explains. 

The original baths, pre-1998.

Those who visited Esalen prior to 1998 had a different Esalen bath experience than what we have today. That version was destroyed by the El Niño storms. The new baths are pillars of cliff-side stability made from concrete and sandstone with clearstory windows. Mickey Muennig, Big Sur’s preeminent architect was enlisted to erect their current structure.

Look around now and you’ll notice newer details, like the mosaic relief tile that hot spring water flows over. The design, created by artist Elle Terry Leonard, was chosen to represent peaceful recollection along a journey. The yellow calcite butterfly was sculpted by former Gazebo school staffer Sydelle Foreman.

The bath’s storytelling spans 62 years and continues to grow. The Hunter S. Thompson stories are dramatic — and mostly true. Andy Warhol had his 15 minutes here. You’ve seen the Steve McQueen and Neile Adams tub pics replete with wine and cigarettes. (No smoking or alcohol there now, please.) Once upon a time, Robin Williams gave an impromptu stand-up performance under the stars in his birthday suit. There are plenty more tales, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Until 1966, Esalen Institute was still known as the Big Sur Hot Springs, before it was purchased by Michael Murphy’s grandfather, Henry Murphy. It was known locally as “Slates Hot Springs.” The healing waters have been used by Indigenous tribes, specifically the Esselen, and generations of their ancestors for over 6,000 years. The Tribe continues to use these waters today.

Esalen’s influence has long reached beyond Big Sur. Through the US-Soviet Exchange program, Dulce Murphy and the Track II team fostered dialogues and collaborations between American and Soviet thinkers, artists, and scientists, creating a bridge between the two cultures. These meetings often migrated to the tubs, blending profound discussions with the healing waters of Esalen. In 1983, a Newsweek writer dubbed these efforts "hot tub diplomacy."

In February 2024, Michael Murphy recalled that consequential period: 

“In the 1980s, Esalen hosted a conference where we were studying how individuals look at the world, and looking for similarities in Russia. Among this group, we had an idea of who were intelligence officers and who weren’t. This was after the Moscow Olympic Games. I remember this guy stands up, an American intelligence officer, and says to me, ‘I have something urgent to talk to you about.’

“I went outside with him and he says, ‘Do you see that guy over there?’ I turn and I recognize this person; he’s a Russian guy. This American intelligence guy continues, ‘You see that guy?! He’s an actual human.’ This American intelligence guy was trying to tell me the Russian guy is a good guy. So I said, ‘You’re absolutely right, he is a good guy.’ But that wasn’t enough. The American intelligence guy persisted, ‘No, no, Murphy, he's an actual human!’

“That’s what happens here when you bring people together in this way to talk about the things they otherwise never could. They experience a primal recognition of seeing the other as a friend. When you have a recognition like this you have to make existential decisions about what you’re going to do, who you’re going to be moving forward.

“That was just one paradigm of the whole thing, the recognition of these friendships having revolutionary implications for the individual person and potentially and ultimately the collective whole world.

In February 2024, Dulce Murphy echoed and amplified the sentiment: 

“With these conferences, we would all come from different worlds and end up becoming close friends. Russians love baths. They love water. They were the first to take off their clothes and jump into the ocean, so going into the baths after a long day of a conference to close the evening was de rigueur. After you finished all these hard, challenging conversations, you'd break bread in the Lodge over other conversations, you’d go to the baths and relax and new conversations would surface. Yes, that’s human potential. It did not matter who they were — KGB, not KGB, CIA, not CIA, Russians or Americans. It didn't matter — we were all friends. That’s the whole point of Esalen.” 

“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?

About

Esalen Team

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Darnell Lamont Walker leading Rituals Writing Workshop
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
A retrospective soak at the beloved healing space

“Esalen is the land of the three waters. There’s the ocean. There’s the Hot Springs Creek, which carries the fresh water from the mountains. Then there are the hot springs that come from the rocks through the mountains and pour into fresh water. The hot springs and freshwater come together with the ocean. You can sit and look at the ocean — at the interplay between the ocean and the mountain — how they are carving into each other and clashing, creating a confluence. The three waters can be a metaphor: blending of different energies, different religions, different spiritualities. These different flags are coming together to make this big quilt of unity,” Mac Murphy, workshop leader and son of founder Michael Murphy, explains. 

The original baths, pre-1998.

Those who visited Esalen prior to 1998 had a different Esalen bath experience than what we have today. That version was destroyed by the El Niño storms. The new baths are pillars of cliff-side stability made from concrete and sandstone with clearstory windows. Mickey Muennig, Big Sur’s preeminent architect was enlisted to erect their current structure.

Look around now and you’ll notice newer details, like the mosaic relief tile that hot spring water flows over. The design, created by artist Elle Terry Leonard, was chosen to represent peaceful recollection along a journey. The yellow calcite butterfly was sculpted by former Gazebo school staffer Sydelle Foreman.

The bath’s storytelling spans 62 years and continues to grow. The Hunter S. Thompson stories are dramatic — and mostly true. Andy Warhol had his 15 minutes here. You’ve seen the Steve McQueen and Neile Adams tub pics replete with wine and cigarettes. (No smoking or alcohol there now, please.) Once upon a time, Robin Williams gave an impromptu stand-up performance under the stars in his birthday suit. There are plenty more tales, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Until 1966, Esalen Institute was still known as the Big Sur Hot Springs, before it was purchased by Michael Murphy’s grandfather, Henry Murphy. It was known locally as “Slates Hot Springs.” The healing waters have been used by Indigenous tribes, specifically the Esselen, and generations of their ancestors for over 6,000 years. The Tribe continues to use these waters today.

Esalen’s influence has long reached beyond Big Sur. Through the US-Soviet Exchange program, Dulce Murphy and the Track II team fostered dialogues and collaborations between American and Soviet thinkers, artists, and scientists, creating a bridge between the two cultures. These meetings often migrated to the tubs, blending profound discussions with the healing waters of Esalen. In 1983, a Newsweek writer dubbed these efforts "hot tub diplomacy."

In February 2024, Michael Murphy recalled that consequential period: 

“In the 1980s, Esalen hosted a conference where we were studying how individuals look at the world, and looking for similarities in Russia. Among this group, we had an idea of who were intelligence officers and who weren’t. This was after the Moscow Olympic Games. I remember this guy stands up, an American intelligence officer, and says to me, ‘I have something urgent to talk to you about.’

“I went outside with him and he says, ‘Do you see that guy over there?’ I turn and I recognize this person; he’s a Russian guy. This American intelligence guy continues, ‘You see that guy?! He’s an actual human.’ This American intelligence guy was trying to tell me the Russian guy is a good guy. So I said, ‘You’re absolutely right, he is a good guy.’ But that wasn’t enough. The American intelligence guy persisted, ‘No, no, Murphy, he's an actual human!’

“That’s what happens here when you bring people together in this way to talk about the things they otherwise never could. They experience a primal recognition of seeing the other as a friend. When you have a recognition like this you have to make existential decisions about what you’re going to do, who you’re going to be moving forward.

“That was just one paradigm of the whole thing, the recognition of these friendships having revolutionary implications for the individual person and potentially and ultimately the collective whole world.

In February 2024, Dulce Murphy echoed and amplified the sentiment: 

“With these conferences, we would all come from different worlds and end up becoming close friends. Russians love baths. They love water. They were the first to take off their clothes and jump into the ocean, so going into the baths after a long day of a conference to close the evening was de rigueur. After you finished all these hard, challenging conversations, you'd break bread in the Lodge over other conversations, you’d go to the baths and relax and new conversations would surface. Yes, that’s human potential. It did not matter who they were — KGB, not KGB, CIA, not CIA, Russians or Americans. It didn't matter — we were all friends. That’s the whole point of Esalen.” 

“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?

About

Esalen Team

Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths

About

Esalen Team

< Back to all articles

Darnell Lamont Walker leading Rituals Writing Workshop
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
A retrospective soak at the beloved healing space

“Esalen is the land of the three waters. There’s the ocean. There’s the Hot Springs Creek, which carries the fresh water from the mountains. Then there are the hot springs that come from the rocks through the mountains and pour into fresh water. The hot springs and freshwater come together with the ocean. You can sit and look at the ocean — at the interplay between the ocean and the mountain — how they are carving into each other and clashing, creating a confluence. The three waters can be a metaphor: blending of different energies, different religions, different spiritualities. These different flags are coming together to make this big quilt of unity,” Mac Murphy, workshop leader and son of founder Michael Murphy, explains. 

The original baths, pre-1998.

Those who visited Esalen prior to 1998 had a different Esalen bath experience than what we have today. That version was destroyed by the El Niño storms. The new baths are pillars of cliff-side stability made from concrete and sandstone with clearstory windows. Mickey Muennig, Big Sur’s preeminent architect was enlisted to erect their current structure.

Look around now and you’ll notice newer details, like the mosaic relief tile that hot spring water flows over. The design, created by artist Elle Terry Leonard, was chosen to represent peaceful recollection along a journey. The yellow calcite butterfly was sculpted by former Gazebo school staffer Sydelle Foreman.

The bath’s storytelling spans 62 years and continues to grow. The Hunter S. Thompson stories are dramatic — and mostly true. Andy Warhol had his 15 minutes here. You’ve seen the Steve McQueen and Neile Adams tub pics replete with wine and cigarettes. (No smoking or alcohol there now, please.) Once upon a time, Robin Williams gave an impromptu stand-up performance under the stars in his birthday suit. There are plenty more tales, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Until 1966, Esalen Institute was still known as the Big Sur Hot Springs, before it was purchased by Michael Murphy’s grandfather, Henry Murphy. It was known locally as “Slates Hot Springs.” The healing waters have been used by Indigenous tribes, specifically the Esselen, and generations of their ancestors for over 6,000 years. The Tribe continues to use these waters today.

Esalen’s influence has long reached beyond Big Sur. Through the US-Soviet Exchange program, Dulce Murphy and the Track II team fostered dialogues and collaborations between American and Soviet thinkers, artists, and scientists, creating a bridge between the two cultures. These meetings often migrated to the tubs, blending profound discussions with the healing waters of Esalen. In 1983, a Newsweek writer dubbed these efforts "hot tub diplomacy."

In February 2024, Michael Murphy recalled that consequential period: 

“In the 1980s, Esalen hosted a conference where we were studying how individuals look at the world, and looking for similarities in Russia. Among this group, we had an idea of who were intelligence officers and who weren’t. This was after the Moscow Olympic Games. I remember this guy stands up, an American intelligence officer, and says to me, ‘I have something urgent to talk to you about.’

“I went outside with him and he says, ‘Do you see that guy over there?’ I turn and I recognize this person; he’s a Russian guy. This American intelligence guy continues, ‘You see that guy?! He’s an actual human.’ This American intelligence guy was trying to tell me the Russian guy is a good guy. So I said, ‘You’re absolutely right, he is a good guy.’ But that wasn’t enough. The American intelligence guy persisted, ‘No, no, Murphy, he's an actual human!’

“That’s what happens here when you bring people together in this way to talk about the things they otherwise never could. They experience a primal recognition of seeing the other as a friend. When you have a recognition like this you have to make existential decisions about what you’re going to do, who you’re going to be moving forward.

“That was just one paradigm of the whole thing, the recognition of these friendships having revolutionary implications for the individual person and potentially and ultimately the collective whole world.

In February 2024, Dulce Murphy echoed and amplified the sentiment: 

“With these conferences, we would all come from different worlds and end up becoming close friends. Russians love baths. They love water. They were the first to take off their clothes and jump into the ocean, so going into the baths after a long day of a conference to close the evening was de rigueur. After you finished all these hard, challenging conversations, you'd break bread in the Lodge over other conversations, you’d go to the baths and relax and new conversations would surface. Yes, that’s human potential. It did not matter who they were — KGB, not KGB, CIA, not CIA, Russians or Americans. It didn't matter — we were all friends. That’s the whole point of Esalen.” 

“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?



About

Esalen Team

< Back to all Journal posts

Darnell Lamont Walker leading Rituals Writing Workshop
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
A retrospective soak at the beloved healing space

“Esalen is the land of the three waters. There’s the ocean. There’s the Hot Springs Creek, which carries the fresh water from the mountains. Then there are the hot springs that come from the rocks through the mountains and pour into fresh water. The hot springs and freshwater come together with the ocean. You can sit and look at the ocean — at the interplay between the ocean and the mountain — how they are carving into each other and clashing, creating a confluence. The three waters can be a metaphor: blending of different energies, different religions, different spiritualities. These different flags are coming together to make this big quilt of unity,” Mac Murphy, workshop leader and son of founder Michael Murphy, explains. 

The original baths, pre-1998.

Those who visited Esalen prior to 1998 had a different Esalen bath experience than what we have today. That version was destroyed by the El Niño storms. The new baths are pillars of cliff-side stability made from concrete and sandstone with clearstory windows. Mickey Muennig, Big Sur’s preeminent architect was enlisted to erect their current structure.

Look around now and you’ll notice newer details, like the mosaic relief tile that hot spring water flows over. The design, created by artist Elle Terry Leonard, was chosen to represent peaceful recollection along a journey. The yellow calcite butterfly was sculpted by former Gazebo school staffer Sydelle Foreman.

The bath’s storytelling spans 62 years and continues to grow. The Hunter S. Thompson stories are dramatic — and mostly true. Andy Warhol had his 15 minutes here. You’ve seen the Steve McQueen and Neile Adams tub pics replete with wine and cigarettes. (No smoking or alcohol there now, please.) Once upon a time, Robin Williams gave an impromptu stand-up performance under the stars in his birthday suit. There are plenty more tales, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Until 1966, Esalen Institute was still known as the Big Sur Hot Springs, before it was purchased by Michael Murphy’s grandfather, Henry Murphy. It was known locally as “Slates Hot Springs.” The healing waters have been used by Indigenous tribes, specifically the Esselen, and generations of their ancestors for over 6,000 years. The Tribe continues to use these waters today.

Esalen’s influence has long reached beyond Big Sur. Through the US-Soviet Exchange program, Dulce Murphy and the Track II team fostered dialogues and collaborations between American and Soviet thinkers, artists, and scientists, creating a bridge between the two cultures. These meetings often migrated to the tubs, blending profound discussions with the healing waters of Esalen. In 1983, a Newsweek writer dubbed these efforts "hot tub diplomacy."

In February 2024, Michael Murphy recalled that consequential period: 

“In the 1980s, Esalen hosted a conference where we were studying how individuals look at the world, and looking for similarities in Russia. Among this group, we had an idea of who were intelligence officers and who weren’t. This was after the Moscow Olympic Games. I remember this guy stands up, an American intelligence officer, and says to me, ‘I have something urgent to talk to you about.’

“I went outside with him and he says, ‘Do you see that guy over there?’ I turn and I recognize this person; he’s a Russian guy. This American intelligence guy continues, ‘You see that guy?! He’s an actual human.’ This American intelligence guy was trying to tell me the Russian guy is a good guy. So I said, ‘You’re absolutely right, he is a good guy.’ But that wasn’t enough. The American intelligence guy persisted, ‘No, no, Murphy, he's an actual human!’

“That’s what happens here when you bring people together in this way to talk about the things they otherwise never could. They experience a primal recognition of seeing the other as a friend. When you have a recognition like this you have to make existential decisions about what you’re going to do, who you’re going to be moving forward.

“That was just one paradigm of the whole thing, the recognition of these friendships having revolutionary implications for the individual person and potentially and ultimately the collective whole world.

In February 2024, Dulce Murphy echoed and amplified the sentiment: 

“With these conferences, we would all come from different worlds and end up becoming close friends. Russians love baths. They love water. They were the first to take off their clothes and jump into the ocean, so going into the baths after a long day of a conference to close the evening was de rigueur. After you finished all these hard, challenging conversations, you'd break bread in the Lodge over other conversations, you’d go to the baths and relax and new conversations would surface. Yes, that’s human potential. It did not matter who they were — KGB, not KGB, CIA, not CIA, Russians or Americans. It didn't matter — we were all friends. That’s the whole point of Esalen.” 

“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?



About

Esalen Team

Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths

About

Esalen Team

< Back to all articles

Darnell Lamont Walker leading Rituals Writing Workshop
Esalen Origin Stories: The Baths
A retrospective soak at the beloved healing space

“Esalen is the land of the three waters. There’s the ocean. There’s the Hot Springs Creek, which carries the fresh water from the mountains. Then there are the hot springs that come from the rocks through the mountains and pour into fresh water. The hot springs and freshwater come together with the ocean. You can sit and look at the ocean — at the interplay between the ocean and the mountain — how they are carving into each other and clashing, creating a confluence. The three waters can be a metaphor: blending of different energies, different religions, different spiritualities. These different flags are coming together to make this big quilt of unity,” Mac Murphy, workshop leader and son of founder Michael Murphy, explains. 

The original baths, pre-1998.

Those who visited Esalen prior to 1998 had a different Esalen bath experience than what we have today. That version was destroyed by the El Niño storms. The new baths are pillars of cliff-side stability made from concrete and sandstone with clearstory windows. Mickey Muennig, Big Sur’s preeminent architect was enlisted to erect their current structure.

Look around now and you’ll notice newer details, like the mosaic relief tile that hot spring water flows over. The design, created by artist Elle Terry Leonard, was chosen to represent peaceful recollection along a journey. The yellow calcite butterfly was sculpted by former Gazebo school staffer Sydelle Foreman.

The bath’s storytelling spans 62 years and continues to grow. The Hunter S. Thompson stories are dramatic — and mostly true. Andy Warhol had his 15 minutes here. You’ve seen the Steve McQueen and Neile Adams tub pics replete with wine and cigarettes. (No smoking or alcohol there now, please.) Once upon a time, Robin Williams gave an impromptu stand-up performance under the stars in his birthday suit. There are plenty more tales, we’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Until 1966, Esalen Institute was still known as the Big Sur Hot Springs, before it was purchased by Michael Murphy’s grandfather, Henry Murphy. It was known locally as “Slates Hot Springs.” The healing waters have been used by Indigenous tribes, specifically the Esselen, and generations of their ancestors for over 6,000 years. The Tribe continues to use these waters today.

Esalen’s influence has long reached beyond Big Sur. Through the US-Soviet Exchange program, Dulce Murphy and the Track II team fostered dialogues and collaborations between American and Soviet thinkers, artists, and scientists, creating a bridge between the two cultures. These meetings often migrated to the tubs, blending profound discussions with the healing waters of Esalen. In 1983, a Newsweek writer dubbed these efforts "hot tub diplomacy."

In February 2024, Michael Murphy recalled that consequential period: 

“In the 1980s, Esalen hosted a conference where we were studying how individuals look at the world, and looking for similarities in Russia. Among this group, we had an idea of who were intelligence officers and who weren’t. This was after the Moscow Olympic Games. I remember this guy stands up, an American intelligence officer, and says to me, ‘I have something urgent to talk to you about.’

“I went outside with him and he says, ‘Do you see that guy over there?’ I turn and I recognize this person; he’s a Russian guy. This American intelligence guy continues, ‘You see that guy?! He’s an actual human.’ This American intelligence guy was trying to tell me the Russian guy is a good guy. So I said, ‘You’re absolutely right, he is a good guy.’ But that wasn’t enough. The American intelligence guy persisted, ‘No, no, Murphy, he's an actual human!’

“That’s what happens here when you bring people together in this way to talk about the things they otherwise never could. They experience a primal recognition of seeing the other as a friend. When you have a recognition like this you have to make existential decisions about what you’re going to do, who you’re going to be moving forward.

“That was just one paradigm of the whole thing, the recognition of these friendships having revolutionary implications for the individual person and potentially and ultimately the collective whole world.

In February 2024, Dulce Murphy echoed and amplified the sentiment: 

“With these conferences, we would all come from different worlds and end up becoming close friends. Russians love baths. They love water. They were the first to take off their clothes and jump into the ocean, so going into the baths after a long day of a conference to close the evening was de rigueur. After you finished all these hard, challenging conversations, you'd break bread in the Lodge over other conversations, you’d go to the baths and relax and new conversations would surface. Yes, that’s human potential. It did not matter who they were — KGB, not KGB, CIA, not CIA, Russians or Americans. It didn't matter — we were all friends. That’s the whole point of Esalen.” 

“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?



About

Esalen Team