We pop into the Bookstore to learn what inspires Merchandising Manager Heather Martin as she curates the Esalen swag “that the land speaks through” — and how this former fashionista found meaningful purpose through Esalen’s mission.
Anyone who walks through the Esalen Bookstore can feel the guiding, tasteful hand of our merchandising manager, Heather Martin. "My vision for the bookstore has always been to incorporate products that the land speaks through: a healing book, a memory-inducing crystal, a cozy "bring Esalen home" blanket, and every other little or big choice," says Heather.
Stroll along the tables and peruse intimate corners and you'll uncover books and items that are perfectly aligned with Esalen and its mission. "That’s how I'm hoping it feels," adds Heather, "I'm always searching and am sensitive to the items guests choose to take home."
"That's what I love and want with all the selections, to invoke a shared experience," she explains. "When a guest purchases a body wash, sweatshirt, shamanic drum, oracle deck, or piece of art, it can hopefully prompt a memory and transport them back to a moment when they were here at Esalen; I want them to have a way, a token to feel that connection."
Heather sharpened her eye for curation in the world of corporate fashion, "until 2020, when Covid happened, and my perspective on what was important shifted." At Esalen, she found a role that incorporated her passion for wellness — a certified Reiki master teacher and meditation guide, an energy healing animal communicator and Hoffman Process graduate — with her merchandising background. "I feel extremely grateful how those pieces aligned for this chapter to then fall into place," she says.
Her first visit to Esalen included experiences unlike any other professional role. "When I first arrived at Esalen, a colleague told me the land itself may come to me in my dream. I didn't entirely understand, but remained open. That night, I had a dream about Esalen, the place, filled with a kind of truth that’s hard to explain — like when you’re in that state between sleep and waking that somehow feels more real than either. I knew right away that I belonged, and I knew what I wanted to do — bring that magic that came to me that night in my dreams to our guests." Asking about this mission sets her off on a whole list of new plans, products, themes, and more.
"There are endless possibilities at Esalen! I think about our famous food products — our granola or incorporating our Farm & Garden fruits into jams and infusing herbs and flowers into oils, balms, and honey. I'd love to bring in more home items. Towels or meditation cushions to sit alongside our brilliant bath products. The potential for expansion is vast." She continues with a few more thoughts before circling back to her one unified theme for it all.
"I have discovered the curation of the store is about love," she says. "I see it and feel it every time I'm at Esalen. For 2025, I want that love to expand into our online store — which had a recent light refresh and will continue to elevate in 2025 — so all of us can share in the beauty of love, gratitude, healing, and joy."
“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?
We pop into the Bookstore to learn what inspires Merchandising Manager Heather Martin as she curates the Esalen swag “that the land speaks through” — and how this former fashionista found meaningful purpose through Esalen’s mission.
Anyone who walks through the Esalen Bookstore can feel the guiding, tasteful hand of our merchandising manager, Heather Martin. "My vision for the bookstore has always been to incorporate products that the land speaks through: a healing book, a memory-inducing crystal, a cozy "bring Esalen home" blanket, and every other little or big choice," says Heather.
Stroll along the tables and peruse intimate corners and you'll uncover books and items that are perfectly aligned with Esalen and its mission. "That’s how I'm hoping it feels," adds Heather, "I'm always searching and am sensitive to the items guests choose to take home."
"That's what I love and want with all the selections, to invoke a shared experience," she explains. "When a guest purchases a body wash, sweatshirt, shamanic drum, oracle deck, or piece of art, it can hopefully prompt a memory and transport them back to a moment when they were here at Esalen; I want them to have a way, a token to feel that connection."
Heather sharpened her eye for curation in the world of corporate fashion, "until 2020, when Covid happened, and my perspective on what was important shifted." At Esalen, she found a role that incorporated her passion for wellness — a certified Reiki master teacher and meditation guide, an energy healing animal communicator and Hoffman Process graduate — with her merchandising background. "I feel extremely grateful how those pieces aligned for this chapter to then fall into place," she says.
Her first visit to Esalen included experiences unlike any other professional role. "When I first arrived at Esalen, a colleague told me the land itself may come to me in my dream. I didn't entirely understand, but remained open. That night, I had a dream about Esalen, the place, filled with a kind of truth that’s hard to explain — like when you’re in that state between sleep and waking that somehow feels more real than either. I knew right away that I belonged, and I knew what I wanted to do — bring that magic that came to me that night in my dreams to our guests." Asking about this mission sets her off on a whole list of new plans, products, themes, and more.
"There are endless possibilities at Esalen! I think about our famous food products — our granola or incorporating our Farm & Garden fruits into jams and infusing herbs and flowers into oils, balms, and honey. I'd love to bring in more home items. Towels or meditation cushions to sit alongside our brilliant bath products. The potential for expansion is vast." She continues with a few more thoughts before circling back to her one unified theme for it all.
"I have discovered the curation of the store is about love," she says. "I see it and feel it every time I'm at Esalen. For 2025, I want that love to expand into our online store — which had a recent light refresh and will continue to elevate in 2025 — so all of us can share in the beauty of love, gratitude, healing, and joy."
“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?
We pop into the Bookstore to learn what inspires Merchandising Manager Heather Martin as she curates the Esalen swag “that the land speaks through” — and how this former fashionista found meaningful purpose through Esalen’s mission.
Anyone who walks through the Esalen Bookstore can feel the guiding, tasteful hand of our merchandising manager, Heather Martin. "My vision for the bookstore has always been to incorporate products that the land speaks through: a healing book, a memory-inducing crystal, a cozy "bring Esalen home" blanket, and every other little or big choice," says Heather.
Stroll along the tables and peruse intimate corners and you'll uncover books and items that are perfectly aligned with Esalen and its mission. "That’s how I'm hoping it feels," adds Heather, "I'm always searching and am sensitive to the items guests choose to take home."
"That's what I love and want with all the selections, to invoke a shared experience," she explains. "When a guest purchases a body wash, sweatshirt, shamanic drum, oracle deck, or piece of art, it can hopefully prompt a memory and transport them back to a moment when they were here at Esalen; I want them to have a way, a token to feel that connection."
Heather sharpened her eye for curation in the world of corporate fashion, "until 2020, when Covid happened, and my perspective on what was important shifted." At Esalen, she found a role that incorporated her passion for wellness — a certified Reiki master teacher and meditation guide, an energy healing animal communicator and Hoffman Process graduate — with her merchandising background. "I feel extremely grateful how those pieces aligned for this chapter to then fall into place," she says.
Her first visit to Esalen included experiences unlike any other professional role. "When I first arrived at Esalen, a colleague told me the land itself may come to me in my dream. I didn't entirely understand, but remained open. That night, I had a dream about Esalen, the place, filled with a kind of truth that’s hard to explain — like when you’re in that state between sleep and waking that somehow feels more real than either. I knew right away that I belonged, and I knew what I wanted to do — bring that magic that came to me that night in my dreams to our guests." Asking about this mission sets her off on a whole list of new plans, products, themes, and more.
"There are endless possibilities at Esalen! I think about our famous food products — our granola or incorporating our Farm & Garden fruits into jams and infusing herbs and flowers into oils, balms, and honey. I'd love to bring in more home items. Towels or meditation cushions to sit alongside our brilliant bath products. The potential for expansion is vast." She continues with a few more thoughts before circling back to her one unified theme for it all.
"I have discovered the curation of the store is about love," she says. "I see it and feel it every time I'm at Esalen. For 2025, I want that love to expand into our online store — which had a recent light refresh and will continue to elevate in 2025 — so all of us can share in the beauty of love, gratitude, healing, and joy."
“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
