Just as greenery emerges from the chilly dormancy of winter, we must burst into the vernal months with excitement — ready for change. Spring is the season to reach further and become more, but rapid growth requires sun and water. That means new ideas and renewed inspiration. Here are five brilliant titles to set you off on a fresh path. We recommend you read them all!
by Nora Bateson
“The familiar is not the only way.” The award-winning filmmaker, artist, lecturer, and research designer (and the daughter of anthropologist and Esalen resident scholar Gregory Bateson and granddaughter of biologist William Bateson) extends the family legacy of genius with this collection of essays, art, poetry, and stories and her call for change through interconnectedness. Her ecology of communication brings enlightening new terminology — including “warm data” (transcontextual information about the interrelationships that integrate a complex system) and “aphanipoiesis” (the unseen ways in which life comes together to foster vitality and propel evolution) — to radically shift our thinking around climate change, political upheaval, education, health, and more. Called “an exercise in living ecologically,” by Rex Weyler, co-founder of Greenpeace International, Combining translates today’s greatest challenges into living systems that ask for understanding.
by Simon Cox
This new chronicle of the subtle body concept — from its origins in late antiquity to the counterculture of the ’70s — was recently the subject of a brilliant essay for the April 2023 issue of the Harvard Theological Review by Esalen Board member and Harvard Divinity School faculty Charles M. Stang. Consider the review’s closing thoughts, which asks intrepid explorers to delve into this subject and its comprehensive history.
“Subtle bodies we think into existence are the ‘gateways’ to these worlds and realities. In other words, we can and should call other worlds into being, and other ways into those worlds. Wanted: energetic madmen — what Kripal calls ‘authors of the impossible.’ Step back and Cox’s conclusion reads like the Bat-Signal. I wonder who will answer his call, who might be ready to devour dreams.”
by John Bucher
Mythologist John Bucher emphasizes character, myth, and structure while sharing proven techniques this story expert (and executive director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation) has perfected over decades. With revelatory lesson plans for each week, this book can be something like that beloved writing professor who unlocks your true potential and uncovers the psychology behind the elements of setting, plot, conflict, and more. This accessible guide isn’t simply for the tortured novelists, playwrights, and poets but for any human in any situation or industry who could benefit from more effectively and vividly expressing their ideas and visions with others — meaning everyone everywhere. The Storytelling Almanac is the golden ticket to an exceptionally well-organized heroic journey that’ll transform readers into better speakers, writers, and communicators.
by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, and Dylan Thuras
This off-the-beaten-path travelog comes from one of the internet’s most interesting and eclectic corners. The beloved website/magazine launched in 2009 to provide an online home and resource for those who live to investigate the wackiest, quirkiest, most interesting destinations. This second edition has added tons of new places and pictures, a dozen city itineraries, and a fold-out map. Whether you’re ready to hop on a flight immediately for new adventures, dive into a new metropolis with uncovered gems, or just want to daydream from your couch, you’ll enjoy this delightful mix of natural wonders, architectural marvels, and some of the strangest events imaginable. (Anyone want to attend Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival next month? This four-day celebration in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas is your last chance to see a total eclipse in the United States for 20 years.)
by Michael Murphy
The “obsessively researched” overview of the transformative capacities of human nature comes from none other than the co-founder of Esalen Institute. Structured into three sections (“Possibilities for Extraordinary Life,'' “Evidence for Human Transformative Capacity,” and ”Transformative Practices”) with 12 categories of extraordinary capacities, this encyclopedic tome draws on seemingly innumerous sources and a lifetime of research to make up nearly 800 pages of meticulously documented scholarship. (The bibliography appears long enough to fill a local library.) Though it’s difficult to articulate the scope and scale of something with such extraordinary reach, one review came close: “Michael Murphy has defined a level of human capacity well beyond most of our more ordinary dreams.”
“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?
Steven Gutierrez is an editor, writer, and ghostwriter. He has worked in book publishing and at several major (and some minor) magazines.
Just as greenery emerges from the chilly dormancy of winter, we must burst into the vernal months with excitement — ready for change. Spring is the season to reach further and become more, but rapid growth requires sun and water. That means new ideas and renewed inspiration. Here are five brilliant titles to set you off on a fresh path. We recommend you read them all!
by Nora Bateson
“The familiar is not the only way.” The award-winning filmmaker, artist, lecturer, and research designer (and the daughter of anthropologist and Esalen resident scholar Gregory Bateson and granddaughter of biologist William Bateson) extends the family legacy of genius with this collection of essays, art, poetry, and stories and her call for change through interconnectedness. Her ecology of communication brings enlightening new terminology — including “warm data” (transcontextual information about the interrelationships that integrate a complex system) and “aphanipoiesis” (the unseen ways in which life comes together to foster vitality and propel evolution) — to radically shift our thinking around climate change, political upheaval, education, health, and more. Called “an exercise in living ecologically,” by Rex Weyler, co-founder of Greenpeace International, Combining translates today’s greatest challenges into living systems that ask for understanding.
by Simon Cox
This new chronicle of the subtle body concept — from its origins in late antiquity to the counterculture of the ’70s — was recently the subject of a brilliant essay for the April 2023 issue of the Harvard Theological Review by Esalen Board member and Harvard Divinity School faculty Charles M. Stang. Consider the review’s closing thoughts, which asks intrepid explorers to delve into this subject and its comprehensive history.
“Subtle bodies we think into existence are the ‘gateways’ to these worlds and realities. In other words, we can and should call other worlds into being, and other ways into those worlds. Wanted: energetic madmen — what Kripal calls ‘authors of the impossible.’ Step back and Cox’s conclusion reads like the Bat-Signal. I wonder who will answer his call, who might be ready to devour dreams.”
by John Bucher
Mythologist John Bucher emphasizes character, myth, and structure while sharing proven techniques this story expert (and executive director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation) has perfected over decades. With revelatory lesson plans for each week, this book can be something like that beloved writing professor who unlocks your true potential and uncovers the psychology behind the elements of setting, plot, conflict, and more. This accessible guide isn’t simply for the tortured novelists, playwrights, and poets but for any human in any situation or industry who could benefit from more effectively and vividly expressing their ideas and visions with others — meaning everyone everywhere. The Storytelling Almanac is the golden ticket to an exceptionally well-organized heroic journey that’ll transform readers into better speakers, writers, and communicators.
by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, and Dylan Thuras
This off-the-beaten-path travelog comes from one of the internet’s most interesting and eclectic corners. The beloved website/magazine launched in 2009 to provide an online home and resource for those who live to investigate the wackiest, quirkiest, most interesting destinations. This second edition has added tons of new places and pictures, a dozen city itineraries, and a fold-out map. Whether you’re ready to hop on a flight immediately for new adventures, dive into a new metropolis with uncovered gems, or just want to daydream from your couch, you’ll enjoy this delightful mix of natural wonders, architectural marvels, and some of the strangest events imaginable. (Anyone want to attend Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival next month? This four-day celebration in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas is your last chance to see a total eclipse in the United States for 20 years.)
by Michael Murphy
The “obsessively researched” overview of the transformative capacities of human nature comes from none other than the co-founder of Esalen Institute. Structured into three sections (“Possibilities for Extraordinary Life,'' “Evidence for Human Transformative Capacity,” and ”Transformative Practices”) with 12 categories of extraordinary capacities, this encyclopedic tome draws on seemingly innumerous sources and a lifetime of research to make up nearly 800 pages of meticulously documented scholarship. (The bibliography appears long enough to fill a local library.) Though it’s difficult to articulate the scope and scale of something with such extraordinary reach, one review came close: “Michael Murphy has defined a level of human capacity well beyond most of our more ordinary dreams.”
“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?
Steven Gutierrez is an editor, writer, and ghostwriter. He has worked in book publishing and at several major (and some minor) magazines.
Just as greenery emerges from the chilly dormancy of winter, we must burst into the vernal months with excitement — ready for change. Spring is the season to reach further and become more, but rapid growth requires sun and water. That means new ideas and renewed inspiration. Here are five brilliant titles to set you off on a fresh path. We recommend you read them all!
by Nora Bateson
“The familiar is not the only way.” The award-winning filmmaker, artist, lecturer, and research designer (and the daughter of anthropologist and Esalen resident scholar Gregory Bateson and granddaughter of biologist William Bateson) extends the family legacy of genius with this collection of essays, art, poetry, and stories and her call for change through interconnectedness. Her ecology of communication brings enlightening new terminology — including “warm data” (transcontextual information about the interrelationships that integrate a complex system) and “aphanipoiesis” (the unseen ways in which life comes together to foster vitality and propel evolution) — to radically shift our thinking around climate change, political upheaval, education, health, and more. Called “an exercise in living ecologically,” by Rex Weyler, co-founder of Greenpeace International, Combining translates today’s greatest challenges into living systems that ask for understanding.
by Simon Cox
This new chronicle of the subtle body concept — from its origins in late antiquity to the counterculture of the ’70s — was recently the subject of a brilliant essay for the April 2023 issue of the Harvard Theological Review by Esalen Board member and Harvard Divinity School faculty Charles M. Stang. Consider the review’s closing thoughts, which asks intrepid explorers to delve into this subject and its comprehensive history.
“Subtle bodies we think into existence are the ‘gateways’ to these worlds and realities. In other words, we can and should call other worlds into being, and other ways into those worlds. Wanted: energetic madmen — what Kripal calls ‘authors of the impossible.’ Step back and Cox’s conclusion reads like the Bat-Signal. I wonder who will answer his call, who might be ready to devour dreams.”
by John Bucher
Mythologist John Bucher emphasizes character, myth, and structure while sharing proven techniques this story expert (and executive director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation) has perfected over decades. With revelatory lesson plans for each week, this book can be something like that beloved writing professor who unlocks your true potential and uncovers the psychology behind the elements of setting, plot, conflict, and more. This accessible guide isn’t simply for the tortured novelists, playwrights, and poets but for any human in any situation or industry who could benefit from more effectively and vividly expressing their ideas and visions with others — meaning everyone everywhere. The Storytelling Almanac is the golden ticket to an exceptionally well-organized heroic journey that’ll transform readers into better speakers, writers, and communicators.
by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, and Dylan Thuras
This off-the-beaten-path travelog comes from one of the internet’s most interesting and eclectic corners. The beloved website/magazine launched in 2009 to provide an online home and resource for those who live to investigate the wackiest, quirkiest, most interesting destinations. This second edition has added tons of new places and pictures, a dozen city itineraries, and a fold-out map. Whether you’re ready to hop on a flight immediately for new adventures, dive into a new metropolis with uncovered gems, or just want to daydream from your couch, you’ll enjoy this delightful mix of natural wonders, architectural marvels, and some of the strangest events imaginable. (Anyone want to attend Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival next month? This four-day celebration in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas is your last chance to see a total eclipse in the United States for 20 years.)
by Michael Murphy
The “obsessively researched” overview of the transformative capacities of human nature comes from none other than the co-founder of Esalen Institute. Structured into three sections (“Possibilities for Extraordinary Life,'' “Evidence for Human Transformative Capacity,” and ”Transformative Practices”) with 12 categories of extraordinary capacities, this encyclopedic tome draws on seemingly innumerous sources and a lifetime of research to make up nearly 800 pages of meticulously documented scholarship. (The bibliography appears long enough to fill a local library.) Though it’s difficult to articulate the scope and scale of something with such extraordinary reach, one review came close: “Michael Murphy has defined a level of human capacity well beyond most of our more ordinary dreams.”
“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?
Steven Gutierrez is an editor, writer, and ghostwriter. He has worked in book publishing and at several major (and some minor) magazines.
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Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
