Inspired by 20th-century French writer Marcel Proust, we here at Esalen have created our own version of his favorite parlor game to dig just a little deeper — and differently — into our incredible faculty and staff.
In anticipation of her upcoming workshop, Embodying Joy: Black Wisdom Traditions of Liberation and Healing, Buddhist mental health therapist, clinical educator, and professor of social work Kamilah Majied shares about her work, achievements, and current state of mind: “Joyfully determined to advance justice.” To that end, the author of Joyfully Just shares personal heroes (both in life and fiction), mantras, and more — including one inspiring quote from Sojourner Truth about “going home.”
What is Esalen to you?
Esalen is a place to connect with the wisdom of the ocean, the sky, and the ancestral wisdom of humans who knew that nature is the best teacher.
What do you do/are you doing at Esalen?
At Esalen, I strive to bring the wisdom of marginalized populations to the forefront so that all people can benefit.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Wisdom and the courage to act wisely for oneself and all beings.
What is your greatest fear in your work?
My greatest fear is that fear and its partner, greed, will win out over courageous, just action in the world.
Which living or dead person do you most admire in your field?
Stevie Wonder because he has created a rich tapestry of justice and peace-infused art.
What is your current state of mind?
Joyfully determined to advance justice.
What is the quality you most like in a human??
Courage
What about your work brings you the most happiness?
It gives me great joy to help people find both the courage and the creativity to create justice in their immediate surroundings and in the broader world.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am able to manifest a joyful, wise state of life just about every day, one that turns difficulties into growth opportunities.
What is your most treasured possession?
My mother’s Phi Beta Kappa key. Phi Beta Kappa means love of wisdom, the guide of life, and my mother earned her key due to her extraordinary achievements as a scholar at a time when very few Black women had been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. To me, the key symbolizes how wisdom, hers and that of many others, can triumph over injustice.
How do you maintain your practice(s) during challenging times?
I practice chanting my mantra, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, and I use the wisdom in Black literature, poetry, and music to inspire me.
What is your favorite component of your work?
Helping people grow.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Ebullience
Who are your inspirations?
Toni Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Lailah Majied, Daisaku Ikeda
Who is your hero of fiction?
Paul D in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Audre Lorde
Who are your heroes in real life?
My mother, Lailah Majied, and all those working to make the world a more just place.
How would you like to die?
I believe, as Sojourner Truth said, that “I'm not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star.”
What is your motto?
Well Minds Nurture Justice and Just Minds Nurture Wellness
“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?
Inspired by 20th-century French writer Marcel Proust, we here at Esalen have created our own version of his favorite parlor game to dig just a little deeper — and differently — into our incredible faculty and staff.
In anticipation of her upcoming workshop, Embodying Joy: Black Wisdom Traditions of Liberation and Healing, Buddhist mental health therapist, clinical educator, and professor of social work Kamilah Majied shares about her work, achievements, and current state of mind: “Joyfully determined to advance justice.” To that end, the author of Joyfully Just shares personal heroes (both in life and fiction), mantras, and more — including one inspiring quote from Sojourner Truth about “going home.”
What is Esalen to you?
Esalen is a place to connect with the wisdom of the ocean, the sky, and the ancestral wisdom of humans who knew that nature is the best teacher.
What do you do/are you doing at Esalen?
At Esalen, I strive to bring the wisdom of marginalized populations to the forefront so that all people can benefit.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Wisdom and the courage to act wisely for oneself and all beings.
What is your greatest fear in your work?
My greatest fear is that fear and its partner, greed, will win out over courageous, just action in the world.
Which living or dead person do you most admire in your field?
Stevie Wonder because he has created a rich tapestry of justice and peace-infused art.
What is your current state of mind?
Joyfully determined to advance justice.
What is the quality you most like in a human??
Courage
What about your work brings you the most happiness?
It gives me great joy to help people find both the courage and the creativity to create justice in their immediate surroundings and in the broader world.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am able to manifest a joyful, wise state of life just about every day, one that turns difficulties into growth opportunities.
What is your most treasured possession?
My mother’s Phi Beta Kappa key. Phi Beta Kappa means love of wisdom, the guide of life, and my mother earned her key due to her extraordinary achievements as a scholar at a time when very few Black women had been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. To me, the key symbolizes how wisdom, hers and that of many others, can triumph over injustice.
How do you maintain your practice(s) during challenging times?
I practice chanting my mantra, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, and I use the wisdom in Black literature, poetry, and music to inspire me.
What is your favorite component of your work?
Helping people grow.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Ebullience
Who are your inspirations?
Toni Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Lailah Majied, Daisaku Ikeda
Who is your hero of fiction?
Paul D in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Audre Lorde
Who are your heroes in real life?
My mother, Lailah Majied, and all those working to make the world a more just place.
How would you like to die?
I believe, as Sojourner Truth said, that “I'm not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star.”
What is your motto?
Well Minds Nurture Justice and Just Minds Nurture Wellness
“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?
Inspired by 20th-century French writer Marcel Proust, we here at Esalen have created our own version of his favorite parlor game to dig just a little deeper — and differently — into our incredible faculty and staff.
In anticipation of her upcoming workshop, Embodying Joy: Black Wisdom Traditions of Liberation and Healing, Buddhist mental health therapist, clinical educator, and professor of social work Kamilah Majied shares about her work, achievements, and current state of mind: “Joyfully determined to advance justice.” To that end, the author of Joyfully Just shares personal heroes (both in life and fiction), mantras, and more — including one inspiring quote from Sojourner Truth about “going home.”
What is Esalen to you?
Esalen is a place to connect with the wisdom of the ocean, the sky, and the ancestral wisdom of humans who knew that nature is the best teacher.
What do you do/are you doing at Esalen?
At Esalen, I strive to bring the wisdom of marginalized populations to the forefront so that all people can benefit.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Wisdom and the courage to act wisely for oneself and all beings.
What is your greatest fear in your work?
My greatest fear is that fear and its partner, greed, will win out over courageous, just action in the world.
Which living or dead person do you most admire in your field?
Stevie Wonder because he has created a rich tapestry of justice and peace-infused art.
What is your current state of mind?
Joyfully determined to advance justice.
What is the quality you most like in a human??
Courage
What about your work brings you the most happiness?
It gives me great joy to help people find both the courage and the creativity to create justice in their immediate surroundings and in the broader world.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am able to manifest a joyful, wise state of life just about every day, one that turns difficulties into growth opportunities.
What is your most treasured possession?
My mother’s Phi Beta Kappa key. Phi Beta Kappa means love of wisdom, the guide of life, and my mother earned her key due to her extraordinary achievements as a scholar at a time when very few Black women had been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. To me, the key symbolizes how wisdom, hers and that of many others, can triumph over injustice.
How do you maintain your practice(s) during challenging times?
I practice chanting my mantra, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, and I use the wisdom in Black literature, poetry, and music to inspire me.
What is your favorite component of your work?
Helping people grow.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Ebullience
Who are your inspirations?
Toni Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Lailah Majied, Daisaku Ikeda
Who is your hero of fiction?
Paul D in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Audre Lorde
Who are your heroes in real life?
My mother, Lailah Majied, and all those working to make the world a more just place.
How would you like to die?
I believe, as Sojourner Truth said, that “I'm not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star.”
What is your motto?
Well Minds Nurture Justice and Just Minds Nurture Wellness
“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
