The Esalen Journal

Charlotte James and Undrea Wright are the founders of The Ancestor Project (formerly known as The Sabina Project), a black-led platform for psychedelic education, legal ceremonies, and integration.

When I was single in my 30s, I searched for a man who would treat me like a goddess. The more I studied yoga and blended in the sister science, Ayurveda, the more I realized this: I need to treat myself like a goddess. 

Sarah Gael is a harm reduction officer at Zendo Project, a program sponsored by MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). She joined Voices of Esalen’s Sam Stern recently to talk about her work in peer-to-peer psychedelic therapy, recent developments in the decriminalization movement, and more.

Ismail Ali is the Policy & Advocacy Counsel for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), where his job is to advocate for the elimination of barriers to psychedelic therapy and research by developing and implementing legal and policy strategy. Ali joined Voices of Esalen’s Sam Stern recently for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of drug policy reform in the United States.

A fruit panzanella takes the same mix of bread, fresh produce, and acid used to create traditional savory panzanella and turns it into something that’s great for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. For this version, we macerate blackberries with honey, freshly-squeezed orange juice, and white balsamic; vinegar highlights and punches up the berry flavor.

Did you know that Friends of Esalen has a book club? This month, we’re reading Dr. Qing Li’s 2018 book, "Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness."

Atlanta’s Danny Fluker, Jr. is a writer, yoga teacher, IT professional, and wellness advocate. He’s also the founder of Black Boys OM and — as of March 15th — Esalen’s current Artist In Residence. We chatted with Danny halfway through his stay on campus.

It’s hard to go wrong with flavor combinations when you pair things that come into season together, like early spring’s pea shoots and asparagus bolstered with the last of winter’s citrus. This salad is spring green on a plate, with a delightful mix of flavors and textures — acidic citrus, bright mint, sweet peas, crunchy nuts, tender asparagus — that elevate it beyond an everyday salad.

Polenta is easy to cook and a great canvas for all kinds of flavors. This version is rich with herbs, but you could substitute your favorite spices, add cheese, stir in some sauteed mushrooms or spinach — the possibilities are limitless. 

The connection between artists and creative spirits is a foundational part of Esalen’s lineage. We piloted the Artist in Residence program (AiR) last year with Sharon Virtue. Now, the full program officially launches with three exciting artists who span the creative spectrum.

The upheaval and change of the past 12 months leaves us all looking for a new way forward. Here at Esalen, conversations about our role in helping to heal this collective trauma are constant. Our new summit series, The Way Forward, is an outgrowth of these internal discussions. As we move into this important but difficult work, we wanted to share some insight into what we’ve been grappling with internally and the work we’re invested in thus far.

Ken Dychtwald, the “Age Wave” guru, arrived at Esalen in 1970 in the pursuit of human potential and spent the next 50 years embracing every aspect of Esalen’s beauty, holistic learning, mental and physical enrichment, and deep sense of community. As Esalen shaped Ken’s life, he had a part in Esalen’s own evolution — which he explores in his 18th book, a sort-of memoir of his life’s journey toward truth and self-discovery, Radical Curiosity: One Man's Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life.

Nutty notes ensure this Esalen favorite has layers of deep flavor. Light but warm and nourishing, it's vegan and gluten free and made mostly of pantry staples. 

Earlier this year, Emmy-award winning journalist, author and yoga instructor Christine Chen joined us as the host of Esalen Live! on Facebook. Christine interviews Esalen faculty and change agents about timely topics — coping with the pandemic, perspectives on racial justice, and overall well-being.

Guided by the intention of nurturing true healing and reconciliation with the Indigenous tribes of the region, key staff and board members from the Esalen Institute and representatives from the founding family/land owners have embarked on a multi-year process of individual and collective reflection, deep learning, and humble listening, which started on October 7th, 2020.

“We carry Esalen in the very tissues of our bodies,” observes yoga instructor Tracy Lease, who evokes the spirit of Esalen during her online noontime yoga class on Wednesdays. “I believe coming together, wherever you are living, to reset the nervous system and engage in practices many of us learned or honed at Esalen can be very healthy.”

Fred Dust, Esalen faculty and Former Senior Partner of IDEO, was not immune to adjusting personally and professionally this year as the pandemic captured the global spotlight. In fact, it inspired him to write a new book, Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Communication, which will be released Dec. 1.

Yoga instructor and holistic nutritionist Robin Wilner facilitates our Guided Program in Creating Connection through the Rituals of Esalen. Our new Teacher-in-Residence brings a winning trifecta of accessibility, warmth and humor to the ritual construct.

As an author, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, a Marriage and Family Therapist, and Mindful Relationship Coach, Esalen faculty Ira Israel knows how to swim deep waters. He shares his latest book pick with Esalen News.

“Esalen is a mecca for mythic transformation,” says Corinne Bordeau, co-founder of the Esalen Inspirational Film Festival, “and that is the heartbeat of the upcoming 25th anniversary celebration Chris Vogler’s book, The Writer’s Journey.” The online event on Oct. 22, 2020 is free to the Esalen community.

“There was a very vivid sense of freedom, of ability to be myself, to be respected, to be allowed to explore the amazing outdoor environment and my emotional world within myself,” says Jasmine Star Horan about her experience as a student at Esalen Institute’s former early childhood program, Gazebo Park School. “I think ultimately the core teaching was about relationships.”

Esalen faculty and 5Rhythms® instructor Lucia Horan recently shared her thoughts about community and the transitions she has faced this year with ConsciousDancer.com. We share her wisdom with our community with permission from ConsciousDancer.com.

“Almost every piece of work or literature that I've read on racism is built on one assumption: that it cannot end. Or at best, that it will be a ‘lifelong fight.’ That ending racism will be something that ‘will probably never happen in our generation.’”

Like many people during COVID-19, Esalen faculty Ira Israel was forced to create significant shifts in the ways he interacts with his extended community. One of the more enterprising endeavors he recently launched is 'Authenticity and Awakening for Lovable Idiots!', an online course that is free for the Esalen community.

Esalen faculty Ann Randolph is an award-winning writer and performer with plenty of wit and verve. Her solo shows, 'Inappropriate in All the Right Ways', 'Loveland' and 'Squeeze Box' have been heralded and her workshops —at Esalen and beyond — aptly balance depth and humor. Ann shares her latest book pick with Esalen News.

Eldra Jackson III has harnessed the power of transformation and tapping into his human potential. As a 24-year inmate in the California prison system, he was given ample opportunity to turn inward, and when he discovered Inside Circle, his inner journey took a significant turn, which led to his release in 2014.

As Michael Murphy celebrates his 90th birthday, former Esalen Chairman of the Board Jeff Kripal, Esalen President Gordon Wheeler, and Michael's son Mac Murphy pay tribute to and share heartfelt reflections about Esalen's esteemed co-founder.

Ken Dychtwald has been involved with Esalen for more than 50 years. A former resident, group leader, donor and supporter, he is also a psychologist, gerontologist, best-selling author, and CEO of Age Wave, the nation's foremost thought leader on issues relating to an aging population.

In July, Esalen hosted faculty-singer-author Justin Michael Williams for a mini-residency. Justin’s presence on property was so nourishing that Esalen’s Community and Advancement team invited him to host a 90-minute online workshop as an opportunity to meet Justin, experience the work he is doing in the world and explore the topics of equality and race.

Since 1980, Track Two: An Institute for Citizen Diplomacy, formerly the Russian American Center, has provided new spheres of influence for Esalen. For Track Two, in partnership with Esalen's Center for Theory & Research, traveling to Russia, the Middle East and now the Far East, brings with it the culture and practices that Esalen embodies.

Susan Hess Logeais’s thought-provoking new documentary 'The Way of the Psychonaut' explores the life and work of longtime Esalen scholar-in-residence Stanislav Grof, a Czech-born psychiatrist and psychedelic psychotherapy pioneer.

We delve into books for so many different reasons: guidance, knowledge, curiosity and oftentimes to lose ourselves in a captivating tale that can take us to the farthest stretches of our imagination. Esalen faculty and author Steve Almond shares his insights on the book he found to be a true “page-turner.”

Expanding our potential often requires a certain amount of grace. Esalen faculty Tracee Stanley saw this fact clearly more than 20 years ago and embarked on a personal practice that eventually included Yoga Nidra, which transformed her entire life.

Gazpacho is a flavorful, chilled soup made primarily from ripe tomatoes that is perfect to enjoy on warm summer days. Though the recipe is simple, creating really good gazpacho requires getting a few details right.

Bedding, pillows, bath textiles, specially-designed furniture and eco-friendly cleaning supplies suddenly capture the spotlight at Esalen as it moves deeper into a commitment to expand diversity in the business as well as its eco-consciousness.

In June 2020, Esalen released a statement regarding the present racial crisis. This page provides additional clarity on how Esalen, as an organization, will work in very practical and substantive ways to be more inclusive. We value your feedback and insights as we collectively move forward to make these important changes.

When Esalen faculty Janis Nakano Spivack founded Brite Catalyst, her vision was clear: She wanted to create a company dedicated to teaching everyone to greet change and transition with more success. Janis shares her latest book picks with Esalen News.

Earlier this year, when Esalen temporarily closed its doors to the public during the pandemic, Esalen Farm & Garden stewards still working and living in the community asked the question: “How can we be of support to those close to us?” Their answer: a free, experimental Community Supported Agriculture program to share produce with local households.

To be sure, 2020 will go down as one of the most memorable times of our modern era. As COVID-19 and racial unrest affect us globally, we are receiving many opportunities to re-examine our lives—and life itself. As Esalen moves through these changes with you and beyond its temporary closure, its spirit remains intact: working with individuals and institutions to integrate heart, mind, body, spirit and community in a nurturing relationship with the environment.

As a longtime integrative doctor and author of four books, most recently BodyWise: Discovering Your Body Intelligence for Lifelong Health and Healing, Esalen faculty Rachel Carlton Abrams assists patients with anxiety and sleep and more during these turbulent times. Her upcoming workshop, September 25-27, at Esalen, explores how to access body wisdom to navigate life in the direction of vitality, joy and contribution.

For many people, 2020 has become a time of deep reflection, contemplation and oftentimes discomfort. “There are so many things that are currently out of our control,” notes Esalen faculty Ben Geilhufe. “People are fighting for their lives due to COVID-19 and other health issues. People are continually fighting for social justice, physical safety and emotional safety in the face of more than 400 years of systemic racism and white supremacy in this country. People are fighting to feed themselves and their families and to stay housed or locate housing. There are so many sources of overwhelm.”

Relish the power of film. The artform often goes beyond just “entertainment” to guide us through challenging times. As 2020 continues to offer its set of ongoing challenges, we turned to Esalen Inspirational Film Festival (EIFF) Co-founder Corinne Bourdeau who curated a stellar watch list to consider during this historic time. The following films make for great viewing—right now—and offer a powerful trifecta: they are uplifting, inspiring and educational.

Esalen faculty Judith Orloff wears many creative hats — psychiatrist, empath, and best-selling author. She is also on the UCLA psychiatric clinical faculty and her work has been featured on The Today Show, CNN and in the New York Times.

During the 1960s, Daria Halprin joined creative forces with many dynamic teachers who influenced the early years at Esalen. It was a powerful time and Daria, a dancer, teacher, therapist, author and co-founder and director of Tamalpa Institute, was among an intrepid group of change agents—from Fritz Perls to Joseph Campbell—who helped fuel the human potential movement.

“Consciousness is never static or complete but is an unending process of movement and unfoldment,” noted David Bohm, the late American scientist and theoretical physicist of the 20th century whose unorthodox ideas to quantum theory, neuropsychology and the philosophy of mind are given the spotlight in Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm.Directed by Paul Howard, the compelling documentary was scheduled to be screened at the Esalen Inspirational Festival this year before the pandemic forced many events to be postponed. Now, the Fetzer Memorial Trust is offering a free online screening on June 20 to the Esalen community.

Esalen’s first online retreat was a free community offering entitled “Building Bridges of Belonging: The Inner Work of Healing from Racism and Moving Towards Positive Social Transformation.” More than 60 participants attended the online retreat in early June, which was facilitated by Jessica Hartzell and Lacy Shannon of Esalen's Community and Advancement team, and Programs Specialist Tanja Roos, and led by two Esalen faculty: University of San Francisco law professor Rhonda V. Magee, an expert on mindful teaching and learning, race and law; and Kamilah Majied, a social justice leader and mental health therapist.

As we gracefully attempt to ease our way back out into the world during uncertain times, several Esalen faculty and trusted partners continue to invite us online for connection as a new normal emerges. "I think this time is giving all of us an opportunity to value togetherness,” says Esalen faculty and singer/songwriter Glen Phillips. “Initially, I wanted to start doing online offerings during the pandemic to create a sense of purpose and what I’ve seen is how important a regular check-in like this with others actually is."

For nearly 60 years, we at Esalen have committed ourselves to the exploration and actualization of human potential, a future humanity envisioned in ways at once deeply individual, radically interpersonal, politically active, plurally embodied and genuinely global. The recent national events and protests around the murder of George Floyd on May 25 and the still unrealized dream of a truly inclusive American society have shown us in too familiar and yet fundamentally new ways that we have not lived up to our own legacy.

Esalen faculty and award-winning author of channeled texts Paul Selig has repeatedly been asked: “What comes next during these challenging times?”‍“I don't know what will come next during the pandemic, but I think what has begun will be going on for some time,” says Paul, who leads I Am the Word: The Energetics of Consciousness July 31 through August 2, and in a campus-wide workshop August 2-7 at Esalen.

The late Maya Angelou said: “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” Those sentiments are particularly apt during the first half of 2020. As we experience waves of uncertainty—from the pandemic to social unrest—opportunities to turn inward abound. From this place, we can ask important questions, such as: “what really matters now?” and “what can I learn from this historic time?”

We delve into books for so many different reasons: guidance, knowledge, curiosity and oftentimes to lose ourselves in a captivating tale that can take us to the farthest stretches of our imagination. Esalen News invites our faculty to share what’s on their nightstand and why.As lead singer/songwriter for Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips appreciates the creative process and recognizes the passion that goes behind creating compelling works.

One phrase emerged strongly this spring: “stay at home.” By now, many of us have had time to reflect on our lives, where we have been placing our attention and how we have been directing our life force. These insights are like jewels shining in the shadows of COVID-19.

“There is a great deal of talk about gardens right now and the importance of creating our own self-sufficient food source during these uncertain times,” says Esalen Farm Supervisor Chris Omer. “Gardens can be a cathartic place for healing and reflection. They can open up spaces for personal creativity, curiosity about the natural world around us, collaboration with others and play.”

“One of the teachings of Relational Mindfulness is turning towards rather than away,” says Esalen faculty, dharma teacher and author Deborah Eden Tull. “That principle really addresses the conditioned tendency in our world to turn away from all forms of difficulty, pain, discomfort and challenging emotion because we may not feel adequate to meet it. Instead, we can learn how to turn towards it, welcome it and everything that arises.”

Esalen faculty, author and artist Day Schildkret believes connecting more with nature can be one of the most valuable opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Internationally known for his morning altars, a stunning array of sublime mandalas he creates daily from natural materials, as well as his of book, Morning Altars: A 7-Step Practice to Nourish Your Spirit through Nature, Art and Ritual, Day has inspired people across the globe to be awed with impermanent earth art.

During challenging times, we can turn to the plant world to discover some of our greatest allies. Esalen faculty, herbalist and acupuncturist Darren Huckle knows this all too well and relishes the fact that herbal allies powerfully promote the health of our body, mind and physical energy.

"The most under-utilized technology out there today is the human body,” says Esalen faculty Susan Fisher. “I discovered this when I learned there are nine physiologically different kinds of people and each of them have what we call a ‘Natural Energy’ system. The amount of confusion that comes from not knowing about this is vast. If we don’t have the same natural energy as somebody else, then we each have no clue how the experiences life. It’s fundamentally important to know and so vital now when we’re all experiencing a global crisis because it helps us become more aware of ourselves and understanding of others.”

Russell Delman has dedicated his life to the study of human transformation and is deeply indebted to his more than 40 years of both Zen meditation and marriage. He has helped train more than 2,500 Feldenkrais® practitioners, founded The Embodied Life School and leads The Embodied Life™: Meditation, Guided Inquiry and the Teachings of Moshe Feldenkrais September 25-27 at Esalen with his wife, Linda.

We delve into books for so many different reasons: guidance, knowledge, curiosity and oftentimes to lose ourselves in a captivating tale that can take us to the farthest stretches of our imagination. Esalen News invites our faculty to share what’s on their nightstand and why.

For more than 30 years Esalen faculty Lisa G. Littlebird has been on a mission to restore community singing and bring it back into the daily lives of others. Her passion has helped many people discover new pathways to what she calls, “communion and release” and to cultivate wellness, mindfulness, empathy and joy.