January 2010 Esalen Catalog
Transcription
January 2010 Esalen Catalog
The Esalen Catalog January– June 2010 the view from big sur E salen first existed, a half century ago, in the minds and hearts of two young dreamers, Michael Murphy and Richard Price, both of them grad school dropouts, both with a deep hunger for something new in the world. Their dream: to create a space, in Murphy’s words now, “for everything excluded and marginalized from mainstream education of the day.” D A N I E L B I A N C H E T TA That “everything” has been quite a list, over the past almost fifty years since Esalen’s founding. Mind/body studies and practices, “somatics” (a term which didn’t even exist before Esalen), health and healing (beyond the “illness model”), lifelong personal growth (again, the term didn’t exist just a few decades ago), the life of the emotions (“therapy” was for people who were “sick”), spiritual studies and spiritual practices, spirit/body disciplines like yoga, tai chi, and others, relationships, and relational skills—the list goes on, still expanding today. Take “experiential learning,” a byword in education today. An ancient tradition of holistic, integral education, running from Plato down through Dewey, had been mostly forgotten in the regimented schools and colleges of Price and Murphy’s young days; that tradition was reinvented and spread across the world, at Esalen and other pioneering, experimental institutes and centers. Or citizen activism and “citizen diplomacy,” another term that didn’t even exist yet, because it had to be invented—at Esalen. In so doing, Esalen helped lay the groundwork for today’s hyper-networked world of Chinese ex-pats platforming Iranian dissidents on the Web, and the explosion of NGOs around the world. (You can read about this and more, including Esalen’s pivotal, network-building role in the last days of the Cold War, in Jeffrey Kripal’s fascinating, lively history, Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion). We could go on and on, listing the models and forms that have been nurtured, midwifed, pioneered, and launched at Esalen, often in partnership with the most forward-thinking sectors of universities and other experimental centers like ours, and have gone out to the world. If you think about it, these experiments inform and underlie many of the courses in this catalog as well. In the same way, the initiatives and activities of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research —in Consciousness studies, in spiritual activism, and our multi-tiered outreach to Islam programs, in eco-literacy and public-private eco-partnership and leadership, and more—flow into some of our newest programs today, and tomorrow’s courses as well. You can learn more about the Center for Theory and Research by visiting www.esalenctr.org. This is the tradition you step into and become a living part of, when you take a course at Esalen. Your work, your experiences here, become part of this rich stream, which you and your fellow students take out into the world again, in creative ways we couldn’t have come up with without each other. Here on the land, in the dramatic setting of the ocean cliffs of Big Sur, amid the resonance of millennia of healing practices in and around these timeless natural mineral springs down by the water’s edge, we take heart and inspiration for these amazing times we live in, and the daunting, exciting challenges that face our spirits and our world. Once again – welcome to Esalen! Gordon Wheeler President January – June 2010 Volume xlix, Number 1 contents Esalen — A convergence of mountains and sea, mind and body, East and West, meditation and action. Esalen Notes .............................................. 2 Friends of Esalen ...................................... 2 Esalen — A center for alternative education, a forum for transformational practices, a restorative retreat, a worldwide community of seekers. General Information ............................... 3 Dedicated to exploring work in the humanities and sciences that furthers the full realization of the human potential, Esalen offers public workshops, residential work-study programs, invitational conferences, and independent projects that support our mission. Family Spotlight ....................................... 7 Children at Esalen.................................... 3 Guide to Workshops................................ 4 Seminar Spotlight ................................... 8 Esalen Seminars ..................................... 10 Special Programs .................................... 94 Work Study Program .............................96 Work Study Application.................... 100 As a center designed to foster personal and social transformation, we offer those who join us the chance to explore more deeply the world and themselves. Biographical Information ................. 101 Reservation Information................... 110 Scholarship Information................... 110 Reservation Form ................................ 112 Continuing Education ....................... 113 contact Website: www.esalen.org E-mail: [email protected] Welcome to DANIEL BIANCHETTA ® Mailing address: Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 General Information: 831-667-3000 (ext. 7402 to leave a message for a guest) Workshop Reservations: Preregistration is required for all Esalen programs. Online: www.esalen.org Phone: 831-667-3005 Monday–Thursday, 9 am–7 pm Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 9 am–5 pm Fax: 831-667-2724 Mail: See address above Mail and fax reservations must include a completed reservation form, available on page 112. Express Reservations: If you have previously taken a workshop at Esalen; 831-667-3000 ext. 7321 Other Reservations: For Personal Retreats, healing arts appointments, and van service between Esalen and the Monterey Transit Plaza; 831-667-3000. R esalen notes Online Reservations You can register for Esalen programs online at Esalen’s website, www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Esalen Movement Arts Free Classes The Esalen Movement Arts Program has evolved into a popular and varied schedule of movement and meditation classes. Every day of the week, classes are open to everyone at Esalen, guests and staff, and all levels of experience. Check the Movement Program schedule when you are here. Point Houses for Esalen Guests Scheduling Private Conferences at Esalen The Point Houses are available as upgraded accommodations for seminarians and Personal Retreatants. Nestled behind the lush Esalen Garden and perched at the cliff ’s edge, each house is a private two-room suite with a living room with wood stove, separate bedroom, a sleeping loft, full kitchen and dining area, private redwood deck overlooking the Pacific, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, and in-room telephone. They can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children. As part of Esalen’s dedication to the humanities and sciences, facilities are offered to organizations and individuals for private missionaligned conferences, meetings, courses, and trainings for groups of up to 124 participants. Conferences can be two, five, or seven days and include meals, movement classes, and hot springs and Art Center use when available. We schedule most conferences at least one year in advance. To schedule or for more information, please contact conference coordinator Laura Doherty at 831-667-3028. For details, see Reservation Information on page 110 or call the Esalen office at 831-667-3005. A s a Friend of Esalen you can help ensure Esalen’s place in the world. It is through the generosity of friends like you that Esalen can continue its mission of developing human potential. Your support not only benefits current programs but helps secure Esalen’s long-term financial future. Donations are tax-deductible and provide support for sustainability initiatives, intern programs, our organic farm and garden, the Gazebo School Park, special projects, and Esalen’s visionary Center for Theory and Research. As a way of showing our gratitude, Friends who donate $50 or more will receive a $25 reduction on all catalog workshops for the next twelve months. Donors will also receive the Esalen Catalog and a triannual Friends of Esalen newsletter for one year and be eligible to book a Personal Retreat at Esalen. Many Friends choose to make Esalen a part of their long-range plans by including a bequest or deferred gift to Esalen in their estate plans. A charitable bequest is one of the easiest ways you can give that will make a lasting difference to the Institute. If you would like further information on donating to Esalen, please contact Nancy Worcester at 831667-3032. q q q q q A collective of former Esalen staff, work scholars, and seminarians have created an online grassroots alumni group at www.IThou.org. Providing ongoing support and community, the site hosts daily meditation, weekly weather reports, and the talking stick tradition among other practices available to anyone who has been touched by the spirit of Esalen. Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway 1 Big Sur, California 93920-9546 Catalog Requests: 831-667-3000 friends of esalen S An Unofficial Website for the Global Esalen Community Friends Circle: $50+ Hot Springs Circle: $250+ Sustainers Circle: $500+ Benefactors Circle: $1,000+ Founders Circle: $5,000+ q q q q Partners Circle: $15,000+ Anniversary Circle: $30,000+ Coast Circle: $50,000+ Trustees Circle: $100,000+ Esalen Board of Trustees: Sam Yau Chair Alyce Faye Eichelberger-Cleese Mary Ellen Klee Nancy Lunney-Wheeler ex officio David Lustig Anisa Mehdi Michael Murphy Carolin Phillips ex officio Lyle Poncher Marilyn Schlitz Gordon Wheeler Co-founder & Chair Emeritus: Michael Murphy President: Gordon Wheeler Name ___________________________________________________________________________ Chief Executive Officer: Tricia McEntee Phone___________________________________________________________________________ Esalen Catalog Staff: Programming: Nancy Lunney-Wheeler, Cheryl Fraenzl, Laura Doherty, Bonnie Singman Editor: Stacy Carlson Design & Production: Terry McGrath Address_________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________ State __________ Zip__________________ E-mail___________________________________________________________________________ Please make checks payable to Esalen Institute, in U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank, or use one of the charge cards below: q MasterCard q Visa q American Express Amount ________________________________________________________________________ Card No. _______________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date ______________________________________________________________________ Signature ______________________________________________________________________ Please complete this form or the inside flap of the envelope insert included in the catalog and return with your gift. Check the box on the outside of the envelope marked “Friends of Esalen.” Donations can also be made online at www.esalen.org. Thank you for your support. Esalen Institute is a non-profit public charity corporation, exempt from income tax under IRC section 501(c)(3). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. The Esalen Catalog is published biannually by the Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California 93920-9546. Printed on recycled paper. ©2009 Esalen Institute. All rights reserved. ISSN 1088-2782 Subscription Information: For a one-year subscription to the Esalen Catalog (two issues), please submit the enclosed subscription request form on the envelope insert attached to this catalog. If the envelope is missing, please send your name, address, and e-mail address to: Catalog Subscriptions, Esalen Institute, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, California, 93920. Including your e-mail address grants Esalen permission to e-mail news and information to you including the Esalen eNEWS newsletter. Catalog subscriptions are free in the United States, but a donation to help offset printing and mailing costs would be greatly appreciated. Subscriptions are mailed outside the United States for $35 per year. cover photograph:Daniel Bianchetta 2 Q general information T he esalen institute was founded in 1962 as an alternative educational center devoted to the exploration of what Aldous Huxley called the “human potential,” the world of unrealized human capacities that lies beyond the imagination. Esalen soon became known worldwide for its blend of East/West philosophies, its experiential/didactic workshops, the steady influx of philosophers, psychologists, artists, and religious thinkers, and its breathtaking grounds blessed with natural hot springs. Once home to a Native American tribe known as the Esselen, Esalen is situated on the spectacular Big Sur coastline with the Santa Lucia Mountains rising sharply behind. bodywork are available by appointment, and a schedule of community events is posted on the bulletin board near the office. There are various ways to experience Esalen, ranging from an overnight visit to a long-term stay as a seminarian. The weekend and fiveday workshops described in the Seminars section are the standard route for coming to Esalen. “Experiencing Esalen” workshops offer an introduction to practices such as Gestalt, massage, sensory awareness, and meditation. From such a sampling, participants can then choose those approaches they are most attracted to and pursue them in subsequent seminars. We would like those people who are planning their first visit to Esalen to know that swimsuits are optional, and nudity common, in the hot springs, massage area, and swimming pool. We encourage each individual to choose what is most comfortable, either wearing a swimsuit or not, and emphasize that the environment we strive for at Esalen is one of personal sanctuary and respect for the human body. Another way of being at Esalen which allows a greater involvement at a lower expense is the Work Study Program, an intensive month-long work-oriented program for individuals who want to make a directed commitment to selfexploration and growth, and a contribution to the Esalen community. For a full description of the Work Study Program, please turn to page 96. For those who wish an extended stay, there are periodic long-term programs which involve didactic seminars or professional trainings as well as experiential workshops. Personal Retreats (available on a limited basis) give guests the opportunity to nourish body, mind, heart, and soul without participating in an Esalen workshop. Those on Personal Retreat may use the baths, attend yoga and movement classes, meditate in the Round House, and enjoy the Esalen grounds. Finally, there are other events that enrich life at Esalen. There are forums in which visiting and resident writers and thinkers share ideas with the community. On Wednesday nights there may be lectures, films, dance performances, or other events. Several types of Esalen is a center for experimental education. We offer neither psychotherapy nor assurances of change. Esalen is 45 miles south of Monterey, 11 miles south of Nepenthe, on Coast Route 1. From the south, we are 50 miles north of Hearst Castle. A lighted sign on the ocean side of the highway reads: Esalen Institute, By Reservation Only. The Hot Springs at Esalen Accreditation and Continuing Education Many educational institutions recognize Esalen programs as eligible for credit in their curricula; check with your university or college. Esalen can provide additional program information if needed. Esalen provides continuing education credit for psychologists, MFTs, LCSWs, nurses, and bodyworkers. See page 113 for details. Children at Esalen Esalen welcomes families and offers a selection of family-oriented workshops throughout the year. Esalen’s Gazebo School Park is an on-site, state licensed, outdoor preschool program for children ages 2-6. This program is available during the week to children of seminarians, workshop leaders, personal retreatants, as well as Big Sur families. The school offers children the opportunity for full immersion with the natural world through its rich, child-centered park environment and ecology-based curriculum. Gazebo School Park’s low teacher to child ratio allows for individual attention. Activities include caring for the school’s animals, gardening, harvesting fruits and vegetables, cooking, expressive arts, literacy activities, dramatic play, and excursions to explore Esalen’s unique campus. Children may be enrolled for a half day, full day, or several days while here at Esalen. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9:30 am–4:30pm. The Children’s Workshop extends Esalen's childcare programs to children of all ages and operates during evenings and weekends to match parents’ workshop hours. For more information and enrollment for Gazebo School Park and the Children’s Workshop, please call 831-667-3026. To ensure space in the program we ask for at least two weeks advance notice for enrollment. Disabled Access Many Esalen paths, though paved, are extremely steep. We are in the process of increasing our disability access; however, access to some parts of our property remains difficult. Nonetheless, we are committed to accommodating guests who have disabilities. If you think you might need assistance during your stay at Esalen, please discuss your needs when making your reservation, at least 72 hours in advance of your arrival. If you are in need of sign language interpretation for an Esalen workshop, please notify us at least 2 weeks prior to your workshop. We will do our best to meet your needs. Friends of Esalen We invite you to become a Friend of Esalen. Your donation of $50 or more will benefit our programs and help build Esalen’s long-term financial base (see page 2). As a Friend of Esalen you will receive the following benefits: • $25 reduction in tuition for all workshops for 12 months • Friends of Esalen newsletters and the Esalen Catalog for one year • Eligibility to book Personal Retreats • A tax deduction under IRS section 501(c)3 for the amount of the donation 3 R guide to workshops T his is a guide to the workshops offered in this catalog. Many of them defy easy categorization and could be cross-referenced across many disciplines; most are listed in one or two main subject areas. If you have never been to Esalen or taken an Esalen workshop, you might consider the “Experiencing Esalen” workshop scheduled throughout the catalog and listed in the Integral Practices section of this guide. Please call the Esalen office if you have questions concerning a workshop. R ARTS & CREATIVITY Visual Arts January 3-8 • Mosaic Art January 15-22 • The Rhythms of Stone January 24-29 • Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain February 14-19 • A Cleansing through Fire: Wax Casting February 26-28 • Art as a Spiritual Path March 7-12 • Alchemy in Art: Glass Fusing March 12-14 • Awakening Creativity and Inspiration March 14-19 • A Bottle of Ink, A Wooden Pen March 14-19 • Cinema Alchemy March 19-21 • Photographing the Seasons of Big Sur March 26-28 • Making Art: A Hands-On Exploration March 28-April 2 • Shamanic Visionary Painting April 11-16 • Collage, Poetry, and Creativity April 16-18 • The Art of Nonviolent Woodturning April 23-25 • The Passion of Painting April 30-May 2 • Encaustic Painting May 2-7 • Zen and the Art of Photography May 2-7 • Awakening The Creative: Painting May 9-14 • Painting with Light May 14-16 • Invisible to Visible: Papermaking May 16-21 • Painting the Outer and Inner Landscape May 23-28 • Alchemical Art: Making Glass Shrines May 30-June 4 • Plein Air Painting in Big Sur June 27-July 2 • Artplane Workshop Writing January 24-29 • The Writing Life February 7-12 • Writes of Passage February 12-14 • Mystery of Writing February 21-26 • Dangerous Writing March 12-14 • White Lotus Poetry Workshop March 14-19 • The Writer’s Way March 26-28 • Your Editor is Not Your Mother! April 9-11 • Autobiography May 21-23 • Three Personal Pieces June 4-6 • (Re)Writing Your Story June 20-25 • Deepening the Characters We Create June 25-27 • Being True to Life: Poetic Paths Music / Rhythm / Dance January 1-3 • Got Rhythm? World Music January 8-10 • Moving Meditation Practice January 10-15 • Songwriting: Catch and Release January 10-15 • Biodanza®: The AbunDance™ of Life January 22-24 • Being Danced: 5Rhythms® Essentials 4 January 24-29 • Kirtan Flight School January 29-31 • Finding Your Long Lost Musician January 31-February 5 • Finding Your Long Lost Musician February 5-7 • The Brazilian Soul: Dance and Drumming February 12-14 • Salsa Rueda: Celebrating Love February 14-19 • Tango: More Than a Dance February 19-21 • The Song of the Drum February 19-21 • SoulMotion™: Alone, Together February 21-26 • SoulMotion™: Begin Again March 5-7 • Singing in the Stream March 28-April 2 • Sacred JourneyDance™ April 4-9 • Spirit Songs: The Power of Gospel April 9-11 • 5Rhythms® Wave: In the Belly of the Beat April 18-23 • Dancing with the Spirits: Afro-Cuban Music April 30-May 2 • SoulMotion™: Body Prayer May 2-7 • The Spirit of the Drum and Voice May 23-28 • The Embodied Heart May 30-June 4 • Spiritweaves™: Sanctuary of Self June 11-13 • Body of Sound June 13-18 • SoulMotion™: Sanctuary June 18-20 • Drumming Up Health!™ January 31-February 5 • Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier February 21-26 • Intro. to Rolf Structural Integration March 12-14 • Body, Voice, and Consciousness March 19-21 • The Formless Form: Tai Ji March 21-26 • SomatoEmotional Release II March 26-28 • Cultivating Joy, Finding Aliveness Today April 4-9 • Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues April 4-9 • Balance: Your Body's Re-set Button April 18-25 • Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier… April 25-30 • Ageless Vitality May 2-7 • Gyrokinesis® May 7-9 • Gestalt, Movement, and Sport May 9-14 • The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral I May 14-16 • The Shamantra Experience May 16-21 • Zero Balancing II May 28-30 • Embodiment for Beginners June 4-6 • ChiRunning® June 11-13 • Getting Unblocked June 25-27 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor) R Creative Expression / Theater January 3-8 • Sharing Your Life Story January 15-17 • Dreaming Together January 24-29 • Improv: Expanding Yourself January 29-31 • Essence and Alchemy: Natural Perfume February 19-21 • Transformational Speaking February 21-26 • The Performance of Your Life February 26-28 • Waking Up Lightly: Sacred Playground April 18-23 • Storytelling from the Heart May 2-7 • The MAX May 7-9 • Freedom Through Foolishness May 28-30 • Improv Comedy for the Soul June 25-27 • Altar Your Joy: Making Personal Altars June 25-27 • Human Potential in a Postmodern World June 27-July 2 • Motion Theater: Dreaming on Your Feet R THE BODY Massage January 3-10 • Seven Days of Advanced Esalen® Massage January 15-17 • Esalen® Massage with a Touch of Yoga January 22-24 • Esalen® Massage for Couples February 5-7 • Weekend Esalen® Massage Intensive February 14-19 • Reflexology and Esalen® Massage March 5-April 2 • Massage Practitioner Certification April 2-4 • An Esalen® Massage Retreat for Couples April 4-9 • Esalen® Massage, Poetry and Digeridoo April 25-30 • Bodywork: Hip-work, Feet, and Lower Legs May 7-9 • Esalen® Massage for Couples May 16-21 • Esalen® Massage for Women May 23-28 • LaStone® Therapy: Hot Stone Treatment May 30-June 4 • Deep Bodywork Level III June 20-25 • Essential Touch: Esalen® Massage Retreat Somatic Practices / Movement / Sports January 3-8 • Practicing Presence January 8-10 • Rosen Method Bodywork January 10-15 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor) January 17-22 • Compassionate Connection: Tender Touch January 17-22 • Acupressure for Anyone January 29-31 • Spinal Awareness (with Humor) PSYCHOLOGY & RELATIONSHIP Psychological / Transpersonal Process January 1-3 • Uncharted Waters: Life Transitions January 1-3 • This Year I Will... January 3-8 • The I in the Storm: Self Leadership January 8-10 • The Healing Power of Emotion January 15-17 • The Sky is Falling, What Now? January 15-17 • Cultivation of Eldership January 17-22 • Living Beyond Self-Limiting Behavior January 17-22 • Intimacy, Differences, and Community January 22-24 • Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal January 29-31 • Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice January 29-31 • The Courage to Be You February 5-7 • Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice February 7-12 • Gestalt Awareness Practice February 12-14 • Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For February 14-19 • Radical Aliveness: Core Energetics February 21-26 • Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion February 21-26 • Not For The Feint of Heart February 26-28 • Living Beyond Your History February 26-28 • Arrive Already Loved February 28-March 5 • Trauma, Memory, Restoration February 28-March 5 • Constellations March 5-7 • Body Keeps Score: Transformation of Trauma March 7-12 • Exploring the Ordinary Miracle of Healing March 12-14 • Living Heroically™ March 14-19 • Profound Simplicity: Gestalt March 19-21 • From Self-Justification to Self-Actualization March 28-April 2 • Self-Acceptance April 4-9 • Finding Your Deepest Purpose April 9-11 • Gestalt Awareness Practice April 9-11 • What’s Next? April 16-18 • Sweet Mischief April 18-23 • Stronger at the Broken Places April 25-30 • Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness May 2-7 • Gestalt Awareness Practice May 7-9 • Working with Dreams in Spiritual Traditions May 9-14 • Abandonment to Healing May 9-14 • Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal May 14-16 • Awakening the Leader Within May 14-16 • Start Over: Choose Aliveness and Intimacy May 16-21 • A Somatic Approach to Self-Investigation May 21-23 • The Undervalued Self May 21-23 • Claiming Your Voice May 23-28 • The Gifts of Grief May 23-28 • The Bioenergetics of Relationships June 4-6 • The One Thing Holding You Back June 11-13 • Radical Self-Care June 18-20 • Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones June 20-25 • Mindful Body-Mind Psychology: Hakomi June 25-27 • Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice June 27-July 2 • Water in the Desert: Hope in Times of Loss Relationship / Sexuality / Gender January 3-8 • Love, Sex, and Intimacy January 10-15 • Relationships: The Courage to Begin January 17-22 • Bring Courageous Love to Relationship January 29-31 • Rediscovering Self: For Women February 5-7 • Undefended Love February 12-14 • Finding True Love February 12-14 • The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat February 14-19 • Love, Sexuality, and Relationship March 5-7 • Getting the Love You Want: For Couples March 7-12 • Transforming Rage: For Women March 14-19 • Sharing the Path: A Retreat for Couples March 19-21 • Awakening Wisdom March 26-28 • Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships March 26-28 • Why Men Are the Way They Are April 4-9 • Art of Romantic Intelligence: For Women April 9-11 • Happiness in Marriage April 11-16 • Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving April 16-18 • Let’s Face It: Explore Our Changing Faces April 23-25 • Passion Over the Lifetime: For Men April 25-30 • More Than a Communication Workshop May 7-9 • Mother-Daughter Journey May 7-9 • The Dignity Model May 9-14 • Women, Money, and Realizing Dreams May 14-16 • Couples’ Communication Retreat May 28-30 • Women in Transition: Your Authentic Self May 30-June 4 • Holistic Sexuality: An Integral Approach May 30-June 4 • A Long Term View June 4-6 • Building Collaborative Relationships June 4-6 • Rebalancing Your Relationship June 18-20 • Gay Men Thriving! June 20-25 • The Body Shop: Explorations for Couples R NEUROPSYCHOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE / PARAPSYCHOLOGY / January 22-24 • Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways February 14-19 • EEG and Spirituality February 19-21 • Ignite the Genius Within March 12-14 • Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, Consciousness April 23-25 • Neurobiology of the Therapeutic Encounter June 27-July 2 • Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons R SOCIAL / POLITICAL ISSUES March 19-21 • You Can Make a Difference: Social Change June 11-13 • Human Rights Activism June 13-18 • Be Present Empowerment Model® R PROFESSIONAL GROWTH TRAINING / January 24-29 • Meditation Greets the Psychotherapist February 7-12 • Spark: Exercise and the Brain February 14-19 • The Art and Science of Self-Compassion February 21-26 • Brainspotting Training February 28-March 5 • Transforming Trauma with EMDR March 5-April 2 • Massage Practitioner Certification April 11-16 • Non-verbal Communication April 16-18 • Enhancement of Peak Performance April 30-May 2 • Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve May 2-7 • Chinese Pulse Diagnosis May 14-16 • Mood and Anxiety Disorders May 16-21 • CTI: Co-Active Fundamentals May 16-21 • Body and Mind Integration June 18-20 • Coaching Skills For Leaders June 20-25 • Holoenergetic® Training June 27-July 2 • The Language of the Body: Anatomy I Continued on next page 5 R CHILDREN / FAMILIES EDUCATION / March 26-28 • Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships March 28-April 2 • Wondrous Stories April 2-4 • By Land and By Water April 4-9 • Family Arts Springtime Celebration May 7-9 • Mother-Daughter Journey May 7-9 • Mother’s Day Family Workshop May 21-23 • Parenting From the Inside Out May 28-30 • Smart and Playful Families June 18-20 • A Celebration of Family June 18-20 • Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day R ECONOMICS LEADERSHIP / BUSINESS / BENJAMIN FAHRER January 8-10 • Everyday Leadership January 15-17 • Crafting Careers that Truly Fit February 19-21 • Spirit, Ecology, and Business March 7-12 • Inspiring Leadership March 12-14 • Hostage at the Table April 2-4 • How Great Companies Get Mojo from Maslow April 16-18 • Business and Human Potential April 25-30 • Personal Leadership April 30-May 2 • Financing Social Enterprises April 30-May 2 • Callings: Finding an Authentic Life May 30-June 4 • Leadership for Execs and Entrepreneurs June 25-27 • The Money Vision Quest R R PHILOSOPHICAL AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY February 19-21 • The Occult in America: Arcane History February 26-28 • Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering R NATURE / ECOLOGY SUSTAINABILITY / February 7-12 • Seduced By Earth February 28-March 5 • The Permaculture Connection March 5-7 • Training for Transition, Making a Difference March 28-April 2 • Experiencing Esalen Farm and Garden April 11-16 • Big Sur Wilderness Experience: Springtime April 25-30 • Timeless Spring: Esalen Farm and Garden May 9-14 • Walk on the Wild Side: Hiking May 28-30 • Simply Wild: Experiencing Nature June 13-18 • Mountains and Waves June 18-20 • Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day R SPIRITUALITY Contemplative / Spiritual Studies January 1-3 • Applied Zen January 10-15 • Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat January 15-17 • Realization Process: The Essence of Being January 24-29 • Kirtan Flight School January 31-February 5 • Breaking Reactive Patterns February 5-7 • Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga February 5-12 • Tibetan Buddhist Meditation February 26-28 • The Song of the Body February 28-March 5 • Satsang Retreat March 26-28 • Tasting Freedom: A Passover Experience April 16-18 • Passion and Grace: Devotional Singing April 18-25 • Tibetan Buddhist Meditation 6 April 25-30 • The Heart of Healing: For Clinicians April 30-May 2 • Experiencing Your Spiritual Self April 30-May 2 • Sacred Sound: A Sonic Alignment May 14-16 • Awakening Joy May 21-23 • Mind and Matter, Spirit and Sex May 28-30 • Mind, Mood, and Happiness June 11-13 • The Essence of Meditation June 20-25 • Living Spiritual Depth Yoga January 1-3 • Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation January 3-8 • A Doorway in Time January 17-22 • Yoga and the Path to Vitality January 31-February 5 • Yoga and Meditation February 12-14 • Pieces of the Yoga Puzzle February 26-28 • Yoga for the "Yogically Challenged" February 28-March 5 • Gravity and Grace March 14-19 • A Yogic Model for Personal Development April 2-4 • A Growing Awareness: The Practices of Yoga April 11-16 • Yoga, Health, and Happiness April 23-25 • Yoga Ecstasy Spring Detox and Rejuvenation May 9-14 • Yoga and the Act of Creation May 21-23 • Anusara Yoga Journey through the Elements May 23-28 • Hatha and Raja Yoga Practicum June 6-11 • 6th Annual Yoga Festival June 18-20 • The Yoga of Regeneration June 27-July 2 • Yoga Ecstasy Summer Axé Retreat R Myth / Ritual / Shamanism January 31-February 5 • The Way of the Shaman March 21-26 • Everything Old is New Again March 26-28 • MythBody at Play in the Year of the Tiger April 11-16 • Shamanic Cosmology: Visionseeker Level 3 May 21-23 • Pachakuti Mesa Tradition Shamanism June 13-18 • The Spiritwalker Teachings: Visionseeker 1 HEALTH / HEALING January 8-10 • Living Deeply: The Art of Transformation January 8-10 • The Esalen Cookbook January 8-10 • Mindfulness and Heartfulness January 10-15 • Cozy and Creative Winter Cooking January 10-15 • Self-Actualization and Self-Healing January 22-24 • The Mind/Body Connection January 29-31 • Tai Chi Chuan January 31-February 5 • Alchemical Healing January 31-February 5 • Embodiment and Development February 19-21 • Qigong and Inner Alchemy March 14-19 • Chakras Actually March 19-21 • Building Resiliency through Energy March 19-21 • Improv Cooking for Health and Vitality March 28-April 2 • Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power April 2-4 • Love Yourself-For Everyone Else’s Sake April 11-16 • Reclaiming Your Authentic Self May 30-June 4 • Trauma First Aide™ June 4-6 • Mindfulness in Deep Relationship June 6-11 • Vitalize Your Life with Living Foods June 11-13 • Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways June 13-18 • Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion June 20-25 • Qigong Empowerment June 25-27 • Relieve Neck and Shoulder Dysfunction June 25-27 • The Money Vision Quest June 27-July 2 • Breathe Into Being: Awakening INTEGRAL PRACTICES January 15-17 • Luminous Being: The Radiance Sutras January 22-24 • Experiencing Esalen March 12-14 • Wild Serenity April 16-18 • Power of Practice: Embodiment of Esalen May 7-9 • Gestalt, Movement, and Sport June 11-13 • Experiencing Esalen family spotlight E salen is a rich learning place for children and families. Centered in principles of connectedness, awareness, discovery, and creativity, Esalen programs offer ways for families to grow together, as well as opportunities for children to express who they are apart, as individuals. Discover DANIEL BIANCHETTA Gazebo School Park and the Esalen Children’s Workshop combine care and concern for the whole child with the wellbeing of the environment. In these children’s programs, engagement with the cycles of nature at Esalen, including planting, tending, observing, harvesting, nourishing, and composting, is a living example of the cycles of relationship, interdependence, care of self, and growth. Gazebo teachers are passionate participants and guides as children make choices and learn during a wide variety of activities, experiments, and self-directed exploration. For more information about children at Esalen, please see page 3 or www.esalen.org/info/gazebo. Create Throughout the year, Esalen offers a variety of weekend and weeklong workshops designed for families and friends to learn and play together. These programs are a unique opportunity to tap into Esalen’s longstanding and everchanging commitment to growth and human potential. The relationships and possibilities of family and friends are valuable territory in which to bring new awareness, celebration, and growth. Here are highlights from a selection of this season’s family programs. For a full list, please see the Guide to Workshops, page 6. Complete descriptions for the programs below appear in chronological order throughout the catalog. HARRY FEINBERG Grow Creating community, support, and a positive model for close and connected motherdaughter relationships is the aim of Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships, led by Renee Schultz, March 26-28. Schultz is a family and marriage therapist and founding member of the MotherDaughter Project, a grassroots network of evolving motherdaughter groups dedicated to disrupting old assumptions about how mothers and daughters can relate, and creating Play a supportive context in which to explore issues such as self-esteem, puberty, girls’ friendships, body image, and sexuality. Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships is an exquisite opportunity to deepen the special bond between mothers and daughters while enjoying the contemplative atmosphere and natural beauty of Esalen. Combining art making, storytelling, and family fun, Wondrous Stories – Writing for Children with Children is a hands-on journey into the imagination led by fine artist and former Disney animator Dave Zaboski and writing teacher Tesa Conlin, March 28-April 2. Together, children and adults will discover and develop a story and then, through playful writing, drawing, collage, and more, craft it into a book to take home and share. This process of creative expression not only culminates in an original work of art made collaboratively by adults and children, but offers a special time for family members to learn about each other and themselves. DANIEL BIANCHETTA Q Go on an adventure in nature’s wild laboratory during By Land and By Water, a workshop offered April 2-4 for children ages 5-14 and their parents. Be prepared to explore, observe, discover, and have lots of fun with leader Sunnie Kaufmann, as she leads the group into the cycles of growth and life in nature to be found all over Esalen land. Sunnie brings more than 15 years of experience creating children’s programming. As community development director with the Girl Scouts of Northern California, Sunnie offers children and parents the opportunity to step outside their regular routines to try new things and have fun together. Imagine Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day in the Tradition of the Old Ways is an opportunity for fathers and sons 14 and up to walk together in wild nature with awareness. Offered June 18-20, participants will explore the early-summer landscapes of Big Sur with longtime Esalen leader Steven Harper, his father Kenneth, and his eighteenand fifteen-year-old sons, Kai and Kes. Contemplative and awareness practices will be introduced as a way to become more fully present to what may be encountered (in the woods or within) during day-hikes. In the evening, the workshop will come together as a group to share experiences and stories. Explore 7 Q A Closer Look seminar spotlight I n our efforts to expand our programming in new directions, we continue to present leaders whose names may not be as familiar to you as others in the Catalog. In this section we highlight a few of these offerings by providing a bit more information than you’ll find in the Seminars section. Ghada Osman Ghada Osman writes: “In the year 2000, I became certified as a yoga instructor and finished my Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies; both events occurred within a few months of each other at the dawn of a new millennium. As I started my position as a college professor during the first week of September, 2001, little did I know that in just a few days a monumental event would transpire that would thoroughly change the dynamics between the Muslim world and the United States. From that moment, “Islam” and “the West” came to be viewed as mutually exclusive categories, as part of an us versus them relationship. As I taught, I was disturbed by how some had come to view all Muslims as a violent “other” who could not possibly share anything in common with us. This was an anathema to my deeply-held yoga-derived beliefs that regardless of differences in religion, ethnicity, or other elements, humanity is deeply interconnected. “Divisive generalizations also run contrary to Sufism, the mystical path of Islam, with its focus on oneness and love. Over the years, Americans have adopted and adapted Sufi beliefs and practices, especially the thirteenthcentury Sufi figure Rumi. By learning about Sufism, a natural companion to the yogic path, we can come to understand in our minds the diversity of the adherents of Islam (and by analogy other faiths) and embrace in our hearts its essence: humanity is ultimately all one.“ joined forces to treat groups of corporate workers who survived the World Trade Center collapse, and to prepare firefighters at Fort Totten Training Facility in Bayside, New York, to take over for their fallen comrades. It was a tragic and inspiring time, and it sealed their friendship. David says, “Christine has brought so much to my work with creativity, performance, and healing. She is an artist, healer, and most of all a visionary. Christine’s work has integrated with mine and has taken it a quantum leap forward with her master stroke, Ignite the Genius Within. My approach, Brainspotting, is based on the idea that where you look affects how you feel. Christine’s approach shows you how you can change things simply by how you look at them.” Christine says, “Collaborating with David helped me finally integrate my long-standing fascination with the intersection of science and mysticism that had begun when I was a youngster mesmerized by magic and nature. Using his techniques, I observed my clients gain access to parts of themselves that had been hidden away—usually because of trauma—and that had been secretly blocking them from getting what they wanted in life. They were literally making quantum leaps. My burning questions about how and why led me to the study of quantum physics, which tells us that the way we look at things literally changes what we see. That is, transformation only requires that you change the lens through which you see yourself, your situation, your life, your universe. You already have everything you need inside of you. You’re already there. This is the single greatest message of hope I can offer. When we all look at this quagmire of the beautiful but tragic, traumatized world we’ve created, we feel helpless and hopeless. I wrote Ignite the Genius Within to satisfy my desire to bring a uniquely healing creative process to the general public, and to build a case for taking another, deeper look at possibility.“ See Ignite the Genius Within: Bringing Expanded Consciousness to Everyday Life, February 19-21, and Brainspotting Training, February 21-26. See Come, Come Whoever You Are: Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga, Erik Davis and Mitch Horowitz February 5-7. In a sense, Erik Davis and Mitch Horowitz met over the Ouija Board. Both writers, who are known for their explorations of underground spiritual movements, collaborated for the first time at the Esalen Center for Theory and Research’s May 2009 conference, The Paranormal in History, Science, and Popular Culture. Davis’s presentation on magic and pop culture – spanning cinema, rock music, and enigmas like Ouija – provided the perfect complement to Horowitz’s talk on occult influences and personalities from early American history, from colonial-era mediums to displaced African medicine men. Christine Ranck & David Grand Christine Ranck and David Grand met in 1999 when David taught a workshop for actors, to enhance character development and creativity. He was demonstrating his recently developed BioLateral soundtracks, designed to activate the deep brain, a technique that would later become part of his therapy process called Brainspotting. Christine, a trauma therapist and also a professional singer and actress, was astounded by the results she witnessed, and a ten-year collaborative partnership in creativity was born. After the events of September 11, 2001, David and Christine 8 “I approached Erik afterwards,” Horowitz says, “and told him that his analysis of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and of the adolescent uses of Ouija basically captured the religion of my early teenage years – he saw the spiritual depth in things that are too often dismissed as novelties.” Soon, the two decided to collaborate on an Esalen workshop, which became The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History. Davis wrote his cult bestseller TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information in order to peel back the surface of contemporary technology and show how much the modern world owes to ancient myths and occult dreams. His most recent book, The Visionary State: A Journey through California’s Spiritual Landscape, presents a richly-illustrated overview of alternative religious currents in the Golden State, including Yogananda, the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Grateful Dead, and, of course, the Esalen Institute. The editor-in-chief of metaphysical publisher Tarcher/Penguin, Horowitz wrote his recent book Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation to give arcane religious movements, from hoodoo to Spiritualism, and mysterious figures, from Madame Blavatsky to Manly P. Hall, their proper due in American history. Occult America shows how esoteric influences suffused America’s religious and political culture from its earliest days – and helped make the nation into a launching pad for today’s revolutions in alternative spirituality. Together, during their Esalen workshop, Davis and Horowitz will reacquaint participants with American spiritual ancestors and uncover the surprising sources and hidden histories behind the spiritual tools and abiding dreams we are using to shape our lives today. See The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History, February 19-21. George Kohlrieser and Peter James Meyers “If ever we needed to understand the importance of authentic leadership,” says George Kohlrieser, “the time is now.” A veteran hostage negotiator and author of Hostage at the Table, Kohlrieser recognizes a crisis when he sees one, and in the recent global economic turmoil he identifies a troublesome pattern: Not only have so many leaders lost self-awareness, becoming unmoored from their core beliefs, but the misguided actions of these leaders can now affect the livelihood and morale of others on an unprecedented, global scale. As a psychologist and professor of leadership at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, Kohlrieser has been working for thirty years to help leaders reconnect with the basic values they must draw upon to inspire excellence in themselves and others. In 2000, he teamed up with veteran stage director and global leadership consultant Peter James Meyers to develop an advanced leadership workshop at IMD for high-level executives. The program, which was initially offered once a year, is now held four times annually. Together, Kohlrieser and Meyers have coached more than 750 leaders from dozens of countries around the world. “Self-awareness is at the heart of what George and I are doing,” says Meyers. “Too often, business managers focus on competence in numbers at the expense of emotional intelligence and human relationships.” Meyers says Esalen is the ideal setting for the work he and Kohlrieser are undertaking. “This place is perched on the edge of the world,” Meyers says. “It’s a safe, secure base where we can takes risks and expand our idea of what’s possible — while grounding ourselves in the values that matter.” Their workshop, Inspiring Leadership, offers an intimate and intensive setting for senior executives to return to their guiding principles, overcoming internal blocks in order to face external challenges with bolder vision and renewed confidence. Admission to this workshop is by application only. Please contact program coordinator Georgi Chase at ([email protected]) to apply. See Inspiring Leadership, March 7-12 and Hostage at the Table: How to Live Your Dreams with Full Joy, March 12-14. Tamar Miller Tamar Miller brings breadth, depth, and wideranging expertise to making the world a better place. As a social entrepreneur for social justice, parent of three young adults, consultant to international conflict mitigation organizations, philanthropies, academic centers of research and action, and governmental organizations, she has a unique and powerful set of tools that she uses to help people and organizations turn dreams for social change into reality. Miller points out that this process can be surprising. “Many people truly want to make a difference by growing local projects or making grand interventions for urgent social problems. But not everybody has to be their own social justice organization or government agency. I help people figure out ways to realize their activist dreams and step into their power. Whether you are creating curricula or have come up with a plan for a socially conscious business, or if you are in a managerial sticky web of relationships or want to figure out your next move in running your organization, this workshop is a perfect place to explore, receive guidance, and move forward.” Miller adds, “Of course, for those working on an idea for thirty years and it hasn’t come to fruition, sometimes the best thing to do is shift energy in a new direction and to simply let go. This workshop is about that kind of clarity, too.” Miller works with the Abrahamic Family Reunion, a Track II Citizen Diplomacy project out of Esalen’s Center for Theory and Research and with the Interfaith Engagement and Spirituality unit at the Fetzer Institute in Three Rivers, Michigan. She is on the Board of Bereaved Families for Israeli-Palestinian Peace and the Alliance for Middle East Peace. She was director of Leadership Development and Executive Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East at Harvard University. She has directed social service programs for parenting and pregnant addicts and other community organizations in the voluntary sector and was co-founder of two international businesses, Middle East Holdings and American Higher Education, Inc. She recently created a new media initiative called The PeaceBeat. “Its motto, some good news, some of the time!” says Miller, “reflects commitment to bringing nuance, humor, and complexity into both private and public spaces. Through radio shows, community organizing, and consulting to social justice organizations, PeaceBeat aims to enhance our collective spirit and our power to act.” See You Can Make a Difference: Strategies for Social Change, March 19-21. 9 esalen seminars BENJAMIN FAHRER S Weekend of January 1–3 Got Rhythm? Develop Your Inner Rhythm by Studying World Music Matthew Montfort Applied Zen: Creating the World Around Us Ji Hyang Padma Every thought affects the world around us. In the thirteenth century, Zen Master Dogen wrote about this using the metaphor of water: “Some see water as the seven treasures or a wish-granting jewel; some see water as a forest or a wall.” In what we choose to see and how we frame it, we create the world around us. By choosing to focus on mindful awareness, we can respond to stimuli rather than react, and thus develop resiliency and create positive outcomes. This is tangible; it begins with ordinary people and their own mindfulness practice, through which we return to our original luminous awareness, like clear water. This course combines Zen practice with creative approaches that support mind/body health to discover inner resources and create positive outcomes in everyday life. 10 Learn the real musical knowledge behind the sacred music of the world. This workshop is based on Matthew Montfort’s book, Ancient Traditions—Future Possibilities: Rhythmic Training through the Traditions of Africa, Bali and India. Material from the book has been used by teachers and musicians around the world, including Reinhard Flatischler, founder of the TaKeTiNa rhythm training process, and Steve Smith, jazz and rock drummer. The workshop is presented in an easy-to-follow, entertaining yet educational format for all music lovers. African polyrhythms, Balinese kotèkan and Indian classical music are the source material for the workshop because in combination they cover the major types of rhythmic organization used in most of the world’s music. Not just for musicians and percussionists, this workshop can help anyone with a desire to improve their rhythmic skills. Melodic aspects of the traditions are also explored through vocal chanting and ensemble performance in a supportive setting. The workshop is open to all levels, and no musical background is required. Very simple percussion instruments are provided, and participants are free to bring any percussive or melodic instruments they enjoy playing. ($55 materials fee paid directly to the leader for Ancient Traditions-Future Possibilities unless you already have a copy) Crossing Uncharted Waters: Navigating Life Transitions Mark Nicolson & Gustavo Rabin Transition and change happen again and again over the course of our lives, in our careers, our relationships, our jobs. But we rarely allow ourselves the time to pause and focus on what is changing and how to better navigate through the process. During times when there are no You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. external directions to help us move through transition, resources do exist inside and outside of us that are greater than we can imagine. With the conviction that our personal and professional lives are in fact unfolding landscapes of change and integration, this workshop begins by reviewing the process of adult development, the three-stage process of moving through transitions, and the issues we face during each of these stages. With this foundation, we introduce tools for discovering the emerging vision, capabilities, and supports for the next phase of our lives. While the path of self-reinvention is not clearly laid before us, we do already possess the talent, life experience, and passion necessary for the journey. Participants identify their strengths and resources, and discover the steps to navigate the new path. There are one-on-one interactions and group discussions to help deepen understanding of the current situation and to enable discerning and courageous choices. We also explore ways to integrate this new understanding with life and career goals, and learn how to use the new map to emerge successfully on the other side of transition. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation Scott Blossom & Chandra Easton Shadow Yoga is a Hatha yoga system that integrates the common principles of yoga asana (physical postures), martial arts, South Indian dance, and Ayurvedic/Siddha medicine. The practice includes spiraling, circular, and linear movements combined with rhythmic physical breathing and bandha work (core integration) to free the physical body of energetic blockages and ignite the inner fire (agni) for healing and meditation. Shadow Yoga circulates the life force (prana) and creates a fluid, responsive state of mind–key qualities for seated meditation. The Buddhist meditation sessions include two distinct forms of Shamatha (Calm Abiding) meditation to bring about a deeper quality of ease and focused awareness. Both are foundational practices that prepare us for more advanced forms of meditation. Scott Blossom and Chandra Easton weave together their knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Shadow Yoga, and Buddhism to create a seamless tapestry of healing and embodied wisdom. This Year I Will...How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Bring a Dream into Being M.J. Ryan Every so often, we get inspired (again!) to lose weight, get organized, start saving, find a better job, or stop worrying. But by the time the rosy blush of good intentions wears off, we’re back to our old ways, frustrated and fed up with ourselves. It doesn’t have to be this way. This workshop offers you an opportunity to receive the breakthrough wisdom and support you need to make this time the time that change becomes permanent. Change is hard. It’s not that we’re weak or lazy, it’s just that bringing new behavior into being takes energy, determination, self-awareness, and practice. The tendency to keep doing what we’ve already done is so strong because the neurons in our brains that fire together wire together—they tend to run the same sequence time after time, whether we want them to or not. If you have ever broken a resolution, fallen off a diet, or given up on fulfilling a dream, this experiential workshop is intended to use the discoveries of brain science to help you make a promise to yourself that you can keep. Through discussion, lecture, journaling, and one-on-one and small-group interactions from a blend of emotional, spiritual, and practical perspectives, each person leaves with a blueprint for implementing and sustaining lasting change. January 3–10 Seven Days of Advanced Esalen® Massage Jessica Fagan & Tom Case This seven-day intensive provides practitioners with the opportunity to inspire their current massage practice. Experienced Esalen Massage and Bodywork practitioners Jessica Fagan and Tom Case will offer unique explorations in the practices of stretching and dynamic mobilization, and soft tissue release work. Elements of Thai Massage will also be brought onto the table, along with range of motion and passive release techniques. This combination contributes to an atmosphere of innovation and exploration. Come prepared to practice and learn new methods of massage while enjoying the natural beauty of Esalen. Previous massage training encouraged. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of January 3-8 Sharing Your Life Story: From the Page to the Stage Ann Randolph As we write, we are both describing and deciding the direction that our life is taking. —Julia Cameron Everything in your life, from the mundane to the extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told. This workshop is an invitation to discover your own unique and powerful story. Michel de Montaigne, the great personal essayist, said, “Every man has within himself the entire human condition.” The intention of this workshop is for you delve deep into your own personal narrative. Writing from your deepest source, gain insight and self-understanding that can bring peace and healing. You will then make your words leap from the page to the stage, sharing them orally to uncover the power of story to transform your life and your listeners. Through improvisation, writing exercises, and group discussion, you will find your authentic voice, along with an honest, organic way to express your truth. Ann Randolph creates a supportive, fun, and dynamic space to create. All levels are welcome. This is a workshop for those seeking to explore personal essay, memoir, solo performance, or the sacred practice of journaling. Topics include: • Writing exercises to stimulate memory • Learning to structure the narrative in a compelling way • Discovering ways to create spontaneously • Overcoming performance anxiety • Tools to release yourself from the inner critic • Transforming your ideas/stories into performance Practicing Presence through Body-Centered Awareness Patrice Hamilton Our bodies are our greatest resource and provide a direct path for exploring our unconscious, limiting beliefs, and the emotions tied to them. The issues are in the tissues. By increasing awareness of our bodies, we connect with the here-and-now, where change and growth are possible. Habitual beliefs and behaviors formed early in life lead to habitual ways of responding See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 11 that limit life experience. When we learn to recognize the ways we have organized ourselves around these beliefs we can discover that there are other choices available. Through mindfulness, movement, and contact with others, we can create new habits. This experiential class blends the slow, developmental movement of Cortical Field Reeducation (CFR) with Gestalt Practice and the Refined Method of Hakomi. These awareness practices can facilitate the release of physical restrictions and suppressed emotions as well as a greater understanding and felt experience of the connections between mind and body. You can emerge from this workshop feeling more grounded and comfortable in your body, more empowered, and more able to fully express yourself in the world. All you need is willingness to explore with curiosity and compassion. Join me as we explore what is possible! CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. The I in the Storm: Bringing Self Leadership to Everyday Life Richard Schwartz Mystical traditions agree that beneath our protective layers lies a Self, an untarnished essence from which flows healing, spiritual energy, and wisdom. Most of us rarely live from that state because, through life experiences, parts of us have absorbed extreme emotions and beliefs that not only obscure our Self but also govern our daily lives. This workshop offers participants the opportunity to learn and experience concrete ways to help those parts trust that it is safe to remain in the calm, confident, and compassionate state of self leadership, not only during meditation but throughout the day, even in the face of strong provocation. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Love, Sex, and Intimacy: For Individuals and Couples Charlie Bloom & Linda Bloom Intimacy is to the soul as food is to the body. We are nurtured and enriched at the core of our being in the experience of deep connection. When the longing for intimacy is satisfied we experience wholeness and sufficiency, we are at one with ourselves and the world. In conjunction with a sexual connection, the experience of intimacy can be exhilarating, inspiring, even transcendent. The shadow side of this connection is the fear of intimacy, which is actually the fear of loss, rejection, shame, or humiliation. 12 These fears are common, even universal, yet their presence need not prevent us from experiencing the joys of intimate contact. It is not so much a matter of getting over these fears or concerns, but of skillfully responding to them. How do we maintain an open heart in the face of powerful emotions? How can we redirect and intensify the energy contained within these feelings toward states of heightened awareness? How can we open to the full range of feeling that enters into our experience during these times? Confront these and other questions that directly relate to our ability to dive fully into the bottomless pool of our heart’s truth, and feel love in all its physical, sexual, and spiritual splendor. This course presents ways of understanding and neutralizing patterns that limit intimacy and offer practices to deepen and enhance it. Participants also explore the inner landscape that exists beyond intimacy, that territory of the heart where the deep connection of “two” becomes the transcendent “one.” CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. A Doorway in Time: Yoga as a Journey of Being Thomas Michael Fortel In many ways, our whole life is a series of doorways and passages into new or forgotten ways of being. Now, once again, we stand on the precipice of a new decade, looking at the likelihood of a radically new way of life and being, emerging before our eyes and unfolding through our very own selves and intentions. Over time, the practices of yoga can create a softening of habits and patterns, a clarifying of mind, and a gradual opening of the spiritual lotuses (chakras). All of this leads to an expanded field of awareness beyond our personal ego, and into a wellspring of life-force (energy) and our place in the ocean of consciousness. One of the most profound environments for retreat is simply being in nature. In this first week of the new decade we will take time each day for reflection, contemplation, and discussion. Each morning begins with meditation, pranayama (conscious breathing), and journal writing and continues after breakfast with an active morning yoga practice. In the afternoons, we’ll meet for restorative yoga and conclude our days with a secret Esalen spiritual practice: lawn-lying, meeting at various locations on the Esalen property as we study the energy of Mother Earth and Father Sun. We will sing too, for sure. All levels of yoga practice are welcome; please have at least three months of recent yoga experience. Please bring a yoga mat and a journal. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Mosaic Art: From the Ordinary to the Extraordinary Jayson Fann To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. —Thomas Edison Mosaic is the ancient art of assembling and adhering variously colored and textured material, such as tile, stone, and stained glass. Known for its rich texture and visual depth, mosaic is found throughout the world. Whether in an intricately-tiled portrait or a table in your home, mosaic is a medium that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. In this workshop, students will be provided with a wealth of colorful tiles and stones, stained glass, jewels, and trinkets with which to create. (Soon the sound of your favorite dish shattering will ring with the delight of artistic possibility.) Students are free to work on a range of projects— a hanging mirror, a lamp or small table, a sculpture, a garden stepping-stone. By the end of the workshop students will have completed several projects to take home with them. ($40 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Weekend of January 8–10 Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation Cassandra Vieten & Constantine Darling Humans are always changing, but sometimes we encounter moments or periods of life that are so potent, so full of potential, that they transform our consciousness and fundamentally shift our worldview, motives, and priorities. These moments shift how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world. Where we have been limited, we expand. We become more open, balanced, and aligned with our true values. Compassion for self and others arises more naturally. For over a decade, research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences has examined how these transformations happen and how they can lead to greater meaning, joy, and purpose. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. practices are especially helpful for people who are experiencing emotional or physical concerns, the universality of the experience makes this program valuable for all. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Moving Meditation Practice: Ecstatic Dance, Shamanism, and the Esalen Baths Ellen Watson It is written in the book of the Sioux that they have gone into the earth. DANIEL BIANCHETTA Nothing will bring them back until the white man dances. your current transformative path is—whether you seek to transform your life completely or simply make adjustments to add richness and depth—learning more about the terrain of consciousness transformation can not only give you a map, but also help you become the cartographer of your own journey. Using lecture, video, discussion, creative process, and deeply embodied experiential play, we will weave scientific findings with wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions and your own authoritative wisdom to explore deep shifts in consciousness, and how they can be integrated into everyday life. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Esalen Cookbook Charlie Cascio & Marion Cascio This workshop revolves around the Esalen Cookbook, compiled by Charlie Cascio, Esalen’s kitchen manager from 1998 to 2004. Based on the best of forty years’ worth of meals served in the Esalen lodge, the book has re-worked recipes designed to serve two hundred and fifty into home-friendly recipes that serve four. Participants enjoy hands-on work alongside Charlie and Marion Cascio to prepare many favorite recipes from the Esalen Cookbook in the intimate Big House kitchen. Charlie and Marion offer instruction on basic culinary techniques, the professional use of kitchen tools, and healthy cooking tips that they have collected during their combined fifty years of working in the culinary arts. —Chief Seattle The group will prepare selected recipes from each of the nine chapters in the Esalen Cookbook. There will be plenty of tasting along with some meal preparation from cookbook menus. If you have a special recipe you would like to prepare from the cookbook, please mention it when you register. ($20 supplemental food fee paid directly to the leaders) Mindfulness and Heartfulness Three time-honored transformational practices are offered in this experiential retreat: ecstatic dance, Native American sweat lodge, and an exfoliating herbal scrub in the Esalen hot springs. Central to each of these practices is the cleansing of body, mind, and sprit, and dying to what is old and being reborn to the present moment. Ecstatic dance is dance enlivened by your breath, powered by your heartbeat, and set into motion by music from around the world. Since the beginning of time people have danced to celebrate, to petition, to give thanks, and to cleanse. As we dance, we sweat our prayers, dance our dreams, laugh and cry our way to feeling refreshed, revitalized, with new visions for our future. Mark Abramson & Fred Luskin This program is designed to integrate the practice of mindful awareness with directed heartfulness to facilitate growth, healing, and change. It is based on Fred Luskin’s research at Stanford Medical School on the healing effects of forgiveness and heartfulness and Mark Abramson’s work as the director of Stanford’s MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program. The workshop introduces the practical application of techniques of mindfulness and heartfulness to transform emotional states and unleash the great potential for deep healing of the body. The goal is to learn new ways of relating to experience that allow greater opening, understanding, and the possibility of transformation. “Our work,” write the leaders, “has shown us that this creates an increasing experience of gentleness, kindness, and respect for oneself and others.” The program offers guided practice in mindfulness meditation, body movement, breathing practices, and heart opening, interspersed with lecture and interactive discussion. While the We will enter the Native American sweat lodge to sing our prayers, sweat our toxins, give thanks to our ancestors, and pray for guidance for ourselves, our children and their children. Set on the sacred ground of the Esselen tribe, we enter a thousand-year-old tradition. On Saturday afternoon, we will gather herbs, flowers and roots, and brew and steep them overnight. On Sunday morning, we will engage in the ritual of cleansing our skin with sea salt scrub before soaking in the herb-infused Esalen mineral baths. This ritual cleansing has both physical and metaphysical benefits, exfoliating our skin and setting our spirits free. Bring photographs of your ancestors, siblings, and children, to be placed on the altar. The Healing Power of Emotion Dorothy Charles Living a full and connected life requires the capacity to feel and to make use of our emotion- See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 13 al experience. Much of the alienation and separation in our relationships and family life is the result of a fear of feelings. We disconnect from our emotional life when we are afraid of being overwhelmed, humiliated, or perceived as weak or inadequate, only to pay the price later in isolation, anxiety, and depression. If we can be helped to feel safe enough to feel, we can reap the profound benefits of experiencing and exploring our emotions. Safety is created within the experience of accessing and expressing feelings in the company of an accepting, attuned, and understanding other. In this environment, our frightening or intolerable sensations can be transformed into an essential part of our vitality and connection to others. We can become more alive, present, and free as a result of facing what was previously avoided. Our relationships improve and deepen as a result of our ability to feel at ease with our own feelings and to be present with the feeling of others. Dorothy and participants create a safe and supportive environment in which all emotions can be met with curiosity, interest, and acceptance. The format combines Relational Gestalt Awareness Practice, guided imagery, small group work, dyadic awareness exercises and discussion, and includes opportunities for open-seat work with the leader. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Rosen Method Bodywork: Accessing the Unconscious through Touch Students will be shown how to: • Use hands that listen rather than manipulate • Notice how chronic muscle tension is held in the body • Use subtle changes in the breath to follow the relaxation process • Allow unconscious feelings, attitudes, and memories to emerge • Remain vital and joyful while moving to music ways of showing up as a leader in your life– whether it is in your family, community, organization, or the world. Working with other participants, explore, test, and play with your authentic leadership style. When you embody it you can experience possibilities you have not yet dreamed of. Goals for the workshop are: This workshop qualifies toward certification as a Rosen Method Movement teacher. See www.RosenWest.org. • A deeper understanding of your unique leadership qualities • Clarity about your purpose and vision as a leader • Ideas for taking action and making an impact CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Recommended reading: Cashman, Leadership from the Inside Out. Everyday Leadership: Bringing All of Who You Are to Everything You Do Week of January 10–15 Athena Katsaros Come discover the essence of your unique leadership and how to express it in every aspect of your life. This workshop is based on the belief that everyone has the capacity to be a leader and that leadership is an expression of who you are, not simply what you do. This weekend is devoted to you discovering what makes you unique and developing your vision for the impact you want to have. Through conversation, exercises, and a range of processes, we move beyond conventional definitions of leadership and toward bringing all of who you are to everything you do. You will cultivate new Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat Zoran Josipovic Nonduality is the natural condition of life, a unity of Being in which we are free from the fragmenting dualities of self vs. other, good vs. bad, and spiritual vs. material. It has often been said that to practice nondual meditation is to take the goal of the spiritual practice itself as the path, to abide in clear awareness and open heart. This retreat is an opportunity to spend five days at Esalen in an effortless yet deep practice involving meditation, gentle movement, breathing exercises, and dialogue. Even though much of Jane Malek This workshop introduces the touch that accesses the emotional material held in the unconscious parts of our bodies. Participants will be taught to deepen awareness, observe the wisdom of the natural breath, and experience living more from personal truth. The group process will amplify the opening to feelings that have long been stored as muscular tension. Rosen Method Movement helps to integrate these feelings and physical shifts into daily life. The workshop explores how both modalities complement each other and emerge from the same theory. 14 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. DANIEL BIANCHETTA Marion Rosen’s vision of Rosen Method Bodywork and Movement has brought her recognition as an international pioneer in the field of body-oriented therapies. At the heart of Rosen Method is the practitioner’s keen sense to see a person’s true essence, often hidden underneath chronic holding patterns. Using skillful touch, gentle yet deep, the practitioner contacts the client’s unconscious, allowing essence to emerge. what we do is “non-doing,” abiding in nonduality can have some immediate beneficial effects on our condition, such as: • Deeper contact with self and others • Greater ease in relationships • More intuitive attunement to our surroundings • Reduced chronic stress • Feeling more comfortable in one’s body • Resolving fear and self-doubt • Being more spontaneous and authentic While this retreat provides space for in-depth meditation practice, it will not be physically demanding. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Cozy and Creative Winter Cooking Charlie Cascio & Liam McDermott Winter months awaken the cozy feeling of comfort foods and those nostalgic memories of sitting around a warm source of heat. Summer produce speaks for itself and needs only gentle encouragement from the cook, but when snow turns the winter landscape white, cooking seems more like alchemy. Transforming a pot of lentils and a few chilies into a warming dal, or winter root vegetables and chunks of meat into a comforting stew, is sheer magic. Join two creative chefs as they share savory, sustainable, and nourishing winter recipes. Working with Charlie Cascio and Liam McDermott, participants will create all lunches throughout the week and share their culinary creativity in a midday meal. Participants will learn to master some general principles of making food taste great, such as what to pair with various ingredients, how to prepare them, how to season and balance taste, evaluate when a dish needs a little something or other, and what to do to uplift its flavor. Menus utilize local and organic vegetables, meats, dried beans, pastas, and eggs, and participants will have the chance to forage for their lunch ingredients from the Esalen Farm and Garden. We will select from the winter bounty of greens, root vegetables, and much more. Menus draw on the cuisines of Mexico, India, Thailand, Italy, Spain, France, China, and Japan. Discussions around the fire at the Big House will include nutrition, slow food, the language of food, appreciation of ingredients, communicating with cooking, and cooking as a meditation. Open to beginning and advanced cooks. Self-Actualization and Self-Healing Ingrid Bacci Self-actualization is a term that describes the process by which you become everything you can be, living up to your possibilities and the inner dream that motivates your life. Full selfactualization is your birthright, and it is a goal you can achieve by the regular, experiential application of principles based on the fundamental unity of mind, body, and spirit. To be fully self-actualized is to be radiantly healthy and long-lived, mentally tranquil and focused with refined intuitive faculties, emotionally centered, and spiritually connected to your higher soul. It is to be fully self-empowered, with a spontaneous and loving commitment to helping others. In order to become all that you can be, you must shed old paradigms of what it means to be human, and absorb a more accurate paradigm founded in science. After introducing you to such a paradigm, this workshop takes you systematically through experiential work that includes psychophysical exercises for health and healing, mental training through meditative exercises, intuition training, techniques for identifying and releasing emotional blocks, techniques for developing receptivity to a higher power, and tools for identifying your higher self and channeling your energy into meaningful life goals. Applying these tools to your daily life can help you toward full self-actualization. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Songwriting: Catch and Release Cris Williamson What’s in a song and how do I write one? “A song is a made thing, and is most often composed of words, melody, rhythm, and a shape that holds them all,” writes Cris Williamson. “We will write every day. We will explore different ways of writing, which will allow you to access your inner river of thoughts. We will catch words from that river, fasten them to the page, and add music to allow a song to emerge. We will employ a combination of solo and group writing. A compressed style of writing can enable us to be more aware, to be better listeners, and to realize that songs live everywhere. We must capture them and set them free. “You do not need to be a musician or writer to take this workshop. Anyone can do this, and I will show you how. Not only can you do this, but you can be good at it. We all start with baby steps and grow before our own eyes. This is deeply beautiful work, hard and so much fun. Everyone is invited. There is so much joy in this endeavor.” Bring a small tape or digital recorder, a thesaurus, dictionary, and rhyming dictionary if you have one. Bring an instrument if you play one. You may also bring works-in-progress and Cris will help you bring them to completion. Biodanza®: The AbunDance™ of Life Jaquelin Levin Fall in love with life as you journey into the sensuality of being. Biodanza: The AbunDance of Life is an integrative movement system of human potential aimed at organic renovation, reeducation in love, and a relearning of the original functions of life. This integration is proposed through music, voice, movement, and encounters within a safe group setting. Biodanza is a scientifically sound method that can reduce stress, release emotions, promote wellness, and establish holistic homeostasis. Through creative expression we learn to understand, embrace, and manage our emotions while seeing ourselves and the other with compassion. Biodanza was created in the 1960s and has since developed into a global movement. Dances are non-choreographed and are designed to induce a “vivencia” (an intensified experience of the here-and-now) in order to express an authenticity of identity from the root of our cells. Come explore the primordial meaning life together by unfurling the essence of our needs and purpose—our vitality, creativity, sensuality, affectivity, and transcendence—and who we want to experience this earth dance with. Biodanza creates community and consciousness by building sustainable lives, relationship, and a capacity for adaptability in our lives. Everyone is welcome to come and experience the fullness of being, to surrender to the music, the human community, the cosmos, and become the AbunDance. For more information, visit www.biodanza-dancesoflife.com or www.biodanzausa.com. Relationships: The Courage to Begin Mary Goldenson For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate test and proof, the work for which all the other work is but preparation. —Rilke ($50 supplemental food fee paid directly to the leaders) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 15 Life is a precious gift. We have all experienced moments of feeling totally alive, especially within our relationships. When beliefs, defenses, fears, and emotions from the past enter into our present-day relationships, we lose our ability to feel love, trust, and joy. tions that will often benefit from this approach. Special emphasis will be placed on Skeletal Awareness. Students will be given a new understanding of how tension and injury are often involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of the body. The goal of this workshop is to experience these restrictive patterns and to create new ways to relate to ourselves, others, and our work, thus enabling us to create new beginnings. This workshop can help you: The workshop will integrate approaches derived from Chinese-Indonesian energetic systems to the field of bodywork. Touch and movement methods of protecting and energizing the practitioner: grounding, generating, circulating, and extending energy will be shared. • • • • • Find out how your relationships mirror you Clarify what you want and how to get it Examine ways you sabotage yourself Learn more about how others see you Learn practical tools and knowledge that will help create empowered relationships In a supportive and safe environment, experiential exercises will help you become more adept at listening, empathizing, truth-telling, creative problem solving, and taking responsibility to create the relationships you want. Come alone or with a partner. The workshop will draw from Gestalt, Reichian work, dance, imagery, and meditation. Recommended reading: Goldenson, It’s Time— No One’s Coming to Save You. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Spinal Awareness (with Humor): Feldenkrais® and Energy Work for Bodyworkers and Everyone Patrick Douce Spinal Awareness can improve body awareness, flexibility, posture, and many chronic and acute conditions. Spinal Awareness is a way of learning, not a therapy or treatment. It is taught with movement, touch, and group interaction, and based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Chinese-Indonesian martial art, the Esalen experience, and it continues to evolve. In this week we will apply these techniques specifically to the field of movement, massage, and other bodywork. Practitioners and participants will be given specific tools to integrate into their own disciplines. Movement and hands-on techniques will be taught according to the needs of the individual members of the group. This work will focus on how we can overcome our limitations in movement and functioning. Problem chronic and acute conditions in the lower back, neck, shoulder, hips, knees, elbows, ankle, wrist, and jaw are only some of the condi16 The use of joy and humor will be the undertone of this week. Real freedom in the body is also freedom of spirit and fun. This is a program designed for both the beginner and the professional. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. January 15–22 The Rhythms of Stone D.J. Garrity Conceived at the dawn of artistic expression, the rhythms and flow of stone carving remain a meditative experience that joins mind, body, and spirit in a creative odyssey. Award-winning sculptor D.J. Garrity leads an exploration of three-dimensional form and the creative energies that awaken through the ageless process of stone sculpture. D.J., who served three tours of duty as the sculptor-in-residence of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, has a refined and experiential approach to the art of direct stone sculpture. He guides participants through a hands-on approach that uses the human face as an instructive template to establish a basic understanding of the hand tools, techniques, and procedures of stone sculpture. He also combines presentations, lectures, and impromptu demonstrations as each participant finesses an image from stone that carries his or her unique creative imprint. The completed work will weigh between thirty-five and forty pounds; students are not required to lift the stones. Please bring a pair of comfortable safety glasses that accommodate your prescription glasses, comfortable clothes, a hat, and sunscreen. The workshop is appropriate for novices or students with previous experience. The leader supplies all stone, which may include limestone, marble, and basalt, and all hand tools. No power tools are used. For more information, visit www.djgarrity.com. Weekend of January 15–17 Realization Process: Attuning to the Essence of Being Judith Blackstone Spiritual traditions refer to an essential dimension of existence. They call it fundamental consciousness, True Self, non-duality, and many other names. This dimension is not an abstract concept. It is the core of our own true nature and can be experienced by anyone willing to approach it with patience and openness. Fundamental consciousness is experienced as clear, luminous space pervading our body and our environment, transcending the duality of self and object. It is deeper than the physical and energetic levels of our being and beyond our psychological defenses, projections, images, and archetypes. Realization Process is a precise method of attuning to fundamental consciousness. Discover ways to integrate fundamental consciousness with the body and breath/energy system. Experience oneness with nature and people while remaining grounded in one’s body, and see, hear, and touch on a subtler level. Realization Process attunement exercises are combined with sitting and movement meditations, and sound and breath work. Discussions include the ways fundamental consciousness can facilitate psychological and physical healing. Please come prepared for deep, concentrated work. Recommended reading: Blackstone, The Empathic Ground, The Enlightenment Process, and Living Intimately. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Crafting Careers that Truly Fit: How to Work from Within Susan Bernstein More than 50% of Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs. Often, we stumble or fall into careers that don’t fit, and then we feel stuck. When we try to make a change we’re guided to analytical approaches—including career tests and assessments—to try to figure out a new professional direction. Yet such structures, often lauded in the business world, seldom help us get in touch with what deeply energizes and moves us. Our conditioning can make us feel like failures if we don’t get to a speedy resolution. We rationalize away our true desires and continue to make life-limiting compromises. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. unconscious fears of losing socioeconomic status and position. This led to reevaluating our roles and (mythic) identities and directly addressing the existential issues that have the most meaning in our lives.” BENJAMIN FAHRER Common responses to the financial crisis and other global conflicts include a range of psychological experiences—denial, mild anxiety, hysteria, sheer panic, and apocalyptic fears. However, this sets the stage for an opportunity to delve into our most basic ways of coping with insecurity. You can gain more clarity about your future life and livelihood by awakening a form of intelligence we generally overlook: embodied intelligence. Our bodies know how to navigate chaos and uncertainty although most of us have forgotten the innate wisdom that has been with us since birth. When we tap into this inner guidance, we know our next steps. Through movement, writing, and discussion, we will creatively listen to and learn to trust our impulses and instincts as we allow our true life energy to direct us. Both right and left brain can feel satisfied as we create compelling new visions of what work can be for each of us. Please bring a notebook and a pen. Luminous Being: Embodying the Radiance Sutras Lorin Roche & Camille Maurine The beginning of the year is a good time to refresh our connection with the life-giving rhythms of nature. A symphony of rhythms is always pulsating in our bodies. Breath is a rhythm. The beat of the heart is rhythm. A day is a rhythm of light and dark. Music is a rhythm of sound and silence. We dedicate this weekend to meditation and movement with the rhythms of renewal and inspiration. Together we will explore the luminous teachings of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, an ancient text that describes 112 awareness practices for touching the sacred in the midst of daily life. The Radiance Sutras is a sensuous translation of this tantra by Lorin Roche, who has lived, breathed, and taught these techniques for forty years. The Radiance Sutras evoke a world of wonder, awe, and delight. During our time together, our focus will be on full-body spirituality—accepting every breath, sensual experience, and emotion as a doorway into deep and intimate contact with the energies of life. You will have the opportunity to explore the sutras that are calling you, and receive coaching from Lorin and Camille Maurine in making them your own. You don’t have to be good or virtuous to practice these methods. The sutras encourage you to meet yourself wherever you are—restless, lonely, loving, tired, excited, nostalgic, or quiet. The emphasis will be on naturalness, spontaneity, and being at home in the universe. All levels of experience are welcome. Recommended Reading: Roche, The Radiance Sutras: 112 Tantra Yoga Teachings For Opening to the Divine in Everyday Life; Maurine and Roche, Meditation 24/7: Practices to Enlighten Every Moment of the Day and Meditation Secrets for Women: Discovering Your Passion, Power, and Inner Peace. The Sky is Falling, What Now? Embracing Uncertainty, Loss, and Change Eric Simon “Many of us, my family included, are personally affected by the global financial meltdown,” Eric Simon writes. “It has been an interesting journey for us, involving, of course, our initial panic. I later realized this panic was in part related to Explore the roots of illusions regarding attachment, lack of boundaries, infiniteness, and immortality. Examine the roles of myth, defenses, psychological development, and identity, and emerge with a renewed sense of vigor, creativity, purpose and meaning in how we embrace our lives. Workshop methods include psychophysiologic self-regulation techniques, grounding exercises, guided hypnosis, and dream analysis. Most of all, a safe group process will be facilitated to deepen coherence of self in a healing groupcommunity. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Dreaming Together Jon Lipsky Dreaming Together offers a technique for reexperiencing your dreams—focusing on the full embodiment of dream images with body and voice. This process deepens your relationship with your dream images and narratives, which become the raw material for a theatrical experience. By working on dreams as an actor you naturally personalize the work and drop into authentic emotional moments. At first we simply tell the dream narratives as we would tell a story around a campfire or at the kitchen table. Using listening techniques developed by Jungian psychoanalyst Robert Bosnak, we first internalize the images of dreams, and then put them on their feet. We enact the dreams using theater, to give shape to all the characters and actions. The dreamer plays all the parts, and in this way, views the dream from many perspectives. Dreaming Together also invites you to experience the dreams of others. By enacting other people’s dreams, you get to walk in their shoes and open up new paths of empathy. By embodying your own dreams, you can start to experience how deeply felt images, like dream images, are continuously stimulating your waking hours. In the end, you should have a new way of looking at real life as a waking dream. You don’t See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 17 have to have any experience in acting to do this workshop, just a willingness to get up on your feet and tell your dream stories. Please bring a copy of Dreaming Together to the workshop. Required reading: Lipsky, Dreaming Together: Explore Your Dreams by Acting Them Out. Change, Wisdom, and the Cultivation of Eldership Stephen Schuitevoerder Personal change has the potential to be a great transformer of our lives. Change, which can be disturbing and often uninvited, leads us into new worlds of experience. How we traverse this journey is a challenge for each of us. If we follow this journey consciously and with awareness, we can transform these challenges into a richness and wisdom at our journey‘s end. All challenges, whether personal or societal, when worked with skillfully, provide us with this same richness and depth of spirit. In this workshop we will explore the Process Work models of individual work and Worldwork. We will explore how personal and societal challenges provide us with powerful insights and transformation, and lead us to our own wisdom and eldership. Dean Marson & Deborah Anne Medow This workshop offers an introduction to the elemental skills of Esalen Massage, with an additional focus on yoga to enhance body awareness and maintain flexibility. Through demonstration and hands-on practice, participants will learn the long, flowing strokes that define the Esalen style. This approach emphasizes presence and quality of contact, so the work is easy on the practitioner, while bringing a sense of integration and connection to the receiver. In addition to table work, participants will learn ways of attending to their own bodies through yoga. Simple asanas, or yoga postures, will be presented in gentle ways to help students rediscover flexibility and fluidity in practice and in daily life. This workshop is for people just beginning to explore the art of touch as well as those wishing to bring the Esalen “feel” into work they may already be doing. There will also be time to enjoy the healing waters of the Esalen baths and the natural beauty of the Esalen land. Please bring your favorite music, loose, comfortable clothing, a yoga mat, and a good sense of humor. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of January 17–22 The Impossible Dream: Living Beyond Self-Limiting Behavior Chris Chouteau, Julie Bowden & Richard Balaban A life beyond our greatest expectations is made possible by knowing ourselves and being fulfilled in work and love. Self-limiting behaviors and mood-altering substances undermine this dream and prevent us from embracing actions that promote our growth, wellbeing, and emotional health. Those committed to their own dreams and goals in life can move beyond the barriers caused by personal addiction, a loved one’s addiction, and the other behaviors that keep us from our true purpose in life. Living with self-limiting behaviors and addictions makes the normal passage through life’s developmental stages difficult and impedes the important tasks of becoming a fulfilled human being: self-esteem, expression of feelings, awareness of needs, establishment of trust, success in relationships, to name but a few. This workshop will use group and individual work—meditation, awareness practice, feedback, DANIEL BIANCHETTA CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Esalen® Massage with a Touch of Yoga 18 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. experiential exercises, role-play, guided imagery, and writing—to navigate a path toward effective change, enhanced relationships, genuine intimacy, and spiritual growth. Participants are asked to forgo alcohol and nonprescription drugs during these five days. This sets the arena to identify self-limiting behaviors and commit to living your dreams. with curiosity discover habitual attitudes, expressions, movements, and postures that restrict contact with others. Through dyad and group work explore what supports satisfying contact and what inhibits it. You will have the opportunity to experience how deep contact with self and others gives life its most profound meaning, supporting ease in body, heart, and soul. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Intimacy, Differences, and the Process of Community Bill Say Many of us hunger for community that is deeply intimate, welcoming, and inclusive. To create such a community environment, and to make it sustainable, we must learn how to integrate differences, conflicts, and emergent change. In this workshop, experiment with how to co-create a community experience that is emotionally intimate, relationally healing, aware, and deeply democratic. You’ll practice resolving differences and conflicts, and learn how to unfold deeply seated and limiting relational patterns in order to experience greater connection. Using awareness as your guide, you’ll see at individual and collective levels how change is naturally emerging. Become the person you are meant to be. Come create a world where we all have a place. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Compassionate Connections: Tender Touch and Human Contact Deanna Darby Touch, a gentle voice, and the tender gaze of another are the foundation of compassionate contact and part of our deepest sense of self. In a world of cellular and cyber connecting, we can be deprived of these vital elements that enable human beings to thrive. We are hungry for touch and long for a voice that affirms joy and consoles sorrow, yet so often we don’t know how to give or receive the most essential sources of comfort. From birth to final breath, touch is the comfort we seek when we’re hurt or frightened, when we’re excited or celebrating. Physical isolation results in stress, irritability, depression, and aggression. Touch sets in motion a biochemical cascade of wellbeing. The affirming quality of touch, that bespeaks presence and interest, connects us to the ground of our being and invites us to rest into a deep abiding sense of existence. Explore how to offer and receive touch in safe, supportive, and respectful ways. Gently and Bringing Courageous Love to Your Intimate Relationship Richard Schwartz We all have been taught that our romantic partner should end our misery and make us feel happy and alive. When a partner doesn’t, we wonder if he or she is the right one. Yet, for most of us, no partner is capable of keeping our heads above the pools of pain and shame we bring to intimate relationships. Only we can drain those pools and become the primary caretakers for the young, needy parts of us that were drowning in them. Once this inner trust is achieved, we can love our partners courageously and unconditionally because we don’t need them to always do the heavy lifting of our spirits. Using elements of Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems model of psychotherapy, you and your partner can learn how to achieve courageous love and find and heal parts of yourselves that interfere with intimacy. In addition, discover the effectiveness of communicating with your partner from a place of compassion, calm, clarity, and confidence, called the Self. When couples have Self-led conversations, their relationships harmonize naturally. They can discuss even highly charged issues productively and safely reveal their most vulnerable parts to each other. This workshop is for intimate partners of any kind. Recommended reading: Schwartz, You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For. Available from www.selfleadership.org. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Yoga and the Path to Vitality and Awareness Debra Simpson The Sanskrit word hatha translates as “sun and moon.” Hatha yoga encompasses both of these energetic poles, as well as a masculine and feminine energy union. In this workshop, we explore the delicate balance between effort and ease, and intensity and grace, that inspires us toward the path of vitality both on the yoga mat and in the outside world of our lives. Students are guided into sthira and sukha, stability and comfort, using the practices of asana (postures) and pranayama (conscious breathing) to discover the middle path in all aspects of being. According to yogic philosophy, there are five sheaths, or layers, to a human being. We begin with the body, then move through energy systems and emotional and mental layers, and then toward the spirit. During morning active asana sessions, we apply alignment foundations and dynamic methods to quiet the mind for contemplation. A quiet mind brings the physical body into its most efficient state for optimum productivity. We spend late afternoon sessions in restorative postures with time to enjoy the spirit and power of the land and sea in the beauty of Esalen. Please have a minimum of three months recent yoga experience and bring your own yoga mat. Acupressure for Anyone Aminah Raheem Acupressure is an ancient method of touching the body on specific acupoints, the same ones used in acupuncture, to promote holistic wellness. This healing method, which predates acupuncture, has been practiced successfully for over four thousand years in Asia. In the current health revolution it is being used in holistic clinics and hospitals as a complementary modality. Aminah Raheem teaches simple but profoundly effective ways to apply acupressure principles and points to the clothed body. Learn how to balance the body’s energy in a deeply relaxing way, release stress, and address various common symptoms such as headaches, backaches, and colds. Learn how to easily work on yourself alone or with friends and family. You are introduced to the SEVA protocol (seva means “selfless service” in Sanskrit), which was designed after 9/11 to help with the shock and stress of emergency helpers at Ground Zero. It was so effective that it has since been taught around the world for stress relief, in hospitals, hospices, and clinics, to all types of people, from university students to Indian fabric dyers. Ample practice in class assures that you can confidently take this form of acupressure wherever you go, for yourself, family, and friends. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 19 Weekend of January 22–24 The Mind/Body Connection: Enhancing the Body’s Ability to Heal and Function Optimally Stephen Sideroff Physical and emotional holding patterns as well as habitual behaviors can result from emotional pain and defenses. Along with stress, they cause muscle tension and nervous system reactivity and imbalance. This impacts physical symptoms and interferes with healing and the body’s optimal functioning. Pain and other symptoms can also be maintained unconsciously as a distraction from emotional issues. By addressing the underlying issues and coping better with stress, the body is able to let go more readily. This improves blood flow, affects biochemical balance, improves physical health, and enhances performance. This workshop is designed to help you recognize and release emotional and physical holding patterns and learn more appropriate responses to stress. Thus your body becomes more resilient and heals better. Discussion along with experiential work will facilitate greater self-awareness, emotional release, and body self-regulation. This workshop addresses: • The connection between emotions, stress, and physical symptoms including pain • Identifying and resolving emotional holding patterns and unfinished business • Introduction to relaxation and biofeedback techniques • Coping with stress and correcting the chronic imbalance of your nervous system • Redesigning your body’s “fight or flight” response to enhance resilience • Dealing with anger and depression • Destructive patterns such as perfectionism, obsessiveness, and addictions • New and more effective ways of thinking and controlling thoughts • Creating your personal program for healing and optimal functioning CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. Being Danced: 5Rhythms® Essentials Andrea Juhan “It is a glorious moment when we feel at one with the creative life force that moves and 20 breathes through us,” says Andrea Juhan. Here is an invitation to engage with the 5Rhythms movement practice and create a structure to hold more of these moments. With roots in shamanic and Sufi traditions, 5Rhythms is an open form that catalyzes powerful emotional and spiritual energies and invites these energies to move through our physical bodies. Focusing our awareness in each of the 5Rhythms— Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness— makes us present and grounded. We quiet our minds and cultivate an expanded sense of Being in our own bodies. This is a practice that anyone, regardless of size, shape, age, or level of fitness, can enjoy. No previous dance experience, 5Rhythms or otherwise, is required. All you need is willingness, curiosity, and a desire to move and be moved. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways to Happiness, Love, and Wisdom professionals, and many of these methods can be adapted for children. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Experiencing Esalen Robin Fann-Costanzo We must answer anew the old questions. “What are the limits of human ability, the boundaries of the human experience? What does it mean to be a human being?” —From the 1965 Esalen Catalog This workshop is an introduction to some of the transformational practices of Esalen. Designed for first-time participants or those renewing their acquaintance with Esalen, the emphasis is on finding those approaches to personal growth that work most effectively for each participant. Sessions may include: meditation, sensory awareness, Gestalt Practice, group process, art, movement, and massage. There will also be time to explore the magnificence of the Big Sur coast. Rick Hanson with Jan Hanson For thousands of years, meditators in many traditions have used the mind to change the brain, open the heart, settle into blissful absorption, and to experience liberating insight. Today, scientists are studying the brains of longtime contemplative practitioners—the Olympic athletes of mental training. Modern neuroscience is confirming ancient practices and revealing new ways to light up your own brain circuits of happiness, love, and wisdom. Mental activity changes neural structure in a process called neuroplasticity, which gives you a great opportunity to redirect the brain, and thus your whole being. For example, recent studies have shown that focusing on gratitude and other pleasant feelings stimulates and strengthens the left frontal lobes, which in turn lifts your mood. Similarly, certain mindfulness practices enlarge the insula in your brain, and the benefits include a greater ability to tune into others. Through group discussions, meditations, and exercises, learn how to guide your brain to improve concentration and memory, feel safer and stronger, be more intimate with yourself and others, and, if you like, deepen your meditative practices. In particular, learn how to defeat the built-in “negativity bias” of your brain by weaving positive resources into your brain and your self. No background in neurology or meditation is required, and you can use these research-based methods in daily life. Very relevant to helping Esalen® Massage for Couples Deborah Anne Medow & Tom Case This weekend is designed to help couples renew their relationship while exploring touch and learning massage. The workshop will present simple massage techniques, developed by Esalen Massage practitioners, that have proven valuable to anyone who wants to help a partner, friend, or family member feel better. Massage methods that help relieve pain, increase vitality, or simply soothe the nerves will be briefly demonstrated and practiced, with plenty of hands-on instruction. There will also be time to bathe with your partner in the healing waters of the Esalen baths and enjoy the magical beauty and power of the Esalen grounds. Please bring an open heart, your favorite CDs for massage and/or dancing, loose, comfortable clothing, and a good sense of humor. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal: The Courage to Pause David Schiffman This is a workshop for people who need a break—from working too hard, from concentrating too much, from being stuck under pressure too long, or who are just plain tired from the perplexity and strain over what comes next. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. “While we pause,” writes David, “we’ll study the three R’s and how they can be used to cultivate a climate of renewed energy and enthusiasm, the ability to think wisely ahead, and the presence to relate honestly and authentically with others. This weekend will emphasize breathing space and ease of being for deep contemplation. There will be soulful, encouraging company as well as wise counsel available for emotional nourishment. “We will draw on the power and spirit medicine of Big Sur’s natural gifts for healing and inspiration. A special blend of music and movement will create a mood of playfulness and spontaneity for the rejuvenation of spirit. Simple activities, including ceremony and personal practices, will be used to deepen our feelings of being lively and hopeful about our futures.” kirtan groups or to introduce chanting to yoga classes. If you’re one of those people, this workshop is for you. All participants are organized into small ensembles. Each ensemble then chooses a chant, rehearses it together, and presents a kirtan to the group. The instructors rotate through the groups, working closely with the participants to develop rhythmic and harmonic concepts, solve problems, and answer questions. The history and philosophy of kirtan are also intensively explored, and participants learn how to present and discuss the mantras. Participants are encouraged to bring musical instruments with them, but it is understood that the most important instruments are human voices and hands. Instruction will be offered in playing the harmonium and finger cymbals, and a limited number of these instruments will be on hand for use by all. Week of January 24–29 Kirtan Flight School Dave Stringer & Band Clifford Henderson & Dixie Cox —JM Barrie, author of Peter Pan DANIEL BIANCHETTA Kirtan, an Eastern form of call-and-response mantra chanting, is experiencing a creative and popular renaissance in the West. In this consciousness-transforming practice, singers seek to vanish into the song just as raindrops merge into the ocean. Ecstasy is both the process and the product. Today, musicians and audiences all over the world are reinvigorating this ancient musical form with modern ideas and techniques. Many people are now inspired to participate in Clifford Henderson and Dixie Cox guide participants through simple improv exercises aimed at personal expansion. Using the tenets of improv, such as trust and spontaneity, participants are encouraged to say “yes” to situations offered to them by the group. The group also explores one of the most compelling tools in improv: status, the human pecking order. Participants familiarize themselves with the subtle clues they send and receive to define their status, and have a chance to try out new body language and status choices. Rejuvenate your spirit through experiential play and laughter. For more information, visit www.funinstitute.com. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Lynda Greenberg Improv: Expanding Yourself with Laughter If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing. unwillingness prevents them from experiencing that potent tool we call play, which includes the permission to try new ways of being, without the serious consequences of real life. Just as our muscles can tighten with stress and age, so can our notions about ourselves. Indeed, if these core beliefs aren’t stretched and made flexible, we run the risk of growing into the stereotypical narrow-minded “adult,” comfortable with routines and unwilling to try new things. One antidote to this curmudgeonly affliction is the improvisational workout. Children stretch their sense of self through the powerful medium of play. Adults often don’t because they find it too scary or foolish. This For many of us, drawing seems to be a mysterious process reserved for the “talented” few, but Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has debunked this myth. Welcoming students who are convinced they have little talent for drawing and those wishing to expand their current artistic abilities, this workshop offers an intensive combination of discussion and studio exercises. The class is designed to awaken the perceptual skills necessary for drawing with confidence and has proven valuable to students at all levels. Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Betty Edwards, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain provides a forum on how to see and think differently by tapping into the non-verbal (nondominant) side of the brain. Set in Esalen’s Art Barn on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, students will have a host of stunning views to draw and contemplate, including rocky streams, sunsets, jagged cliffs, and an expansive evergreen forest. In a carefully sequenced process, participants will explore the strategies of seeing that will enable them to draw with a high degree of skill. By workshop’s end participants will have finished drawings and gained new thinking strategies to help enhance their general problem-solving capacity. Please register early; enrollment is limited to 20. A materials list will be sent upon registration. All exercises will be preceded by demonstrations and followed by assessments of individual progress. ($15 materials fee paid directly to the leader) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 21 and Buddhist practice intersect, and facilitate case consultations from workshop participants. We can include a dialogue on how dreams that arise during the workshop may inform the dreamer and the collective about the gathering and expenditure of energy in our personal and professional lives. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Weekend of January 29–31 Essence and Alchemy: A Natural Perfume Workshop Mandy Aftel DANIEL BIANCHETTA Fragrance has the instantaneous and invisible power to penetrate consciousness. It is both tangible and intangible, earthly and ethereal, worthless and priceless, real and magical. To discover the art of natural perfumery is to participate in a spiritual process as well as an aesthetic one. Using essential oils, with their rich histories, properties, and symbolism, immerses the perfumer in a process of personal transformation. The Writing Life Extending the Exhale: Buddhist Meditation Greets the Psychotherapist Ellen Bass Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard. — Anne Sexton “This week,” writes Ellen Bass, “will allow us to leave the rush of our busy lives and be still enough to hear the stories and poems that gestate within us. We’ll write, share our writing, and hear what our work touches in others. We’ll help each other to become clearer, go deeper, take new risks. With the safety, support, and inspiration of this gathering, you will have the opportunity to create writing that is more vivid, more true, more complex and powerful than you’ve been able to do before.” Whether you are interested in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, or journal writing, this workshop will provide a time to immerse yourself in the writing life. Both beginners and experienced writers are welcome. For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness. — James Baldwin 22 Constance Hills Buddhist meditation allows us to calm our minds and be fully aware of our bodies. As psychotherapists, a calm mind and a keen awareness of our bodies can help us be fully present with our clients. When we’re keenly present in the consultation room, our clinical work with clients can reach its highest potential. In this workshop for psychotherapists, we will tend to ourselves by sitting in silence to calm the mind, connect with the body, and gather energy. The instructor will lead meditation sessions from a Vipassana orientation, and guided body-scan meditations. Participants with any Buddhist meditation practice are welcome, as are participants who have no meditation practice at all. There will be time to do some light stretching of our limbs (paying close attention to our hips and shoulders), and practice walking meditation. The instructor will present talks on how Buddhist thought can inform our psychotherapy practice, give clinical examples of where psychotherapy This experiential workshop is designed for all who wish to understand the world of scent and, through it, discover aspects of creativity and spiritual growth. Experience the fundamentals of working with scent, including how to blend a perfume and how to create a perfume formula. Plenty of hands-on participation with essential oils culminates in creating a liquid perfume and a solid perfume from your own original formula. No experience or special skills are necessary. Recommended reading: Aftel, Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume. ($25 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Rediscovering Your Self in the Second Half of Life: For Women Karen Ely Join author, entrepreneur, and late-in-life adventurer Karen Ely for two days of fun, quiet introspection, insightful exercises, and life-changing opportunities. Karen believes that in today’s hectic and time-starved world, it is vitally important to find time for renewal, time to step back and assess where we’ve come from and who we are after a lifetime of being everything to everybody. Create a space to dream. A space to let go of all the “wouldas, shouldas, and couldas” to make room for a new way of being that’s firmly You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. based in our authentic selves, one filled with joy and passion. Daring to Dream: Reflections on the Year I Found Myself is Karen’s personal story of rebirth following the end of her thirty-two-year marriage, of coming to grips with a life that she could no longer live and walking toward a self that she no longer knew. Throughout the weekend, Karen will share her personal story and the tools that supported her on a magical journey back to herself. Through large and small group exercises, quiet, music, joyful playing, and journaling, Karen will guide participants through an exploration back to themselves. Women spend time in silence and joy, eat chocolate mindfully, connect deeply with themselves, and leave with a passion and plan for the rest of their lives. Tai Chi Chuan: Four Dimensions of Purpose Michael Mayer Tai Chi Chuan stems from an ancient lineage of postural initiation that includes four dimensions of purpose: self-healing, spiritual unfoldment, self-defense, and changing your life stance. Michael Mayers’ perspective on Tai Chi Chuan is based on research, imaginal mythopoetic exploration, and thirty years of practice from Tai Chi Masters, and will be applied to the Yang style Tai Chi set during this workshop. Beginners, advanced practitioners, and Tai Chi teachers can gain new perspectives and new entryways into the treasures of Tai Chi as a lifelong practice. You’ll be shown how to: • Broaden your view of the purpose of Tai Chi and experience how Tai Chi Chuan using the four dimensions deepens your practice • Cultivate Tai Chi’s unique ability to revitalize and relax as you practice specific self-healing movements and postures for your lifetime preventative medicine program • Learn how Standing Meditation Qigong is a spiritual foundation practice for Tai Chi that adds an energetic component that can be transferred to your sitting meditation and yoga practice • Tap into Tai Chi’s essence to evoke deep states of equanimity • Discover how Tai Chi two-person selfdevelopment practices are initiatory pathways into enhancing your stance with others and embodying the elements of life • Make Tai Chi come alive with Tai Chi Dance, as you find the primordial animal forms of Qigong hidden in Tai Chi movements Recommended reading: Mayer, Secrets to Living Younger Longer: The Self-Healing Path of Qigong, Standing Meditation and Tai Chi; Energy Psychology: Self-Healing Practices for Bodymind Health; Bodymind Healing Qigong (DVD). CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Finding Your Long Lost Musician David Darling Open your heart to the mystery of sound. Join David Darling in this inspirational workshop designed to provide tools for lifelong musical performance and appreciation. Darling has spent the last forty years developing methods that bring people face to face with their own wondrous and unique sounds and rhythms. He creates a liberating environment in which each participant has the opportunity to discover and work with his or her musical abilities. Working individually and in groups participants use their voices, bodies, and instruments they already play, have always wanted to play, or want to start playing again. During the workshop you can: • Enjoy free movement, chanting, and drumming • Explore how we hear and receive musical vibration • Connect with and claim your own innate rhythm and timing • Discover how to eliminate stage fright and a negative musical self-image Darling is known for his energetic, loving, and accepting style of bringing out the musical soul in all of us. Sessions are relaxed and centered on the profound qualities and the wonders of music. Participants leave with a humorous, joyful, and exhilarating sense of their musical creations. No previous experience in making music is necessary. Please bring instruments that you want to play. Piano and percussion instruments are provided. This workshop is also presented in a five-day format January 31–February 5. Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice Joyce Catlett & Lisa Firestone Are you living the life you were destined to live or are you living someone else’s? Are your actions based on what you truly feel and believe, or on negative programming from your past? Lisa Firestone and Joyce Catlett, coauthors of Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, are ready to challenge your customary ways of thinking about yourself, your relationships, and your career. The goal? To expand your boundaries and help you achieve more fulfillment in life. Based on theories and methods developed by clinical psychologist Robert W. Firestone, this workshop can help you counter negative thinking and live free from imagined limitations. Through videos, interactive discussions, and various exercises, the presenters will illustrate a number of important topics vital to an emotionally healthy existence: • How do guilt and shame affect us in our everyday lives? How do negative thoughts about ourselves keep shame and guilt alive? • How do destructive thoughts and attitudes undermine our efforts to achieve our full potential in our work lives? • How does the inner voice interfere with intimacy and closeness in our relationships? • Why does sex seem to become unexciting or routine for many couples after marriage? • How can people challenge the destructive thoughts or voices that influence addictive behavior, and break free of these patterns? • How can we deal effectively with negative thinking that leads to a destructive spiral of depression and hopelessness? CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Courage to Be You: Letting Go and Moving On Mary Goldenson Birds make great sky-circles of their freedom. How do they learn it? They fall, and falling, they’re given wings. —Rumi Much in life is beyond our control. Our choices lie in how we respond to these moments. We can develop the ability to move into these moments with aliveness and passion. This choice is an act of courage. This workshop helps you explore what you are holding in, holding onto, and holding back that keeps you from experiencing who you truly are. “The courage to be you” means the ability to appropriately express the repressed anger, fear, resentments, sadness, joy, and laughter that keep you stuck in old patterns. Using emotional release work, writing, movement, Gestalt, meditation, and silence, the workshop provides a safe environment to explore your deepest emotions. The focus will be on: See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 23 • Having adult relationships with partners, parents, and children • Taking full responsibility for your life • Discovering your own personal rhythm of closeness • Distinguishing accountability from blame The workshop constitutes an in-depth life review. All that is required is a willingness to engage wholeheartedly. This workshop may have up to 34 participants. about not only freedom in the body but the return to the childlike energy essential to us all. This is a program designed for both the beginner and the professional. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of January 31–February 5 Recommended reading: Goldenson, It’s Time— No One’s Coming to Save You. Alchemical Healing: Entering the Inner Laboratory of the Soul CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Lorie Dechar & Benjamin Fox Spinal Awareness (with Humor): The Essence of Feldenkrais® and Energy Work Patrick Douce Spinal Awareness can improve body awareness, flexibility, posture, and many chronic and acute conditions of your body. Spinal Awareness is a blend of movement, touch, and group interaction, based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Chinese-Indonesian martial art, and the Esalen experience. It continues to evolve. The movements of Spinal Awareness are quite different from normal exercises. They emphasize learning how to move in ways that stimulate your awareness of your body. They involve learning to use the floor to organize and integrate your own spinal column. Standing lessons lead to a new awareness of ways to move with better balance and fluidity. Special emphasis will be placed on any difficulties participants may have, such as lower back pain, hip trouble, tension in the neck and shoulders, and knee injuries. This work will focus on how we can re-learn how to overcome our limitations in movement and functioning. Special emphasis will be placed on Skeletal Awareness. Students will be given a new understanding of how tension and injury are often involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of our bodies. Lessons inspired by Indonesian Silat will be used to stimulate the energy body, effecting internal health and increasing energy. These movements, originating from the monasteries of China and Tibet, further increase healing possibilities. Safe and noninvasive hands-on lessons will be presented that can greatly speed up improvements This workshop will evolve with humor and playfulness. Fun partner lessons will help bring 24 Alchemy is an ancient spiritual science that focuses not only on physical forces and substances but also on the ephemeral aspects of life traditionally regarded as the domain of the soul. Rather than being a precursor to modern science, alchemy is a complementary system that offers a unique set of tools to engage body, mind, and spirit in the investigation of what it means to be human. It opens us to the presence of spirit as well as matter in all life. Open a doorway to the alchemical laboratory within by learning concepts and skills that can transform the lead, or stuck places in your life, into the gold of vital, new possibilities. This is the essence of Alchemical Healing. Join us on an adventure into the realms of European, Taoist, and Vedic alchemy and other systems rooted in alchemical consciousness, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, archetypal psychology, evolutionary astrology, and plant spirit medicine. Working with our own stories, imaginations, bodies, and dreams as well as symbols and myths, we use the support of our inner guides, the wisdom of the group, and the magical environment that Esalen provides to create a unique piece of alchemical inner healing for each participant. The workshop is relevant for individuals working in health care who want to reinvigorate their practices, support their patients in moving beyond symptomatic quick-fixes, and deepen their skillfulness in working at psychological and spiritual levels. It will also be transformational to anyone who longs to bring eros, the flow of life, back to their work, their relationships, and their being. Breaking Reactive Patterns using Mindfulness Practices Michael Shiffman & Juliet Soopikian Strong emotions capture our minds and bodies. These difficult moments offer profound oppor- tunities to witness our habitual patterns, retrain our thinking, and reorganize our nervous system. Working with breath, body sensations, thought, and meaning systems, we integrate mindfulness practices with somatic techniques to expand our capacity to process strong emotions. This is an experiential workshop that draws from the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, posttraumatic psychology, and somatic experiencing. Silent meditation and interactive practice sessions reconnect different aspects of our experience. We balance this exploration with loving kindness meditation (metta) and inspirational poetry as a means for deepening self-care and compassion. Mindfulness practices create a safe container and enhance our capacity to witness our experience. Somatic experiencing supports our innate impulse to heal by assisting shifts in our bodymind system to reintegrate. Metta, or loving kindness practice, opens our hearts to ourselves and reminds us to live our life with ease. We invite you to participate in a process of becoming more alive and open to experience, from the micro-level of a disorganized nervous system to the broader strokes of our families, the cultures into which we were born, and the societies in which we live. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Embodiment and Development: Foundations of Presence, Compassion, and Healing Susan Aposhyan & Dyrian Benz In this course, we enter our bodies to discover and develop what we witness there. We learn basic embodiment practices that can be used for personal growth or applied in therapeutic settings. We also address the brain/mind-body partnership and shed light on basic mechanisms in the human brain. In addition, we explore how to shift our focus from pathology to development while tapping into the natural human functions of presence, compassion, and healing. This course is part of the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Certificate Program in Relational Somatic Psychology. The Certificate Program is inspired by the SBGI somatic psychology postgraduate academic curriculum and consists of a rotating series of practice-oriented and academically sound Relational Somatic Psychology courses. For further information, including You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. how shamanism can be applied in daily life to help heal yourself, others, and the planet. There will be opportunity for advanced work with the spirits of nature in Esalen’s beautiful and powerful setting. By learning from the rocks and mountains, wind and waters, and from sun, moon, and stars, shamans helped their peoples live in harmony with the universe. In a world out of balance, the way of the shaman can teach us once again how to respect nature, the earth, and its inhabitants at a deep spiritual level. DANIEL BIANCHETTA This workshop includes two Foundation for Shamanic Studies courses: The Way of the Shaman, and Shamanism and the Spirits of Nature. After completing this workshop, participants are qualified to take advanced trainings with Michael Harner and the faculty of the foundation. Please note: Bring a rattle or drum (if you have one), a bandanna, and a pen and notebook to record your journeys. Recommended reading: Harner, The Way of the Shaman. special registration instructions, see Special Programs, page 94. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Finding Your Long Lost Musician Darling is known for his energetic, loving, and accepting style of bringing out the musical soul in all of us. Sessions are relaxed and centered on the profound qualities and the wonders of music. Participants leave with a humorous, joyful, and exhilarating sense of their musical creations. No previous experience in making music is necessary. David Darling Open your heart to the mystery of sound. Join David Darling in this inspirational workshop designed to provide tools for lifelong musical performance and appreciation. Darling has spent the last forty years developing methods that bring people face to face with their own wondrous and unique sounds and rhythms. He creates a liberating environment in which each participant has the opportunity to discover and work with his or her musical abilities. Working individually and in groups participants use their voices, bodies and instruments they already play, have always wanted to play, or want to start playing again. During the workshop you can: • Enjoy free movement, chanting, and drumming • Explore how we hear and receive musical vibration • Connect with and claim your own innate rhythm and timing • Discover how to eliminate stage fright and a negative musical self-image Please bring instruments that you want to play. Piano and percussion instruments are provided. This workshop is also presented in a weekend format January 29-31. The Way of the Shaman: Nature, Power, and Healing David Corbin & Nan Moss To the shaman’s eyes, the world around us is alive and inspirited. In this introduction to core shamanism, you can learn to see with those eyes, explore the hidden worlds, and access the timeless wisdom known to our ancestors. Through initiation into the shamanic journey, you will be taught skills of divination and healing, and can experience the shamanic state of consciousness to help awaken spiritual awareness. You will be provided methods for journeying to discover and study with your own spiritual teachers in non-ordinary reality, a classic step in shamanic practice. You will also be shown how to restore spiritual power and health and Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier Than Your Movement: Cortical Field Reeducation® and the Feldenkrais Method® Carol Lessinger & Wendy Evans Most of us want to be in a state where we feel at ease and authentic, where our intentions and actions coincide. How we move, and what we don’t know about our movement are crucial to rediscovering this state. When we are in pain, we try to shut down the hurt area. This usually doesn’t work, the pain continues, and the area doesn’t receive the potentially rich support from our consciousness to heal. When we reeducate our brain-muscle-emotional connections, the restrictions in our movement can be released. Longstanding behaviors can be replaced with freedom of choice and flexibility. Experience a week of intelligent movement sequences designed to promote the release of deep, often unconscious, muscular contractions. The movements are gentle, sometimes subtle, and always deeply engrossing. This work is for beginners or experienced CFR students and equally beneficial for sedentary or active people. It is for anyone who wants to increase physical skills, reduce the risk of injury, address the effects of injury or emotional trauma, and for the professionals who work with See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 25 them. It is for the chronically tired who want to take better care of their bodies and for those who want to improve posture, flexibility, and breathing. This work can restore greater comfort, fluidity, and childlike wonder. Awareness in and of itself is transformative. Please wear comfortable loose clothing, no jeans or belts please. Participants must attend every session and be able to get up from and down to the floor unassisted. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Yoga and Meditation: A Path to Renew and Restore Charu Rachlis Yogic practices help maintain strength and clarity as we embody and prepare for inner and outer transformation. Our tools include: • Meditation: the relaxation of the mind and opening to the silence within • Asana: physical postures that strengthen the body, release emotional tension, and cleanse the body/mind • Pranayama: breath techniques that calm the nervous system • Restoratives: postures that creates a deeper sense of awareness through profound relaxation The calling is to be present and to celebrate as we let go and expand, relax, explore, and accept. A new world is being born! Bring your own yoga mat and eye pillows. February 5–12 The “Pointing Out Way” of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Daniel Brown & Gretchen Nelson This workshop–designed for either novice or advanced meditators–is an integrative approach to the practice of meditation with an emphasis on intensive concentration meditation. The course begins with the Indo-Tibetan Nine States of Mental Calming/Staying, then an introduction to classic Tibetan emptiness meditation. A balance of mental stabilization and emptiness practices will serve as a foundation for the “extraordinary” or essence meditation practices. Essence meditations like the Mahamudra and the Great Perfection assume DANIEL BIANCHETTA Despite immense challenges facing us on so many levels, our world today offers an opportunity for unprecedented personal and global evolution. It is an invitation to all of us to draw on our inner resources, strengthen our commitments to life and the health of our mind, body, and spirit, and ultimately the health of Mother Earth. In yoga traditions there is an archetypal trilogy that represents the cycle of life: Brahman, or Creation; Vishnu, or Preservation; and Shiva, or Destruction. According to these teachings we are in a period of Shiva, the destruction that includes rebirth into new life. Using this archetype as inspiration, renew and restore yourself through yoga and meditation practice. By letting go of the old world, we open up to new creative possibilities. 26 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. that wisdom is an inherent property of the natural mind that has become obscured through conceptualization and negative emotional states. Essence meditations are designed to develop “awakened wisdom” through continuous, uninterrupted mindfulness, taking the non-dual condition of the natural mind and its spontaneous manifestations in the present moment as both the point of observation as well as the object of the meditation. These essence meditations are taught within the context of an ongoing relationship wherein the teacher points out the mind’s real nature during the right state of meditation. This relationalbased approach to meditation emphasizes short, repeated meditation sessions, with detailed instructions given before and after each session. Instructions point out the desired state, the way to attain it, and how to correct the problems that typically occur at each stage of meditation practice. Practice is followed carefully and instructions are individualized for each student. Enrollment limited to 36 participants, with first priority given to individuals who have not taken this retreat before. Participants must attend all sessions. Please bring a meditation cushion, if you would like. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Weekend of February 5–7 Come, Come Whoever You Are: Exploring Islam, Sufism, and Yoga Ghada Osman In today’s society, we are turning more and more to spiritual practices as a way of invigorating the body, calming the mind, and nourishing the spirit. The practice of yoga, for example, has flourished across the United States. Another tradition emphasizing breathing, body movement, and meditation is that of Sufism, the mystical path of Islam. As a testimony to this, the Sufi poet Rumi has remained the top-selling poet in the United States for several decades, even as Islam is a religion that has been cast into the forefront of political controversy today. Join Ghada Osman to explore the elements of Islam and its mystical path. This workshop brings together academic and experiential components so participants can experience the poetry and devotion of Sufism intertwined within yoga practices of asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathwork and exploration of life energy), and meditation (observation and calming of the fluctuations of the mind). At the end of the workshop, participants leave with knowledge of the origins and history of Sufism, its main doctrines, its contemporary development, and how it compares to yogic practice today. Each session will focus on an aspect of the yogic path and connect it with an element on the Sufi path. The yoga practices covered in this workshop are geared toward both novices and experienced yoga practitioners; background in yoga is not necessary. In the words of the poet Rumi, Come, come whoever you are, to explore the Sufi path and its offerings to the mind, heart, and spirit. Please bring a yoga mat. See Seminar Spotlight, page 8. The Brazilian Soul: A Dance and Drumming Workshop Cida Vieira & Jayson Fann In Brazil, dance and music are a large part of everyone’s life—a box of wooden matches becomes a musical instrument; a soccer field becomes a dance floor during games. Dance and music are everywhere, present in all events in which people celebrate love, friendship, sensuality, and zest for life. The premise: Life is happening right now, and this alone is enough to become a celebration among friends, family, and community. During this weekend, Cida Vieira and Jayson Fann offer a chance to experience the joyful spirit of Brazil-away-from-Brazil. This hands-on (and “feet-on”) workshop will explore the instruments, rhythms, music, and the samba dance do jeitinho brasieliro (“of the Brazilian way”). Cida writes: “My teaching focuses more on movement than on technical aspects, so that participants can achieve a lively workout and, most important, have fun, until they begin to feel the movement emerging from their own body, heart, and soul.” Drumming and dancing are for everyone with the desire to join in. This workshop is for anyone who enjoys or wants to learn more about the aliveness of Brazilian dance, music, and spirit. Please bring drums and/or any instruments (if you have them), along with a significant item to place on a communal altar as a way of sharing your essence. No previous dance or drumming experience is necessary. Open to participants age 14 and up. Teens must be accompanied by an adult. Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice Christine Price Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. This form is similar to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are allowed and encouraged. The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. Open-seat work may be demonstrated. Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Undefended Love: When Close is Not Close Enough Jett Psaris & Marlena Lyons The capacity exists in all of us to love without defenses or requirements, so that real intimacy— direct, unmediated, heart-to-heart connection with ourselves and with our partner—becomes a lifelong expression of our deepest nature. This is the power of Undefended Love, a transformative path that guides us beyond close, companionbased partnerships toward intimate relationships, where each moment is a fresh, spontaneous expression of who we genuinely are. This workshop, open to couples and individuals, offers a vision to cut through personal differences and reach the direct connection—with ourselves and others—that can only occur when the heart is undefended. The focus is on shifting our center of gravity away from our conditioned personality (the places where we feel stuck, confused, hurt, and defensive) toward our essential self (the part of us that is free, whole, connected, peaceful, powerful, and joyful). Through lively experiential practices, participants can learn: See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 27 • What unconditional love really is and how to achieve it • How to sustain our experience of ourselves regardless of what our partner is feeling • How to “dissolve” rather than “resolve” relationship problems • How problems can be entry points to deeper connection • Why there is no difference between men and women when it comes to intimate loving • How comfort and safety can prevent rather than promote intimacy Please bring a pen and journal. Recommended reading: Psaris and Lyons, Undefended Love. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. ® Weekend Esalen Massage Intensive Daniela Urbassek & Laurie Lioness Parizek This weekend workshop will introduce the core concepts of Esalen Massage. Through brief lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on practice, the workshop will present essential tools and information, including the long, balancing strokes and stretches that are the foundation of Esalen bodywork. Body and breath awareness will be experienced through movement and meditation, and the instructors will help participants in refining their quality of touch, while encouraging self-care and effortless practice. Come prepared to share in the healing experience of Esalen bodywork, surrounded by the beauty of Esalen and the grandeur of the Big Sur coast. All levels of experience are welcome. Please bring your favorite CDs for massage and dance. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of February 7–12 Seduced By Earth: Deep Imagination, SoulCraft™, and the Dreaming of Nature Bill Plotkin & Geneen Haugen What if Earth is trying to seduce us for her own purposes? What if Earth is dreaming through us, through our own deepest imaginings and allurements? What if the wild child that became the “human potential movement” was seeded by Esalen’s cliffs, ocean tides, hot springs, whales, and great trees as much as by the daring, creative humans drawn to this land? What if the wild 28 blossom of your own most soul-rooted life could be pollinated by the exuberant land? As Rainer Maria Rilke writes: “Earth, isn’t this what you want from us?” Some places on Earth seem to summon our deepest emotion, expanded imagination, and greatest sense of possibility—both for our individual lives and for the community of all species. By entering the landscape, we enter its imagination, its atmosphere, its story. We are each an expression of the dreaming of Earth. “At Esalen,” the leaders write, “we’ll explore what its wild sea, forest, canyons, curious gardens and creatures (human and other) evoke in us, how they animate our day- and night-dreams. Practices we’ll use include soul-oriented dreamwork, deep-imagery journeys, council, poetry, trance drumming, and dancing. We’ll encourage solo wanderings on the land with Soulcraft tasks designed to feed the mystery of our lives. We will live the question: If Earth is romancing us for her own purposes—very much the way the nectar lust of bees serves the desires of flowers—what wild child, what honey, will we create from this joining?“ Recommended reading: Plotkin, Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche and Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World. This program is offered in conjunction with Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education. For more information, including how to register, see Special Programs, page 94. Approved CMEs for physicians. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Gestalt Awareness Practice Christine Price The Way, when declared Seems thin and so flavorless. Nothing to look at, nothing to hear— And when used—is inexhaustible. —Lao Tzu Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. This form is similar to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are allowed and encouraged. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain John Ratey It is well established that it is possible to beat stress, lift one’s mood, fight memory loss, sharpen one’s intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating one’s heart rate and breaking a sweat. The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels the brain for peak performance. This course—for those in the helping professions—is designed so that participants will be able to: • Instruct their patients on the brain changes resulting from routines of physical aerobic exercise that will help manage mood • Instruct parents and children as to the many ways aerobic exercise makes the learner better prepared to learn by changing the attention, motivational, and impulsive control level as well as the many alterations that make the neurons ready to learn at the cellular level • Prescribe aerobic exercise regimens for patients to maximize their emotional health and cognitive function as they age The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. The format combines introductory group work with the open seat form in which each participant will have the opportunity to work with the leader in a group context. Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Writes of Passage: Unmasking Your Authentic Voice Akuyoe Graham Writing is a medium used to explore identity as it is informed by personal, cultural, and social values. In this workshop, writing becomes a spiritual discipline that brings participants into You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. contact with their authentic voices. The authentic voice can be trusted absolutely because it never lies. In fact, it tells the sometimes difficult truth which, once opened, must be listened to. The heart of this journey takes place in the silence—in the deep recesses of the soul. The practice of daily meditation is used to embody a deep spiritual perspective. The aim of this workshop is to bring each participant face to face with the invincible Spirit of his or her own being. Through guided exercises, participants are once again allied with their innate intelligence and soul’s wisdom. In silence, in an atmosphere of contemplation, they are able to recognize and appreciate the essence of their being. During the Writes of Passage writing retreat participants will: • Take a journey of “remembering” and discover the sound of their true voice • Break through limited self-concepts • Get inspired and infuse their writing with passion • Participate in empowering creative writing exercises and improvisations • Take ownership of their intuitive authority and learn how to hold their life as a sacred gift Recommended reading: Graham, The Little Book of Transformation/7 Days to a Brand New You. Weekend of February 12–14 create a safe and appropriate learning environment where group members can celebrate the joy of being together as a group and the love that emerges when a group works together successfully toward a common goal. something and make it automatic. But, the problem is that when circumstances change, our efficient brains keep trying to do things the same old way. In addition to a focus on the five C’s, students will be introduced to four naturally-occurring and universal orders or forces that influence systems: belonging, place, history, and exchange. These, according to German Family Systems therapist Bert Hellinger, exist in systems where the emergent quality is love. No previous dance or Salsa experience is necessary, and no partner is required. M.J. Ryan provides strategies to retrain your brain and optimize your response to change, step by step, by first accepting the new reality, then expanding your options, and finally taking effective action. You will leave with cutting-edge tools for becoming calmer and less fearful, more flexible, creative, and resourceful in your thinking. Best of all, as your “adapt-ability” increases, so does your confidence that, whatever life sends your way, you’ll be able to face it and find new ways to flourish. How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For Recommended reading: Ryan, AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For. M.J. Ryan Learn the secrets to taking any change in stride. “Change is hard,” we say, and it is even harder when forced upon us. In today’s tough times, we may have to reinvent our career or downsize our lives. At any point in life, we may lose a love or a dream. Our first reaction to change we didn’t ask for may be to rail against fate. But what if we could see past today’s turmoil and spot the opportunities that lie within unasked-for change? Join author and change expert M.J. Ryan to demystify the process of taking any change in stride, and discover how to thrive when change is absolutely required. Why is it so hard to accept change? Paradoxically, it is precisely because our brains usually work so well. We are designed to learn Finding True Love Daphne Rose Kingma “Love is the experience of emotional and spiritual awakening to the bliss that is the true condition of the soul,” says Daphne Rose Kingma. “Love is an essential human quest and intimate romantic partnership is love’s most luminous expression.” Join this best-selling author and expert on matters of the heart, for an immersion into the spiritual and emotional preparations necessary to attract love into your life. Focusing on the four keys to true love—Faith, Intention, Trust, and Surrender—Daphne guides you on a step-by-step journey to self knowledge that can liberate your heart. Salsa Rueda: Celebrating Love John Harris BENJAMIN FAHRER In this invigorating and joyous workshop, students will learn basic Salsa steps, turns, and sequences before forming a Salsa wheel or “Rueda” as it’s known in Spanish. The Rueda begins with all the couples forming a circle and a “caller” announcing frequent partner changes and a variety of steps. The success of the Rueda requires that each and every member in the Salsa wheel plays his and her own part, interacts with every other person in the circle, and contributes to the greater whole. During the workshop the five C’s of Salsa Rueda will become apparent: cooperation, coordination, collaboration, communication, and contact. These make this simple and enjoyable dance an excellent metaphor for inspired communication and relationships where love flows and blossoms. John Harris will draw on his knowledge of systemic life coaching and social and intimate systems to See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 29 As you move through each process, including resolving emotional issues from your past, healing relationship wounds, examining your myths about relationships, and identifying your life theme (and discovering its effects upon your past relationships), you can discover your own internal barriers to intimacy and gradually release them. DANIEL BIANCHETTA This workshop is for people who are looking for a love in the highest and deepest form, for those who want to heal the pain of old unresolved relationships, and for those who can’t seem to bring themselves into alignment with the love that is already waiting to approach them. Activities include meditation, exercises, and group process. Recommended reading: Kingma, Finding True Love. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat: The Couple’s Journey to Wholeness Pieces of the Yoga Puzzle Joyce Vissell & Barry Vissell Harvey Deutch & Sarana Miller This retreat is designed to take couples to the true depths of their love and commitment. Being with facilitators Joyce and Barry Vissell, who are so much in love after forty-five years together, can be just as helpful as their powerfully effective teachings. This workshop offers an in-depth understanding of the how and why of the physical side of yoga practice. The leaders will present efficient biomechanical approaches to help overcome the emerging obstacles you encounter in your yoga practice. The emphasis will be on alignment and foundation to establish a successful posture. The more you practice yoga with the emphasis on “practice,” the more you will discover what your mind and body are capable of. This program is designed to bring together some of the misunderstood pieces of the puzzle. We all carry some degree of negative programming from our past, and there are loving and effective ways to transform this programming into a positive and vibrant celebration of our connection. The workshop includes: • Exercises and practices for couples to do with each other, with one other couple, and with the group as a whole • Coaching of each couple by the Vissells • Meditations / visualizations designed to deepen the love in the couple • The support of other couples • Time for sharing after each practice Participants are shown tools for deeper appreciation and communication building, including healthy communication of feelings, our partner as a mirror (working with positive as well as negative projections), understanding and respecting each other’s differences, conflict resolution, healing past hurts, sexual wellness, inner child/inner parent, the art of deep apology, and developing a true inner connection. This workshop is open to couples only. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. 30 The workshop will also be a time of rest and discovery. Sessions will combine breathing, chanting, and active and restorative yoga practices with sound principles of stability. The objective is that you gain the inner wisdom to access your spine and joints—all with a clearer understanding of movement. Please bring your own yoga mat. meditative techniques to go more deeply into our experience. We learn skills and techniques but never forget how to laugh, take risks, be silly, or feel deeply. We combine short explorations, exercises, and surprise, with a more lasting endeavor. Those so inclined will also have the chance to bring in visual images to deepen feeling and expression. We will each explore a passion, state an intention, and begin to expand upon it. Helped by group support, you can plant the seed of a future project or develop one you are already writing. Writers of short or long works, fiction, nonfiction, film, or memoir, are all welcome, as are those who really don’t know yet what they want to express or how. The workshop will help the “hidden writer” to come forth. It will also demonstrate why expressive writing can be so incredibly healthy for us, physically and psychologically, and how it can help open us to greater life meaning. Week of February 14–19 Mystery of Writing Steven Pritzker & Ruth Richards Find your voice, your message, yourself. Whether you’re new to writing or more experienced, join us for this exploration that joins the craft of writing to the mystery of creative inspiration. One may compare this process to calligraphy, where the artist masters certain skills, stances, and brushwork, and then stands aside to let the sacred come through. We mix fun and freedom, support and sharing, to open our expression and explore new forms. We use The Art and Science of Self-Compassion Christopher Germer & Kristin Neff Self-compassion is a simple yet remarkably elusive state of mind that involves sending warmth and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than fighting our pain or flagellating ourselves with selfcriticism. Self-compassion also means holding our difficulties in mindful awareness and feeling our essential humanness. Self-compassion is a skill that anyone can learn. It’s the practice of You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. evoking goodwill toward ourselves, including the deepest desire for all living beings to live happily and free from suffering. As the Dalai Lama says, self-compassion is the basis of compassion for others. Two psychologists—an expert in the clinical application of mindfulness and a leading researcher on self-compassion—lead this innovative workshop that focuses on self-compassion as a healthy response to the inevitable pain in everyone’s life. Designed for psychotherapists and other health care practitioners, all participants are nonetheless welcome. This immersion in mindfulness and self-kindness includes meditation, talks, personal stories, research, and discussion, all supported by the natural beauty of Esalen. Special emphasis is given to the art of loving-kindness (metta) meditation. By the end of the course, helping professionals in particular will be able to teach selfcompassion skills to their clients, and practice mindful self-compassion themselves to deepen their therapeutic presence, enjoy clinical work more thoroughly, and experience an overall sense of wellbeing. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Tango: More Than a Dance John Harris The purpose of this workshop is to authentically engage with life via risk-taking, relating, creating, impacting, and being impacted upon, all within the context of learning Tango, and supported by the facilitator’s knowledge of social and intimate systems. At the core of dancing Tango lies the ability to allow the subjective experience of another to meet with, and have a positive influence on, our experience of self— somatically, emotionally, and relationally. In Tango, this encounter is a metaphor for the intimate relationships we are continually developing and deepening (or sometimes desiring) in our lives outside the dance studio. Trust, respect, mutuality, reciprocity, vulnerability, holding and being held (both physically and psychologically), teamwork, purposefulness, and play are all components both of this elegant dance and of intimate relationships. Therefore, Tango, when taught with relational dynamics in mind (that is, not merely learning steps or routines) can be an arena for experimenting and cultivating our capacity for intimacy within a contained and safe environment. This workshop is appropriate for people with no dance experience as well as for dancers who want to explore intimacy and relationship while improving their leading and following technique. For more information, visit www.morethanadance.com. Please note: Wear comfortable shoes with hard leather soles and loose, comfortable clothing. EEG and Spirituality Anna Wise As the third millennium begins, we have a multitude of technological resources to help with our health and wellbeing. While technology improves beyond recognition, humankind is simultaneously undergoing an unprecedented evolutionary leap. For countless people today, a return to spirituality, an increased awakening of awareness, and a craving for an experience of the ineffable are prime motivating forces. This workshop combines these two streams, technology and spirituality, by using EEG (electroencephalography). chronic patterns formed in your past to survive. These live as frozen feelings and history in your body and no longer serve you. “Core Energetics is a powerful body-based system. It frees the frozen feelings and history in your body by working with the blocked and held energy. It helps you reconnect with deep parts of the self that you disconnected from as a child. It uncovers the power and goodness at the source of your most destructive patterns. It leads you to connection with your deepest essence. “In this workshop, you will work individually and in groups to understand, transform, and release the past as you deeply explore, experience, and express your blocked and held energy. You will work on your relationship to yourself and explore relating to others in radically alive ways. You will find what stands in the way of your full potential for life.” Please note: An interview is required for admission. Please e-mail [email protected]. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Anna Wise writes: “Twenty-five years of investigations into the brainwave patterns of ‘higher states of consciousness’ has shown me the interrelationship of brainwave frequencies that develops as this awakening occurs. This subtle and individualized combination of beta, alpha, theta, and delta can be identified, encouraged, and trained. A Cleansing through Fire: Emotional Transformation through Lost Wax Casting Miles Eastman Ann Bradney In this workshop, we use a piece of jewelry from your past to release emotional weight that no longer serves you and transform the jewelry into a new form that will. This is a conscious cleansing through fire with the added bonus of new manifestation—please come prepared to transform! Learn the basics of the lost wax casting process, free-form waxwork, and quick mold-making techniques. We will play with mixing metal and making unique alloys for each person’s individual casting and spiritual journey, and explore how it all connects to emotional and spiritual transformation. Dive into the heart to find reconciliation and gratitude as you make a pendant to wear close to your heart. We will use nature, ritual, the four elements of earth, water, air, and fire, meditation, and self-exploration, as we pour lots of metal. We will take the past and transform it in the present and create our future. Ann Bradney writes: “There is a state in which you are fully alive, authentic, and spontaneous. You are open to all of your feelings, connected to your strength and your truth. You are not afraid to know anything about yourself. I call this radical aliveness. In this state you embrace your creativity and see life in all its possibilities. Please note: We work hands-on with wax, clay, and the elements, so please dress to get dirty. If you have any chains or cords, please bring them. Please bring a piece of silver or gold jewelry that you’d like to transform. The leader will have some additional silver to purchase during the workshop. No experience necessary. “Problems that occur with spiritual awakening— for example, inordinate ‘psychic’ sensitivity and accelerated kundalini experiences—can be explained and assisted by studying EEG. Meditation combined with EEG can help to regulate this process and to develop self-mastery.” This experiential workshop will also provide you with feedback on your brainwave patterns along with practices you can continue at home for optimum brainwave and consciousness development. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Radical Aliveness: A Core Energetics Workshop “Standing in the way of radical aliveness are ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 31 Love, Sexuality, and Relationship: The Core Evolution® Approach Siegmar Gerken & Cornelia Gerken Love is resonance with the flow of life. It connects us with all existence. We are able to direct this energy and make it personal in the expression “I love you.” When we commit to a relationship, we expand this love onto the personal and social levels with the expression “I want to experience life with you.” Why is it so difficult, then, to keep a relationship alive? On the level of personality and social interactions love can become distorted in many ways. We romanticize, sexualize, and idealize love and attach our ideas, desires, needs, and hopes to it. When this happens, we often lose our radiance, we lose contact with the flow of love. In this workshop for individuals and couples, participants will explore the obstacles and character-resistances of these core moments. Core Evolution addresses body-emotion-mind-spirit as a unity. The experience of love unifies all these aspects and therefore affects every state of people’s lives. A person in love will communicate and create from a place of harmony, wellbeing, peace, joy, and a sense of fulfillment. Participants will learn to identify and differentiate the nature and main elements of love, sexuality, and relationship, and their intention, motivation, needs, and wants in their relationship, including the nature of triggers, causes of unhappiness, and the possibilities for change. For an eight-page magazine interview with Siegmar Gerken on Love, Sexuality, and Relationship, please e-mail [email protected]. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Reflexology and Esalen® Massage Deborah Ardell Hill & Vicki Topp Esalen Massage offers the practitioner a welcome opportunity to incorporate other bodywork modalities. Reflexology, addressing feet, hands, and ears, is a natural companion to Esalen Massage. Almost anyone can practice this relatively effortless form, regardless of physical vitality. Combining the long integrating strokes of Esalen Massage with the specific work of reflexology produces a high-quality massage, providing an alternative way to approach areas of the body that may be too sensitive to directly address: axillary and groin lymph, tennis elbow, and sciatic pain, to name a few. Using 32 the positions introduced during this workshop, it’s easy to incorporate reflexology techniques with massage while working with the feet and hands. Recommended reading: Ranck and Nutter, Ignite the Genius Within: Discover Your Full Potential. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See Seminar Spotlight, page 8. This is a beginning course in Esalen Massage and Reflexology. The intention is to provide a solid foundation in Esalen Massage and set the groundwork to continue your journey exploring the wonders of bodywork, including Reflexology. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Weekend of February 19–21 Ignite the Genius Within: Bringing Expanded Consciousness to Everyday Life Christine Ranck & David Grand We are all geniuses of creation, adaptation, and survival. We contain the limitlessness of the universe inside each of us, yet we consciously use only a fraction of that awesome power to solve problems and live creatively. Now you can discover tools to activate and dramatically expand your use of that power. The human brain is the most complex object in the known universe; within it are one quadrillion firing connections that enable us to travel to the farthest reaches of the cosmos and change our brain’s very anatomy, all by using our imaginations. To keep us alive the deep brain runs a myriad of internal systems beyond our conscious awareness. As a result, we are in a state of flow 100% of the time, but our conscious connection to that flow is occasional and tenuous at best. This multi-media, experiential, consciousnessexpanding workshop can give you an experience of yourself that you’ve never had before: the ability to access your flow state at will. Through lively experiential process and demonstrations, David Grand and Christine Ranck will guide you through and expand upon the exercises in the book, Ignite the Genius Within. Expand your limited view of existence and become more creatively resilient. When your inner vision changes, everything in your outer world is also transformed. Please download the free soundtrack for Ignite the Genius Within from www.christineranck.com and bring it to the workshop on your iPod or other listening device. The leaders can provide a limited number of CDs and players. If you need one, please contact [email protected]. Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story Gail Larsen Do you want to experience a dramatic shift in your capacity to communicate and be heard? The ability to move others has little to do with your facts and information. It comes from eliminating fear and distrust of expressing your deepest values. Gail Larsen’s approach explores what holds fire and meaning for you, brings forth your authentic voice, ignites your personal passion, and provides confidence and competence as you build on your individual communications style. In this lively experiential program, you can: • Discover your Home Zone™, the place of your personal power and authenticity • Recognize the power of your story in building trust and attracting clients and allies who connect with the real you • Explore the three speaking skills that will transform your communications • Give voice to your core message, the foundation of the speech you were born to give Our transformational times call not for polished professionals and students of technique but for authentic communicators committed to healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. Take this powerful and natural step into your own magnificence and truth as you work with Gail’s fundamental premise to “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Spirit, Ecology, and Business Josiah Cain This workshop provides a setting for people to find ways to create a meaningful relationship between their spiritual and working lives, and reconcile the dissonance between the environment and business. Some may be considering a career change; for most this experience will contextualize their work within personal goals and world views. To understand our own personal “spiritual ecologies” we will explore perceptions about human philosophical connection to nature and the relationship between humanity and ecological processes. Explore how these perceptions You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. either prevent or enable us as we envision new ways of relating to ecology in response to escalating environmental and social crises. All of us have a place in working toward a positive future, and the solutions may be closer than we realize. Learn about trends, patterns, and new technology that is changing business and the way we build infrastructure. This workshop addresses how our jobs relate to the current global situation, and how this relates to our own personal journeys. In the closing session, we will discuss how to avoid getting drawn right back into our old patterns, and share resources for maintaining strength and the support to stay on our courses and maintain optimism in difficult and changing times. The schedule will allow time for participants to reflect, mingle, and enjoy the baths. Qigong and Inner Alchemy: Inner Elixir and the Practice of Pure Radiance Roger Jahnke No matter what form of spirit/mind/body cultivation you choose—yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi— the essentials of deepening your practice are not actually based in the form. Personal cultivation (Qigong) is not merely a set of techniques; it is a way of being whose roots tap entire worlds of wisdom, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, ancient quantum systems, and the transcenden- tal shamanic realms (Dancing Wu Li Masters). This workshop begins by exploring a simple Dao Yin Qigong called Vitality Enhancement Method, a self-healing, medical Qigong to use personally and share with family, friends, patients, clients, and colleagues. Then, drawing on the ancient Tao Te Ching, we will cultivate the great “Way” using Qigong methods including Natural Flow Qigong and the Nine Phases of Mastery. Through this process, we can cultivate golden elixir, the medicine within. Finally, we will explore the Secret of the Golden Flower, a highly refined form of traditional “elixir alchemy” renowned for its merging of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. The most profound medicine for the spirit/mind/body is produced within us and this elixir is the light of spirit within. Health professionals, beginning students, and those who seek healing are welcome, as are experienced Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga practitioners and teachers. For more information, visit www.FeeltheQi.com. Recommended reading: Jahnke, The Healer Within and The Healing Promise of Qi. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. The Song of the Drum Gordy Ryan & Mawuena Kodjovi “Our goal is soulful communication, playing and singing our way on a musical journey from Nigeria to New Orleans,” writes Gordy Ryan. “We begin with traditional songs of invocation and ceremony from village life, then play the dance music of highlife and Afrobeat, travel to the Caribbean to play calypso and reggae songs, and arrive in New Orleans to experience the evolution of West African rhythms into the musical gumbo that lives on in jazz, rhythm and blues, Mardi Gras Indian festivities, and funk. “We open our ears, our voices, and our hearts to the expression of Spirit, bringing the muse of sweet inspiration into our lives. This is a celebration of funk and fun in an environment of compassion, love, and interaction among friends on the path of a living cultural energy. Each session presents hand-drum fundamentals and grooves for the music we will play, then we build the rhythm arrangements, add melodic instruments and vocals—with everyone singing—and we become One in the music. There is a place in this orchestra for everyone who loves music, from beginner to pro.” SoulMotion™: Alone, Together Vinn Martí “Consider the many benefits available when we focus attention on an unequivocal acceptance of the present moment in our everyday dance world,” says Vinn Marti. “We relax in the dance that is taking place. We move into a broader view of acceptance and compassion. Our gratitude quotient skyrockets to levels not experienced before. We move graciously between events, conditions, and experiences knowing that no feeling or thought is final. We are at ease with ourselves. “In this weekend SoulMotion retreat, we become familiar with points of view of conscious dancing that inform us. Alone, together, we invoke a frequency of aliveness that alone, together, hones our responses to magic, mayhem, and mystery in our everyday dance world. DANIEL BIANCHETTA “SoulMotion is a viewpoint of conscious dancing that invites practitioners to listen to the still, small voice singing throughout the body dance, as well as the music in the room. Using dance and music to engender awareness, we court sensitivity and presence without shame or judgment. It encourages practitioners to identify and nourish the song they sing in the body choir of expression and ecstatic release. “You are invited to move body and soul, centered on an edge of aloneness, together with the unique song that sings and dances you in the everyday world.” See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 33 The Occult in America: An Adventure in Arcane History Mitch Horowitz & Erik Davis Despite being a young country, America has a long and venerable tradition of homegrown occult mysteries. From Freemasonic sex magic to Spiritualism, mental healing to hoodoo, and neo-paganism to Rosemary’s Baby, Americans endlessly reinvent arcane lore. This phenomenon not only has inspired the current wave in alternative spirituality, but also dramatically altered Western culture and our most intimate sense of how we understand ourselves. Now, Erik Davis (author of TechGnosis) and Mitch Horowitz (author of Occult America), two leading writers on the cultural impact of mysticism and the occult, explore the lost, unusual, and hugely engaging story of how the occult became American and then touched the rest of the world. We first consider the migration of mystical philosophies to the colonial world, then explore the revolutions in Spiritualism, mind-power, Freemasonry, hoodoo (traditional African magic), and other movements. Finally, we focus on the twentieth and twenty-first century explosions in New Age and Aquarian ideas and practices that first blossomed on the West Coast (very much including Esalen) before igniting a spiritual revolution across the globe. Both entertaining and intellectually rigorous, this class on the history of American occultism helps illuminate the way our own personal spiritual journeys have unfolded against a larger historical backdrop. Through spirited lectures augmented with photographs, film clips, and discussions, we not only come to understand America in a new way, but also meet the spiritual ancestors who made us who we are. See Seminar Spotlight, page 8. Week of February 21–26 The Performance of Your Life: Acting into Awareness Jonathan Bender Is all the world, in fact, a stage? How would things be different if you viewed your everyday life as a play, in which you were a character? If we’re performing in accordance to expectations built up in society, then we’re not in alignment with our authentic selves. By learning new ways to “perform” in the course of your day, you can 34 gain a greater degree of self-awareness, personal power, playfulness, and joy. Through embodied acting, vocal, and performance training techniques, you can experientially study life and identity as ongoing yet unconscious performances. Combined with simple awareness practices, we non-judgmentally and compassionately observe our habitual patterns and learn simple, practical means to transform them. Although this work is transformative and therapeutic, it’s not therapy. We will take time to reflect on our experiences, yet the focus will be more on learning and shifting experientially. While performance skills will be taught, you need not have any performance experience to enjoy this workshop, and shall not be put on the spot to perform unless desired. Bring a brief piece of text that you would like to explore (perhaps a poem, prayer, or speech). Wear comfortable clothing that’s good for movement, and be ready to play. SoulMotion™: Begin Again Vinn Martí Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion Dorothy Charles Experiencing and expressing emotions are integral to being alive. Yet, for many people emotions remain mysterious, confusing, and difficult to constructively express, especially those that were unwelcome in our early environment. As a result, relationships may be unsatisfying and the choices we make may not reflect our innermost desires or our true selves. Learning to fully experience feelings and express them in healthy ways enables us to be authentic and to have more fulfilling relationships. This experiential and didactic workshop will blend individual and group Gestalt work with dyadic exercises. Participants will experiment with tracking emotions as sensations in the body and learn to recognize them as signals calling for attention rather than problems to be fixed. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Not For The Feint of Heart: Be Bold in Your Personal Growth Mariah Fenton Gladis “Each time we gather to dance,” says Vinn Martí, “we are poised at an open portal to divine presence. This presence takes notice each time we use our body, heart, and mind to shape and shift the forms and textures of its creation. Each one of us occupies a unique vessel in which this presence is able to manifest and know itself. Our dance then becomes a vehicle to place our bodies and our souls in motion.” SoulMotion is a movement ministry, designed by Vinn Martí and devoted to the mystery and passage in our everyday dance from the known to the unknown. It presents method and strategy to relax into this nameless dance. Each of us improvises steps in a dance of self-awareness and unconditional acceptance of all things. The practices promote open-minded, warmhearted, and lithe body approaches to whatever is at hand. Participants practice the dance above, below, in front, and behind the beat, and speak the creative voice of the unfamiliar. Says Vinn: “We will practice moving alone, together, and in divine dialogue. We will allow the inherent wisdom and memory of the body to speak through us as movement, stillness, and witness to the body-choir of dancers. We will nudge the voice of our hearts ‘after years of secret conversing to speak loudly in the clear blue air.’ Through guided imagery and relaxed induction techniques we will dive deep into the body of the unconscious and resurface to ‘speak’ of our findings.” All are invited. All are welcomed. If you’re “feint of heart,” you avoid confronting the emotional injuries or habits that prevent you from enjoying life to the fullest. You feint this way and that, preserving the status quo instead of moving past obstacles. This workshop is not for the feint of heart—nor the faint of heart. It’s for people who have a passionate commitment to creating healthy relationships within healthy lives. It offers opportunities to benefit from intensive individual healing work, which may involve emotional injuries rooted in the past, recurring themes or patterns of dysfunction, or personal longings in the here and now. Whatever the content of your work, this workshop helps you: • Discover the issues that are immediately obstructing the quality of your life • Learn contact skills to authentically and effectively express yourself and assure healthy interaction with others • Risk working deeply in an atmosphere of trust and mutual support • Expand your capacity for generosity and compassion for yourself and others The didactic and experiential sessions are particularly helpful for human-relations professionals and those committed to a path of personal betterment. Mariah Fenton Gladis, known for her effective and innovative use of music to enrich the workshop experience, will blend individual You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. and group Gestalt work in an environment of trust, compassion, and emotional generosity. A twenty-nine year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Mariah speaks with what she calls her “ALS accent.” Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a Wounded Healer. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. speaks. The class will be, as Annie Dillard has called it, ‘alligator wrestling at the level of the sentence.’ By studying sentences, by taking them apart and looking at all their elements, by tuning them to how our particular narrator thinks, and ultimately speaks, we can begin to create a music that is unique.” Brainspotting Training David Grand An Introduction to Rolf Structural Integration Edward Maupin This workshop is an introduction to the principles of Rolf Structural Integration, especially designed for body-therapy professionals. Strongly influenced by his research in Zen Buddhism, Ed Maupin considers the Rolf Method a meditation on physical presence as well as a physical therapy. This approach, based on forty years of Rolfing practice, strongly emphasizes movement, balance in gravity, and receptive touch. The workshop will combine regular movement classes with hands-on instruction in the first three sessions of Ida Rolf’s original ten-session series. Nonprofessionals are also welcome. Ed Maupin’s book, A Dynamic Relation to Gravity, will be the text for the workshop. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Dangerous Writing Tom Spanbauer “What makes writing dangerous is something personal, very small, and quiet,” writes Tom Spanbauer. “In this class we will be asked to go to parts of ourselves where there is an old silence, where it is secret, where it is dark and sore. One of the goals of the class will be to go to where we’ve never gone before, writing down what scares the hell out of us. Eventually to the very foundation and structure of how we perceive, and in this investigation, we can challenge old notions of who we are. “In our investigation to the bone, the first thing we will encounter is voice. How to create it. Saying it wrong, saying it spoken rather than written, saying it raw. By challenging old creative writing workshop language, we will investigate what my teacher called Burnt Tongue. The New York Times, in its review of The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon, called it Poisoned Lyricism. Character lies in the destruction of the sentence. How a character thinks is how she Muslim hajj to Mecca. We conclude with creating a playful contemporary dance-drama, reinterpreting the mirthful and fun-poking medieval Dances of Death. Here we invoke yet another type of surrender, this time to the myriad ways we can whimsically play with or mischievously trick, tango with, or seduce death. Additional exercises drawn from global spiritual traditions are also actively explored. This five-day professional training for psychotherapists and counselors includes Brain-spotting Phase One and Phase Two. Brainspotting (BSP) is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing, and releasing neurophysiological sources of emotional and body pain, especially trauma. This neurobiological tool supports the clinical healing relationship and helps locate, focus, process, and release experiences and symptoms that are typically out of reach of the conscious mind. BSP also is a physiological treatment that has profound psychological, emotional, and physical consequences. A “brainspot” is the eye position related to the activation of a traumatic or emotionally charged issue within a certain area of the brain. The client’s reflexive responses are indicators that can lead a counselor into the integrative, healing process of BSP. The method can also be applied for performance and creativity enhancement and coaching. This training is taught with lecture, PowerPoint, demonstrations, practica, and extensive question and answer periods. For more information about BSP, visit www.biolateral.com/brainspotting.htm. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See Seminar Spotlight, page 8. Weekend of February 26–28 The Song of the Body: Global Physical Expression toward the Sacred Sara K. Schneider Use your body to inquire into ancient practices designed to bring about a sense of surrender and to promote insight or an experience of the divine. Beginning with experiential practices of surrendering to the Other, we try on bowing as it is practiced in Japanese greetings and explore foot washing, a Christian practice of hospitality and humility. With our feet, we study pilgrimage, comparing our own experience with that of the In the process, we may discover that the experience of surrender is one not of terror but of considerable joy, not of heaviness but rather of fleetness of heart as well as foot. We connect these culturally-embedded practices with the ways in which, in contemporary Western culture, we may mindfully surrender to others, ourselves, and a sense of the divine. Journaling and thorough debriefing allow participants to integrate their experience within their own spiritual practices. Movement is gentle and easily adapted; participants of all physical abilities are welcome. Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering: A Workshop in Remote Viewing Russell Targ Physicist/consciousness researcher Russell Targ describes how we can surrender the story of who we think we are and experience the end of suffering. This path can provide direct experience of the peace, love, and spaciousness we all seek—in fact, it is who we are. This workshop blends the enduring teachings of the East into a modern framework that emphasizes experience over belief. Buddha taught us to live a helpful and compassionate life, to surrender our ego to the peace of spaciousness. His Middle Path was expanded by the second-century genius Nagarjuna. Where Aristotle taught that an idea is either true or false, Nagarjuna demonstrated that most things are neither true nor not true. The so-called complementarity of waves and particles in modern physics supports this view, as does the indeterminacy theorem of Kurt Gödel. The modern physics of nonlocality and our own laboratory experience with remote-viewing research all show our potential for expanded awareness. Targ, cofounder of the Stanford Research Institute’s psychic research program, will describe the evidence for extrasensory perception, precognition, intuitive diagnosis, and distant healing. The program will teach participants how to recognize the psychic signal, how to separate it from the mental noise of memory, See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 35 DANIEL BIANCHETTA imagination, and analysis, and why we should bother with ESP. Finally, there will be individual lessons in remote viewing (as in the successful Stanford program) and discussion of how this awareness can lead to a discovery of who we really are. Recommended reading: Targ, The End of Suffering: Fearless Living in Troubled Times, and Limitless Mind: A Guide to Remote Viewing and Transformation of Consciousness. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Living Beyond Your History: Choosing the Authentic Life Charles Varni So you want a life with more love, deeper understanding, sweeter passion, soulful relationships, and personal integrity? Are you waiting for the prince, princess, guru, or angel who carries this gift to knock on your door and bestow it upon you? The exterior search for inner fulfillment is the greatest false promise of our time and the essence of all addictive relationships. The gift you seek is already within. 36 This is a workshop about growing beyond the confines and stories of our lives and moving more fully and unencumbered into the present. It is about choosing to live more authentically and transparently. How would your everyday experience and relationships be different if you chose to live your life by the four basic principles of “showing up” or being present, having an open heart, speaking your truth with compassion, and being open to outcome? Here is an opportunity to explore the meaning, application, and manifestation of these principles in a small group environment of support, compassion, warmth, trust, and authenticity. Practice living these principles and, in the process, uncover the resistance and anxieties that prevent us all from realizing our goals. Utilizing experiential exercises, individual and group sharing, journaling, psychodrama, Gestalt dialogue, movement, dance, and ritual, we can begin to transcend the origins of these barriers. We uncover and develop new resources and capacities to support us as we begin to live more fully in the moment. This workshop is limited to 20 participants. Arrive Already Loved: Creating Sacred Attachment with Yourself in the Here and Now Mariah Fenton Gladis “Many people ask me how to have a fair shot at developing a healthy relationship with another human being,” writes Mariah Fenton Gladis. “I advise them to arrive already loved. What does that mean? It means the essential foundation of being loved is to first love yourself. That doesn’t mean a narcissistic pride, preoccupation with self, or conceit. It does mean that the inner life taking place in your body is a comfortable, loving, compassionate, and enjoyable place to be. It is a home to which you can always turn to receive your own solace, support, and unconditional acceptance. This prepares your internal environment to accept love from the outside, and prepares you to arrive anywhere already loved. Remember, when it comes to needing love, you cannot expect more from someone else than you are able to give to yourself.” Join Mariah as she blends her unique style of individual and group Gestalt work with her effective and innovative use of music to enrich You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. the workshop experience. This workshop helps you: • Realize that what’s inside is outside; you can attract what you are • Understand thinking as a personal conversation with yourself • Develop an active and rich inner dialogue • Create an abundance of emotional resources • Turn your meditations away from detachment and separation, and toward intimate meditation, by exercising Sacred Attachment A twenty-nine year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Mariah speaks with what she calls her “ALS accent.” Recommended Reading: Gladis, Tales of a Wounded Healer. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Art as a Spiritual Path: Paintings that Awaken the Soul Paul Heussenstamm The practice of painting is healing and meditative. No experience is necessary as we transform our everyday consciousness into the inner artist that lives in each of us. The weekend is designed to introduce the possibility that you are an artist and that the artist path is one of joy, insight, and awareness. It’s amazing that in just a few days, you can finish a colorful painting that reveals many of the deep inner patterns that connect you with your soul. After seeing mandalas made during Paul’s workshop, Eckhart Tolle commented, “These paintings carry a healing presence.” Deepak Chopra said, “These paintings are archetypal manifestations of higher consciousness.” After the workshop, you will have the foundation for painting sacred art and mandalas at home, as you continue on this path of self-discovery and the newfound relationship to art and your soul. ($25 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Waking Up Lightly: A Sacred Playground for Really Serious Seekers Gwen Gordon Most of us have been raised to think of play as a frivolous distraction from the serious business of living, not to mention the super serious business of awakening. In fact, we can get so darn serious that we lose touch with our playful selves, and our zest for life just drains away. Seriousness is not going to wake us up, or solve the world’s problems. But our love for life will, and so will the flexibility, presence, and openness of play. Play is the natural expression of a liberated consciousness; it is the lightness of being that recognizes life as a sacred playground. That’s why spiritually-realized people can be the most playful of all. This three-day romp dignifies both play and rest as a spiritual path and unleashes its spontaneous magic in your life. Through a wide range of play forms that embrace the whole body, heart, mind, and spirit, you have the opportunity to surrender to the irresistible, contagious, unbounded free play that is your true nature. As we play with the very issues and beliefs that block us from living fully we become free. This infinite playground welcomes everything. It invites a total YES! to reality just as it is and a delicious break from the tyranny of seriousness. Finally, you can relax the seeker while fully engaging your path. Nothing is forced, everything is welcomed, and ridiculousness is highly encouraged. Yoga for the “Yogically Challenged” Deborah Anne Medow If in the past you avoided yoga classes because you were “of a certain age,” you were just too stiff, or you didn’t have a “yoga body,” this yoga workshop is designed with you in mind. In this program—for people who ordinarily wouldn’t be caught dead doing the “corpse pose”—participants are gently guided through breathing exercises (purifications), meditation, asanas (yogic body postures), and the coordination of breath and movement within the asanas. Additional emphasis is on yogic philosophy and theory. With regular practice, yoga can strengthen, rejuvenate, and help heal the body. It can also calm the emotions, focus the mind, and uplift the spirit. This workshop lays the foundation for a yoga practice that can be continued at home. Although the workshop is intended primarily for the more “yogically challenged,” everyone is welcome. With Big Sur’s coastal beauty, and the power and spirit of the Esalen land, it is easy to fall into the natural rhythm of practicing yoga. What better way to spice up your winter doldrums and turn toward the spring; program something positive into your life: a yoga practice. Please bring a yoga mat, an open heart, and a good sense of humor. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of February 28–March 5 Satsang Retreat Eli Jaxon-Bear “Satsang is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘association with Truth.’ The purpose of satsang is to come together to directly realize the truth of who you are,” says Eli Jaxon-Bear. “It offers the opportunity to drink deeply of the nectar of being in a fully supportive environment. Many people have had glimpses or tastes or understandings of who they are, but these seem to fade in the light of the pressures of the world.” Here is an opportunity to stop, to withdraw from the normal cares of your life and plunge into the depths of true self inquiry, to realize deeply who and what you are. Whether you are sitting in silence with a community of like-minded people, working with Eli, sharing reports and questions, or in guided meditations, there is a chance to discover the infinite capacity of love, and to come to know the overflowing joy of your own nature. The ability to stay true to what is realized in the face of all tests is the fruit of true realization. The natural result of coming together for a committed period is a deepening capacity to bathe in the exquisite beauty of your own self, the source of happiness and fulfillment, and then to stay true to yourself when the world reappears. Recommended reading: Poonja, Wake Up and Roar; Jaxon-Bear, Sudden Awakening; Gangaji, Diamond In Your Pocket. The Permaculture Connection: Healing Our Ecological and Social Relationships Benjamin Fahrer The practice of being in harmonious relationship with the land and the systems that support us is essential for sustaining ourselves in these evolutionary times. The practice of permaculture results in conscious design principles that emulate nature’s own patterning of mutually beneficial relationships. Based in ethics and the principles of natural systems, permaculture provides a platform from which to create the world we wish to live in. Join Benjamin Fahrer in the Esalen Farm and Garden for hands-on experience designing dynamic ecosystems that produce an abundance of food, water, vitality, and a greater sense of peace in our everyday lives. Dig your hands into the earth every day and feel the rich and amazing soil in the gardens at Esalen. Design exercises include diverse sub- See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 37 jects, from the home garden to broad acre application, and then lead into applying the permaculture design principles and the ethics to the social-cultural realms as well. How can our own habitual patterning be reconstructed to support a surplus? What is the best strategy for you to apply these concepts in your life? Explore these questions and more. This is a dynamic week in personal empowerment and re-creating a life of abundance. Benjamin’s experience as an international designer, a dynamic educator, and loving land steward provides a positive and supportive environment to tune into nature’s design. We are a part of nature and by understanding nature we begin to understand our selves. Most experience is automatically processed on subcortical, that is, unconscious, levels in the brain. Therefore, insight and understanding have only a limited influence on people’s control over these processes. We study and experience the capacity of techniques such as EMDR, yoga, Internal Family Systems Therapy, theater work, and neurofeedback to help people overcome a traumatic past and regain the capacity to be fully alive in the present. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Constellations for Family and Personal Issues: Liberating Your Potential Judith Hemming Transforming Trauma with EMDR: Advanced Clinical Workshop and Refresher Course (Part 3) Laurel Parnell Refresh your technique and review EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) protocols and procedures, consult on your difficult cases, watch demonstrations, and practice EMDR in small supervised groups. Instruction will focus on using EMDR with complex cases, resource development and installation, target development, and cognitive interweaves. This EMDR course is for participants who have completed either Level II training or an equivalent EMDRIA-approved course. Recommended reading: Parnell, Transforming Trauma: EMDR, and EMDR in the Treatment of Adults Abused as Children. Constellations are a simple yet profound method to shed light on any areas of unhappiness and distress in our lives. These areas often occur as a result of unresolved and sometimes hidden relational issues. The source of the difficulty may lie beyond our awareness, often in the human systems to which we belong, such as a current relationship, family of origin, friendships, community groups, or our professional life. When we witness and honor these dynamics we are able to free ourselves from suffering and energy-sapping entanglements. This approach to healing was originally developed by Bert Hellinger and for the last twenty years has been developed to provide deep levels of resolution for issues such as: • Relationship difficulties between partners, including divorce and second marriages • Inability to achieve what we want in life, life choices, and changes • Problems with money, career, or relational issues at work • Relationship difficulties between parents and children • Illness and addictions • Bereavement • Fertility, adoption, miscarriage, abortion • Incest, rape, violence • Family secrets and ruptures Everyone is welcome. The work is suitable for people who have no previous experience of Constellations as well as those who wish to deepen their previous experience and understanding. It is also suitable for people in the helping professions who wish to explore how the approach would add to their practice. There will also be time for talks and explanations. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Gravity and Grace: Tools for the Subtle Body Peter Sterios Hatha yoga is a tool for meeting resistance in our bodies and thoughts in a productive way. How we approach this practice determines the quality yoga brings to our lives. As with any tool, yoga’s possibilities depend on how sharp or “tuned” our practice is and whether it is correctly applied. Experience how to harness the subtle external force of gravity, educate our bodies, and hone CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Trauma, Memory, and the Restoration of One’s Self This course explores how trauma affects people’s rhythms within themselves and with their surroundings. Trauma changes the way the brain processes information and the body engages with the world. Because of altered biological systems, traumatized people continue to be trapped by their history and react to current experience in a myriad of ways as a replay of the past. We explore the neurobiology of self-regulation and examine ways of befriending one’s body, both of which are essential for the integration of traumatic memories: sensations, action patterns, and physical sensations derived from the past. 38 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. HARRY FEINBERG Bessel van der Kolk our practice through the power of surrender, especially while we consistently meet physical resistance. By repeatedly meeting this resistance, we sharpen our intuition as we look for guidance and build trust in our “feeling minds” (heart and navel). sionist, songwriter, and storyteller with a multicultural background. He has toured internationally with the world music group WorldColor. Maggie Wheeler is an actor, singer, songwriter, and choir director. This process opens us to the subtle internal force of Grace, which appears when we face psychological resistance and guidance, usually in the blink of an eye, from a source much greater than ourselves. This, in turn, helps develop our inner teacher as we cultivate a truly personal practice and the wisdom borne of our own experience. Classes during the week are progressive (step-bystep) and appropriate for all levels. Movement classes include both live and prerecorded acoustical music to help activate the feeling centers of the body. Please bring your own yoga mat. The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain, and Body in the Transformation of Trauma Month of March 5–April 2 28-Day Esalen® Massage Practitioner Certification Training Char Pias & Oliver Bailey For workshop description, see Special Programs, page 94. Weekend of March 5–7 Singing in the Stream Emile Hassan Dyer & Maggie Wheeler Singing is a communal activity but one that many of us are afraid of. Every culture on earth sings together for play, instruction, prayer, healing, social bonding, or entertainment. There is no reason why you can’t join in. Emile Hassan Dyer and Maggie Wheeler, co-directors of the Golden Bridge Community Choir in Los Angeles, invite you to step into the stream of song in a safe environment. Together, we learn songs of peace, hope, justice, and praise from a variety of cultures, including West African, Native American, Aboriginal Australian, South African, and more. We also tap into traditional and urban beatbox styles of vocal percussion and body rhythms. No singing experience is necessary to enjoy everything this workshop has to offer. We learn all songs in the oral tradition of call-and-response, allowing those at all levels of musical ability to enjoy and experience community and connection through singing. Emile Hassan Dyer is a vocalist, percus- Peter Levine & Bessel van der Kolk This workshop unites two of the leading figures in the field of trauma research and body-oriented treatment approaches. Together they will explore the implications of recent findings in the neurosciences, from how the brain and body deal with emotional information to an understanding of effective therapeutic action. The leaders will show how the trauma response is a specific defensive bodily reaction that people initially mobilize in order to protect themselves, and then use against feeling the totality of their horror, helplessness, or pain. However, in the long range this response keeps them frozen, stuck in the past, unable to fully be in the here-and-now. Fixed in the defensive trauma response, the shame, defeat, and humiliation associated with the original event replays itself over and over again in the body, detached from history, but experienced in the present. Traditionally, therapies have attempted to change perceptions of the world by means of reason and insight, along with conditioning, behavior modification, drugs, and medications. However, perceptions remain fundamentally unchanged until the internal experience of the body changes. Even after the death of a loved one, physical injury, rape, or assault, people can learn to have new bodily experiences, then come to heal and accept what has happened and create new lives and new communities. maintain privacy. Couples are shown: • New communication skills to break destructive cycles of relating • How to channel the energy from arguments to create passion and stability • How the unconscious forces that attract you to your partner are also the source of conflict • New tools for re-romanticizing their relationship to reestablish the passion of their early time together • How to use their relationship for emotional healing and spiritual evolution. Activities include lectures, written exercises, guided imagery, and live demonstrations of communication skills and processes. Rick Brown has been offering this workshop for over twenty years, and has appeared on Oprah. The methodology is based on Harville Hendrix’s best-selling Getting the Love You Want. For more information, visit www.rickbrown.org. Please note: This workshop is for couples only. ($20 materials fee for manuals paid directly to the leader) CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Training for Transition, Making a Difference: Creating a Sustainable World Kat Steele & Maggie Seeley Every person has the capacity to live in harmony with our world and use its resources wisely. We can each make a difference. This seminar empowers you to make thoughtful, practical, and joyful choices, create a compelling personal or organizational vision and action plan for a sustainable future, and help build resilient communities for a post-carbon world. Getting the Love You Want: A Workshop for Couples The converging crises of climate change, oil depletion, and economic instability cannot be solved separately or with technological miracles, but by lessening dependence on fossil fuels. But this doesn’t mean a bleak future. The heart of transition is the belief that by engaging with enough imagination and ingenuity to unlock the collective genius of our communities, we can choose a future that is more just and sustainable than what we have now. Rick Brown Participants will: This workshop is designed to help couples understand at a deeper level why they were attracted to each other, why they get stuck in endless power struggles, and how to safely begin to work through those stuck places toward a safer and more satisfying relationship. Couples share only with their partner and are able to • Explore the opportunities for transformation presented by the challenges of peak oil, climate change, and economic instability • Learn key concepts of the transition model, including permaculture principles, community visioning, and setting up transition groups CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 39 • Raise awareness of the need for transition • Meet other change leaders • Explore concepts of addiction to consumption and oil and the psychology of change • Establish an action plan for yourself and your community • Visit sustainable projects at Esalen • Have fun! Time for yoga, meditation, walks, communitybuilding exercises, baths, and dancing is included. Visit www.transitionus.org. Admission to Inspiring Leadership is by application only, and space is limited. Prior to contacting Esalen, to apply, please contact program coordinator Georgi Chase at [email protected]. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See Seminar Spotlight, page 9. Exploring the Ordinary Miracle of Healing Peter Levine Week of March 7–12 Inspiring Leadership George Kohlrieser & Peter James Meyers A great leader inspires. But who inspires greatness in the leader? In this moment—fraught with new, global uncertainties—true leadership demands profound self-awareness. It is only through a deep examination of their own principles that leaders can expect to inspire excellence in others and achieve measurable, meaningful growth in their organizations. This seminar gives senior executives a way to reconnect with their core beliefs—to overcome internal blocks in order to face external challenges with a bolder vision and a renewed confidence. Led by psychologist, hostage negotiator, and professor of leadership George Kohlrieser and veteran stage director and global leadership consultant Peter James Meyers, Inspiring Leadership offers an intimate and intensive setting for business leaders to examine the basic, human values that give their work meaning. Through interactive exercises, dynamic discussions, and in-depth, individualized feedback from Meyers and Kohlrieser, participants broaden their own self-awareness and enrich the voice they use to engage and influence others. The seminar will also offer strategies for sustaining personal leadership growth into the future. This is a unique opportunity for senior-level managers to plumb the depths of their own leadership capabilities, to renew the passion and purpose behind their work, and to break through to higher levels of performance. Kohlrieser is the author of Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance, an international bestseller that won awards in France for Best Leadership Book and in Germany for Best Management Book. 40 While trauma is a fact of life, it does not have to be a life sentence. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to explore the possibility that the traumas and obstacles in their lives also hold the potential for genuine emotional and spiritual growth and self-transformation. For this to happen, it may mean having the courage to give up old “victim identifications” (that have long been our “friends”) and trust in the emergence of a deeper, more authentic sense of self. In this experiential and didactic workshop, Peter Levine, a pioneer in stress and trauma for thirty-five years and author of the best-selling book Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma: The Innate Capacity to Heal from Overwhelming Experiences, will work with individuals in a supportive group setting. In addition, body-centered awareness exercises, small-group work, and journaling will be used to support participants in their healing journey. This workshop is open to both professionals and nonprofessionals. There will be the opportunity, if participants wish, for short discussion of their work to enhance the learning process. Please bring a notepad and pen. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Transforming Rage: Women Making Inner Peace Possible Ruth King “Rage sits at the crossroads of personal transformation and is not to be understood as a useless emotion, empty of story or knowledge,” writes Ruth King. “Rather, rage is the daughter of our traumas, the twin of our shame, the burden of our denied histories, the foreign language of our emotional pain, and the wisdom that helps us heal. This retreat empowers women to open a pathway to liberation. You will be guided inward to deal with those aspects of yourself that are dishonored. Through emotional release, dance, dream work, art, ritual, and meditation, you can learn how to stop contributing to your own suffering, how to feed yourself when your soul is starving, how to accept and forgive yourself, and how to rest in your own skin.” During the retreat you will be shown how to: • Discover your Disguises of Rage™, why you wear them, and the wisdom behind them • Utilize Percept Orientation Language, an empowering, Gestalt-based technique to own your reality, expand your perceptions, and neutralize inner conflict • Discover your Rage Inheritance™ and how to transform this legacy • Apply mindfulness techniques to weather intense emotions without blame or shame • Learn how to stay centered when others are raging Rage is fierce clarity and untapped fuel; a natural resource of misused energy that requires our loving attention. Embraced with compassion, the trapped energies of rage are liberated and become an intimate teacher of balance, integrity, and resiliency, greatly enhancing our relationships and our service to the world. ($30 materials fee for art supplies paid directly to the leader) CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Alchemy in Art: Glass Fusing Dana Zed Art is a happy kind of magic and glass is a particularly magical medium. Clear as water, strong like stone, transparent yet solid, glass can be invisible and yet act as a barrier. Being a synthesis of opposites, it is an ideal medium for us to express our spiritual nature. Participants learn a variety of glass sculpture techniques to give their ideas form. The workshop begins with making individual glass charms and talismans. As a result of this process, glass becomes more familiar and participants can then choose to make items of their individual choice using techniques that are easy to understand and allow enormous room for creativity. Objects made can include jewelry, tiles, candleholders, coasters, boxes, tiles, small bowls, plates, and more. Participants may also incorporate drawings and objects brought from home. The workshop is designed to be nonjudgmental and easily accessible to all. Participants are encouraged to find the magician within. No art experience is necessary. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Weekend of March 12–14 Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness The human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe and each of us has one of these super-complex organs just behind our eyes. Developments in the scientific understanding of the brain are taking place at a rapid pace and much new information has accumulated about the molecular and cellular basis of brain structure and function, the relationships between brain chemistry and behavior, and the factors involved in the growth and repair of the nervous system. Yet many mysteries remain, including deep understanding of the brain processes involved in memory, perception, mental illness, and arguably the greatest unanswered question in all of science, the physical basis of consciousness and mind. Participants have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the biology of the brain and the neuroscience of consciousness, the effects of drugs on the brain and mind, and the emerging synthesis between neuroscience and the contemplative-meditative disciplines. The workshop is of interest and value to anyone—including health professionals from all clinical areas—who wishes to expand their knowledge about the mind-body connection. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Hostage at the Table: How to Live Your Dreams with Full Joy George Kohlrieser Are you a hostage to someone or something in your life? The chance of being taken physically hostage is relatively small. However, anyone can become a “hostage” in a relationship with a boss, employees, colleagues, spouse, children, even with oneself. We all know people who feel trapped, helpless, and afraid. These “hostages” can feel as frightened and as paralyzed as a reallife hostage who has a gun to their head. Yet there are people who, even with a gun to their head, behave with personal power, focused emotion, and courage to do the impossible—achieve freedom from the hostage taker. In this workshop, George Kohlrieser, leadership professor, psychologist, and veteran hostage BENJAMIN FAHRER David Presti negotiator, will explore how the techniques and psychological insights used in hostage negotiation can be applied to any personal or professional relationship. Step by step, the workshop will outline the key factors that can remove the blocks that impede resolving tough problems. Business leaders, managers, teachers, doctors, nurses, parents-all can learn to resolve conflict, engage in productive dialogue, change mindsets, and solve dilemmas. The techniques of hostage negotiators can provide a potent framework in any situation where the goal is to live with full personal power. By participating in this workshop you can: • Recognize when you are a “hostage” and what to do about it • Learn to bond, even with an enemy • Explore how to be a “secure base” to create trust and cooperation • Learn techniques to “rewire the brain” for maintaining high motivation • Learn the power of words and dialogue to influence mindset changes • Learn to resolve conflicts and handle difficult conversations Recommended reading: Kohlrieser, Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance; Goleman, Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships; Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See Seminar Spotlight, page 9. Living Heroically™ George Lough “During difficult times when we are faced with defeat and loss, and experience feelings of fear and shame, we often resort to habitual ways of coping,” writes George Lough. “We use behaviors that we learned in our families-of-origin even though they have become outmoded. For example, if the expression of anger was forbidden when we were young, we became overly nice. Or perhaps we angrily rebelled or became shut down as a way to survive. These ways of handling life’s challenges now prevent us from moving forward. “Instead we need to live heroically. That doesn’t mean being superhuman, or doing something beyond our capabilities. It means having the courage to break free of old patterns and go within to find our authentic selves. Then we can make more mindful choices. For some this will lead to forthright, outer action; for others it will mean daring to go slow and be quiet. Whatever risk we take, by going beyond the familiar we can step into the potential that lies within and before us.” Join Lough, psychologist, professor, and author, as he helps you identify your survival system and see how it has impeded you, and learn how to break free of its restrictions. He uses lecture, group discussion, and writing and oral exercises to elicit the hero within. Using stories and humor he can inspire you to make the changes necessary to live with more openness, honesty, and passion. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 41 Wild Serenity poems whose form, rhythm, language, and meaning work as an effective whole. Lorin Roche & Camille Maurine Wild Serenity is a radically liberating, deeply revitalizing weekend of meditation, movement, and energy practices. The workshop explores the interplay between meditation and expression—the way that contact with the soul inspires dynamic engagement with the outer world, which in turn contributes to a rich inner life. Meditation can be defined as paying attention to the current of life and love flowing through us and riding it inward to our essence. This is an instinctive ability, a way of accessing inner wisdom, and we all can do it. The course alternates sitting and moving meditations that awaken the senses, soften the heart, and stretch the muscles of the mind. Through body awareness, sound, and breath, you gently and gradually let more life force stream through you. In this approach, you learn to embrace the fullness of your nature—vastness and vulnerability, sensuality and surging power. You will discover that what might seem like obstacles—raw emotions, restlessness, desire—are actually gateways into vitality, renewal, and creativity. Drawing on three decades of teaching and 25 years of relationship, authors Maurine and Roche share their experience with humor and compassion. If you’ve given up on meditation, or are ready to take your practice to a new level; if you want to tap into more joy and inspiration; if you long for more intimacy with yourself and others, then perhaps it’s time for Wild Serenity. This course is also useful for those in the helping professions. Recommended reading: Maurine and Roche, Meditation 24/7 and Meditation Secrets for Women. White Lotus Poetry Workshop Ellen Bass Its wonderful root and bud are snow-white, bright. When was it parted with the western skies? Nobody knows how deep the mud it grows in is. When it emerges from the water, we know it is the white lotus. —Joshu “In this workshop,” writes Ellen Bass, “we will allow ourselves to extend our roots deeply into the mud of our experience in order to give voice to our poems. This is an opportunity to meet the poems that gestate within us and to engage our greatest resources—attention, courage, precision—in bringing them into being. We will strive for language that is accurate, fresh, and interesting in itself and we will work to create 42 “This is an opportunity to delve deeply into our writing without distractions or interruptions. In our busy lives, many of us long for more time to write. This weekend will be a way to nurture the creative voice inside us and allow it to speak. There will be time for sharing and for response, hearing what our work touches in others, but mainly it will be a writing retreat—a time to explore and create.” It is well to understand as early as possible in one’s writing life that there is just one contribution which every one of us can make; we can give into the common pool of experience some comprehension of the world as it looks to each of us. — Dorothea Brand Body, Voice, and Consciousness Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen Discover more deeply and subtly the power and flexibility of your voice in its dynamic relationship with your breathing, moving, and inner states of consciousness. Through movement, vocalizing, lecture, demonstration, partnering, and discussion we will explore: • Activating the six diaphragms (pelvic, thoracic, shoulder, vocal, oral, and cranial) • Shaping the laryngeal, oral, and nasal pharyngeal cavities in relation to the three basic planes (vertical, horizontal, and sagittal) in the production of vowels and vocal resonance • Distinguishing the structures of the larynx (hyoid bone and thyroid, cricoid, aryetnoid, and corniculate cartilages) that produce the voice in the two vocal registers (thyroid and aryetnoid) • Differentiating the placement of vowels and consonants in relation to the palate, tongue, and lips according to the Sanskrit tradition • Initiating and aligning the movement of the spine via the vocal structures Bringing awareness to your vocal structures brings greater freedom to your neck and spine and expands your ability to more fully understand and express your feelings and thoughts. This workshop is for anyone interested in discovering more consciousness in expressing themselves through their voice—a deeper understanding of how much the voice effects breathing, posture, and movement and how breathing, posture, and movement affects the voice. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Awakening Creativity and Inspiration Jayson Fann Let the beauty we love be what we do. —Rumi The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the true source of all art and science. —Albert Einstein Jayson writes: “This workshop is for those wanting to immerse themselves in a weekend of abundant creativity. Silk painting, clay sculpting, mask making, mosaic, and print making are some of the media we will explore to entice what lies beneath in the ocean of your imagination.” What makes this workshop special is the opportunity to work with guest artists who will share their knowledge in a variety of artistic approaches and mediums that are accessible and enjoyable. The workshop is structured to provide the guidance, the materials, and a supportive environment for you to awaken and explore your creativity and artistic passion. For added inspiration, there will be live musical accompaniment woven throughout the workshop. ($75 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Week of March 14–19 A Bottle of Ink, A Wooden Pen, and Thou: Expressive Figure Sketching Joanne Beaule Ruggles Pen in hand, liberate the figure studies already residing deep within your heart. Harness the passionate energy of black India ink using primitive pens we will fashion ourselves from wooden dowels. These ancient and handmade tools encourage a higher level of creative risk-taking. Enjoy ample studio time in community with others, observing the miraculous human anatomy and transforming those observations into your own artworks that reveal and release the human spirit. Sometimes a blank page can seem daunting as we begin. Learn how to create a preliminary abstract environment of marks and shapes that then interacts with the figure you draw on the same page. This interaction can be a means to unleash pure artworks–whether ink, mixedmedia drawings, or water-media paint sketches. Nontraditional tools and techniques will be emphasized along with a variety of strategies to promote a more vigorous artistic response within your art practice. Prior experience working You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. with the human anatomy as artistic subject is helpful but not required. A supply list will be sent upon registration. For more information, visit www.beaulerugglesgraphics.com. Recommended reading: Herrigel, Zen in the Art of Archery. ($75 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Cinema Alchemy: Using the Power of Movies for Healing and Transformation Birgit Wolz Movies affect us powerfully because the combined impact of music, dialogue, lighting, camera angles, and sound effects enables a film to bypass our ordinary defensive censors. Movies draw us into the viewing experience, but at the same time, and often more easily than in real life, afford a unique opportunity to retain a perspective outside the experience: the observer’s view. Cinema Alchemy teaches the art of watching films with conscious awareness, a form of mindfulness practice. Several techniques derived from spiritual traditions and transpersonal psychology will be introduced, and can help us recognize aspects of our shadow selves and latent capacities. This expanded awareness helps us let go of unhealthy patterns and, consequently, reconnect with our authentic self and spiritual essence. Like dream work, inquiring into emotional responses to movies can open a window to our soul. Together we will build a bridge between our realizations in “reel” life and our experiences in real life. How we relate to a film’s archetypal motifs reveals our inner life. As we examine reactions to the film, we avoid focusing primarily on the film or even the story. Instead, we explore ways of watching favorite films that connect us to our higher possibilities long after this workshop ends. Additional teaching materials are available for clinicians who want to incorporate these methods into their practice. allow deeper and truer contact with self and with group members who, in all honesty, are representative of family and others in our lives. In addition to intrapersonal and interpersonal processes, we address issues of body defenses (armor). We can explore this rebuilding of selfsupports together. The new and the unexpected in our lives can then become creative opportunities rooted in our compassionate presence. There will be appropriate didactic work. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Writer’s Way: Returning to Personal Truth The Profound Simplicity of Being Present: A Gestalt Workshop Alan Schwartz In The Feeling of What Happens, Antonio Damasio defines the human organism as “really a sense of self about one moment—now—and about one place—here.” This has been the Gestalt point of departure at Esalen for more than forty years. Using the three E’s of Gestalt: Experiment, Experience, and the Existential, you can access the here-and-now as a personal foundation for deepening strength and self-supports in the uncertain present. In effect, we can increase stability as we face an equally uncertain future. This process involves recognizing and experimenting with self as a breathing mechanism within a structure of fixed patterns of behavior. We work toward as much deconstruction of these patterns (fixed gestalts) as possible to Nancy Bacal At the tip of the pen confusion blossoms into riches. “This is an invitation to join a dynamic community of writers for five days of intimacy and experimentation, to permit our writing to be coaxed to new ground,” Nancy Bacal writes. “Our mission is to translate the bittersweet paradoxes of life onto the page, to explore the human condition by writing the stories of our own lives. The process is risky, evocative, joyous. It will offer enough courage to move past the critic, beyond blocks and shame. Each writer will be met at his or her own level, and be challenged to move beyond habit into the realm of art. Life is not tidy. Writing will not change this, but can provide a grateful container to receive it. “The schedule will include movement, meditation, laughter, tears, moments of resistance and amazing discovery! With caring support and guidance, we will write daily in and out of the group, share and discuss our material.” Former students are particularly welcome. For new people, an open mind and heart is crucial to the process. Some writing experience is preferred. A Yogic Model for Personal Development and Leadership in Challenging Times HARRY FEINBERG Thomas Michael Fortel & Ulrich Schwalb We are living in exponential times: life around us is not only changing quickly, but also in unexpected directions and unusual ways. This is commonly perceived as a crisis, yet it also is an opportunity to see where we are and to move forward with vision and hope. We may realize that what has brought us to this moment in time will not necessarily bring us to the next place. New orientation, attitude, and awareness are required to bring individuals, managers, and their organizations closer to their goals. We See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 43 higher consciousness are embodied in our lives. Second, a deeper understanding of the chakras can open us to a more palpable experience of the divine. This workshop integrates Nervous System Energy Work with the chakra system as a means to accelerate our personal and spiritual development. Aligning the chakra energies with our nervous system, where they can be clearly felt, is deeply transformative. return home with a profound experience of the full, loving potential of your relationship. This workshop has proven extraordinarily beneficial for all couples—old or new, couples in need of healing or couples in love seeking enrichment. Same-gender couples are warmly welcomed. For more information about the workshop, including commentary from past participants, visit www.sacredunion.com. DANIEL BIANCHETTA Our work includes: must successfully deal with change without losing sight of what is fundamental to our organizations, people, and to personal development. • Learning to generate and identify the specific energies of each chakra • Using hands-on energy techniques to align the chakras and open our nervous system to carry those energies • Incorporating an integral model to work with different levels of consciousness • Exploring meditations and practices with the figure eight as a tool for a deeper connection to the divine • Integrating these processes with yoga, breathing, movement, and other physical exercises This workshop involves individual creative processes through interactive teaching, group discussions, mutual coaching, and experiments in our workshop laboratory. These activities are based on the concepts of humanistic psychology, awareness practice/Gestalt, and supported by a daily yoga practice. Yoga is seen primarily as a form of physical exercise, yet is essentially a reliable practice of mental purification. Yoga enhances the capacity for optimal functioning and provides an alternative reference point for success and self-fulfillment. We engage the yoga practices of pranayama (conscious breathing), asana (postures), and yoga philosophy as a support for opening ourselves in reflection and the group processes. All levels welcome. Please bring a yoga mat and a journal. No prior experience is required, but those who have attended other workshops by the leaders will find a whole new range of insight and practice. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Offered for over twenty-five years at centers around the world, this safe yet intensive experiential retreat has helped hundreds of couples make deeper intimacy, partnership, and love part of their living reality. “ Chakras Actually: Consciousness, Energy, and Our Nervous System Jim Kepner & Carol DeSanto What does it take to bring spiritual consciousness into our daily life? How do we integrate the wondrous states we experience in meditation, yoga, and other practices? How can we make our presence transformative and healing for others? The leaders’ approach brings two essential keys to unlocking these questions. First, it is through our nervous system that chakra energies and 44 CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Sharing the Path: A Retreat for Couples Robert Gass & Judith Ansara Gass Do you want to infuse your relationship with renewed passion, skillful communication, mutual respect, heart-to-heart intimacy, and joy? Are you ready to put an end to blame and disappointment and join with your partner in crafting a life-giving relationship to which you can both say a joyful and wholehearted “Yes!”? You will be challenged and supported as you break free of destructive habits and receive guidance in the skills and practices of conscious relationship, including: authenticity, self-responsibility, empathy, appropriate boundaries, sacred sexuality, deep listening, and effective problem solving. After learning and sharing important skills that will help you to continue to grow and open in your ongoing life as a couple, you will Weekend of March 19–21 Finding Yourself in the Formless Form: An Investigation of Tai Ji Practice Chungliang Al Huang & Robert Walter This weekend will be an experiential exploration of the movement vocabulary and philosophical perspectives fundamental to the Tai Ji form developed and championed by Living Tao dancer Chungliang Al Huang. Joseph Campbell Foundation president Robert Walter, who again joins Huang for their annual investigation of the interpenetration of ancient Eastern practices and contemporary Western insights, describes this year’s activities as being about “in essence, the story of the five moving forces, the eight directions, and you.” Prepare to be inspired, stimulated, and provoked, for Huang and Walter’s collaboration promises to provide each Tai Ji dancer, whether neophyte or adept, with a more profound and visceral understanding of the importance of developing and sustaining his or her own unique practice. For more information, visit www.livingtao.org and www.JCF.org. I’m Right and You’re Wrong: The Journey from Self-Justification to Self-Actualization Elliot Aronson & Carol Tavris Abraham Maslow, one of the founding fathers of the human potential movement, taught us that self-actualization is the ultimate goal of human endeavor. The journey toward self-actualization is the process of maximizing our potential and becoming who we were meant to be. One of the major roadblocks to self-actualization is self-justification: the need we all have to convince ourselves and others that we are smart, competent, and moral—even when our behavior has been otherwise. We do this in order to maintain our You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. self-esteem and the esteem of others. Self-justification is hard-wired; it has survival value because it has benefits: It lets us sleep at night after committing a blunder or making a bad decision. But it can also have disastrous personal and professional costs. It can keep us clinging to outdated beliefs, traveling on self-defeating paths, and harming the people we love most. Ultimately, it blocks self-awareness and prevents us from reaching our highest potential as human beings. Elliot Aronson, who studied with Abraham Maslow, is a leading researcher on the causes and consequences of self-justification. Carol Tavris, Elliot’s coauthor on their book on this subject, has conducted many workshops on psychological themes. Through lectures, group discussions, and group exercises, learn how self-justification operates, how we can recognize it in ourselves and in others, and how we can develop ways to overcome the hard-wiring that produces it and move toward self-actualization. www.mistakesweremadebutnotbyme.com. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Building Resiliency through Energy in the Autonomic Nervous System Jim Kepner & Carol DeSanto The functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a huge impact on our response to stress, emotional stability, health, and daily living. Psychologists, somatic therapists, yoga teachers, bodyworkers, health care providers, and other helping professionals know that fostering balance and resiliency in the ANS, and lowering its reactivity, is an essential ground for healing. This workshop is for these professionals. Most ways of affecting the ANS, such as meditation, muscular relaxation, yoga, and psychotherapy, are indirect attempts at regulation. Through Nervous System Energy Work (NSEW), a hands-on system that works with subtle energy flow directly in the nerve pathways, practitioners have an immediate, palpable, and lasting effect on the client’s capacity for resilience. Working in this way modulates reactivity, opens up previously unavailable autonomic response, and helps foster better self-regulation. This process provides great assistance for clients whose ANS is dysregulated through stress, health problems, emotional reactivity, trauma, and other conditions. Topics include: • The fundamental principles and practices of NSEW • The basic physiological functioning of the ANS • A gentle, hands-on way to locate, sense, and work with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems • Techniques for harmonizing and balancing the relationship between different aspects of the ANS • The relationship of the energetic nervous system to the neuropsychology and neurophysiology of stress, inflammation, and neuro-immune response CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Awakening Wisdom: Transformative Teaching, Training, Coaching, and Mentoring Kim Hermanson Explore the concepts “third space” and the “imaginal world” in the teaching, training, facilitating, coaching, and mentoring relationship. Third space and the imaginal world are places of expanded knowing and intuitive wisdom; they are the great unknown of inspiration and possibility. We could define the imaginal as a realm that is just beyond our ordinary, everyday rational intellectual capacities. When groups of any size come together in meaningful ways for a shared purpose, there is a larger wisdom available to draw upon, a wisdom that lies within the center of the group itself. Themes include: • Exploring structure and structurelessness • Using creative expression as a way toward expanded group knowing • Working with other people as a creative process of embracing the unknown • Teaching from a place of higher vision and intuitive knowing • Embracing group resistance and conflict Each participant will connect with and develop his or her own voice, personal vision, and unique leadership style. This workshop is recommended for all in the teaching and helping professions, and it also is useful for those preparing to teach, coach, mentor, or facilitate for the first time. It may be particularly helpful for those who sometimes experience resistant or difficult audiences or clients, and for those who simply wish to lead groups with more skill, heart, and integrity. Recommended reading: Hermanson, Getting Messy: Taking Risks and Opening the Imagination (available at www.aestheticspace.com). Improvisational Cooking for Health and Vitality Leslie Cerier In this hands-on vegetarian cooking class, gourmet organic chef/teacher and cookbook author Leslie Cerier presents whole foods that are not just good for you, but also pleasurable and delicious. Come cook and feast on exciting vegetarian dishes that will enhance your immune system, give you energy, rejuvenate your senses, keep your bones strong, and help you maintain an active lifestyle. During the workshop, learn to: • Stock a cornucopia of organic whole foods, including beans, grains, sea vegetables, soy foods, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, and cook them easily from scratch • Expand your cooking repertoire and boost nutrition with exotic ancient grains like teff, quinoa, Bhutanese red rice, and Chinese “forbidden” black rice • Use herbs and spices to enhance flavor and create international dishes • Mix and match foods that are high in antioxidants, calcium, and iron to invent your own recipes • Substitute ingredients by color, flavor, seasonal availability, texture, cooking times, and whim Saturday is devoted to cooking up a feast for our lunch and dinner. During our other sessions we have group discussion about creative cooking for health and vitality, and improvise more in the kitchen. Excite your palate with a treasure-trove of healthy and taste-tempting recipes. This class is guaranteed to delight the palate and inspire home cooking. Leslie Cerier will show novice and seasoned cooks how to make cooking and eating deeply nourishing as we go through our changing lives with grace and ease. ($25 ingredient fee paid directly to the leader) You Can Make a Difference: Strategies for Social Change Tamar Miller What are you called to do, and what are you called to do now? This workshop is an exercise in the practice of social entrepreneurship and organizing for social change. Teachers, clinicians, peacemakers, parents, journalists, administrators, clinicians, storytellers, public officials, clergy, activists, musicians, artists, and all citizens who care deeply and are committed to act, are welcome. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 45 We engage in individual and group exercises based on yoga and other insight traditions as we work through your ideas for social change in the areas you care about most. However big or small, global or local, you are welcome to bring your ideas, spreadsheets, curricula, musical scores, your organization’s management dilemmas, your dreams or wildest fantasies, and your business plans. Bring your humor, sense of the absurd and yes, your frustrations too. This work is inspired by the innovative approach of Marshall Ganz, author of Why David Sometimes Wins and on Tamar Miller’s initiative, The PeaceBeat. We will use our personal stories to inspire us and our collective assets to guide us toward action, turning what may seem like meager resources into power for change. We will help one another create the next steps of our visions and our operations. Some of you may let go of a project or a campaign and liberate new creative energy for justice and peace. Our goal is to leave Esalen with a way forward and the next set of strategies for social change. You are welcome to share ideas prior to the workshop. Please contact [email protected]. See Seminar Spotlight, page 9. Photographing the Seasons of Big Sur Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta & Daniel Bianchetta Participants in this workshop will contemplate with a camera the beauty of Big Sur. On Friday night the group will meet to prepare for Saturday’s photographic excursion by invoking the use of photography as a tool for meditation, healing, self-growth, and spiritual connection. Saturday will be a time for connecting with Big Sur in its spring attire: the wildflowers, the sunsets, the misty panoramas. On Sunday morning the group will gather to share its creativity together. No experience is necessary and all levels are welcome. Please bring a digital or 35mm camera you are familiar with, a journal, and any existing photos you want to share with the group. 46 DANIEL BIANCHETTA Big Sur abounds with natural beauty in every season. It is a land where the waves of the Pacific caress the rugged California coastline, where the sun and the fog perform their perennial dance through magical redwood forests and over grassy slopes. Week of March 21–26 Everything Old is New Again: A Mythological ToolBox (17th edition, revised) Robert Walter & The Joseph Campbell Foundation Every year for more than two decades Joseph Campbell celebrated his birthday, March 26th, at Esalen. To explain why, he would tell of the day that Carl Jung suddenly realized “what it means to live with a myth, and what it means to live without one.” Jung asked himself, What myth am I living by? Finding that he did not know, he wrote, “I took it upon myself to get to know ‘my’ myth, and I regarded this as the task of tasks.” “That’s what a birthday is for,” Campbell concluded, “...and that’s what Esalen is about.” In March 1988, five months after Campbell’s death, some of his friends again met at Esalen for what had become an annual tradition, the Campbell Week. This unbroken progression of springtime gatherings was eventually re-titled A Mythological ToolBox, partly because these explorations involve retooling the myths that You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. shape our lives, and partly because prior knowledge of Joseph Campbell is not required. The only prerequisite is a sense of humor. which may be physiological, psychological, emotional, spiritual, or any combination of these. There is an eclectic array of tools in our exploration of mythmaking, so no two years are the same. We might dance or sing, talk or sit quietly. We might make music, masks, altars, or medicine bundles. We might tell stories, decode films, unravel dreams, kindle visions. There is a mix of solo exercises, small-group activities, and collective projects to provide opportunities for reflection and expression. Yet, always, we talk of transformation: Who were you? What childhood stories were impressed upon you? What were your favorite games? What did you treasure in your youth? What is enshrined on your mantle, hung from your rearview mirror, taped to your refrigerator door? What lies forgotten in the basement? What’s secreted in the attic? Whom do you aspire to be? What new adventures do you envision? What face do you hope to see in the mirror? What’s set upon your metaphoric altar, emblazoned on your bumper, pursued in your fantasies? By blending concepts of psychosynthesis, Gestalt, and Jungian psychology with SER and CST, the practitioner employs specific techniques to help clients increase awareness of the “inner self.” Class exercises are designed to strengthen the relationship between the conscious and the unconscious mind in order to increase self-awareness. If you are willing to re-vision yourself, then join this improvisational ritual of rebirth. Please bring a small totemic object that is both meaningful and expendable. Foundation president Bob Walter will be joined by Caldecott-award-winning author/artist Gerald McDermott (www.geraldmcdermott.com), Tai Ji dancer Chungliang Al Huang (www.livingtao.org), and a special guest, storyteller/musician/ poet/actor and music therapist, David Gonzalez (www.davidgonzalez.com). For more information, visit www.jcf.org. The Upledger Institute’s SomatoEmotional Release II Stan Gerome This course integrates SomatoEmotional Release (SER) techniques with various creative and dialoguing methods. The emphasis is on wholeness and self-healing. The goal: a comfortable holistic mind/body approach to the resolution of problems related to client progress and growth. Clearing negative (i.e. destructive) memories and emotions related to buried experiences can be helpful but often there remains “something missing.” This might be the completion of a naturally programmed and perhaps instructive biological process that had been triggered. This interruption creates what might be thought of as a “frustration” of the biological process, serving as an etiologic agent for related dysfunctions Participants must have completed The Upledger Institute’s SER I, either at Esalen or elsewhere. Please note: Registration for this workshop is through The Upledger Institute only. Please call 1-800-233-5880. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Your Editor is Not Your Mother! Kate Gale Coaching? Midwifery? Child Rearing? Therapy? What is the relationship between editor and writer? This conversation is about what happens in the editorial relationship, what the writer can expect, what the editorial steps are from the first draft to the polished draft you give to an editor and what happens after that. You write in solitude, you read your work, it seems pretty good to you, but it keeps getting rejected. Over and over. They don’t get it. They don’t see the brilliance of what you’re doing. Are they missing something or are you? We will talk about the steps in editing, what you do yourself and what you need help to do well. We will discuss what it takes to edit a manuscript well and to prepare it so that an editor will understand the magic you are creating. Editing makes magic be realized. Weekend of March 26–28 Cultivating Joy, Finding Aliveness Today Why Men Are the Way They Are Brooke Deputy Warren Farrell How does joy find its expression in our lives? What is the experience of having energy and freedom of movement and awareness? What is the feeling of aliveness right now, in this moment? Working with the body and mind to find new ways of being can lead to vitality, increased pleasure, and joy in living. Developing awareness of the holdings and contractions in our bodies, we can discover the nature of our character armor—the chronic muscular shapes and tensions in the body—of which we are largely unconscious. When we bring these patterns to light, we can express and release the held energies. When we are open, we experience more pleasure and more vitality. This workshop is designed to help both sexes understand each other via role-playing the life experiences that mold the other sex’s psyche. Men experience women’s view of sex and sexual harassment; women walk a mile in their father’s moccasins. In a safe yet boundary-pushing environment, Warren Farrell introduces innovative perspectives—initially challenging, perhaps, because not only are they female-positive but also more male-positive than is currently in vogue. Group interactions are allowed to become emotional enough to reflect how we communicate when we’re defensive. Farrell then facilitates work that demonstrates how both sexes can listen to criticism—including personal criticism—without becoming defensive, thus creating a model for expressing those tough-to-hear feelings. The goal: to create more compassionate ways to relate to the other sex and to view ourselves. This workshop offers insights on everything from why men fear commitment to why women are so angry at men. A common response to this workshop has been: “I’ve never felt so much love for the other sex.” Recommended reading: Farrell, Why Men Are the Way They Are and The Myth of Male Power. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. We work experientially and didactically, individually, in pairs, and in groups, focusing on finding those sensations and feelings that have been held inside, often not in our conscious awareness. We invite the movement of emotions and feelings, exploring the range of inner and outer reactions. Students bring about healthy integration of body, mind, and spirit, which allows the body to regain its natural aliveness and vitality. This workshop utilizes experiential exercises, awareness and expression, personal process, and group interaction. Applying psychodynamic processes, movement and dance, laughter, and the stillness of meditation, we expand our ability to see, hear, sense and feel, and cultivate a body capable of fully experiencing the pleasures and pains, the joys and sorrows of life. 5See pages 94-95 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 47 MythBody at Play in the Year of the Tiger Chungliang Al Huang & Robert Walter In the Chinese calendar, now in its 79th sexagenarian cycle, a year can be named in three different ways: after an animal in the Chinese zodiac; by using the complex stem-branch system of classification; and by referring to the number of years since the crowning of the first king of China, the Yellow Emperor, in 2697 BCE. Accordingly, the current year in the Gregorian calendar, 2010, is the year 4707 in the Chinese calendar, the year of the Metal (yang) Tiger. Though the Chinese zodiac, unlike its Western analog, isn’t a fixed system, traditional belief nonetheless holds that the ruling animal shapes the traits—that is to say, shapes the “mythbody”— of people born during a given year. So this year we will play at discovering and domesticating the feline within. Chungliang Al Huang coined the term MythBody for his Esalen workshops with the late Joseph Campbell. He and Joseph Campbell Foundation president Robert Walter continue to use that neologism in their continuing exploration of the vital interrelationship between your physical being and your story of yourself. The leaders write: “Over the course of the weekend, as we explore the symbology of the Tiger, we will share stories and anecdotes associated with that mighty animal, not only in Chinese lore, but also in the sagas of other cultures. We’ll weave myth and movement, Tai Ji and tiger tales, calligraphy and conundrums, poetry and praxis—all in celebration of our inner feline.” For more information, visit www.livingtao.org and www.JCF.org. Tasting Freedom: A Passover Experience for the Heart, Mind, and Palate Jan Goldstein, Bonnie Goldstein & Ellen Tussman Passover is the quintessential holiday of liberation, elements of which can be found in many other religious paths. The Seder is the cornerstone of the Passover experience: an ordered meal of traditional foods during which poetry, stories, and songs are part of the celebration and renewal. During this workshop, participants will experience preparing a Seder, and then share the Seder dining experience in the intimacy of the Big House. At the core of this exploration is freedom from slavery and the human search to free ourselves not only from physical shackles but also those 48 of the spirit. How do we allow ourselves to be enslaved in our everyday lives, from limiting attitudes to unfulfilling relationships? Conversely, how may we liberate ourselves from such constraints, and give voice to inner freedom and creativity? The Hebrew word chametz, “that which makes bread rise,” is also at the center of the psychology of the holiday. We will explore the elements that leaven our lives and also those that cause the attitudes that hold us back. This workshop encourages Jews and non-Jews to fashion an experience of personal meaning through food preparation, rabbinic teachings, self-reflection, and artistic creations. This process can deepen our understanding of the significance of Passover, and show us how it can be a catalyst for reconnecting with our most free and authentic selves. Rabbi Jan Goldstein and his wife psychologist Bonnie Goldstein collaborate with Ellen Tussman, who brings her culinary expertise. Come experience, share, taste, eat, journey, and celebrate! Recommended Reading: Dishon and Zion, A Different Night, The Family Participation Haggadah; Goldstein, Sacred Wounds: Succeeding Because of Life’s Pain. ($18 materials fee paid directly to the leaders) our relationships with them through adolescence and beyond. Through experiential exercises and discussion, we can: • Expand our appreciation for the challenges we may have faced in our own transition from girl to woman • Develop a rich, multi-storied understanding of the mother-daughter relationship as daughters and as mothers of daughters • Fine-tune our understanding of the values that guide us as mothers • Develop a plan for nurturing our daughters and ourselves • Discover ways to create a strong community of women and girls to support us and our daughters This workshop is appropriate for mothers of daughters and women interested in the motherdaughter relationship for their professional practice. Recommended Reading: Hamkins and Schultz, The Mother-Daughter Project: How Mothers and Daughters Can Band Together, Beat the Odds, and Thrive Through Adolescence. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See Family Spotlight, page 7. Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships Making Art: A Hands-On Exploration of Earthly Creation Renée Schultz Dave Zaboski “Mothering a daughter is often among the most intensely satisfying and challenging experiences of a woman’s life,” writes Renée Schultz. “We yearn for support for ourselves as mothers and for wisdom in nurturing our daughters into healthy women while sustaining close and loving relationships with them. Yet many of us fear that the wonderful ease and joy of our relationships with our daughters will unravel during adolescence. Honoring the hard work of mothering while simultaneously caring for our daughters and ourselves guides us toward mutual thriving.” Art is a call from one spirit to another across the gap of time. This course is about bringing your thoughts and feelings into form in the same creative ways that began in the caves of Lascaux 50,000 years ago and continue right up until today. It is a practical, experiential exploration of how and why we create. Join us as we participate in drawing, painting, and creative exercises that connect the past with the present and who you are as a creator today. This course will connect you emotionally, physically and spiritually with creation throughout the ages, all with a view toward what we are creating today and tomorrow for ourselves and the planet. Using live models, exercises, and art history to gain an understanding of the greater creative process, we will come to better know ourselves as we bring our ideas into form. The intention is to deepen our awareness of the sacred, our sense of movement, space, light, and finally our connection to our own creative powers. This class is intended for creators of all levels committed to Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships is a workshop during which participants can explore their experiences, values, hopes, and fears as mothers while held in a community of compassion and playfulness. We use the practices of The Mother-Daughter Project to question damaging assumptions about mothers and daughters and to discover how we can simultaneously nurture ourselves, our daughters, and You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. experience is required and all painting supplies are provided. Please bring your own drum or rattle if you have them, and also warm clothes and a blanket. ($40 art materials fee paid directly to the leader) Self-Acceptance: The Heart of Healing Joe Cavanaugh The heart has reasons which reason knows nothing of. —Blaise Pascal BENJAMIN FAHRER We commonly hear the axiom, Love is letting go of fear. There is, however, another possibility: Love means loving ourselves even when we are afraid. This applies to all so-called negative emotions: fear, anger, doubt, jealousy, and so on. We simply cannot be who we are not. Accepting who we are allows healing to begin. Judging ourselves, we lose sight of the deeper message our feelings bring to us, reinforcing the very negativity we are attempting to dissolve. taking their art and their vision of what is possible for humanity to the next stage of excellence. ($40 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Week of March 28–April 2 farming techniques. Afternoon and evening sessions will look deeply into specific questions and topics of interest. From a seed planted with intention the world can change. Come learn how to participate in the amazing cycles of the season in the garden. Experiencing the Esalen Farm and Garden Spiraling into Your New Self: Shamanic Visionary Painting Benjamin Fahrer & Esalen Farm and Garden Staff Schahila Ute Albrecht Have you ever wanted to know how to grow your own food? This new and dynamic five-day experience gives you the opportunity to fully participate in the Esalen Farm and Garden alongside our talented and experienced staff. In this day and age, local food security is a major issue facing communities worldwide. It is said that there is no greater form of activism than growing one’s own food, no greater sense of connection to the land than sowing, cultivating, and harvesting from the earth that sustains us. This is the essence of SLOW food (Sustainable, Local, Organic and in respect to the Wild) and through it we come into a deeper relationship with and celebration of the whole process. By participating directly with the Esalen Farm and Garden crew, you will experience the realities of what it takes to make a garden thrive. Days will begin with the morning harvest and hands-on experience with composting, seed starting, cultivation, irrigation systems, transplanting, companion planting, and biodynamic If you are transitioning to a new momentum in your life, this workshop is a heartfelt invitation to open to your higher self and sense of what is— with and beyond the concerns and obligations of daily life. This springtime sanctuary gives you time and space to allow divine sparks of creation touch and flow through you. An introduction to expanding your consciousness into shamanic dreamtime provides the opportunity to make contact with supportive spiritual beings who are lovingly willing to share their wisdom, strength, and healing capacities. These dreamtime experiences are recalled by manifesting them into colors and forms on paper or canvas. The only intention of this creative process is to embody the essence of experience and to let it be expressed through us without being attached to the outcome. We are life’s artists, after all. Meditation, energetic cleansing, guided movement and dance, and opportunities for individual sharing with the group all support the flow of the creative process. No previous painting “Through personal and interpersonal processes,” Joe Cavanaugh writes, “we will see how our judgments, beliefs, and attitudes can undermine our self-esteem and personal effectiveness. We will create a space to heal our wounds from the past while enhancing our capacity for greater love and compassion. In a context of mutual support and safety, we will learn to accept ourselves for who we are in the present moment. We will then discover how these so-called negative emotions were in fact angels in disguise, guiding us toward our Authentic Self.” This workshop is designed for all those wishing to enrich the quality of their lives and increase their capacity for empathy and compassion for themselves and others. Prerequisite: Be willing to abstain from alcohol and nonprescription drugs for the duration of the workshop. Recommended reading: Cavanaugh, Who Am I, Really? How Our Wounds Can Lead to Healing. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Sacred JourneyDance™ and Shamanic Ritual Toni Bergins “Open to the joy of life,” Toni Bergins writes. “You are the prayer: your body, your movement, your breath. You are the goddess: your passion, your emotions, your sensual heart. You are the warrior: your power, your intentions, your life’s journey.” See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 49 JourneyDance is an intuitive method of using movement to discover and celebrate inner strengths and to move through deep, personal exploration into a loving, intimate relationship with body, mind, and source energy. It is an exhilarating union of dance, visualization, voice, and ritual. In celebration of this seasonal rebirth, Toni brings medicine woman Sanjivani Marie Amma to hold the group in sacred healing ritual. In a shamanic style, Toni and Sanjivani carry participants through an intentional and seamless flow of guided ritual and free expression. We embody our physical temple, unleashing animal energies and awakening sensuality. We connect with the inner shaman creator to burn the mind’s clogging clutter and make space for the abundance of joy available to us. We explore our inner realms of the heart, listening deeply. We open our voices authentically, to empower our truth. We express ourselves as soul and ride our pranic chi flow into prayer. As we create this powerful dancing ritual together, we open the body and mind to our highest vibration. Join Toni and Sanjivani for this ultimate synergy of sacred fire and healing water. We will dance with the elements and invoke archetypal energies. For more information, visit www.Journeydance.com. Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power to Create Health and Vitality Meir Schneider Experience your own self-healing through gentle movement exercises, self-massage, visual imagery, and breathwork. Release physical limitations and the restricted concepts of health that accompany them. Learn how to achieve and maintain optimal health throughout your life. Highlights include: • Methods to let go of deeply held tension and stress • Natural vision improvement exercises including a starlight walk, weather permitting • Exercises for the pool and hot tub to enhance joint mobility • Exercises to overcome back pain and stiffness • Strategies for preventing and overcoming repetitive strain injuries. Recommended reading: Schneider, Movement for Self-Healing. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. illustrator, Dave Zaboski, and National Endowment of the Humanities award-winning writing educator, Tesa Conlin, to reveal the story that is in your heart. We will engage in writing, drawing, painting, photography, collage, and anything else within reach as parents and children craft their stories together. From the glow of the campfire, songs and stories will emerge, be crafted into form, and imagined into pictures. Finally, your family will complete the weekend with a presentable mock-up book in hand to share with family, friends, and maybe even a publisher or two! Come together to play, unite, and create your dream while producing a family treasure. This workshop is for people with ideas, with tales to tell, dreams to fulfill, and all families who want to spend more quality creative time together. (We recommend kids ages 4 and up.) ($80 materials fee paid directly to the leaders) Wondrous Stories—Writing For Children with Children See Family Spotlight, page 7. Dave Zaboski & Tesa Conlin Have you been musing about a children’s story? Do you have a tale or character that you want to bring to life? Have you ever wanted to leave a legacy of teachings to children of the world? Isn’t it time for your story to be told? Weekend of April 2–4 How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow Chip Conley & Vanda Marlow In this lively experiential workshop, you and your family will be guided by renowned former Disney animator and children’s book author and Chip Conley, author of the best-seller Peak, leads this weekend workshop on how you and your company can use the principles of Abraham Self-Healing is body-mind work with rehabilitative and preventative applications. Every exercise teaches how to listen to the body and respond to its needs. Self-Healing grew out of Meir Schneider’s personal journey of natural healing from congenital blindness using a unique combination of eye exercises, movement, and self-massage. Meir read by Braille until he was a teenager; today he drives a car with an unrestricted license! During this period of intense self-discovery, Meir began to craft massage and movement regimens for disabled people that brought about dramatic improvement. This method unlocks the healing potential within each person. 50 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. DANIEL BIANCHETTA Do you want to see better or get rid of your glasses? Overcome chronic tension from stress and computer use? Release the tension in your aching muscles? Prevent problems that lead to suffering, joint deterioration, and paralysis? Would you like to age with vitality, mobility, and health for the eyes and body? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to create a more self-actualized employee, customer, and set of investors. Twenty years ago, Chip founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality, which has become America’s second largest boutique hotel company. During the travel downturn of 2001-2004, Chip reconnected with Maslow’s work and developed an operating business theory that suggests “peak experiences create peak performance.” Seeing that this theory paid big dividends, both financially and emotionally, within his company of 2,500 employees, Chip began to study companies like Google, Genentech, Southwest Airlines, and Whole Foods Market. He found that Maslow’s influence was profound in these peak-performing companies. To get the most from this workshop, the leaders’ recommend reading Chip’s book, Peak, and coming to the workshop prepared to talk about how your company or organization might apply the humanistic principles of the Hierarchy of Needs to its key constituents. While a good portion of the workshop will focus on applying Maslow in the workplace, the last two sessions will cover peak experiences and how to integrate Maslow’s and Chip’s principles of transformation into your personal life. A Growing Awareness: Rebirth and Renewal through the Practices of Yoga Thomas Michael Fortel Taking time for oneself to go on retreat is one of the many spiritual practices available to us. Often on retreat, we enter into the cradle of nature where the pranic force (life energy) is magnified and completely available for anyone who comes. In a similar way, the practitioners of yoga have journeyed for thousands of years to the ashram (yoga community) to engage the practices of meditation, pranayama (conscious breathing), chanting and Hatha yoga. In Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, the word “shramas” literally means fatigue, and “ashram” means removal of fatigue. Quite simply, when we gather in community and engage the various practices of yoga, we experience a sloughing off of accumulated energy, the removal of fatigue, and return home renewed and refreshed. You are welcomed, on this classic spring weekend, to join us as we practice, heal, and play together. Please have a minimum of three months recent yoga experience and bring your own yoga mat. Love Yourself— For Everyone Else’s Sake An Esalen® Massage Retreat for Couples Mark Abramson Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman This workshop directly challenges the confusion surrounding the issue of self-love. Self-love is the most altruistic of all practices. When you are free to be kind and loving to yourself, the world and all the people in your life are touched. This workshop is an experience of two trainings taught at Stanford University Medical Center. As director of Stanford’s MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Program, Dr. Mark Abramson has modeled his work after Jon Kabat-Zinn’s program (featured on Bill Moyers’ PBS series Healing and the Mind). He has also established a new program at Stanford called “Love Yourself—For Everyone Else’s Sake.” In any relationship, the art of Esalen Massage can be a powerful tool for enhancing the skill to touch. Surrounded by Big Sur’s natural beauty and the healing waters at Esalen, Johanna and Perry Holloman teach couples how to use massage as a source of nurturing support. The long flowing strokes characteristic of this approach radiate a sense of loving intimacy so important within a loving relationship. With Johanna and Perry’s guidance, couples learn to give each other a full body massage that everyone can take home as a new tool for exploring how to nurture your partner and your relationship. This retreat is ideal for beginners and seasoned practitioners who want to share a loving, relaxed space with their partners. Johanna and Perry share their knowledge of this work, and the enrichment it has brought to them in their togetherness. Along with plenty of supervised, hands-on learning, there is time to enjoy the stunning beauty of the Esalen grounds and the healing waters of Esalen’s hot springs. Join us for this healing retreat, and bring your willing hands and an open heart! CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Incorporating the latest research on mind/body medicine, this workshop introduces practices that create a profound physiological wellbeing, plus the heartfulness to transform emotional states and unleash the great potential for deep healing of the body. The goal is to learn how to use the awareness and mindfulness practices to experience your own love in a peaceful, healthy body. According to Mark Abramson’s studies, this work has been shown to create an increasing experience of gentleness, kindness, and respect for oneself and others. While the practices are especially helpful for people experiencing emotional or physical concerns, the universality of the experience makes this program valuable for all. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. By Land and By Water Sunnie Kaufmann Have a fun family weekend by exploring the land and water at Esalen in exciting and educational ways. We will explore the land through an adventurous habitrekk, an outdoors investigation requiring observation, interpretation, and data-gathering, and then presenting your findings. We will visit the animals at Gazebo School Park and learn how humans and wildlife share environments, and plant and harvest vegetables on the farm (plant your own flowers to bring home, learn how Esalen’s gardens grow, and make a picture out of seeds for your family to bring home and grow!). We’ll enjoy “Water Olympics” to investigate the properties of water by walking on water on a tightrope, vaulting pennies over a surface of water, learning about sculling by floating a soap bubble boat, and conducting water tests by dropping water on pennies to see how the coin reacts. Play together in the baths or at the pool to celebrate what we have learned about water (weather permitting). In addition, we’ll make time for art activities, nature walks, and yard games. This workshop is open to parents, children ages 5-14, and any family members who want to join us for this adventure by land and by water! ($25 materials fee per family paid directly to the leader) See Family Spotlight, page 7. Week of April 4–9 Spirit Songs: Freeing Your Voice through the Power of Gospel Vernon Bush In this uplifting and heart-opening workshop, you can experience spontaneous, in-the-moment expression and give your dreams voice with abundant joy. Get ready to dive into rhythm, singing, and dancing from a personal, spiritual place. You’ll explore the roots of gospel and inspirational music, song arrangement, harmony, and correct breathing. Through the practice of truly listening to yourself and others you will learn to free the voice that is uniquely and exclusively yours. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 51 Vernon Bush is a singer/songwriter, recording artist, musician, and educator who has worked with Whitney Houston and Gladys Knight. He is a musical director and featured vocalist at the world-renowned Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. To learn more about Vernon, visit www.vernonbush.com. Develop the Art of Romantic Intelligence: For Women Frances Verrinder Most unhappily single women have suffered from emotional disruptions in their early family relationships that make it difficult to feel safe in intimate relationships and difficult to develop rewarding long-term romantic partnerships as adults. Utilizing attachment theory, family systems, expressive arts, somatic awareness, and mindfulness meditation, this workshop is designed to help you: • Identify your attachment issues • Become aware of trauma-based responses, ambivalence, and avoidance • Identify fear, physical constriction, and body language that send non-verbal stay-away messages • Demystify the process of approaching and feeling close to others • Develop flexible boundaries, learn assertiveness and self protection • Recover a strong sense of self and self love • Cultivate a powerful sense of femaleness and femininity This workshop includes experiential small group work, mini-lectures, and guided group discussion to develop “romantic intelligence” so that you can begin to move into the world of successful relationship. Recommended reading: Goleman, Social Intelligence. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues: The Somatic Experience in Psychotherapy Diane Poole Heller Participants in this course experience how the body reveals character strategies, trauma, and attachment wounds. They learn how trauma may be transformed through the practical application of Somatic Experiencing® principles and techniques as well as through corrective experiences. Life makes shapes. The body is shaped 52 through the basic experiences and attitudes that are held both consciously and unconsciously. The way the self is formed is an expression of one’s mental, emotional, and spiritual life. All life strategies are organized, habitual patterns of reaction to real or perceived joy and stress. Through mindful awareness, participants experience how character strategies and core beliefs are revealed through the body. Our emphasis is on discovering, exploring, and working with these soma-psyche patterns in the therapeutic context. This course is part of the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Certificate Program in Relational Somatic Psychology. The Certificate Program is inspired by the SBGI somatic psychology postgraduate academic curriculum and consists of a rotating series of practice-oriented and academically sound Relational Somatic Psychology courses. For further information, including special registration instructions, see Special Programs, page 94. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Balance: Your Body's Re-set Button Jean Couch If you have a physical problem that is preventing you from moving on with your life, or if you find you are always chasing one symptom after another, then this course is for you. There are a few things you can do that will re-set your body in a way that can take away pain and make you strong again. From studying healthy people all around the world we know precisely how they sit, stand, bend, walk, and recline. How they do these things is very different from what many of us have been taught. Here is an opportunity to learn how to align your spine and joints so you are naturally strong and safe in all you do. During this workshop, there will be specific guidelines on how to sit, stand, bend, walk, recline, how to sit in your car, how to lift and carry, and essential stretches that accelerate comfort. You will be given continual, individual, hands-on guidance so you can experience for yourself specifically what you need to do to decrease pain and be strong again. There will be slide shows that instruct and inspire, and easy practice to do in and out of class, even in the tubs. The same guidelines that take your pain away revitalize your structure and can even improve your appearance. Expect to be surprised, relieved, and to feel like yourself again. It’s fun, you’ll see. Finding Your Deepest Purpose Rich Berrett We often live our lives without awareness and presence to the way we are living. It is as though our lives are living us rather than we living our lives. Finding emptiness in our accomplishments may manifest this state of being. Degrees, monetary wealth, success, status, all can leave us asking, Is that all there is? Joseph Campbell recommended, as the most significant purpose of living, that we seek our bliss. This week offers time to explore that which is all too often unexplored, and that which is deeply satisfying: purpose that honors self and others. This experiential workshop includes imagery, movement, art, reflective writing, and music to help you contact and express your deepest desires and connect with the wisest and most loving part of yourself: your inner wisdom. By listening to that inner wisdom you can become more present to who you are underneath the thoughts and patterns of living with which you are most familiar. Moreover, an understanding of how our lives have the potential to support the worth and dignity of all, and make a significant difference in a troubled world, will affirm the place of relationships in a purposeful life. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Esalen® Massage, Inspired by Poetry and Digeridoo Robin Fann-Costanzo & Silvia Guersenzvaig with Corey Costanzo Are you ready to be inspired in your work? This is a workshop for massage therapists and bodyworkers who are eager to reconnect with themselves and their passion for massage. During this week, the leaders and participants will create the foundation to inspire each other by connecting with the essentials of Esalen Massage: presence, quality of touch, breath, and flow with a background of ocean waves, poetry, and live didgeridoo music. Along the way, the workshop will address specific problem areas of the body, such as neck, shoulders, arms, and low back. Specific techniques will be demonstrated, ranging from rotations and stretches to more subtle, yet deeply effective methods of working with the body. The leaders will introduce a variety of self-care and movement practices, including meditations and various exercises, with plenty of time to rest, bathe in the hot springs, and enjoy gourmet meals surrounded by the beauty of Esalen and Big Sur. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Come ready to fill your cup, renew yourself, be inspired, and learn new techniques in a loving, nurturing, joyful environment! CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Family Arts Springtime Celebration Katie Nash & Christina Dauenhauer Come celebrate art and creativity with your family this spring at the Esalen Art Barn. This weeklong workshop is for parents and children or any family members who want to immerse themselves in the joys of creative expression. Just as Mother Nature is bursting with creative energy in springtime, we will open to the flow of our own unique creativity through a variety of art projects and the magic of storytelling and theatre games. Here’s a sample of just some of the activities participants can explore: creating treasure boxes, talking sticks, paper and jewelry making, designing silkscapes (painting with silk fabric), creating nature art, painting and collage. There will also be time for some outdoor adventures exploring Esalen as the magnificent grounds display the natural beauty of springtime. This workshop is for families with children who are 6-14 years old. All children must be accompanied by an adult. ($70 materials fee paid directly to the leaders.) Weekend of April 9–11 • A radical new paradigm for an equal partnership All types of marriages, from the traditional nuclear family to gay couples, from good marriages to bad, can benefit from this workshop. It is designed for people in any stage of marriage—those enjoying the golden years, those just starting out, and those in between; couples who are contemplating spending the rest of their lives together, as well as those contemplating divorce. Even though there are many stages of marriage, there are certain tools and behavioral patterns relevant for any stage, such as openness, honesty, and good will, that promote communication, trust, and love. This workshop can help reawaken the love and passion that brought you together. Steven Stroud has been happily married for twenty-six years. Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice Christine Price Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. This form is similar to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are allowed and encouraged. Happiness in Marriage Steven Stroud Do you want to live a longer, healthier, more prosperous life? Study after study shows that all you have to do is get married and stay married. Of course, the stresses of a bad marriage can outweigh the benefits of a good one. So, make it a happy marriage. The workshop offers a way to use self-responsibility to make changes in your relationship that can help you find, nourish, and enhance happiness. Couples explore: • How to use agreement as a dynamic engine for intimacy, trust, and love • How active listening can channel the energy from conflict to intimacy • How to deepen commitment and process together without constantly questioning the relationship • Keys to happiness The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. Open seat work may be demonstrated. Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Autobiography for Poets, Fiction and Non-fiction Writers Robert Sward “If someone asked you to sum up the story of your life in one sentence, what would it be?” asks Robert Sward. “If you had to choose just half a dozen family photos to tell your life story, what photos would you choose? Why? In which of those photos is there a contrast between appearance and reality? “You want to tell the truth, of course, but what version? How far can you go in exploring the darker side? How fair is it to reveal family secrets? These are questions the workshop considers early on in order to set you free to tell your story as it needs to be told. “As for me, I was born on the Jewish North Side of Chicago, bar mitzvahed, a sailor, amnesiac, university professor, newspaper editor, food reviewer, and father of five children. I love teaching this class because of the excitement and pleasure of serving as coach, midwife, and editor to the participants and their auto (self-generated), bio (life story), graphies (writings).” Topics include: • • • • • • • • Use of dialogue and natural story telling voice Audio/visual elements for interviews Methods of organizing: Hook, lead, grabber Getting your reader’s attention Exploring the darker side Telling secrets How far can you go? Incorporating photos, maps and other documents Bring six or more family photos and notes, diaries, journals, and/or works in progress. Also bring a notebook and pen for in-class writing exercises, and a box of crayons and colored pencils. Upon registration, please send 2-3 pages of your work-in-progress, if you have one, to [email protected]. 5Rhythms® Wave: In the Belly of the Beat Lucia Horan When we completely surrender in the dance we can find a place where all boundaries disappear. We are no longer the dancer. We are purely the dance—in the moment, present, alive being danced by the great mystery. In the belly of the beat we practice the ancient art of being fully alive in the present moment, full of breath and inspiration. Journeying through the 5Rhythms dance practice is an opportunity to investigate the sacred wilderness of bone and breath, hands and hips, spirit and flesh. Enter the realms of the feminine mysteries through Flowing, the masculine See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 53 DANIEL BIANCHETTA mysteries through Staccato, the integration of feminine and masculine through Chaos, the mystery of joy and transformation through Lyrical. And finally, through Stillness, enter the dance of wisdom. In the belly of our own heartbeat we find all rhythms united as one. Whatever your state of body or mind it is never too late to become the dancer. We are all born with the innate wisdom to heal through dance. This is an opportunity to reclaim that power and celebrate in the temple of the body. Here we use the dance to explore the inner and outer landscape of our reality and deepen our relationship to our partners, our communities, and ourselves. Creative writing, drawing, ritual theater, and sharing circles also deepen and integrate our experience during this weekend. For more information, visit www.luciarose.com. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. 54 What’s Next? Reviewing and Revisioning Our Lives Sam Keen Periodically, we need to review and revision our lives. Every decade of the life-cycle brings new challenges, goals, pleasures, and horizons. Every crisis—divorce, illness, tragedy, success, failure, retirement—requires us to make a new beginning, take stock of our past, and look for a new vision to guide us toward a more hopeful future. In this workshop, join Sam Keen to explore: • Where are you in your life-cycle? What have you accomplished? • What hasn’t happened yet? What haven’t you done, been, or experienced? • What have you given? Whom have you loved? • What’s old, stale, worn-out, boring? What destructive patterns do you repeat? • What infantile guilt and shame lingers? Whom have you not forgiven? • What’s new, interesting, exciting, appealing? • What decisions do you need to make? What future do you see for yourself? • What are your emerging passions? What promises and potentials are still unfulfilled? • What are your dreams, values, visions? Where do you look to find what’s next for you? Week of April 11–16 Shamanic Cosmology: Visionseeker Level 3 Hank Wesselman & Jill Kuykendall Over the past 35,000 years, indigenous shamans developed a methodology to expand awareness You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. and explore the many dimensions of reality, generating a rich body of knowledge about the nature and function of the sacred realms. Unfortunately, ever-multiplying overlays of spiritual scripture and esoteric literature have obscured our understanding of these hidden worlds. Today, this confusion is being reversed as the methods of the shaman are being reconsidered by non-tribal Westerners seeking direct experience of the transpersonal realms once again. Hank Wesselman writes: “This workshop will engage participants in investigative shamanic fieldwork into the numinous regions of the spirit worlds where all mysteries become known. We will deepen connection with our spirit helpers as well as our oversoul and the elder spirits who serve as master teachers on our Cosmic Committee. We will hone our abilities in areas such as divination and attempt to learn more about those localities where the most creative work of souls is accomplished. We will explore the nature of who and what we really are, providing an expanded perspective on the destiny of souls.” This training is open to those who have completed the weeklong Visionseeker 1 workshop or its equivalent. If in doubt, please contact Wesselman at PO Box 369, Captain Cook, HI 96704, or e-mail [email protected]. Note: Bring a rattle, a drum, a notebook or sketchpad, a set of oil or chalk pastels, a bandanna or eyeshade, and a light blanket. Please refrain from alcohol during the workshop. Recommended reading: Wesselman & Kuykendall, Spirit Medicine; Wesselman, The Journey to the Sacred Garden and The Spiritwalker Trilogy. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Reading the Body: Tales and Tools in Non-verbal Communication Wendy Evans Have you ever noticed how your physical posture changes depending on how you feel? “All bodies tell a story but most of us only read the book cover,” notes Wendy Evans. “Eighty percent of communication is non-verbal so there is an absolute wealth of potentially useful information just sitting there waiting to be noticed and used.” This workshop is for people who want to upgrade their professional and personal relationships by increasing their understanding and effective use of body language and non-verbal communication. From a place of curiosity, explore the connections in your body among your language, emotional habits, and movement patterns. Hone your ability to recognize your own patterns and those of others, and learn language and techniques to apply at work and at home. Drawing from Gestalt, Cortical Field Reeducation, and leadership development with a lighthearted perspective, activities will explore levels of awareness ranging from bone to speech and movement patterns. Some concepts and theory will frame the mostly experiential sessions. Activities include individual and partner work, and the opportunity for open-seat work with the leader in a group setting. Bring your curiosity and sense of humor, and wear comfortable loose clothing with no straps or belts. You must be able to get up and down off the floor unassisted. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving Charles Muir & Leah Alchin This is a “reset point” for couples who want to dramatically improve the quality of sex and intimacy in their love lives and open up to more ecstatic pleasure and spiritual connection in their relationship. Few of us have been blessed with healthy childhood conditioning and education regarding the mysteries of sexual love and sexual energy. This can leave individuals less successful and conscious in their sexuality than they are in other aspects of their lives. Tantra transforms sex into a loving meditation, putting more consciousness, energy, intimacy, joy, and love into sexual exchanges. It is time to study sex as an art form. Sexual loving is a vital skill to be mastered by every conscious individual. Sexual energy is a sacrament that, used well, brings great harmony and joy into one’s relationship so that love continues to grow over the course of a lifetime, deeply bonding the partners in joyous spiritual union. This experience offers couples ways to increase intimacy and passion in their relationship. Practices include ways to free female sexual orgasm and methods to increase pleasure for both partners. Esoteric practices of kiss, movement, and touch, along with many other exotic lovemaking skills are introduced in class, and then practiced in the privacy of your own room. Discover Tantric wisdom with insight, gentleness, humor, and love. The workshop is open to couples only and is not designed for same-sex couples. For twenty major media articles about this work and a free informative CD on Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving, visit www.Sourcetantra.com. Mapping the Soul: Collage, Poetry, and Creativity Patrice Vecchione “Beneath the facade of daily life, just on the other side of our skin, a wellspring of creativity waits to be tapped,” writes the leader. “We’ll immerse ourselves in that mysterious sea of imagination, finding images and words to map our souls. The exhilarating and democratic art form of collage unites pictures from various sources to make something new, a visual mirror to tell the stories of our lives. Who gave the small child wings, and where might she fly? “In this workshop for non-artists and artists alike, discover ways that creative expression can enhance your thinking and your resilient nature. Create with abandon in an environment free of doubt and criticism. Collage and poetry allow us to say what we didn’t know we could, answer old questions, ask new ones, and unleash the imagination! “Participants will create several collages and poems and work both figuratively and abstractly, small and large. Bring a pair of scissors, a journal, copies of old photos, receipts, birth certificates, small objects, whatever catches your eye.” ($70 materials fee paid directly to leader) Yoga, Health, and Happiness Michele Hébert & Mehrad Nazari Our true nature is joy. It is only when we lose sight of our spiritual essence that we experience suffering and pain. The wisdom tradition of yoga offers time-tested practices to reunite us as whole and joyous beings. The word health comes from the Old English word “wholth.” In its broadest sense, true health is the wellbeing of our whole self. Yoga and health go hand in hand. The ancient yogis were aware of this and now scientific research demonstrates a direct correlation between happiness, health, and the immune system. Explore the similarities between scientific findings in the new field of positive psychology and the principals of ancient yoga to provide a roadmap for a healthier and happier life. During this transformational workshop, dive into stimulating and health-giving yoga and See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 55 meditation sessions. The yoga practices are purposely chosen to help you release self-doubt and limiting thought patterns and awaken to a lightness of being in a spiritually supportive environment. Michele Hébert and Mehrad Nazari present a unique blend of sessions: daily Hatha yoga, breathwork, yoga nidra (yogic sleep), meditation, laughing yoga, and inner exploration. The morning sessions will emphasize asana practice to align the meridians and in the afternoon and evening sessions you can experience the inner practices of Raja Yoga as a blueprint for a happy life. Applying a balanced approach, Michele and Mehrad guide you through a consciousness-based journey into the joyful heart of yoga. Please bring a yoga mat. Reclaiming Your Authentic Self Anne Watts Have you ever found yourself thinking you want one thing but doing something else? The thing you’re doing comes from the inner child. What, exactly, is the inner child? It has many names: the authentic self, natural child, creative energy, or inner place of knowing. The inner child works differently in each of us. We are often out of touch with this part of ourselves, yet it is the part that runs our lives. This workshop is for people who want to experience more joy and personal potency in their lives. In a safe and loving environment you will have the opportunity to tell your own story and hear the stories of others, receive and give appropriate, healing touch, and reclaim and affirm the safety of your own body. You will also uncover core beliefs that hold you back, move through fear, and learn techniques for safely releasing anger and sadness. Additionally, through the use of visualization techniques, drawing, and dynamic sculpting, you will discover your inner child and your inner nurturing parent, and create the opportunity to see your internal family images from new and different perspectives. The partnership you establish between the inner child and parent will enable you to live your life with a new level of potency, peace, and joy. For more information about Anne and her work, please see www.annewatts.com. Big Sur Wilderness Experience: Springtime Steven Harper & Michael Newman Esalen is the trailhead to one of the most spectacular mountainous coastlines in the world. With the Big Sur wilderness as the primary 56 teacher, participants will explore the beauty of this alive and wild coast, from ancient redwoodforested canyons to dramatic coastal beaches, from rugged rocky mountains to the soft grassy slopes of the Big Sur hills. Drawing from nature and various experiential awareness practices, individuals will be encouraged to open both to the natural world and to the landscapes of their inner world. It is said that Big Sur is not just a place but a state of mind. This wilderness experience seeks to merge mind and place, then to embody what is learned. tion of the potential of the business organization. This workshop is recommended for people who have had some exposure to the human potential movement and want to find ways to link all those weekend workshops to their weekday lives. Participants in this weeklong workshop will venture out into the emerging springtime magnificence of Big Sur on five day-hikes, 4-10 miles in length. The leader will draw from a wide range of contemporary and age-old wisdom traditions, borrowing from psychology, meditation, aikido, and the natural sciences to weave together a holistic experience of self and the natural world. Each hike begins after breakfast and concludes in time to enjoy the hot springs and dinner at Esalen. Evening sessions include informal sharing, basic awareness practices, and useful outdoor skills, with attention given to incorporating what is learned during the week into our daily lives. All levels of experience are welcome. Be prepared for the invigorating challenge of physical activity and the opportunity to simply sit still in quiet reflection. More information will be sent upon registration. This workshop is designed for health professionals who work with clients wishing to enhance their performance in avocational or professional sports, the performing arts, or their daily work. Participants will learn a variety of psychological methods used in sports psychology as well as body/mind training techniques drawn from the meditation traditions. The course will review biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors which improve peak performance. ($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader) Weekend of April 16–18 Business and Human Potential Sam Yau & Jay Ogilvy How does the human potential movement point to greater potential for business? Beyond the motivational pep talk, or goal setting, or taking responsibility for your life, are there lessons from the human potential movement that point toward a higher or deeper meaning of “success” for ourselves and for our companies? In this workshop, leaders Jay Ogilvy and Sam Yau will pursue these questions, drawing from their combined expertise in business strategy and research, management and growth, and contemplative practice and philosophy. Participants will share stories about their jobs and aspirations and ask whether and how work can be a medium for self-expression and self-realization for individuals. During the workshop, participants will look into ways that individual selfrealization can serve as a model for the realiza- Enhancement of Peak Performance in Sports, Performing Arts, and the Worksite Daniel Brown The main emphasis will be on learning a variety of peak performance interventions: (1) psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and hypnotic methods for eradicating factors which hinder peak performance; and (2) body/mind training methods such as physical conditioning methods, concentration training, awareness training, and techniques for cutting off scattered thought. The workshop will include lecture, demonstration of methods, practice, and case presentation. Case presentations will be drawn from recreational and professional sports, dance and music performance, and managerial worksite training. This program is offered in conjunction with Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education. For more information, including how to register, please see Special Programs, page 94. Approved CMEs for physicians. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Let’s Face It: Women Explore Our Changing Faces Carole Pertofsky & Wendy Oser “Few transitions are as complex as when a woman recognizes that she is aging,” write the leaders. “While adapting to major biological changes, we are bombarded by media imagery and cultural messages that equate beauty, strength, and value with the bloom of youth. Not surprisingly, women may often feel emo- You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. tionally confused and spiritually challenged, especially in the absence of good role models and support. “Together we will use our faces as an entry point to explore the problems, paradoxes, and opportunities of aging. Through conversation and individual and group processes, we will explore how inquiry into growing older can lead us toward deeper acceptance and freedom. “By looking deeply at our changing faces, we enter the twin realms of humor and sacred inquiry. Through our open eyes and hearts, we may find wisdom and wit as we move through life’s passages with renewed appreciation for the evolving Self.” Women of all ages are welcome. With the Grain: The Art of Nonviolent Woodturning BENJAMIN FAHRER “We will also view and discuss an award-winning documentary, Let’s Face It: Women Explore Their Aging Faces. As seven mid-life women address their ambivalent feelings about aging, vanity, anxiety, humor, and compassion emerge through each woman’s personal revelation. Participants can choose to experience a personal video-feedback session as part of their workshop experience. shared, increasing the exchange of ideas. Let your spirit soar with the shavings, all in the Art Barn at the edge of the Pacific. ($60 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Jerry Kermode Enjoy an opportunity to learn the ancient craft of woodturning during this weekend of handson instruction in technique and philosophy. Bring together the thrill of creating with the sensuality of working with wood, as you peel away the exterior to find the art within. Deepen your understanding of how the fibers lie within the wood and how the chisel slices those fibers. Learn to make utilitarian items in which the spirit of the wood and your own spirit commingle. Jerry Kermode will assist you in using breath, posture, and attitude to change fear into curiosity. Learn the discipline of carving on a lathe, turning carving mallets, lamps, weed-pots, and more, while also discovering the meditative state that turning takes you to. The final project is turning a bowl; create your own vessel, a symbol of both holding and releasing. In a relaxed, informative, and pragmatic style, Jerry will share his love of trees and the beauty they hold within. His style of woodturning is based on the ability to allow the wood to be cut, rather than forcing it to the turner’s will. All materials, including mini-lathes and carving chisels, are supplied, with two people sharing each lathe. The activities will be individual and The Power of Practice: The Embodiment of Esalen Barry Robbins & Pam Kramer Integral Transformative Practice (ITP) is the creation of Esalen’s cofounder, Michael Murphy, and President Emeritus George Leonard, distilled from their collective experience at Esalen over the past forty years. This practice embodies the essence of the integral movement which these visionaries brought into the world. This transformative, experiential workshop involves movement, meditation, and mind/body practices, leading you on an inner journey to realize your inborn genius. Each of us has an infinite capacity for creative evolution. Our destiny may well be to evolve our capacities to live a life that would now be termed extraordinary. A most effective path to our latent powers lies in a long-term practice which integrates body, mind, heart, and soul. The Power of Practice, led by certified ITP trainers Barry Robbins and Pam Kramer, offers the direct experience of ITP, an exploration and study of consciousness, and a daily practice for increased vitality, fulfillment, and joy. In this workshop, you will learn about: • Body as a wise teacher using Leonard Energy Training (LET) exercises • Creation of effective affirmations to manifest healthy changes in your life • ITP Kata, a forty-minute integration of physical, mental, and spiritual exercises • Balancing and centering, breathing practices, and focused surrender • Heartful, effective communication with yourself and others This workshop involves physical movement but is not strenuous. All that’s needed is a generous heart and a willingness to participate. Passion and Grace: The Art of Devotional Singing Jai Uttal with Daniel Paul Embark on a journey into the multi-colored, many-roomed mansions of the heart through the practice of kirtan, chanting the ecstatic songs of ancient India. Using call-and-response singing and storytelling, recording artist Jai Uttal invokes a space of prayer and heartfelt expression. In the practice of kirtan we come into contact with our wide palette of feelings and begin to freely express and share them. Rather than being obstacles on our path, these emotions become the fuel to connect us to the Spirit, to our eternal beloved. This deep river of passionate surrender and prayer is known as Bhakti See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 57 yoga, the yoga of devotion or personal relationship with the divine. Join Jai and explore how to approach the path of Bhakti yoga in our own lives, with our own personalities and identities. Through this process, we can begin to understand a new meaning of aesthetics wherein we create our most beautiful prayers to spirit without the slightest concern for the opinions or criticisms of others. This workshop touches on the vast beauty of the Indian Raga and Tala systems, and directs participants to further study in those areas. Jai opens the floor to all kinds of questions, and, with a very flexible and lighthearted approach, answers from his personal experiences and ideas, and the stories of ancient India. Come join David Schiffman and friends in a week of high spirits, joyful antics, and deep contemplation amidst all things considered. “Our aim together,” writes David, “is to express our deepest thoughts and feelings in a dreamtime celebration of lighthearted intention. We will call on the uplifting spirit medicine of ceremony, touch, dance, music, and song, along with the powers of spirit-family and personal daring and sharing. Our mission: to reconnect with what is free, natural and alive inside us…A joyful tune-up… A time designed to leave you feeling more nimble, poised, and able to face the challenge of making the life you hope for. April 18–25 Sweet Mischief: A Lighthearted Path for Self-Realization and Restoration David Schiffman Step right up, step right in, come and enjoy the trouble you’re in. — Coyote Old Man. The radiance of a light heart changes for the better everything it reveals. It bathes us in an atmosphere of playfulness, hope, and goodwill. It is born of innate wisdom and is a blessing for all who share it. If you feel that living a passionate, lighthearted, authentic life is a necessity, not a luxury, if presence to deeper, wiser, more naturally uninhibited spirits helps you balance out the needs and demands of others with your own, if you feel being free and whole in your own skin is the proper foundation for a real life lived—then you’re ready for the lighthearted path of sweet mischief. The “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Daniel Brown This workshop–designed for either novice or advanced meditators–is an integrative approach to the practice of meditation with an emphasis on intensive concentration meditation. The course begins with the Indo-Tibetan Nine States of Mental Calming/Staying, then an introduction to classic Tibetan emptiness meditation. A balance of mental stabilization and emptiness practices will serve as a foundation for the “extraordinary” or essence meditation practices. Essence meditations like the Mahamudra and the Great Perfection assume that wisdom is an inherent property of the natural mind that has become obscured through conceptualization and negative emotional states. Essence meditations are designed to develop “awakened wisdom” through continuous, uninterrupted mindfulness, taking the non-dual condition of the natural mind and its spontaneous manifestations in the present moment as both the point of observation as well as the object of the meditation. These essence meditations are taught within the context of an ongoing relationship wherein the teacher points out the mind’s real nature during the right state of meditation. This relationalbased approach to meditation emphasizes short, repeated meditation sessions, with detailed instructions given before and after each session. Leader instructions point out the desired state, the way to attain it, and how to correct the problems that typically occur at each stage of meditation practice. Practice is followed carefully and instructions are individualized for each student. Enrollment is limited to 36 participants, with first priority given to individuals who have not taken this retreat before. Participants must attend all sessions. Please bring a meditation cushion, if you would like to use one. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Your Life Cannot Be Any Easier Than Your Movement: Cortical Field Reeducation® and the Feldenkrais Method® Harriet Goslins & Sybil Krauter How we sit, stand, move, or respond to contact with others reflects patterns wired into our nervous systems by infancy. By early childhood, conflicting intentions distort these patterns. Feeling powerless, we attempt to survive and to win love by figuring out “big people’s rules.” The resulting strategies may protect us as children but, deeply ingrained in our muscular postures and movements, they imprison us as adults and limit our choices. They remain outside of awareness, causing discomfort and limitation. By reeducating the brain-muscle-emotion connection, restrictions in movement can be released, freeing lifelong behaviors that have organized around that movement, restoring freedom of choice. The protective postures are altered, deeply affecting the body’s habitual defense system and allowing a higher level of energy. DANIEL BIANCHETTA This workshop is a re-learning of the ease, fluidity, and openness taken for granted as a child and lost somewhere along the way. It is for the sedentary; for the active who want to increase physical skills and reduce risk of injury; for those dealing with aftereffects of injury or 58 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. emotional trauma, and the professionals who work with them; for the chronically tired and stressed who want to take better care of their necks, shoulders, and backs; and for those who want to improve their posture, flexibility, and breathing while deepening their sense of connection and belonging. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of April 18–23 Storytelling from the Heart Karen Dietz How many times have you heard a story that moved you or inspired you in some way? Would you like to move people in the same way? Do you want to be more authentic and inspiring when you speak? Would you like to feel confident and have fun? Then it’s time you turned to storytelling. Telling stories quickly engages people’s hearts and minds. Storytelling conveys ideas, knowledge, and wisdom faster than any other form of communication, and stories are remembered long after they are told. Stories are inspirational, empowering, and enjoyable. If you want to learn the magic of storytelling and be able to tell stories from your heart, join us for this five-day intensive. This storytelling journey is designed for everyone–educators, business professionals, writers, artists, and entertainers from all walks of life. Whether you are a novice or an accomplished storyteller, this workshop brings forth your own inherent wisdom and storytelling heart. No artistic or storytelling talent is required. Just be willing to have fun and be moved. Using a variety of techniques you can: • Build storytelling skills and confidence • Find which story to tell • Deliver messages that touch the heart, mind, and spirit without moralizing • Create meaningful, memorable stories • Experience your inner story wisdom • Discover deeper meanings in your stories of work and life Dancing With the Spirits: The Exuberant Joy of Afro-Cuban Music, Dance, and Spirituality Felix Pupy Insua & Catherine Calderon “Salsa Can Save the World!” ran a recent headline in a Los Angeles newspaper. The article explored the worldwide explosion of interest in salsa music and dance. What is it about this form that has captivated so many people? The Cuban music and dance known today as salsa, rumba, or mambo, has roots across the globe. Deeply influenced by African rhythms and joined with European orchestral music, this rich, complex, intoxicating music even has Indian, Asian, and indigenous influences. It is truly a world culture. There is no easier way to free your spirit and connect with heart-bursting joy than to hit the dance floor to a blazing salsa tune. Join us in learning versions of several dance forms: Afro-Cuban folkloric, Spanish- and African-derived rumba, salsa, merengue, and mambo. Fundamental drum rhythms and calland-response chants to invoke the energies of Yoruban gods and goddesses are also taught. Yoga poses and deep-relaxation techniques help open the body and prepare for the rising of Spirit. Of course there also is plenty of blowout dance-partying! Experience the deep, soul-shaking effects when you open heart and body to your own internal rhythms as you respond to the call of the drums. This workshop is for everyone, from professional dancers to “can’t drag me out on the dance floor” types. The combination of expansive, ecstatic celebration of Afro-Cuban drumming and dance joined with the reflective, relaxing aspects of yoga offers a powerful opportunity for freedom. Come dance with the Spirits! Stronger at the Broken Places Charlie Bloom & Linda Bloom Growth opportunities abound in life. They may present themselves as problems, obstacles, crises, or challenges, but all of these situations offer us possibilities to more deeply develop inner strength, courage, compassion, creativity, and other virtues that promote greater wellbeing, and fulfillment in our lives. The key to being able to exploit the growth potential of the challenges that inevitably present themselves in our relationships and our lives has to do with the approach we take in meeting these situations. This process often pits us against challenges that expand our capacities and confront us with unhealed wounds. It invites and even compels us to go beyond the edges of our familiar reality and into the terrain of the unknown. Each time we successfully move into and through these ordeals of the heart we claim increasingly larger aspects of ourselves, bringing us to progressively higher levels of awareness and understanding. This workshop will illuminate the nature of this process and clarify specific steps and actions that will bring about the growth and empowerment that is available during these times. We will also identify practices that can enhance our ability to learn from, rather than avoid or defend against challenges. We will utilize experiential exercises, dialogue, group work, and guided meditation in the seminar. It is open to individuals and couples of all ages Recommended reading: Bloom & Bloom, 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Weekend of April 23–25 Neurobiology of the Therapeutic Encounter Erica Ellis The brain is designed to scan the environment for portents of safety and danger. When someone feels safe, immune and cardiac functions are enhanced and psychological issues such as depression and stress are reduced. How can clinicians build safety and healing within their clients? New research suggests that we have specific circuitry in our brains that can map the mind of another person. This resonance circuitry, along with other mindfulness-based interventions, can foster deeper and more meaningful healing in the therapeutic encounter. Weaving together experiential exercises and scientific theory, this workshop for clinicians explores the basics of the brain’s system for resonance and empathy and the way mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions can cultivate safety and states of psychophysiological wellbeing. Trained in several somatic modalities including Sensorimotor psychotherapy, mindfulness meditation, yoga, and massage therapy, Erica Ellis specializes in the bridge between neurobiology and mind, body, and spirit. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Passion of Painting Erin Gafill When we are struck by the awesome, the beautiful, or the extraordinary, we are compelled to express our feelings through making a mark, even something as random as a stroke of red crayon on white paper. Yet often in the act of See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 59 passions of boyhood and explore how those passions have been keep alive and/or lost. You have the opportunity to find connections between your own journey as a man and how it has influenced your current life, hopes, and dreams. Week of April 25–30 The Heart of Healing: A Transformative Retreat for Clinicians HARRY FEINBERG Alejandro Chaoul & Jim Duffy making this mark, we are besieged by self-doubt, restraint, the voice of our inner critic, and the bold and honest response is lost. Painting with passion commits the artist to exploring not only color, texture, composition, and line, but love, death, the meaning of life, and risk. Creating an environment that nurtures a sense of safety and non-judgment, Big Sur artist Erin Gafill leads participants through visual explorations using expressive painting, tornpaper collage, and mixed-media image making. By eliminating all but the nonessential forms, participants must examine what matters and what doesn’t, what to leave in and what to leave out, in telling their visual story. Each participant will create a series of pieces in various media, exploring the passion of painting while learning new techniques for seeing, thinking, drawing, and self-examination. ($25 materials fee paid directly to the leader) concert to get your healing groove on, tribal art with artist Domonic Dean Breaux, and Somafro (somatic/afro-brazilian influenced) movement meditations with Micheline Berry. The experience will leave you feeling deeply nourished and in an empowered state of embodiment. Micheline’s retreats are known for their ability to catalyze healing and transformation through the integration of yoga, meditation, ecstatic world music and dance, indigenous ritual, multi-media art, bodywork, ridiculous laughter, and deep communion with pristine, wild environments. Please bring a yoga mat. For more information about Micheline, visit www.michelineberry.com. Discovering and Creating Passion Over the Lifetime: An Experiential Workshop for Men Matt Englar-Carlson & Mark Stevens Yoga Ecstasy Spring Detox and Rejuvenation Retreat Micheline Berry Join Micheline Berry, DJ Drez, and musical group Shaman’s Dream for a healing week of celebration and silence, rejuvenation and empowerment, purification and fun, stillness and ecstasy. You will have the opportunity to detox and re-energize while cultivating your authentic creativity through invigorating “hot” Vinyasa yoga sequences, ecstatic dance, funky world beats, and empowering pranayama as we explore the healing aspect of the “flow state” and how to cultivate its evolutionary dance in many diverse ways. There will be a special spring ritual 60 “For many men with busy work and family lives and responsibilities, it can be hard to set aside meaningful time to focus on one’s own needs and growth,” the leaders write. “Our experience working with a diverse range of men has taught us that something special happens when men come together in a group to support each other and connect around themes of masculinity. Many men experience a longing to feel closer to other men in a setting that allows them to share common experiences and stories.” Explore how you find meaning in the dreams, desires, and activities that cultivate and maintain passion. Through storytelling, reflection, and creative examination of our own lives, you will have the opportunity to remember the The work of healing has never been simple. However, the 21st century health care professional is confronted by the unique challenge of integrating the genius of science with the wisdom of other healing traditions. Although patients justifiably demand scientific competence, they also expect clinicians to be authentically present to their human suffering. Sometimes this challenge seems overwhelming, and there are escalating levels of burnout and professional dissatisfaction among clinicians. Unfortunately, medical education typically fails to prepare health care workers for this challenge and is focused more on “what we know” rather than “who we are.” Here is an introduction for clinicians to the inner tradition of healing, a type of medical education that can revitalize their spirits and renew their passion for their work as healers. Based on an integral approach to healing, this contemplative approach recognizes and supports the pivotal role that the healer’s personal resilience plays in fostering the healing of both patients and themselves. The workshop includes: • Informal didactics including a review of recent advances in the neuroscience of compassion, empathy, meditation, consciousness, and integrative physiology • Guided mind-body practices including Tibetan meditative practices and yoga movements • Contemplative clinical skills. These simple yet profound practices can enliven our work as healers, even in the most challenging of circumstances • Facilitated conversations. Explore experiences, challenges, and ideas with other clinicians This workshop is open to licensed health care professionals only. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Ageless Vitality: Igniting the Physiology of Natural Ecstasy Elisa Lodge It is the fire in your eyes and the flowing motion of your spine. It is the joy in your walk and the warmth in your voice. It is expressing a love for life beyond all reason. Body language is universal and reveals more than words can say. In this workshop, participants will gain a deepened appreciation of how their body language, emotional history, and self-image are intimately intertwined. The habit of “sameness,” or living life in repetitive patterns that cause us to breathe, sit, stand, walk, and talk with little variation, is a major source of chronic tension, addiction, and sedentary decline. Our nervous system thrives on novelty! Together, we will contrast conditioned attitudes and static behavior patterns with a vital physiology that reflects fluid flexibility, free-spirited breathing, resonant vocal power, and authentic emotional energy. Integrating an expressive vocabulary of feeling into daily life activities eroticizes nerve fibers, warms the flesh, and arouses the arteries, fires alertness, and pumps blood into our hearts with undivided passion. With more unbridled energy and creative vigor, there is renewed freedom to breathe as the wind, walk with joy, speak with heart, and play the game of life with grace, boldness, and daring. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. More Than a Communication Workshop Jean Morrison & Martine Amita Algier Nonviolent Communication (NVC) has been described as a powerful tool for social change, a personal practice for clarifying and living one’s values, a guide for interpersonal communication, an effective process for conflict resolution, and a language of compassion. Deepak Chopra has called this process “the missing link.” In a fun, lively, collaborative, and supportive environment, we integrate practices that are changing the way people relate to themselves and each other. Based on the internationallyacclaimed process of NVC, this workshop gives tools and inspires hope. Learning NVC helps liberate us from: • Judging self and others • Taking things personally • Acting from fear, duty, obligation, and guilt • Suffering in anger and depression Learning NVC supports us in: • Expressing ourselves honestly without blame, shame, or criticism • Hearing others’ pain without trying to fix them • Creating new strategies that meet core needs • Becoming more effective at everything we do, including creating peace in the world NVC was developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg over a period of thirty years. It has been taught to individuals and organizations in more than thirty-five countries. Martine Algier, Jean Morrison, and 200 certified trainers around the world teach NVC in their communities, schools, prisons, corporations, social-change organizations, war-torn regions, and health care and government institutions. ($20 materials fee paid directly to the leader) CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness and Transform Your Life Lauren Mackler Many people search for a soul mate to complete them. Others settle for unfulfilling relationships out of a fear of being alone. Solemate is a program developed by Lauren Mackler for achieving mastery of your own life, a roadmap to help you experience a sense of wholeness and wellbeing on your own. It’s about becoming the person you were born to be and shedding the old beliefs and behaviors that keep you from realizing your greatest potential. It’s for people who are single or divorced, or who seek greater independence within their partnership. Using humor, experiential exercises, group work, and loving clarity, Lauren teaches: • How your family of origin impacts your adult life • The drivers of fear and how to override them • How to reclaim your innate wholeness and retrieve your authentic self • How to “live deliberately” and align your actions with your desired results • Strategies for clarifying and achieving your life vision • How to build an inner and outer support system • Tools for sustaining your commitment and follow through Please bring a journal and a pen. The Healing Art of Deep Bodywork Series: Advanced Hip-work, Feet, and Lower Legs Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman Mastering the art of moving deeply into the body’s soft tissue layers adds a powerful dimen- sion to any massage practitioner’s skill set. Bodyworkers who have learned to work slowly and with great sensitivity on these deeper layers are sought after in both private practice and spas. Perry and Johanna Holloman have created a series of classes for massage professionals designed to teach deep tissue skills that can be readily integrated into their massage practices. This class focuses on the hips at an advanced level, and the feet and lower legs. There is an increasing prevalence of hip pain, which, if not resolved, can lead to hip replacement surgery. This is a complaint massage practitioners hear more frequently than ever. Learning to free the gluteus medius, minimus, and the tensor fascia latae are an important focus in this class. Opening the feet and freeing the four primary soft tissue layers of the sole of the foot is also taught. The resulting effects on the entire body from competent footwork are often remarkable. Learn how to move seamlessly from the foot onto the lower leg, with particular emphasis on the tibialis anterior and its role in flexing the foot at the ankle. There is plenty of time for questions, and discussion of actual cases participants may have encountered in their practices. Previous massage experience is a prerequisite for this advanced class. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Personal Leadership: A Methodology for Making a World of Difference Sheila Ramsey & Gordon Watanabe Personal Leadership is a methodology of two principles, six practices, and a process technology called The Critical Moment Dialogue. It is designed to help people stay connected to their wisdom and inspiration, especially when faced with the new and unfamiliar. The methodology is a do-it-yourself approach to developing human consciousness. Using it, you engage the unfamiliar by choosing an internal state of being that is energizing and enlivening. With such an embodied commitment, you can: • Discern right action for each particular time and place • Sustain high levels of motivation and commitment, with more ease • Engage challenging situations with curiosity rather than fear • Generate options for action where previously stuck • Disentangle from habits and default reactions to maximize authentic behaviors Participants rigorously apply Personal See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 61 Leadership principles to their own specific situations. Focusing on individual interests and engaging our collective creativity, the workshop includes content-focused discussions and integrative conversations as well as opportunities for quiet reflection. Developed over the last fifteen years, Personal Leadership is applied in contexts such as international education, teambuilding, community building, and global leadership development. It is described in Making A World of Difference—Personal Leadership: A Methodology of Two principles and Six Practices. For more information, visit www.plseminars.com. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Timeless Spring: Groundwork in the Esalen Organic Farm and Garden Shirley Ward, Amigo Bob Cantisano & Wendy Johnson In this Earth Day season of the waxing April moon, the young crops of summer take root and begin to grow. This is a hands-on weeklong immersion in the life of the bountiful, 5.5-acre Esalen farm and garden, focusing on the practices and principles of local, sustainable agriculture. Co-led by Shirley Ward, Amigo Bob Cantisano, and Wendy Johnson, organic gardening colleagues who have been working together for many growing seasons, workshop topics will include composting methods, soil management and preparation, fertilization, cover cropping, pest and disease control, beneficial insects and beneficial habitats, weed management, crop rotations, plant families, variety selection, seed saving, harvesting techniques, appropriate equipment, irrigation, inter-planting, year-round growing for productivity and beauty, and plant propagation. Each day will include the opportunity for morning and evening meditation, morning sessions of mindful work and teaching in the farm and garden, and delicious shared meals prepared by the Esalen kitchen staff using local produce. In the afternoon there will be ample time for rest and relaxation. Each day will close with an evening program of teaching inspired by the beauty of the Esalen farm and garden. 62 DANIEL BIANCHETTA There is a need to work together and create new economic models to make sustainably produced food a viable option for everyone. Whether you are a first time grower dreaming of cultivating your own containers and gardens, or a largescale experienced gardener-farmer, this workshop will teach you the skills needed to grow your own vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit. Weekend of April 30–May 2 Financing Social Enterprises Charly Kleissner Social enterprises are driven by a social mission. They are either for-profit, not-for-profit, or hybrid business ventures. Social enterprises are led by social entrepreneurs—visionaries who adopt a market-driven mindset tempered by a responsible social and environmental perspective. They take risks, innovate, drive systemic change, and question the status quo. Some of the biggest challenges for these entrepreneurs— access to financing and hybrid business structures—are not being taught in business schools. These topics will be explored in this workshop. An introduction to various financing methodologies together with an exploration of return expectations of diverse types of investors will provide the basis for looking at hybrid business structures using multiple concrete examples. We will then discuss the current universe of funding organizations, all the way from philanthropic entities to social venture funds; we will use examples from workshop participants to evaluate options and trade-offs. This workshop is primarily targeted at two audiences: Social entrepreneurs, who already had, currently have, or will soon have the need for accessing different financial resources in order to implement their vision; and entrepreneurs who are putting together innovative funding sources. Anyone else interested in the topic is also welcome to attend. SoulMotion™: Body Prayer Zuza Engler & Scott Engler “Soul is flow, an ever-changing cloudscape of textures, hues, sensations, scents, and feelings,” Zuza Engler writes. “Soul is where the deathless You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. spirit meets and moves the finite human body. Body Prayer is a wild and luminous offering of the body in motion to this sacred Presence that is continually breathing us into Being.” SoulMotion movement practice is a meeting with self and other in a dance that is profoundly nourishing, creative, intelligent, emotionally savvy, heartbreaking, soul-making, spirited, challenging, and transforming. It involves diving, deepening, and dissolving into each movement moment. It is a journey toward the dynamic stillness at the center of all things, the place of rest at the heart of sound and motion. “This formless dance form allows space for passionate full-bodied movement as well as mindful inner explorations. It takes place at the crossroads of the vertical drop into self and the horizontal extension toward another, inside the paradox of the mundane and the ecstatic. To follow the divine choreography, we learn to fall and flounder. Going deeply into contact with self, we awake enveloped in communion. The permission to relax and rejoice in community invites a shift from alone to All One, from ‘my dance’ to the One Dance.” Encaustic Painting: The Alchemy of Wax Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta & Guest Leader This workshop is an introduction to the ancient and contemporary art of encaustic painting, working with hot molten wax. The emphasis is on incorporating our inner lives, dreams, and spiritual expressions into our art-making through meditation and creative explorations. We invite you to come explore your creativity with us. Ancient Egyptian artists created an art form in 100 BC that is alive today with many contemporary artists, since its revival with Jasper Johns in the 1950s. The alchemy of the elements of fire, air, and earthy molten pigmented wax creates the sensuous beauty of wax paintings. The process of encaustic painting is a seduction and an enticement to many creatives because its varied uses and expressions are vast. This work has an amazing range, from sheer and translucent to boldly opaque and sculptural. Paintings can be created on wood panel, plexi, paper, or collaged with ephemera, found objects, artifacts and photographs. A materials list will be provide upon registration. Please contact the instructor with any further questions: www.cjbgallery.com. ($75 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life Gregg Levoy Callings are urgings and imperatives from the deep self that tell us what it will take to make our lives “come true.” They point us toward awakenings, course corrections, and powerful authenticity. This hands-on retreat takes a creative approach to striking up a deep dialogue with our own lives. Through writing, storytelling, myth, improvisation, meditation, reflection, and nature, participants explore the psychological, spiritual, and practical processes we encounter in finding and following our callings, whether calls to do something (become self-employed, go back to school, leave or start a relationship, move to the country) or calls to be something (more creative, less judgmental, more loving, less fearful). You will have the opportunity to learn how to: • • • • • Clarify your callings Discern whether a call is true Work creatively with resistance and conflict Reconnect with your powers and gifts Gain a renewed sense of possibilities Recommended reading: Levoy, Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life. Experiencing Your Spiritual Self John Hiatt & William Foote Many of life’s important questions simply can’t be figured out by using the tools of the ego. Learn techniques for accessing different levels of your being where useful information or insights reside. You begin by formulating a significant personal question and then learn two methods for accessing information relevant to the question or its resolution. The first is the Transpersonal Experiential, a process for going into altered states of consciousness. This method draws on techniques known including elements from Zen Buddhism, Vipassana, Carlos Castaneda/shamanism, and other mystical traditions. It does not involve rigorous exercises or the use of drugs. It differs from guided imagery, hypnosis, and meditation, and is best likened to a waking dream, in which the ordinary limits of time, space, and causality do not apply and the impossible can happen. The second method is based on the chakra system and teaches how energy is held and how you can use those patterns of energy to help understand challenging or ambiguous situations. The leaders assist everyone in their exploration. Spontaneity is encouraged and prior expectation discouraged. This allows for the appearance of something new, which is a key requirement for change and growth. Over the course of the workshop, we will conduct a series of exercises using these methods and follow each with a discussion of its meaning both for our personal process and as a window into the nature of the universe and our place in it. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Sacred Sound: A Sonic Alignment Lyz Cooper Join sound practitioner Lyz Cooper on a journey of discovery to identify and release energy imbalances that may have been holding you back for lifetimes. “The gentle tones of healing sound can remove blockages in the energy system, therefore allowing the free-flow of prana, or vital energy, to be resumed,” writes Lyz. “Certain tones, instruments, and vowel sounds can be used for different chakras, and to energize or relax the system.” Learn how to use your voice to identify energy imbalances and how to use Himalayan and crystal bowls as powerful tools for healing and transformation. This process can improve health and wellbeing and can raise consciousness. Relaxing sound baths are given to allow your system to interact with the sound and gently transmute energy held at the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual levels of being. Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve Martha Stark Relentless hope is a defense to which the patient clings in order not to have to feel the pain of disappointment in the object; the hope is a defense ultimately against grieving. The patient’s refusal to deal with the pain of her grief about the object (be it the infantile, a contemporary, or the transference object) fuels the relentlessness with which she pursues it. Maturity involves transforming the need to have one’s objects be other than who they are into the capacity to accept them as they are. Dr. Martha Stark will offer prototypical interventions specifically designed to facilitate transformation of the patient’s need to possess and control the object into the mature capacity to relent, grieve, accept, forgive, let go, and move on. She emphasizes an approach that focuses on accountability and development of the capacity See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 63 to relent (on the parts of both patient and therapist), the ultimate goal being to render the defense of relentlessness less adaptive, less necessary, and less toxic. The objectives of this course are to: • Appreciate the relationship between relentless hope and masochism, and relentless outrage and sadism • Understand how the patient’s relentless pursuit of the object speaks to her refusal to deal with the pain of her grief about the object • Utilize different psychotherapeutic interventions designed to focus on the patient’s accountability • Recognize the importance of developing the capacity to relent (in both patient and therapist) This program is offered in conjunction with Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education. For more information, including how to register, please see Special Programs, page 94. Approved for CMEs for physicians. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Week of May 2–7 Zen and the Art of Photography Douglas Beasley Revitalize your creative process by exploring your relationship to your subject, your camera, and yourself. Through photo exercises and assignments, you can deepen your visual awareness while clarifying your approach, making images that are both more personal and more meaningful. Cultivate simplicity while taking photographs, in support of the notion that a photograph is not taken but made. You can learn to become a better photographer by becoming more in touch with your inner self and then use that awareness to deepen your connection with your chosen subject, whether person, place, or thing. Attention is paid to lighting, composition, depth-of-field, and exposure issues, but it is not the technical concerns that drive our image making. Practical advice will be given, but more importantly we will use this information to make more emotionally expressive images. Mornings will be spent in class, and in the early afternoon Doug will work with participants on assignments or critiques. There will be time in 64 the afternoons and after the evening sessions for soaking and enjoying the natural beauty of Esalen. While participants must have a working knowledge of their camera, the creative process of image making is emphasized over the mechanics of camera use. Please bring a digital or a print camera and film if you need it. Please be aware that film processing is not available so you will be limited on sharing and receiving critiques of work in progress. Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and Integrating Western and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Brian LaForgia & Brian Kie Weissbuch This class is designed for acupuncturists, naturopaths, and health care professionals and consists of two interpenetrating parts: Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and Traditional Western and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Pulse diagnosis offers a detailed map of a person’s past, present, and future health, and so holds the possibility of predicting and preventing disease. Yet, it is an art that is often incompletely taught. The pulse system brought out of China by Dr. John H.F. Shen comes from an unbroken lineage of Chinese medical practitioners. His student Leon Hammer has extensively elaborated this system and replaced the lengthy traditional apprenticeship form of learning with a small group, experiential hands-on format. The emphasis in this class will be on learning the six principal and twenty-two complementary pulse positions. The qualities found in the pulse will be identified, described, and interpreted including the three depths, rhythm, and rate. Treatment with herbal medicine is dependent upon accurate and thorough pulse diagnosis. We will discuss Dr. Shen’s herb formulas in the context of pulse presentation and corresponding treatment protocols. We will explore the Traditional Chinese Medicine energetics and indications of Western herbs; incompatibilities and contra-indications of herbs with pharmaceuticals, food, and supplements; herb combinations; posology (dosage and administration); phytopharmacology, pharmacognosy, toxicology and dysjunct cosmopolitan Asian and American species with similar properties and uses. The plants in the Esalen garden and trails will be introduced from the vantage point of botany and Chinese medicine. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Gestalt Awareness Practice Christine Stewart Price The Way, when declared Seems thin and so flavorless. Nothing to look at, nothing to hear— And when used—is inexhaustible. —Lao Tzu Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. This form is similar to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are allowed and encouraged. The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. The format combines introductory group work with the open seat form in which each participant will have the opportunity to work with the leader in a group context. Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Awakening The Creative: The Painting Experience Stewart Cubley The power inherent in painting is that it can awaken a wild vein of passion that will not go back to sleep. Using only the simple tools of brush, paper, and paint, Awakening The Creative invites you on a highly personal journey of daring and discovery, made possible through a safe environment and the support of Stewart Cubley and his experienced staff. The potential is to tap into an extraordinary resource: the vibrant, driving force of your own creative spirit. In this workshop, everyone is a beginner. You are welcome even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush. The goal is free expression, with the emphasis on the creative process rather than on You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. technique or expertise. Awakening The Creative is an opportunity to embark on the greatest of all human adventures—embracing your own path and confidently following it. Stewart is the coauthor of the acclaimed book Life, Paint & Passion: Reclaiming the Magic of Spontaneous Expression. He has traveled throughout the world for more than thirty years working with individuals and groups to access the potential within the human heart and imagination. This workshop may be of interest to people from a wide variety of disciplines, including art, education, counseling, social change, and meditative practices. All materials are supplied. ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leaders) CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Gyrokinesis® Juergen Bamberger Gyrokinesis is a movement methodology based on circular and spiraling body motion. It uses the natural movement capabilities of the spine to increase the circulation of vital energies. Gentle undulations, spirals, and waves stimulate and activate all systems and tissues within the body. Through rhythm and synchronized breathing, an internal massage effect is created. The circular movements open all joints systematically and strengthen their surrounding structures. They stretch and strengthen major muscle groups through full body coordination. Taking this journey through your entire body opens your awareness to your energetic and physical structures. years. Now, you can learn how to work with rhythm and the voice for self-healing. Make your own beautiful fifteen-inch elk skin medicine drum and embellish it with your prayers for the future. You will also make a prayer rattle and a drum beater. This process is powerfully illuminating as you discover your own rhythm and begin to set up a dialogue with your drum. As the workshop progresses, your unique rhythm sends your intention and prayers into your drum as you focus on what you want for the future. Together, our group experiences the power of the drum journey and how to relax and/or stimulate the flow of energy around our system with the drum and voice. Free your natural voice and allow it to dance with your rhythm, gently massaging all levels of your being. Release your heartsong, your unique sound signature, and learn how to balance your chakras with your voice. The ancient and powerful Peruvian whistling vessels further enhance the transformational process. Lyz is the adopted granddaughter of a Bear Grandfather of the Pikuni nation and has spent many years working with the Sami Shamakas in Lapland. She has studied ritual and ceremony and shamanism in the UK for over twenty years. Note: Participants must register for this workshop by April 16, 2010. ($90 materials fee paid directly to the leader includes all drum-, rattle-, and beater-making tools and embellishments) The MAX: Expanding the Limits of Your Self-Expression Paula Shaw For over twenty years, THE MAX has held an honored status among the Esalen staff and is considered by many to be an essential rite of passage for community members. The purpose of THE MAX is to discover yourself beyond who you know yourself to be. It is a voyage through your own humanity—a journey to discover the extent of your self-expressive power. Employing a variety of acting, communication, and observation techniques, it’s designed to expand your limits “to the max” and move you into a new arena of personal creativity and selfexpression. In THE MAX, participants undertake a challenging exploration of the sources of their emotional limitations. Working individually, “on stage,” each person is encouraged and supported to go at their own pace, playing to and with other group members. With strong guidance, people move through lifelong fears of being “on the spot,” emerging into greater authenticity and enhanced “presence.” There are exercises that use raw emotion, roleplaying, and dress-up assignments. This is an opportunity to experience yourself in ways you may have dreamed about but never thought possible. The course is for those committed and courageous in their process. And it has been Each day starts with the awakening of your body, followed by a full Gyrokinesis class, and ends with meditation. Through this process you explore the interconnection between movement, breath, sound vibration, and subtle energy flows. The workshop is open to all levels. It is an opportunity for an in-depth Gyrokinesis experience taught by one of the most experienced teachers of this system. Weather permitting, a sweat lodge will be offered, for which participants will be asked to make a small donation. HARRY FEINBERG The Spirit of the Drum and Voice Lyz Cooper The human voice and the drum have been used for healing and transformation for thousands of See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 65 one of the deepest human yearnings, knowing how to treat one another in a way that honors dignity does not come naturally. It is a missing link in our understanding of what destroys human relationships. The solution to restoring failed relationships is embedded in the problem: If indignity tears us apart then dignity can put us back together again. The workshop takes participants through a step-by-step process of learning how to name and identify the Essential Elements of Dignity, develop their own dignity and honor it in others, maintain dignity in the face of indignity, and how dignity can be used to promote reconciliation. While learning about dignity requires discipline and effort, the goal is to expand our emotional and spiritual capacities, not our intellect. The workshop helps participants understand and experience the common human struggle and the need for the kind of human connections that promote mutual growth and development. Donna Hicks is a conflict resolution specialist at Harvard University and conducts dignity workshops worldwide. DANIEL BIANCHETTA A Mother-Daughter Journey into the Mind, Body, Spirit, and Soul Bonnie Goldstein & Loren Judaken All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his. constructed with the understanding that this kind of risk requires a very safe workspace. If your heart beats faster when you think of taking THE MAX, it may be just “the thing to do.” For details visit www.themaxwithpaulashaw.com. Please note: Due to the intense and sequential nature of this workshop, attendance at all sessions is necessary. Requirement: Bring a 1-3 minute memorized piece—monologue, poem, song, etc. Weekend of May 7–9 Mother’s Day Family Workshop the group’s interests and offer opportunities for families to work and play together and apart. We will use the Gazebo School Park, designed for children to climb, bike, garden, make music, dance, and care for Esalen’s farm animals, as well as the Art Barn for relaxing, connecting, reflecting, and creating. Saturday night we will offer a program for the children, during which adults will be free to enjoy Esalen alone or spend time with one another. All are invited to explore and experience Esalen during this fun and supportive weekend workshop. All ages are welcome, including parents with small children. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Joanna Claassen & Stephen Mercurio This Mother’s Day weekend, celebrate and nourish yourself and your family. Esalen is a magical place for adults and children alike. Together with the Gazebo School teachers we will create a community of families focused on fun, laughter, renewal, and friendship. This will be a memorable weekend of exploration, connection, creative expression, and play. We will build on 66 The Dignity Model: Healing and Reconciling Relationships in Conflict Donna Hicks The Dignity Model takes a hopeful approach to building positive and respectful relationships and healing those that have broken under the strain of conflict. While the desire for dignity is —Oscar Wilde This weekend workshop is a celebration of the mother-daughter experience. The journey will revisit the power of this integral female relationship, whether traveled individually, with a friend, or as a mother and daughter team. Participants will explore the bonds of attachment through collaborative dialogue, guided movement and meditation, creative experiences, and individual journaling. Additionally, poetry, mindfulness techniques, and body awareness through somatic experiencing will foster our individual and group experience. The natural beauty and baths of Esalen will also play a part in this exploration, along with music, candlelight, and a fireside ceremony. Bonnie Goldstein draws upon a relational based/attachment informed view of the mother-daughter bond in order to foster and heal relationships. Loren Judaken incorporates creativity into her exploration of psychological, sociological, and environmental effects on relationships. This workshop is open to women and girls aged 14 and up. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Working with Dreams in Spiritual Traditions Jeremy Taylor The religious and spiritual traditions of the world all speak with one voice on this point: we humans are often closer to the divine in the dreams we remember from sleep than we are in any other state of consciousness. Even the various schools of Buddhism, no matter how much they may frown on “superstitious” attention to dreams, celebrate the many dream experiences recounted in the birth stories of the Buddha and other teachings with dream revelations at their core. The same is true of Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and their many offshoots. Islam celebrates dreaming as an especially important spiritual practice. Earth-based religions, particularly those embracing the practice of shamanism, put tremendous spiritual emphasis on the experiences of soul travel and soul retrieval activities in dreams. After a brief orientation to Jeremy Taylor’s egalitarian and emotionally safe “if it were my dream…” style of group dream exploration, we will share dreams, work, and play to discover more of their inherent meanings and implications. We begin with the assumption that only you can know for certain what your own dream means. Simultaneously, each time we share and work with dreams in a group setting we intensify our awareness of our deep, shared humanity. All dreams, even the worst, gut-wrenching nightmares, come in the service of health and wholeness, and speak a universal language. Gestalt, Movement, and Sport: Singing the Body Electric Michael Haney & Carol Swanson Movement is finding and contacting support, vitalizing the experience of our embodied selves. Movement can be play, in which we fully give ourselves over to engagement with the sport, dance, or game, and this play is a form of dialogue with ourselves and with others. The Gestalt approach and the movement of sport are creative and exciting processes of finding support and facilitating growth. The Gestalt emphasis on bodily felt experience in the present moment is valuable in sport, and sports practice can support cultivation of attunement to embodied experience in the present moment. Gestalt theory and sport share a positive view of healthy aggression as necessary to survival and growth, and both can provide practices for cultivating and expressing healthy aggression nonviolently, in a cooperative context. Our format will include discussion and experiments to support development of full and vivid awareness of movement. Bring clothes that are comfortable for moving, a good pair of walking shoes, and your curiosity about the ways you may be moved. All who are interested are welcome. relationship by easing stress and deepening non-verbal communication skills. Emphasis will be on “hearing” with the hands, asking for what you need, and taking the time to truly nurture yourself and your partner. Sessions will include basic quieting exercises, brief demonstrations, hands-on guidance, and plenty of time for practice. Carol Swanson and Michael Haney share longstanding interests in the Gestalt approach, and in sport. Carol is a Gestalt therapist and trainer, and has been engaged in “cycletherapy” for years. Michael is a psychologist, and has competed in bicycle road racing for thirty-five years. Join us for a weekend at Esalen, and share our experiences of the interconnections of Gestalt, movement, and sport. This weekend of mutual giving and receiving is for those who wish to learn the essential elements of Esalen Massage; no prior experience is necessary. Please join us for a pleasurable time of relaxation, renewal and re-connection with your partner. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Week of May 9–14 Freedom Through Foolishness The Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral I Paula Shaw Karen Axelrod This workshop is an adventure in releasing programmed patterns and discovering the delight of spontaneous creation. The joy of playing improvisational theatre games comes from surrendering to the process. Each game has focus points that allow you to suspend your accustomed automated and controlled thinking. The liberation that follows fully opens up your mind to imaginative freedom, your voice to new and surprising sounds, verbal humor, eloquence, and flowing physical grace in movement. CranioSacral therapy is a gentle, noninvasive, hands-on technique to help detect and correct imbalances in the CranioSacral system that may cause sensory, motor, or intellectual dysfunction. It is used to treat a myriad of health problems, including headaches, neck and back pain, TMJ dysfunction, chronic fatigue, motor coordination difficulties, eye problems, endogenous depression, hyperactivity, and central nervous system disorders. In this work, you are never alone. The easy-tofollow instructions and coaching tune you in with the other players, and when that connection is made, instantaneous creativity issues forth effortlessly. Once you’ve allowed yourself to join in, each improvised piece takes flight, with truly amazing results. As a participant in these games, you go back and forth from being a player to being the audience. You play from both positions, and both are filled with fun. The program is an experience of how wonderfully well life can flow when you get out of your own way, and the learning is what it means to be able to do that. It is also full of falling-down laughter. All are welcome. Prior improv experience will be forgiven. Esalen® Massage for Couples Dean Marson & Daniela Urbassek Enjoy the serene beauty of Big Sur as you and your partner learn to give each other an effective massage. A tender touch can do wonders for any Participants will learn the detailed anatomy and physiology of the CranioSacral system, its functions in health, and its relationship to the disease processes. Half of the class time will be hands-on, developing the sensitive palpatory skills needed to detect subtle stimuli in the human body. Class material will concentrate on palpation and its potential as an evaluative and therapeutic process; fascial and soft-tissue release methods; and the pressurestat model which explains the mechanism of the CranioSacral system. Participants will learn a ten-step protocol for evaluation and treatment of the entire body. By the end of this intensive program, participants will be able to identify and localize significant restrictions and imbalances in the CranioSacral system. Please note: Registration for this workshop is through The Upledger Institute only. Please call 1-800-233-5880. Recommended reading: Upledger & Vredevoogd, CranioSacral Therapy (chapters 1-6); Upledger, Your Inner Physician and You. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 67 Yoga and the Act of Creation Thomas Michael Fortel The themes of death, rebirth, and creation are central and woven into the ways of yoga, from Brahma the Creator, to savasana (corpse pose), to a still point of equanimity and calm; moments of Being without thought. We students of yoga have established some practices that give us a daily respite from mind and thinking. Some call it intuition, or centeredness. It is essentially an empty state, yet very alert, where we tap into a field of energy far beyond the scope of one human being. This state is full and bulging with potential. Whether in yoga, writing, improv acting, or art-making, there is a field of emptiness/ fullness available to us. If we’re moving away from a materialistic way of life, then the simpler forms of creative expression can become more important—dancing and singing, journal writing, and creating with form and color. A simple way of being is the connection point and allows the river of prana to flow through us. We begin each day with meditation, pranayama (conscious breathing) and daily journaling, continuing after breakfast with a morning yoga practice and an art project (pastels, stick and ink, charcoal, and paint). In the afternoons we meet for restorative yoga and conclude our days with a secret Esalen spiritual practice: lawn-lying, meeting at various locations on the Esalen property as we study the energy of Mother Earth and Father Sun. We will sing, too, for sure. All levels of yogic and creative expression welcome. Please bring a journal and yoga mat. All other yoga props are provided. ($20 art supply fee paid directly to the leader) Abandonment to Healing: Overcoming Patterns of Self-Sabotage Susan Anderson “Abandonment is the most primal and the main underlying issue of most emotional distress and dysfunction,” writes Susan Anderson, author of The Journey from Abandonment to Healing and other abandonment recovery books. She is a psychotherapist who has studied this field for over twenty-five years and has developed a highly effective program of emotional and spiritual healing that provides the means to reverse the universal wound of abandonment. Participants will learn specific exercises for each of the five stages of abandonment (shattering, withdrawal, internalizing, rage, and lifting); how to over- 68 come deeply entrenched patterns of self-sabotage; how to overcome “abandoholism,” the tendency to attach to unavailable partners; and how to set and achieve your goals and make new connections. Susan also shares recent findings from the field of brain science that shed new light on the biological and chemical processes that underlie our emotional response to loss. Whether you’re experiencing a recent breakup, a lingering wound from the past, or having trouble finding a relationship, this workshop can help restore your sense of self, increase your capacity for love, and fulfill your dreams. Recommended reading: Anderson, The Journey from Abandonment to Healing, Journey from Heartbreak to Connection, and Black Swan: Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Painting with Light: Inspiration from the Forces of Nature Sharon Virtue Color and light are the theme and focus of this weeklong painting workshop. No previous experience is necessary. Allow yourself to be bright, bold, and fearless as Sharon Virtue shares her knowledge and experience in drawing and painting, along with techniques to achieve particular effects. “We explore color, surface, and design in an exhilarating, self-expressive way,” writes Sharon. “Traveling around the world, I have developed a love affair with Mother Nature. Let us enter the incredible beauty within her realms at Esalen. Look to the landscape for inspiration. Find a place that lifts your spirit, and then look more deeply as you re-create your experience in a painting. Work can be realistic or abstract depending upon how you choose to express your story. We will start with sketchbooks and develop our ideas into paintings and drawings, using pencils, crayons, and acrylic paints on paper or canvas. A landscape may or not appear. In my years of teaching this class at Esalen it is a voyage of unexpected magical discovery for the whole group.” ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Walk on the Wild Side: Hiking the Big Sur Country Steven Harper & Michael Newman “What’s the quickest way out of the city?” John Muir is reported to have asked a stranger on the street of the metropolis in which Muir had just arrived. “Where do you want to go?” the man asked. “Anywhere that is wild,” Muir replied. This week is straightforward. You day-hike the mountainous paths into the wilds of Big Sur, breathe in the fresh mountain air, and soak in Esalen’s natural hot springs overlooking the waves of the Pacific—in short, you let yourself touch and be touched by Nature. “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul,” said Muir. Drawing from various wisdom traditions, the group will be introduced to practices that encourage openness to self and nature. As Muir discovered, “I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” Hikes (3-10 miles in length) begin after breakfast and finish in time to enjoy the hot springs and wholesome food of Esalen. Participants should be prepared for the challenge of invigorating physical activity as well as the opportunity to simply sit still in quiet contemplation. More information will be sent upon registration. Muir wrote, “The mountains are calling me and I must go.” ($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader) Women, Money, and Realizing Dreams: Control Your Financial Life and Live Your Real Life Susan Spraker We all ask the question: Do I have enough money? We worry, fret, argue, lose sleep, and even divorce as we grapple with this question. Rarely do we approach it methodically and find the answer. This workshop is designed specifically for women to unlock the mystery of where they are now in their financial lives as it relates to the bigger picture of their lives, and examine how they got there. Participants discover money beliefs, what they want to accomplish financially and why, and how to accomplish it. Through didactic and experiential methods, participants will examine various financial profiles and learn how they can empower themselves through their money beliefs. We will examine personal financial goals, income and expenses before and during retirement, sample portfolios, and asset allocation strategies. Discussions include all areas of financial planning as well as basic financial terminology. The goal of the workshop is for each participant to have fun in a safe, supportive environment to develop her own personal financial outline that can be used You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. DANIEL BIANCHETTA to create a complete and very workable financial or retirement plan. The workshop requires only an inquiring, open mind, a desire to know thyself, and a willingness to share financial information and work within the group. Please bring a three-ring binder with pockets, three-hole punched paper, pencils, pens, and a calculator. You may wish to bring copies of recent investment statements for your own work. Recommended reading: Breathnach, Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy; Metcalf and Simon, Writing the Mind Alive: The Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic Voice; Eisenberg, The Number: What Do You Need for the Rest of Your Life and What Will It Cost. Rest, Rejuvenation, and Renewal: The Courage to Pause David Schiffman This is a workshop for people who need a break—from working too hard, from concentrating too much, from being stuck under pressure too long, or who are just plain tired from the perplexity and strain over what comes next. “While we pause,” writes David, “we’ll study the three R’s and how they can be used to cultivate a climate of renewed energy and enthusiasm, the ability to think wisely ahead, and the presence to relate honestly and authentically with others. This weekend will emphasize breathing space and ease of being for deep contemplation. There will be soulful, encouraging company as well as wise counsel available for emotional nourishment. “We will draw on the power and spirit medicine of Big Sur’s natural gifts for healing and inspiration. A special blend of music and movement will create a mood of playfulness and spontaneity for the rejuvenation of spirit. Simple activities, including ceremony and personal practices, will be used to deepen our feelings of being lively and hopeful about our futures.” Weekend of May 14–16 Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in Clinical Practice Russell Vasile Take part in an updated review of emerging developments in the integration of psychopharmacological, psychodynamic, and psychosocial treatments of major depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. In addition, psychological and psychosocial issues are presented, including exploration of the effect of Axis II personality disorders on mood and anxiety disorders. Also considered are the role of borderline personality disorder and narcissistic vulnerability, and issues in the choice of specific psychotherapy modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, or psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy. This course is designed so that participants will be able to: • Describe the diagnosis and treatment of depression, manic-depressive illness, anxiety disorders and mood disorders in narcissistic and borderline personality disorders • Describe emerging strategies in the use of psychotropic medications in the treatment of major depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders • Understand and apply the integration of psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychopharmacologic treatments into a comprehensive treatment plan • Understand and apply principles of selfpsychology, relational psychology, and cognitive therapy in psychotherapeutic treatment; • Discuss the use of integrated psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic strategies in approaching the treatment refractory patient, including patients with comorbid depression and/or anxiety disorders and/or borderline and narcissistic personality disorders; • Describe the use of newly emerging strategies in the assessment and treatment of major depression and anxiety disorders, including brain imaging techniques, and the use of therapeutic brain stimulation techniques including vagal nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. This course is offered in conjunction with Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education. For more information, including how to register, please see Special Programs, page 94. Approved CMEs for physicians. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Couples’ Communication Retreat Warren Farrell Our inability to handle personal criticism from loved ones is a common Achilles’ heel. The more deeply we are in love, the harder it is to handle. Soon, couples feel they are walking on eggshells, unable to express themselves honestly, and the love fades. Raising children and dealing with money during an economic recession magnifies the problems even as those problems become the reason couples stay together. The result? Couples often remain legally married but psychologically divorced—in a minimum-securityprison marriage. The biggest culprit in this dynamic is defensiveness. Active listening, a good solution, is rarely used. Warren Farrell developed Cinematic Immersion, a method that enables couples to actively listen to their partner without feeling defensive. Once defensiveness is replaced by feeling loved, work on the discipline of mutual See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 69 appreciation can begin. Through this process, passion is reignited without sacrificing stability. As couples master Cinematic Immersion and the discipline of love, they will be shown how to apply what they’ve learned to other family members and to work colleagues. This workshop is for couples. A couple is any two people who have a history together (such as parent-child, siblings, married or divorced parents) and who want a future with improved communication. Required reading: Farrell, Women Can’t Hear What Men Don’t Say, chapters 1-3. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. and learn how to set up your own paper mill. At the end of the day there will be time to look at and discuss what has been created or is in progress. As you become attuned with your artmaking, your inner body can awaken to bring forth your soliloquy. A simple piece of paper can be appreciated solely for its intrinsic beauty, or it may become one of many to make a large twodimensional work of art. Bring a notebook for your paper samples and to keep a record of each process you’ve explored. Bring natural objects of meaning to you such as shells, bone, wood, and other significant treasures such as lace, photographs, and letters. All levels of experience are welcome. ($35 materials fee paid directly to the leader) From the Invisible to the Visible: A Papermaking Workshop Awakening the Leader Within: Our Culture on the Couch Diana Marto Emmett Miller In Eastern spiritual practices, handmade paper is believed to be imbued with mystical and healing properties. It is in this spirit that you will create your own paper art, inspired by tales of the paper road in Tibet, Japan, the Yukon, Zimbabwe, and Big Sur. Learn how to make a simple piece of paper and later how to interact with it in a profound way. Experience an outdoor nighttime performance ritual with handmade paper sculptures. We will gather fibers from the plants and grasses surrounding you, cook them, pound them, and then make paper. You will make your own moulds and deckles, What if it is true that there is a wise leader inside of you, and that all our problems result from our disconnection from this inner source of wisdom, power, and love? What if you could take one step forward and enter a new world, where there is congruity between what you most deeply want and the actions you take? During this workshop participants will apply Emmett Miller’s New Paradigm of Distributed Leadership, which he explores in his book, Our Culture on the Couch. In this process, each participant can more fully awaken to his or her own leadership abilities and apply them individually and collectively. Through introspection, imagery, movement, and dialogue about questions that matter, we will explore the seven steps to global healing. Recommended reading: Miller, Our Culture on the Couch: Seven Steps to Global Healing, available at www.drmiller.com. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Awakening Joy James Baraz & Jane Baraz True happiness is not about acquiring anything but rather opening to the natural joy and aliveness right inside of you. Awakening Joy is based on a popular ten-month course taken by thousands since 2003, and designed to develop our natural capacities for wellbeing and happiness. Learn basic principles and experiential exercises drawn from Buddhist philosophy, and other supportive practices which are presented in a user-friendly way. Explore techniques for developing gratitude, learning to love yourself, opening up to the hard stuff as a path to joy, and finding joy in the happiness of others. Perhaps you can’t imagine yourself skipping through a meadow with childlike exuberance. Don’t worry. Truly happy people are not happy all the time. They feel sad and angry and have the whole range of human emotions. Joy is a general feeling of aliveness and wellbeing that is characterized by engagement with life, meeting its ups and downs with authenticity and perspective. It can look very different from person to person, from a quiet sense of contentment to bubbly enthusiasm. Identifying how joy expresses itself uniquely through you is one of the discoveries that awaits. Please note: You do not have to be a “joyful person” to benefit from this workshop, though you might have fun anyway. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Shamantra Experience Saffire Bouchelion DANIEL BIANCHETTA Shamantra is deep sacred play designed to help us remember the natural, joyous rhythms of our collective hearts and voices. Through this creative, percussive journey the entire being is explored and enriched physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually through sounding, movement, performance, music, and dance (Nia). Nia (Neuromuscular Integrative Action) reminds us that pleasure is a choice the body prefers and is an act of self-love. It is cardiovas70 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. cular for the body and cleansing for the soul. By being present in the body now, Nia cultivates the joy of movement which naturally leads to self-healing, a key ingredient of holistic fitness. Shamantra uncovers the heartbeat of community. True community happens when everyone moves to the same pulse. Though each may have a different relationship to that pulse, as long as we are in relationship to it, we will also be in relationship to each other. The single pulse is what holds the center of community. Communicating with each other through sound and silence, call-and-response, transmitting and receiving, a singular pulse is created, making music possible, making healing possible, and making community possible. This workshop is open to everyone. Please bring a journal and pen. Start Over: Choose Aliveness and Intimacy Mary Goldenson We have all experienced moments of feeling totally alive, yet much of our life is spent in a half-asleep, half-committed state of being. While there are many life-situations beyond our control, we choose how we respond to these events. The choice to be passionately alive is an act of courage. To choose life is to: • Open ourselves to all of life—suffering, joy, success, failure, love, and grief • Fully acknowledge the truth of who we are • Commit to living our deepest values and dreams • Define what we must change in our relationships • Learn new ways to heal, forgive, and communicate The challenge is to honestly address the ways in which we have compromised, given up, or lied to ourselves and others. This workshop is designed to bring to awareness our unconscious choices of how we deaden ourselves and to create the possibility for new aliveness and passionate involvement. Come alone or with a partner. A safe, supportive atmosphere will be provided, using communication skills, movement, Gestalt, and Reichian work. This workshop may have up to 34 participants. Recommended reading: Goldenson, It’s Time— No One’s Coming to Save You. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Week of May 16–21 The Coaches Training Institute: Co-Active Fundamentals Athena Katsaros This five-day Co-Active Fundamentals course is the first course in the Coaches Training Institute’s Co-Active Coaching curriculum. Whether you are interested in using coaching skills in your current profession, considering a career in coaching, or just want to improve your communication with the important people in your life, Co-Active Fundamentals has something for you. The Coaches Training Institute’s methods are based on the idea that people are naturally creative, resourceful, whole, and completely capable of finding their own answers to whatever challenges they face. During the Fundamentals course, you can develop skills for more effective relationship alliances with others, use the CoActive coaching model to enhance your communication, distinguish and use three levels of listening to deepen your relationships, and explore simple tools for maintaining balance in your life. Hands-on training provides a powerful introduction to the techniques and skills of CoActive Coaching. The focus is on participation and practical experience rather than lecture, with numerous opportunities to coach and receive feedback on your newly acquired coaching skills. At the end of the course you will have a very clear idea just how coaching might fit into your life. This program is offered in conjunction with the Coaches Training Institute (CTI). For more information, including how to register, see Special Programs, page 94. Body and Mind Integration: Effectively Integrating Breath and Somatic Awareness into Clinical Practice Gabriele Hoppe, Dyrian Benz & JoAnna Chartrand Breath, touch, and mindful presence are some of the oldest and most basic forms of healing. This course will equip participants with fundamental skills for developing a somatically-informed psychotherapeutic practice, including the selfawareness skills of orienting, centering, and attending to sensory experience. Students will learn about the energetics of relationship, including contact, distance, boundaries, pacing, attention, and intention. Students will practice these skills with their peers and receive feedback. This course is part of the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Certificate Program in Relational Somatic Psychology. The Certificate Program is inspired by the SBGI somatic psychology postgraduate academic curriculum and consists of a rotating series of practice-oriented and academically sound Relational Somatic Psychology courses. For more information, including special registration instructions, see Special Programs, page 94. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Painting the Outer and Inner Landscape Adam Wolpert Painting in oils can be a profound experience, one that engages all of our senses, minds, and spirits. One of the most rewarding ways to explore oil painting is through painting outside. Faced with nature’s dynamic forces we are challenged to develop visual sensitivity, flexibility, and resilience. We come into deeper relationship with the world and with ourselves when we open to the living landscape around us. We begin to see the world as never before and our paintings give evidence of that new vision. This workshop invites both beginners and experienced painters to immerse themselves in the practice of oil painting. Daily sessions will be devoted to painting rapid sketches and more developed small oil paintings out of doors and exercises in the studio during inclement weather. Basic oil technique, instruction in setting up a palette, mixing colors, and brushwork will be balanced with slide lectures on visual theory, composition, and special issues in landscape painting. Participants will learn from individual instruction and each other, with opportunities to share their paintings and experiences in a supportive environment. The spectacular beauty of Esalen, with its radiant gardens, flowing waters, and rugged coastline, provides the perfect setting to explore this exciting practice. Bring a sun hat, layers of clothes, and a portable easel. If you don’t have an easel and need to reserve one of the available six portable easels please let the instructor know. Feel free to email with any questions: [email protected]. (Optional materials fee of $125 paid directly to leader includes all supplies for the class) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 71 Zero Balancing II Jim McCormick This will be a special version of Zero Balancing II. Because of the residential nature of the class and the highly charged space at Esalen, students will have the time and resources to delve deeper into the spirit of Zero Balancing. In all Zero Balancing II classes students learn the second half of the full Zero Balancing Protocol - amplifying and empowering the work learned in Zero Balancing I. There is also review of the basic ZB protocol with an emphasis on quality of touch, focus, and positioning of the practitioner. In this class there is more time for individual feedback from the instructor. The leader and participants will devote time to creating awareness of each person’s unique energetic way of working, and explore how to put more of yourself into your fulcrums. Students will advance their ability to work with expanded states of consciousness, and a premium will be placed on individual personal growth. Prerequisite: Core Zero Balancing I. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. A Somatic Approach to Self-Investigation Johanna Putnoi Sensation, emotion, and thought join to create a dynamic approach to life. When these forces are in natural alignment, we thrive. We engage the world as it is, and as it changes. But when clouded with bias, we suffer. Unconscious habits of desire, ignorance, and fear disturb our natural equilibrium. We feel uncomfortable inside our own skin, blind to our own motivations, and tricked by cognitive misunderstandings formulated in childhood. A return to healthy engagement with the world requires direct attention to the body/mind itself – a clearing out of the old to make room for change. What better place in nature to re-engage with our real selves than Esalen? Surrounded by the wonder and beauty of nature in a time of uncertainty, we will speak the language of the body, experience the posture of natural design, and explore how a sustained, open attention can lead us toward a vital reality. This workshop, in the tradition of Lomi Somatics, is an invitation to “come to your senses”— to honestly investigate the differences between experience fueled by defensive patterns, and experience fueled by centered, clear attention. 72 It is a compelling invitation to see what is, in present time, in the company of friends. The tools for this exploration are meditation, conscious movement, the enneagram, and Gestalt. Our intention is to create an embodied presence both individually and collectively; a presence that embraces paradox, radiates abundance, and inspires community. We invite you to join us. Esalen® Massage for Women Johanna Holloman & Nora Matten Esalen Massage is best known for its long flowing strokes over the whole body, creating a sense of wholeness and deep connection to self. During this women-only workshop, we maintain this connection in both the giving and receiving of an Esalen Massage, as we nurture our contact with our innermost feminine strength. This retreat offers women space and time to reconnect with their essential feminine nature. In our busy lives as career women, mothers, and homemakers, it is easy to lose touch with the receptive and creative aspects of ourselves. During our time together, we can reawaken these qualities by nurturing our bodies and replenishing our sense of the feminine within a community of women. Through the practices of Esalen Massage, dance, and yoga we will re-learn how to access the sensual nature at the core of our being. Surrounded by the wild beauty of the Esalen grounds, gardens, and the healing natural hot springs at the baths, we will easily relax, unwind, and revitalize our feminine spirit, while learning to give a complete full-body Esalen Massage, a gift to bring home to share with friends and family. Class format will include massage demonstrations with plenty of time for supervised practice, movement exercises, and a beautiful healing bath with freshly harvested herbs and flowers from the Esalen garden. Bring your favorite essential oil, poem or piece of music and join us in the beauty of Esalen to celebrate our unique expressions of womanhood. Weekend of May 21–23 Anusara Yoga Journey through the Elements: The Alchemy of Optimal Energy Flow Ulrika Engman From a yogic perspective, the elements earth, water, fire, air, and ether move and settle within the body in unique combinations to give form and expression to our individual nature. Whether we are aware of the elements within or not, they play a big part in how we move, breathe, express, feel, dream, speak, meditate, and practice each moment. Our yoga practice can be a playground for this discovery. Connecting to the elements through yoga practice, they can become a link between individual and universal nature, through which optimal energy flow opens in our practice. Alignment arises more naturally out of the body’s wisdom and breath flows with greater ease. As we dive into our yoga practice with greater elemental awareness, we’ll discover how every asana (posture) has its own innate alchemy to tap into for optimal enjoyment. We will practice tuning into the gift of each asana to channel it with greater sensitivity. The universal principles of Anusara yoga will be taught and practiced as the framework for our elemental experience together. Throughout, we will also explore and strengthen our awareness of the energetic link between the elements and the vital organs of the body. The Undervalued Self: Reach the Unconscious Voice that Holds You Back Elaine Aron Do you want to reduce the times when lack of confidence holds you back, feel less tense at work, help your close relationships stay loving during conflicts, and feel better without making anyone else feel worse? This seminar helps disentangle love from competition in your life and reduce your negative self-comparisons with others. From the author of The Highly Sensitive Person comes a fresh approach to one of our oldest psychological problems: low self-esteem. We start with the premise that, like all social animals, we are either ranking ourselves among others to see who is best, or linking with others in friendship or love. Most human problems come from ranking too much or at the wrong time, especially ranking ourselves too low and, as a result, undervaluing ourselves. We want to switch to linking, but our unconscious fears prevent it. Through lectures, group work, and time for inner exploration you can learn to: • Recognize when you are too focused on who’s best • Work with your fear of being ranked “worthless” at the bottom • Avoid the six self-protections against defeat that spoil relationships You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. DANIEL BIANCHETTA • Understand your undervalued self and how your past feeds it • Heal the part of you that is wounded by abuses of power This is a quiet, thoughtful weekend for people who want to explore in a group environment. Those in crisis or seeking intense individualized therapeutic encounters should not attend. Recommended reading: Aron, The Undervalued Self. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Mind and Matter, Spirit and Sex: Speaking Frankly Jeffrey Kripal Ever wonder why most of the moral debates involving religion in the news (same-sex marriage, “family values,” gay rights, gay priests, celibacy, female ordination, abortion, clerical pedophilia, etc.) involve some aspect of human sexuality? Ever wonder why it seems to matter so much whether deity is imagined as male or female? Or as both? Or as neither? Why were the ancient uses of female virginity and purity codes tied up with inheritance and property law? Why were the origins of Western monotheism symbolically linked to the ritual cutting of the penis? What do The Last Temptation of Christ and The DaVinci Code have in common that made them such mega hits? Why do so many great mystics describe their experiences in sexual terms? The questions are endless, but where are the answers? The last forty years have seen a stunning development of new tools that scholars of religion use to think and speak about sex, but these tools have generally remained well outside the public’s awareness. Kripal, a scholar of comparative religion widely known for his writings on the subject, tells this story from the inside and then, through group discussions and standard case scenarios, provides a set of practical tools with which to think comparatively and frankly about the very difficult, but endlessly fascinating interface between human sexual and religious experience. Jeff Kripal also uses and teaches from his recent history of Esalen as a source for examples and illustrations of the basic ideas. Bring your questions. They are the keys to your toolbox. Parenting From the Inside Out Mary Hartzell As parents, we have an incredible opportunity for personal growth because we are put back into an intimate parent-child relationship—but this time in the role of parent rather than child. How parents make sense of their childhood experiences has a profound effect on how they parent their own children. Parents often find themselves doing the very things to their children that felt hurtful to them as a child. They can feel stuck in repetitive, unproductive patterns that don’t support the loving, nurturing relationships they envisioned when they first became parents. This workshop can help free parents from patterns of the past that continue to negatively affect them and their relationship with their children. Based on her book, Parenting From the Inside Out (coauthored with Daniel J. Siegel), Mary Hartzell will help parents deepen their self-understanding and build a more effective and enjoyable relationship with their children. Drawing on new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, she will show: See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 73 • How childhood experiences can shape our attitudes and actions without our awareness • How emotions shape our interpersonal world and affect our parenting • How our ability to communicate affects our connections with our children Parents will have an opportunity to develop an approach to parenting that helps them in raising emotionally secure and healthy children and bring more joy into their relationships with their children. This workshop is relevant to parents with children of any age. Recommended reading: Hartzell & Siegel, Parenting From the Inside Out. Claiming Your Voice Meredith Haberfeld Some of the greatest leaps in personal development come when we stop believing that others have more access to deep wisdom than we do, have superior opinions to ours, or hold sway over us—when we finally know at the end of the day that we can trust ourselves. This workshop will address many aspects of claiming your voice—in writing, in vocal work, and, most importantly, in daily life through the choices you make in it. The program will help you gain access to your many inner voices as well as different aspects of your character, many of which you suppress and ignore, but which can each provide important insights and wisdom in your everyday life. Finally you can get comfortable in your own skin. You will deepen the ability to hear yourself—and all that there is to hear. What does your body say about how you feel right now? What do your emotions have to tell you? What feelings and messages have you been resisting? This workshop will teach you to allow them to surface so you can come deeper into your own power. The days of being guided by pleasing others and trying to fix yourself are over. This program is for anyone of any age ready to sink into the experience of being and trusting yourself. Healing as Grace: Pachakuti Mesa Tradition Shamanism Pachakuti Mesa, like all properly consecrated ceremonial spaces, allows self, culture, and nature to harmonize through an exquisite dance of aesthetic sensibility and compassionate living. Workshop participants must bring: a ceremonial cloth (suggested size 24”x 24”); a stone, shell, and feather; their most personally meaningful sacred artifact to serve as the center of their Mesa. Participants are encouraged to wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring their customary ceremonial musical instrument. You may also wish to bring a journal and meditation cushion. Oscar Miro-Quesada Participants in this apprenticeship will be escorted through the Doors of Perception into the sacred dimensions of life, and will have both a didactic and experiential initiation into the millennial soul of Peruvian shamanic healing rituals. As developed by Don Oscar, the Pachakuti Mesa is a ceremonial altar ground conducive to the revelation of rarely accessed powers and forces, to be artfully used for healthful, personal, and planetary transformation. Core teachings include cross-cultural shamanism that can shape-shift many common ills associated with modern living, and heartfelt apprenticeship in viaje con sombra (magical flight), vista en virtud (psychic vision), rastreo (divinatory guidance), and despertamiento del Ser (awakening wholeness of self ) derived from ancestral Kamasqa Curanderismo. Don Oscar invites you to join this Sacred Hoop of Life and celebrate the sacred trust that exists between humankind and our living earth. The Three Personal Pieces: A Writing Workshop Lynne Kaufman Where does inspiration come from? Mostly from the excitement of living. —Martha Graham In this workshop you select and express three memorable events from your life. After an introduction to the craft of writing the personal essay, you choose three turning points from your life and learn to shape them into compelling stories. You write each episode during the workshop sessions and share them in constructive dialogue. As you re-create the meaningful experiences of your life you may find that the deeply personal is often the most universal. This workshop is suitable for writers of every level of experience. Week of May 23–28 Alchemical Art: Making Glass Shrines Dana Zed Art is a happy kind of magic and glass is a particularly magical medium. Clear as water, strong as stone, transparent yet solid, glass can be invisible and yet act as a barrier. As a synthesis of opposites, it is an ideal medium for us to express our spiritual nature. Participants learn a variety of glass sculpture techniques to give their ideas form. The workshop begins with making individual glass charms and talismans. As a result of this process, glass becomes more familiar and participants can then choose to make a shrine. CHRISTY HENGST Shrine-making is something we already do, whether we are aware of it or not. It can be as simple as a special object, selectively placed. In this workshop, a shrine can take many forms: an 74 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. individual panel, a diptych, a triptych, an altar box, or a house-like construction. Techniques presented include: kiln-melting various kinds of glasses, etching on glass, and making clay molds. Participants may also incorporate drawings and objects brought from home. Warmed muscle tissue is easier to address, manipulate, and massage. Using heated stones to warm the tissue is grounding for the client and easier on the therapist’s hands, forearms, and elbows, allowing the practitioner to work deeper without causing pain afterward. The workshop is accessible and nonjudgmental. Participants are encouraged to find the magician within. No experience is necessary. With the use of chilled stones it is possible to promote reduction of inflammation caused by deep tissue work, injury, or chronic or acute pain. The cool stones break the pain-spasm-pain cycle and reduce the chemical response that causes muscle tissue damage. ($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Hatha and Raja Yoga Practicum Srivatsa Ramaswami Asana practice has caught the imagination of a number of enthusiasts—especially Vinyasakrama, the sequencing art form of yoga practice. However, yoga has other important ingredients, all of which promote a positive transformation of the individual. A holistic approach would require the yogi to practice not only asana and pranayama (the Hatha yoga aspects) but also chanting, meditation, and contemplation of the philosophical and spiritual aspects (the Raja yoga aspects). In this program, half of each session will be devoted to different asanas, following the Vinyasakrama method. It will involve doing more than about 300 vinyasas, or variations in classical yoga poses, in the course of the program. The other half of the time will be utilized for detailed and varied yogic breathing exercises and the other Raja yoga practices, like chanting, meditation, and philosophical and spiritual contemplation of the yoga sutras. The objective is that by the end of the program participants have a well-rounded understanding and practice of yoga, as opposed to doing only asanas or meditation. Hatha yoga and Raja yoga are aspects of the integrated system of yogic progression. This workshop is open to everyone. Please bring a yoga mat. LaStone® Therapy: The Original Hot Stone Treatment Deborah Ardell Hill LaStone Therapy is a massage modality that offers the ability to bring sustained temperature to a massage through the use of hot and cold stones (heat through basalt stones, chilled temperatures through marble, sardonyx, or jade stones). This workshop, led by longtime LaStone instructor and reflexologist Deborah Ardell Hill, provides a comprehensive introduction to this unique blend of deep tissue massage, energy work, and ritual. Physiologically this treatment can balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems through the use of alternating short- and long-term temperatures. LaStone Therapy is designed to enhance muscle relaxation, tissue repair, grounding, balancing, and release of blocked memories. Please note: This course is for massage therapists with a minimum of two years’ experience. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. The Embodied Heart Jonathan Horan The Way is not in the sky The Way is in the heart. The Gifts of Grief Nancee Sobonya & Steve Waldrip I saw Grief drinking a cup of sorrow and called out, “It tastes sweet, does it not?” “You’ve caught me,” Grief answered, “and you’ve ruined my business. How can I sell sorrow, when you know it’s a blessing?” —Rumi Explore the powerful and mysterious nature of grief. After viewing Nancee Sobonya’s film, The Gifts of Grief, we inquire into our relationship to loss and its potential gifts. In the film, Isabel Allende and six other remarkable people share their journeys through their personal losses. Each come to different realizations of the gifts they have gained by living with grief. “Because each loss is unique, our grief can be experienced in a variety of ways,” write the leaders. “Loss is also universal, even though people often describe feeling alone or on a new journey without a map. In this workshop we discover how to navigate this new terrain and orient to that light inside that can draw us forward. We explore various outer resources that sustain us, as well as those inner places where we find strength, love, connection and support. What are we learning from our losses? This question, along with others, is asked as we explore the possibility that grief, while very painful, can also be a doorway to growth, insight and transformation. —Buddha The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. This is not only the title to a great novel by Carson McCullers, but also a haunting description of a certain state of being. What are we hunting for? What do we want that we don’t have? We want connection and intimacy. More than anything else in this world, we want to be loved. Often, we don’t listen to our own hearts. In fact, most often we think about our feelings rather than experience them, and this separation creates loneliness that turns the heart into a hunter—we seek somebody to love rather than being the force that is love. Love isn’t something to do. It’s something to be. Let’s take the time to stop the world and pay attention to our hearts. Attention is like a spotlight. Feelings live in different parts of our bodies, and when we shine the light of our attention on them, memories crack open and move, dissolving the hard hold they have on us. Using the 5Rhythms® dance practice as a map to the way our emotional energy morphs and moves, we practice the lost art of falling in love and landing on our own two feet. “There will be opportunity to go through this doorway and delve into the mysterious depths of grief, personally and collectively. Through the sharing of our personal stories, meditation, poetry, artwork, movement/yoga, and ceremony, we create an environment in which our grief will be honored and held as sacred. Everyone is encouraged to bring photos and other objects of remembrances to place on a group altar that we will create in the course of the workshop to honor our losses.” CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Bioenergetics of Relationships: Pleasure, Intimacy, and the Search for Connectedness Terry Hunt This workshop is about healthy relationships in love, friendship, and daily life with a focus on how to nurture our own vitality when we long for more authentic, safe, or rewarding connections. Bioenergetic techniques offer an opportunity to develop our capacity for healthy contact and personal boundaries, which make it easier to stay grounded and authentic in every relationship and situation. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 75 sure into enriching and creative moments of wholeness. Come alone or with an intimate. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Weekend of May 28–30 Smart and Playful Families Joanna Claassen & Sarah Maloney Here is an opportunity for adults and children to explore, build, connect, laugh, and play. Esalen’s extraordinary Gazebo School Park is designed for children and includes opportunities to climb, ride, garden, act, and care for our farm animals. The Art Barn is a place for relaxing, connecting, reflecting, and creating. There are plenty of new things to try and time to reflect during this memorable program for families. We will shape the weekend to follow the interests of the group and offer opportunities for families to work and play together and apart. On Saturday night we will offer a program for children in the Art Barn, during which adults will be free to enjoy Esalen alone or spend time with one another. ($10 materials fee for art and photo supplies paid directly to the leaders) Improv Comedy for the Soul Jamie Denbo BENJAMIN FAHRER Improvisational comedy is the art of creating comedic theater on the spot. It is a useful tool for boosting confidence, improving listening skills, trusting one’s instincts, and freeing the mind. Benefits can be applied to any professional or personal endeavor where the goal is to be more connected to the moment. It facilitates creativity and aids in building relationships. Not to mention the fact that it inspires laughter, which is truly the greatest soul food there is. Pleasure is essential for healthy relationships. Add the erotic element and the potential for pleasure grows exponentially. But whether in love or friendship, whether in same- or opposite-gender relationships, the reality of sustaining delight in one another over time is often a mystery and a struggle. We substitute old avoidance patterns for intimacy as we play out roles we developed during traumatic childhoods and adolescences. Or, we repeatedly act and react out of fear, sadness, or rage, keeping our relationships locked in the “cultural missionary posi- 76 tion.” Giving up carefully honed pain avoidance habits releases new energies for the pursuit of personal fulfillment in relationships. This workshop can help individuals and couples identify myths that block the flow of joy. By redefining the role of pleasure in our lives, we can update our sexual and sensual selves, explore new language that more honestly communicates our desires, and encourage each other to approach our gender gaps with intention rather than fear, and assertion rather than suspicion. We will follow our instincts for plea- Onstage, improv comedy performers practice listening, agreement, adding information, heightening ideas, and staying present. In real life, this translates to self improvement, calming anxiety, discovering one’s unique comedic voice, and promoting more harmonious interactions with others. Participants will be led through a variety of enlightening and entertaining exercises. There will be opportunities to participate, as well as to sit back and enjoy the fun. Most exercises involve pairs or groups. Participants will eventually create fully organic, original comedic You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. scenes. Creating successful, improvised scenework can be an uplifting and even spiritual experience (not to mention how funny it can be!). Women in Transition: Climbing into Your Authentic Self Jnana Gowan & Suze Allen Your house is on fire. Your boat is sinking. What do you want to take with you? What are you happy to watch sink or go up in flames? Gain a deeper understanding of your life in transition and find out what’s standing in the way of your being your most authentic self. Embrace the dark so you can move into the light. Through creative writing exercises, restorative and rigorous Hatha yoga, deep relaxation, and guided meditation, you can wake up into present time. In this clear space you can choose what you desire rather than what you think you’re supposed to do or what others want from you. Ah, freedom! Come spend the weekend in the beauty of Big Sur, interweaving nature, ritual, and a healthy dose of humor into the new fabric of who you are. The yoga is for all levels. Please bring a yoga mat. Mind, Mood, and Happiness: Meditation and MindBody Healing Ronald Alexander People can learn to change their thinking and behavior in ways that enhance happiness and wellbeing. For 2,500 years, the wisdom teachings of the East have utilized what their texts refer to as “skillful methods” for the study and transformation of the mind/body. These meditation and visualization practices help cultivate self-regulation through awareness, concentration, mindfulness, and other attention skills. This leads to clarity of mind, spaciousness of self, and greater compassion. Using techniques from modern positive psychology, mindfulness, creative thinking and non-dual teachings, participants will learn skills to calm the mind, regulate mind body states, develop trust with the unconscious, and explore inner resources for activating creativity, vitality, and wellbeing. Methods include: • Developing skills for accessing the resources of the core self • Utilizing the unconscious for activating internal healing resources • Meditating and practicing psychological skills to promote insight • Exploring natural mind/body healing rhythms (yogic and somatic breathing methods) • Discovering Buddhist psychological antidote remedies for unpleasant or painful states of mind • Discussing mind, self, dissatisfaction, and happiness from Western and Buddhist perspectives • Discovering practices that promote lovingkindness Recommended reading: Alexander, Wise Mind Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss and Change; Fryba, The Art Of Happiness:Teachings of Buddhist Psychology; Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Embodiment for Beginners Stephanie Zone It is our birthright to feel comfortable and joyful in our bodies. Body image struggles can have a tremendous influence on a person’s entire life. Regardless of shape, size, or weight, we all deserve to feel content with our body, view our bodies through a non-critical perspective, and forget about “how we look.” This is embodiment. Incorporating movement, meditation, and insight exercises, this workshop helps you rediscover personal body image satisfaction and reawaken to the thrill of being embodied. Experiencing body freedom creates an opportunity to be truly present and comfortable. One of the wonders of body satisfaction is how it actually gives you the opportunity to forget about yourself as an object (your earth suit) and feel yourself from the inside (your inner spirit). If the previous paragraphs seem unfathomable, this workshop is especially for you. Come explore the freedom and possibilities of living in your body, rather than continuing to allow your self-consciousness to drive your decisions. Through yoga (appropriate for all levels), meditation exercises, and exploration, we will learn ways to live in our bodies and to awaken joy and playfulness as a crucial part of healing. Esalen is well known for its clothing optional hot springs. Although no workshop sessions will take place there, during free time each participant may choose to enjoy the hot springs or enjoy some of the many other delights of Esalen. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Simply Wild: Experiencing Nature Steven Harper I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done. —Mary Oliver The weekend is simple. We stroll through the wilds of Big Sur on hikes, soak in the natural mineral hot springs, eat good wholesome food, commune with ourselves, others, and nature. With the bare attention of awareness, and wilderness as our teacher we show up for our life as it unfolds moment to moment. We come into deep contact with the raw beauty of this mysterious world. The group will venture out on two hikes 2- 6 miles in length. Simple practices that encourage awareness and contemplation (“how to be idle and blessed”) will be shared with the group as well as the wonders of the rich natural history of Big Sur. No previous experience in simplicity or nature is required. Further information will be sent upon registration. ($10 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader) Week of May 30–June 4 Plein Air Painting in Big Sur Jennifer McChristian Join award-winning painter Jennifer McChristian for a five-day intensive workshop for all levels of artists who want to learn the time-honored joy of painting en plein air. Painting en plein air is a term made popular by the French Impressionists and translates as “painting in the open air.” The deep spiritual connection to nature derived from this form of intense observation has made it a lasting tradition which is especially needed in these modern times. The aim is to learn to interpret nature in terms of paint, using light and color to create form. Color relationships, design and composition, simplifying, and the benefits of painting outdoors are discussed, as well as how to design and build a painting that carries an emotional impact. Students focus on values, shapes, edges, and color as they relate to painting. There are brief demonstrations each day and one-on-one advice in the field. Exercises include See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 77 creating small 6x8” color sketches, where students will paint color block-ins and value studies prior to working on larger canvases. In the event of inclement weather students must bring with them several reference photographs of landscapes. ($20 materials fee paid directly to the leader) Spiritweaves™: Sanctuary of Self Anneli Molin-Skelton & Michael Molin-Skelton The human portrait is a prayer rising and falling on the current of our breath each movement a revelation, an emerging dance given shape by the threads of spirit woven in this moment. —Anneli and Michael Molin-Skelton “Spiritweaves is a calling: a silent wakening,” write Anneli and Michael. “Its cries and whispers stir a deep longing in our soul to fall toward the core of our desire. It is a gathering: a living tribal tapestry, a braiding of the rare and common strands of our collective movements. Spiritweaves is a journey. A journey of destiny, not destination. Its steps can be traced, faint and deep, in the dark soil of our dance. “As Spiritweaves we are invited to dance together the disparate parts of ourselves, to dance the gap between ourselves and others, to dance in the grace that we belong, to dance. In this workshop, using the awakening energy of the 5Rhythms® dance practice as a catalyst and the hallowed ground of SoulMotion as a container, we will move to unveil and unmask the unique and sacred expression of our own dance. Come begin again.” Everyone called is welcomed, no previous experience needed. Trauma First Aide™: Bridging Physiology and Psychology Geneie Everett Developed as a short-term trauma intervention, Trauma First Aide (TFA) teaches skills to reduce symptoms of acute traumatic stress and to stabilize the nervous system in high arousal and urgent situations. Designed for therapists, nurses, physicians, teachers, military, first responders, clergy, disaster helpers, bodyworkers, and activists, this workshop is also appropriate for anyone interested in the human response to trauma. It focuses on trauma education, early intervention, and the prevention of secondary traumatization by building resilience in the 78 nervous system. Current research shows that trauma contributes to more than mental health problems, including an array of physical syndromes involving altered pain processing and increased disease in cardiovascular, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems. More and more, recent trauma therapies include working with the nervous system to reestablish the mind-body connection as a vital part of the recovery process. Viewing typical acute traumatic stress symptoms as a dysregulated mind-body system response, we will work directly with the trauma symptoms, using an integrative approach. Topics covered include: background research; the nervous system’s role in trauma; differences between cognitive and somatic approaches; effects of trauma beyond mental health; case studies; and skills practice. TFA is useful for complex trauma, first response, disaster settings, and as a self-care model. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Leadership for Emergent Executives and Entrepreneurs (LEEP) James Wheal From Silicon Valley to Burning Man, London to Glastonbury, a new generation of leaders is emerging that leverages the direct experience of the sacred into stunning applications in the mundane. Balancing mobility, time, and prosperity, they are the creators of a liberated economy and the standard bearers of a liberating culture. Just as the industrial economy gave way to the information economy, the information economy is now yielding to the experience economy—a blank canvas of possibility for anyone with the capacity to imagine and the skills to make it happen. If it’s challenging to bridge your personal growth with your professional aspirations, or if the landscape is shifting so fast that much of the advice and direction you receive is obsolete, this program will offer the insights and practical tools to support your development and accelerate your success. Building on the Leadership Development Profile (see www.cookkgreuter.com and Harvard Business Review, “Seven Transformations of Leadership,” April, 2005), participants will spend a week delving into the spiral of adult development and identify where they find themselves and where they are heading next. Those participants who take the Leadership Development Profile before the course will receive personal one-on-one coaching from Jamie Wheal during the workshop. This work- shop is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs, non- and for-profit leaders. Holistic Sexuality: A New Integral Approach Marina Romero & Ramon Albareda This workshop is for individuals who wish to access the full potential of their vital primary energy, understood here as sexuality, and explore how this energy can be creatively expressed and integrated holistically – at the somatic, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. The course is designed to teach you how to connect with this energy not only in your everyday life, but also as a bridge to the deepest dimension of your reality, as a catalyst for a grounded spiritual growth. The principles and practices that shape Holistic Sexuality are inspired by seeing life’s natural processes as organic references for transformation and healing. The fruit of decades of research and experience, Holistic Sexuality is affiliated with neither tantra nor other methods of working with sexuality. The leaders will facilitate group process as well as counsel each participant individually to design personalized practices. You will learn how to safely self-regulate your own process from an awareness of your present capabilities and necessary boundaries. This workshop will guide you in: • Developing a path of self-knowledge, regeneration, and creative evolution • Transforming the limiting unconscious tendencies of your vital primary world • Working through conflicts that hinder your sexual self-expression • Integrating sexual and spiritual energies to enhance the quality of your life Please note: Instruction is given in English and Spanish, with English translation provided. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Deep Bodywork Level III: Healing the Shoulder, Forearm, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Perry Holloman & Johanna Holloman Deep bodywork, practiced with great sensitivity, is one of the most effective healing modalities available to the bodywork practitioner. Through slowly opening the body’s deeper soft tissue layers, we connect the mind to normally unconscious “stuck” areas of the physical body, which can release enormous amounts of previously held energy. This energy then becomes available You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. DANIEL BIANCHETTA to support the body’s innate capacity to selforganize and self-heal, enabling practitioners to support clients in overcoming previously stubborn, seemingly intractable physical conditions. Focusing on deep bodywork as a healing art, this program is designed for massage and bodywork practitioners seeking to incorporate effective deep tissue techniques into their work. Whether in private practice or working in a spa, there is growing demand for practitioners who have mastered the art of moving deeply into the body with skill and sensitivity. Areas of focus include: Relieving chronic and acute pain in the back, neck, around the major joints of the shoulder and hip, and in the forearm and wrist. We spend a good deal of time learning to recognize how to feel “soft tissue lesions” with our hands wherever we find them, and learn why, at physiological and energetic levels, competent deep bodywork needs to be done slowly for greatest effect. The teachers are available to answer questions of specific interest to students as they arise during our practice sessions, and we add new hip and shoulder material for students who have previously attended this seminar. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. A Long Term View: Cultivating Marriage, Family, and Community with the Future in Mind Lisa Nave In this workshop, we will explore how to cultivate marriages, families, and communities with the health of future generations in mind. Environmentalism teaches us to be good stewards of the earth; to conserve energy, protect our lands and natural resources. The concept of A Long Term View proposes that we can also be good stewards of people; that we can conserve and protect our social structures for generations to come. As a psychotherapist Lisa Nave has seen an increasing number of clients with issues related to social fragmentation, such as isolation, a lack of extended family or community support, divorce and multiple blended families, and a general sense of indefinable emptiness–especially when they feel trapped on the accelerating conveyer belt of modern life. Topics that address these issues during the workshop include: • Environmental and social sustainability • Attachment and neuroscience: sculptors of social development • The evolutionary history and development of family and social systems • The fragmentation of family and community • Divorce culture • A table for one • Sacred relationships • Widening the circle of compassion and service • Practices and meditations Participants explore ways to adopt a long term view, thereby making their own lives more socially sustainable through inquiry, contemplation, journaling, dialogue, and personal and group exercises. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. Weekend of June 4–6 ChiRunning® Chris Griffin ChiRunning is a revolutionary approach that addresses the problem of injuries by combin- See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 79 DANIEL BIANCHETTA ing the inner focus of Tai Chi with running. This innovative running technique brings together body alignment and relaxation so you can run with more ease and fluidity than you ever imagined. Many of us have experienced running as an activity that takes a physical toll with sore muscles, knee injuries, hip pain, or shin splints. As Danny Dreyer, founder of ChiRunning says, “It’s not running that hurts your body … it’s the way you run that does the damage.” The ChiRunning method has been successfully taught to thousands of people with profound results. Classes will include drills and exercises that bring a new level of depth to your exercise routine and transform running from a sport to a mindfulness practice. For those seeking a way to supplement yoga practice with aerobic and weight-bearing exercise, ChiRunning will show you how to bring all the core strengthening of yoga into both walking and running. This workshop is designed for all abilities, from total beginners to seasoned veterans. Note: Bring running shoes, shorts, sweatpants, and clothing layers that will allow you to adapt to the weather. The class is open to people who have no debilitating injuries that would prevent them from fully participating. Running experi- 80 ence is not necessary as long as you are a walker with an interest in running. Mindfulness in Deep Relationship: The Sources of Nourishment Jerome Front Rebalancing Your Relationship to Keep it Thriving Gerald Smith How can you be open and vulnerable to love your partner, and, at the same time, free to continue to grow as an individual? This balance of merging and still maintaining your own center is never completely worked out, because each partner is continually changing. However, this dilemma of competing needs can be dealt with in ways that will add even more aliveness to what you already have together. In fact, a relationship that offers closeness, and at the same time freedom, can be a superb opportunity for your own deepest growth. Much of your time during this weekend will be spent with your partner separate from other couples. There will be verbal, nonverbal, and written experiences to increase openness, support, and affection, as well as skills to resolve differences without producing scar tissue. Since play is an essential part of a thriving relationship, there will be experiences to spark the imagination and create new ways to play together. Enrollment is limited to twelve couples. This retreat invites participants to open to their most elemental relationship, that which exists between the body, mind, and the natural world as it manifests through eating, food, and our senses. This inquiry will then widen to include the deep nourishment we receive from being in mindful relationship with each other. “As individuals, we all know the hungers and unrequited longings that coexist at emotional, spiritual, bodily, and relational levels,” says Jerome Front. “Fortunately, these basic needs also form our common human ground. Opening to these primal shared areas with a loving awareness can create profoundly satisfying aspects of deep relationship. These nourishing and transformative relational experiences include understanding and being understood, a sense of increased personal presence, and the soothing, releasing, and integrating experience of letting yourself be known in another’s accepting, warm presence.” During this retreat, participants will taste a fuller range of being alive, experience ways of belonging and open to the nourishing possibility of being at home, more regularly, within the moments of life. Retreat topics include: You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. • The embodied mind and spirit: Western and Eastern views • Interconnectedness of self, other, and the cosmos • Creating resonance, attunement, and empathy Participants will experience sensory work, group sharing, silent meals, music, ritual, poetry, deep relaxation, and instruction on mindfulness meditation. Teachings and activities will alternate with periods of intentional silence. Open to everyone, this retreat is an especially rich resource for helping professionals, teachers and nurses. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Building Collaborative Relationships through Five Essential Skills Jim Tamm This is a “how to” course for people who want to be more effective at creating climates of trust, building relationships, and dealing with conflict—at work, at home, or within oneself. Many personal and business relationships become adversarial simply through a lack of relationship-building skills. This workshop provides practical experience with five skills that are essential for building successful collaborative relationships. The course has its roots in a Hewlett Foundation/State of California pilot project designed to teach collaborative skills in adversarial settings. Several follow-up research studies documented the dramatic long-term results. Conflict was reduced by 85%, trust increased by 70%, defensiveness reduced by 50%, and participants were 45% more effective at getting their interests met in conflict. The course offers a combination of two powerful approaches to transforming conflict into collaboration. The first is interest-based nonadversarial negotiations, well documented for dramatically reducing conflict in business, government, and interpersonal relationships. The second is a focus on behaviors and feelings that can block resolution of conflicted situations. Participants will learn how their often unconscious emotional needs in the areas of inclusion, control, and openness impact their effectiveness when building relationships and dealing with conflict. This is skill-building to develop relationships for long-term mutual success. The material will be of immediate use to individuals as well as people in interpersonal and work relationships such as couples, families, team leaders and members, and employers and employees. Approved by the California State Board of Accountancy for 12 hours of CE credit. unbounded. By listening to the language of your inner song, you might rediscover a lost part of yourself, or a self you have been longing to encounter. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Beginners as well as experienced writers of all levels are welcome. Whether you are interested in poetry, essay, fiction, or drama, our openended practice allows the form to be discovered along the way. The weekend of writing will focus on exercises designed to facilitate the stages of unearthing and digging deeper, with guidance through the revision process as both a literal and metaphorical journey for the self. The One Thing Holding You Back: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection Raphael Cushnir Do you have an unrealized dream? Are you still waiting to tap your full potential? “Almost always, what prevents us from manifesting our greatest life vision is a reservoir of unfelt emotion,” writes Raphael Cushnir. “Resisting this emotion is what sabotages prayer, affirmations, or any other personal-growth technique. Finding and feeling this emotion is what infuses our mission with Spirit and makes us truly unstoppable. It’s simple, but most of us never learn precisely how—not at home, school, or even in therapy.” Raphael has pioneered a method of emotional connection that virtually anybody can master, and that can be learned in just one weekend. It is grounded in both contemporary neuroscience and the great wisdom traditions. He has shared it with immediate and lasting results all around the world. You can use this emotional connection to overcome lifelong struggles with career, family, relationships, weight, self-esteem, and addiction. This workshop is designed to help you fall in love with every moment of your life. It can lead to the kind of personal accomplishment you’ve longed for, and also help you serve the world. (Re)Writing Your Story Elizabeth Rosner Composing and revising personal stories can serve as powerful tools for self-reflection and transformation. This workshop is an invitation to use the writing process as a means for unraveling and reinventing the stories of your life, both on and off the page. Invoking the spirit of play and inquiry, we can uncover what has already been written inside ourselves, and also what has been hidden or disguised. Together we commit to expanding our repertoire of words, images, memories, and dreams. When you open to the sound of your own voice, when you allow yourself to be heard, the possibilities for healing and renewal are Week of June 6–11 Vitalize Your Life with Living Foods Charlie Cascio & Liam McDermott Learn to eat living foods and enjoy more vitality, a sense of wellbeing, strong immune and digestive systems, and downright juiciness. Participants will master the basics of living foods preparation as they create gourmet meals and learn to include more living foods and superfoods into their diets. Participants will learn to grow and juice wheatgrass, practice sprouting seeds, nuts, and grains, make live crackers and sprouted breads, and make fermented and cultured foods like sauerkraut and seed cheese. They will also make smoothies as well fresh vegetable and fruit juices from organic produce available throughout the week. After Sunday’s dinner in the lodge, all meals will be enjoyed together in the workshop meeting room. Following breakfasts of fruits, sprouted grains and nuts, and/or juices and smoothies, our main, gourmet feast will be at midday, when the body is most able to process food. Simpler evening meals highlight the bountiful harvest of the organic Esalen Garden, honoring the principle of eating locally and seasonally. For those who wish to connect even more with their food, there is an educational grazing adventure into the garden. In the evenings, we will sit around the hearth and discuss all things nutritional: the merits and nature of different dietary systems; maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system; and cleansing techniques from around the world. Participants are also encouraged to slow down and eat mindfully, fully experiencing and enjoying every bite. Seize this opportunity to break old eating habits, to cleanse and rebuild your body, mind, and spirit. ($65 supplemental food fee paid directly to the leaders) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 81 Esalen’s 6th Annual Yoga Festival JAMES WVINNER to expand our hearts even in the most challenging situations. By immersing ourselves in this week of guided living wisdom practices, we will create a solid foundation for each participant to return to his or her home and family with more clarity, ease, and a deeper understanding of how to continue on the yogic path in everyday life. Embodying the Divine: Five Days, Five Deities Week of June 6–11 Douglas Brooks, Saul David Raye, Janet Stone, Sianna Sherman & MC Yogi T he stories and myths of yoga are one of the most engaging ways to dive into yogic practices. The rich texture of each story carries us deeply into our hearts, imaginations, and the profound domain of selfreflective insight. This sixth annual Esalen Yoga Festival will have a special emphasis on the stories, myths, and essential teachings that transmit the sacred knowledge of the yoga tradition and awaken the inner light of the 82 Self. Your whole self will be honored and engaged to dive into the divine possibilities of expansion and identity. We will gather every day with a different deity for asana practice, storytelling, chanting mantras, breath meditation, music, and dancing. Five luminous teachers will draw from their personal connection to each deity and invite us all to share our sacred story of awakening, both in everyday life and the larger awakening of our planet. As we engage in the practices of yoga, greater clarity begins to infuse every area of our lives. A lightness of being begins to emanate from our very core and we find ourselves more able On day one, we will cross the threshold of our exploration by welcoming Ganesha, whose myths, forms, and mantras are gateways to the secrets of the heart. On the second day, we will leap across the ocean of karma to play with Hanuman and see ourselves in the great yoga of commitment, and in the opening of the midline of possibilities. On day three we will move into the subtle light and the revealing darkness of the great Mother Durga, the empowerment of the heart’s longing and the protective energy of grace. From Durga’s dynamic transformation, on day four we will move to the explosive alchemy of Shiva’s expansive consciousness of Self with chant and story, through images of serenity and destruction, and with dance and creativity. On day five we conclude with the power of pure auspiciousness, the bounty and resplendence of the goddess who celebrates life’s affirmation, Lakshmi. Five days, five deities: a journey through the maze, the house of mirrors, and the prismatic change that is our gift of human embodiment. The early mornings will be free time to soak in the tubs, stroll the beautiful grounds of Esalen, and meditate on your own while breathing the ocean air. After breakfast, there will be offerings of mid-morning asana classes with the various teachers. Each day, MC Yogi will be with one of the three asana teachers to infuse the experience with rapping, stories, and electric fun. There will be free time after lunch to receive massages, soak in the Esalen hot springs overlooking the Pacific, rest, recharge, and connect with other yogis. Dr. Douglas Brooks will offer late afternoon sessions in which we will explore our understanding of each deity through story, lecture, mantra, and guided meditations. There will be at least one other afternoon offering in addition to the sessions with Douglas, including Acro yoga, sweat lodge ceremonies (weather permitting), and partner Thai yoga. Evenings will include devo- You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Please note: This festival will be full and spirited. Expect to be in large classes with yoga mats very close together. Please bring your own yoga mat, towel, a zafu (cushion) for meditation, a block, and a strap. Leaders Douglas Brooks is a leading scholar of Hindu Tantrism and the esoteric traditions of the Goddess. In addition to his formal Western education, Douglas lived for many years in India in the house of his teacher, according to the traditions of Guru Kulam in which the student is initiated into all facets of the Indian classical Sanskrit education, including philosophy, yoga, ritual, and worship. www.rajanaka.com. Saul David Raye is known for his empowering and transformational approach to yoga, healing, and spirituality. He spent several years in Asia and India studying and practicing yoga, Thai massage, Pranic healing, and meditation. Saul’s teaching draws on the depth of the yoga tradition, Ayurveda, tantra, and all forms of universal light love and wisdom. He holds certifications in yoga, bodywork, and energy healing, is an ordained minister and musician who infuses his classes with healing music and chants. He is a student of Paramahamsa Nithyananda and continues his studies under his guidance. For more information, please visit www.sauldavidraye.com. Sianna Sherman is an internationally-recog- nized Anusara yoga teacher who delights in storytelling, poetry, spontaneous dance, and long walks in nature. She has a special appreciation for the mythological roots of yoga and often teaches workshops called Mythic Yoga Flow which infuse Anusara yoga, stories, and music. She began her studies of yoga in 1989, lived in India where she met and studied with Gurumayi Chidvilasanda and subsequently had the great blessing of meeting her primary mentor John Friend in 1995. She studies closely with Tantric scholars Dr. Douglas Brooks and Dr. Paul Muller Ortega. www.opentograce.com. In 1996, Janet Stone traveled to India, the birthplace of her grandfather, where she met a powerful yogi and became dedicated to a conscious evolution through yoga. As one of San Francisco’s leading yoga instructors, Janet blends a wealth of knowledge and yoga experience to create a unique, vigorous-yet-sumptuous approach to Vinyasa yoga that effortlessly melds awareness with movement and breath. She currently follows the teachings of her two young daughters, India and Lilianna, who shed the light on all things profound and wondrous. www.janetstoneyoga.com. MC Yogi, aka Nicholas Giacomini, grew up in Northern California painting graffiti and listening to hip hop. He spent most of his high school years at a group home for at-risk youth, and hip hop culture provided both a soundtrack and a creative outlet during those turbulent teenage years. Then at age 18 he discovered yoga, and began studying the physical forms, as well as meditation, philosophy, and devotional chanting. By combining his knowledge of yoga with his love for hip hop music, MC Yogi creates an exciting new sound that brings the wisdom of yoga to a whole new generation of modern mystics and urban yogis. www.mcyogi.com. DANIEL BIANCHETTA tional chanting, a concert by MC Yogi, expanded time with Douglas, and a dance party on our final night together. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 83 Weekend of June 11–13 Body of Sound Alyssa DeCaro “There is a hidden language that lives deep within us,” writes Alyssa DeCaro. “It is a language of the body, voice, breath, heart, and of the soul. It goes beyond the fear that keeps us separate. This language connects each one of us to our deepest self-knowing. This language weaves our thread into the web of all life. “When we use our body and voice to access the places within that are longing to be expressed, we are in touch with our authentic self. This generates a ‘feeling sense’ of belonging and connection that awakens the whole being and activates transformation. “We explore a variety of modalities such as movement awareness, ecstatic dance, vocal toning, body percussion, contact improvisation, circle song, drumming, and Balinese Kecak. As we deepen the connection between sound and movement within ourselves, we discover the possibilities of connection with each other and our environment. As the nature around us brings inspiration, we venture out into this beauty to find instruments and to create music and dance in nature. “Let’s come together in song and dance, in movement and stillness, in sound and silence. We listen, we experiment, we share, we connect, and we celebrate the gift of this life as it moves through each unique being. All are welcome.” Getting Unblocked Ann Weiser Cornell Do you sabotage yourself? Is there something you really need to get done but you just don’t do it? Are there parts of your life that stay stuck no matter how hard you try? Do you have to force yourself to do what you need to do–and even that doesn’t work? Inspired by what she learned while releasing her own writer’s block, Ann Weiser Cornell created a step-by-step program to help you get unblocked and find your forward-flowing action. It’s based on Inner Relationship Focusing, a body-based method for listening deeply to yourself. Learn how to create a climate of acceptance and welcome within, so that you can hear your blocking and pushing parts without getting 84 caught up in the struggle. Discover the myths and patterns of action blocks and why the harder you try, the less you get done. In a safe and supportive atmosphere that respects your inner sense of rightness, you start with a blocked life issue of your choice and follow it through a series of exercises to release what’s been holding the block in place. You can take home skills to use over and over whenever life gets stuck. Helping professionals can learn powerful tools for working with clients. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Human Rights Activism: Joining the Human Family of Doers Jack Healey “I invite you to discover how a simple vision and a simple desire can achieve big things without money or power,” writes Jack Healey. Healey is the former director of Amnesty International USA and the founder of the Human Rights Action Center in Washington, D.C. “And I want you to help with your stories. The first person to help is yourself, but you cannot stop there. Everyone in this world needs something we may be able to deliver or send or organize: a belief system that says if I have some, others may need a part of it. That could be wealth, but more importantly, the world’s suffering people need your brain, your vision, your hopes, your decency, and your stories. Warming the heart with stories could unleash a new power in the world, a new force not seen before: a drop of decency into Darfur or help to Haiti that allows them to eat a good meal from their own labor. This workshop is my attempt to motivate participants to action. I hope I can help you see the big picture of human rights abuses without getting scared or frozen by its brutality. I want you to feel the family of doers and become one yourself.” This workshop is energized with opportunities to reach into other lives with empathy and promised delivery—to have a better, clearer vision of the future for your own action and deeds. Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer Journey to your inner world with Spiritual Massage, shaman practices, and group healing work. As you travel deeply within, discover the old patterns engraved on different layers of your energy body. These patterns hold stories and emotions that keep you from being fully present in the moment. By letting them go, you can come alive. It is a wonderful sensation to embark on this inner search in a supportive group. Together we learn and share all we have in common as we build new and more joyful ways of being. Spiritual Massage is a hands-on healing practice that works directly on the energy body, can cleanse old thought forms, and addresses emotional, physical, and spiritual blockages. Working with emotions and feelings, we sit in the circle and have the opportunity to express ourselves. As we journey into the lower world, we can bring our shadow into the light of consciousness so we can unify our self in all its parts. This workshop can be taken on its own or in combination with Maria’s Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion five-day workshop, June 13-18. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. The Essence of Meditation: Returning to Ease Peter Russell For thousands of years, spiritual traditions have taught meditation as a way to awaken to the ease, joy, and love that are our true nature. Yet, many people find meditation tedious and difficult, a never-ending struggle to quiet the mind. This has led to the popular misconception that meditation requires great discipline and years of practice. Peter Russell, who has been teaching meditation for forty years, has found that the key is giving up all trying and effort. The mind in its natural relaxed state is already at ease. Nothing needs to be “done” to find inner peace, we simply need to let go of the various thoughts that keep our minds busy and tense. The beauty of this approach is that nothing needs to be changed or eliminated. We simply surrender to the fullness of the present moment. In this workshop we can: • Learn to allow our minds to fully relax into a state of profound ease • Discover how something as simple as surrendering all effort and resistance can open us to peace and joy • Learn some basic principles of letting go • Find greater contentment in the present moment You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. • Use our inner knowing to guide us during meditation • Integrate these approaches in our lives and so find greater ease in daily activity Guided meditations, talks, group discussions, and periods of silence and inner reflection are all part of this experience. It is suitable for beginners and experienced students of meditation. Radical Self-Care Sarah La Saulle & Sharon Kagan This workshop is for people who want to develop a profound practice of self-care, something that is as important to emotional and spiritual life as it is to overall physical health. Activities include developing a relationship with self by identifying what has been needed and longed for, but frequently ignored; defining the difference between self-care and indulgence; and investigating self-neglect through honest reflection. We end by strategizing necessary lifestyle changes that support self-love. Esalen’s physical surroundings, the supportive environment, and the many opportunities to pursue caring for the self are the perfect backdrop for this course. Using visualization, creative process, and group discussion, participants can come away with a greater feeling of self-love and an eager willingness to nurture themselves. Experiencing Esalen Pablo Piekar For workshop description see January 22-24. Week of June 13–18 Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer Spiritual Massage is a hands-on healing practice that works directly on the energy body, balancing the chakras, cleansing old thought forms, and gently facilitating release of emotional, physical, and spiritual blockages. Born into a family of healers with a generations-old tradi- BENJAMIN FAHRER In our busy lives, self-care is the last thing on our to-do list. Taking time to address our own deepest needs, desires, and dreams requires some concentrated attention. Most of us don’t even recognize when we have abandoned our own care in an effort to keep up with the demands of day-to-day life and the needs of others. tion, Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer studied with healers in her native Brazil, where Spiritism— receiving healing knowledge from the spirit world—is familiar to much of the population. In 1979 she came to Esalen and was sponsored by Esalen cofounder Dick Price to learn Spiritual Massage from Brazilian healer Luiz Gasparetto. Maria presents practical methods for using the hands as instruments of physical and spiritual healing. Incorporating both hands-on and energetic work, Spiritual Massage emphasizes intentionality as the fundamental tool of any healing art designed to move energy. The workshop includes exercises for grounding and attuning to energy as well as Afro-Brazilian shamanic practices for self-protection. Special exercises help prepare the group energy field for channeling sessions done by Maria Lucia (please bring questions). Emotional release work and group healing process are integrated as they emerge. This work is accessible to anyone, including nurses, bodyworkers, businessmen, counselors, and all those interested in working with energy and people’s bodies. This workshop can be taken on its own or in combination with Maria’s Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways weekend workshop, June 11-13. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. SoulMotion™: Sanctuary Vinn Martí sanc•tu•ary n, 1. A sacred place, such as a church, temple, or mosque. 2. A place of refuge or asylum. Vinn Martí, designer of SoulMotion, asks, “What is it like to move in a fresh, authentic manner? Is it possible to hang in the place within that allows for unbridled expressive contact with self, other, and divine?” This week in the natural sanctuary of Esalen will open doors that enter new rooms of creation, expression, and union with others. “SoulMotion,” writes Vinn, “is a movement ministry, a dance practice, and a philosophy of living that supports our unconditional acceptance of ‘what is’ and our fearless exploration outside the box of the familiar, sleep-inducing trance we sometimes find ourselves dancing to. We use the dance as metaphor for living a creative, expressive, and unified life of integrity, immensity, and intensity. Our hearts are ablaze with love of the divine and divine love toward all beings, and this becomes the beat, and the steps, and the music, to which we dance the everyday dance. “During this time together we nudge the spirit of innovative action and creativity to awaken and hold a high watch of unconditional acceptance as we stumble our way toward self-expression, self-acceptance, and self-recognition: we See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 85 are spirit dancing this human experience. Through guided imagery and relaxed induction we track conditions and attitudes which no longer serve our ability to unwind in the stream of creative expression, and we open ourselves to the next movement moment with radical awe and wonder.“ The Spiritwalker Teachings: Visionseeker Level 1 Hank Wesselman & Jill Kuykendall The rediscovery of shamanism has emerged as a major thrust in the spiritual reawakening of the Western world. The techniques of traditional shamans provide an extraordinary method for accessing hidden dimensions of reality and connecting with inner sources of power and wisdom. Hank Wesselman writes: “We will rediscover our indigenous heart through the classic shamanic journey, reestablishing connections with our spirit helpers, teachers, and ancestors, as we engage in visionary fieldwork and examine the nature of health, illness, and healing from the perspective of spirit medicine.” The workshop offers a clear introduction for those new to the shaman’s path, and, for the more experienced, provides unique material on the soul cluster from the Hawaiian kahuna perspective. Wesselman has worked for more than thirty years with scientists investigating the mystery of human origins in East Africa and has spent much of his life with indigenous people. In the 1970s, doing fieldwork in Ethiopia, he began to have spontaneous visionary experiences strikingly like those of traditional shamans. His wife Jill Kuykendall is a physical therapist and transpersonal medical practitioner, specializing in soul retrieval. Bring drums and rattles, a notebook, sketchpad, a small set of oil or chalk pastels, a bandanna or eyeshade, and a light blanket. Please refrain from alcohol during the workshop. Recommended reading: Wesselman & Kuykendall, Spirit Medicine; Wesselman, The Journey to the Sacred Garden, and The Spiritwalker Trilogy. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Be Present Empowerment Model®: Actualizing an Inclusive Vision of Community Lillie Allen & Eugene Allen What does it take to create and sustain positive change in this world? We live in the social, political, and economic systems that we seek to change. While many understand that they are affected, they do not necessarily comprehend just how deep the impact is on everyone, including children and young adults. Be Present, Inc. believes that in order to create peace and justice for all, people are responsible for examining their role and society’s role in perpetuating the “isms” (racism, classism, sexism, etc.). It is from this understanding that we can model new ways to foster tolerance, promote peace, and partner for justice. This family-friendly workshop teaches the Be Present Empowerment Model®, a leadership curriculum about how to develop self-awareness, understanding, voice, and purpose in building sustainable relationships in our diverse and changing world. Participants will learn in a community of practice how to: • Explore in a safe space the impact of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity issues • See the shifting and fluid nature of our social identities • Foster open dialogue and broadened understanding • Develop enduring partnerships for change. Children and youth, our next generation of leaders, are active participants in this workshop. Children of all ages are welcome. Mountains and Waves: Wilderness and Continuum Steven Harper & Susan Harper Wilderness is a primary teacher of movement, creativity, and awareness whose richness and beauty awakens our senses to the world around us. Continuum is a unique movement practice, an inquiry into our capacity to innovate and participate with the essential movement processes of life. Continuum takes us inward in a dynamic inquiry, rotating between inner investigation and the flow of unfolding creative expression. Integrating day-hiking in the magnificent Big Sur backcountry with the subtle internal explorations of Continuum movement, this workshop combines and weaves together these two practices. The hikes will introduce participants to increasingly refined awareness practices to enhance sensitivity to all that wilderness can offer, to reawaken those elements of wilderness within. During the indoor Continuum sessions, participants will explore movements that express and embody what they have taken in during the hikes, enlivening their ability to feel what they experience in nature as well as in their own inner nature. In this sensual environment, the group will play with movement, breath, sound, dreams, and ritual. This will be a time for contact with nature and wilderness, inside and out. Participants need not have previous experience in hiking or movement practices. HARRY FEINBERG Co-leaders Steven and Susan are a brother-andsister team who have taught this ever-evolving program annually for over 20 years. ($20 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leader) 86 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Weekend of June 18–20 questionnaire (web address given upon registration). The format of this workshop is highly interactive. Drumming Up Health!™ CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Gamo Da Paz Consider for a moment how often we hear people say they feel “out of sync.” In other words, they’re out of rhythm. Drumming is one way to reconnect with life’s rhythm and get back into a healthy cycle. In our busy days, we typically juggle dozens of ideas and motions all at the same time. Drumming as an external sensory activity can relieve the mind of the numerous thought processes that often contribute to stress. Drumming Up Health! premiered at Stanford University as part of their Health Improvement Program, and it focuses on learning basic techniques of drumming while creating simple rhythms in a group setting. Drumming, like meditation, is about focusing on one thing intently; drumming converts our thought impulses into pure motion. Students join Gamo Da Paz, a third-generation master drummer from Bahia, Brazil, to discover how to use drumming to achieve a meditative state that can help release stress, regain mental and physical balance, and prepare them for a more productive and attuned sense of wellbeing. No previous drumming experience is necessary. Coaching Skills for Leaders, Managers, and Coaches Gustavo Rabin How can we support change in others? As someone else is trying to be a better person in the world, how can we assist their process? It is the role of the coach to facilitate the process of change and personal growth. Explore the different ways in which you—in the role of the coach—could be instrumental in illuminating a path to personal transformation for yourself and for others. We all want to achieve our potential, to become the best possible version of ourselves. In the role of the coach, you will open doors for others to realize their potential. In this workshop we review proven tools, processes, and maps for transitioning through the process of personal change. The learning will be applicable to ourselves as well as for coaching others. Participants have the option of receiving their leadership profile by responding to an online The Yoga of Regeneration Mark Whitwell Experience a nurturing, regenerative weekend of yoga in the ancient restorative atmosphere and healing waters of Esalen. When you make a promise to practice yoga, yoga will meet you at every level, offering healing solutions to your unique needs. During this week you will learn an authentic yoga practice that takes you into account. It is a real yoga for real people. By the end of the week, you will have a practical yoga designed personally for you, with your health, age, and lifestyle fully considered. The gifts of this yoga can benefit all aspects of your daily life—health, intimacy, wellbeing, and joy. It is not enlightenment we want, but intimacy with life in every aspect. This intimacy and unity with life is freely available to everyone, even amidst our difficulties. A promise to yoga is an interwoven, mutual promise. You promise to practice yoga seven minutes each day, naturally, not obsessively. You open yourself to the gifts that yoga can give back. This workshop is suitable for everyone: longtime or beginning students of yoga. Please bring a yoga mat. Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones through Mindfulness and Movement support the changes made on any level, emotional, physical, or psychological. The safe, fun, and nurturing environment helps support the integration of past events. Join us to explore what’s possible! CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Gay Men Thriving! Developing Intimacy, Self-Acceptance, and Love Rik Isensee & James Guay As gay men, we all have deep needs and desires we seek to fulfill: a longing for trust, confidence, intimacy, acceptance, and love. Yet growing up gay in a homophobic culture, it’s understandable that we may be wary of being vulnerable with other men. Even when an intimate connection is truly available, we may find ourselves resisting, pulling away, or getting scared. This experiential workshop uses the gentle yet powerful methods of mindful body awareness to explore this paradoxical edge between longing and resistance. A deep awareness of physical and emotional reactions will reveal habitual responses that often keep us from getting what we want. Then, through a range of respectful (and entirely voluntary) experiences—including imagery, eye contact, evocative music, and supportive, nonsexual touch— we will expand our ability to give and receive heartfelt nurturing, attention, and loving kindness. Come join us for a fun and enriching weekend! We will build on our strengths, discover a joyful and playful side of gay men’s creativity, and tap into the resources of our own internal wisdom. Patrice Hamilton & Dorothy Charles A Celebration of Family This experiential workshop blends slow, developmental movement with individual and group Gestalt work to address how habitual unconscious beliefs and behaviors formed early in life lead to habitual ways of responding that limit life experience. Sunnie Kaufmann Through mindfulness, you can learn to increase awareness of these unconscious ways of being and move beyond those habits. Through gentle explorations of forgotten movement patterns and Gestalt Awareness Practice, you are better able to contact the here-and-now, where change and growth are possible. Release unnecessary muscular contractions that drain you physically and energetically, and emerge feeling more empowered and able to fully express yourself in the world. A change in habitual muscular holding patterns can result in a body that will What does family mean to you? Spend this wonderful weekend exploring the language of love in your family. Experience the expression of love through music, movement, and silence. Create a family portrait using the tools of your imagination. Share your family history in a special story circle. Together, begin to write a family book that will grow with you as your family continues to grow. This workshop is open to parents, children, and any other family members who want to celebrate the love that makes a family. We will be celebrating fathers on this Father’s Day weekend as well; all forms of “Dad” are welcome! ($40 materials fee paid directly to the leader) See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 87 Fathers and Sons: Celebrating Father’s Day in the Tradition of the Old Ways Steven Harper, Kenneth Harper, Kai Harper & Kes Harper It is a wise child that knows his own father. —Homer It is a wise father that knows his own child. —William Shakespeare Over the ages, fathers and sons have journeyed together into the wilds of nature, traveling light, living simply, and stepping together on the path of what is known and what is unknown as students and teachers for one another. This weekend is a time for fathers and sons to come together as individuals, family, and community to explore the natural wild areas of Big Sur and the relationship of father and son in a community of men. “Our time together is simple,” says Steven. “Participants will be introduced to basic contemplative and awareness practices from various wisdom traditions. Our time outdoors during the weekend will be spent on day hikes (two to six miles in length) into the rugged beauty of Big Sur. Much of our time will be in silence, quiet dialog, and reflective exercises that invite participants to pay attention to that which has heart and meaning. During indoor sessions we will share experience, stories of the path, and poems of inspiration…with a touch of creative humor to add balance.” Longtime Esalen leader, Steven Harper, his father Kenneth, and two sons, Kai and Kes, will lead the weekend. This multi-generational father and son team along with the group will weave together an eclectic mix that draws from collective life experience and training. All levels of experience are welcome, however the group is limited to fourteen years and older. More information will be sent upon registration. ($10 park-entrance fees paid directly to the leaders) See Family Spotlight, page 7. Week of June 20–25 Mindful Body-Mind Psychology and Practice: The Hakomi Method Ron Kurtz & Adama Hamilton This course introduces the Hakomi Method, a mind-body treatment approach that integrates elements of mindfulness practice, loving presence, and enhanced bodily awareness of non- 88 verbal indicators. Core cognitive structures that shape how we relate to others and ourselves are accessed by focusing on embodied habitual patterns. The healing relationship evoked by the connection between therapist and client aims to support a deeper awareness and greater creativity in living. Being mindfully aware and attending to the richness of present experience creates scientifically recognized enhancements in brain physiology, mental functions, and in interpersonal relationships. Mindful, somatic awareness will be studied and practiced as a therapeutic tool and specific interventions will be considered. The course is designed for those in the helping professions as well as interested non-professionals. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Qigong Empowerment: The Healing Promise of Qi for Health Maximization, Healing, and Spiritual Alchemy Roger Jahnke Chinese yoga, known as Qigong (Chi Kung), is emerging as the self-healing tool of choice in many people’s lives and in hospitals, spas, retreat centers, corporations, and even the military. This retreat is designed for those who seek healing, empowerment, maximum personal performance, inner peace, and the experience of oneness. The program begins with the simplest levels of self-healing, known as Dao Yin, including gentle Tai Chi-like movements, self-massage, breath practice, and meditative mindfulness. Then, drawing on Dr. Jahnke’s widely acclaimed book, The Healing Promise of Qi, participants will explore the insights of the ancient Qi masters, discover the original meaning of Tai Chi, and learn the potent Nine Phases Method of Qi cultivation and mastery. Throughout, participants explore Chinese medical theory, journey into the philosophies of the Taoists, Buddhists, martial artists, and ancient alchemists, and make enlightening comparisons with Western physiology and quantum physics. Simple methods of transmitting Qi to others will be introduced as well. Reflecting from his thirty years in the practice of Chinese medicine and his numerous trips to the hospitals and sacred sites of Asia, Dr. Roger Jahnke notes: “For those who seek healing this is an opportunity for deep immersion in Qigong. For those who seek personal maximization and stress relief, this is an exploration of one of the most eloquent empowerment systems ever developed. For those who seek the light of spirituality, Qigong is a clear path to the revelation of inner radiance. For all, we will be intently creating and bathing in a field of pure and radiant Qi.” For more information, visit www.FeeltheQi.com. Recommended reading: Jahnke, The Healer Within, and The Healing Promise of Qi. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. The Body Shop: Explorations in Intimacy for Couples Stella Resnick & Alan Kishbaugh While sensitive discussion can bring closeness, words are not the core of intimacy. As modern neuroscience has shown—and body-based psychotherapists have known for decades—the core of the intimate self is the body. Sometimes the words we say to ourselves or to our partner confuse rather than illuminate, because they come from habitual ways of thinking and expressing ourselves. Love in all its incarnations—as attachment, romance, friendship, eroticism, sexual union, and spiritual attunement—is a bodybased experience. Being part of a loving couple is the ultimate evolutionary opportunity to heal old body-mind wounds and to share nurturing pleasures. In this couples-only workshop, we’ll begin with a brief look at what modern neuroscience tells us about how our pre-verbal past is programmed into our brain and nervous system. We’ll see how the past is present in how we form emotional attachments, handle stress, convey love, and relate to sexual pleasure. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. Deepening the Characters We Create: A Writing Workshop Lisa Doctor The characters we create, according to Ernest Hemingway, can and will evolve from caricatures into real people if we allow them to speak in their own voices without interference. But how do our characters turn into dynamic beings? How do they find their own truths? Through a series of writing exercises and discussion, we will create the profile of a character and then allow him or her to answer challenging questions designed to reveal hidden truths. Each prompt is chosen specifically for the character; no two characters receive the same questions. As the week progresses, these emerging people open up about that which haunts and thrills You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. • Embracing what IS as the gateway to deeper reality • Learning how to be truly present • Cultivating surrender, forgiveness, lovingkindness, and trust • Accessing deep inner guidance and wisdom Miranda offers a blend of universal spiritual teachings that includes guided inquiry, meditative processes, sensing body energy, intuitive listening, and the practice of surrender. No subject is off limits—this work embraces every dimension of human experience and operates on spiritual, psychological, energetic, and practical dimensions. Awakening Your Healing Heart: A Holoenergetic® Training Intensive for Health and Healing Practitioners and Therapists Leonard Laskow BENJAMIN FAHRER A practitioner’s greatest gift is to be so fully present that the client’s essential nature, which is one with the practitioner’s, is resonantly activated. Ideally, this shared field of undistorted, nonjudgmental awareness or witnessing then becomes the context in which all subsequent therapeutic interaction transpires. Since “problems” for which clients seek help ultimately derive from the illusion of separation from one’s essential nature, true healing can only occur in this contextual field of wholeness, which simultaneously includes and transcends all phenomena. them. They explore their personal histories, their concerns about aging, their longings, disappointments, and uncertainties. We will ask them to speak freely about old wounds and their compassion for others. They tell us what used to be important to them but no longer is. By the end of the week the character each writer has created will have begun to emerge into a separate being with an authentic voice and a distinct identity. This workshop is designed for writers of every level, including beginners, who are seeking a group writing experience in a safe and nurturing environment. The method used is particularly effective for those wishing to begin or are in the midst of writing a novel, memoir, short story, screenplay, or stage play, where a richly drawn character takes center stage. Living Spiritual Depth: Bringing Grace Alive Miranda MacPherson This workshop is a sacred space to facilitate perennial spiritual truths coming more fully alive in our experience and to bring about deep transformation. In a field of deep acceptance, Miranda MacPherson will guide the way through ego-identifications and habits, to access the radiant peace of our true nature—not just as concept or idea, but as direct experience. Then, together we can address our human challenges with new wisdom, and explore what it takes to live from spiritual depth and grace in every dimension of life. Topics include: • Exploring practices to access inner peace and stillness • Unwinding patterns of suffering This intensive training is designed to teach four powerful therapeutic tools that will enhance the effectiveness and depth of the practitioner’s work. At the same time, by using these techniques with an awakened heart, the practitioner will be more fulfilled and enlivened by his/her work. The intensive will focus on these four processes: • Accessing conscious heart space • Establishing transpersonal alignment with patients and clients • Learning to “trace” illness, suffering, and distress to its source—apparent separation from the whole—and transform this energy of separation into unitive love • Engaging the grace and power of forgiveness to release the inherent capacity to heal oneself As the heart opens, the truth and splendor of who we really are is finally revealed and expressed as inner peace, love, joy and freedom. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 89 The Art of Essential Touch: An Esalen® Massage Retreat Brita Ostrom & Ellen Watson Recommended reading and viewing: SteindlRast, A Listening Heart;Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses; Esalen Massage DVD; Watson: Wake-Up 101, The Art of Essential Touch DVDs. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Weekend of June 25–27 Altar Your Joy: Making Personal Altars their own altar (materials provided), along with an interactive group piece that we build throughout the week. Wooden forms are transformed into sacred vessels using images, words, special objects, and a variety of art mediums. Natural elements will also be included. The simple and satisfying art of placement (composition), creative writing exercises, and meditative guidance will crystallize the seeds of your voyage. Discover the joy that comes by focusing on the life-affirming practices of beauty and art. Altars can serve as visual and energetic reminders for life intentions and future hopes. Their tone can be grounding forces and aesthetic additions to your home or work place, touchstones for your spiritual practice, and platforms to honor past memories, experiences, and people. Virginia Ray Delve into the world of altar-making while exploring your personal joy during this spirited and playful workshop that reinvents the ancient theme of altars and shrines in new and imaginative ways. Tap into your lighthearted, gentle nature in the process. Each participant makes Bring a journal, a willingness to experience an interlude of mystery and magic, and a few cherished items you’d like to work with. These could include mementos, photos, favorite stones, or other objects. No art experience is necessary! For more information, visit www.virginiaray.net. ($40 materials fee paid directly to the leader) DANIEL BIANCHETTA Esalen Massage is a healing art form, evolved over forty-five years at the Esalen baths. Influenced by the rhythms of the Pacific, this form of touch engages all the senses and offers deep release and relaxation to both giver and receiver. This workshop invites participants to explore the world of essential touch through the gentle guidance of teachers with many years of experience. We will offer the basic principles of our work: grounding and centering, moving from the core, quality of touch, and using breath to bridge the connection between giver and receiver. One of the key elements of this art form is tapping into the flowing, creative energy present in a living body and letting one’s massage style emerge from that experience. We will include techniques, especially the Esalen signature moves, along with deeper work. We will also spend time in the Esalen baths, combining herbs from the Esalen garden with the hot mineral water to cleanse and tone body and spirit. This retreat is open to beginners and experienced bodyworkers interested in learning new and creative approaches to massage. Please bring your favorite music for movement and massage, and bring loose, comfortable clothing. 90 You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice Christine Price Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form—nonanalytic, noncoercive, nonjudgmental—derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary relative to action, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. This form is similar to some Reichian work as well, in that emotional and energetic release and rebalancing are allowed and encouraged. The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment. The workshop will utilize group exercises, meditations, and discussion. Open seat work may be demonstrated. Recommended reading: Perls, Gestalt Therapy Verbatim; Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. The Money Vision Quest: Transforming Your Financial Life Brent Kessel & Spencer Sherman Wealth managers and authors Spencer Sherman and Brent Kessel share their methods for transforming money patterns to create peace, passion, and power around finances. Utilizing practices and insights from the world’s great wisdom traditions and leading financial minds, Spencer and Brent lead participants on a courageous journey of self-discovery through one of the most uncharted areas of our inner landscape. • A reclamation of your childhood money initiation and discovery of true alignment with your values • A deeper sense of security and confidence about your future • Improved financial relationships with their life partner, parents, children, and colleagues • New ways to think about spending, saving, giving, and earning money • A greater ability to reach your most important financial goals Being True to Life: Poetic Paths to Personal Growth David Richo Becoming healthy, psychologically and spiritually, includes releasing the full range of our imagination about who we are and can be. Writing poetry is a surprising tool in that exciting venture. Using Buddhist and Jungian perspectives, this workshop offers a fresh and inspiring approach to personal growth, one that taps into our inherent creativity and the versatility of poetry. Here is an opportunity to give poetry a try and see what we can discover about ourselves and our world. Poetry may have seemed daunting in school but this is a chance for it to become wonderfully personal as we use hearts and pens to explore who we are. Simple poetrywriting techniques will be shared and you can choose to share what we write, or not. Most of what concerns and distresses us has two sides. We usually have a conscious knowledge of our issues. There is, however, also an unconscious dimension. A poem begins with a conscious intention but as we flow with our writing, we find out more than we might have guessed about who we are and what is going on inside of us. This is why writing poetry can help us so much in self-discovery. We can find new avenues into healing of our fears, our self-doubts, our relationship issues. There is a power in poetry to grant access to the lost territories in ourselves, and, once there, to celebrate what we find. Poetry reveals the path to new ways of living. The workshop is meant for everyone, regardless of wealth level. It can help participants redesign the way they experience, think about, earn, save, give, invest, and spend money. It is designed to help all participants achieve a sense of financial freedom and ease. Exercises are experiential, written, group, solo, spiritual, and practical. Recommended reading: Richo, Being True to Life. Goals for the workshop include: We live in a culture that extols constant productivity. From sunrise to sunset, we move at a breakneck pace in order to meet the day’s • A clearer understanding of the powerful forces that have shaped your financial life Revealing the Wisdom Within: Relieve and Prevent Neck and Shoulder Dysfunction Harvey Deutch demands, only to wake up the next day and do it all over again. Is it any wonder that we’ve distanced ourselves from the body’s signals of discomfort in an effort to get things done? Such signals may be manifested as a particular ache or perhaps in overall stiffness in the body. Either way this in a path leads to decreased energy and an inability to embrace each day with optimal vitality. But there is another path. First we must unlock the mysteries of why and how our bodies hold onto unhealthy movement patterns. Then we can address our body’s biomechanical inefficiencies and so move through our day with greater consciousness and fluidity, ultimately opening, healing, and re-energizing ourselves. Join Harvey Deutch, physical therapist and yogi, for a weekend that focuses on spinal awareness and mobility, including the cervical spine, shoulders, and major joints systems of the upper body. Through group discussion, pranayama (conscious breathing), and Iyengar-influenced yoga asana (postures), you can discover that sacred balance that arises from the convergence of core strength, awareness of the thoracic spine, flexibility, and the spiraling lines of energy within the body. In addition to a yoga mat, please bring your curiosity and desire to share in the group experience, compassion for honoring your body exactly as it is, and a sense of humor. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Human Potential in a Postmodern World Bradley Lewis We live in a time of deep transition. Our oncecherished truths have become uncertain and unreliable as we move further and further into postmodern times. This new postmodern world forces us out of old patterns of living, creates unprecedented and often dramatic social and environmental problems, and demands imaginative and smart ways of being in the world. But what exactly is “postmodernism?” What does it mean to live in “postmodern times?” This workshop, led by cultural theorist and New York University professor Bradley Lewis, begins by introducing key intellectual writers in postmodern philosophy, art, culture, and media. Following this background, we turn our attention to the personal and political significance of these new developments. We will then explore what it means for our individual lives to live in a postmodern era. What does it mean to be an engaged political citizen of the new era? And, most importantly, how can we re-imagine and re-create a viable counterculture in the postmodern era? See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 91 What would the postmodern dream for a contemporary human potential movement look like? The advent of postmodern times is in many ways a frightening development. But, paradoxically, the postmodern era also offers new and exciting life strategies that can work in harmony with the new world order. In this workshop, we focus on the emerging possibilities for releasing today’s human potential. Spinal Awareness (with Humor): The Essence of Feldenkrais® and Energy Work Patrick Douce Spinal Awareness can improve body awareness, flexibility, posture, and many chronic and acute conditions of your body. Spinal Awareness is a blend of movement, touch, and group interaction, based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Chinese-Indonesian martial art, and the Esalen experience. It continues to evolve. The movements of Spinal Awareness are quite different from normal exercises. They emphasize learning how to move in ways that stimulate your awareness of your body. They involve learning to use the floor to organize and integrate your own spinal column. Standing lessons lead to a new awareness of ways to move with better balance and fluidity. Special emphasis will be placed on any difficulties participants may have, such as lower back pain, hip trouble, tension in the neck and shoulders, and knee injuries. This work will focus on how we can re-learn how to overcome our limitations in movement and functioning. Special emphasis will be placed on Skeletal Awareness. Students will be given a new understanding of how tension and injury are often involved with the disorganization in the skeletal-muscular parts of our bodies. Lessons inspired by Indonesian Silat will be used to stimulate the energy body, effecting internal health and increasing energy. These movements, originating from the monasteries of China and Tibet, further increase healing possibilities. Safe and noninvasive hands-on lessons will be presented that can greatly speed up improvements This workshop will evolve with humor and playfulness. Fun partner lessons will help bring about not only freedom in the body but the return to the childlike energy essential to us all. This is a program designed for both the beginner and the professional. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. 92 Week of June 27–July 2 Yoga Ecstasy Summer Axé Retreat Micheline Berry Join Micheline Berry, musical guests Craig Kohland, DJ Drez, Shaman’s Dream World Groove Ensemble, and dancers Vida Vierra and Dani Lunn for this rejuvenating and healing celebration of Axé, the Yoruba word for “creative life force.” Immerse yourself in mixed-level Liquid Asana™ Vinyasa Flow yoga, AfroBrazilian dance and Orixa ritual, sound meditations, and spontaneous flights of ritual World Beat music and ecstatic dance. Most yoga sessions will be accompanied by live and DJ’ed funky world beats by Shaman’s Dream featuring DJ Drez to guide you deeper into the flow. The retreat will also include: • A special summer ritual concert to get your healing groove on, with Micheline Berry, Dani Lunn, Vida Vierra, and Shaman’s Dream • Tribal art-making with artist Domonic Dean Breaux • Afro-Brazilian Dance and Orixa ritual with Vida Vierra and Dani Lunn You will have the opportunity to: activate dynamic asana sequences with creative, fluid movement, core stability, and strength; cultivate a deeply nourished and empowered state of being through the purifying heat of vinyasa kramas (flowing sequences) that can lead to peak states of embodiment; and open a free flow of energy in the spine and major joint systems and unlock stagnant areas within the body/mind. Please bring a yoga mat. For more information about Micheline, visit www.michelineberry.com. Artplane Workshop Nicholas Wilton & Jennie Oppenheimer A lighthearted, playful exploration of the creative image-making process, Artplane presents practical principles of painting combined with a fresh approach to working more freely and intuitively. Explore color theory, harmony, value, and design through in-class demonstrations, critiques, and extensive hands-on painting. There is little time to worry about success or failure, because the process takes the form of a flowing series of small paintings on wood panels. Participants sometimes paint on two or three pieces simultaneously. Working in this way counteracts the tendency to over focus and constrict the creative process. Recognizing and remaining in this state of high creativity is a fundamental idea of the class. Seeing the opportunities made possible by mistakes and learning how to evaluate and improve upon your work are also emphasized. Come prepared for a whirl of creative selfexpression and the wonderful feeling of creating a collection of your own paintings that celebrates the process of inspiration, reclamation, and the journey of self-discovery. Only life experience and a willingness to play are needed. ($80 materials fee paid directly to the leaders; details provided upon registration) Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons and the Performance of Other Minds Barbara Stafford Mimicry is a pre-linguistic skill with enabling neuronal circuitry dating back at least 40 million years. Explore recent discoveries in the brain sciences on sympathy and empathy, including the “mirror neurons” of macaques. These findings shed new light on the biological, chemical, social, and aesthetic processes that underlie our mirroring of others. What is so fascinating is that this visual-motor capacity to conjoin one being with another is apparently universal. Using a wide range of examples from the visual arts—stretching back to ancient Australian petroglyphs and forward to contemporary video— we will examine how the universe of art has long drawn upon the imitative instinct. Art embodies the fact that intentional or unintentional information about how we feel—our joy, love, pain, passion—can have a direct impact on someone else, and that another person’s happiness or suffering, in turn, can also be communicated to an observer reliably without language. We routinely feel our way inside someone’s mobile features, or predict from physiognomy, or draw inferences from speech-amplifying gestures, through a kind of virtual simulation. Through lecture and class discussion we will wrestle with how recognition is re-cognition. In what ways does physiological sight become comprehending insight? How does the perception of behavior communicate the meaning of that behavior? Recommended reading: Stafford, Echo Objects: The Cognitive Work of Images. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. You can now register online at www.esalen.org. Workshops appear on the Web before the Catalog is printed. Breathe Into Being: Awakening to Who You Really Are municating more clearly about the body. Please bring colored pencils. Dennis Lewis Required textbook: Kapit and Elson, The Anatomy Coloring Book. The ever-increasing speed, stress, and disharmony of the modern world conditions us not only to a way of living in which the future is often assumed to be more important than the present, but also cuts us off from the immediate experience of ourselves as living, breathing beings. As a result, many of us live as unconscious, breathless automatons, rushing faster than time itself into an imaginary future and are seldom present to the mystery and miracle of who we really are right here and now. Our breathing is so constricted and incomplete that it undermines our health, our vitality, and our consciousness. It also deprives us of one of the great joys of living on this earth: the expansive sensation of a free, easy, boundless breath that engages the whole of ourselves and opens us to the fullness of the life. Based on his book, Breathe Into Being, and his many years of study in the traditions of Taoism, Advaita, and the Gurdjieff Work, Dennis takes you on an inner and outer journey of presence and awakening. Through guided self-inquiry, self-sensing practices, breathing exercises, qigong, and special movements, sounds, and postures, learn how your breath can be a gateway into presence, into who you really are, and a way to release constricting and disharmonious mental, physical, and emotional energies. Become conscious of your body as a sacred temple—a temple within which you can awaken to your fundamental nature. Recommended reading: Lewis, Breathe Into Being: Awakening To Who You Really Are and Free Your Breath, Free your Life. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. CE credit for nurses; see page 113. The Language of the Body: Anatomy I Jim Gallas Learn the language of Western professional health care providers while exploring the miracle of the human form. Material covered includes the major muscles and bones, skin and connective tissue, anatomical directions, types of joints and joint actions, and a brief overview of the body’s various systems. A wide variety of teaching techniques will be used, including lecture, movement, palpation, massage, guided visualization, lots of review, and group interaction. This introductory level course is designed for massage therapists, yoga and movement teachers, and anyone with an interest in com- ($20 materials fee paid directly to the leader) CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Water in the Desert: Hope, Faith, and Awe in a Time of Loss Maria Sirois As Stephen, a sixteen-year-old with a life-threatening illness, once said, “Every day counts. Even if it’s a bad day and you’re in pain, it’s still your day and it still counts.” How, then, in the presence of our bad days, when illness and loss rise and swell, do we remember that the days matter and that we can in fact find water in the desert? How do we step into the world creatively and compassionately when the tsunamis come? Weaving together wisdom from the fields of positive psychology, faith traditions, mind-body medicine, and stories of those who have come through darkness with opened hearts and resilience, we gather the knowledge we most need to invigorate hope, create a sustaining faith, and to remember where we find awe. With those tools and our shared wisdom, any day becomes a day that turns a life forward. We can create the possibility, as Viktor Frankl expressed it, of shifting the question of life from “why me?” to “who am I in the presence of this?” From that shift, a replenished and sustaining life is not only possible, it becomes likely. Participants work together in lecture format, small group discussion, meditation and guided imagery, and through journaling. “Everyone has a story to tell,” says Nina, “and stories reside as much in the body as in the mind. So we begin with movement—slow stretches to open the body. We open the voice with playful classical- and jazz-based exercises. We meditate to calm the heart, dance to free the spirit, find a way to effortlessly compose with language. This journey leads to giving voice and physicality to the private characters and inner realities that live in the subconscious mind and the cells of our bodies.” This workshop is like dreaming on your feet. Expect to surprise yourself and to become more playful and at ease before an audience. You might even find that the sense of wellbeing achieved during the workshop not only expands your creative abilities but also enhances your experience of daily life. And while it is not therapy, Nina’s work can be surprisingly, delightfully, holistically healing. Recommended reading: Wise, A Big, New, Free, Happy, Unusual Life. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. S future programs The program listed below is scheduled for the next catalog period (July–December 2010). Although registration for this program is not yet open, the information below can assist in your long-term plans to participate. Please call the Esalen office, visit www.esalen.org, or see the next catalog for full program information. CE credit for psychologists; see page 113. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. November, 2010 Motion Theater: Dreaming On Your Feet 28-Day Massage Practitioner Certification Program Nina Wise Esalen Massage Staff TBD It is our nature to be free—and to express that freedom spontaneously and without hesitation through song and dance, poetry, and play. Moreover, we each have the ability to wake up to who we already know ourselves to be: people dedicated to a sane and just world made up of individuals who celebrate their common humanity and this planet of indescribable beauty through singing, dancing, playing, and caring for all sentient beings. The Esalen month-long massage program provides comprehensive instruction in basic massage skills. The training provides a minimum of 150 hours. After the program, students wishing to fulfill certification requirements have six months to complete and document 30 massage sessions. Upon payment of a $100 processing fee, a California state-approved Certificate of Completion will be issued. To request an application, contact the Esalen office at 831-667-3000. This improvisation workshop allows the creativity that resides within us to have a voice. See pages 110-111 for reservations, fees, accommodations, scholarship information, and discounts. 93 special programs HARRY FEINBERG S T he programs listed below are either part of an ongoing series, formatted unusually, or longer than the standard Esalen workshop. March 5–April 2 28-Day Esalen® Massage Practitioner Certification Training Char Pias & Oliver Bailey This professional course provides a minimum of 150 hours training in a unique approach to massage. Esalen Massage is not only comprised of physical techniques, it is a way of being, a philosophy of touch. Classes include lectures and demonstrations of fundamental massage skills and supervised practice sessions. The teaching method is primarily experiential learning. Emphasis is on supporting students to develop a balance between technique, intuition, and creativity. Meditation is taught daily as a basis for centering and developing presence. A weekly group process class is included to explore communication skills. Optional yoga and movement classes are also available outside of the regular class schedule. Following completion of the program, students wishing to fulfill certification requirements have 94 six months to document thirty massage sessions. Upon payment of a $100 processing fee, a California state-approved certificate is issued. This training is available to anyone with a genuine interest in Esalen Massage, whether for personal growth or for professional goals. Admission is by application. Please request an application form from the Esalen office by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or calling 831-667-3005. Applications are reviewed in the order received and preference is given to those who have previously completed an Esalen Massage workshop. Because class size is limited, early application is highly recommended. Required reading: Biel, Trail Guide to the Body. ($10 materials fee paid directly to leaders) CE credit for nurses; see page 113. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. Esalen® Massage 500-hour Certification Program Esalen's 500-hour Certification Program offers advanced studies to Esalen Massage Practitioner certified graduates. The focused coursework is carefully selected from the regular workshop schedule and encompasses a broad and special- ized knowledge of bodywork, psychological and communication skills, awareness practices, and movement kinesthetic studies. This curriculum is tailored to each student’s schedule, ability, and professional goals. An on-site massage teacher/ advisor provides personal guidance and assessment throughout the program. The foundations of human anatomy and physiology are studied away from Esalen, at approved trainings near where students live. The course is designed to link body-mind-spirit in a professional bodywork study and practicum. To be eligible, students must first complete an Esalen-approved certification program of at least 150 hours and must have earned their certificate. When students return to Esalen for their first post-certificate course, they select an advisor from the teaching staff, give the advisor an assessment massage, and draw up a study plan. The 500-hour program is approved by the California Board of Consumer Affairs (formerly the California BPPVE) and the NCBTMB. Fees include the standard workshop fees (for example, ten 5-day courses), plus approximately $500 advisor and certification fees. For more details see the Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association website: www.esalen.org/sites/emba. The Coaches Training Institute The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) is the largest in-person coach training school in the world. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, CTI offers accredited coach training, comprehensive leadership training, professional coaching certification, and powerful coaching skills for people in any profession. CTI’s CoActive Coach Training curriculum consists of five courses: Fundamentals, Fulfillment, Balance, Process, and In the Bones. For more information, visit www.thecoaches.com. To register for a CTI course hosted by Esalen, please first contact CTI: [email protected] or 415-451-6000 ext. 701. Only after you have reserved a place in the course through CTI will you be able to reserve your accommodations with Esalen at 831-667-3005 (CTI receives course fees, Esalen receives accommodations fees). The CTI courses, dates, and instructors offered during this catalog period are: Coaches Training Institute: Co-Active Fundamentals, May 16-21, Athena Katsaros. qualifies for an intermediate certificate; fourteen qualifies for an advanced certificate. For complete program information, including a list of all segments, please visit www.esalen.sbgi.edu. The program can also be taken as a more scholarly course of study which includes additional reading and writing for students who would like to earn graduate credit toward a doctoral degree program at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. To use this training as credit toward a Ph.D. degree, students must first apply and be accepted in the Professional Specialty Ph.D. program at SBGI. Information on the Somatic Psychology Foundations Certificate and Ph.D. Professional Specialty Program is available at www.sbgi.edu. For information or to register, call 805-963-6896 or e-mail [email protected]. The SBGI courses, dates, and faculty offered during this catalog period are: Embodiment and Development: Foundations of Presence, Compassion, and Healing, January 31–February 5, Susan Aposhyan, M.A. & Dyrian Benz, PsyD. The Somatic Experience in Psychotherapy, The Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Embodied Psychotherapy Certificate Program in Relational Somatic Psychology gives participants a foundation in the leading-edge field of somatic psychology. It is designed to meet the needs of professionals and practitioners (educators, health care professionals, therapists, psychologists) as well as individuals interested in learning an in-depth somatic/psychological perspective. SBGI faculty or affiliates teach all courses. An approved application is required. Complete the application online at www.esalen.sbgi.edu and allow one week for processing and for you and Esalen to be informed of your status. This certificate program is a series of courses inspired by the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute somatic psychology post-graduate academic curriculum. Completion of six segments qualifies one for a beginner’s certificate; ten segments February 7-12, John Ratey, M.D. www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/brain. Enhancement of Peak Performance in Sports, Performing Arts, and the Worksite, April 16-18, Daniel Brown, Ph.D. www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/peakperformance. Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve, April 30-May 2, Martha Stark, M.D. www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/relentlesshope. Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in Clinical Practice, May 14-16, Russell Vasile, Ph.D. www.cme.hms.harvard.edu/courses/majordepression. Harvard Medical School Accreditation Please note: An approved application is required; contact Esalen for registration only after your application has been accepted by SBGI. Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues: The Santa Barbara Graduate Institute Embodied Psychotherapy Certificate Program in Relational Somatic Psychology Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, April 4-9, Diane Poole Heller, Ph.D. Body and Mind Integration: Effectively Integrating Breath and Somatic Awareness into Clinical Practice, May 16-21, Gabrielle Hoppe, M.A., Dyrian Benz, PsyD. & JoAnna Chartrand. The Harvard Medical School Continuing Education Series Esalen has been selected to host Continuing Education courses offered by Harvard Medical School (HMS) Department of Continuing Education. To reserve a space in any of these courses, you must first contact HMS at 617-3848607 or e-mail [email protected]. Only after you have reserved your place in the course through Harvard will you be able to reserve your accommodations through Esalen at 831-667-3005 (course fees and accommodations are separate). The courses, dates, and instructors offered during this catalog period are: Physicians: Harvard Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Harvard Medical School designates the weeklong Esalen seminars for a maximum of 15 and the weekend Esalen seminars for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Psychologists: The Massachusetts Mental Health Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. All weeklong programs offer 15 credit hours. The weekend seminars offer 10 credit hours. Massachusetts Mental Health Center maintains responsibility for the program. Counselors: Massachusetts Mental Health Center is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors to offer continuing education to participants. All weeklong programs meet the criteria for 15 credit hours. The weekend seminars meet the criteria for 10 credit hours. Social Workers: For information on the status of the application to the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, please call 617-998-5028 or e-mail: [email protected]. Nurses: Massachusetts Mental Health Center is approved by the Arizona State Nurses Association to offer continuing education credits to participants. All weeklong programs meet the criteria for 18 contact hours. The weekend seminars meet the criteria for 12 contact hours. 95 work study program BENJAMIN FAHRER S T he Work Study Program at Esalen is a 28-day program for those interested in an intense involvement with the Esalen environment and an in-depth experience of the Esalen approach to holistic personal and social development. An integrated work, service, and self-directed-learning program, it is rich, demanding, and often physically and emotionally challenging. Participants work 32 hours per week in one of Esalen’s departments and participate in that department’s programs and schedule. At the heart of the Work Study experience is the core evening group, in which Work Scholars meet together in a group, four to five evenings a week. The group emphasizes a particular approach to transformative practice, such as Gestalt process, meditative practice, creative arts, movement, bodywork, or other forms of somatics. The group has its own leader, or leaders (see schedule below), who is with the group throughout the program, coordinating the study schedule and facilitating many of the evening sessions. Applicants must be committed to staying at Esalen for the duration of the program. There will be introductory evenings in which Work Scholars are introduced to the Institute’s legacy through core practices of the Esalen cur- 96 riculum for integrated self-structured learning and self-directed education. The practices offered include skills in awareness (of self and others), intentionality, personal visioning, goalsetting, building support, communication and relational skills, self-evaluation, and integration of learnings into your own life. In addition to the evening program, Work Scholars will be assigned to a work group in one of four departments, and will contribute approximately 32 hours a week to this work group. Esalen practices such as process and “check-in” will be woven into the work environment, providing rich opportunity for self- and group exploration during the day. Each participant’s work schedule will also allow for some participation in the daily open classes (movement, meditation, yoga, and more) if desired. The Legacy program is a new monthlong program at Esalen that is structured differently than the traditional Work Study format. Legacy Scholars are in class with a mix of other scholars and Esalen staff interested in the particular subject. The Legacy program includes less class time and more flexibility for students. Class happens twice a week in the afternoon, with a more intensive day once during the month, for a total of 25 hours in-class time with approximately 5 hours of independent project work. In addition to the dedicated subject, Legacy Scholars are able to attend any of the additional staff trainings (Residential Education programs) that Esalen offers. The work group hours of the Legacy program (32 hours per week) and price are the same as the traditional Work Study program. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Work Scholars are selected by application only, to Work Study Coordinator Mary Anne Will. Since this is a work and service program, preference is given to applicants who are open and willing to learn about themselves within the work context as well as within the study/process groups. Because the work can be physically challenging (lifting, bending, etc.), it may not be suitable for all who wish to apply. First-month work students, in particular, are assigned to departments largely on the basis of community need (usually the kitchen or housekeeping). Please note: The Work Study Program is designed to explore and apply human values and potentials. It is not intended as a substitute for therapy or as a “cure.” It is a drug- and alcohol-free program. No pets, drugs, or violence allowed. We cannot accommodate children of work scholars. Work Study Programs 2010 March 14–April 11 Thai Massage January 17–February 14 Relational Gestalt Awareness Practice Each of us is born with an inherent drive for self-expression. As we grow up, our sense of self and our ability to be spontaneous often become blocked. Knowing who we are, and what we feel and want, can be difficult when our self-knowledge is distorted by family experiences and cultural expectations. The focus of a month with Dorothy Charles will be Gestalt Awareness Practice, using group process to enhance communication and conflict resolution skills and to develop empathy for self and others. Mindfulness practice, meditation, and expressive arts will be part of the curriculum. ($10 materials fee paid directly to the leader) CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. February 14–March 14 The Path of the Buddha Thai massage, or nuad boran (translated as “ancient healing touch”) is a twenty-five-hundred-year-old healing tradition rooted in the very heart of Buddhism. A “moving meditation,” Thai massage allows both practitioner and recipient to experience the four Divine States of Mind: Loving Kindness, Compassion, Equanimity, and Vicarious Joy. This program, led by Stephanie Shrum, offers an opportunity to study, practice, and understand the techniques of Thai massage. Thai massage uses rhythmic compression, rocking, acupressure, passive yogic stretching, percussion, and meditative presence. The program will also include dance, yoga, and movement practice. The training encourages whole-body participation, self-healing, deep understanding, creative response, and confidence in giving Thai massage treatments that are as healing for the giver as the receiver. No massage experience is necessary, just a desire to touch with presence and the intention to heal. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. tion of Buddhist teachers in the West, will act as guide for this month of investigating the Buddha’s teachings and meditative practices. April 11–May 9 The path of the Buddha is much more than just learning meditation, it is the practice of cultivating true happiness. All of the teachings and practices of Buddhism have the aim of ending suffering through increasing wisdom and compassion. The wisdom and compassion that are uncovered in meditation are then used to engage skillfully with the suffering in the world. Buddhism is not a path of self-help, it is a path of altruistic action, from the inside out. The answers and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing questions in relation to the environment, economics, and social systems are explored during this month-long permaculture design course that focuses on creating and designing a culture that is regenerative in nature. Together, scholars and teachers will create an open learning environment that includes discussion, activities, presentations, and hands-on projects. By using Esalen’s facilities, gardens, and work environments as a microcosm of the larger world, Benjamin Fahrer will facilitate this powerful and transformative journey together with a number of premier permaculture teachers. Through meditation and group processing exercises, such as Council, and small group inquiry, participants will explore what is blocking the happiness and freedom we seek, and learn to respond with more and more wisdom and compassion to all of the joy and sorrow in the world. This month-long work study program is suitable for both beginning meditators and long time practicioners. • Personal sustainability for a balanced life • Effective communication and interpersonal skills for strong relationships • Reading the land: identification and classification of land components • Earth stewardship: soil renovation, restoration, and composting • Hands-on intensive in “natural” buildings and earthen construction • Trees and their energy transactions • Water awareness: health and conservation Participants will be empowered with the confidence to live and function in a more just, sacred, and sustainable future. Work Scholars who complete this program can apply to enroll in a second month of permaculture training to be offered May 10-June 7, 2010. This 72-hour certification course in Permaculture Design enables participants to become certified through the TAGARI Permaculture Institute of Australia. As a graduate of this program, you will possess the skills to begin to design, consult and teach Permaculture anywhere in the world. Please contact [email protected] for more information. Noah Levine, a leading voice in the new genera- During this month of intensive immersion in the practices of the Buddha, participants will experience the liberating power of Mindfulness, the peace of Equanimity, the ease of Compassion and the joy of Loving-Kindness. With the experience of these spiritual practices, we are better equipped to make a positive change in this world. world. Topics and activities include: Permaculture Permaculture in essence is based in relationship and responsibility and is a set of techniques and principles for designing sustainable human communities. The skills one gains during this training include a base understanding of design and development principles used in small- and large-scale applications. Now more than ever we have to empower ourselves with these skills in these great times of transition. In this course we will focus on the concepts and methods of designing a more sustainable life and May 9–June 6 Writing Your Life If the story is in you, it has got to come out. —William Faulkner Everything in your life, from the mundane to the extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told. This program, led by writer/performer Ann Randolph, focuses on the process of discovering your own unique and powerful stories. By writing from your deepest source, you will gain insight and self-understanding. You’ll learn how to make your words leap from the page to the stage, sharing them orally to uncover the power of storytelling to transform the lives of you and your listeners. This workshop is full of heart and humor and asks its participants for a willingness to delve courageously past their perceived limits. Through improvisation, writing exercises, and group discussion, you will find your authentic voice, along with an honest, organic way to express your truth. You will also learn how to speak your truth via the Internet: guerrilla filmmaking, vlogging, and blogging. The month will culminate in a theatrical presentation for the Esalen community as well as the opportunity to post your work to www.youtube.com. 97 • Writing exercises to stimulate memory • Learning to structure the narrative in a compelling way • Discovering ways to create spontaneously • Overcoming performance anxiety • Tools to release yourself from the inner critic • Transforming your ideas/stories into performance June 6–July 4 Esalen for a New Century In today’s media and marketing age, a world that encourages us to conform and consume, how can we utilize practices developed at Esalen to evolve toward self-actualization and sustainable living? Over the past forty-five years, Esalen has pioneered a full curriculum for the human potential: mind, heart, body, spirit, nature, and community. This program, led by psychotherapist, cultural theorist, and New York University professor Bradley Lewis, will utilize experiential exercises, discussion, film, and other media to explore, in a group process setting, the Esalen curriculum and how it can help create growth that contributes to a more just and sustainable world. Many evenings will be devoted to learning Esalen’s diverse practices for personal growth (such as Eastern wisdom, massage, personal and interpersonal group process, and creative expression). Inspired by the deep ecology movement we will spend time outdoors, immersed in nature, empathically connecting with the environment. The aim will be a full exploration of our own human potential - and its application in the world today. July 4–August 1 Sex of the Spirit We tend to think of sex and the spirit as separate, but they are not. Hence most of the cultural debates involving religion in the news involve some aspect of human sexuality (same-sex marriage, “family values,” gay rights, celibacy, female ordination, abortion, etc.), The Last Temptation of Christ and The Da Vinci Code became mega hits, and great mystics have routinely described their transcendent experiences in sexual terms. How should one understand all of this? And how should we respond when traditional teachings result in moral confusion, emotional pain, political turmoil, and sexual suffering? What aren’t we getting here? 98 This program, led by Jeffrey Kripal, writer and teacher of comparative religion, provides a set of very practical tools, a sexual-spiritual craft, as it were, with which anyone can think and speak clearly, frankly, and compassionately about sex and religion. More specifically, the month will be organized around the life-stories of the participants themselves via open discussions, personal one-on-one mentoring, and journaling. A special session led by guest faculty Christine Price, longtime Gestalt practitioner, will be offered to help process emotional content in a deeper way. Additionally, optional Gestalt process sessions will be available and led by other Esalen Gestalt practitioners. August 1–29 The Ensemble Process In the centuries-old tradition of ensemble theatre, individual charisma and creativity are vitally bound up with the greater energy of the group. Modern modes of expression and understanding from jazz to systems theory have affirmed the power of symbiosis. There is now a greater understanding of a model of leadership fueled not by the decisions of a single personality but by the pulse and wisdom of the ensemble. During this program, Peter James Meyers, veteran stage director and leadership consultant, will help cultivate communication skills, self-assurance, and physical presence through a process of group discovery and performance. Along the way, the group will practice movement, voice, and improvisation techniques that will allow each participant to amplify personal presence, enhance spontaneity, and heighten clarity of thought. In short, learn how to captivate a room and shape an audience’s experience. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in blending performing arts with the art of leadership—expanding expressive skills while cultivating the ability to command and inspire. Participants will create an original theater piece to be offered to the Esalen community at the end of the month. Open to participants of all backgrounds and interests. August 29–September 26 5Rhythms®: Dancing in the Present Through dance we move into the mind of awareness, attending to what is and arriving into the present, shedding the fear that keeps us from DANIEL BIANCHETTA All levels are welcome. Topics include: expressing our true nature. We were all born with the innate wisdom to dance, yet many of us have lost touch with this truth. During this program, Lucia Horan will lead the group toward reclaiming the power of the dance and awakening the healer within. 5Rhythms is a moving meditation practice in which we explore the dynamic nature of the body. The practice is a map that helps us understand the natural rhythms of life as they move through us. We will enter the realms of the feminine mysteries through Flowing, the masculine mysteries through Staccato, the integration of feminine and masculine through Chaos, the mystery of joy and transformation through Lyrical. And finally, through Stillness, enter the dance of wisdom. Additional practices include Esalen® Massage, expressive art (painting), writing and poetry, mantra (chanting), meditation, Native American sweat lodge (healing and purification ceremony, weather permitting), and sharing circles. All levels of experience are welcome. For more information, visit www.luciarose.com. September 26–October 24 Streams of Energy Jim Gallas leads “Streams of Energy,” a program of Eastern bodywork and movement, including Reiki 1 Certification, a thorough overview of Shiatsu Massage, an introduction to meridian theory, and an easy-to-learn, powerful Chi Kung form. Various meditations, self-massage, and improv games will be used to encourage awareness and expression. The program is designed to open students to their own innate healing potentials, to the power of safe, therapeutic touch, and to being more fully present in their ongoing unfolding. Participants will also receive valuable tools to facilitate the healing of others. In a spirit of compassion, laughter, and expanding awareness, students will be nurtured and nourished by the group interaction and by a deeper connection to Self. CE credit for bodyworkers; see page 113. October 24–November 21 Nonviolent Communication I often say we’ve got a budget deficit that’s important, we’ve got a trade deficit that’s critical, but what I worry about most is our empathy deficit. —U.S. President Barack Obama During this month of intensive immersion in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) principles and practices with Jean Morrison, participants are offered the opportunity to strengthen their ability to: • Live from a consciousness of compassion, for yourself and with others • Make peace with conflicts affecting emotional health and wellbeing • Replace distressing habits of mind and language with new habits that create compassion, connection, understanding, and healing • Liberate your thinking and reactions in order to transform anger, hurt, and guilt into energy and expressions that serve life • Clarify and express emotions and needs, distinct from blame • Make empowering requests distinct from demands and expectations • Apply NVC principles and skills to your goals and aspirations The sessions include a balance of playful exploration, thoughtful inquiry, powerful exercises for skill-development, and sharing of best practices with participants’ real situations. Guest presenters will augment our NVC practice with their expertise in the Enneagram, Mindful Meditation, art, and movement. CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113. November 21–December 19 Drawing Out Your Soul: Touch Drawing Touch Drawing is a simple yet profound process. It is a transformative art form developed by Deborah Koff-Chapin that allows for deep expression of the soul. The technique involves moving your hands on paper that has been placed over a surface of paint. The resulting impressions are seen on the underside of the page. Multiple images are created in a single session. It can feel like your soul is flowing through your fingertips and onto the paper. Touch Drawing helps develop somatic awareness, intuition, and creativity. It opens a portal to your multi-dimensional being. This program will combine Touch Drawing with complementary expressive arts practices. Deborah will gently guide you into deep drawing sessions, holding sacred space with live improvisational music. Writing, moving, vocalizing, and drumming will enhance the experience and help access insight from your drawings. Witnessing with partners and sharing in circle will support a sense of community. The applications of Touch Drawing are endless. You will be encouraged to integrate Touch Drawing as a creative, therapeutic, and spiritual practice in your life and work. No artistic confidence necessary. Additional programs are always being added. Please visit www.esalen.org/workstudy for the latest opportunities. Commitment to the Work Study Program is from 4 PM of the first Sunday to 7:30 PM of the final Sunday. Inasmuch as the Work Study Program is a complete program in itself, please do not plan to take regularly scheduled catalog workshops during your stay. Fees: A deposit of $400 in U.S. currency is required with your application. You may pay in full at the time you apply. The work scholar fee schedule is $1095 for the first month and $1045 for the second month. Fees are subject to change. Work students may be invited to remain for a second month depending on space available and community needs. There are no scholarships available for the first month of the Work Study Program. Food and Housing: Accommodations are shared (occasionally co-ed), with up to four people to a room, some at South Coast Center, a staff complex located 1.5 miles north of Esalen. Housing and meals, often with home-grown organic produce, are included in your tuition. Transportation: When making travel plans, note that the closest airport to Esalen is Monterey. With at least 48-hour advance reservations, van service to Esalen is available from the following locations on the Sunday of your arrival: Monterey Airport: Departs 2 pm. Cost: $40 Monterey Transit Center: Departs 2:20 pm. Cost: $40 San Francisco Airport: Departs 11:45 am. Cost: $100 For van reservations call 831-667-3010 or e-mail [email protected]. Please note: Application is not registration in the program. Registration is made only after approval of application. If you do not pay in full at the time of application, the balance of the fee is due on arrival and is nonrefundable thereafter. Cancellation policy: If you choose to cancel, you will be charged the following amount: 15+ days prior to start, $100; 8-14 days, $200; 3-7 days, $300; 0-2 days, $400. Please mail the application form (see next page) with your personal statement and deposit to: Work Study Program Esalen Institute 55000 Hwy 1 Big Sur, CA 93920 or fax to: Work Study Program 831-667-3069 We will contact you regarding your status within 14 days of receipt of your application. For more information contact the Work Study Office at the above address or phone: 831-6673010; fax: 831-667-3069; e-mail: [email protected]. Occasionally it is possible to stay for a longer period as an Extended Student. 99 Q work study program application please print legibly. First Name _____________________________________ Last Name __________________________________________________ o Male o Female Today’s Date ______________________ Phone: Evening ( ————— ) ____________________________________ Day ( ————— ) ____________________________________ Cell ( ————— ) _______________________________________ Home Address __________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip __________________________________________________________________________ mo / day / yr Country ____________________________ Occupation (previous, if retired)____________________________________________ Date of Birth _________________________ Age ___________ E-mail Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have any limiting physical/emotional conditions (e.g., bad back, severe depression) which might affect your full participation in this program? o Yes o No Are you currently taking any medication? o Yes o No If yes to either of these questions, please include details in your personal statement. If a former Work Scholar, list where you worked and approximate dates _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Work Study Program is for 28 days, beginning at 4 pm on Sunday and ending at 7:30 pm on the final Sunday. Sometimes particular dates and/or leaders are not available. List below, in order of preference, the dates/leaders for which you are available. Please note: Space may become available up until the program start date. You must let us know if you wish to be removed from a wait list; if you’re on a wait list and space becomes available, you will be notified for confirmation. If you cancel after placement, you will be charged a cancellation fee. start date Choice 1 ______________________________________________________ Leader _________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No Choice 2 ______________________________________________________ Leader __________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No Choice 3 ______________________________________________________ Leader __________________________________________ If full, wait list? o Yes o No If your application is approved and we cannot give you your first choice, we will place you in your next available choice. Work students may be invited to remain for a second term, depending on space availability and the needs of the Esalen community. Please indicate your availability for such an invitation (no obligation): o No extension o One-term extension We encourage ridesharing. Are you bringing a vehicle? o Yes o No; Are you willing to give a ride? o Yes o No; Receive a ride? o Yes o No; I wish to rideshare from (if different from above address) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Assignments to departments are made according to community labor needs (usually kitchen or housekeeping). However, if you prefer housekeeping or kitchen, or if you have landscaping skills, please list them below. o Place me wherever I’m most needed – or – note my preferences below. Choice 1 __________________________________________________ Skills/Experience ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Choice 2 __________________________________________________ Skills/Experience ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please attach a personal statement about your interest in the Work Study Program, telling us why you’d like to participate and what you hope to take with you when you leave. All applicants are required to sign a standard release-from-liability and assumption-of-risk form as a condition of participation in the Work Study Program. This form will be mailed to you upon acceptance to the program. Do you want van service? From o Monterey Airport, 2 pm ($40 fee); o Monterey Transit, 2:20 pm ($40); o San Francisco Airport, 11:45 am ($100). Payment o $400 deposit o $1095 Card No. _______________________________________________________________________________ o Check (U.S. banks only), attached and payable to Esalen Institute Credit Card Expiration Date _____________________________________________________ o MasterCard o VISA o American Express Name and phone number (if different from above) _______________________ If you are making a credit card deposit, the balance will be automatically charged to your card five days before your arrival. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Authorizing signature ______________________________________________________________ Applications cannot be considered without a deposit and a personal statement included. Deposits are not processed until your final acceptance into the program. 100 R biographical information A Mark Abramson is part of the Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine and heads Stanford’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. He teaches at Stanford’s School of Medicine and is on staff at Stanford Hospital. p. 13,51 Mandy Aftel is an artisan natural perfumer and author of three books on natural perfume, including Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume (North Point Press, 2001). p. 22 Ramon V. Albareda is a clinical psychologist, theologian, and sexologist. He is the founder/director of Estel, a personal growth center and school of integral studies in Barcelona, Spain. He coauthored Nacidos de la Tierra: Sexualidad Origen del Ser Humano. p. 78 Schahila U. Albrecht is a Germanborn spiritual artist with a background in psychology, psychotherapy, and other modalities of shamanic healing arts. Schahila supports others in integrating their genuine intuitive, psychic, and creative abilities through workshops, private sessions, and soul-development paintings. p. 49 Leah Alchin began her Tantric education in 1997. She is an advanced certified Tantra Educator with the Source School of Tantra Yoga and has her own private practice. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, she is a powerful advocate of Tantric sexual awakening and healing. p. 55 Ronald Alexander, psychotherapist and director of the Open Mind Training Institute, leads trainings internationally in Mind Body Healing Therapies and Transformational Leadership, and wrote Wise Mind Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss and Change. www.ronaldalexander.com. p. 77 Martine Amita Algier is a certified trainer with The Center for Nonviolent Communication and a founding member of the West Marin Community Mediation Board, teaching and consulting with families, business groups, schools, and other organizations in California and Europe since the 1960s. p. 61 Eugene Allen is a Be Present, Inc. train- er and member of the Regional Organizing Core Group in Atlanta. Eugene’s area of focus is to support the leadership of young men and boys and partner with other organizations with a similar mission. p. 86 Lillie Allen is founder and executive director of Be Present, Inc. and developed the Be Present Empowerment Model™. Lillie has over thirty years experience in public health education, human development, interpersonal relations, group dynamics, and the interconnections and conflicts between work, home, and personal goals. p. 86 Suze Allen is a writer, editor, and coach. She’s the owner of Manuscript Mentor, the creator of Mama-logues: Writing Workouts for Mamas, and coauthor of The TimeStarved Woman’s Guide to Emotional Wellbeing with SD Shanti. p. 77 Susan Anderson has devoted 25 years of research and clinical experience in treating the victims of abandonment trauma. Founder of the Abandonment Recovery movement, she is author of three books including The Journey from Abandonment to Healing. www.abandonment.net. p. 68 Susan Aposhyan trains professionals in her Body-Mind Psychotherapy. She is the author of Natural Intelligence: Body-Mind Integration and Human Development and Body-Mind Psychotherapy. She has been practicing meditation and body-mind disciplines for over thirty years and integrates science with healing and meditative experience. www.bodymindhealing.com. p. 24 Elaine Aron is a scientist studying love, close relationships, and highly sensitive persons. Dr. Aron’s research has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine, and National Geographic. She is the author of The Highly Sensitive Person series of books. p. 72 Elliot Aronson is a social psychologist who has taught at Harvard, Stanford, and UC Santa Cruz. He has won all three of the American Psychological Association’s highest awards. His 23 books include The Social Animal and Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me!). p. 44 Karen Axelrod is a certified somatic therapist and educator specializing in craniosacral therapy. Based in Redondo Beach, Calif., she seeks to help clients and students recognize and reconnect to inner resources necessary for deep healing at a core level. www.iahp.com/karen. p. 67 B Nancy Bacal is a longtime Esalen leader. Writer and lyricist, she edited Leonard Cohen’s anthology Stranger Music, and wrote and produced Raga, a film starring Ravi Shankar. She conducts ongoing writing workshops in Los Angeles. p. 43 Ingrid Bacci is the author of The Art of Effortless Living and a teacher of selftransformation. She healed herself from an incurable connective tissue disease in her early thirties, and teaches from experience. She is certified in Craniosacral therapy and the Alexander Technique. p. 15 Oliver Bailey is a practitioner and instructor of Esalen Massage. His background includes training in Gestalt Practice, neurolinguistic programming, intuitive work, and meditation. p. 15 Richard Balaban, a licensed clinical Juergen Bamberger is an educator and pioneer in the Gyrotonic field who has trained countless Gyrotonic instructors around the world. His 20-year teaching experience is infused with his background in dance, many modalities of bodywork and movement techniques, and energy work. p. 65 Rich Berrett has committed over 35 years to enhancing and embodying awareness. He is a clinician, university professor, and founding president of Imagery International. His extensive background reflects the importance of body awareness, imagery, family systems, Gestalt, and deep learning. p. 52 James Baraz has been teaching meditation since 1978. He leads workshops internationally, is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, Calif. and is on the International Advisory Board of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. James coauthored Awakening Joy, due in 2010 (Bantam). p. 70 Micheline Berry has led over 450 ecstatic Jane Baraz has been practicing vipassana meditation since 1976 and leads Awakening Joy groups and workshops. She served on the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Board of Directors for eight years and helped start the Spirit Rock Family Program. Jane also teaches English as a second language. p. 70 Ellen Bass has supported and inspired writers for 40 years. Her poetry books include No More Masks!, Mules of Love, and The Human Line and she is coauthor of The Courage to Heal. She teaches at Pacific University. www.ellenbass.com. p. 22, 42 Douglas Beasley’s photography explores spiritual aspects of people and place. Exhibited and published internationally, he founded Vistion Quest Photo Workshops, which emphasize heart, soul, and vision over camera mechanics. www.douglasbeasley.com. p. 64 Jonathan Bender is a theater director, performer, and writer, and teaches a holistic, embodied approach to public speaking, acting, and self-expression. Artistic director of The Illuminated Theatre in San Francisco, he holds degrees in performance studies and communication, and contemporary performance. www.wholespeak.com. p. 34 Dyrian Benz is director of external programs for somatic psychology and a professor at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. He wrote Group Field: A Practitioner’s Guide and conducts trainings in Relational Constellations. A cofounder of the Hakomi Institute, Dr. Benz is currently a somatic psychology educator in Santa Barbara, Calif. p. 24, 71 Toni Bergins created JourneyDance™ and is a leading-edge movement facilitator and teacher trainer. Toni leads programs internationally and has a following of 175+ certified JourneyDance teachers worldwide. p. 49 Susan Bernstein helps people navigate transitions by integrating their embodied intelligence. Her transformational approaches blend left-brained logic honed over 20 years in corporate America with right-brain creative movement gleaned from pioneering research in mind-body psychology. www.WorkFromWithin.com. p. 16 dance/world music journeys since 1996. Her work is informed by Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow, Ashtanga and Iyengar influences, and years of study of different dance forms, including contact improvisation, AfroBrazilian, and movement meditation. p. 60, 92 Cynthia Johnson Bianchetta is an artist, dancer, and photographer, an authorized Continuum Movement teacher and former director of the Weston Photographic Gallery, her websites are: www.cjbgallery.com, www.sacredearthphotography.net, and www.movingspirit.net. p. 46, 63 Daniel Bianchetta has been teaching meditation and intuitive practice at Esalen for over 20 years. A photographer and Esalen’s media coordinator, his photographic interests are the Big Sur coast and Native American rock art. His work is collected worldwide. www.bigsurphoto.com. p. 46 Judith Blackstone founded Realization Process, a method of integrating nondual realization, embodiment, and psychological and relational healing. She is a psychotherapist and author of four books, most recently, The Empathic Ground: Intersubjectivity and Nonduality in the Psychotherapeutic Process. p. 16 Charlie Bloom is an educator, therapist, and seminar leader. He and his wife Linda cofounded Bloomwork and coauthored the widely acclaimed book, 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married. He has facilitated workshops internationally since 1982. www.bloomwork.com. p. 12, 59 Linda Bloom is a licensed clinical social worker, educator, and seminar leader. She and her husband Charlie cofounded Bloomwork and coauthored the widely acclaimed book, 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married. She has facilitated workshops internationally since 1986. www.bloomwork.com. p. 12, 59 Scott Blossom teaches a style of Hatha Yoga Vinyasa and yoga therapy informed by his training as a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and Ayurvedic consultant He is blessed to have received the guidance of his teachers Robert Svoboda, Zhander Remete, and Erich Schiffmann. www.shuntayayoga.com. p. 11 Saffire Bouchelion, a black belt Nia Instructor and the creator of Shamantra, is also a professional performer/musician who has performed nationally and been featured on 38 CDs. He has taught Shamantra and Nia internationally since 2003. p. 70 psychologist and certified group psychotherapist, has taught at Indiana University and SUNY at Buffalo. His passion is for his family, his work, and life’s journey. p. 18 101 Julie Bowden, psychotherapist and author, specializes in childhood trauma, substance abuse, and forgiveness. Coauthor of Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics and Genesis: Spirituality in Recovery from Childhood Traumas, she has been teaching at Esalen for over 20 years. p. 18 Ann Bradney is director of the Radical Aliveness/Core Energetics Institute of Southern California. She studied under Core Energetics founder John Pierrakos and teaches internationally. Ann’s Radical Aliveness model expands Core beyond the individual, to address community healing and world issues. p. 31 Douglas Brooks is a leading scholar of Hindu Tantrism with degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Harvard’s Center for the Study of World Religions. He is professor of religion at the University of Rochester, N.Y. www.rajanaka.com. p. 82 Daniel Brown is an associate clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. He is author of 13 books, including Transformations of Consciousness (with Ken Wilber and Jack Engler) and Pointing Out the Great Way: The Stages of Meditation in the Mahamudra Tradition. p. 26, 56, 58 Rick Brown is executive director for the Institute for Relationship Therapy in Winter Park, FL. Rick was executive director for Harville Hendrix’s Institute, and he lectures and gives workshops across the country. He has been married 33 years. p. 39 Vernon Bush is a singer/songwriter, recording artist, musician and educator. He is musical director and featured vocalist at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, teaches vocal workshops, and with his two musical groups has toured Europe and elsewhere. www.vernonbush.com. p. 51 C Charlie Cascio managed the Esalen kitchen for six years. He is a chef, restaurateur, consultant, and lecturer on vegetarian and living foods who has worked and taught in the U.S. and throughout Europe for more than 30 years. Charlie wrote the Esalen Cookbook. p. 13, 15, 81 Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen’s work with movement, touch, and the body-mind relationship has influenced the fields of yoga, dance, bodywork, and other bodymind disciplines. She founded the School for Body-Mind Centering® and is the author of Sensing, Feeling and Action. p. 42 Marion Cascio comes from a family of cooks and has been involved with restaurants since childhood. She studied culinary arts in Germany for five years and has worked in many famous restaurants and spas. She was a staff cook at Esalen. p. 13 Chip Conley created America’s second largest boutique hotel company, Joie de Vivre, in 1987 at the age of 26. He is the author of many inspirational business books including Marketing That Matters: 10 Practices to Profit Your Business and Change the World. www.chipconley.com. p. 50 Tom Case has been practicing massage for the past 16 years. He has been on the Esalen massage staff since 1993. p. 11, 20 Joyce Catlett is an author, lecturer, and workshop facilitator who has collaborated with Dr. Robert Firestone in writing twenty professional articles and seven books, most recently The Ethics of Interpersonal Relationships and Beyond Death Anxiety: Achieving Life-Affirming Death Awareness. p. 23 Joseph Cavanaugh is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in the Sierra foothills and a psychology instructor at a local community college. He has facilitated personal-growth workshops throughout California for the past 30 years. p. 49 Leslie Cerier is a chef specializing in whole foods and organic cuisine. She runs a catering business that includes private and group cooking instruction and coaching. She has authored or coauthored numerous books and teaches nationally. p. 45 Alejandro Chaoul teaches at the John P. McGovern Center for Health, Humanities and the Human Spirit in the University of Texas Medical School, with an adjunct position at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Chaoul’s research involves using Tibetan Bon mind-body techniques with cancer patients. p. 60 Dorothy Charles has been a student Josiah Raison Cain was raised on an organic farm in remote northern California. He is an ecological designer with degrees from UC Davis and Harvard, and a partner at Design Ecology, a design and planning firm specializing in green roofs, living walls, and innovative water reuse systems. p. 32 Catherine Calderon is a registered yoga teacher and professional salsa dancer. Owner of Shambhala Yoga & Dance Center in Brooklyn, she has studied Anusara and tantra yoga, Taoist healing practices, dance, and is a priestess in the Afro-Cuban Yoruba tradition. www.shambhalayogadance.com. p. 59 Amigo Bob Cantisano is president of Organic Ag Advisors, founded in 1988, and managing partner of Heaven and Earth Farm on the San Juan Ridge of the Sierra foothills. He has 35 years of experience growing and advising commercial-scale organic crops in the Western U.S. and the tropics. p. 62 102 and teacher at Esalen since 1982. A student of Esalen cofounder Dick Price, she combines Esalen body-centered Gestalt with relational Gestalt theory, and leads workshops in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. p. 13, 34, 87, 97 JoAnna Chartrand is a Europeantrained practitioner who has been a somatic psychology educator since 1980. Her specialty is in somatically-based, transpersonal, relational psychology and trauma work. She is a codirector of The Constellation Institute of California. p. 71 Tesa Conlin has taught in France, England, and Italy. She has been recognized by the National Endowment of the Humanities, National Council of Teachers of English, and has loved every moment of her twenty-seven years of teaching writing, literary analysis, and acting. p. 7, 50 Lyz Cooper has been working with energy medicine for 25 years and with sound for 15. She is the author of Sounding the Mind of God, composer of therapeutic music, and founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy. p. 63, 65 David Corbin is a shamanic practitioner and teacher, serving on the faculty of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies for over 15 years. He is coauthor of Weather Shamanism: Harmonizing Our Connection with the Elements and CloudDancing: Wisdom from the Sky. www.shamanscircle.com. p. 25 Ann Weiser Cornell is the bestselling author of The Power of Focusing and The Radical Acceptance of Everything. She teaches her popular workshops in Inner Relationship Focusing and Getting Unblocked internationally, both in person and by telephone bridge line. p. 84 Jean Couch, originally known for her classic Runner’s Yoga Book, has shown thousands of people of all ages how to improve their health. She most recently taught fifty physicians and their spouses, one of whom wrote, “I now have hope for me and my patients.” p. 52 Dixie Cox, cofounder of the Fun Institute, has been facilitating people’s expansion through improv for 15 years. Her background is theater arts and performs regularly with the improv groups Loose Cannon Theater and Crash Test. www.funinstitute.com. p. 21 Joanna Claassen is Esalen’s Gazebo Stewart Cubley‘s work has carried him throughout the world in facilitating groups to access the potential within the human heart and imagination. Originally a scientist, he has led seminars in creativity for more than 30 years. www.processarts.com. p. 64 School Park director, outdoor and early childhood educator, and community organizer. She leads parent education and seminars for educators. Joanna is inspired by work happening in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and the No Child Left Inside outdoor education movement. p. 66, 76 Raphael Cushnir contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine, and presents workshops worldwide. He’s written five books, including The One Thing Holding You Back, and Surfing Your Inner Sea. His heart was opened through profound grief. www.cushnir.com. p. 81 Chris Chouteau is a change leader with a 30-year career transforming organizations and their environmental policies. He has been a student of the twelve steps, awareness practice, and recovery since 1989. p. 18 D Deanna Darby is a licensed psychother- apist in the Sierra foothills, specializing in somatic psychotherapy. A certified massage therapist for 20 years, her passion is bringing together mind, body, and heart to create the opportunity for profound self-understanding and greater ease. p. 19 Constantine Darling has a 40-year career teaching dance, martial arts, yoga, Pilates, gymnastics, acupressure and applied kinesiology to thousands of students. He coauthored the forthcoming book Fields of Consciousness. p. 12 David Darling is a Grammy-nominated composer, cellist, and artistic director of Music For People. An internationallyacclaimed recording artist and educator for over 40 years, his album Mundannin Kata, made with the Aborignal Singers of the Bunum tribe, was one of the top-selling ethnic albums on Amazon.com. www.daviddarling.com. p. 23, 25 Christina Dauenhauer, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, is a multimedia artist whose current focus is collage and painting. A former landscape designer for 10 years, she was featured in 2002 in Elle Decor magazine as a “designer to watch.” p. 53 Erik Davis, a writer and culture critic, explores the intersection of technology, culture, and consciousness. Author of The Visionary State: A Journey through California’s Spiritual Landscape, TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information, and others, he has taught at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and elsewhere. www.techgnosis.com. p. 8, 34 Alyssa DeCaro is a performer and choreographer with Gamelan X. She is a graduate of Tamalpa Institute and has assisted renowned teachers such as Anna Halprin and Babatunde Olatunji. Her training includes dance, yoga, martial arts, and percussion. www.OpeningPresence.com and www.BodyofSound.com. p. 84 Lorie Eve Dechar wrote Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing. She practices acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy, Gestalt, and archetypal psychology. She teaches at Tri-State College of Acupuncture and is cofounder of the Alchemical Healing Mentorship. www.fivespirits.com. p. 24 Jamie Denbo is a professional improv comedy performer based at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles. As an actress and improviser, she appears regularly on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and others. p. 76 Brooke Deputy is a certified Bioenergetic therapist with over 30 years experience as a trainer and facilitator for somatic therapies. An Esalen-trained massage therapist, she teaches in the Esalen Movement Arts Program and is the executive director for the Chaplaincy Institute in Berkeley, Calif. p. 47 Carol DeSanto is the cofounder of Nervous System Energy Work and a psychotherapist in private practice. She has been a longtime student of Rev. Rosalyn Bruyere. Her special interests in energy work encompass addiction-recovery, health and healing, and work with cancer and chronic illness. p. 44, 45 Karen Ely founded and directs A Woman’s Way, a women’s retreat and workshop program in Sedona, Ariz. She is a facilitator and the author of Daring to Dream: Reflections on the Year I Found Myself and A Retreat of My Own. www.awomansway.com. p. 22 Robin Fann-Costanzo has a lifelong background in dance and movement. An Esalen Massage practitioner, CranioSacral practitioner, and certified yoga instructor, she has taught and assisted Esalen Massage trainings, yoga retreats, and Upledger Institute trainings. p. 20, 52 Matt Englar-Carlson is an associate Warren Farrell is author of the best- Harvey Deutch has been both a physical therapist and yogi for the past 25 years. His life path has blended the intricate knowledge of movement with the practice of yoga. He is the owner and one of many physical therapists at Red Hawk Physical Therapy in San Francisco. p. 30, 91 professor of counseling at California State University, Fullerton. He specializes in educating helping professionals about the mental-health needs of men. He is coeditor of In the Room with Men: A Casebook of Therapeutic Change. p. 60 sellers Why Men Are The Way They Are and The Myth of Male Power. His Women Can’t Hear What Men Don’t Say was a Book-of-the-Month Club selection. He has appeared on over 1,000 TV shows worldwide. www.warrenfarrell.com. p. 47, 69 Karen Dietz is a business consultant, coach, and former executive director of the National Storytelling Network. With over 20 years of business experience and consulting, she coaches emerging and seasoned leaders in becoming compelling storytellers as an essential skill and career builder. p. 59 presence and healing, is a practitioner of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and Lomi Somatic Education. He holds a black belt in Aikido and lives in Petaluma, Calif. with his wife Zuza. www.scottenglercranial.com. p. 62 Scott Engler, a longtime student of Lisa Firestone is a clinical psychologist and director of research and education for the Glendon Association. Dr. Firestone is a conference facilitator and coauthor of Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice and Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships. p. 23 character development at the UCLA Extension Writing Program. She is a former motion picture executive and a nominee of a Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild Award. p. 88 Zuza Engler has been on the spiral path of kinesthetic investigation into consciousness for two decades, in motion, stillness, and process inquiry. She is a long-term student and practitioner of Buddhism, SoulMotion, and Gestalt Awareness Practice. www.transformativedance.com. p. 62 vate practice for over 30 years. He has been doing transpersonal work during most of his career and has co-taught courses at the American Psychiatric Association meetings for many years. p. 63 Patrick Douce, one of Moshe Ulrika Engman has been dancing on Thomas Michael Fortel is a longtime Feldenkrais’s first American students, has been associated with Esalen since 1972. Since 1986 he lives half of each year in Bali, developing programs with Indonesian Silat martial-arts-for-health schools. p. 16, 24, 92 the yoga path for 19 years leading popular workshops and retreats worldwide. Certified in Anusara Yoga and the Halprin Life/Art Process, she combines the transformative power of Yoga with the expressive arts into a celebration of the heart. p. 72 yoga practitioner/teacher, influenced by the Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Anusara styles of hatha yoga, and drawing from his devotional experience in Bhakti yoga. He travels widely, sharing his love for yoga. www.yogawiththomas.com. p. 12, 42, 53, 68 Lisa Lieberman Doctor teaches Jim Duffy is professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Duffy is a fellow of the American Neuropsychiatric Association and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. p. 60 Emile Hassan Dyer brings a multicultural perspective to music, drawing on his Cherokee and African heritage while performing the percussion instruments and vocal styles of many cultures. He has worked with Babatunde Olatunji, Bobby McFerrin, Kevin Locke, Titos Sompas, David Darling, among others. p. 39 Wendy Evans brings over 35 years of body awareness practice and a practical, physical perspective to her training, organization, executive leadership development practice in Cleveland, Ohio. Her background includes Gestalt, Cortical Field Reeducation, social science, and four children. www.EvansAlphaSolutions.com. p. 25 Geneie Everett is director of Trauma First Aide Associates and has 35 years experience integrating multiple approaches from Western medicine and native cultures. She teaches mind/body techniques working with trauma to health care, military, and first responders. p. 78 E Miles Eastman is a sculptor and jewelry maker casting in bronze and silver for over 9 years. He has studied sculpture in Italy, worked in a bronze foundry in Los Angeles, and is currently showing work in Los Angeles. www.mileseastman.com. p. 31 Chandra Easton was named one of the talented young teachers shaping the future of yoga by Yoga Journal in 2008. She teaches Buddhist meditation and yoga internationally and cofounded Metta Journeys, which offers yoga retreats internationally to help women and children in developing countries. p. 11 Erica Ellis was director of professional education and training for Dan Siegel’s Mindsight Institute and is adjunct faculty at Antioch University’s Master of Psychology program. Dr. Ellis teaches nationally and maintains spiritual and psychoeducational coaching, psychotherapy, and massage therapy practices in Los Angeles, Calif. p. 59 F Jessica Fagan, a member of the Esalen massage staff, is a dancer and performer who is deeply immersed in the practice and teaching of Eastern and Western somatic therapies as well as Vinyasa Yoga. www.firewithin.ws. p. 11 Benjamin Fahrer is an internationally- recognized Permaculture designer, educator, and farmer. A community organizer and progressive organic farmer, he has worked intimately with front-line organizations, nonprofits, and communities throughout California. Ben is on the staff of the Esalen Farm and Garden. p. 37, 49, 97 Jayson Fann has twenty years of experi- ence as a musician, performer, visual artist, musical director and multi-cultural arts education consultant. The former director of the Esalen Arts Center, he has taught at California State University, Monterey Bay. p. 12, 27, 42 William Foote is a psychologist in pri- Benjamin Fox is a licensed massage therapist, astrologer, and avid gardener with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of holistic medicine and organizational administration. He is a cofounder of the Alchemical Healing Mentorship. [email protected]. p. 24 Jerome Front teaches at Pepperdine University and across the U.S., and has written about mindfulness, contemplative living, and mindful approaches to relationships. He leads retreats and clinical and corporate trainings, and is an LMFT in private practice. www.JeromeFront.com. p. 80 G Erin Gafill is a fifth-generation California painter. She has taught at the Monterey Museum of Art, the Central Coast Art Association, and the Big Sur Land Trust. In 2009, she was named Champion of the Arts by the Arts Council for Monterey. www.eringafill.com. p. 59 Kate Gale is managing editor of Red Hen Press, president of the American Composers Forum Los Angeles, and editor of The Los Angeles Review. She is past president of PEN USA. She teaches at Mount St. Mary’s. She has published novels, short fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and cultural essays. p. 47 Jim Gallas, a Shiatsu teacher for over 15 years, has led workshops in California and internationally. Creator of the DVD Zen Thai Table Shiatsu: Deep and Effective Body Work with Ease, Jim also teaches Reiki, anatomy, yoga, and Chi Kung. p. 93, 98 D.J. Garrity is known as a sculptor, painter and journeyman along the margins of abstract expression. Nuances of the human condition are signatory in his work and elicit a sense of restrained eloquence. p. 16 Judith Ansara Gass is an internation- ally-known teacher who synthesizes a rich background in spirituality, psychology, social action, and the arts. Cofounder (with husband Robert Gass) of Opening The Heart workshops, her work is forged in the living laboratory of her 40-year marriage. p. 44 Robert Gass is a Harvard-trained psychologist, leadership coach, and consultant to organizations from General Motors to Greenpeace and MoveOn.org. He has taught the art of relationship (with his wife of 40 years, Judith Ansara) since 1979. Chantmaster and recording artist, including bestselling Om Namaha Shivaya. p. 44 Cornelia Gerken integrates a spectrum of psychosomatic and healing approaches. With her husband Siegmar, she cofounded and codirects the International Institute of Core Evolution. She is the founder of CoreSoma. www.CoreSoma.com. p. 32 Siegmar Gerken is the founder and director of the International Institutes of Core Energetics & Core Evolution®. Dr. Gerken trains professionals and organizations in the interconnectedness of psychosomatic processes as they manifest on the levels of body, feelings, mind, will and spirit. p. 32 Christopher Germer is a clinical psychologist, a clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School, coeditor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion. He leads workshops nationally on mindfulness and acceptance-based psychotherapy. www.MindfulSelfCompassion.org. p. 30 Stan Gerome is an instructor and visiting therapist with the Upledger Institute with a private practice in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. since 1986. He has been a CranioSacral and SomatoEmotional Release practitioner since 1986. p. 47 Mariah Fenton Gladis, founder/direc- tor of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training for over three decades, leads workshops and trainings around the U.S. and in Europe. She is recognized for the sensitive and creative way she practices the art of Gestalt. p. 34, 36 Mary Goldenson is a clinical psychologist, chiropractor, and certified Radix teacher in Los Angeles. She has a private practice specializing in relationship therapy and transitions, and leads mediation trainings and workshops around the country. www.drmarygoldenson.com. p. 15, 23, 71 Bonnie Goldstein is a psychologist spe- cializing in healing through the lens of attachment theory and group psychotherapy. She teaches at USC’s School of Social Work and is founder-director fo the Center for Psychological Services. p. 48, 66 Jan Goldstein, rabbi and educator, has been honored by Johns Hopkins University and the U.S. Secretary of Education for his work. He is author of two non-fiction books and three best-selling novels. p. 48 103 Gwen Gordon designed and built Muppets for Sesame Street. She teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Coaches Training Institute, Institute for Transpersonal Psychology, and Holy Names University. Her articles have been published by many journals. www.gwengordonplay.com. p. 37 Adama Hamilton is a certified therapist, teacher, and trainer who teaches the Hakomi Method and energy work in the U.S. and internationally. He formerly worked in a community mental health organization, as an iron worker, and as a professional glass artist. p. 88 Harriet Goslins originated Cortical and counseling in the Midwest before moving to California in 1996. She has spent much of her time since then living, working, and studying at Esalen, where she began her training in CFR and was active in Gestalt training and practice. p. 11, 87 Field Reeducation. A Feldenkrais practitioner and Integrated Awareness teacher, her background is in psychosynthesis, applied kinesiology, muscle energy, craniosacral work, and social anthropology. She has been teaching at Esalen for 23 consecutive years. p. 58 Jnana Gowan, director of Powerhouse Education and Seminars, developed yoga for Mindful Motherhood by Dr. Cassandra Vieten and Executive Stamina by Marty Seldman. She conducts yoga, corporate stress-reduction, and wellness retreats. p. 77 Akuyoe Graham is a Ghanaian born writer, actor, and filmmaker and the author of the critically acclaimed, The Little Book of Transformation. She is currently working on the theatrical film version of her onewoman play, Spirit Awakening. p. 28 David Grand is the creator of the Brainspotting treatment method and author of Emotional Healing at Warp Speed. He directed and produced the documentary Come Hell or High Water and has been featured on NBC, CNN, and in the New York Times. p. 8, 32, 35 Patrice Hamilton worked in education Michael Haney is a psychologist practic- ing for 20 years in Austin Texas, primarily with those suffering anxiety problems, and with couples. He teaches at the Gestalt Institute of Austin, and is a member of the Society for Psychotherapy Integration and the Violet Crown Sports Association. p. 67 Rick Hanson is a psychologist and Constellations worldwide. She has developed and taught applications of the systemic approach in family, educational, and organizational contexts. She is a UKCP registered psychotherapist and the director of Moving Constellations in the United Kingdom. www.MovingConstellations.com. p. 38 and grandfather of Kai and Kes. His rich, diverse life has taken him from Africa to public service in Washington D.C. to administration of universities. He teaches dance, tai chi, and counseling in Arizona. p. 88 Chris Griffin is a Master ChiRunning/ ChiWalking Instructor, mentoring with the founder of ChiRunning/ChiWalking, Danny Dreyer. Chris lives in Mill Valley, Calif., and travels throughout the U.S. and Canada teaching this technique. p. 79 Kes Harper, age 15, is a native Big Sur local and graduate of Esalen’s Gazebo School. He has spent his entire life training his father, Steven Harper, in the ways of innovative parenting and hiking. p. 88 Esalen Massage teacher. Astrologer and educator since 1977, she counsels internationally and is a bilingual practitioner and teacher of Transformational Kinesiology from Polaris International College, Denmark. She created Openstars, Somatic Astrology at Esalen in 2000. www.transformagroup.com.ar. p. 52 H Meredith Haberfeld is acclaimed for her work with individuals, couples, and families. She taught her workshop Living an Extraordinary Life at MIT, and her advice has been included in Forbes, Woman’s Day, and Glamour magazines. www.meredithhaberfeld.com. p. 74 104 Michele Hébert is a master yoga and meditation teacher, natural nutritionist, and author. Yogiraj Walt Baptiste conferred upon her the title Raja Yoga Guide, and she has received initiation from Swami Veda Bharati and H.H. The Dalai Lama. p. 55 Kai Harper, age 18, is a native Big Sur local and graduate of Esalen’s Gazebo School. He has spent his entire life training his father, Steven Harper, in the ways of innovative parenting and hiking. p. 88 art for thirty years and holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree. She teaches at Antelope Valley and Harbor colleges, among others. She was trained by Dr. Betty Edwards, author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. p. 21 Silvia Guersenzvaig is a certified Amnesty International, heads the Human Rights Action Center. A leader in the human rights movement for over 25 years, he helped move the topic of human rights from closed-door diplomatic negotiations to widespread awareness and direct citizen action. p. 84 Diane Poole Heller is an expert in the field of trauma resolution, attachment models, and integrative healing techniques. Dr. Heller is a therapist, Somatic Experiencing® trainer, and coauthor of Crash Course, a guidebook on how to resolve auto accident trauma. p. 52 Kenneth Harper is the father of Steven (licensed marriage and family therapist) and certified personal trainer in private practice for the past 10 years. He specializes in body image confidence with gay men. www.bodyconsultation.com. p. 87 Jack Healey, former executive director of author who has been teaching contemplative neuroscience since1974. Dr. Hanson founded the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, and teaches at Stanford, Spirit Rock, and other organizations. His book, Buddha’s Brain, is forthcoming in November, 2009 (New Harbinger Publications). p. 20 Lynda Greenberg has been practicing James Guay is a psychotherapist Geneen Marie Haugen is a writer and guide to the mysteries of Earth and psyche. Her work appears in many nature anthologies, including American Nature Writing and Going Alone: Women’s Adventures in the Wild. She is a doctoral student in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness at CIIS. p. 28 Judith Hemming practices and teaches Clifford Henderson cofounded the Fun Institute in Santa Cruz, Calif., which brings improv to the community and workplace. She performs with several improv groups and has had plays and sketch comedies produced. Her novels include The Middle of Somewhere and the forthcoming Spanking New. www.cliffordhenderson.net and www.funinstitute.com. p. 21 Steven Harper is a wilderness guide, author, artist, and Big Sur resident. He has led both traditional and experimental wilderness expeditions internationally for over 30 years. He has an MA in psychology and his work focuses on wild nature as a vehicle for awakening. www.stevenkharper.com. p. 7, 56, 68, 77, 86, 88 Kim Hermanson teaches at Holy Names University in Oakland, Calif. and Meridian University in Petaluma. She has taught at the University of California Berkeley Extension and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Her books include Getting Messy and Sky’s the Limit:The Art of Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey. p. 45 Susan Harper teaches Continuum Paul Heussenstamm comes from a workshops in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan. She also offers Quest trips—for celebrating what is still wild, inside and out—in the wilderness and in Asia. p. 86 John Harris presents partner dance and life coaching workshops and seminars worldwide, combining a Systemic approach with his vast experience teaching Cuban Salsa and Argentine Tango. p. 29, 31 Mary Hartzell has over 30 years’ experi- ence working with children, parents, and teachers. She is the director of a highly respected, Reggio-inspired preschool in Santa Monica, Calif. Mary also teaches parenting classes and has a thriving privateconsulting practice. p. 73 family immersed in art and spirituality. At 35, he began painting in earnest after a single art class expanded into a consuming passion, a new profession, and a new perspective on life. He understands mandalas as psychic maps and symbols of wholeness. p. 37 John Hiatt, clinical professor of psychiatry in the UCSF School of Medicine, also directs General Outpatient Services at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. He founded the Transpersonal Care Program at the VA, which offers spiritually-based treatment. He recently opened a private practice. p. 63 Donna Hicks is an associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. Dr. Hicks developed the Dignity Model, a new approach to healing and reconciling relationships in conflict. p. 66 Deborah Ardell Hill is a licensed massage therapist and reflexologist experienced in a variety of modalities. Author of Spiritual Reflexology, she also offers integrations using quantum physics theories. p. 32, 75 Constance G. Hills is a licensed psy- chologist. She has a Vipassana meditation practice and has studied with Dr. Rina Sircar for over 15 years. Dr. Hills’ psychotherapy and consultation practice is in San Francisco, Calif. www.conniehillsphd.com. p. 22 Johanna Holloman is a German-born clinical psychologist, Diamond Approach® teacher, and certified Esalen® Massage and Deep bodywork instructor, teaching at the Esalen Institute and internationally. She is a Yoga teacher (E-RYT 500) and has created the Esalen In-house Yoga training program. p. 51, 61, 78 Perry Holloman has been a teacher and practitioner of Esalen® Massage, Deep Bodywork, and body-oriented approaches to Gestalt therapy for over 20 years. He teaches in the U.S., Asia, and Europe, and makes his home in Big Sur, Calif. www.deepbodywork.com. p. 51, 61, 78 Gabriele Hoppe has been a Biosynthesis trainer since 2000. She trained with David Boadella and Silvia Specht-Boadella in Switzerland. She is also a teacher at the German Acupuncture Society. She co-created Energy Medicine and Therapy. p. 71 Jonathan Horan is Gabrielle Roth’s son and closest collaborator. He is on the core faculty of her international institute, The Moving Center. Jonathan has been immersed in the 5Rhythms practice throughout his life and continues to be a key catalyst in its evolution. p. 75 Lucia Rose Horan was born and raised in the Esalen community. She carries on her family’s lineage through teaching the 5Rhythms ecstatic dance practice and Esalen Massage. Lucia shares her passion and inspiration as both an embodied practitioner and teacher. p. 53, 98 Mitch Horowitz is editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin in New York and author of Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation. His work has appeared in Esopus, Parabola, and Fortean Times, and on The History Channel, The Montel Williams Show, and other national media. www.MitchHorowitz.com. p. 8, 34 Chungliang Al Huang teaches Tai Ji philosophy, East/West synthesis, and the art of movement meditation. He is the founderpresident of the Living Tao Foundation and director of Lan Ting Institute in the Sacred Mountains of China. p. 44, 47, 48 Terry Hunt is a nationally-known psychologist and coauthor of Emotional Healing; Secrets to Tell, Secrets to Keep, and Addiction as Transformation. p. 75 Felix “Pupy” Insua, born and raised in Cuba (a featured performer with Grupo Folklorico Nacional de Cuba), he moved to New York in 1995 to spread the healing experience of Afro-Cuban music, dance, and spirituality. He is a priest and healer in the Cuban Lukumi religion. p. 59 Rik Isensee practices psychotherapy in San Francisco. He is the author of Love Between Men, Reclaiming Your Life, and Are You Ready?—The Gay Men’s Guide to Thriving at Midlife. www.gay-therapist.com. p. 87 J Roger Jahnke has practiced Chinese medicine clinically for over 30 years. He has traveled to China eight times and is the director of the Institute for Integral Qigong and Tai Chi. His books include The Healer Within and The Healing Promise of Qi. www.IIQTC.org. p. 33, 88 Athena Katsaros is a leadership and life coach, and a principal of IdeaTribe. She is a faculty member at the Coaches Training Institute. As an executive council member of Bpeace, Athena works with women leaders in Afghanistan and Rwanda. www.ideatribe.com. p. 14, 71 Lynne Kaufman is a novelist and award-winning playwright. She teaches writing at UC Berkeley, Dominican University of California, and San Francisco State University’s Lifelong Learning Institutes. www.Lynnekaufman.com. p. 74 Sunnie Kaufmann has created and implemented children’s programming for over 15 years. She is community development director with Girl Scouts of Northern California. She is on the board of directors for the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and Referral Agency of California. p. 7, 51, 87 Sam Keen is the author of numerous books, including The Passionate Life, Faces of the Enemy, Hymns to an Unknown God, and Learning to Fly. www.samkeen.com. p. 54 Eli Jaxon-Bear teaches and leads retreats worldwide through The Leela Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal self-realization. His books include The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom and Sudden Awakening—Into Direct Realization. p. 37 Jim Kepner is a psychologist and the author of Body Process and Healing Tasks. He teaches internationally on the application of Gestalt Body Process Psychotherapy to healing in trauma, stress, and illness. Jim is the co-originator of Nervous System Energy Work. www.pathwaysforhealing.com. p. 44, 45 Wendy Johnson is a Buddhist medita- and teacher in Sebastopol, Calif. He is known as much for his sense of humor and friendly manner as for his ability with the chisel. He helps people understand the subtle nuances of cutting wood without fear or trepidation. p. 57 tion teacher and organic gardening mentor who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is one of the founders of the organic Farm and Garden program at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, in Marin County, Calif. and author of Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate. p. 62 Zoran Josipovic is a long-term practi- tioner of meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions of Dzog-Chen and Mahamudra and the Hindu tradition of Advaita Vedanta. He is a research scientist at the Rubin Laboratory, Center for Neural Science at New York University. p. 14 Loren Judaken studied Interpersonal Communication and Environmental and Interior Design at UCLA. She facilitates group dialogue that explores psychological, sociological, and environmental effects on relationship, incorporating creativity as a means of expressing emotion. p. 66 Andrea Juhan balances the catalytic nature of the 5Rhythms with a finely tuned therapeutic instinct. Her teaching style is both lively and challenging, creating a field where participants are inspired and supported to pursue their own growth. p. 20 K Sharon Kagan is an award-winning painter and installation artist, as well as an art therapist. She teaches the Visual Journal workshop enabling artists and non-artists to fully express themselves. p. 85 Jerry Kermode is a woodturning artist DANIEL BIANCHETTA I Mawuena Kodjovi, a gifted multi- instrumentalist, was born in Paris and raised in Togo. He absorbed the music of West Africa, then studied jazz and harmony in Paris to gain a vast knowledge of musical traditions. In 1998, he came to New York to join Babatunde Olatunji on guitar, vocals, and percussion. p. 33 Deborah Koff-Chapin has been developing Touch Drawing since 1974 and is the founding director of the Center for Touch Drawing. She teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies and Wisdom University and is the author of Drawing Out Your Soul. www.touchdrawing.com. p. 99 of Abacus Wealth Partners, which has been named one of the top 250 wealth management firms in the U.S. by Bloomberg Wealth Manager. Brent has dedicated himself to yoga since 1989 and is the author of It’s Not About the Money. p. 91 George Kohlrieser is a professor of leadership and organizational behavior at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. His research, teaching, and consulting incorporate the lessons learned as a clinical psychologist and hostage negotiator. He is the author of Hostage at the Table. p. 9, 40, 41 Ruth King facilitates transformative retreats and is president of Bridges, Branches & Braids—an organization working with negative energies in positive ways, and author of Healing Rage—Women Making Inner Peace Possible. She is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 40 Pamela Kramer, a senior ITP teacher and student of George Leonard and Michael Murphy, creates a supportive community setting to grow, learn, and enjoy. She has co-led the longest-running ITP group in the country. Pam is the president of ITP International. p. 57 Daphne Rose Kingma is a therapist, Sybil Krauter teaches Integrated Awareness® and Cortical Field Reeducation® internationally. Her background is in education, clinical hypnosis, and neurolinguistic programming. Currently her focus is on how we create reality. p. 58 Brent Kessel is president and cofounder lecturer, and teacher of relationships as a spiritual art form. She is the best-selling author of ten books on love and relationships, including Coming Apart, True Love, The Men We Never Knew, Loving Yourself and The Future of Love. p. 29 Alan Kishbaugh has been leading cou- ples seminars with his wife Stella Resnick for over 25 years. He is a writer with many years of experience in book publishing, urban planning, and parkland and open space preservation. p. 88 Charly Kleissner is a philanthropic entrepreneur utilizing his high technology background in venture philanthropy. He cofounded the KL Felicitas Foundation and the Social-Impact initiative, which help social entrepreneurs worldwide accelerate and increase their social impact. www.klfelicitasfoundation.org and www.social-impact.org. p. 62 Jill Kuykendall is a physical therapist and transpersonal medical practitioner who worked in the standard Western medical paradigm for 25 years. She is in private practice specializing in soul retrieval, and is the coauthor (with Hank Wesselman) of Spirit Medicine. www.sharedwisdom.com. p. 54, 86 Jeffrey Kripal is chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University. He has written four books focusing on the comparative erotics and ethics of mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religious traditions, and the history of Western esotericism. p. 73, 98 Ron Kurtz created the Hakomi Method and the Practice of Loving Presence. He is the author of Body-Centred Psychotherapy: the Hakomi Method and the coauthor of The Body Reveals and Grace Unfolding. Ron teaches internationally. p. 88 L Brian LaForgia has been practicing Chinese Medicine for the past 30 years. In 1992, he met Leon Hammer and studied Dr. John Shen’s pulse system intensively with him. Since 1995 Brian has been teaching Pulse Diagnosis internationally. p. 64 Gail Larsen founded Real Speaking® and received a U.S. Small Business Administration Person of the Year award. She was executive vice president of NSA, the association for professional speakers. She wrote Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story. www.realspeaking.net. p. 32 Leonard Laskow is a Stanford-trained physician who has studied the healing power of love for over 33 years. Author of Healing With Love, Dr. Laskow is a behavioral and energy medicine consultant in Ashland, Ore. and lectures and teaches internationally. p. 89 Carol Lessinger, healer and interna- tional movement educator, trained with Moshe Feldenkrais and has a background in modern dance, Bartieneff Movement Fundamentals, cranial-sacral work, integrated awareness, and transpersonal psychology. p. 25 Jaquelin Levin is a writer, biocentric activist, and didactic facilitator of Biodanza®. She trained in psychology, performing arts, and was also initiated into the medicine way. Jaquelin teaches in the U.S., South Africa, the UK and Europe. www.biodanza-dancesoflife.com. p. 15 Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against The Stream, is a Buddhist teacher and counselor, trained to teach by Jack Kornfield. He is the founding teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. p. 97 105 Peter Levine has a background in medical biophysics, psychophysiology, and psychology. He developed Somatic Experiencing over the past 40 years, and teaches this work throughout the world. Dr. Levine is the author of the best-selling book, Waking the Tiger, and the book/CD, Healing Trauma. p. 39, 40 Gregg Levoy, author of Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life and This Business of Writing, is a former adjunct professor of journalism at the University of New Mexico who teaches widely on the subject of callings. p. 63 Bradley Lewis is an associate professor at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. He is the author of Moving Beyond Prozac, DSM, and the New Psychiatry: The Birth of Postpsychiatry. p. 91, 98 Dennis Lewis, a student of the Gurdjieff Work, Taoism, and Advaita, teaches the transformative power of presence through breathing, qigong, meditation, and selfinquiry. He is the author of Free Your Breath, Free Your Life, The Tao of Natural Breathing, and the audio program Natural Breathing. p. 93 Jon Lipsky, director and playwright, wrote Dreaming Together and is former associate artistic director of the Vineyard Playhouse on Martha’s Vineyard. In 2007, he received the Boston Critics Eliot Norton Award for best director. He teaches theater at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. p. 17 Elisa Lodge has been teaching expressive arts practices, movement, dance, drama, sound healing, and bodywork for four decades. She is the creator of Wowzacise – Growing Young on the Ball and author of Primal Energetics – Emotional Intelligence in Action. www.Wowzacise.com. p. 61 Miranda Macpherson is author of Boundless Love: Transforming Your Life with Grace and Inspiration, founder of the Interfaith Seminary in London, and a teacher at the Findhorn Foundation. She has taught internationally since 1995. p. 89 Jane Malek trained with Marion Rosen. She is a senior teacher of Rosen Method Bodywork and Rosen Movement Training. Jane established a certified Rosen Method training center in Monterey, Calif. where she has a private practice. www.RosenWest.org. p. 14 Sarah Maloney is an early childhood educator specializing in working with infants and toddlers, expressive arts, and teaching adults. p. 76 Vanda Marlow left a business career in her native London to find her vocation. Now, as a leadership and relationship coach, she inspires people to the fearless pursuit of joy-filled, juicy lives. www.ideatribe.com. p. 50 Deborah Anne Medow, Esalen Stephen Mercurio is a teacher at and spiritual friend, living in Portland, Ore. He teaches SoulMotion internationally, and is a certified Chaplain and Prayer Practitioner through the New Thought Alliance of Churches. p. 33, 34, 85 Esalen’s Gazebo Park School. He has worked as an early childhood and outdoor educator for the City of Monterey and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District for 10 years. p. 66 Diana Marto is an international environmental performance artist, visual artist, activist, and teacher. She has performed and exhibited in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. She teaches papermaking as a spiritual practice. p. 70 Peter James Meyers, accomplished professional actor/director, founded the award-winning Vector Theater Conservatory and Stand & Deliver, an executive training program that provides high-performance training to business leaders all over the world. p. 9, 40, 98 Edward W. Maupin, a psychologist who was an Esalen scholar-in-residence from 1966 to 1970, has practiced Rolfing since 1968, when he was trained by Dr. Ida Rolf. His early research in Zen Buddhism strongly influenced his approach to the Rolf Method. p. 35 Marlena Lyons is the cofounder of The Camille Maurine coauthored Conscious Living Center, a counseling and retreat center in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been teaching workshops about how to inhabit the full spectrum of one’s humanity for the past 20 years. www.undefendedlove.com. p. 27 Meditation 24/7 and Meditation Secrets for Women. A dancer and performing artist who has taught movement, meditation, and expression since 1975, Camille is the creator of kinAesthetics and the transformational Moving Theater process. www.camillemaurine.com. p. 17, 42 M Michael Mayer presents his integrative 106 Esalen kitchen after studying at the California Culinary Academy, which followed earning his B.A. in Literature from Stanford University. Now a massage therapist, he is actively involved in nourishing the body on many levels. p. 15, 81 Vinn Martí is a movement artist, teacher, Fred Luskin teaches and researches the psychosocial and spiritual factors that lead to health and disease at Stanford University. He is director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project and has written two bestsellers: Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. p. 13 selling Solemate, created the Mastering the Art of Aloneness roadmap, a process that helps people break free from the shackles of their life conditioning, activate their potential, and become the person they were born to be. www.laurenmackler.com. p. 61 Liam McDermott was a chef in the Dean Marson teaches Esalen Massage and Ocean Yoga. He integrates meditation, movement, and bodywork practices to assist people in enlivening their bodies and their lives. He has led workshops at Esalen and internationally for over 20 years. p. 18, 67 chologist and university professor for thirty years and is the coauthor, with John A. Sanford, of the book What Men Are Like. Visit his question/answer website at www.AskDoctorGeorge.com. p. 41 Lauren Mackler, author of the best- Jim McCormick trained with Zero Balancing founder, Dr. Fritz Smith. He is chairman of the board of directors and the on the faculty of the Zero Balancing Health Association. He is co-president of Cambridge Health Associates, where he practices Zero Balancing and traditional acupuncture. p. 72 workshop leader and bodywork practitioner since 1969, teaches yoga, massage, creative movement, awareness practices, and related healing disciplines throughout the U.S. and Europe. She is also a certified nutrition educator, and manager of the Esalen Healing Arts Department. p. 18, 20, 37 Nora Matten is a member of the Esalen Massage crew and an Esalen Massage teacher. As part of the Esalen Movement staff she teaches dance and yoga. Her work draws on Forrest Yoga, Soul Motion, Vipassana meditation, Gestalt Awareness Practice, and the Diamond Approach, among others. p. 72 George Lough has been a licensed psy- Jennifer McChristian is an awardwinning painter who has also worked as an animation artist in Los Angeles and served in the military service for five years. She studied with Robert Blue, Karl Dempwolf, Scott Burdick, and Steve Huston. www.jennifermcchristian.com. p. 77 approach to Tai Chi Chuan/Qigong at conferences, hospitals, and in his Bodymind Healing Certification Programs. Dr. Mayer is author of 20 publications, including three books on integrating Tai Chi/Qigong with Western bodymind healing methods. www.bodymindhealing.com. p. 23 Emmett Miller is widely recognized as a founder of mind/body medicine and as the inventor of the guided-imagery audiocassette/CD. He is the author of Deep Healing and has recorded more than 50 deep-relaxation meditations and talks. p. 70 Tamar Miller is a social entrepreneur and consultant to social change and religious organizations. She works with the Interfaith Engagement and Spirituality unit at the Fetzer Institute and was director of the Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East at Harvard. p. 9, 45 Sarana Miller is a faculty instructor at Yoga Journal and teaches at The Claremont Hotel and her own home studio. Trained in the Iyengar and Forrest Yoga traditions, her love of yoga was born at Esalen. p. 30 Oscar Miro-Quesada is a Peruvian kamasqa curandero, Fellow in Ethnopsychology with the Organization of American States (OAS), founder of the Heart of the Healer (THOTH) Foundation, UN Invited Observer to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and originator the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition of cross-cultural shamanism. www.mesaworks.com. p. 74 Anneli Molin-Skelton is living her dream of inspiring people to discover the forgotten language of their souls by embracing their sacredness and truth in movement. She is a cofounder of the movement sanctuary Spiritweaves. www.spiritweaves.com. p. 78 Michael Molin-Skelton listens to prayers of the wind and hears music. Michael reaches through dance rather than teaches to dance. “Dance is not something I do, it’s simply who I am.” www.spiritweaves.com. p. 78 Matthew Montfort, leader of the internationally acclaimed world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future, is a bandleader, composer, and multi-instrumentalist (scalloped fretboard guitar, electric guitar, flamenco guitar, mandolin, charango, sitar, and gamelan). He has performed worldwide. p. 10 Jean Morrison has worked in the areas of health, education, business, and restorative justice since 1985. She has been a Certified Trainer with the global Center for Nonviolent Communication since 1989, and coproduces materials for learning Compassionate Communication (nvcproducts.com). p. 61, 99 Nan Moss is a shamanic practitioner and teacher, serving on the faculty of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies for over 15 years. She is author of Weather Shamanism: Harmonizing Our Connection with the Elements and CloudDancing: Wisdom from the Sky. www.shamanscircle.com. p. 25 Charles Muir, a professional yoga instructor for 35 years, is director of the Source School of Tantra Yoga in Hawaii and California. He is coauthor of Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving. His work was featured in the Hollywood movies Bliss and The Best Ever. p. 55 N Katie Nash lived and worked at Esalen for over 10 years. She is director of Apple Pie School in Big Sur, Calif., where she lives with her husband and their daughter. She enjoys teaching improvisational theater and dance, and leads workshops in creative expression. p. 53 Lisa Nave is a psychotherapist with a private practice in Mill Valley, Calif. She is an author, speaker, workshop facilitator, has created a social networking site for building community among families, and has taught at Golden Gate University. www.lisanavemft.com. p. 79 Mehrad Nazari is a master teacher of the Walt Baptiste Method of Raja Yoga. Dr. Nazari received initiation from Swami Veda Bharati, Kyozan Joshu Roshi, and H.H. The Dalai Lama. As an industrial psychologist he applies the ancient spiritual practices to the corporate world. p. 55 Kristin Neff is an associate professor in human development at the University of Texas and leading researcher on self-compassion. She’s also the mother of an autistic child featured in the book and film, The Horse Boy. Kristin teaches internationally. www.self-compassion.org. p. 30 Gretchen Nelson is a physical therapist in San Francisco, Calif., focusing on the needs of the in-home elderly population, and on treatment of yoga-related injuries. She is a senior yoga teacher who teaches yoga not as sequence of postures but as a way of living. p. 26 Laurel Parnell is an internationally-recognized psychologist, author, consultant, and EMDR trainer who has trained thousands of clinicians in the U.S. and abroad. The author of four books on EMDR, she maintains a private practice in San Rafael, Calif. p. 38 Michael Newman is an attorney-medi- Gamo Da Paz is a third-generation ator, surfer, and lifelong resident of the Big Sur coast. He has an MA in psychology and promotes the integration of wilderness into contemporary life. p. 56, 68 master drummer from Bahia, Brazil and an accomplished recording artist and traditional teacher who has performed and taught in the U.S., France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Japan. p. 87 Mark Nicolson directs Ventana, a center that facilitates transformative learning in leaders and organizations committed to social change. Mark’s work also focuses on life transitions. He is a graduate of Oxford, Stanford, and the Esalen Extended Student program. p. 10 O Jay Ogilvy cofounded Global Business Network and is partner of the Monitor Group. His research and consulting revolves around scenario planning and the role human values and changing motivations in business. He teaches widely and is the author of Creating Better Futures: Scenario Planning as a Tool for a Better Tomorrow, among other books. p. 56 Jennie Oppenheimer’s work, a play- ful exploration of pattern, texture, and color inspired by fabrics, weathered architecture, and colors found in cultures around the world, has been featured in cookbooks and magazines, as gift cards and papers, and as backdrops for retail environments. p. 92 Wendy Oser is a filmmaker and produc- er of the award-winning documentary Let’s Face It: Women Explore their Aging Faces (www.letsfaceit.tv). She pioneered the use of video feedback for self-discovery, leading workshops internationally since 1976. p. 56 Ghada Osman is a professor of Islamic and Arabic studies at San Diego State University. She is also a counselor and a yoga teacher. p. 8, 27 Brita Ostrom, a licensed MFT, has led massage and other workshops at Esalen for over 20 years. She is trained in Gestalt awareness work and participated in Esalen’s two-year somatics education project. p. 90 Carole Pertofsky directs Stanford University’s Wellness and Health Promotion Services. She teaches The Pursuit of Happiness and Health, is a life coach and facilitator of national health and wellness seminars and workshops. She cofounded Spiritual Tools For Healing Center, for cancer survivors. p. 56 Char Pias, a member of the Esalen mas- sage staff since 1980, teaches internationally, focusing on bodywork’s energetic, emotional, and spiritual aspect. She is a Reiki Master/ Teacher, a Circle of Life facilitator/coach, and a licensed graduate of The Center for Spiritual Healing. p. 39, 94 Pablo Piekar, a former psychotherapist, is an organizational development consultant and teacher. His work focuses on creatively promoting the unfolding of innate talent in individuals and organizations. p. 85 Bill Plotkin, founder of Colorado’s Animas Valley Institute, is a depth psychologist, wilderness-based soul guide, and agent for cultural change. Author of Soulcraft and Nature and the Human Soul, he has guided thousands of people through initiatory passages in the underworld of soul. p. 28 David Presti is a neuroscientist at the University of California in Berkeley. His areas of expertise include the chemistry of the human nervous system, the effects of drugs on the brain and mind, and the scientific study of mind and consciousness. p. 41 Christine Stewart Price is a teacher and ongoing student of Gestalt Awareness Practice and other approaches to developing awareness. p. 27, 28, 53, 64, 91 Steven Pritzker is a professor of psychol- P ogy, writer, creativity coach, and director of Creativity Studies at Saybrook University, in San Francisco. He co-edits The Encyclopedia of Creativity and wrote for network television. p. 30 Ji Hyang Padma serves as director of Jett Psaris is the cofounder of The spirituality and education programs at Wellesley College. She also teaches at UCLA, Kripalu, and the Omega Institute. Ji Hyang has been teaching Zen for fifteen years. p. 10 Laurie Lioness Parizek graduated from the Montreal General Hospital School of Nursing, McGill University. She studied and teaches hands-on interactive and energy healing and is a longtime teacher of Esalen bodywork. p. 28 Conscious Living Center, a counseling and retreat center in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been teaching workshops about how to inhabit the full spectrum of one’s humanity for the past 20 years. www.undefendedlove.com. p. 27 Johanna Putnoi is the author of Senses Wide Open: The Art and Practice of Living in Your Body. She employs the Enneagram as a tool for teaching Lomi Somatics, and has a private practice in Menlo Park, California. p. 72 R Gustavo Rabin is a psychologist and organizational consultant based in Silicon Valley, Calif. He specializes in improving leadership skills of individuals and the effectiveness of teams and organizations. Gustavo is also a cofounder of Skyline Group. www.SkylineG.com. p. 10, 87 Charu Rachlis, born and raised in Brazil, has been teaching yoga in San Francisco since 1997. She teaches in a Bhakti lineage. She has a 20-year history of Tibetan Buddhist meditation, and is strongly influenced by Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga. p. 26 Aminah Raheem is a transpersonal psychologist, the originator of Process and Clinical Acupressure, an international teacher of body psychology, and the author of Soul Return: Integrating Body, Psyche and Spirit, and Soul Lightning: Awakening Soul Consciousness. p. 19 Srivatsa Ramaswami was the longest- standing student of the legendary Sri T. Krishnamacharya outside the Master’s family. He has written scores of articles, four books, and recorded about 40 CDs and cassettes of Sanskrit mantras. www.vinyasakrama.org. p. 75 Sheila Ramsey is a founding partner of Personal Leadership Seminars, LLC. Dr. Ramsey has led seminars for the US Department of State, the National Albanian American Council’s Kosovo Leadership Program, and the Smithsonian Institute, among many other organizations. p. 61 Christine Ranck is coauthor of Ignite the Genius Within. She is a trauma therapist and psychoanalyst in NYC, and a motivational speaker on freeing creativity. Christine is also a professional singer whose pop vocal trio, Jukebox Jane, performs internationally. p. 8, 32 Ann Randolph has been described as “revolutionary,” a “tour de force,” “Whitmanesque,” and “hilarious” for her award-winning solo performances. Direct from an Off-Broadway hit (produced by the late Anne Bancroft), Randolph teaches and tours extensively throughout the U.S. p. 11, 97 John J. Ratey is an associate professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ratey has been a leading teacher and researcher on the brain and personality, and is the author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. p. 28 Virginia Ray is a visual/conceptual artist known for her transformative art work exhibited in galleries and healing institutions around the Bay Area. She is currently creating an art center in Santa Cruz. www.virginiaray.net. p. 90 Saul David Raye has been on the faculty of numerous national conferences and is a cofounder of the Sacred Movement Center for Yoga and Healing in Los Angeles. He teaches yoga, bodywork, and energy healing, and is an ordained minister and musician who infuses his classes with healing music and chants. www.sauldavidraye.com. p. 82 Stella Resnick is a psychotherapist in Beverly Hills specializing in relationship and sexual enhancement. She is the author of The Pleasure Zone, and former president of the Western Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. p. 88 Ruth Richards, affiliated with Saybrook University and Harvard Medical School, has published numerous articles on creativity and edited two books, including Everyday Creativity and New Views of Human Nature. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and 2009 winner of the Arnheim Award. p. 30 David Richo is a psychotherapist in Santa Barbara and San Francisco. Dr. Richo is the author of How To Be An Adult In Relationships, The Five Things We Cannot Change And The Happiness We Find By Embracing Them, and others. www.davericho.com. p. 91 Barry Robbins, a senior teacher of ITP and a student of George Leonard and Michael Murphy, is the cofounder of the longest-running ITP group in the country. Barry serves as vice-president of ITP International. p. 57 Lorin Roche has meditated since 1968. He is the author of The Radiance Sutras, a new translation of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, and coauthored Meditation Secrets for Women and Meditation 24/7. His other books include Meditation Made Easy, Breath Taking, and Whole Body Meditations. www.lorinroche.com. p. 17, 42 Marina T. Romero is a therapist and teacher. She is a director of Estel, a personal growth center and school of integral studies in Barcelona, Spain. She coauthored Nacidos de la Tierra: Sexualidad Origen del Ser Humano. p. 78 Elizabeth Rosner, novelist, poet, and essayist, is the author of two highly acclaimed novels, The Speed of Light and Blue Nude. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Elle, and several anthologies. She has taught writing for 27 years. p. 81 Joanne Beaule Ruggles has been teaching for 35 years. As a Cal Poly studio arts professor, she won the 2004 Distinguished Research Award. Since 2005, she has received grants from the James Irvine, Puffin, and Capelli d’ Angeli foundations. www.beaulerugglesgraphics.com. p. 42 Peter Russell is the author of ten books, including The TM technique, The Global Brain, Waking Up in Time, and From Science to God. His work integrates Eastern and Western understandings of the mind, exploring their relevance to the world today. www.peterruseell.com. p. 84 Gordy Ryan performed worldwide with Babatunde Olatunji for three decades while maintaining a prolific career as a recording artist and composer. His band OBA has released two CDs of original songs, One Breath Away and The Beautiful Game. www.obatheband.com. p. 33 107 M.J. Ryan is a change expert who coaches individuals around the world and has written many books, including AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For. Her work is based on cuttingedge brain science and positive psychology. p. 11, 29 Alan Schwartz, author of Life Force: Death Force, pioneered the understanding of energetic dynamics and its relationship to Gestalt therapy. A student and colleague of Laura Perls, he also studied with Lowen and Pierrakos. He has taught the Gestalt approach worldwide since 1970. p. 43 Richard C. Schwartz is a systemic Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer has practiced spiritual healing in Brazil and the U.S. since 1982. She has been a resident student and teacher at Esalen and conducts trainings and seminars internationally. |p. 84, 85 family therapist and an academic. Dr. Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) and founded the Center for Self Leadership. A featured speaker for national professional organizations, Dr. Schwartz has published five books and over fifty articles. www.selfleadership.org. p. 12, 19 Sarah La Saulle is a psychotherapist and teacher who specializes in healing blocks to self-love and creativity. She is in private practice in Santa Monica, Calif., where she is also an avid ballroom dance student. p. 85 Maggie Seeley is a business consultant to Fortune 500 companies, U.N. agencies, and international businesses. She teaches International Business at the University of New Mexico and is cofounder of The Sustain Ability Trust. p. 39 Bill Say directs the Community Healing Paula Shaw, a professional actress and S & Leadership Training and teaches relationship and diversity awareness work, conflict resolution, and community building internationally. He is a Process Work diploma candidate. www.CoreCommunity.com. p. 19 David Schiffman is a longtime group leader at Esalen. His primary interest is in facilitating people in transition toward a more heartful, unstrained existence. p. 20, 58, 69 Meir Schneider is a health educator, pioneer therapist, author, and founder of the San Francisco non-profit School for Self-Healing. His publications include The Natural Vision Improvement Kit, Movement for Self-Healing: An Essential Resource for Anyone Seeking Wellness, and Yoga for Your Eyes (DVD). p. 50 Sara K. Schneider, performance anthropologist, professor, and author of three books on body and identity, directs the Center for Bodylore and Learning in Chicago, which links public education about global cultures with the professional development of teachers, health care professionals, and clergy. p. 35 Stephen Schuitevoerder is a consultant, lecturer, and facilitator based in Portland, Ore. Dr. Schuitevoerder works with diversity issues, team building, change management, executive development, and organizational conflict. www.processconsulting.org. p. 18 Renée Schultz is cofounder of The Mother-Daughter Project, international speaker, and marriage and family therapist with a specialty in sex therapy. She coauthored The Mother-Daughter Project: How Mothers and Daughters Can Band Together, Beat the Odds, and Thrive Through Adolescence. www.themother-daughterproject.com. p. 7, 48 Ulrich Schwalb is managing partner of the IAK, Institute for Applied Creativity. He is a coach, author, trainer, and Gestalt therapist who helps facilitate leadership, personal growth, and innovation. www.iak.com. e-mail: [email protected]. p. 43 108 acting teacher for over 40 years, has conducted workshops in expanding self-expression, well-being, and creativity for non-actors in the U.S., Canada, and Germany. p. 65, 67 Sianna Sherman is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor who loves to weave storytelling, asana, poetry, biomechanics, therapeutics, and empowering philosophical understanding into her teaching. She enjoys working with all levels of students. p. 82 Spencer Sherman has been regularly named by Worth magazine as one of the country’s top 100 wealth advisors. He is CEO and cofounder of Abacus Wealth Partners, a national wealth advisory firm, and the author of the bestselling book, The Cure for Money Madness. p. 91 Michael Shiffman founded L.A. Dharma in 1999 and cofounded the Insight Center in 2006. Dr. Shiffman has over 20 years experience working with trauma and healing, substance abuse and recovery, and body-oriented therapeutic practices. He teaches, trains psychotherapists, and has a mindfulness-based, body-mind oriented counseling practice. p. 24 Stephanie Shrum has been practicing massage and the healing arts for over 10 years. A certified Thai massage instructor, she has returned to Thailand regularly to deepen her practice. She created the instructional video Introduction to Thai Massage. www.CoCreativeHealing.com. p. 97 Stephen Sideroff is a clinical psycholo- gist and peak performance consultant in Santa Monica, Calif. Assistant professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA’s School of Medicine, he was founder and former director of the Stress Strategies Center at Santa Monica Hospital. p. 20 Eric Simon is an expert in the range of stress-related disorders and has published extensively on how mental states can improve clinical outcomes. Dr. Simon developed the premiere pain-management program for the US Army at Tripler Regional Medical Center. p. 17 Debra Simpson has taught yoga since 2001 and teaches at Webster University. She brings 25 years of wellness and movement experience to her yoga practice and teaching, which has been influenced by Iyengar and Vinyasa traditions. p. 19 Maria Sirois is an inspirational speaker, author, and psychologist working where psychology, spirituality, and mind/body medicine intersect. Dr. Sirois weaves together story, research, poetry, and laughter to help people toward a more vital life. p. 93 Gerald Smith is a licensed psychologist in private practice in San Mateo, Calif. He has written two books about relationships, Couple Therapy and Hidden Meanings. He has been leading couples groups at Esalen since 1966. p. 80 Nancee Sobonya is a grief counselor, educator, and filmmaker who produced and directed The Gifts of Grief. She was the bereavement coordinator at Pathways Hospice in Oakland, Calif. She teaches at Starr King School of Ministry and is a minister of the Ridhwan Foundation. p. 75 Juliet Soopikian has over 20 years experience working with mental illness, addictions, and family-related issues. In Iran she practiced various meditations since age 8, and learned Vipassana in 1998. She cofounded The Insight Center where she trains psychotherapists and has a psychotherapy practice. p. 24 Tom Spanbauer has published four novels: Faraway Places, The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon, In the City of Shy Hunters, and most recently Now Is the Hour. Tom has been teaching Dangerous Writing classes for over 17 years. Eighteen of his students have published novels. p. 35 Susan Spraker did not qualify for the manager trainee program at her job in 1973 because she was female. This ignited her search for professional and financial independence and inspired her to advise others, especially women. Dr. Spraker is the founderpresident of Spraker Wealth Management, Inc. www.sprakerwealth.com. p. 68 Barbara Stafford is the William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor, Emerita, at the University of Chicago. Her work explores the intersections between visual arts and the sciences. Her most recent book is Echo Objects: The Cognitive Work of Images. p. 92 Martha Stark is a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis and the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She has authored three books, including Modes of Therapeutic Action. p. 63 Kat Steele is a permaculture activist, designer, and educator. Founder of the Urban Permaculture Guild in Oakland, Calif., she facilitates workshops on sustainability, natural building, and permaculture, and speaks about urban eco-social design, City Repair, and the power of placemaking. p. 39 Peter Sterios is an internationallyrecognized yoga instructor and former c ontributing editor for Yoga Journal. His DVD, Gravity & Grace, was recently honored as one of the top 15 yoga videos of all time by Richard Rosen of Yoga Journal. www.petersterios.com and www.manduka.com. p. 38 Mark Stevens is a licensed psychologist and director of university counseling services at California State University, Northridge. Former president of the APA’s Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, Mark coauthored In the Room with Men: A Casebook of Therapeutic Change. p. 60 Janet Stone teaches yoga in San Francisco, Calif. and leads retreats and teaches workshops internationally, including in Bali, Mexico, Malaysia, and Costa Rica. www.janetstoneyoga.com. p. 82 Dave Stringer, an artist of the new international kirtan movement, has been widely profiled in Yoga Journal, Time, Billboard, and other magazines. He creates a modern and participatory experience that is accessible to all. Since 2000, Stringer and his accompanying musicians have toured internationally. p. 21 Steven Stroud was a residential fellow, encounter group leader, and director of residential trainings at Esalen in the 60s. For 20 years he studied and taught with the founders of many major disciplines within the human potential movement, such as Ichazo, Schutz, and Perls. p. 53 Carol Swanson has trained in Gestalt therapy for over 30 years. She is cofounder and executive director of the Portland Gestalt Training Institute, teaches and presents Gestalt internationally, and has written and published several articles in various Gestalt journals. p. 67 Robert Sward has taught creative writing since 1987 and has served on the faculty at Cornell University, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and UC Santa Cruz. A Fulbright scholar and Guggenheim Fellow, he has published 30 books. www.robertsward.com. p. 53 T Jim Tamm, a former judge who has mediated over 1,500 disputes, is the author of Radical Collaboration: Five Essential Skills to Reduce Defensiveness and Build Successful Relationships. He is on the faculty of the International Management Program at the Stockholm School of Economics. p. 81 Russell Targ is a physicist and author who pioneered the development of the laser and laser applications, and cofounded the Stanford Research Institute’s investigation into psychic abilities in the 1970s and 1980s. He now pursues ESP research in Palo Alto, Calif. p. 35 Carol Tavris s a social psychologist, lecturer, and writer. Her books include Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion and The Mismeasure of Woman. She has written for The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Times Literary Supplement, and many other publications. www.mistakesweremadebutnotbyme.com p. 44 Jeremy Taylor has worked with his own and other people’s dreams for over 35 years. He teaches at many Bay Area seminaries, universities, and colleges, and is the author of three books on working with dreams. p. 67 Vicki Topp is a senior practitioner and Patrice Vecchione, collage artist, author, and teacher, has exhibited her work in galleries and museums. She is the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life: Finding Your Voice by Looking Within, a book of poems, Territory of Wind, and the anthology Faith and Doubt, among others. p. 55 Frances Verrinder is a marriage and family therapist in San Francisco, Calif. with thirty years of psychotherapy experience with couples, families, groups, and individual adults. She is passionate about cultivating loving relationships. p. 52 Cida Vieira, born at the heart of the instructor of Esalen Massage and somatic bodywork. She teaches workshops and training groups internationally and is a Registered Movement Therapist and practitioner of Body-Mind Centering. www.vickitopp.com. p. 32 dance circles of Brazil, has choreographed and performed in the U.S., South America, and Europe, with dance groups and artists including Xuxa, Ray Charles, Daniela Mercury, and Airto Moreira. Currently, Cida is on the Movement Program staff at Esalen. p. 27 Ellen Tussman was president and CEO Cassandra Vieten is a psychologist, of the Groaning Board Cooking Club, Food Editor for the Berkeley Monthly, and owner/operator of Savoy Catering for over 30 years and the Zagat-rated Dakota Grill. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Gangaji Foundation. p. 48 director of research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and a mind-body medicine researcher at California Pacific Medical Center. Dr. Veiten coauthored Living Deeply: The Art and Science of Transformation in Everyday Life. p. 12 ber of the Esalen massage staff. Her work is strongly influenced by her studies in craniosacral work, movement, yoga, and dance. p. 28, 67 Sharon Virtue is a painter who also works on community development projects. She has been the recipient of many awards and residencies, including from the San Francisco Arts Commission and the De Young Museum. She was recently awarded an international residency to work in Ghana. p. 68 Jai Uttal, a sacred music composer, Barry Vissell is a psychiatrist who, with U Daniela Urbassek is a longtime mem- recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist, combines influences from India with influences from American rock and jazz, creating a stimulating and exotic multicultural fusion that is truly world spirit music. p. 57 V Bessel van der Kolk is a clinical psychiatrist and neuroscientist whose Trauma Center incorporates a yoga studio, theater program, and neurofeedback laboratory. He was president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. p. 38, 39 Charles Varni specializes in trauma- sensitive addiction treatment and has taught sociology, human services, and counselor training at Allan Hancock College, New Mexico State University, Chico State University, and Washington State University. He is a certified addictions treatment counselor. His passions also include surfing and ceramics. p. 36 Russell G. Vasile is associate professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and director of the Affective Disorders Consultation Program at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Vasile is a graduate of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, and is certified in Forensic Psychiatry. p. 69 Gordon Watanabe is a founding partner of Personal Leadership Seminars, LLC and professor emeritus at Whitworth University. He has facilitated diversity initiatives with educational institutions, corporate entities, and communities. p. 61 Ellen Watson has studied, practiced, and taught somatic arts and meditation at Esalen since 1984. Falling in love with Rumi’s teachings, she developed an ecstatic dance practice, “Dancing with Rumi.” Ellen travels extensively, offering this work worldwide. www.movingventures.org. p. 13 Anne Watts was deeply influenced by her father, the philosopher Alan Watts. She studied with Virginia Satir and Dr. Stan Dale, and taught special education in public schools. Anne teaches at the Human Awareness Institute, is a certified hypnotherapist and counselor, and leads workshops worldwide. p. 56 Brian Kie Weissbuch is a botanist and acupuncturist in private practice in Northern California since 1991. He founded KW Botanicals, Inc. in San Anselmo, Calif. He has 30 years experience as a botanist and western herbalist. p. 64 Hank Wesselman is the author of The Spiritwalker Trilogy, The Journey to the Sacred Garden, and coauthor of Awakening to the Spirit World (with Sandra Ingerman). An anthropologist, he works with an international expedition in Ethiopia investigating the mystery of human origins. www.sharedwisdom.com. p. 54, 86 his wife Joyce, practices the medicine of unconditional love worldwide. He and Joyce coauthored The Shared Heart, Models of Love, Risk To Be Healed, The Heart’s Wisdom, and Meant To Be, and have raised three children. www.sharedheart.org. p. 30 Jamie Wheal is a leadership consultant who has worked with Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, lectured at national and international educational conferences, and published articles and essays in academic journals. He is certified to administer and coach the Leadership Development Profile. Jamie is also an avid outdoorsman and expeditionary leader. p. 78 Joyce Vissell is a master’s level nurse/ Maggie Wheeler is an actor and enter- psychotherapist who, with her husband Barry, founded the Shared Heart Foundation, dedicated to changing the world one heart at a time. Together they write a syndicated column for 80 periodicals worldwide. www.sharedheart.org. p. 30 tainer best known for her work as Janice on NBC’s Friends. She also is a singer, song writer, choir director, and has been teaching vocal workshops in and out of Los Angeles for the past 15 years. p. 39 W Steve Waldrip has worked in end-of-life care for the past 17 years and has been a hospice chaplain for 12. He is a chaplain with Hospice of the Central Coast, Monterey, Calif. He is a minister in the Ridhwan Foundation. p. 75 Robert Walter, Joseph Campbell’s editor for a decade, is president of the Joseph Campbell Foundation and a poet/playwright with several decades of experience as group leader, teacher, publisher, and theatrical producer/director/designer. p. 44, 46, 48 Shirley Ward’s loving expertise has blessed the Esalen Farm and Garden for the last six years: as groundskeeper, farm manager, and consultant. Prior to Esalen, she created magnificent, sustainable, organic landscapes for a large East Coast clientele. p. 62 Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a lifelong relationship with the teachings of Krishnamacharya through his students T.K.V. Desikachar and Srivatsa Ramaswami. He travels the world teaching Yoga and is the author of Yoga of Heart: The Healing Power of Intimate Connection. p. 87 Cris Williamson‘s body of work includes over 30 albums. Recognized by Performing Songwriter Magazine as one of the decade’s most influential songwriters, her groundbreaking record, The Changer and the Changed remains a best-selling independent record. p. 15 Nicholas Wilton’s paintings have graced best-selling book covers, children’s books, editorial and corporate print media, in addition to gallery exhibitions and private collections. Developer of the Artplane Workshop, he has taught in such places as Esalen, Tokyo, and Sundance, Utah. p. 92 Anna Wise is an internationallyrecognized authority on EEG and consciousness. She is the author of The HighPerformance Mind: Mastering Brainwaves for Insight, Healing, and Creativity and Awakening the Mind: A Guide to Mastering the Power of Your Brainwaves. p. 31 Nina Wise is a performance artist and founder of Motion Theater, a form of autobiographical performance. Her provocative and original works have been honored with seven Bay Area Critics’ Circle Awards and three National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. p. 93 Adam Wolpert is a painter, teacher, and art program director at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (www.oaec.org) in west Sonoma County. He has offered workshops and exhibited extensively throughout California. www.adamwolpert.com. p. 71 Birgit Wolz is a movie lover and psychotherapist in Oakland, Calif. She is the author of E-Motion Picture Magic, many professional articles, and continuing education online courses. www.cinematherapy.com. p. 43 Y Sam Yau is board chairman of the Esalen Institute (since June 2008) and currently a director on the board of two public companies. He was the CEO of National Education Corporation from 2005 to 2007. p. 56 MC Yogi, Aka Nicholas Giacomini, combines yoga and hip hop to create sound that brings the wisdom of yoga to a new generation of modern mystics and urban yogis. www.mcyogi.com. p. 82 Z Dave Zaboski has been teaching creativity for 15 years. As a fine artist, entrepreneur, and former Disney animator, he has shown his work internationally and contributed his talents to modern classics such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King. www.davezaboski.com. p. 7, 48, 50 Dana Zed has been making glass talismans and temples for over 20 years. She has exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the U.S. and has been published worldwide. To see her work, visit www.danazed.com. p. 40, 74 Stephanie Zone is a clinical psychologist, college instructor, registered yoga teacher, and eating disorder specialist at Kaiser Vallejo Psychiatry. She teaches college psychology, women’s studies, and sociology at City College San Francisco, Calif. p. 77 109 Q reservation information Making Contact with Us See box on page 1. Fees and Accommodations All workshop fees include: • Workshop tuition: Unless otherwise noted, participants must be 18 years or older. • Food: Much of Esalen’s produce is organically grown on our farm and picked fresh just hours before mealtime. Whenever meat is served, a vegetarian and a vegan option are available. • Lodging: Including Friday and Saturday night accommodations for weekend workshops and Sunday through Thursday night accommodations for 5-day workshops; Lodging for 7-day workshops varies, please inquire at registration. • 24-hour use of hot springs bath facilities, the Arts Center (except when a workshop is scheduled), meditation Round House, and the entire Esalen grounds • Participation in movement classes scheduled during time on property • One-year subscription to the Esalen Catalog There are a variety of accommodations options at Esalen. Some room types fill more quickly than others, so please register as early as possible. Please indicate your second choice for accommodations and workshop in case your initial choice is unavailable. We cannot guarantee specific room requests. Standard Accommodations: This is shared housing, with two or three people per room and in some cases a shared bathroom. Couples will be housed privately. Standard guaranteed single housing is available on a limited basis for an additional $120 per night. Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $670 $695 $1130 $1155 $1740 $1765 Premium Accommodations: Premium rooms are offered as a guaranteed single or for couples, and include upgraded bathrooms with walk-in showers, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, in-room telephone, and enhanced sound and climate insulation. Some rooms have in-floor heating. Call the Esalen office for additional details. Premium Room Single: Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $1220 $1245 $2505 $2530 $3490 $3515 Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $1890 $1940 $3635 $3685 $5230 $5280 Premium Room Couple: Friends Rate Regular Rate Point Houses: The three Point Houses are nestled behind the Esalen Garden and perched at the cliff ’s edge. Each is a private two-room suite 110 with a living room with woodstove, bedroom, sleeping loft, full kitchen and dining area, private redwood deck overlooking the Pacific, Ethernet connections for your own laptop, and in-room telephone. North and Middle Point Houses can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 small children. South Point House can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 small children. Please call the Esalen office for additional details. Point House Single: Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $1570 $1595 $3130 $3155 $4540 $4565 Point House Couple: Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $2240 $2290 $4260 $4310 $6280 $6330 Bunk Bed Accommodations: This is shared housing with four or more persons per room. Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $505 $530 $865 $890 $1335 $1360 Sleeping Bag Accommodations: Some Esalen meeting rooms are used as shared sleeping bag space. Storage space outside the meeting rooms is available when the rooms are being used for meetings (9 am–11 pm). Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $360 $385 $595 $620 $920 $945 Off-site Accommodations: If you are attending a workshop and staying off property. Friends Rate Regular Rate Weekend 5-Day 7-Day $360 $385 $595 $620 $920 $945 Reduced Rate Options Please request discounts at the time of registration. Scholarship: Esalen provides some scholarship assistance to workshop participants in exchange for a work commitment in cabins or the kitchen. Our policy is one scholarship per person per year. Approved recipients will receive their work schedules upon arrival at Esalen. Weekend: $50, 4 hrs 5–7 days: $100, 8 hrs Senior Citizen Discount: A discount is available to guests over 65, for workshops only. For a weekend workshop, the discount is $25. For 5-day or longer workshops, $50. Accommodations for Families: Two full-paying adults housed in standard accommodations may have their children in the room for a meal charge of $20 per child per day ($10 for children under six). Note: If children are enrolled in Gazebo School Park or an Esalen workshop, additional fees are required. For more information about children at Esalen, see page 3. Friends of Esalen: Friends of Esalen who donate $50 or more will receive a $25 discount on tuition for workshops registered for during the twelve months following their donation. Workshop Payment In order to help Esalen with its mission and to lower costs, we ask all who are capable of doing so to please pay the full amount of their workshop or Personal Retreat at the time they make their reservation, rather than only making a deposit. To reserve a space in any workshop, we require full payment of the following deposits: Weekend: $150 12–14 day: $400 5–7 day: $300 More than 14 days: $600 Deposits pa]id by credit card will automatically have the workshop balance drawn from your credit card five days before arrival. Deposits are payable in U.S. currency only; overseas residents must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or credit cards and are nonrefundable. Workshop Cancellation Policy: If you cancel or change any part of your reservation at least seven full days before the start of your workshop(s), your nonrefundable deposit, less a $75-per-workshop processing fee, will be transferred to an Esalen non-refundable credit account to be used within one year. If you cancel a workshop with less than seven days notice, you forfeit your entire deposit. If you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we will retain the fees as stated above and return the balance to you. Cancellations must be made by phone with one of our reservation staff. “Seven full days” means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop, and by Friday before a Friday workshop. Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable. Ongoing Residence Program From mid-September to mid-June, the Ongoing Residence Program is for those desiring an intensive workshop program over a long term. A Residence Program stay is 26 days (4 “weeks” and 3 weekends). Participants may select any five-day workshop offered during their stay, with weekends open for Personal Retreat. Occasionally workshops are cancelled; second choices are advised. The discounted cost is $4880 per 26-day period for standard accommodations. No other discounts apply. If you cancel or change any part of your Residence Program reservation at least seven full days before its start, there will be a $150 cancellation fee. If you cancel with less than seven days’ notice, the cancellation fee is $330. Personal Retreat Fees The Esalen Personal Retreat (PR) is a self-structured experiential program based on reflection, integration, and choice. In an over-structured, over-stimulated world, PR students have an opportunity to experience and learn more using tools of contemplation, journaling, and refocusing. Following program orientation, participants may continue to build their own curriculum, choosing from over 25 different class offerings in a typical week, plus other learning, study, and contemplative opportunities. Classes each day are drawn from yoga, meditation and contemplative practices, movement and dance, Gestalt "open-seat" sessions, martial arts, and other subjects, with added enrichment from Visiting Scholar programs, Wednesday evening presentations, Open Deck sessions, and other lecture and discussion venues. Learning activities are also available through Sustainability Tours, in the Esalen Kitchen and Farm and Garden internship programs, and in our structured Garden Retreat. Most days feature three to six or more such offerings, plus unlimited access to Esalen's meditation center, baths and contemplative bath/music offerings, garden walks, bodywork and other booked sessions, and other opportunities for deepening learning, reflection, and integration. Study materials and diverse readings for maximizing your Esalen Personal Retreat are available to participants. The Esalen Personal Retreat is open only to Members of the Friends of Esalen program, supporting Esalen's transformational mission and our many subsidized mission programs. For additional benefits of Membership, and to join Friends of Esalen please see page 3. Personal retreat rates are per day and are per person unless otherwise noted. They include all meals for the duration of your stay. Applicable taxes will be added. Fri/Sat Sun-Thurs Standard (2-3 persons per room) $210 $160 Premium (guaranteed single) $450 $450 Premium $600 (2 persons: priced per room) $600 Point Houses $700 (1 or 2 people: priced per room) $650 South Point House $150 (each person over 2 up to 4 total) $150 Bunk Bed $135 (4 or more persons per room) $125 Personal Retreat Cancellation Policy: If you cancel a Personal Retreat at least seven full days in advance your nonrefundable deposit, less a $75 processing fee, will be transferred to an Esalen non-refundable credit account to be used within one year. If you cancel a Personal Retreat with less than seven days notice, you forfeit one full night’s fees. If you have prepaid your entire reservation fee, we will retain the fees as stated above and return the balance to you. Cancellations must be made by phone with one of our reservation staff. “Seven full days” means by Sunday before a Sunday workshop, and by Friday before a Friday workshop. Donations to the Friends of Esalen are nonrefundable. Massage Many Esalen guests choose to enhance their experience by receiving a luxurious Esalen® Massage or other bodywork during their stay, usually provided at our baths. Massage reservations for workshop participants or Personal Retreat students must be made and paid for in advance by credit card by calling: 831-667-3005. If you are coming to Esalen for a massage only, please call 831-667-3002. Public Bathing in the Hot Springs In addition to round-the-clock availability for Esalen guests, the hot springs are open to the general public, by reservation only, 1 am–3 am, for a cost of $20 per person, payable by credit card only upon reservation. Reservations can be made 8 am–8 pm (except Friday and Sunday: lines close at noon), at 831-667-3047. Transportation to Esalen Ridesharing: We encourage ridesharing to reduce the number of cars on the road and at Esalen. See the reservation form for ridesharing options. Van Service: A van service is available between Monterey Airport/Monterey Transit Plaza and Esalen on Fridays and Sundays. The incoming service departs Monterey Airport at approximately 4 pm, and arrives at Monterey Transit Plaza approximately 4:20 pm. Return service departs Esalen at approximately 5:30pm. The drive is approximately 1 1/4 hours to Monterey Airport, so please plan plane flights accordingly. Van service reservations must be made with Esalen at least 24 hours prior to arrival. The $60 one-way fee (subject to change) is payable to Esalen upon arrival. Schedules Check-in/Check-out: Guests are welcome to arrive at Esalen any time after 2 pm; rooms become available after 4 pm. Check-out time is 12 noon on departure days. Lunch is provided on departure days; we ask that you leave the property by 2 pm. Workshops: Workshop schedules normally begin on 8:30 pm on the first evening and end at 11:30 am on the final day. For Your Information Esalen is located approximately 45 miles from “civilization.” This isolation and tranquility can deepen your experience at Esalen yet for many guests it can be a significant change in environment. We have minimal electronic communications available; there are some terminals available for internet connection, though speed is slow and availability limited. There is no cell phone service at Esalen, but free WiFi is available in the Lodge, except during meal times. Snoring: If you will be staying in one of our shared accommodations and you snore, please come prepared to do everything possible to minimize the discomfort this may cause a roommate—consider taking a private room if possible. If you are not a snorer, please come prepared (earplugs, etc.) for the possibility of sharing a room with a snorer. Flashlights: Be sure to bring a flashlight for use at night while walking on the grounds, as they are very dimly lit. Health Services: Esalen has no medical services or pharmaceutical supplies on site. If you will require medical attention or supplies during your stay, please come prepared to administer to your own needs. Esalen is 45 miles from the nearest medical facility or pharmacy. Illegal Drugs: In accordance with state and federal laws, the possession or use of illegal drugs on Esalen grounds is strictly prohibited. Lost and Found: To inquire about items left behind from your Esalen visit, call 831-667-3019. Money: Esalen is able to accept cash, checks, and credit cards. Please bring sufficient funds for incidentals as Esalen does not have an ATM, and the nearest ATM is a 30-minute drive north. Cash on property may be needed for purchases of beverages and chocolate at our dinner bar, and also for gratuities for massage practitioners. Personal Guests: Seminarians are not allowed guests on the property during their stay. Pets: Other than registered animals in service, pets are not allowed on the property. Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in any accommodations, meeting rooms, or other indoor spaces. Valuables: The Esalen office has no facilities to store your valuables. Volunteering: Esalen is a learning community/ organization made up of guests, students, staff, and volunteers. Guests are welcome to contribute a couple of hours to work with the Esalen staff, usually in the kitchen. Your help enables us to meet the pressures of peak working times and enables you to experience Esalen from the inside. Recommended Reading and Mail Order Merchandise: All recommended reading is avail- able online through our website www.esalen.org. All other bookstore merchandise is available via mail order. For ordering information, please see www.esalen.org/bookstore. 111 S esalen institute reservation form A nonrefundable deposit for each person registering and each workshop applied for must accompany this form. (Please see Reservation Information, page 110, under Fees and Accommodations, Making Contact with Us, and Cancellation Policy.) Reservations can now be Please use this form to reserve a space in Esalen workshops. If more than one person is registering, photocopy and submit separate forms unless you’re registering as a couple with the same address and phone number. Unless otherwise noted in the workshop description, workshop participants must be at least 18 years old. made online at www.esalen.org. Name of Registrant___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE PRINT Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sex: M o F o Couple o E-mail _____________________________________________________ City ______________________________________________________________________________________ State __________________________________________________ Home Phone ( __________ ) ____________________________________________________________ Work Phone ( __________ )___________________________________________________________________ o Check if you have previously been to Esalen and this is a new address. Passenger Van Service: I want transportation from (check one): o Monterey Airport at approximately 4:00 pm on Ridesharing: We support ridesharing and hope you will too. If you are driving to Esalen and willing to give a ride to someone from your area, check here o Occasionally there are unexpected situations that require us to contact you immediately before your stay here. If you will not be at the above numbers during the two weeks prior to the workshop, where may we reach you? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please mark your first and second choices for housing after referring to page 110 for accommodation descriptions and rates. Total cost includes workshop fees, lodging, and meals. o o o o o Check for standard accommodations, if available. Check for bunk bed room, if available. Check for sleeping bag space, if available. Check for off-site accommodations. Check if you wish to room as a couple. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Other Notes: All of our rooms are non-smoking. If you smoke, please plan to do so outside. automatically drawn from your credit card five days before your arrival. Your signature below authorizes Esalen to charge your credit card for the balance. Leader’s Name No pets allowed, except registered animals in service. Fee Snoring: All of our accommodations are shared. Please come prepared for the possibility of rooming with a snorer. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Workshop Deposits Enclosed __________________________ Tax-deductible contribution to Friends of Esalen (Optional, see page 2) __________________________ $5 Catalog Contribution (Optional) __________________________ Subtotal __________________________ Total Amount Enclosed __________________________ Check here for $10 prepay discount (see page 110). Check here if this is your first visit to Esalen. Check here if you need directions to Esalen. Check here if you are a senior. o Check here if you do not want your phone number given out for ridesharing. Please make checks payable to Esalen Institute, in U.S. currency only. (There will be a $15 fee for returned checks.) Overseas residents must pay by checks drawn on U.S. banks or with one of the charge cards below. Checks or credit card information must accompany the reservations form. Or, you may fax this form to us at 831-667-2724. If you do so, you must include payment via one of the credit cards below. Your reservation can be charged to: o MasterCard o Visa o American Express Name on Card ____________________________________________________________________ Card No. ____________________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date __________________________________________________________________ Authorizing Signature _________________________________________________________ FOR OFFICE USE ONLY DATE REC. RES INITIALS CIRCLE DEPOSIT DEPOSIT AMT. RES. BK CC AUTH. # DATE TYPED TYPED INITIALS 112 The $60-per-person charge (subject to change) is payable on arrival at Esalen. Please prepare to arrive at the airport well before 4:00pm so you do not miss our van. Esalen cannot be responsible for taxi fare or other transportation costs. If your plans for use service from Esalen is on Fridays and Sundays at approximately 5:30 pm. If you plan on taking this van please make sure that your plane reservations are after 8:00 pm. Passenger van service is not available at any other time. All workshop reservations require a nonrefundable deposit. The balance will be o o o o ___________________________________________________________________________________ (date of arrival, Fridays and Sundays only). o Monterey Transit Plaza at approximately 4:20 pm (corner of Pearl and Alvarado, next to Ordway Drug) of the passenger van service change after you have made your reservation, please notify us. The only departing van Write here the name(s) of any person(s) with whom you wish to room. Workshop Date Zip _______________________________ PP SCHOL CC CK LIMO CA SUS SENIOR Thank you for your reservation. As soon as it is processed you will receive by return mail a receipt for your deposit and a notice of confirmation. Please review your confirmation for accuracy. continuing education programs The Board of Registered Nursing has approved Esalen as a provider of continuing education for registered nurses (provider number 01152). For additional information on CE courses for nurses, contact Mary Anne Will, R.N., 831-667-3010. Please note: All two-day workshops offer 10 hours of CE credit and all five-day Practicing Presence: Body-Centered Awareness Jan 3-8 The I in the Storm: Self Leadership n Jan 3-8 Love, Sex, and Intimacy n Jan 3-8 A Doorway in Time: Yoga as Journey of Being n Jan 3-10 Seven Days of Advanced Esalen Massage n Jan 8-10 Living Deeply: Art of Transformation n n Jan 8-10 Mindfulness and Heartfulness n n Jan 8-10 The Healing Power of Emotion Jan 8-10 Rosen Method Bodywork Jan 10-15 Self-Actualization and Self-Healing n Jan 10-15 Relationships: The Courage to Begin n Jan 10-15 Spinal Awareness (with Humor) Qigong and Inner Alchemy Feb 21-26 Gestalt Practice: Exploring Emotion n Feb 21-26 Not For The Feint of Heart n n Feb 21-26 Intro. to Rolf Structural Integration n Feb 21-26 Brainspotting Training n Feb 26-28 Limitless Mind and the End of Suffering n Feb 26-28 Arrive Already Loved n Feb 26-28 Yoga for the “Yogically Challenged” n n n n Feb 19-21 n n n n n n n Apr 25-30 More Than a Communication Workshop Apr 25-30 Deep Bodywork: Hips, Feet, and Lower Legs Apr 25-30 Personal Leadership n n n n Apr 30-May 2 Experiencing Your Spiritual Self Apr 30-May 2 Relentless Hope: The Refusal to Grieve n n May 2-7 Chinese Pulse Diagnosis May 2-7 Gestalt Awareness Practice May 2-7 May 7-9 n n n n n n n n Awakening The Creative: Painting n n A Mother-Daughter Journey Into Mind, Body n n n Feb 28-Mar 5 Trauma, Memory, and Restoration of Self n n n May 7-9 Gestalt, Movement, and Sport n n May 7-9 Esalen Massage for Couples n n n May 9-14 Abandonment to Healing May 14-16 Mood and Anxiety Disorders n n n n n May 14-16 Couples’ Communication Retreat n n n Mar 5-7 The Body Keeps the Score n n Nonduality: A Meditation Retreat n Mar 5-7 Getting the Love You Want: For Couples Realization Process n n Mar 5-Apr 2 28-Day Esalen Massage Certification Jan 15-17 The Sky is Falling, What Now? n n Mar 7-12 Inspiring Leadership n n n May 14-16 Awakening the Leader Within Jan 15-17 Change, Wisdom, and Cultivation of Eldership Mar 7-12 Exploring the Ordinary Miracle of Healing n n n May 14-16 Awakening Joy n Jan 15-17 Esalen Massage with a Touch of Yoga Mar 7-12 Transforming Rage n n n May 14-16 Start Over: Choose Aliveness and Intimacy n Jan 17-22 The Impossible Dream: Self-Limiting Behavior n Mar 12-14 Neuroscience of Mind, Brain, Consciousness n n n May 16-21 Zero Balancing II Jan 17-22 Intimacy, Differences, and Community n Mar 12-14 Hostage at the Table n n May 21-23 The Undervalued Self Jan 17-22 Compassionate Connections: Tender Touch n Mar 12-14 Living Heroically n n May 23-28 LaStone Therapy: Hot Stone Treatment Jan 17-22 Bringing Courageous Love to Your Relationship n Mar 12-14 Body, Voice, and Consciousness May 23-28 The Gifts of Grief Jan 17-22 Acupressure for Anyone Mar 14-19 Cinema Alchemy: Power of Movies for Healing n May 23-28 The Bioenergetics of Relationships n n Jan 22-24 The Mind/Body Connection Mar 14-19 Profound Simplicity n May 28-30 Mind, Mood, and Happiness n n Jan 22-24 Being Danced: 5Rhythms Essentials Mar 14-19 Yogic Model: Personal Development May 28-30 Embodiment for Beginners Jan 22-24 Buddha’s Brain: Neural Pathways Mar 14-19 Chakras Actually Jan 22-24 Esalen Massage for Couples Jan 24-29 n n n n n n n n n n n n n Mar 19-21 I’m Right and You’re Wrong Extending the Exhale: Buddhist Meditation n n Mar 19-21 Building Resiliency through Energy Jan 29-31 Tai Chi Chuan: Four Dimensions of Purpose n n Mar 21-26 SomatoEmotional Release II Jan 29-31 Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice n Jan 29-31 The Courage to Be You: Letting Go, Moving On Jan 29-31 Spinal Awareness (with Humor) n n n n n n Jan 31-Feb 5 Breaking Reactive Patterns n n Jan 31-Feb 5 Embodiment and Development n n n n Jan 31-Feb 5 Life Cannot Be Easier Than Your Movement n n n Mar 26-28 Why Men Are the Way They Are Mar 26-28 Thriving in Mother-Daughter Relationships n n n n n n n n n Mar 28-Apr 2 Self-Acceptance: The Heart of Healing n n n n n n n n n n n n May 30-Jun 4 Trauma First Aide n n n n Jan 15-17 n n n Jan 10-15 n n n n n Feb 28-Mar 5 Transforming Trauma with EMDR Feb 28-Mar 5 Constellations: Family and Personal Issues n PS YC HO F T LOG s IS TS N &L UR C SE SW s S BO D YW O RK ER S PS YC HO F T LOG s IS TS N &L UR C SE SW s BO S D YW O RK ER S PS n Jan 3-8 YC HO F T LOG s IS TS N &L UR C SE SW s BO S D YW O RK ER S workshops offer 26 hours. If you wish to receive a certificate, please notify your workshop leader. There is a $25 fee for each certificate of completion, payable to the office. M E TL TI SE UR CO S AT E D and also noted in the Seminars section. For further information, contact Brita Ostrom at 831-667-3040. M E salen is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. (Esalen maintains responsibility for this program and its content; California psychologists are required to report their hours to the MCEP Accrediting Agency); Esalen is also approved for MFTs and LCSWs by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (provider number PCE1594); and massage practitioners and bodyworkers by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider under Category A (provider number 043062-00). Workshops for which CE credit has been approved are listed below M Q n May 30-Jun 4 Holistic Sexuality n n May 30-Jun 4 Deep Bodywork: Shoulders, Forearm n n May 30-Jun 4 Long Term View: Building Community n n n n n n n Jun 4-6 Mindfulness in Deep Relationship n n Jun 4-6 Building Collaborative Relationships n n n Jun 11-13 Getting Unblocked n n n Mar 28-Apr 2 Self-Healing: Awakening Your Power n n Jun 11-13 Spiritual Massage and Shaman Ways n n Apr 2-4 An Esalen Massage Retreat for Couples n n Jun 13-18 Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion n n Apr 2-4 Love Yourself-For Everyone Else’s Sake Jun 13-18 The Spiritwalker: Visionseeker Level 1 Apr 4-9 Develop the Art of Romantic Intelligence n Jun 18-20 Coaching Skills for Leaders, Managers n Apr 4-9 Character, Trauma, and Developmental Issues n Jun 18-20 Breaking Habits and Creating New Ones n Apr 4-9 Finding Your Deepest Purpose Jun 20-25 Body-Mind Psychology: The Hakomi Method n Apr 4-9 Esalen Massage, Poetry, and Digeridoo n Jun 20-25 Qigong Empowerment Apr 9-11 Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice n Jun 20-25 The Body Shop: Intimacy for Couples n n Jun 20-25 Awakening Your Healing Heart n n n June 20-25: Art of Essential Touch Jun 25-27 Introduction to Gestalt Awareness Practice n n n n n n n Feb 5-7 Intro. to Gestalt Awareness Practice n Feb 5-7 Undefended Love n Feb 5-7 Weekend Esalen Massage Intensive Feb 5-12 The “Pointing Out Way” of Tibetan Meditation n Feb 7-12 Seduced By Earth: Deep Imagination n Feb 7-12 Spark: The Revolutionary Science n n Apr 9-11 5Rhythms Wave: In the Belly of the Beat Feb 7-12 Gestalt Awareness Practice n n Apr 11-16 Shamanic Cosmology: Visionseeker Level 3 n Feb 12-14 Finding True Love n Apr 11-16 Reading the Body: Non-verbal Communication n Feb 12-14 The Shared Heart Valentine Retreat n Apr 16-18 Enhancement of Peak Performance n n Jun 25-27 Revealing the Wisdom: Neck and Shoulder n n Feb 14-19 The Art and Science of Self-Compassion n Apr 18-23 Stronger at the Broken Places n n Jun 25-27 Spinal Awareness (with Humor) n n Feb 14-19 EEG and Spirituality Apr 18-25 The “Pointing Out” Way of Tibetan Meditation n n Jun 27-July 2 Feeling Consciousness: Mirror Neurons n Feb 14-19 Radical Aliveness: Core Energetics n Apr 18-25 Life Cannot Be Easier Than Your Movement Jun 27-July 2 Breathe Into Being n Feb 14-19 Love, Sexuality, and Relationship n Apr 23-25 Neurobiology of the Therapeutic Encounter n n n Jun 27-July 2 The Language of the Body: Anatomy I Feb 14-19 Reflexology and Esalen Massage Apr 25-30 The Heart of Healing: For Clinicians n n n Jun 27-July 2 Water in the Desert: Hope in a Time of Loss Feb 19-21 Ignite the Genius Within Apr 25-30 Ageless Vitality n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n Jun 27-July 2 Motion Theater: Dreaming on Your Feet n n n n n n n n 113 n Esalen Institute 55000 Highway 1 Big Sur, California 93920-9546 Esalen Institute is a center to encourage work in the humanities and sciences that promotes human values and potentials. Its activities consist of public seminars, residential work-study programs, invitational conferences, research, and semi-autonomous projects. If you move, please let us know your new address. It helps us save trees and money. Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PA I D Las Vegas, NV Permit No. 2543