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Work Study Program

The Work Study Program is a twenty-eight day immersion in Esalen's integrative approach to personal and social development. The program combines a rigorous course of study in one area of transformative practice with the opportunity for deep relationship with the Esalen land and community. Work Study is a rich and challenging way to embody the idea that mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social dimensions of the self are inextricably connected.

At the heart of the Work Study experience are the evening sessions. During these meetings, which occur four to five evenings per week, work scholars in each discipline meet together for core studies. The group leader or leaders for each discipline are highly experienced teachers who coordinate the course of study and guide scholars throughout the month. As a complement to their studies, work scholars participate in Esalen's daily operations by volunteering 32 hours per week, usually in the housekeeping department or the kitchen, in exchange for their housing and meal costs. Contemplative and transformative practices are woven into the work environment at Esalen, so each day there are valuable opportunities for self and group exploration, including group process and check-in.

The Legacy Program is a second type of twenty-eight day work study experience at Esalen. With class sessions meeting just twice a week, with one intensive day of classes during the month, Legacy work scholars have more flexibility in their schedules to attend residential education classes (regularly occurring learning events designed for Esalen staff) and daily movement arts programs. Legacy programs are usually a mix of work scholars and Esalen staff. Legacy work scholars also volunteer 32 hours per week with an Esalen department, and the tuition for Legacy is the same as the traditional work study program.

Work scholars are selected by application only. Please read further details below about applying for the Work Study Program. After your application has been accepted you may register for the program. Some of the work can be physically challenging, including lifting, bending, and repetitive movements. Please be sure you are capable of the work you may be assigned. Work scholars are assigned to departments on the basis of community need, so please be ready to jump in anywhere.

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." Esalen encourages work scholars to refrain from alcohol use during their stay. No pets, drugs, or violence allowed. We cannot accommodate children.

Upcoming Work Study Programs

The Heart of Power/The Power of Heart: A Somatic Approach to Embodied Compassion, with Carol Lessinger
February 19 - March 18, 2012

Somatically, compassion is located in the heart and power is expressed through the pelvis. Powerful compassion and compassionate power depend on the connection between heart and pelvis, areas we tend to disconnect through shallow breathing, uncomfortable movement patterns, tightened muscles, and unconscious belief systems about what we permit. Expression of power may be constrained because of its confusion with force and brutality, yet unconsciously misused to make another person feel small.

This month you'll explore what you and your world would be like if true power is the creative energy to express your life purpose, being spiritual is associated with being grounded through your body, and harsh self-judgment is replaced with deep self compassion.

Carol Lessinger, with more than thirty years of experience as a movement teacher and healer, will gently guide you using Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement®, Cortical Field Reeducation®, Integrated Awareness®, and movement games. Her passion is to engage people's awareness of the beauty of their soul's connection in their body.

CE credit for bodyworkers.

Legacy Program: PiaSoma, Balancing Bodymind, with Char Pias
February 19 - March 18, 2012

"My passion is to help co-create a deeper and more profoundly satisfying experience of Life," writes Char Pias. PiaSoma is a somatically based approach to personal development and transformation. The foundational premise is to access the innate wisdom of the body to release stress, chronic tension, and trauma, and thus bring the bodymind back into balance or homeostasis. From this state of being, we gain a renewed sense of self, an expanded perspective, and the ability to clearly recognize life-affirming choices. The main modalities that participants will experience during this month-long immersion are TRE®-Tension/Trauma Release Exercises, a simple and effective self-care technique, and PiaSoma Touch, a form of laying-on-of-hands and bodywork received through clothing. Supporting activities will be introductions to meditation, Qi Gong, dance, and Circle of Life Wellness Coaching.

PiaSoma was created over three decades by teacher and facilitator Char Pias. The word 'PiaSoma' is derived from Char's Greek surname, which originates from the Latin meaning sacred, honest, kind, and devoted. Soma is from the Greek, literally meaning the physical body. The field of somatics encompasses holistic, body-centered approaches that help people reconnect with self and transform through practices that promote psycho-physical awareness and wellbeing.

CE credit for bodyworkers.
CE credit for nurses.

The Transformative Power of Emotion, with Dorothy Charles
March 18 - April 15, 2012

Living a full and connected life requires our capacity to feel and to make use of our emotional experience. Much of the alienation and separation that occurs in our relationships and family life is the result of the 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. When we are accompanied in this way, the formerly frightening and intolerable sensations of our emotions can be not only tolerated, but felt as an essential part of our vitality and our connection to other people. We can gain increased aliveness, presence, and the sense of freedom and mastery that comes from facing what we have 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. In this program, led by Dorothy Charles, we will create a safe and supportive environment in which our emotions can be met with curiosity, interest, and acceptance. The format combines Gestalt Process, guided imagery, small group work, dyadic awareness exercises, discussion, group process and opportunities for open seat with the leader.

Legacy Program: Yoga for Optimal Living, with Jan Sinclair and Rob Wilks
March 18 - April 15, 2012

Teaching yoga is a path through which you can directly access the wisdom of life and awaken to your human potential by promoting and supporting the knowledge of your body, breath, and mind, and supporting your natural alignment. During this work study program, you will develop a heightened sense of body awareness and self-awareness, deepen your practice on the mat, and take those skills into your life off the mat. The regular practice of yoga can generate a healthy belief system based upon your direct experience of the world through a more flexible nervous system.

With an emphasis on honoring the inherent wisdom in your body and awakening your natural intelligence through the mechanics of yoga, we will explore:

Asana: the physical body. You will be taught alignment instructions and the messages in your body. You can develop your natural ability to listen, sense, and feel, and to hold yourself in a nurturing way

Pranayama: the action of proper breath. Focus on your ability to breathe in life, and to expand and enliven the flow of life-force (prana)

Meditation: the state of your mind. Practice finding that place of calm, centered balance and stillness

Jan Sinclair and Rob Wilks welcome people of all levels of experience to join them in an exciting exploration of awakening and enlivening your life-force for optimal living and immersing yourselves more fully in all aspects of your life.

CE credit for bodyworkers.

Permaculture 1, with Benjamin Fahrer
April 15 - May 13, 2012

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, which is the first half of a two-part 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.

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 world. Topics and activities include:

Participants will be empowered with the confidence to live and function in a more just, sacred, and sustainable future.

Please note: This is the first month in a two-month-long Permaculture Design Certification course. Participants must complete both months to be eligible for certification through the International Permaculture Research Institute. The second half of the training will be offered as a Legacy Program, May 13 - June 10, 2012.

($65 materials fee paid directly to the leader)

Legacy Program: Loving What Is — The Work of Byron Katie with Lee Greenbaum
April 15 - May 13, 2012

When you argue with reality, you lose — but only 100% of the time. -Byron Katie

The Work of Byron Katie is a way to clear the mind, a process to end our suffering. In The Work we learn to witness and identify our stressful thinking. Then we question these thoughts and we move from confusion into understanding. We stop believing the thoughts that life should be anything other than what it is. We cannot stop thinking thoughts. By utilizing inquiry the thoughts stop thinking us. It's the absence of this stressful thinking that gives us the experience of joy.

Anyone with an open mind can do this. With The Work you can inquire into thoughts such as:

When we believe the thoughts that argue with reality, we suffer. As we question these thoughts, we meet them with understanding and life dramatically shifts and transforms.

Lee Greenbaum will support you in beginning or deepening an ongoing practice of The Work. You'll learn to ask yourself the four simple questions of The Work and take yourself as deeply as you are willing to go for your own internal freedom. For more information about The Work, visit www.thework.com.

Sharing Your Story, with Ann Randolph
May 13 - June 10, 2012

Everything in your life, from the mundane to the extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told. During this program you can 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, you can gain insight and self-understanding that can bring peace and healing. We will then make our words leap from the page to the stage, sharing them orally to uncover the power of performance to transform your life and your listeners. This is a program for those seeking to explore personal essay, memoir, solo performance, or the sacred practice of journaling.

Through improvisation, writing exercises, and group discussion, you will find your authentic voice, along with a way to express it. Ann Randolph creates a supportive, fun, and dynamic space in which to create. Topics include:

Legacy Program: Permaculture 2, with Benjamin Fahrer
May 13 - June 10, 2012

Building on the work of the previous month of permaculture study (see the description for Permaculture 1, April 15-May 13), this program focuses on hands-on application and a continuation of the core permaculture curriculum. A certified design course, this month-long program led by Benjamin Fahrer will complete the necessary requirements for certification in permaculture design, and engage participants in four different dynamic design projects at Esalen. Since 2008, design teams have looked through the permaculture design lens to see how to help Esalen transition into a more sustainable and regenerative institute, both in land management practices and socially. Scholars will also have the opportunity for deep inquiry into nature through extracurricular activities and exercises.

During this month, we will be working more with specific strategies and techniques to employ within the overall design. These topics and activities include:

Scholars who complete this course will be certified through the Permaculture Research Institute.

Please note: If you already have taken a PDC, this program is a great way to re-engage with your design skills and bring yourself to the next level. Advanced topics in appropriate land-use and social structures will be covered, as well as the latest ideas being explored by the global permaculture community.

This month can be taken on its own (without participation in Permaculture 1) by applicant review by the instructor only.

Postmodern Cares of the Self, with Bradley Lewis
June 10 - July 8, 2012

We live in challenging times. Old beliefs and traditions have been destabilized by modern society, and the promise of science and reason has been shaken by environmental and social destruction. Some have responded by a revival of fundamentalist religions; others have doggedly clung to modern world views. For many of us, neither of these older structures will work. We have chosen to get imaginative and inventive, and to build a new cultural home.

This work study program, Postmodern Cares of the Self, is about that process. Led by psychotherapist, cultural theorist, and NYU professor Bradley Lewis, we will combine contemporary social thought with Esalen human potential practices (personal and interpersonal awareness, Eastern spirituality, eco-consciousness, and creative expression). Through arts, media, guest speakers, conversation, and experiential practices, we will free our minds and bodies for transformative ideas and possibilities. Our aim is to spend a month together living and re-imagining human potential practices for today's world.

Legacy Program: The Transformative Power of Emotion, with Dorothy Charles
June 10 - July 8, 2012

Living a full and connected life requires our capacity to feel and to make use of our emotional experience. Much of the alienation and separation that occurs in our relationships and family life is the result of the 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. When we are accompanied in this way, the formerly frightening and intolerable sensations of our emotions can be not only tolerated, but felt as an essential part of our vitality and our connection to other people. We can gain increased aliveness, presence, and the sense of freedom and mastery that comes from facing what we have 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. In this program, led by Dorothy Charles, we will create a safe and supportive environment in which our emotions can be met with curiosity, interest, and acceptance. The format combines Gestalt Process, guided imagery, small group work, dyadic awareness exercises, discussion, group process, and opportunities for open seat with the leader.

A Half Century of Human Potential, with Jeffrey Kripal
July 8 - August 5, 2012

Have you ever wondered how so many people, perhaps you, became "spiritual but not religious?" Have you ever felt alone, or disconnected, in your own story and wondered whether it fit into a larger cultural narrative or super-story? It does. 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first official seminars on "the human potentiality" at the Big Sur Hot Springs, which would soon become the Esalen Institute. Jeffrey Kripal will guide a group of work scholars through this American story through his own history of the institute, as well as through novels, film, audio media, photographs, and a variety of guest speakers from the Esalen community. A wilderness retreat in the mountains and coasts surrounding the institute with Esalen teacher Steven Harper will introduce the work scholars to the natural world of Big Sur that lies at the heart and soul of Esalen's unique story, and work scholars will compose and process their own personal narratives as a means of locating and grounding them in this half century of human potential.

The Ensemble Process, with Peter James Meyers
August 5 - September 2, 2012

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 individual charisma and creativity are vitally 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, selfassurance, 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.

Recommended reading: Meyers, As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have it Stick.

5Rhythms® Waves/Heartbeat: A Moving Meditation Practice, with Lucia Horan
September 2 - September 30, 2012

"In the art of the 5Rhythms® practice, movement is our medicine," writes Lucia Horan. "There are no rules. We are only invited to keep moving as we navigate the experience of life. Movement is our key to enter the gateway of the body. Here we unearth what has been buried below the surface. We invite each of the rhythms to be our guide as we navigate the territory of body, mind, and soul. In the process, we learn to awaken our authentic power, creative wellspring, and inner source of loving.

"During this work study month, we will investigate the map of the rhythms, becoming mindful as we track our past, present, and future, and informed by all that is held in the bones and cells of this body. In the first part of the month, we will work with fundamentals of the 5Rhythms® Waves practice. This will ground us and prepare us for the next part of our journey. In the second part of the month, we will dive into the realm of 5Rhythms® Heartbeat. In Heartbeat we explore the emotional component of our human existence, in relationship to the rhythms. We will dance, create art, poetry, ritual theater, and use conscious touch to integrate what comes up in the process. No experience is required for this class."

CE credit for bodyworkers.

Motion Theater®: Dreaming on Your Feet, with Nina Wise
September 30 - October 28, 2012

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.

This improvisation workshop in Motion Theater allows the creativity that resides within us to have a voice. "Everyone has a story to tell," says Nina Wise. "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 jazzbased 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."

The sessions will include meditation, gentle and vigorous movement, exploring the range of vocal expression, writing exercises, as well as solo, duet, and ensemble improv games. 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, the work can be surprisingly, delightfully, holistically healing."

CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs.

The Path of the Buddha, with Noah Levine
October 28 - November 25, 2012

Noah Levine, a leading voice in the new generation of Buddhist teachers in the West, will act as guide for this month of investigating the Buddha's teachings and meditative practices. 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.

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.

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 practitioners.

Nonviolent Communication, with Jean Morrison
November 25 - December 23, 2012

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is internationally recognized, taught, and implemented as a tool for quality of life. During this month of intensive immersion in NVC principles and practices with Jean Morrison, participants are offered the opportunity to strengthen their ability to:

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.

Healing with Humor: Spinal Awareness, with Patrick Douce
December 23 - January 20, 2013

Patrick Douce will lead an in-depth experience of Spinal Awareness, a program of health and healing (with humor). Spinal Awareness is a way of learning that improves body awareness, flexibility, posture, and most chronic and acute conditions of the body. Taught with movement, touch, and group interaction, it is based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Taoist-Chinese-Indonesian martial art, and the Esalen experience.

Spinal Awareness emphasizes learning how to move in ways that stimulate your awareness and support the health of your own body. Lessons inspired by Indonesian Silat will also be used to stimulate the energy body, effecting internal health and increasing energy. Students will participate in floor exercises that organize and integrate the spinal column, and standing lessons that improve better balance and fluidity.

The course will include safe and noninvasive hands-on lessons to greatly speed improvements. Fun partner lessons will be intermixed to help bring about not only freedom in the body but a return to the childlike energy essential to us all.

CE credit for bodyworkers.
CE credit for nurses.

Applying for the Work Study Program

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.

Program Fees

A deposit of $400 in US currency is required with your application. Fees will not be processed until your place in a program is secured and you have accepted. The work scholar fee is $1150 for the first month. Fees are subject to change and are due upon your arrival. Work scholars may be invited to remain for a second month depending on space and community needs. Occasionally it is possible to stay for a longer period as an extended student.

Food and Housing

Accommodations are shared (occasionally co-ed), with up to four people to a room. Some work scholars stay at South Coast Center, a staff complex located 1.5 miles north of Esalen. Housing and meals are provided in exchange for 32 hours of volunteer work.

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:

For van reservations call 831-667-3010 or contact the Work Study Program.

Registration Required

Please note that 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 & Fees

If you choose to cancel, you will be charged the following amount:

Submitting Your Application

You can email the application form (PDF) to workstudy@esalen.org with your personal statement or print it out and mail it with your deposit to the address below, or fax it to (831) 667-3069.

Work Study Program
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920

We will contact you regarding your status within 14 days of receipt of your application. For more information, contact the Work Study Program. See contact information below.

Contact the Work Study Program

Esalen Work Study Program
MaryAnne Will
Work Study Coordinator
Phone: (831) 667-3010
Fax: (831) 667-3069
Email: workstudy@esalen.org