This is a complete list of workshops and events that are currently open for registration. Check the Journal every other Monday to see the latest additions to the schedule!

Sarah Gael is a harm reduction officer at Zendo Project, a program sponsored by MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). She joined Voices of Esalen’s Sam Stern recently to talk about her work in peer-to-peer psychedelic therapy, recent developments in the decriminalization movement, and more. Read on for some high notes from their conversation, and then tune in to Voices of Esalen this Friday, April 16, 2021, to listen to the full episode.

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

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

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

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

Earlier this year we began offering limited edition Seasonal Boxes in the Esalen shop — specially chosen items to help you bring a little Esalen into your daily life — curated by our buyer, Heather Martin. Here she describes her selection process and the intention behind three new offerings for spring.

This is a complete list of workshops and events that are currently open for registration. Check the Journal every other Monday to see the latest additions to the schedule!

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

This is a complete list of workshops and events that are currently open for registration. Check the Journal every other Monday to see what new workshops have been added to the schedule.

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

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

This March 13 & 14, Esalen Institute proudly presents the first of our digital summit series, The Way Forward: How To Stay Inspired, Reintegrate, and Find Hope in the Shadow of the Pandemic. The Way Forward Digital Series will explore the concept of collective trauma, how it both unifies and divides us, and most importantly, how we can face it together to heal on a local and national level.

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

Ken Dychtwald, the “Age Wave” guru, arrived at Esalen in 1970 in the pursuit of human potential and spent the next 50 years embracing every aspect of Esalen’s beauty, holistic learning, mental and physical enrichment, and deep sense of community. As Esalen shaped Ken’s life, he had a part in Esalen’s own evolution — which he explores in his his 18th book, a sort-of memoir of his life’s journey toward truth and self-discovery, Radical Curiosity: One Man's Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life (April 6, 2021).

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

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

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

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

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