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

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

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

Susan Hess Logeais’s thought-provoking new documentary The Way of the Psychonaut explores the life and work of longtime Esalen scholar-in-residence Stanislav Grof. A Czech-born psychiatrist and psychedelic psychotherapy pioneer, Stan’s quest for knowledge into the healing power of non-ordinary states of consciousness influenced the discipline of psychology and profoundly changed the lives of many individuals.

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

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

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

Earlier this year, when Esalen temporarily closed its doors to the public during the pandemic, Esalen Farm & Garden stewards still working and living in the community asked the question: “How can we be of support to those close to us?” Inspired by the credo, “may all be fed,” staff devised a strategy for sharing the agricultural bounty that would have overflowed when springtime arrived. With assistance from Esalen’s Community and Advancement team, Farm Supervisor Chris Omer, Garden Supervisor Flaam Hardy and others reached out to Big Sur residents interested in receiving fresh produce.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We delve into books for so many different reasons: guidance, knowledge, curiosity and oftentimes to lose ourselves in a captivating tale that can take us to the farthest stretches of our imagination. Esalen News invites our faculty to share what’s on their nightstand and why.Esalen faculty Judith Orloff wears many creative hats—psychiatrist, empath and best-selling author.