On Voices of Esalen, we recently presented a three-part series exploring subtle energies across traditions, histories, and lived experience. Featuring conversations with Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy alongside scholars including Charles Stang, Simon Cox, Sravana Borkataky-Varma, and Anya Foxen, the series traces how ideas of subtle energy, consciousness, and inner transformation have traveled across cultures and taken on new forms. Throughout, it reflects on what these enduring concepts continue to reveal, especially within the ongoing inquiry at Esalen, where they are engaged as both study and practice.
Michael Murphy and Simon Cox
This episode launches a three-part series exploring the “subtle body,” a concept found across global contemplative traditions describing the layers between body and consciousness. Scholar and martial artist Simon Cox — a Daoist practitioner and author of The Subtle Body: A Genealogy, a book that traces how this concept evolves across cultures and history — interviews Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy, a pioneering thinker on human potential and author of The Future of the Body. Together, they examine how subtle body traditions illuminate extraordinary human capacities and the evolving vision at the heart of Esalen.
Charles Stang and Simon Cox
This episode takes a deep dive into a concept that hovers just at the edge of language: the subtle body. It’s one of those ideas that seems to belong everywhere and nowhere at once — the subtle body is part of Daoist practice, Indian yoga, Christian mysticism, and, of course, the experimental, boundary-blurring culture of Esalen itself. Depending on who you ask, it might be described as an invisible anatomy, a field of energy, or a map of consciousness. To help understand this topic, Simon Cox is joined by Charles Stang, a professor at Harvard Divinity School and director of the Center for the Study of World Religions.
Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen
The third episode of the series discusses the book The Serpent’s Tale: Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga, and the History of an Experience, a sweeping and deeply researched tome by Sravana Borkataky-Varma — a scholar of Hindu traditions at the University of Houston and fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School — and Anya Foxen, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Research Associate at Harvard’s Center for the Study of World Religions. Together they trace Kundalini from its roots to its many reinterpretations in modern yoga and global spirituality, examining the forms by which Kundalini has been embodied across traditions and how this elusive force has been interpreted, practiced, and sometimes misunderstood across time.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
On Voices of Esalen, we recently presented a three-part series exploring subtle energies across traditions, histories, and lived experience. Featuring conversations with Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy alongside scholars including Charles Stang, Simon Cox, Sravana Borkataky-Varma, and Anya Foxen, the series traces how ideas of subtle energy, consciousness, and inner transformation have traveled across cultures and taken on new forms. Throughout, it reflects on what these enduring concepts continue to reveal, especially within the ongoing inquiry at Esalen, where they are engaged as both study and practice.
This episode launches a three-part series exploring the “subtle body,” a concept found across global contemplative traditions describing the layers between body and consciousness. Scholar and martial artist Simon Cox — a Daoist practitioner and author of The Subtle Body: A Genealogy, a book that traces how this concept evolves across cultures and history — interviews Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy, a pioneering thinker on human potential and author of The Future of the Body. Together, they examine how subtle body traditions illuminate extraordinary human capacities and the evolving vision at the heart of Esalen.
This episode takes a deep dive into a concept that hovers just at the edge of language: the subtle body. It’s one of those ideas that seems to belong everywhere and nowhere at once — the subtle body is part of Daoist practice, Indian yoga, Christian mysticism, and, of course, the experimental, boundary-blurring culture of Esalen itself. Depending on who you ask, it might be described as an invisible anatomy, a field of energy, or a map of consciousness. To help understand this topic, Simon Cox is joined by Charles Stang, a professor at Harvard Divinity School and director of the Center for the Study of World Religions.
The third episode of the series discusses the book The Serpent’s Tale: Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga, and the History of an Experience, a sweeping and deeply researched tome by Sravana Borkataky-Varma — a scholar of Hindu traditions at the University of Houston and fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School — and Anya Foxen, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Research Associate at Harvard’s Center for the Study of World Religions. Together they trace Kundalini from its roots to its many reinterpretations in modern yoga and global spirituality, examining the forms by which Kundalini has been embodied across traditions and how this elusive force has been interpreted, practiced, and sometimes misunderstood across time.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
On Voices of Esalen, we recently presented a three-part series exploring subtle energies across traditions, histories, and lived experience. Featuring conversations with Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy alongside scholars including Charles Stang, Simon Cox, Sravana Borkataky-Varma, and Anya Foxen, the series traces how ideas of subtle energy, consciousness, and inner transformation have traveled across cultures and taken on new forms. Throughout, it reflects on what these enduring concepts continue to reveal, especially within the ongoing inquiry at Esalen, where they are engaged as both study and practice.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
