On August 1, Tom “Little Bear” Nason, respected elder, Chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, teacher, and longtime faculty member at Esalen Institute, passed away.
Little Bear devoted his life to preserving Esselen culture, protecting ancestral lands, and fostering a profound sense of community and belonging for future generations. His generosity, leadership, and lifelong dedication to the people and traditions of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County left an immeasurable impact on all who had the privilege of learning from him.
In a conversation for Esalen Institute’s Back in the Day series, Little Bear reflected on childhood visits to what was then Slate’s Hot Springs and the deep connection his family and the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County shared with this land. Recalling those early visits, he described it as “a sacred place to visit… a place to wash our spirits, to refresh and renew ourselves.”
Near the close of that conversation, he offered these words:
“The spirit of this land is the people and the energy of the place: the space, the trees, the waterfall, the river, the ocean, the dolphin, the fish, the whales. The way the wind blows. We need to preserve and protect it.”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Little Bear’s family, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and all whose lives were touched by his wisdom, kindness, and friendship. We are deeply grateful for the life he lived, the teachings he shared, and the enduring legacy he leaves for generations to come.
“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 August 1, Tom “Little Bear” Nason, respected elder, Chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, teacher, and longtime faculty member at Esalen Institute, passed away.
Little Bear devoted his life to preserving Esselen culture, protecting ancestral lands, and fostering a profound sense of community and belonging for future generations. His generosity, leadership, and lifelong dedication to the people and traditions of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County left an immeasurable impact on all who had the privilege of learning from him.
In a conversation for Esalen Institute’s Back in the Day series, Little Bear reflected on childhood visits to what was then Slate’s Hot Springs and the deep connection his family and the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County shared with this land. Recalling those early visits, he described it as “a sacred place to visit… a place to wash our spirits, to refresh and renew ourselves.”
Near the close of that conversation, he offered these words:
“The spirit of this land is the people and the energy of the place: the space, the trees, the waterfall, the river, the ocean, the dolphin, the fish, the whales. The way the wind blows. We need to preserve and protect it.”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Little Bear’s family, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and all whose lives were touched by his wisdom, kindness, and friendship. We are deeply grateful for the life he lived, the teachings he shared, and the enduring legacy he leaves for generations to come.
“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 August 1, Tom “Little Bear” Nason, respected elder, Chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, teacher, and longtime faculty member at Esalen Institute, passed away.
Little Bear devoted his life to preserving Esselen culture, protecting ancestral lands, and fostering a profound sense of community and belonging for future generations. His generosity, leadership, and lifelong dedication to the people and traditions of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County left an immeasurable impact on all who had the privilege of learning from him.
In a conversation for Esalen Institute’s Back in the Day series, Little Bear reflected on childhood visits to what was then Slate’s Hot Springs and the deep connection his family and the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County shared with this land. Recalling those early visits, he described it as “a sacred place to visit… a place to wash our spirits, to refresh and renew ourselves.”
Near the close of that conversation, he offered these words:
“The spirit of this land is the people and the energy of the place: the space, the trees, the waterfall, the river, the ocean, the dolphin, the fish, the whales. The way the wind blows. We need to preserve and protect it.”
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Little Bear’s family, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and all whose lives were touched by his wisdom, kindness, and friendship. We are deeply grateful for the life he lived, the teachings he shared, and the enduring legacy he leaves for generations to come.
“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
