The Esalen Journal

What is American food? Where do treasured family recipes actually come from? Our food sources — what we eat, who makes it, and the family history behind them — frequently have origins that have been rendered invisible. While we may associate food with the experience of American culture, we rarely take the time to move through the nuances and complexities of food as it intersects within this nation’s narrative.

After several different lives — med school, tech startups, naturopathic medicine — Shannon found the one place she’ll always come back to: “Esalen has remained a consistent thread in my life. There’s an undeniable magic here!”

This October, we’re marveling at the medicinal gifts nature provides us. To celebrate Mother Earth and the power plants hold to heal and nurture, we’ve selected titles by some brilliant healers and holders of plant wisdom.

World-renowned for his research on microdosing psychedelics, Jim Fadiman was one of Esalen’s first workshop leaders, and he’s continued a lifelong association with this institute ever since. His books include "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys", "Be Love Now, Essential Sufism", and "The Other Side of Haight".

Award-winning author (A Master Plan for Rescue, Mary; Mrs. A Lincoln, The Russian Word for Snow) and long-time Buddhist practitioner Janis Cooke Newman reveals the mutually reinforcing powers of writing and mindfulness. She tells us about building community, pearls of wisdom she's gained from fellow writers Sharon Salzburg and Ruth Ozeki, and even one perfect motto from His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.

As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Michael Murphy’s mystical bestseller “Golf in the Kingdom”, you have the opportunity to join a Zoom call on Friday, September 23, 2022 with Michael, legendary golf coach Fred Shoemaker, and John Abendroth from Hooked on Golf.

Novelist Vikram Chandra opens up about his happiness, achievements, loves, and challenges. The award-winning author pinpoints every writer’s greatest fear and tells us how choosing the right tools and embracing patience help make art. A true creative spirit, Vikram blesses the musicians — while accepting his own lack of musicality — and explains why giving just one of his readers a single moment of joy is “enough for me.”

Voices of Esalen podcast host Sam Stern shares his own Esalen story, beginning with the history that predates his arrival and continuing through the life, love, purpose, and family he has built around this institution’s ethos.

Akuyoe Graham first journeyed on her own up to Big Sur in pursuit of human potential and individual growth. However, bringing system-impacted teens from Los Angeles to Esalen, an initiative she collaborated on with Programs Director Emerita Nancy Lunney Wheeler, is how they demonstrated collective healing.

As the weather cools and the kids settle back into in-person classes, September 15 marks National Hispanic American Heritage Month. To celebrate this confluence, we’re recommending some fantastic authors to enjoy with the clever teens and young adults in your life.

To spend time with Michael is to witness a truly iterative human, an intrinsic seeker, and a man of insurmountable curiosity. September 3, 2022 marks Michael’s 92nd birthday, and as we all know, age is “just a number” when it comes to this remarkable human.

Sam Nichilo left the corporate grind and the 30 Rock building back in NYC for a new home in Big Sur. “I no longer feel the pressure to look for what's next,” she says.

“As we attempt to heal the collective and the planet, men’s work is a critical component. We as a society need to unwind toxic programming around masculinity so we can fully show up for our loved ones.” — Adam Christie, Iraq war veteran and In the Company of Men: The Embodied Masculine workshop student.

This month, to honor Women’s Equality day and the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment, we’re celebrating the brave suffragists, learning about other sheroes of American herstory, and considering the challenging future facing us all. Here are four titles to enjoy this August that will inspire us all to strive for even greater equality!

It’s 1970. A smart kid from Newark drops out, grabs his guitar, and heads west to find magic and meaning in Big Sur. Half a century later, Dr. Ken Dychtwald is a psychologist, best-selling author, and world-renowned expert on aging — and yet he's still enchanted by those early days at Esalen.

Suddenly, Josef London had an epiphany: He knew he needed to make the pilgrimage to Esalen. He woke up one morning and realized he did not want to do the next 25 years like he’d done the last 25 years: “I knew I needed to change my life to heal my life, and that I needed to do it somewhere else.”

Back in the Day is a new feature that spotlights the colorful memories of long-time Esalen community members and alumni — to capture magical moments that happened once upon a time and are still treasured today. We start off by hearing from Brita Ostrom, founding member of the Esalen Massage School, who has been a part of Esalen since 1967.

Esalen’s Director of Healing Arts, Douglas Drummond opens up about connecting with his indigenous roots, the life wisdom he finds in his family motto, and why he’d like to come back in his next life as a humpback whale.

Jess Siller felt invisible in her corporate job with a soul-sucking two-hour commute. She discovered Esalen while reading a book by Michael Pollan and moved across the country to find a new home — and her authentic self.

This month, we’re celebrating freedom while contemplating its many forms. The responsibility of protecting and expanding our liberation is ongoing, noble, and challenging. It’s the work of a lifetime — and we can always reset and start again. Join us this month and try one of these brilliant titles, all available now at the Esalen store.

“Conversations We Should Be Having” is a new column intended to foster meaningful conversations that amplify diverse voices and issues. To start us off, Enneagram + Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Anti-Racism Specialist Dr. Deborah Egerton shares her thoughts concerning Juneteenth.

To celebrate Pride Month, we've selected a few of our favorite LGBTQIA titles that reflect on how incredibly far we’ve come — while sitting in recognition of the real inclusive work we still have ahead.

By going to Esalen, our former Community & Advancement Associate Lacy Shannon's life changed direction. Leaving the city and her corporate life behind, she knew it was time to pivot to something more grounding.

When someone who teaches the skills on navigating change shares what helped her most, the best thing we can do is listen. Jennifer Ward also explains the difference between change…and transition.

The Proust Esalenaire is inspired by a list of thoughts and feelings-inspired questions by the 20th century French writer Marcel Proust. Here at Esalen we have created our own version to dig a little deeper and differently into our incredible faculty and staff, starting with Sianna Sherman and Masood Ali Khan.

There’s a gluten-free “happy” snack you’ll find at every konbini and at every sakura celebration. Celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month, get the easy, heart-felt recipe for onigiri.

Expand your world and discover freedom with the strokes of your own paintbrush. Michele Cassou, founder of Point Zero Painting, explains how to let go of the rules and embrace all the layers of life.

Out of the dark and into the light… a journey we have all experienced once, and perhaps many times. Jovinna Chan shares her dark night of the soul and the journey to the light as we kick off #myEsalen.

“Me and mine” versus “us and ours.” Our way of being illuminates a type of mindfulness for how we relate to “other” human beings. Dr. E shares how the Enneagram model might help heal our divided societies.

Every pho aficionado will tell you that the secret to this Vietnamese staple is the broth, a two-plus hour process of breathing and waiting. We wouldn’t recommend shortcutting personal transformation, but we’ll hungrily allow it for pho in honor of API Heritage Month 2022!

Approaching death, people see they need to heal in three areas, according to Dale Borglum, the founder and Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project. Understanding this concept now can illuminate each day while you’re here on earth.

Love and yoga are an alchemy that can turn wounds into wisdom, pain into love. Sianna Sherman kicks off our digital hybrid program with Phoenix Rising and lights up our hearts.

Is there such a thing as over-meditating that gets in the way of real healing? That’s one topic Dr. Lissa Rankin covered on her quest to understand “sacred medicine.” Read her insights about the relationship between healing, belief, community, and miracles.

We can never get rid of the myths that have made us who we are, but we can re-vision them and imagine new possibilities? Get ready to play and gain profound insights into your journey with Bob Walter, President of the Joseph Campbell Foundation and Campbell’s editor for years.

Can you put into words what happens when your heart beat comes alive just by stepping onto the land at Esalen? All of it just flowed out of Cara Chandler — words like unfolding, wild, seeker. What would you say?

This question is harder than it may seem: are you at home within yourself? The Divine Abodes — brahmavihārās — is one approach to bring you home.

Is it true that the Esalen land is a maṇḍala unto itself? Through the lens of Tantra and her own Hindu and Buddhist studies, Sravana Borkataky-Varma (Board Member and Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School) explains why the answer is undoubtedly yes.

The mother knot… how much are you tied to memories, images, or traumas related to this critical relationship? Author Laura Davis graced us with a story of her own bond with her mother, and the power of obsession when it comes to healing.

Is it possible to design your life? Make it exactly what you want it to be? According to executive coach Mark Nicolson, if you can align your head and heart, you might be getting very close.

Big Sur experienced an unexpected visitor this January: a winter wildfire. One of our Friends of Esalen witnessed it in the first few hours and took to words in a moment of inspiration and reflection. We share her poem — “The World Flipped On Its Head” — in our latest post in The Journal.

LEEP enters a new era and leaves its imprint on the hearts of the first cohort since its return. Learn how the Live Extended Education Program changed one soul, plus, three words to describe the forever impact of Esalen.

Once upon a time, a former Esalen chef lost her healthy path and fought her way back from yo-yo dieting to get her life back on track. Today, this holistic nutritionist and coach leans into plants, creating delicious recipes like this one.

At the baths, have you ever thought…I wish I could bottle this up? Our newest addition to the Esalen store taps you into a bit of healing at home. Learn about the Bathing & Spa collection inspired by local woods, meadows, and historical bathing rituals.

Does your relationship “check a box?” Rev. Erika Allison, a queer interfaith minister and author, tackles moving beyond the labels established long ago to embrace individual self-journeys to love for the LGBTQ+ community.

This drink is pure gold when it comes to creating more ease in your life. Combining a historical concept from India, coconut oil, some spices, and California’s famous almonds, discover a five-minute ritual for well-being and comfort.

When did you first connect to your breath? Jovinna Chan remembers being surprised by her own limitations. Today, she gives us insight into how she turns to breath to shift her confidence, mood, and attention.

Rebirth is right around the corner. With spring not far off, we welcome the launch of LEEP (Live Extended Education Program, formerly the work study or work scholar program). Each month, transformation awaits 12 students from around the world.

Did we forget how to communicate love and compassion through touch? Social distancing dominated our lexicon for the past two years. Two experts in Esalen massage give us insight into the comeback of a forgotten language.

One of our staff members shares the story of learning about the relationship of her community’s trauma in relation to the local, Indigenous community. Learn how you can help us be committed to this work and be contextual stewards of this land.

We've got brand new collections for kids and babies, newly-designed hoodies and tees that honor our sacred place on earth, gifts for rituals, energy, candle gazing, or cozying up at home. We have digital gift certificates too! Each purchase from our online store supports our programs and the land.

The first time Sarana Miller experienced kirtan, she felt like she had found a piece of herself. Learn how chanting changed her life and how she honors this ancient practice as a person from the Jewish faith.

When you say “I’m going to be present,” is this a demand of yourself, a practice, or a way to bring it into your body so you actually embody the present? Russell and Linda Delman eloquently describe both and share why it’s more important than ever to understand the difference.

One family’s baby blessing, a ceremonial fire, and the ritual of connecting to the spirit world became kindling for a new collaboration with a California woman. Her artistry with nature frames a ritual to honor family, friendship, and self-nourishment.

To heal, we must face the hardest parts of our past. Honoring Native American Heritage Month, we offer a brief history of this sacred land and resources to help begin the cycle of healing and repair where you live.

A simple meditation may help with spaciness, anxiety, and challenges with concentration as world events continue to shift our realities from day to day. Bring your intention and a candle to your seat, and see where this journey takes you.

If the pandemic woke you up to see the world’s crises with new eyes, you can make a difference. Two leaders from Search for Common Ground, the Nobel-nominated, global peacebuilding organization, explain how, why — and why you, right now.

A delicious vegan coconut curry recipe from a Central California family gives us reason to break bread and ponder the role of bread and togetherness across cultures and time.

Esalen’s executive chef spent years trying to make the perfect roasted chicken. Learn the one thing he did to get it right, and try his recipe for yourself – with chicken or turkey – to experience Esalen at home.

Do you have an awe practice? It can help us heal now, but beyond the pandemic, awe has huge benefits for the greater good. Dacher Keltner, Founding Director of the Greater Good Science Center at U.C. Berkeley, explains his latest research and what awe feels like, each day of your life.

Esalen News: On September 3, 2021 Esalen made the decision to require proof of vaccination for all faculty, staff, guests, and students. Here are some answers to the most frequently-asked questions about our current COVID guidelines.