Author, therapist, and yoga teacher Ira Israel often speaks of the transformative nature of mindfulness and yoga at his popular Esalen workshops. He recently shared an inspirational story of a struggling student who attended his workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga, a year ago and returned this year to help him teach it. He shares this remarkable transformation in his own words...
A week prior to my Esalen workshop last year I received a call from a woman in Colorado. She informed me that her daughter was in a “bad way” — suffering from depression and anxiety and not having tools to navigate challenging circumstances. The woman thought that my Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga would greatly help but unfortunately it was sold out.
The woman asked me if it was possible to figure out a way to get her daughter a place and I told her that I would call Esalen and inquire. I’m a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist — as well as a yoga and meditation teacher — so whenever people are sufficiently brave to utter those three magic words — I NEED HELP — I do whatever is in my power to help because everyone can use a leg up once in a while. People have been extraordinarily generous with me — like not amputating my mangled leg — and I’m committed to paying that generosity forward.
A bed magically appeared and young Sarah flew in to California to partake in our amazing group, which included the world-class musician Chris Brown and his entourage of highly-talented entourageans. A year prior, I had heard Chris’s song “Superior” on the sentry’s iPod as I passed by the famed Esalen gatehouse once manned by Hunter Thompson; I wrote down the song info, contacted Chris that evening, and invited him to play as part of my next workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga.
This workshop is loosely based on How To Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening wherein I make the claim that authenticity is our best shot at happiness and proceed to break it down to attachment, atonement, attunement, presence, and congruence.
So young Sarah joined our group, was a committed student, and downloaded in five days all of the valuable philosophical and psychological wisdom and practices that I gleaned from my three graduate degrees and 30 years of seeking.
Cut to 11 months later when Sarah sends me this text message: “Ira, this is Sarah. I graduated from my yoga training over the weekend and am moving into apprenticeship. I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to you for being my teacher. For the experience I had at Esalen with you was the beginning of a journey that is transforming my life! Sending you so much love.”
I immediately called Sarah, congratulated her on completing her teaching training and asked, “Well, you know that means — don’t you?”
“What does it mean?” she countered.
“It means that you have to come teach with me at Esalen!”
There was silence, then a guffaw as she processed what I told her. Then I added, “We have to show people that transformation is possible and this is a perfect example. Will you please come teach with me at Esalen?”
Sarah graciously accepted and on September 16, 2018 our motley crew from last year — Chris Brown, Don Henry, Ginevra Cappiello, Jeff Gall and me along with Sarah — began another fun and enlightening week full of love, transformation and magic!
This is why I love Esalen! Come join us next year!
Ira Israel teaches Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga at Esalen again February 24 - March 1, 2019.
“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?
Author, therapist, and yoga teacher Ira Israel often speaks of the transformative nature of mindfulness and yoga at his popular Esalen workshops. He recently shared an inspirational story of a struggling student who attended his workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga, a year ago and returned this year to help him teach it. He shares this remarkable transformation in his own words...
A week prior to my Esalen workshop last year I received a call from a woman in Colorado. She informed me that her daughter was in a “bad way” — suffering from depression and anxiety and not having tools to navigate challenging circumstances. The woman thought that my Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga would greatly help but unfortunately it was sold out.
The woman asked me if it was possible to figure out a way to get her daughter a place and I told her that I would call Esalen and inquire. I’m a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist — as well as a yoga and meditation teacher — so whenever people are sufficiently brave to utter those three magic words — I NEED HELP — I do whatever is in my power to help because everyone can use a leg up once in a while. People have been extraordinarily generous with me — like not amputating my mangled leg — and I’m committed to paying that generosity forward.
A bed magically appeared and young Sarah flew in to California to partake in our amazing group, which included the world-class musician Chris Brown and his entourage of highly-talented entourageans. A year prior, I had heard Chris’s song “Superior” on the sentry’s iPod as I passed by the famed Esalen gatehouse once manned by Hunter Thompson; I wrote down the song info, contacted Chris that evening, and invited him to play as part of my next workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga.
This workshop is loosely based on How To Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening wherein I make the claim that authenticity is our best shot at happiness and proceed to break it down to attachment, atonement, attunement, presence, and congruence.
So young Sarah joined our group, was a committed student, and downloaded in five days all of the valuable philosophical and psychological wisdom and practices that I gleaned from my three graduate degrees and 30 years of seeking.
Cut to 11 months later when Sarah sends me this text message: “Ira, this is Sarah. I graduated from my yoga training over the weekend and am moving into apprenticeship. I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to you for being my teacher. For the experience I had at Esalen with you was the beginning of a journey that is transforming my life! Sending you so much love.”
I immediately called Sarah, congratulated her on completing her teaching training and asked, “Well, you know that means — don’t you?”
“What does it mean?” she countered.
“It means that you have to come teach with me at Esalen!”
There was silence, then a guffaw as she processed what I told her. Then I added, “We have to show people that transformation is possible and this is a perfect example. Will you please come teach with me at Esalen?”
Sarah graciously accepted and on September 16, 2018 our motley crew from last year — Chris Brown, Don Henry, Ginevra Cappiello, Jeff Gall and me along with Sarah — began another fun and enlightening week full of love, transformation and magic!
This is why I love Esalen! Come join us next year!
Ira Israel teaches Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga at Esalen again February 24 - March 1, 2019.
“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?
Author, therapist, and yoga teacher Ira Israel often speaks of the transformative nature of mindfulness and yoga at his popular Esalen workshops. He recently shared an inspirational story of a struggling student who attended his workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga, a year ago and returned this year to help him teach it. He shares this remarkable transformation in his own words...
A week prior to my Esalen workshop last year I received a call from a woman in Colorado. She informed me that her daughter was in a “bad way” — suffering from depression and anxiety and not having tools to navigate challenging circumstances. The woman thought that my Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga would greatly help but unfortunately it was sold out.
The woman asked me if it was possible to figure out a way to get her daughter a place and I told her that I would call Esalen and inquire. I’m a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist — as well as a yoga and meditation teacher — so whenever people are sufficiently brave to utter those three magic words — I NEED HELP — I do whatever is in my power to help because everyone can use a leg up once in a while. People have been extraordinarily generous with me — like not amputating my mangled leg — and I’m committed to paying that generosity forward.
A bed magically appeared and young Sarah flew in to California to partake in our amazing group, which included the world-class musician Chris Brown and his entourage of highly-talented entourageans. A year prior, I had heard Chris’s song “Superior” on the sentry’s iPod as I passed by the famed Esalen gatehouse once manned by Hunter Thompson; I wrote down the song info, contacted Chris that evening, and invited him to play as part of my next workshop, Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga.
This workshop is loosely based on How To Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening wherein I make the claim that authenticity is our best shot at happiness and proceed to break it down to attachment, atonement, attunement, presence, and congruence.
So young Sarah joined our group, was a committed student, and downloaded in five days all of the valuable philosophical and psychological wisdom and practices that I gleaned from my three graduate degrees and 30 years of seeking.
Cut to 11 months later when Sarah sends me this text message: “Ira, this is Sarah. I graduated from my yoga training over the weekend and am moving into apprenticeship. I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to you for being my teacher. For the experience I had at Esalen with you was the beginning of a journey that is transforming my life! Sending you so much love.”
I immediately called Sarah, congratulated her on completing her teaching training and asked, “Well, you know that means — don’t you?”
“What does it mean?” she countered.
“It means that you have to come teach with me at Esalen!”
There was silence, then a guffaw as she processed what I told her. Then I added, “We have to show people that transformation is possible and this is a perfect example. Will you please come teach with me at Esalen?”
Sarah graciously accepted and on September 16, 2018 our motley crew from last year — Chris Brown, Don Henry, Ginevra Cappiello, Jeff Gall and me along with Sarah — began another fun and enlightening week full of love, transformation and magic!
This is why I love Esalen! Come join us next year!
Ira Israel teaches Cultivating Meaning and Happiness through Mindfulness and Yoga at Esalen again February 24 - March 1, 2019.
“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