Jay Ogilvy has recently stepped down from the Esalen Board of Trustees but, thankfully, will not be abandoning his association with us. We are immensely grateful for this association because he brings an extremely broad perspective to Esalen’s thinking about its future activities and a deep familiarity with our aims and capacities.
He comes to this wisdom in part because he has helped organize and run more Center for Theory & Research (CTR) conferences than anyone else. For the last quarter century we have turned to him again and again because he is a supremely gifted teacher and conference facilitator. Let me list a few of his virtues and skills.
He is immensely well read (in both the sciences and humanities) but does not show it off. He has a big IQ but doesn’t leap ahead of those slower than he to grasp a difficult point. He has enormous sympathy for opinions and attitudes that are different than his as well as a preternatural capacity to stand back from conflicting arguments during which many facilitators would take sides.
I can’t remember his ever suppressing someone he takes issue with. I’ve rarely seen him angry. He is completely devoid of snark.
And with these kindnesses and cognitive agilities he has abiding humor and charm which, to facilitate conferences at Esalen, one needs in abundance. The Institute evokes freedom of expression, strong emotion, a wide range of eccentricities, occasional bad manners, and sometimes disorder.
Jay abides all this, and seems to enjoy it, with an unflappability that is wondrous to behold. I’ve often seen him hold a center for exchanges that impel some conference participants to leave the room, but I’ve never seen him lose control of a meeting. He is, to understate it, immensely generous and immensely resilient.
I’ve long thought that Jay’s brilliant, ground-breaking first book, Many Dimensional Man, published in 1977, mirrored the complex person he was and the adventurous life he would live. Clearly, he is to the many-dimensional (and Esalen) manner born, and as such, I believe, has been setting an example for us all. He is a gracious, beguiling, fearless pathfinder into the emerging new countries we are exploring.
“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?
Jay Ogilvy has recently stepped down from the Esalen Board of Trustees but, thankfully, will not be abandoning his association with us. We are immensely grateful for this association because he brings an extremely broad perspective to Esalen’s thinking about its future activities and a deep familiarity with our aims and capacities.
He comes to this wisdom in part because he has helped organize and run more Center for Theory & Research (CTR) conferences than anyone else. For the last quarter century we have turned to him again and again because he is a supremely gifted teacher and conference facilitator. Let me list a few of his virtues and skills.
He is immensely well read (in both the sciences and humanities) but does not show it off. He has a big IQ but doesn’t leap ahead of those slower than he to grasp a difficult point. He has enormous sympathy for opinions and attitudes that are different than his as well as a preternatural capacity to stand back from conflicting arguments during which many facilitators would take sides.
I can’t remember his ever suppressing someone he takes issue with. I’ve rarely seen him angry. He is completely devoid of snark.
And with these kindnesses and cognitive agilities he has abiding humor and charm which, to facilitate conferences at Esalen, one needs in abundance. The Institute evokes freedom of expression, strong emotion, a wide range of eccentricities, occasional bad manners, and sometimes disorder.
Jay abides all this, and seems to enjoy it, with an unflappability that is wondrous to behold. I’ve often seen him hold a center for exchanges that impel some conference participants to leave the room, but I’ve never seen him lose control of a meeting. He is, to understate it, immensely generous and immensely resilient.
I’ve long thought that Jay’s brilliant, ground-breaking first book, Many Dimensional Man, published in 1977, mirrored the complex person he was and the adventurous life he would live. Clearly, he is to the many-dimensional (and Esalen) manner born, and as such, I believe, has been setting an example for us all. He is a gracious, beguiling, fearless pathfinder into the emerging new countries we are exploring.
“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?
Jay Ogilvy has recently stepped down from the Esalen Board of Trustees but, thankfully, will not be abandoning his association with us. We are immensely grateful for this association because he brings an extremely broad perspective to Esalen’s thinking about its future activities and a deep familiarity with our aims and capacities.
He comes to this wisdom in part because he has helped organize and run more Center for Theory & Research (CTR) conferences than anyone else. For the last quarter century we have turned to him again and again because he is a supremely gifted teacher and conference facilitator. Let me list a few of his virtues and skills.
He is immensely well read (in both the sciences and humanities) but does not show it off. He has a big IQ but doesn’t leap ahead of those slower than he to grasp a difficult point. He has enormous sympathy for opinions and attitudes that are different than his as well as a preternatural capacity to stand back from conflicting arguments during which many facilitators would take sides.
I can’t remember his ever suppressing someone he takes issue with. I’ve rarely seen him angry. He is completely devoid of snark.
And with these kindnesses and cognitive agilities he has abiding humor and charm which, to facilitate conferences at Esalen, one needs in abundance. The Institute evokes freedom of expression, strong emotion, a wide range of eccentricities, occasional bad manners, and sometimes disorder.
Jay abides all this, and seems to enjoy it, with an unflappability that is wondrous to behold. I’ve often seen him hold a center for exchanges that impel some conference participants to leave the room, but I’ve never seen him lose control of a meeting. He is, to understate it, immensely generous and immensely resilient.
I’ve long thought that Jay’s brilliant, ground-breaking first book, Many Dimensional Man, published in 1977, mirrored the complex person he was and the adventurous life he would live. Clearly, he is to the many-dimensional (and Esalen) manner born, and as such, I believe, has been setting an example for us all. He is a gracious, beguiling, fearless pathfinder into the emerging new countries we are exploring.
“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