"There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it. The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness."
"The most under-utilized technology out there today is the human body,” says Esalen faculty Susan Fisher. “I discovered this when I learned there are nine physiologically different kinds of people and each of them have what we call a ‘Natural Energy’ system.
The amount of confusion that comes from not knowing about this is vast. If we don’t have the same natural energy as somebody else, then we each have no clue how the experiences life. It’s fundamentally important to know and so vital now when we’re all experiencing a global crisis because it helps us become more aware of ourselves and understanding of others.”
Susan and her husband Martin, who lead Learn How Your Body Informs You June 19-21 at Esalen, co-founded The 9 Energies system (see below) nearly 10 years ago, which introduces nine different physiologies—or Natural Energies.
By studying individuals’ physical presence—body shape, eye quality, muscular tone, movement and other attributes—along with a simple physical evaluation process, the Fishers are able to distinguish which one of the nine physiologies is active in a person’s body. Their research has revealed that our natural, energetic signature is embedded in our body from birth and that this shapes our strengths, gifts, abilities and how we relate to one another.
“There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it,” Susan says. “The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness.”
Susan outlines this in greater detail in her book, 9 Energies—Practices for Presence: Body-based Insight for Living a Life of Purpose. When asked to elaborate on several key ways understanding how the 9 Energies system can assist us during challenging times, Susan explained that the following actions can help us alleviate stress and create balance.
Relax Your Entire Body Seated in a chair, relax your entire body for a few moments and then sit up, allowing your body to lift naturally into an upright posture. “We naturally lift from our natural movement center, which automatically re-centers us, whether we realize it or not,” Susan says. “The movement lifts your body into a place of alignment and activation. That’s one great simple action we can take now.”
Turn to Natural Energy 1 Using your two index fingers, stretch the back of your neck. Next, bring your chin parallel to the ground and slightly, and make eye contact with somebody you’re having a conversation with, whether it’s in your home or on a virtual call. “When we do this, we activate muscles in our throat and it makes our eyes go half-mast,” Susan says.
“This creates a different kind of connection, one in which we’re really honoring each other. It’s a way to be with people in a new way. So, let’s say we’re with our family, in a disagreement with someone or happen to be communicating with people we’re not used to communicating with, it creates an open-ended honoring way of communicating. The use of the throat and the softening of the eyes just brings a kind of vulnerability into the connection.”
Turn to Natural Energy 4 This activates our connection to self. Bring your focus to the muscles of the lower abdomen, close your eyes, relax your upper body and drop your head slightly. Expanding the muscles of the bottom third of the rectus abdominus, inhale and exhale deeply, bringing your focus and breath all the way down into your body.
“This allows us to ‘go inside’ and allows our bodies to make sense of our emotions,” Susan says. “The world is full of emotions right now. Those emotions are informing us but we get caught up in the emotions and don’t look below it and ask, ‘How do I get present with this? How do I get in touch with the emotion? Where is it coming from?’ Or, ‘Where is this fear coming from and what is it informing me?’ Being present with our body with this kind natural energy allows us to get calm, get below the surface and understand those emotions more clearly."
“When I discovered this system, I truly felt the call,” Susan adds. “I knew my job was to be a speaker of this wisdom.” Learn more about each Natural Energy below. Which one resonates with you?
Natural Energy 1
Individuals with Natural Energy 1 initiate their movement from the throat. They enable people to feel their connection to something larger than themselves—source, God, a higher power, nature, energy, whatever word a person uses to describe this. Their ability to help others feel and see the beauty of the person in front of them and the world around them helps others know they are part of something bigger. Key words or phrases: Beauty, wonder and awe.
Natural Energy 2
Natural Energy 2s are all about connection through relationship to the magic in others. They connect with others by using the upper rectus abdominus—the top of the “six-pack.” Their ability to engage with others helps them choose when and how to move through the world. They meet whoever they encounter exactly where they are and can match or mirror the person in front of them easily, creating connection. Key words or phrases: The magic of engagement without process or agenda.
Natural Energy 3
Natural Energy 3 individuals lift up at the upper sternum and focus left eye to left eye on the person they are interacting with. They look past the layers of personality and connect with the soul. Using tremendous focus, they connect with and enliven the soul. In fact, by sharing their own soul or essence, they create a profound connection that inspires each person to be their best. Key words or phrases: Inspire and energize.
Natural Energy 4
Natural Energy 4s focus on the lower abdomen, relaxing and expanding the muscles of the lower rectus abdominus, giving the feeling of the muscles being pushed outward, bringing the lower abdomen slightly forward. These folks know how to “go inside,” to what they sometimes call the “infinite universe within.” They bring their focus to the area of the lower abdomen, expanding the abdominal muscles out and holding them relaxed which brings their attention inside the body. Key words or phrases: Alignment, authenticity and deep connection.
Natural Energy 5
People with Natural Energy 5 move from the top and back of the head. Their bodies are loose and relaxed as if suspended from the head. They observe the world around them. They are unattached to their understanding, changing and adapting as new information appears, resulting in new scenarios and new guidance. Through their ability to map human knowledge they create understanding for the world around them. Key words or phrases: Understanding, congruence, experimentation.
Natural Energy 6
Natural Energy 6s use the chest like a drum, expanding the rib cage and lifting the sternum. This helps them transform the source energy contained in everything into information that energizes and moves the world around us. Natural Energy 6s feel the presence of energy in the world and translate it into action. They live life in technicolor. Key words or phrases: Dynamic manifestation.
Natural Energy 7
Natural Energy 7s help us see what within us or around us needs to be changed. They are open to the possibility of the “unknown.” By focusing with their third eye, centered at the glabella their activated energy center enables them to quiet the minds' chatter and create space to open to new possibilities. They live in a world without boundaries open to infinite possibilities, without structure or limit. Key words or phrases: Change and possibility.
Natural Energy 8
Natural Energy 8s initiate their movement from the lower back or sacrum. They connect down into the Earth from the sacrum, directing the bottom of the spine down toward the ground, drawing energy up from the Earth. This energizes all the cells of their body. Natural Energy 8s are highly aware of all aspects of their bodily functions, sensations and physical experiences. Key words or phrases: Integrity, safety, trust.
Natural Energy 9
A Natural Energy 9's posture is wide open. They use their breath to move in harmony and inter-connectedness with all that is. This allows them to expand their awareness and synchronize their breath, being and body to the world around them. This creates a feeling of fluidity and inclusion. Key words or phrases: Inclusion, efficiency, integration and balance.
“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?
"There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it. The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness."
"The most under-utilized technology out there today is the human body,” says Esalen faculty Susan Fisher. “I discovered this when I learned there are nine physiologically different kinds of people and each of them have what we call a ‘Natural Energy’ system.
The amount of confusion that comes from not knowing about this is vast. If we don’t have the same natural energy as somebody else, then we each have no clue how the experiences life. It’s fundamentally important to know and so vital now when we’re all experiencing a global crisis because it helps us become more aware of ourselves and understanding of others.”
Susan and her husband Martin, who lead Learn How Your Body Informs You June 19-21 at Esalen, co-founded The 9 Energies system (see below) nearly 10 years ago, which introduces nine different physiologies—or Natural Energies.
By studying individuals’ physical presence—body shape, eye quality, muscular tone, movement and other attributes—along with a simple physical evaluation process, the Fishers are able to distinguish which one of the nine physiologies is active in a person’s body. Their research has revealed that our natural, energetic signature is embedded in our body from birth and that this shapes our strengths, gifts, abilities and how we relate to one another.
“There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it,” Susan says. “The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness.”
Susan outlines this in greater detail in her book, 9 Energies—Practices for Presence: Body-based Insight for Living a Life of Purpose. When asked to elaborate on several key ways understanding how the 9 Energies system can assist us during challenging times, Susan explained that the following actions can help us alleviate stress and create balance.
Relax Your Entire Body Seated in a chair, relax your entire body for a few moments and then sit up, allowing your body to lift naturally into an upright posture. “We naturally lift from our natural movement center, which automatically re-centers us, whether we realize it or not,” Susan says. “The movement lifts your body into a place of alignment and activation. That’s one great simple action we can take now.”
Turn to Natural Energy 1 Using your two index fingers, stretch the back of your neck. Next, bring your chin parallel to the ground and slightly, and make eye contact with somebody you’re having a conversation with, whether it’s in your home or on a virtual call. “When we do this, we activate muscles in our throat and it makes our eyes go half-mast,” Susan says.
“This creates a different kind of connection, one in which we’re really honoring each other. It’s a way to be with people in a new way. So, let’s say we’re with our family, in a disagreement with someone or happen to be communicating with people we’re not used to communicating with, it creates an open-ended honoring way of communicating. The use of the throat and the softening of the eyes just brings a kind of vulnerability into the connection.”
Turn to Natural Energy 4 This activates our connection to self. Bring your focus to the muscles of the lower abdomen, close your eyes, relax your upper body and drop your head slightly. Expanding the muscles of the bottom third of the rectus abdominus, inhale and exhale deeply, bringing your focus and breath all the way down into your body.
“This allows us to ‘go inside’ and allows our bodies to make sense of our emotions,” Susan says. “The world is full of emotions right now. Those emotions are informing us but we get caught up in the emotions and don’t look below it and ask, ‘How do I get present with this? How do I get in touch with the emotion? Where is it coming from?’ Or, ‘Where is this fear coming from and what is it informing me?’ Being present with our body with this kind natural energy allows us to get calm, get below the surface and understand those emotions more clearly."
“When I discovered this system, I truly felt the call,” Susan adds. “I knew my job was to be a speaker of this wisdom.” Learn more about each Natural Energy below. Which one resonates with you?
Natural Energy 1
Individuals with Natural Energy 1 initiate their movement from the throat. They enable people to feel their connection to something larger than themselves—source, God, a higher power, nature, energy, whatever word a person uses to describe this. Their ability to help others feel and see the beauty of the person in front of them and the world around them helps others know they are part of something bigger. Key words or phrases: Beauty, wonder and awe.
Natural Energy 2
Natural Energy 2s are all about connection through relationship to the magic in others. They connect with others by using the upper rectus abdominus—the top of the “six-pack.” Their ability to engage with others helps them choose when and how to move through the world. They meet whoever they encounter exactly where they are and can match or mirror the person in front of them easily, creating connection. Key words or phrases: The magic of engagement without process or agenda.
Natural Energy 3
Natural Energy 3 individuals lift up at the upper sternum and focus left eye to left eye on the person they are interacting with. They look past the layers of personality and connect with the soul. Using tremendous focus, they connect with and enliven the soul. In fact, by sharing their own soul or essence, they create a profound connection that inspires each person to be their best. Key words or phrases: Inspire and energize.
Natural Energy 4
Natural Energy 4s focus on the lower abdomen, relaxing and expanding the muscles of the lower rectus abdominus, giving the feeling of the muscles being pushed outward, bringing the lower abdomen slightly forward. These folks know how to “go inside,” to what they sometimes call the “infinite universe within.” They bring their focus to the area of the lower abdomen, expanding the abdominal muscles out and holding them relaxed which brings their attention inside the body. Key words or phrases: Alignment, authenticity and deep connection.
Natural Energy 5
People with Natural Energy 5 move from the top and back of the head. Their bodies are loose and relaxed as if suspended from the head. They observe the world around them. They are unattached to their understanding, changing and adapting as new information appears, resulting in new scenarios and new guidance. Through their ability to map human knowledge they create understanding for the world around them. Key words or phrases: Understanding, congruence, experimentation.
Natural Energy 6
Natural Energy 6s use the chest like a drum, expanding the rib cage and lifting the sternum. This helps them transform the source energy contained in everything into information that energizes and moves the world around us. Natural Energy 6s feel the presence of energy in the world and translate it into action. They live life in technicolor. Key words or phrases: Dynamic manifestation.
Natural Energy 7
Natural Energy 7s help us see what within us or around us needs to be changed. They are open to the possibility of the “unknown.” By focusing with their third eye, centered at the glabella their activated energy center enables them to quiet the minds' chatter and create space to open to new possibilities. They live in a world without boundaries open to infinite possibilities, without structure or limit. Key words or phrases: Change and possibility.
Natural Energy 8
Natural Energy 8s initiate their movement from the lower back or sacrum. They connect down into the Earth from the sacrum, directing the bottom of the spine down toward the ground, drawing energy up from the Earth. This energizes all the cells of their body. Natural Energy 8s are highly aware of all aspects of their bodily functions, sensations and physical experiences. Key words or phrases: Integrity, safety, trust.
Natural Energy 9
A Natural Energy 9's posture is wide open. They use their breath to move in harmony and inter-connectedness with all that is. This allows them to expand their awareness and synchronize their breath, being and body to the world around them. This creates a feeling of fluidity and inclusion. Key words or phrases: Inclusion, efficiency, integration and balance.
“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?
"There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it. The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness."
"The most under-utilized technology out there today is the human body,” says Esalen faculty Susan Fisher. “I discovered this when I learned there are nine physiologically different kinds of people and each of them have what we call a ‘Natural Energy’ system.
The amount of confusion that comes from not knowing about this is vast. If we don’t have the same natural energy as somebody else, then we each have no clue how the experiences life. It’s fundamentally important to know and so vital now when we’re all experiencing a global crisis because it helps us become more aware of ourselves and understanding of others.”
Susan and her husband Martin, who lead Learn How Your Body Informs You June 19-21 at Esalen, co-founded The 9 Energies system (see below) nearly 10 years ago, which introduces nine different physiologies—or Natural Energies.
By studying individuals’ physical presence—body shape, eye quality, muscular tone, movement and other attributes—along with a simple physical evaluation process, the Fishers are able to distinguish which one of the nine physiologies is active in a person’s body. Their research has revealed that our natural, energetic signature is embedded in our body from birth and that this shapes our strengths, gifts, abilities and how we relate to one another.
“There’s an innate gift that comes from your body and your way of being and when we don’t consciously understand our gift, we don’t know that we’re withholding it,” Susan says. “The 9 Energies system comes together to create this kind of wholeness and what we need now, more than anything, is that wholeness.”
Susan outlines this in greater detail in her book, 9 Energies—Practices for Presence: Body-based Insight for Living a Life of Purpose. When asked to elaborate on several key ways understanding how the 9 Energies system can assist us during challenging times, Susan explained that the following actions can help us alleviate stress and create balance.
Relax Your Entire Body Seated in a chair, relax your entire body for a few moments and then sit up, allowing your body to lift naturally into an upright posture. “We naturally lift from our natural movement center, which automatically re-centers us, whether we realize it or not,” Susan says. “The movement lifts your body into a place of alignment and activation. That’s one great simple action we can take now.”
Turn to Natural Energy 1 Using your two index fingers, stretch the back of your neck. Next, bring your chin parallel to the ground and slightly, and make eye contact with somebody you’re having a conversation with, whether it’s in your home or on a virtual call. “When we do this, we activate muscles in our throat and it makes our eyes go half-mast,” Susan says.
“This creates a different kind of connection, one in which we’re really honoring each other. It’s a way to be with people in a new way. So, let’s say we’re with our family, in a disagreement with someone or happen to be communicating with people we’re not used to communicating with, it creates an open-ended honoring way of communicating. The use of the throat and the softening of the eyes just brings a kind of vulnerability into the connection.”
Turn to Natural Energy 4 This activates our connection to self. Bring your focus to the muscles of the lower abdomen, close your eyes, relax your upper body and drop your head slightly. Expanding the muscles of the bottom third of the rectus abdominus, inhale and exhale deeply, bringing your focus and breath all the way down into your body.
“This allows us to ‘go inside’ and allows our bodies to make sense of our emotions,” Susan says. “The world is full of emotions right now. Those emotions are informing us but we get caught up in the emotions and don’t look below it and ask, ‘How do I get present with this? How do I get in touch with the emotion? Where is it coming from?’ Or, ‘Where is this fear coming from and what is it informing me?’ Being present with our body with this kind natural energy allows us to get calm, get below the surface and understand those emotions more clearly."
“When I discovered this system, I truly felt the call,” Susan adds. “I knew my job was to be a speaker of this wisdom.” Learn more about each Natural Energy below. Which one resonates with you?
Natural Energy 1
Individuals with Natural Energy 1 initiate their movement from the throat. They enable people to feel their connection to something larger than themselves—source, God, a higher power, nature, energy, whatever word a person uses to describe this. Their ability to help others feel and see the beauty of the person in front of them and the world around them helps others know they are part of something bigger. Key words or phrases: Beauty, wonder and awe.
Natural Energy 2
Natural Energy 2s are all about connection through relationship to the magic in others. They connect with others by using the upper rectus abdominus—the top of the “six-pack.” Their ability to engage with others helps them choose when and how to move through the world. They meet whoever they encounter exactly where they are and can match or mirror the person in front of them easily, creating connection. Key words or phrases: The magic of engagement without process or agenda.
Natural Energy 3
Natural Energy 3 individuals lift up at the upper sternum and focus left eye to left eye on the person they are interacting with. They look past the layers of personality and connect with the soul. Using tremendous focus, they connect with and enliven the soul. In fact, by sharing their own soul or essence, they create a profound connection that inspires each person to be their best. Key words or phrases: Inspire and energize.
Natural Energy 4
Natural Energy 4s focus on the lower abdomen, relaxing and expanding the muscles of the lower rectus abdominus, giving the feeling of the muscles being pushed outward, bringing the lower abdomen slightly forward. These folks know how to “go inside,” to what they sometimes call the “infinite universe within.” They bring their focus to the area of the lower abdomen, expanding the abdominal muscles out and holding them relaxed which brings their attention inside the body. Key words or phrases: Alignment, authenticity and deep connection.
Natural Energy 5
People with Natural Energy 5 move from the top and back of the head. Their bodies are loose and relaxed as if suspended from the head. They observe the world around them. They are unattached to their understanding, changing and adapting as new information appears, resulting in new scenarios and new guidance. Through their ability to map human knowledge they create understanding for the world around them. Key words or phrases: Understanding, congruence, experimentation.
Natural Energy 6
Natural Energy 6s use the chest like a drum, expanding the rib cage and lifting the sternum. This helps them transform the source energy contained in everything into information that energizes and moves the world around us. Natural Energy 6s feel the presence of energy in the world and translate it into action. They live life in technicolor. Key words or phrases: Dynamic manifestation.
Natural Energy 7
Natural Energy 7s help us see what within us or around us needs to be changed. They are open to the possibility of the “unknown.” By focusing with their third eye, centered at the glabella their activated energy center enables them to quiet the minds' chatter and create space to open to new possibilities. They live in a world without boundaries open to infinite possibilities, without structure or limit. Key words or phrases: Change and possibility.
Natural Energy 8
Natural Energy 8s initiate their movement from the lower back or sacrum. They connect down into the Earth from the sacrum, directing the bottom of the spine down toward the ground, drawing energy up from the Earth. This energizes all the cells of their body. Natural Energy 8s are highly aware of all aspects of their bodily functions, sensations and physical experiences. Key words or phrases: Integrity, safety, trust.
Natural Energy 9
A Natural Energy 9's posture is wide open. They use their breath to move in harmony and inter-connectedness with all that is. This allows them to expand their awareness and synchronize their breath, being and body to the world around them. This creates a feeling of fluidity and inclusion. Key words or phrases: Inclusion, efficiency, integration and balance.
“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