This month, we're looking inward to celebrate a few of our favorite in-house authors — because outward change must first start with inner strength. With his definitive work on Gestalt, Esalen President Gordon Wheeler provides a masterclass on the revolutionary practice popularized here on campus. Two Enneagram experts and esteemed faculty members explain the profound and popular personality style system, along with some guidance on how this work can support societal change. Additionally, several beloved workshop leaders share their wisdom around nature meditation, spiritual lessons for our work lives, and the inner work needed to achieve racial justice.
Gestalt, first popularized at the institute, is "uniquely embedded in Esalen's DNA." Disillusioned with the traditional theories of his time, psychiatrist Fritz Perls founded the field initially called "concentration therapy" back in the 1940s. After Perls arrived at Esalen to teach in 1964, Esalen co-founder Dick Price added his own experiential imprint to the work. Learn the history, theory, and research of this process-oriented approach with Gestalt Therapy through the lens of Gordon Wheeler and Lena Axelsson. Referred to as the "essential primer" on the topic, this accessible read uses case examples featuring a range of clients to explain the model for understanding how we, as human beings, put our experiences together. Wheeler, a licensed clinical psychologist, author of numerous books and over 100 articles, a world-renowned Gestalt expert, and the president of Esalen Institute, later published Gestalt Reconsidered: A New Approach to Contact and Resistance. In the follow-up, he traces the origins of the Gestalt back to its roots in psychoanalysis and Gestalt cognitive and perceptual psychology and "develops a revised model that is more fully 'Gestalt' and at the same time more firmly grounded in the spectrum of tools and approaches available to the contemporary psychotherapist." The perfect pair of titles to introduce readers to this groundbreaking, holistic, experiential method.
Readers eager to immerse themselves in the profound map of personality known as the Enneagram should start with The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso, two of the world's foremost Enneagram authorities. Published in 1999, this was the first comprehensive guide for applying this wisdom for both spiritual and psychological growth — and it became the standard as the definitive text for insight into the personality test. Understanding the Enneagram: The Practical Guide to Personality Types, also by Hudson and Riso, focuses on how to apply it to different parts of life for a more applicable, practical aid for personal development and your relationships. Both titles are recommended reading for the lucky numbers attending Hudson’s The Transformational Enneagram: Mindfulness, Insight, and Experience on August 27.
Dr. Deborah Egerton's take on the system argues the Enneagram can be a means to build a healthier, more peaceful world. Know Justice Know Peace teaches readers how to understand themselves through the personality typing test, but this book is also simultaneously a call to action for IDEA work (inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism). Dr. E returns to Esalen in September for Leading from the Heart, her workshop that explains how clarity about the Self can make us humans more equipped to better all relationships, including the unequal and broken relationships stunted throughout our society.
A Field Guide to Nature Meditation by Mark Coleman book digs into the revelatory beauty of the Natural World that this ancient sacred Esselen land is a part of. As the leader of September’s Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Doorway to Joy, Wisdom, and Wonder workshop, Coleman journeys into nature with a spirit of reverence and contemplation. These easy prompts and meditation practices, inspired by wisdom teachings from the Buddhist tradition, invite readers to explore nature’s beauty and wisdom in a deeper way.
Those who seek to bring their Buddhist wisdom and insights indoors to transform their everyday grind can check out Dan Zigmond’s Buddha's Office: The Ancient Art of Waking Up While Working Well. A Zen priest, writer, tech veteran, and the leader of Meditation and Modern Life: A Zen Meditation Retreat this October, Zigmond mixes his principles with business advice to save us all from the wastelands of conference rooms and cubicles. A must for those attempting to survive corporate life with sanity and souls intact!
Finally, check out Rhonda V. Magee’s The Inner Work of Racial Justice, which exemplifies the concept of marshaling our resources and facing our demons to better our communities and the world. Magee, a law professor and mindfulness teacher, will be one of the four powerhouses guiding the campus-wide Come Together Festival of IntraConnectivity and Spirit on July 24–28. In this book, she explains the necessity of doing personal work and dealing with deeply embedded internalized biases in order to create greater change. In her own words from her recent Voices of Esalen podcast episode: “Mindfulness itself is a radical counter-cultural disruption of ways of thinking about what it means to be alive. Mindfulness can disrupt or dissolve the sense that we have of ourselves as separate beings in a world that we can navigate with some fixed sense of control, so that we always end up looking good and being on top and moving forward…If you're coming into mindfulness with the kind of a view that it's really just going to make you a better human being, well, that’s great, and it's important, and it's a good place to start, but it's ultimately going to be a part of the barrier of really waking up.”
In popular Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god Vishnu. It is still used as a trumpet in Hindu rituals, and in the past was used as a war trumpet. In its earliest references, shankha was used as a votive offering and as a charm to keep away the dangers of the sea. It is regarded as the origin of the elements. Presently, the shankha is blown at the time of worship in Hindu temples and homes, especially in the ritual of the Hindu aarti, when light is offered to the deities, and/or to mark an auspicious beginning. Blowing the shankha is believed to be a way to pulsate the cosmic energy within the human body — divinely transcending from microcosm to macrocosm. For a limited time use SACREDSHELL20 for 20% off these ancient, sacred treasures.
“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?
Through July 31st save 30% to stay warm and cozy after a soak in an Esalen waffle robe. "The only thing better than being naked," says Heather Martin, Esalen’s buyer and visual merchandiser. And in August, House of Two Spirits founder Pamela Robins, will be at Esalen for a special pop up event to custom design her unique crystal + sage bundles the weekend of August 18th-20th.
This month, we're looking inward to celebrate a few of our favorite in-house authors — because outward change must first start with inner strength. With his definitive work on Gestalt, Esalen President Gordon Wheeler provides a masterclass on the revolutionary practice popularized here on campus. Two Enneagram experts and esteemed faculty members explain the profound and popular personality style system, along with some guidance on how this work can support societal change. Additionally, several beloved workshop leaders share their wisdom around nature meditation, spiritual lessons for our work lives, and the inner work needed to achieve racial justice.
Gestalt, first popularized at the institute, is "uniquely embedded in Esalen's DNA." Disillusioned with the traditional theories of his time, psychiatrist Fritz Perls founded the field initially called "concentration therapy" back in the 1940s. After Perls arrived at Esalen to teach in 1964, Esalen co-founder Dick Price added his own experiential imprint to the work. Learn the history, theory, and research of this process-oriented approach with Gestalt Therapy through the lens of Gordon Wheeler and Lena Axelsson. Referred to as the "essential primer" on the topic, this accessible read uses case examples featuring a range of clients to explain the model for understanding how we, as human beings, put our experiences together. Wheeler, a licensed clinical psychologist, author of numerous books and over 100 articles, a world-renowned Gestalt expert, and the president of Esalen Institute, later published Gestalt Reconsidered: A New Approach to Contact and Resistance. In the follow-up, he traces the origins of the Gestalt back to its roots in psychoanalysis and Gestalt cognitive and perceptual psychology and "develops a revised model that is more fully 'Gestalt' and at the same time more firmly grounded in the spectrum of tools and approaches available to the contemporary psychotherapist." The perfect pair of titles to introduce readers to this groundbreaking, holistic, experiential method.
Readers eager to immerse themselves in the profound map of personality known as the Enneagram should start with The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso, two of the world's foremost Enneagram authorities. Published in 1999, this was the first comprehensive guide for applying this wisdom for both spiritual and psychological growth — and it became the standard as the definitive text for insight into the personality test. Understanding the Enneagram: The Practical Guide to Personality Types, also by Hudson and Riso, focuses on how to apply it to different parts of life for a more applicable, practical aid for personal development and your relationships. Both titles are recommended reading for the lucky numbers attending Hudson’s The Transformational Enneagram: Mindfulness, Insight, and Experience on August 27.
Dr. Deborah Egerton's take on the system argues the Enneagram can be a means to build a healthier, more peaceful world. Know Justice Know Peace teaches readers how to understand themselves through the personality typing test, but this book is also simultaneously a call to action for IDEA work (inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism). Dr. E returns to Esalen in September for Leading from the Heart, her workshop that explains how clarity about the Self can make us humans more equipped to better all relationships, including the unequal and broken relationships stunted throughout our society.
A Field Guide to Nature Meditation by Mark Coleman book digs into the revelatory beauty of the Natural World that this ancient sacred Esselen land is a part of. As the leader of September’s Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Doorway to Joy, Wisdom, and Wonder workshop, Coleman journeys into nature with a spirit of reverence and contemplation. These easy prompts and meditation practices, inspired by wisdom teachings from the Buddhist tradition, invite readers to explore nature’s beauty and wisdom in a deeper way.
Those who seek to bring their Buddhist wisdom and insights indoors to transform their everyday grind can check out Dan Zigmond’s Buddha's Office: The Ancient Art of Waking Up While Working Well. A Zen priest, writer, tech veteran, and the leader of Meditation and Modern Life: A Zen Meditation Retreat this October, Zigmond mixes his principles with business advice to save us all from the wastelands of conference rooms and cubicles. A must for those attempting to survive corporate life with sanity and souls intact!
Finally, check out Rhonda V. Magee’s The Inner Work of Racial Justice, which exemplifies the concept of marshaling our resources and facing our demons to better our communities and the world. Magee, a law professor and mindfulness teacher, will be one of the four powerhouses guiding the campus-wide Come Together Festival of IntraConnectivity and Spirit on July 24–28. In this book, she explains the necessity of doing personal work and dealing with deeply embedded internalized biases in order to create greater change. In her own words from her recent Voices of Esalen podcast episode: “Mindfulness itself is a radical counter-cultural disruption of ways of thinking about what it means to be alive. Mindfulness can disrupt or dissolve the sense that we have of ourselves as separate beings in a world that we can navigate with some fixed sense of control, so that we always end up looking good and being on top and moving forward…If you're coming into mindfulness with the kind of a view that it's really just going to make you a better human being, well, that’s great, and it's important, and it's a good place to start, but it's ultimately going to be a part of the barrier of really waking up.”
In popular Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god Vishnu. It is still used as a trumpet in Hindu rituals, and in the past was used as a war trumpet. In its earliest references, shankha was used as a votive offering and as a charm to keep away the dangers of the sea. It is regarded as the origin of the elements. Presently, the shankha is blown at the time of worship in Hindu temples and homes, especially in the ritual of the Hindu aarti, when light is offered to the deities, and/or to mark an auspicious beginning. Blowing the shankha is believed to be a way to pulsate the cosmic energy within the human body — divinely transcending from microcosm to macrocosm. For a limited time use SACREDSHELL20 for 20% off these ancient, sacred treasures.
“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?
Through July 31st save 30% to stay warm and cozy after a soak in an Esalen waffle robe. "The only thing better than being naked," says Heather Martin, Esalen’s buyer and visual merchandiser. And in August, House of Two Spirits founder Pamela Robins, will be at Esalen for a special pop up event to custom design her unique crystal + sage bundles the weekend of August 18th-20th.
This month, we're looking inward to celebrate a few of our favorite in-house authors — because outward change must first start with inner strength. With his definitive work on Gestalt, Esalen President Gordon Wheeler provides a masterclass on the revolutionary practice popularized here on campus. Two Enneagram experts and esteemed faculty members explain the profound and popular personality style system, along with some guidance on how this work can support societal change. Additionally, several beloved workshop leaders share their wisdom around nature meditation, spiritual lessons for our work lives, and the inner work needed to achieve racial justice.
Gestalt, first popularized at the institute, is "uniquely embedded in Esalen's DNA." Disillusioned with the traditional theories of his time, psychiatrist Fritz Perls founded the field initially called "concentration therapy" back in the 1940s. After Perls arrived at Esalen to teach in 1964, Esalen co-founder Dick Price added his own experiential imprint to the work. Learn the history, theory, and research of this process-oriented approach with Gestalt Therapy through the lens of Gordon Wheeler and Lena Axelsson. Referred to as the "essential primer" on the topic, this accessible read uses case examples featuring a range of clients to explain the model for understanding how we, as human beings, put our experiences together. Wheeler, a licensed clinical psychologist, author of numerous books and over 100 articles, a world-renowned Gestalt expert, and the president of Esalen Institute, later published Gestalt Reconsidered: A New Approach to Contact and Resistance. In the follow-up, he traces the origins of the Gestalt back to its roots in psychoanalysis and Gestalt cognitive and perceptual psychology and "develops a revised model that is more fully 'Gestalt' and at the same time more firmly grounded in the spectrum of tools and approaches available to the contemporary psychotherapist." The perfect pair of titles to introduce readers to this groundbreaking, holistic, experiential method.
Readers eager to immerse themselves in the profound map of personality known as the Enneagram should start with The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso, two of the world's foremost Enneagram authorities. Published in 1999, this was the first comprehensive guide for applying this wisdom for both spiritual and psychological growth — and it became the standard as the definitive text for insight into the personality test. Understanding the Enneagram: The Practical Guide to Personality Types, also by Hudson and Riso, focuses on how to apply it to different parts of life for a more applicable, practical aid for personal development and your relationships. Both titles are recommended reading for the lucky numbers attending Hudson’s The Transformational Enneagram: Mindfulness, Insight, and Experience on August 27.
Dr. Deborah Egerton's take on the system argues the Enneagram can be a means to build a healthier, more peaceful world. Know Justice Know Peace teaches readers how to understand themselves through the personality typing test, but this book is also simultaneously a call to action for IDEA work (inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism). Dr. E returns to Esalen in September for Leading from the Heart, her workshop that explains how clarity about the Self can make us humans more equipped to better all relationships, including the unequal and broken relationships stunted throughout our society.
A Field Guide to Nature Meditation by Mark Coleman book digs into the revelatory beauty of the Natural World that this ancient sacred Esselen land is a part of. As the leader of September’s Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Doorway to Joy, Wisdom, and Wonder workshop, Coleman journeys into nature with a spirit of reverence and contemplation. These easy prompts and meditation practices, inspired by wisdom teachings from the Buddhist tradition, invite readers to explore nature’s beauty and wisdom in a deeper way.
Those who seek to bring their Buddhist wisdom and insights indoors to transform their everyday grind can check out Dan Zigmond’s Buddha's Office: The Ancient Art of Waking Up While Working Well. A Zen priest, writer, tech veteran, and the leader of Meditation and Modern Life: A Zen Meditation Retreat this October, Zigmond mixes his principles with business advice to save us all from the wastelands of conference rooms and cubicles. A must for those attempting to survive corporate life with sanity and souls intact!
Finally, check out Rhonda V. Magee’s The Inner Work of Racial Justice, which exemplifies the concept of marshaling our resources and facing our demons to better our communities and the world. Magee, a law professor and mindfulness teacher, will be one of the four powerhouses guiding the campus-wide Come Together Festival of IntraConnectivity and Spirit on July 24–28. In this book, she explains the necessity of doing personal work and dealing with deeply embedded internalized biases in order to create greater change. In her own words from her recent Voices of Esalen podcast episode: “Mindfulness itself is a radical counter-cultural disruption of ways of thinking about what it means to be alive. Mindfulness can disrupt or dissolve the sense that we have of ourselves as separate beings in a world that we can navigate with some fixed sense of control, so that we always end up looking good and being on top and moving forward…If you're coming into mindfulness with the kind of a view that it's really just going to make you a better human being, well, that’s great, and it's important, and it's a good place to start, but it's ultimately going to be a part of the barrier of really waking up.”
In popular Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god Vishnu. It is still used as a trumpet in Hindu rituals, and in the past was used as a war trumpet. In its earliest references, shankha was used as a votive offering and as a charm to keep away the dangers of the sea. It is regarded as the origin of the elements. Presently, the shankha is blown at the time of worship in Hindu temples and homes, especially in the ritual of the Hindu aarti, when light is offered to the deities, and/or to mark an auspicious beginning. Blowing the shankha is believed to be a way to pulsate the cosmic energy within the human body — divinely transcending from microcosm to macrocosm. For a limited time use SACREDSHELL20 for 20% off these ancient, sacred treasures.
“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?
Through July 31st save 30% to stay warm and cozy after a soak in an Esalen waffle robe. "The only thing better than being naked," says Heather Martin, Esalen’s buyer and visual merchandiser. And in August, House of Two Spirits founder Pamela Robins, will be at Esalen for a special pop up event to custom design her unique crystal + sage bundles the weekend of August 18th-20th.
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
