Reverend Bodhi Be is the Executive Director of "Doorway into Light," a non-profit that seeks to re-invent and revolutionize the funeral home and the funeral industry, transforming the “business of dying” and returning it to “sacred service."  Bodhi is an ordained minister in the universal Sufi lineage, an independent funeral director, hospice volunteer, end-of-life bereavement counselor, as well as a grandparent, coffin maker, death doula, educator, artist, and entrepreneur. He lives on Maui, where he is also the founder and president of the Death Store, Hawaii's only community educational resource center and store for those who are living with a life-threatening illness, those grieving the death of a loved one, and those wishing to explore their own approaching death.  

Here are a few upcoming workshops to check out: 

- Join us in Big Sur July 23rd to 25th for “Reclaiming Your Authentic Power,” a workshop led  by the award-winning instructor Justin Michael Williams, author of "Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us." In this dynamic three-day course, you’ll learn how to build habits that help you uncover hidden fears, break toxic habits, and make practical changes to help you overcome personal patterns standing in the way of your goals.  Find out more or enroll now at https://www.esalen.org/workshops/reclaiming-your-authentic-power

- Are you a transgender, non-binary, gender-fluid or gender-exploring individual interested in delving more deeply into your gender journey, sharing your experiences, and building community connections? Join Ben Geilhufe and Dr. Jen Hastings in Big Sur July 9th through July 11th for “Gender Journeys: Exploring Identity in Community.”  Geilhufe and Dr. Hastings will create a safe space for participants to explore how gender impacts, influences and informs their  day-to-day experiences with a range of lecture-based sessions and personal explorations  including art, movement, and journaling. Find out more or enroll now: https://www.esalen.org/workshops/gender-journeys-exploring-identity-in-community

- Discover new ways to harness your intuition and uncover profound insights about yourself with author Bill Donius. His upcoming workshop “Meet Your Better Half: Unlock Your Right Brain,” is based on his best-selling book Thought Revolution. This workshop will teach you how to activate the right side of your brain to unlock the insights necessary to break through self-limiting patterns. You’ll develop practical tools you can apply each time you face an important decision in life, and go home with new ways to unlock your own inner genius to  create your best life. The workshop takes place August 11th to 13th in Big Sur. Find out more or enroll now: https://www.esalen.org/workshops/meet-your-better-half-unlock-your-right-brain

Thanks and we'll see you in Big Sur!

Reverend Bodhi Be: Dying Well

Jeff Kripal is a historian of religions - his work includes the study of comparative erotics and ethics in mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religions, and the history of Western esotericism from gnosticism to New Age religions. He’s also the author of the book "Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion" - a must read for anyone interested in unpacking the conditions of history surrounding Esalen’s birth in the early sixties. 

This interview was originally published in 2016. 

Coming up at Esalen:

The Embodied Life™: Presencing and Re-Visioning. December 10 to 12th 2021, with Russell Delman and Linda Evans Delman. Connect present moment awareness with your intentions and dreams for the future to create a truthful and meaningful life. Experience embodied mediation, guided inquiry, and embodied movement practices like Feldenkrais, a set of neurologically based motor sequences that invite a deepening of body awareness. Sign up at: 

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/the-embodied-life-tm-presencing-and-re-visioning

Gestalt Practice & Principles: Cultivating Embodied Wholeness in Daily Life. December 13 -17 , 2021

During this workshop we will explore the rich practices and principles of Gestalt Practice, apply them to daily life, and begin to experience the simple yet profound potential for growth towards authentic wholeness and radical aliveness.

Gestalt Practice cultivates curiosity, equanimity, and acceptance with greater choice for creative possibilities. Rather than focusing on “fixing”, a “cure”, or seeking “accomplishment”, this approach offers methods to aid you in:

    Cultivating awareness and embodied presence;
    Growing responsiveness, resilience, and choice;
    Trusting in your organism’s inherent capacity for self-regulation and co-regulation.

Sign up at: 

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/gestalt-practice-principles-cultivating-embodied-wholeness-in-daily-life

Esalen End of Year Campaign - 

Help Us Make 300 New Friends 

Last year, Friends of Esalen helped us to survive closures due to the pandemic, fires and mudslides.  We're here today because of our friends. When you become a Friend of Esalen with a donation, your contribution helps us finance our day to day operations in Big Sur-from staff to infrastructure. This year, our goal is to raise 450K and make 300 new friends so that we can continue to keep our doors open for generations to come.  

Become A Friend Now: https://www.esalen.org/give

Encore Presentation: Jeffrey Kripal on the Cultural History of Esalen

Today we celebrate Bicycle Day, a modern semi-holiday (unrecognized by official governmental agencies yet observed by psychedelic enthusiasts across the globe) that commemorates Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman’s bike ride home from his lab on April 19th, 1943, after ingesting 250 micrograms of lysergic acid diethlymide, and in the process creating the world's first recorded intentional LSD trip. When Hoffman originally synthesized the compound in 1938, in the Sandoz Pharmeacuticals laboratory, in Basel, he had deemed it next to useless, and put it up on the shelf to be forgotten - but five years later, something within him told him to take a second look. The rest, as they say, is history. 
Today’s Voices of Esalen episode is a treasure drawn from our extensive archives - an interview with Albert Hoffman himself, conducted by none other than Stanislav Grof, sometimes known as the godfather of LSD psychotherapy. Grof was a Czechoslovakian psychoanalyst who was enormously influenced by Hoffman’s discovery of LSD; in his research in Czechoslovakia he oversaw tens of thousands of supervised therapeutic LSD trips. Grof would emigrate to the United States in the late 1960’s, a move precipitated by the Soviet invasion of his country. Grof spent more than ten years as a teacher in residence at the Esalen Institute during the 1970’s and 80’s, where he developed the practice of holotropic breath work and became one of the founders of the school of transpersonal psychology. In this interview, Grof and Hoffman explore a host of topics, including Hoffman’s discovery of LSD and how on his first trip, Hoffman freaked out and thought he was going insane, then thought he was dying; how Hoffman then became aware that his new discovery would have immense significance to the field of psychiatry; why Hoffman believed LSD could be used as a model psychosis and a way to study schizophrenia; how Hoffman collaborated with amateur mycologist R. Gordon Wasson to create a synthetic version of so-called magic mushrooms, which would be known as psilocybin; how Hoffman traveled to Mexico to deliver this modern version of mushrooms to the famed curandera Maria Sabina, who had introduced Wasson to the mushrooms in the first place, and more. They end this interview by speaking about Hoffman’s reaction to the way LSD escaped the laboratory and infiltrated culture during the turbulent 1960s. 
This interview was conducted at Esalen Institute in 1984 - just one part of the ever evolving and complex tapestry of history that unfolded here in Big Sur.

Albert Hoffman: Stan Grof Interviews Hoffman at Esalen, 1984

Adam Bramlage is Founder and /CEO of Flow State Micro, a functional mushroom company and microdosing education platform. Adam has helped hundreds of people, from professional athletes to people suffering from addiction and depression, achieve results through microdosing in his private practice. This interview gives the basics of microdosing; it's a great primer for anyone just at the beginning of their journey. 

Adam will be hosting a webinar with psychedelic pioneer and the father of modern microdosing Dr. James Fadiman, PhD, live from Esalen on January 14th. It's called Microdosing: The Safe, Surprising and Emerging Psychedelic Frontier. To sign up go to 

https://www.esalen.org/learn/esalen-digital-microdosing-the-safe-surprising-and-emerging-psychedelic-frontier-011423

I highly recommend it, as you’ll see from this interview, Adam is very skilled at delivering information designed to make any microdosing experience smart, secure and safe. And Dr. James Fadiman is simply an Esalen treasure. He’s been a guest on this show before, a couple years back, in an episode called "A Psychedelic History Lesson." Dr. Fadiman was also one of the very first workshop leaders at Esalen - he helped lead a workshop in 1962 entitled "Drug Induced Mysticism" and he’s been a meaningful figure at Esalen ever since.

Adam Bramlage: Microdosing 101

Today, we're taking a journey into the Esalen archives to explore the thought-provoking theories of Terence McKenna - an Esalen luminary if there’s ever been one - a thinker who's had a profound impact on modern culture, particularly regarding our understanding of altered states of consciousness. 

For those of you who've been with us on this Voices of Esalen journey for a while, you'll know that this isn't our first foray into the world of Terence McKenna - he lectured at Esalen hundreds of times, and we've featured his insights in multiple previous episodes.

But I believe that the more you listen to McKenna, the more you recognize the layers of depth and significance in his body of work. It's a bit like the Talmud, or maybe the Grateful Dead, where every piece feels like a vital segment of a larger tapestry. There simply are no missteps or unremarkable talks when it comes to McKenna. it all matters. Thus, we venture on. 

This episode is actually just part of a talk that McKenna gave in August, 1992 at Esalen, but in it, McKenna outlines one of his most popular theories, that which has been referred to as his Stoned Ape Hypothesis. (If there was a greatest hits album for Terence McKenna, this would certainly be on it.) The Stoned Ape hypothesis posits that the ingestion of psilocybin mushrooms had transformative effects on early Homo Sapiens communities, likely shaping the course of our evolution. McKenna believes psilocybin may have altered human behavior and societal structures, by suppressing male dominance hierarchies, enhancing communal values, improving hunting capabilities and in many cases fueling ecstatic orgies.

Plus, he just says some absolutely magical sentences. Like this:" . . . the book called 'Food of the Gods' was deliberately designed as a kind of Trojan horse... It is something left on the doorstep of anthropology, a foundling as it were . . and when they open the door, they will find this thing on their doorstep and it hopefully take it inside and then discover too late that the elf machines of hyperspace like Greek militiamen are inside, ready to pour out and take over the bastions of human emergence theory."

So sit back, relax, and savor the eloquence of one of the most compelling orators in the annals of Esalen history.

Terence McKenna: The Stoned Ape Hypothesis (8/22/92)

Bayo Akomolafe is an author, teacher, and modern philosopher whose work challenges the boundaries of conventional thought. Bayo was born in 1983 into a Christian home to Yoruban parents in western Nigeria. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Bonn, Germany, to accommodate his diplomat father. While in Zaire, Bayo’s father passed away suddenly, leaving a teenaged Bayo to grapple with the painful loss. 

As a young, restless academic, Bayo studied psychology and notions of healing, eventually meeting with scores of traditional shamans as a quest to better understand the notion trauma, healing and well-being. His concerns for decolonized landscapes congealed into a life spent exploring the nuances of a “magical” world he describes as “too promiscuous to fit neatly into our fondest notions of it.”

I think you’ll find that Bayo's work is deeply rooted in the trickster archetype, which above all else encourages us to reconsider the solidity of things: of our understandings of reality, identity, and activism.  He’s an advocate for a world beyond fixed boundaries, where his only clear allegiance is to emergence, to a perpetual becoming rather than being.

I had such a wonderful time talking to Bayo - and I’ll mention that his ideas, so rich in density and expressed with a true poetic grace, might not unfold their meanings upon first listening. Let the buyer beware. Yet, as we navigate this conversation, the layers begin to reveal themselves, and in the end, they present a convincing argument for reconceiving reality, not as a static entity but as a dynamic unfolding of relations.

https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/

Bayo Akomolafe on Tricksterism, Post Activism, and Artificial Intelligence

Snow Raven, also known as Suor, a performer from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in Arctic Siberia, now residing in the United States, performed live at Esalen Institute this winter, during our Go Within Series. Snow Raven is renowned for her unique blend of traditional shamanic practices and modern electronic music, which she uses to connect with and teach about her indigenous culture.

Snow Raven's artistic practice is rooted in neo-shamanism. She believes in the interconnectedness of all things. This philosophy extends to her use of technology, which she views as a natural extension of human innovation. She has collaborated on various projects that blend traditional shamanic elements with modern technology, including creating an algorithmic generator of her vocal sounds. 

She stunned the crowd at Esalen with her riveting performance. Esalen's Sadia Bruce joins us today in this episode to talk about how she came to bring Snow Raven to Esalen. To conclude the episode, Bruce gives us a preview of Esalen's Summer Groove series,an exhilarating celebration of sound, creativity, and movement nestled amidst the breathtaking beauty of Esalen Institute. 

To learn more, and get tickets, please visit https://www.esalen.org/learn/summer-groove-2024. 

Some of the artists at Summer Groove:

EARTHTONES - a multi-faceted Musician/DJ, who crosses cultures in electronic music from Ambient to House & Cumbia to Hip Hop. As a DJ & international vinyl collector, Earthtones has been one of the forces behind acclaimed global rhythm parties such as International Sunshine & Beat Tropíc, ambient hi-fi events such as The Listening Garden, and the Commune Festival.

AMY SECADA - a multi-disciplinary visionary artist of the Monacan Indian Nation specializing in neo-ritual audiovisual works and performance art to spread awareness of environmental injustice and Indigenous cultural and social rights.

HRISHI an Indian songwriter and artist based out of Washington, DC. Trained in South Indian classical music (Carnatic music) for over 10 years, he blends his cultural influences with his love for pop song-writers such as Jon Bellion, Lauv, and Chris Martin.
 	 
NALA SINEPHRO  a Caribbean-Belgian composer, producer and musician living in London. Her music fuses meditative sounds, jazz sensibilities, folk and field recordings. Her musical practice is rooted in the study of frequency and geometry and guided by the premise that sound moves matter.

SECULAR SABBATH an alternative educational institution and intentional community, born out of an ambient music experience that first took place in 2016, hosted and designed by founder Genevieve Medow Jenkins, who was born and raised at Esalen.

LAVENDER DIAMOND Magical, whimsical songsmith Becky Stark will pull at your heart strings and tune your spirit. 

It's gonna be a good time!!

Snow Raven, Live at Esalen - Shamanistic Spirit, Arctic Beatbox

Erik Davis stands tall at the intersection between mysticism, technology, and counterculture. He's one of my favorite writers, the author of many stupendous books, among them "TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information," "Nomad Codes," as well as "High Weirdness" a highly entertaining book that explores 1970s counterculture and its relationship with altered states of consciousness. Erik is also an Esalen faculty member, having recently taught a course on Embodied Writing and Spiritual Practice. In this conversation, we went into his new book, "Blotter," an extended meditation on LSD blotter art and the culture that surrounds it. We also found time to veer off into a host of topics, including Terence McKenna, John C. Lilly, Dick Price, madness, Stan Grof, the spiritual emergency network, prep-school deadheads, the Village Voice, the Internet and Erik's theory that it kills subcultures, the phenomenon of what Erik calls "cannabis thinking," how he was never much of a "cannabis writer," tape machines and their place in the counterculture, the Merry Pranksters, Phillip K. Dick, Bay Area Poster art, the DEA and its own little zine - and much more.
Erik is one of the cofounders of the Berkeley Alembic - a nonprofit bodymind center committed to experiments in transformation. https://berkeleyalembic.org/
You can also find his collected works at Techgnosis:
https://techgnosis.com/

Erik Davis on Blotter, Madness, '90's Subcultures, Terence McKenna, and The Burning Shore

Today we have a special episode. We're bringing you something unique and powerful: a real Esalen check-in. This practice, rooted in the Gestalt therapy that evolved at Esalen over the years, has become a cornerstone of the Esalen experience, often described as a catalyst for self-awareness, connection, and personal growth. 

Our check-in features an incredible group of people: full-time staff members Nani Almanza, Jess Siller, Alex Shepherd, Sam Stern, and Shira Levine, as well as Faith Blakeney, a participant in the LEEP and REEP residential programs. 

What you'll hear is real. It is authentic and unscripted. While our participants were aware of being recorded, they spoke from the heart. We've made every effort to preserve the intimacy and rawness of the experience with only minimal editing.

This episode offers a rare glimpse into the heart of what makes Esalen truly special. This is the secret sauce - the open, honest sharing that forms the foundation for personal transformation.

I invite you to listen with an open heart and mind, as we explore this fundamental Esalen practice together.

The Esalen Check-In (Episode 1)

Chandra Easton is a senior Dharma teacher, author, and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts. She is well renowned for her efforts to elevate the empowered feminine in Buddhism. Chandra has a deep lineage of study under the guidance of prominent Tibetan and Western Buddhist teachers, beginning her journey in Buddhist practice at the age of four. She’s spent decades bridging traditional Tibetan teachings with a modern approach, making profound wisdom practices accessible and relevant for today’s world. We spoke together live at Esalen this fall where we explored her latest book, "Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom", diving deep into themes of ego, suffering, and the transformative practice known as 'Feed Your Demons.' 

Awakening Wisdom: Chandra Easton on Ego, Suffering, and Feeding Your Demons

Josef London has been a cornerstone of the Esalen community for more than 30 years. In our conversation Josef shares about the leap of faith that brought him to Esalen from Rio de Janeiro in search of healing, transformation, and a place to call home. Today, guests know him from the Gate; he is one of the first people they meet upon arriving at Esalen. He has a delightful smile, but what they may not know is that Josef is steeped in the philosophy of Gestalt, and that he is decidedly not conflict averse - rather, he believes that conflict is where the truth comes out. Yet that at the same time, Josef believes fun is mandatory. He is a lover, with a huge heart, and in this conversation he speaks lovingly and at length about the love he lost, his wife Montgomery. You'll be touched by this conversation with one of Esalen's memorable characters. "Thank you so much."
Photo by Kate Kondratieva

Josef London, Esalen's Superego, Reflects on Conflict, Loss, and 33 Years of Beloved Service

Deborah Eden Tull is a leading Buddhist and EcoDharma teacher whose wisdom has touched countless lives. Recently, Eden and her husband, Mark, faced a life-altering tragedy when Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, destroying their home as well as all their belongings, and very nearly claiming their lives. 

Eden has long been a powerful voice urging humanity to face the climate crisis with clarity and courage, and her teachings feel especially poignant in light of this personal loss. In this conversation, we explore her reflections on resilience, interconnection, and how we can meet these challenging times with open hearts.

Here's the link to Eden's gripping 10-minute video that captures the aftermath of Hurricane Helene:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAtjmAEy8eR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube: https://youtu.be/jH32y0ooVYQ?si=zFeZj74REz9GFCNJ

Please consider donating to Eden's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/fccff9a1

You can also visit their GoFund Me by simply searching for "GoFund Me Deborah Eden Tull."

Deborah Eden Tull's website: deborahedentull.com

Mark D'Aquila's website: essencealchemy.com

Link to Mark’s Stress relief Flower Essence’s blend :

https://www.essencealchemy.com/blogs/floweressences/stress-relief-blend-november-2024-essence-of-the-month


Resilience in the Storm: Deborah Eden Tull on Loss, Community, and Renewal

Shannon Algeo is a psychotherapist, author, and teacher. He is also a Soul Coach, Yoga Nidra teacher, and the founder of Soulumination Meditation. Shannon works with clients to heal patterns of trauma so they can show up in the world with presence, purpose, and peace.  His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, ABC news, and Yoga Journal. Shannon came to Esalen in December of 2024 to lead a workshop on smartphone addiction. Together we spoke about attachment theory and how it figures into technology addiction, what it feels like to be in Big Sur, detached from your phone, and the digital personas we create and how we attempt to live up to them. 

https://www.shannonalgeo.com/

Shannon Algeo: Smartphone Addiction, Digital Detox, and Healing the Self

For the past several years, I’ve been lucky enough to work closely with the famed and slightly disorganized Esalen archives, diving deep into the history of this extraordinary place. I’ve fashioned several multimedia talks out of the material that I’ve uncovered, one on the history of altered states at Esalen, another on the 1970s and 80s. And recently, I had one of those rare, thrilling moments that every archive enthusiast—every crate digger, like me—dreams of.
A while back, I made a trip out to a storage facility near the Monterey Airport, with the producer of this podcast, Shira Levine, and we found boxes upon boxes of historical materials—photographs, slides, notes, VHS tapes, catalogs. As I sifted through them, I stumbled upon something incredible: a box filled with 5” reel-to-reel tapes, very likely recorded in the 1960s and ’70s by a man named Paul Herbert.
This was the kind of find that makes you stop in your tracks. Material that had been thought lost—or at the very least, forgotten—suddenly resurfaced in my hands. As I carefully unraveled the reels, I realized I was holding audio time capsules, voices and ideas from Esalen’s past waiting to be rediscovered.
Today, I’m sharing one of those recordings. This reel was titled Music from the Big Sur Mountains, and to be completely honest, even after having listened to it, I’m not sure exactly what year it comes from. Based on what I know, I’d place it somewhere between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s.
And it is exactly what it sounds like: music from the mountains of Big Sur. You’ll hear musicians local to the area playing hand drums, outside, in the mystic air. But it’s more than just drumming. This recording is alive with the sounds of Esalen itself—the rhythm of hands on drums, the voices of vocalists, the barks of dogs, the laughter and shouts of children, who are more than likely in their 50s and 60s now. It’s a time capsule, a window into a world that no longer exists in quite the same way.

- podcast description by Sam Stern and ChatGPT

Sam's recent talk at the Berkeley Alembic on The History of Esalen in the 1970s and 80s: https://www.youtube.com/live/4AhzcvwsVT8

Music From the Big Sur Mountains (Archival recording, late 1960s/early 70s)

Today we're opening up the vault to share an extraordinary archival recording from one of the most influential figures in Esalen's history, Frederic Spiegelberg — and while that name might not be as immediately recognizable as some of the luminaries who graced Esalen's grounds, like Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts, or Gabrielle Roth, understanding Frederic Spiegelberg and his place in Esalen mythology might be key to understanding Esalen itself . . . because in truth, without Frederic Spiegelberg, there might well never have been an Esalen at all.

In 1950, Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy was just another Stanford student when he, by complete accident, attended one of Friedric Spiegelberg's philosophy courses. As recounted in Jeffrey Kripal's fantastic book, “Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religions,” that single class would become an initiatory event that transformed Murphy's life forever, providing a pivotal bridge into the metaphysical, the mystical, and the psychical realms, dimensions that would go on to define the course of his life. 

The recording you're about to hear takes place in 1968, nearly two decades after Michael Murphy’s satori. Frederic Spiegelberg, as you'll hear, is still a force to be reckoned with. He speaks of the convergence between Eastern and Western thought, the transformative power of spiritual experience, and the boundless capacity for human growth. 

And as you listen to this beautiful recording, originally made on half-inch reel to reel tape that we've recently uncovered in the Esalen vault, dusted off, digitized, and are in the process of joyfully rediscovering, maybe consider this: that you're not just hearing a lecture from the past. Instead, you're taking part in a transmission. A thread that connects the early days of Esalen to the present moment. You're stepping into the very space where minds were opened and spirits awakened and the seeds of some sort of transformation were sown. 




Frederic Spiegelberg's 1968 Talk at Esalen: "India and the Saints"



A few months ago we brought you a real Esalen check-in (episode one). This practice, rooted in the Gestalt therapy that evolved at Esalen over the years is an authentic cornerstone of the Esalen experience. It's often described as a catalyst for self-awareness, connection, and personal growth. 

Today's episode is a continuation - Episode 2. 

Our check-in features Alex Shepherd, Peggy Horan, Jess Siller, Faith Blakeney, Shira Levine, and Sam Stern.

What you'll hear is real. It is authentic and unscripted. While our participants were aware of being recorded, they spoke from the heart. We've made every effort to preserve the intimacy and rawness of the experience with only minimal editing.

This is the secret sauce - the open, honest sharing that forms the foundation for personal transformation.




The Esalen Check In: Part 2


Richard Horan first arrived at Esalen in the mid 1960s, traveling from Los Angeles to Big Sur at the height of a cultural renaissance. He was an early member of the Esalen massage crew and played a pivotal role in founding the Esalen Garden, a space that continues to nourish the land and community today. He was also deeply involved in the psychedelic inquiry of the time. 

Over the years, his connections to Esalen deepened: with Gabrielle Roth he had a son, Jonathan Horan. Later, he married Peggy Horan, and together they raised two daughters, Lucia and Jasmine. 

Horan's purpose as an artist was revealed to him during his time at Esalen when he founded the Art Barn as a collective with other artists. 

Horan remains legendary in Big Sur for his mastery of jade carving. His work includes rings, earrings, pendants, belt buckles, and sculptures, many of which are inspired by ancient esoteric symbols and indigenous traditions. His signature earrings are renowned for their thin-cut jade, which allows light to pass through. 

As a multi media artist, he has worked in depth with clay, redwood and jade, making musical instruments, art objects and jewelry.

Today, we’ll hear from Richard as he reflects on his journey—his artistic process, his connection to Esalen, and the life he has built in harmony with the wild nature of Big Sur.

See Richard's work at 

http://www.richardhoranbigsurjadejewelry.com



Roots of Esalen: Richard Horan on Esalen's Garden Origins, Jade Carving, Psychedelics, and the Legendary Art Barn

Once again, we’re diving deep into the Esalen archives to share a fascinating historical recording - this one featuring electronic music pioneer Doug McKechnie.

In the late 1960s and early '70s, Doug McKechnie was at the cutting edge of musical innovation, harnessing the revolutionary Moog synthesizer to create mesmerizing sounds. McKechnie was a contemporary of iconic figures like Wendy Carlos, known for the 1968 record "Switched-on Bach," a collection of pieces by Bach that were performed by Carlos on the Moog synthesizer. This album, which won a Grammy for Classical Album of the Year, played a key role in bringing synthesizers to popular music. McKechnie was also tied to the Grateful Dead, contributing to the band's most experimental album, "Aoxomoxoa.” He also played at Altamont, not really a feather in anyone’s cap, but it shows the breadth of his growing popularity, and that of the Moog synthesizer.

Moogs are characterized by distinctive electronic timbres and pulsating rhythms, as well as hypnotic sequences. They are very much a part of the psychedelia of the late 1960s, fitting right in with the oil light shows, pop art, face paint and neon day glo colors of the time. The Moog’s ability to generate evocative psycho-acoustic atmospheres allowed musicians like McKechnie to tap into the exploration of internal landscapes that seemed to naturally occur during psychedelic adventures. 

The performance you’re about to hear was recorded live at Esalen in the late 1960s, preserved for decades on half inch to reel, then dusted off, digitized, and transported to you via the magic of podcasting. 

So sit back, relax, and let the Moog take you on a trippy auditory journey to a pivotal moment in musical and technological history. 

Cosmic Frequencies: Doug McKechnie's Avant-Garde Moog Performance at Esalen (late 1960s)

Today we’re sharing a conversation that took place in October 2022, between members of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County and the Esalen Institute.

Representing the Esselen tribe are Jana Nason and Stephen Vicente Arevalo. Jana Nason is an Esselen and Rumsen descendant, and an enrolled tribal member of the ETMC. She is the nonprofit secretary, and serves on the Tribal Council as Tribal Administrator and Secretary, Publications Chair, and Cultural Resource Committee member. She also manages the Cultural Archeological Monitoring program and serves her Tribe in that capacity. She is dedicated to educations, and protecting and preserving the cultural heritage and ancestral sacred sites.
 
Stephen Arevalo is a Esselen and Rumsen descendant. He is deeply passionate about his ancestry and has started a language re-learning class for tribal members. He is an educational speaker, and an active community member.

Representing Esalen Institute is Douglas Drummond. Douglas served as the Director for Healing Arts and Somatics and the Director of Community Alliance at Esalen Institute. He is also Esalen faculty. Douglas is originally from Aotearoa, New Zealand, where he lives with his wife Lucia Horan and daughter Olivia. 

Learn more about the Esselen Tribe at https://www.esselentribe.org/

For further educational materials, please refer to the ETMC website and these resources.

bigsurcalifornia.org: Esselen Indians of Big Sur and Monterey County
https://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/esselen.html

Monterey County Historical Society: A Brief Overview of the Esselen Indians of Monterey County
https://mchsmuseum.com/local-history/native-american-groups-and-cultures/a-brief-overview-of-the-esselen-indians-of-monterey-county/

Legends of America: Esselen Tribe of California
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/esselen-tribe-california/


Esselen Tribe of Monterey County in Dialogue with Esalen Institute (Encore Presentation)

Today, we're opening the vaults to share a rare and remarkable recording from Esalen’s rich historical archive: a 1967 lecture and live demonstration by none other than Dr. Ida Rolf, the pioneering founder of Structural Integration—more commonly known today as Rolfing.

But what is Rolfing? Often described as intense (and sometimes even painful), Rolfing is a powerful form of bodywork that focuses on the manipulation and realignment of connective tissue—fascia—to promote structural balance and physical freedom. Ida Rolf believed that by methodically reorganizing the body’s structure in gravity, not only could chronic pain and postural issues be resolved, but profound emotional and psychological healing could also occur.

This archival gem features Dr. Rolf in her element—lecturing with intellectual precision, delivering her insights with wit and candor, and guiding a live demo with such vivid specificity that, even without visuals, you feel transported into the room beside her. It’s a masterclass in both bodywork and presence.

A little backstory: Ida Rolf first came to Esalen in the 1960s at the invitation of famed Gestalt therapist Fritz Perls, who would become one of her earliest champions. According to The Upstart Spring, Rolf worked on Perls daily for a week. On the seventh day, during a neck session, he passed out—briefly. When he came to, he recounted a deeply buried trauma: a therapist twisting his neck under anesthesia decades earlier. The memory, and its accompanying tension, had haunted him for years. He credited Rolf’s work with helping to release it.

After that, Perls became an ardent supporter of Rolfing, and Ida returned to Esalen again and again. Esalen Institute would become the West Coast hub for her method, just as it had for Gestalt therapy.

This episode is a rare opportunity to hear Dr. Rolf in her own voice, offering not just a window into the origins of Rolfing, but a taste of the charisma, intellect, and force of will that helped her change the way we think about the body, healing, and human potential.

Ida Rolf in Her Own Words: Lecture & Demo at Esalen (1967 Recording)

Ramzi Fawaz is an award-winning queer cultural critic, public speaker, and educator. He is the author of two books, including "The New Mutants: Superheroes and the Radical Imagination of American Comics" (2016), and "Queer Forms." (2022). In 2019-2020, Fawaz was a Stanford Humanities Center fellow. He is currently a Romnes Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. 

Please be warned: this conversation is a firehose of brilliance. We cover a frankly outrageous number of topics, including: The politics and poetics of gender/ The radical imagination of the 1960s and 70s/ What happens when college students of today read manifestos from the 1970s and discover just how fiery, and fearless those voices actually were/ How feminist and gay liberation were deeply intertwined... and yet different/ The dark seduction of wounded identity and the political dead-end of suffering as a personality/ What the Beatles, postwar masculinity, and femme androgyny have to do with trans desire and cultural anxiety/ How trans liberation actually predates gay liberation in the U.S. / Teaching as ego dissolution: what it means to use the classroom like a psychedelic space. / And the idea that pluralism — true, radical pluralism — begins by accepting that you will be changed by contact with people who are radically different from you.

Ramzi Fawaz is bold, funny, passionate about teaching, absurdly articulate, and I think you’ll find he is deeply attuned to the moment we’re living in.  

https://www.ramzifawaz.com/

Ramzi's Esalen offering: Thinking Like a Multiverse: Embracing a Diverse World

June 23–27, 2025

Register now:

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/thinking-like-a-multiverse-embracing-a-diverse-world-06232025

A quick note on AI: I use LLMs (often the multi-purposse ChatGPT, sometimes other models) to help me with various tasks associated with podcast production, including help with writing my intros, generating questions for my guests, and episode titles. Occasionally I create episode graphics, too. I almost never take the AI output as-is; I subscribe to Ethan Mollick's notion of co-intelligence, in that I edit what's been given me, add my own creativity, and aim for the best possible output in the end. My hope is that this will create a better Voices of Esalen. - SS

You Were Never Just One Thing: Ramzi Fawaz and the Queer Potential of Now

We sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Philipose to trace the roots of modern patriarchy back to the “1492 paradigm” of Euro-colonialism and its enduring assault on femininity, the body, and the earth. Elizabeth unpacks how ideas of weakness, passivity, and scarcity were written into our social, political, and economic institutions, and how those same systems still drive homophobia, environmental destruction, and today’s surge of authoritarian fear.

Dr. Philipose also lays out the foundations of decolonial wellness, showing how trauma is embedded in our bodies, and offering practices, from guided journeying to radical self-love, that awaken a more expansive sense of self. She explores the “boomerang effect” of imperial violence at home and abroad, the radical potential of mothering and “original love,” and why reclaiming the Divine Feminine is essential to building societies grounded in peace and wholeness.

Dr. Philipose at Esalen, May 26-30, 2025
https://www.esalen.org/workshops/embracing-the-divine-feminine-a-mystical-approach-05262025

Decolonizing Femininity: Reclaiming the Divine Mother with Dr. Elizabeth Philipose

Ari Kuschnir is a filmmaker, creative strategist, and the founder of the production company m ss ng p eces. His work is driven by themes of empathy, consciousness, and transformation.

In this episode, Ari joins Sam for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of storytelling, particularly in the arena of AI filmmaking. They explore the ethical and emotional landscape of generative AI, and his new Esalen-inspired short video, a surreal time-traveling narrative conjured through text-to-video tools.

Also included: 
— How AI filmmaking serves as a collective dream engine and wish-fulfillment machine
— The origin story Ari's "Transmutation" series and why they work in the medium of AI film
— Whether cinema and art can become a tool for cultural repair and personal empowerment
— The strange kinship between algorithmic hallucination and spiritual insight

This is a rich and intimate conversation with a trailblazing artist that centers around what it means to create meaningful media in a time of profound transformation.

Hallucinate the Future: Ari Kuschnir on AI Filmmaking, Time Travel, and Viral Transmutations

In this episode of Voices of Esalen, host Sam Stern sits down with two members of the Esalen community, Sarah Lavelle (also known as Sawyer) and Abigail Barnes (also known as Bo), for a heartfelt conversation about non-binary identity, self-expression, and the journey of living beyond the binary.

Topics include personal stories, pronouns, the evolving language of gender, and the beauty and difficulty of being one’s authentic self in a world still learning how to understand.

Sawyer is a longtime full-spectrum doula, facilitator, and devoted practitioner of meditation, Buddha-dharma, and Relational Gestalt Practice in the tradition of Dick Price and Dorothy Charles. A seeker of liberation for all beings, they embody presence and compassion in all they do.

Abigail is a teacher at Big Sur Park School and a beloved presence in the Esalen lodge. Passionate about solitude, Kaula Tantric yoga, and the study of Gestalt, they will soon continue their journey in Stockholm, Sweden, exploring consciousness and education across cultures.

Whether you’re deeply familiar with non-binary experiences or just beginning to learn, this conversation offers something for everyone: insight, openness, and the radical courage of being.

Additional Resources: 
https://www.assignedmedia.org/
https://bookshop.org/p/books/who-s-afraid-of-gender-judith-butler/19994814?ean=9781250371911&next=t
https://transequality.org/issues/resources/understanding-nonbinary-people-how-to-be-respectful-and-supportive
https://transequality.org/resources/supporting-transgender-people-your-life-guide-being-good-ally
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes

Living Authentically: A Non-Binary Dialogue with Sarah/Sawyer Lavelle and Abigail/Bo Barnes

Anaïs  Nin was a literary pioneer who wrote boldly about the inner lives of women long before it was culturally accepted. Her work, including Delta of Venus, Little Birds, The House of Incest, and her 16-volume diary, continues to influence generations of writers.

Nin’s life was as unconventional as her prose. She trained in psychoanalysis with Otto Rank, conducted passionate affairs with both Henry Miller and his wife June, and for a time maintained two simultaneous marriages on opposite coasts. Her diaries chronicle these transgressions with brutal honesty and no small amount of poetic insight.

She also had a deep connection to Big Sur and to Esalen. She once described this coastline as “a curving hand cupped around a secret." In many ways, she was a secret, too: mysterious, erotic, intuitive and ahead of her time.

This is Anaïs Nin in her own voice, in 1972, with the original Q and A/ audience interaction. 

Anaïs Nin: The Sensual Art of Writing

Jacoby Ballard is a trans yoga teacher, social justice educator, and author of A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation. In this episode of Voices of Esalen, Ballard shares reflections on how contemplative and wellness spaces can deeply support queer and trans communities, especially in a time of heightened visibility, vulnerability, and political resistance.

The conversation moves through themes of embodiment, parenthood, and liberation. Ballard offers insights into the experience of raising a trans child, discusses the role of anger as both a signal and a sacred force, and explores what freedom actually feels like in his body. 

Grounded in decades of practice and activism, Ballard's perspective invites listeners to consider how personal healing and collective liberation are intertwined. This episode is for anyone interested in the intersections of spirituality, identity, justice, and what it means to truly show up for one another, in body, mind, and heart.

Jacoby Ballard: Queer Dharma and the Path to Liberation

In this lively episode, psychiatrist Dr. Jacob Towery invites us into the heart of his upcoming Esalen workshop on overcoming shyness, releasing shame, and embracing authentic connection. A Stanford-trained psychiatrist, Dr. Towery works with adolescents and adults in private practice. His approach blends evidence-based therapy with playfulness, skillful vulnerability, and social courage.

Here, he guides live shame-blocking and flirtation exercises with two brave Esalen staff members, Liz Lea and Wuya Xu. What unfolds is a real-time demonstration of how presence, lightheartedness, and risk-taking can unlock more joy in our interactions.

Whether you’re looking to meet someone new, rekindle romance, or simply feel more at ease around other humans, this episode offers some practical tools and a fresh take on what it means to be fully yourself in relationship.

Finding Humans Less Scary at Esalen Institute
September 8-12, 2025
https://www.esalen.org/workshops/finding-humans-less-scary-0912025

Courage to Connect: Shame-Blocking and Flirtation Skills with Dr. Jacob Towery

Last year we brought you a real Esalen check-in (episode one). Some months later, a follow up episode dropped. This practice of the check-in is rooted in the Gestalt therapy that evolved at Esalen over the years. It's an authentic cornerstone of the Esalen experience, often described as a catalyst for self-awareness, connection, and personal growth.

Today's episode is the logical continuation - Episode 3, feat. Rossano Shepherd, Peggy Horan, Jess Siller, Sawyer Lavelle, Shira Levine, and Sam Stern.

What you'll hear is real, authentic, and unscripted. While our participants were aware of being recorded, they spoke from the heart. We've made every effort to preserve the intimacy and rawness of the experience with only minimal editing.



The Esalen Check In: Part 3

We’re pleased to introduce a new segment where we dive deep into the history of the Esalen Institute, in order to focus on a lecture previously recorded here in Big Sur. Today our subject is Terence McKenna and his talk entitled “Tryptamine Hallucinogen Consciousness”, recorded in December, 1982.  McKenna was an American ethnobotanist, author, lecturer and widely-respected psychonaut known internationally for his work with shamanism, metaphysics, consciousness, and of course, psychedelic medicines. He’s the author of "The Invisible Landscape," "The Archaic Revival," "Food of the Gods," and "True Hallucinations." His playful yet highly powerful mode of intellectual inquiry around the topic of plant medicines made him a well-loved and highly-respected countercultural figure. While Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey, and Ram Dass were better well-known in psychedelic circles for their pioneering and often rebellious leadership during the first psychedelic wave of the 1960’s, McKenna rose to prominence later, first enjoying notoriety during the 1980’s. One of the most frequent stops on his lecture circuit was Big Sur and the Esalen Institute, where he lectured nearly 100 times over the years on subjects as diverse as “Dynamics of Hyperspace,” “Reflections on Eros,” “Our Cyberspiritual Future,” and “Biotech and Nanonfungal Futures.” Further commentary is provided by the author and environmentalist Allan Badiner, who is also the convener of the 2019 Psychedelic Integration conference at Esalen. Badiner knew Terence McKenna intimately, and thus was able to shed some light on the man behind the message.

Terence McKenna's 1982 Lecture at Esalen: "Tryptamine Hallucinogen Consciousness"

Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., is the founder of Internal Family Systems, a unique and astoundingly effective modality of psychotherapy that focuses on the various parts within a person. Internal Family Systems, or IFS, views multiplicity of mind as our natural state and our “parts” as sub-personalities that may be healed and transformed by bringing the Self into its rightful role as leader of the internal system. In this interview, he guides Sam through some transformational trauma work.

Richard Schwartz: Internal Family Systems (IFS) Process with Sam

"Voices of Esalen" features provocative, in-depth interviews with the dynamic leaders, teachers, and thinkers who reflect the mission of the Esalen Institute.

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