Voices Of Esalen

Zak Dychtwald is the author of "Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World." Zak, a second-generation Esalen thought leader, came to Big Sur as part of Esalen's Conversations on the Edge Series, where we bring together leading experts and visiting teachers to explore a pressing issue of our time. Zak is a leading expert on youth culture in China. Together we discussed many aspects of Chinese millennials, including common misconceptions on either side, how the project of childhood functions in China, how the Chinese real estate market is propped up in many ways by the marriage market, what it’s like to be young and gay in China, Chinese hip-hop, censorship, internet, the culture of dissent, how Chinese mllenials have redefined the marketplace internationally, who their sports heroes are, why Steph Curry is a more relatable NBA hero than Lebron, what Chinese millennials might think of their United States counterparts, and what the next hundred years may bring for us all.

Chungliang Al Huang is a tai chi master, writer, philosopher, dancer, and one of the most important and enduring teachers in Esalen’s history. Born in Shanghai, China, Huang moved to the United States to study architecture and cultural anthropology. In Los Angeles, he fell into a career as a professional dancer through a chance meeting with Sammy Davis Jr. In the mid 1960’s, Huang became a close collaborator with the philosopher Alan Watts, who would introduce him to the Esalen Institute. He soon became a beloved teacher at Esalen, known for his tai chi teachings on the deck of the Esalen pool, as well as his collaborations with Watts, mythologist Joseph Campbell, Huston Smith, Gregory Bateson, Laura Huxley, Carl Rogers, and more. Huang is a fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, Director of the Hong Kong Dance Company, and author of 18 books. At age 82, he continues to teach Tai Chi every year at Esalen on the pool deck which bears his name.

Cassandra Vieten is a senior fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, as well as the Executive Director of the John W. Brick Foundation, and Scholar-in-Residence at the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at the University of California, San Diego. She is a psychologist, mind-body medicine researcher, author of numerous articles in scientific journals, and an internationally recognized keynote speaker. Cassandra came to Esalen to teach about the art and science of transformation. She is dedicated to helping others consider how peak experiences, extraordinary moments, and awe stimulate growth. Dr. Vieten lectures widely about the transformative potential of pain: how sometimes hitting bottom can help us shake free from periods of inertia. In this wide-ranging discussion, we also touched upon the importance of a holistic approach to psychotherapy, how to engage in productive argumentation in order to persuade others to change their consciousness, and how to create a realistic yet aspirational visio

Lisa Littlebird is a singer, composer, writer, voice coach, and visionary, as well as the former executive director of the Denver Women’s Chorus and the founder of the Wholehearted Chorus, a heart-led, joy-based community chorus, open to all voices on the Central Coast of California. During our conversation at the Esalen Institute, we talked about how she is able to invite singers of ALL abilities to explore the full potential of their voice. She views group singing as a transformational personal practice and a healing art, and this comes through in the sincerity of her work, and in the pureness of her voice. This episode is laced with beautiful bits of live singing from Lisa's workshops and from her chorus's performances.

Dr. Emily Silverman came to Esalen to help faciliate Through Our Own Eyes, a retreat for and by women physicians. She’s the host and creator of the Nocturnists, a medical storytelling live show and podcast whose aim is to demystify doctorhood and bring to light the real people who toil behind the mask as our modern-society healers. We discussed whether what it means to be a woman and a physician in our contemporary health care system, how the inner world of a doctor continues to change in an increasingly capitalistic society, how health care and human connection may interact in the near future, and more.

Today we present an edition of Voices of Esalen On the Road. Our intrepid correspondent Greg Archer took a jaunt to the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, where the film Fantastic Fungi: The Magic Beneath us was having its California premiere. While he was there, he spoke to renowned filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg about the mysteries and magic of mycology. Together they discussed Louie’s unique stop-motion filmmaking technique he's been employing for the better part of 40 years, the healing potential of mushrooms, how psychedelic mushrooms may be our allies, and much more.

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 enjoyin

Yoga Nidra is a conscious relaxation process intended to induce physical, mental, and emotional restoration. It has been shown to ease anxiety, heighten awareness and focus, transform negative habits, and foster feelings of peace, calm, and clarity. John Vosler is a Senior Teacher at the Amrit Yoga Institute, where he leads Yoga Nidra Certification programs. His infectious humor and compassionate heart make working with him a joy-filled experience. Today he leads us through a conscious relaxation.

Gordon Wheeler is the president of Esalen. He's also a licensed clinical psychologist, as well as the author of numerous books on Gestalt psychology, including Gestalt Reconsidered, Beyond Individualism, and The Heart of Development. He is noted for his work integrating the Gestalt tradition with relational and developmental psychology.  Gordon teaches and trains clinicians around the world, also serving as editor and director of GestaltPress. Today we invited him to educate us about the history of Gestalt psychology at the Esalen Institute.

Today's episode is part 3 of a series of panels presented at the 9th annual Blue Mind Summit at Esalen in the summer of 2019. Representing the "mind" in Blue Mindfulness is Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. An award-winning educator, he is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and recipient of several honorary fellowships. Dr. Siegel is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, an educational organization that focuses on how the development of mindsight in individuals, families and communities can be enhanced by examining the interface of human relationships and basic biological processes. Dr. Siegel's unique ability to make complicated scientific concepts exciting and accessible makes him an entertaining and useful resource.

Today's episode is part of a series of panels presented at the 9th annual Blue Mind Summit at the Esalen Institute in the summer of 2019. Representing Mindfulness in the summit, Dr. Shauna Shapiro is a professor, author, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and compassion. She has published over 150 journal articles and co-authored two critically acclaimed books translated into 14 languages: The Art and Science of Mindfulness, and Mindful Discipline. Her newest book, to be released in late 2019, is Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy. Dr. Shapiro's work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine, USA Today, The Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, and the American Psychologist. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Duke University and a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, co-founded by the Dalai Lama.

Today's episode is part of a series of panels presented at the 9th annual Blue Mind Summit at the Esalen Institute in the summer of 2019. The Blue Mind summit is the brainchild of Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, whose stated mission is to create the new story of water and share it with the world, focusing on the cognitive, emotional, psychological, social, physical, and spiritual benefits that we can derive from healthy waters throughout our lives. By connecting neuroscientists and psychologists with aquatic experts and artists, Dr. Nichols advocates for the health and well-being of people and planet earth. He is currently Chief Evangelist for Water (CEH2O) at Bouy Labs, a Senior Fellow at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies, a Research Associate at California Academy of Sciences and co-founder of Ocean Revolution, an international network of young ocean advocates. He is also the author of the national bestseller Blue Mind, published in 2014, and the upcoming book, Live Blue. This year at Esalen, he pa

In the final installment of our Psychedelic Integration series, Marsha Rosenbaum (director of Drug Policy Alliance and author of “Kids, Drug, and Drug Education: A Harm Reduction Approach”), Kristi Panik (chief of psychiatric services of the University Student Health Services at UC Berkeley), and Martin Lee (co-founder, Project CBD) discuss reasonable, realistic, and comprehensive drug-education for minors.

Martin Lee (Project CBD), Julie Holland (psychiatrist and author of “Moody Bitches” and “The Pot Book”), Rick Doblin (MAPS), Marsha Rosenbaum (director, Drug Policy Alliance), Allan Badiner (conference convener and author of “Zig Zag Zen”), and Dr. Ben Sessa speak about the adaptive capacities of cannabis from a medicinal, therapeutic and historical perspective. Martin Lee then delivers a keynote address on cannabidiol (CBD) and the import of the body’s endo-cannabinoid system itself.

In part 5 of Esalen's Psychedelic Integration series, mycologist Paul Stamets, UC Berkeley professor of neurobiology David Presti, and psychiatrist Ben Sessa explore the contemporary landscape of psilocybin mushrooms, touching upon how mushrooms can help treat depression and other chronic illnesses, the concepts of synchronicity and hyper-focus, how the intravenous administration of psilocybin functions in a clinical setting, and the interconnected nature of the mind and body. Paul Stamets then proposes a mycologically-based solution to help combat bee colony collapse disorder.

Rick Doblin is the founder and executive director of MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. He’s been a tireless proponent of the effort to develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics. At Esalen, he discussed the historical trajectory of MAPS, the legal narrative surrounding psychedelics - in particular MDMA - and why MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has been proven to be so effective for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He also spoke on what the future holds for clinical trials, and how the Esalen Institute was foundational to his journey.

Michael Pollan's keynote address from the Psychedelic Integration Conference at Esalen Institute, 2019, is part two of a seven-part series drawn from the week's lectures. Pollan is the author of six New York Times bestsellers: "Cooked," "Food Rules; In Defense of Food"; "The Omnivore’s Dilemma," "The Botany of Desire," and now “How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence,” a masterful book written by one of the leading immersive journalists of our time. Historically, the field of psychedelics is controversial, and controversy naturally arouses a certain degree of suspicion and distrust, particularly for the uninitiated. But when Michael Pollan talks, people listen. And that’s because he consistently brings a beginner’s mind, armed with a healthy dose of skepticism, to the table. His speech at Esalen was much like his writing- articulate, lucid, and underscored by a palpable desire to effect positive change. A q

The first in a 7-part series, this episode will present a sampler of some of the most notable moments of the 2019 Psychedelic Integration Conference at the Esalen Institute. Environmentalist, conference convener, and Buddhist author Allan Badiner introduces each of the participants, and discusses why psychedelics have become a key touchstone in our current society. Over the course of this 7-episode arc, you'll hear from Michael Pollan, Rick Doblin (MAPS), Paul Stamets, Dr. Ben Sessa, Julie Holland (Moody Bitches, The Pot Book), Marsha Rosenbaum, Kristi and David Panik, Martin Lee (Acid Dreams, and other leading experts in the field.

Linda Bloom, LCSW and Charlie Bloom, MSW, are psychotherapists and relationship counselors. They have worked with individuals, couples, groups, and organizations since 1975, and have been married since 1972. In a very open and candid conversation, they share a host of actionable tips culled from their decades of experience with couples. Together we addressed whether couples should share their finance, whether they should be best friends, if it's okay to go to bed angry, the importance of having a strong sexual connection, how to have useful disagreements, how to apologize from the heart, and much more.

During the Esalen Inspirational Film Festival, Ricki Lake stopped by to talk about her new documentary film, "Weed The People," which advocates for the use of cannabis for pediatric cancer patients, citing palliative care advantages as well as tumor shrinkage. She also spoke about a host of topics, including her breakthrough film, "Hairspray," advice she got from John Waters, her first foray into documentary film as a producer (with "The Business of Being Born"), her eleven-year stint as a talk show host, what it was like to Dance with the Stars, and how bereavement has changed her as a person.