Esalen Institute

With the end of the semester in our midst, it is time to close the ninety tabs I have open on Google Chrome, and to stop thinking about the Esalen Institute multiple times per day. This being said, I would like to share my final thoughts and feelings about this project and what I have taken from it. By Brian Weaver Studying the Esalen Institute this semester was an interesting experience as it is so different from the other New Religious Movements we have examined this semester. From the very first week we began to examine all the movements that were considered “cults” during their prime. From the Shakers to the “sex cult” Family International, we saw examples of groups that people have written off throughout the years as “crazy”. Esalen on the other hand, is a bit of a different story. Not only is everyone welcome at the institute (if you can afford it), they do not associate themselves with any sort of religious movement. The Esalen Institute considers themselves a place of ...

By Brian Weaver With the Esalen Institute seeming to be much more of just a retreat center than an actual religious commune, it is hard to draw parallels between it and other famous communes such as Jonestown or even Mother Ann Lee’s Shakers. However, what is notable about the Esalen Institute is the way that it has been a leader in the New Age and Counterculture movements since its conception. One easy comparison to make is between Esalen and the practice of Transcendental Meditation. While both institutions claim that they are in no way a new type of religion, they have both attracted thousands of vocal followers. The popularity of these two practices stems from all over, be it celebrity involvement, social status, or the privilege of being wealthy enough to participate. Ultimately, the people that seek out these two institutions are looking to expand their minds in some way. Involvement in either the Esalen Institute or in Transcendental Meditation requires one to attend wo...

By Brian Weaver The Esalen Institute is tricky to discuss, not because it is veiled in secrecy, but because at a glance it looks like any other retreat center. Through various media outlets and on their own website, the institute focuses on the 600+ workshops they offer each year , which are "devoted to cultivating deep change in self and society". Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy has stated they " did not want to start a religious cult, a new church ". Like Transcendental Meditation and other new-age religions, many visitors of the Esalen Institute consider themselves "spiritual but not religious" (or other variations of this common phrase). However, like all New Religious Movements we have examined in the past, those who go to Esalen seem to be deeply affected by their experiences there. Yoga instructor Janet Stone  says that her experience at Esalen has been “a series of meltings and unfoldings that have contributed to a profound shift in perspectiv...

By Brian Weaver Throughout the history of our country, new religious movements have been misinterpreted by the media and consumers. Buzzwords such as “cult” and “brainwashing” run rampant, leaving those who view the media very uninformed on the actual dogmas of these religious practices. Even with movements such as Transcendental Meditation and centers such as the Esalen Institute, the media seems to miss the purpose of their respective existences. These institutions, along with other New Age movements such as Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment, are constantly being criticized for the amount of money asked in order for people to participate. Whereas other religious communes have rejected capitalism as a concept, these newer movements require people to come up from a certain background. While they claim that they exist to open the mind and create a better world, only a select few can actually afford to be a part of the supposed revolution. In particular, it is difficult to discern ...