Saying Goodbye to Esalen... Maybe Not Forever?

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 education and mindfulness, not a new place to worship.

While many new religious movements have come and go in terms of popularity, Esalen has managed to maintain a fairly consistent amount of popularity since the sixties. Even with the recent road blockage, the Esalen Institute remains a popular place to take retreats and sabbaticals. The hot springs remain an iconic location to post on Instagram, and the seminars offered increase every year. Studying Esalen made me really want to join their work study program, if only NDNU would sponsor me (hint hint!!).

From day one, I felt like Esalen was the kind of place I probably would have hung out at a lot had I been born during its conception. As someone who loves retreat centers, yoga, and meditation, I have been drawn to Esalen since this assignment. Would have been more exciting to study a more “cult-like” commune? Possibly, however becoming aware of Esalen has given me insight on some of the amazing things California has to offer. While I am fascinated by communes like the Source Family, Esalen remains a real and active center that I absolutely want to visit some day. What this project has really shown me is that I want to experience Esalen for myself.

Ultimately, I think the only way to truly understand something like Esalen is to experience it for yourself. Just like with every group we’ve studied this semester it is better to look at them all in context. As I said previously, Esalen is somewhere I would absolutely love to visit one day, and I think that would really help me to understand the emotional awakening that visitors seem to all have. Just as there are many many retreats that you have to be a participant in to experience, I feel as if there is much more to the workshops at Esalen than what we can find in researc

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 14, 2017 at 2:42 PM

    Over the course of this semester, after have been reading your groups blogs and witnessing your groups presentation, I find the Esalen Institute to be quite fascinating. I also completely agree with your idea that you cannot truly understand something until you actually experience it on your own. It is so easy for us to read about something and say we get it, but in reality we do not because we were never in the position to be there or feel the things the individuals in each commune felt. That being said, I suppose you are lucky that maybe one day you can go and experience Esalen for yourself. NDNU should definitely sponsor you (Hint noted!!)

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