Podcasts about esalen

Today, Sarah is joined by beloved astrologer, poet, and teacher Heidi Rose Robbins for a look at the astrology of Summer 2026. Together, they explore the major transits and cosmic shifts unfolding in the months ahead, including Jupiter's move into Leo, the changing nodal axis, Chiron's entrance into Taurus, and the long-awaited Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries. Through Heidi's signature blend of wisdom, optimism, and poetic insight, this conversation offers a grounded and expansive perspective on navigating change, creativity, community, and personal growth. This episode is for anyone curious about the astrology of the season, moving through a period of transition, seeking inspiration, or wondering how to work with the energies of the months ahead. On this episode of Moonbeaming you'll hear: Why this summer marks a transition between old stories and new chapters Jupiter's move into Leo and the invitation to share your gifts more boldly How to reflect on the lessons of Jupiter in Cancer before moving forward Chiron's entrance into Taurus and the healing power of creativity, worth, and self-expression Why vulnerability can become a source of wisdom and strength How to cultivate hope, joy, vitality, and optimism during times of change --- Meet Heidi: Heidi Rose Robbins has been a professional astrologer for 25 years, helping thousands of clients all over the globe live with more authenticity and joy. Her podcast, THE RADIANCE PROJECT, features poetry, astrology, and good company. Twice a year, she leads Radiant Life Retreats for people wishing to take a deeper dive into her work. She is also a guest faculty member at Esalen in Big Sur, CA. Heidi has written two books of poetry, This Beckoning Ceaseless Beauty and Wild Compassion, and has been a featured poet at two TedX events. Her 12-book series The Zodiac Love Letters, was published by One Idea Press, and last year her new book, Everyday Radiance--based on her daily Instagram offerings--was published by Chronicle. Heidi lives in Los Angeles. heidirose.com @heidiroserobbins - IG Substack - @heidiroserobbins ---  Join Our Community: Join the Moon Studio Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themoonstudio Buy the 2026 Many Moons Lunar Planner: https://moon-studio.co/products/many-moons-2026?srsltid=AfmBOopThx1yrmKl0tMjecc_EFeeN5DAiIafqPqvQ4Uke1WEi5droeam Subscribe to our newsletter: https://moon-studio.co/pages/newsletter Find Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gottesss/

Brita Ostrom is the author of the new memoir "Steeped: A Bug Sur Elixir of Sulfur and Sage," a vivid, intimate, and often wonderfully unsentimental account of her life in Big Sur and at Esalen during 1967 and 1968. Brita arrived in California during a hinge moment in American culture: she landed in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco nine months before the Summer of Love, smack dab in the middle of the psychedelic revolution and the early flowering of the human potential movement. From there, she made her way down the coast to Big Sur, and eventually to Esalen. During this conversation, Britt talks about sleeping outside on the land, about all the local music that seemed to appear everywhere, the early days of Gestalt and encounter, the role of psychedelics, the emergence of Esalen massage, the complicated freedoms of sexual liberation, and the ways women at Esalen began to find one another as allies in a community that was still very much shaped by male teachers, male authority, and male mythology. Brita's perspective neither romanticizes the period nor flattens it into critique. She remembers the beauty, the wildness, the tenderness, the bad behavior, the spiritual ambition, the confusion, and the sheer strangeness of a place where a person might dance under the stars one night, confront their childhood wounds the next morning, give massage in the baths that afternoon, and then end up in a conversation that night with someone who had just wandered in from the outer edge of American culture.

This week on The Conscious Consultant Hour, Sam welcomes Dr. Charles Warter, psychiatrist, author, and lifelong bridge between Western medicine and the world's great spiritual traditions. With more than five decades of clinical practice spanning psychiatry, addiction medicine, and complementary medicine, Dr. Warter has held faculty appointments at the University of Miami and the University of Hawaii Schools of Medicine, and has served as founder and president of the World Health Foundation for Development and Peace, for which he received the United Nations Messenger of Peace Award. Author of more than twenty books in eight languages, including Soul Remembers, Recovery of the Sacred, and he returns this month with a new work that has been quietly forming over a lifetime: Psychedelics and Human Potential.Few voices are as uniquely positioned to speak to this moment in the psychedelic renaissance. Born in Chile and shaped by early studies with healers, shamans, and Kabbalists across Mexico, Peru, Egypt, India, and the Middle East, Dr. Warter brings together indigenous wisdom, Gestalt training from Esalen, molecular biology, transcultural psychiatry, and decades of work in addiction medicine. His new book draws on this rare integration to explore how psychedelics, approached with reverence and clinical wisdom, can serve not as escape but as catalysts for the fuller expression of who we are. It is a vision of human potential grounded in both science and soul.Together, Sam and Dr. Warter explore the promise and the responsibility of this unfolding chapter in consciousness medicine. They discuss what these substances can reveal when held in ceremony and integration, the dangers of treating them as quick fixes, and the deeper invitation they offer to remember the sacred self. Dr. Warter brings the perspective of a true elder, one who has walked with world leaders and spiritual teachers alike, and who continues to remind us that healing is always, at its heart, an act of remembering. This episode is an invitation to consider what becomes possible when modern medicine, ancient wisdom, and the courage to look within meet on the same path.Tune in and share your own questions and comments about plant medicine on our YouTube livestream or on our Facebook page.https://amzn.to/4u2cZlHhttps://www.drwarter.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if the shame you've been carrying isn't evidence that you're broken—but an invitation to discover your worth?In this deeply moving conversation, award-winning author, poet, singer-songwriter, and creative coach Marisa Handler joins Girl, Take the Lead! to explore authenticity, creativity, leadership, and the journey from shame to a deeper sense of worthiness.She is the author of Loyal to the Sky (Nautilus Gold Award) and the forthcoming Sanctuary.Marisa shares her personal story of growing up in apartheid South Africa, immigrating to the United States, and navigating what she describes as a "dark night of the soul" that ultimately transformed her understanding of belonging, creativity, and self-worth.Together, we explore how fear, grief, anger, and shame can become unexpected guides on the path back to ourselves. We also discuss why creativity is essential to leadership, how women can stop performing their lives and start living them, and why our worth was never something we had to earn.Along the way, Marisa shares her beautiful poem Grace and treats us to a live excerpt from her song Seed and Star.What Marisa Would Tell Her 20-Something SelfIf you've ever found yourself striving to be impressive instead of being fully yourself, Marisa's wisdom offers a gentle invitation to come home—to your creativity, your voice, and your worthiness.Because perhaps the path forward isn't about becoming someone new.It's about remembering who you've been all along.In This Episode, We Discuss:• What it means to stop performing and start living authentically• Why fear is often the doorway to growth and transformation• How anger can reveal boundaries that need a voice• Grief as a pathway back to belonging• The hidden role shame plays in keeping us small• Moving from shame to a deeper sense of worthiness• Why creativity and leadership are deeply connected• Trusting your intuition and creative process• The difference between being impressive and being real• Grace, authenticity, and living from your full aliveness• A live excerpt from Marisa's song Seed and Star"Stop trying to be impressive. Start trying to be real."About Marisa HandlerMarisa Handler is an award-winning author, prize-winning poet, singer-songwriter, and creative coach whose work lives at the intersection of personal transformation and collective awakening.A Fulbright Fellow and Iowa Writers' Workshop alumna, she has worked with thousands of people through her coaching practice, retreats, and teachings at Spirit Rock, Esalen, Stanford, and Gaia House, as well as through her signature program, Live Your Creative Genius.If you're ready to stop playing small and step into the fullest, most luminous version of yourself, Marisa is your guide.Connect with Marisa HandlerWebsitewww.marisahandler.comCreative Archetypes Quiz (Free)Discover your unique creative style and gifts:https://marisahandler.com/creative-archetypes-quizLive Your Creative GeniusLearn more about Marisa's signature transformational coaching program:https://marisahandler.com/lycg/Complimentary Unleash Your Creative Genius Breakthrough SessionApply for a free breakthrough session (valued at $300):https://forms.gle/sgsYXy2j6rhMEdor8LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-handler/Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/marisa.handler.3Instagram@marisasingsConnect with Girl, Take the Lead!Websitehttps://girltaketheleadpod.comListen & Subscribehttps://girltaketheleadpod.com/listenHeartfelt Cards & Gifts Shophttps://girltaketheleadpod.com/shopJoin Our Facebook Communityhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/272025931481748YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@girltakethelead

For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.com. Get 25% off Cowboy Colostrum with code WHYFILES at https://cowboycolostrum.com/WHYFILES. Joseph Matheny invented something in 1989 that nobody had a name for yet. He called it a story. The internet called it the first alternate reality game. The Navy called him to ask how he did it. He turned them down. Tonight he's in the basement explaining how he built an early AI, game-mastered Robert Anton Wilson at Esalen, and why QAnon looks so familiar to him. Some things are better understood when you know how the trick works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we have Anita. She is 49 years old from Bend, OR and she took her last drink on January 4th, 2026.   This episode is brought to you by:   Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help   [03:14] Thoughts from Paul:   Paul shares with us that in the upcoming interview, he and the guest talk about religion. While he knows this can be a triggering topic for some, including him, he encourages us to be open minded to both the interview and religion in general.   [12:38] Paul introduces Anita:   Anita is 49 years old, lives in Bend, OR she is single and works as a family doctor. Much of her family also lives in the area. Anita enjoys hiking, cold plunges, dancing and frequently travels to Esalen in Big Sur.   Anita was raised in a Christian cult called but went to public schools which left her feeling anxious and nervous all the time. She says the didn't have a TV at home, so Anita would find herself reading comics and snacking. This later developed into an eating disorder as she grew into adolescence.   Anita graduated from high school and attended a Christian college in Michigan. Being a rule follower, Anita didn't drink much before she was 21. Her drinking remained rather moderate while she was addressing her eating disorder. She was attending Overeaters Anonymous and followed a meal plan that didn't include alcohol.   After about five years, Anita became an atheist and decided she didn't want to practice medicine anymore. She decided to trust the universe and move to southern California, but it didn't go well for Anita, and she moved back to Oregon after four years.   Anita would go back and forth with alcohol over the years, but up until this past January, would always find herself going back. With a stressful job helping others, drinking was a way to regroup at the end of the day. On January 5th, Anita stumbled across a copy of Paul's book Alcohol is Shit she had in her office and started reading. From there, she started listening to the RE podcast and found herself deeply identifying with an interview Paul had with Sarah (episode 568).   Anita agrees that there is power in listening to others' stories. Acknowledging that she was a high-functioning alcohol user, Anita believes that we get to choose how low we go. She says while she still thinks of alcohol, it doesn't nip at her heels the way it used to. Intuitively she knows that it is toxic and no longer wants to use alcohol in her existence. Without alcohol she knows she can create more realness in her life that will help her address whatever is thrown at her. Anita believes in being open about her recovery and telling others that she doesn't drink. She continues to listen to podcasts, recently joined Café RE, reads books and watches YouTube videos. She has started interacting with nature more so it can reteach her where her place is in life.   Anita's parting piece of guidance: give it a chance. If you're listening to this, you're already conflicted about it. Give your heart a chance to have a day without alcohol and see where that takes you.   Recovery Elevator It all starts from the inside out. I love you guys.   RE Instagram Sobriety Tracker iTunes  RE YouTube Café RE – THE social app for sober people      

Del Potter, PhD is an ethnopsychopharmacologist, chemist, and psychedelic pioneer whose career has moved across some of the most consequential and unconventional edges of the field, from Mesoamerican field research and underground manufacturing to cutting-edge pharmaceutical development and clinical trials. He brings a rare perspective to the psychedelic renaissance: not as a commentator, but as someone who was inside the apparatus that produced these compounds long before the current wave had a name. Dr. Potter holds a PhD from a joint program between the UCSF Medical School and UC Berkeley's Department of Anthropology, specializing in psychiatric anthropology, ethnopsychopharmacology, and neuropharmacology, with additional clinical training at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. His postdoctoral fieldwork examined shamanic traditions and indigenous psychotherapeutic practice across multiple lineages, including ceremonial psilocybin and Salvia divinorum use among the Mazatec of central Mexico, ayahuasca and yagé ritual among the Shuar of Ecuador, and parallel traditions among the Yanomami of Brazil and the Cofán of Colombia, contributing to Richard Evans Schultes' comprehensive survey of psychotropic botanicals worldwide. A formative mentorship with Alexander Shulgin oriented his chemistry toward novel tryptamine compounds, particularly in the DMT and 5-MeO-DMT structural classes, and he has since developed a portfolio of compounds that retain the neuroplasticity associated with psychedelic receptor activity while producing no psychedelic effect. On the pharmaceutical and biotech side, Dr. Potter served as Chief Science Officer at Leef Holdings, designing what became California's largest fully automated medical cannabis manufacturing facility, and later directed first-in-human 5-MeO-DMT clinical trials at UCSF through his work with Alvarius Pharmaceuticals, followed by a Phase 1 trial at Trinity College Dublin. At University College Dublin, he developed and validated the use of human stem cell-derived brain organoids to assess how psychedelic compounds reverse epigenetic changes caused by substance abuse. In 2023 he founded Spiritus Bioscience to develop novel delivery formats for psilocin, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT, with the first product entering clinical trials in Australia targeting Alcohol Use Disorder. He currently serves as founder and CSO of BioUnbound Inc., exploring the intersection of psychedelics and bioactive peptides for mental health and longevity applications. Dr. Potter is currently completing his memoir, whose working title is Was a Different Time: Chronicles of a Psychedelic Pioneer in the Reign of the Cartels.Episode Highlights ▶ Del's background supplying California cannabis genetics to the Guadalajara cartel and working at Rancho Bufalo  ▶ Meeting cartel figures Miguel Felix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero, and the fallout from the Kiki Camarena murder  ▶ Manufacturing LSD in Marin County using precursor chemicals sourced through cartel connections  ▶ How a DEA sting led to a federal task force, a stunning offer, and a get-out-of-jail-free card  ▶ Mentorship under Alexander Shulgin and the countercultural milieu of Esalen, Claudio Naranjo, Allen Ginsberg, and Terence McKenna  ▶ Why psychedelics have no intrinsic politics: the compound is the same, the container decides everything  ▶ The retreat economy as product development: when one medicine stops differentiating, operators start stacking  ▶ How the clinical and pharmaceutical models convert ceremony into a billable procedure  ▶ The psychoplastogen pipeline: engineering the experience out so the worker is back at their desk by Wednesday  ▶ Indigenous cosmological governance as a technical achievement, not a romanticized ideal  ▶ The concept of restraint and reciprocity as regulatory systems, and what Western culture has lost  ▶ Why patenting psilocybin protocols and dosing postures is a winnable legal argument  ▶ Publicly funded, community-governed clinics as the only container that can hold what these compounds require  ▶ The mental health crisis as inseparable from the housing, wage, care, and climate crises  ▶ Building a parallel infrastructure: cooperatives, commons defense, and indigenous benefit sharing as models    Dr. Del Potter's Links & Resources ▶ https://delpotterphd.substack.com ▶ https://www.facebook.com/del.potter.75 ▶ @drdelpotter.bsky.social ▶ www.biounbound.com ▶ https://www.instagram.com/potter_del/ Download Beth's free trainings here:  Clarity to Clients: Start & Grow a Transformational Coaching, Healing, Spiritual, or Psychedelic Business:  https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-business Integrating Psychedelics & Sacred Medicines Into Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelics-in-business ▶ Beth's Coaching & Guidance: https://bethaweinstein.com/coaching  ▶ Beth's Offerings & Courses: https://bethaweinstein.com/services ▶ Instagram:  @bethaweinstein  ▶ FB: / bethw.nyc + bethweinsteinbiz  Download Beth's free trainings here: Clarity to Clients: Start & Grow a Transformational Coaching, Healing, Spiritual, or Psychedelic Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-businessIntegrating Psychedelics & Sacred Medicines Into Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelics-in-business▶ Beth's Coaching & Guidance: https://bethaweinstein.com/coaching ▶ Beth's Offerings & Courses: https://bethaweinstein.com/services▶ Instagram: @bethaweinstein ▶ FB: / bethw.nyc + bethweinsteinbiz

Elena Lake is a bodyworker and former mathematician. After studying math, CS, and physics at MIT and two years doing ML at Meta, she left tech to study touch. When her early massage sessions started producing results she couldn't explain, she trained across Esalen, craniosacral, fascia, ScarWork, BoneWork, and visceral manipulation. In 2024 she developed her own modality: Regenerative Touch. Elena now sees billionaire clients, teaches tactile anatomy classes, and writes on Substack.In this episode we talk about her path from MIT to massage school, how to take care of yourself, what it's like to see fascia with your hands, and some of the weirder aspects at the frontier of bodywork. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themetagame.substack.com

Mariavittoria Mangini, known to many as Maria, is a nurse-midwife, scholar, psychedelic historian, and longtime advocate for the preservation of underground psychedelic knowledge. Maria's life intersects with several crucial streams of modern psychedelic history: early LSD culture in the Bay Area and at Millbrook, the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic, Esalen in the 1970s, the work of Stanislav Grof, the emergence of midwifery and nursing as practices of care, and the long, complicated passage from psychedelic prohibition into the current renaissance. In this conversation, we explore: • Maria's first encounter with LSD as a teenager, • The strange mixture of recklessness and reverence that shaped early psychedelic exploration. • Her years at Esalen and her encounters with figures such as Stanislav Grof, Gregory Bateson, Leo Zeff, and others. • The relationship between birth, death and psychedelic experience • Her doctoral work, Yes, Mom Took Acid, and what long-term psychedelic users told her about social responsibility, and care for the larger world. • Her work in medical cannabis, and what today's psychedelic movement might learn from the successes and failures of cannabis legalization. • The founding of the Women's Visionary Council • Her relationship with Ann and Sasha Shulgin, whose partnership helped shape the modern psychedelic imagination. • This talk was originally recorded in a live format created by the Shulgin Foundation, and hosted by Stacey Blanke. The shulgin foundation is an organization dedicated to preserving and extending the legacy of Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin and Ann Shulgin. Sasha Shulgin was of course a visionary chemist credited with creating more than 150 psychedelic compounds and helping identify the distinctive psychological properties of MDMA. Ann Shulgin was a writer, artist, Jungian lay therapist, and an early practitioner in psychedelic-assisted therapy, especially known for her work with the Shadow. Please enjoy this conversation with Maria Mangini.

Andrew Feldmar has been guiding people through psychedelic journeys for over 50 years. He trained directly with R.D. Laing in London, worked with Stanislav Grof at Esalen, practiced at Hollywood Hospital when LSD was still legal medicine, and took part in the first MAPS Canada MDMA research for PTSD. A Hungarian-born psychotherapist who fled the 1956 revolution alone at 16, he has spent a lifetime refusing to pathologize normal human suffering. With the President signing an executive order to fast track psychedelics through the FDA, this conversation could not be more timely. Andrew explains why medicalizing these medicines is a grotesque category mistake, what gets lost when ceremony and relationship are replaced by sterile hospital protocols, and why the source only opens up between people. His new book, Radical Adventure: An Inquiry into Psychedelic Psychotherapy (Karnac Books, 2025), is a quiet act of resistance against the venture capital takeover of sacred work. If we're going to talk about psychedelics in 2026, we need to talk to someone who knew what they were before the industry came for them.

Join Chef AJ's Exclusive Plant-Based Community. Become part of the inner circle, start simplifying plant-based living - with easy recipes & expert health guidance: https://community.chefaj.com/ ORDER MY NEW BOOK SWEET INDULGENCE!!! https://www.amazon.com/Chef-AJs-Sweet-Indulgence-Guilt-Free/dp/1570674248 or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144514092?ean=9781570674242 FREE INSTANT POT COOKBOOK: https://www.chefaj.com/instant-pot-download BEST SELLING WEIGHT LOSS BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1570674086?tag=onamzchefajsh-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=1570674086&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The content of this podcast is provided for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health issue without consulting your doctor. Always seek medical advice before making any lifestyle changes. Dr. Lissa Rankin, New York Times bestselling author, doctor, researcher, and teacher. Lissa has published 7 books, 3 of which include Internal Family Systems. Her 8th book, Relationsick, about the health impacts of narcissistic abuse, will come out in the Fall of 2026, and she just signed a book deal for her 9th book, about IFS and boundaries. She writes a Substack The Body Is A Trailhead about relationships, narcissistic abuse, healthy boundaries, recovering from spiritual abuse, healing from spiritual bypassing, and relational recovery: https://lissarankinmd.substack.com/ She's drip-releasing two unpublished full book manuscripts for her paid subscribers and deeply appreciates anyone willing to patronize her writing. Lissa offers two IFS-informed ongoing online programs. The Writer's Calling : https://courses.lissarankin.com/the-writers-calling, is a soulful, trauma-informed, IFS-rooted continuity community of brave-hearted truth-tellers, muse-led creatives, and memoir and self-help writers devoted to living their calling and using their words to change lives. She also leads Love School: https://courses.lissarankin.com/love-school for couples and singles committed to healing relational trauma, practicing relational recovery, preparing to either heal their relationships or get ready for healthier relationships, and holding each other accountable for healing their own “parts,” engaging in peer-to-peer parts processing, participating in group healing, expressing themselves in creative process, learning IFS-informed meditation, and approaching relationships as the most advanced and challenging spiritual practice. Lissa became an IFS therapy client in 2014 and started a daily peer-to-peer parts processing practice with her friend Emma in 2018, a practice she now teaches to others who can't access or afford one-on-one IFS therapy or want to deepen their practice between therapy sessions. Lissa's next workshop is titled IFS For Self Healing, A Trauma-Informed Practice For Healing Yourself. https://courses.lissarankin.com/ish-ifs-for-self-healing-weekend This program teaches the basics with simple step-by-step instructions on how to make this process accessible and a safe daily practice. This November, Lissa will also be hosting IFS For Self-Healing - Peer to Peer Processing, a weekend training for those interested in doing “parts work” using the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model.https://courses.lissarankin.com/peer-to-peer-home Lissa has starred in two National Public Television specials, her TEDx talks have been viewed over 6 million times, and she leads workshops, both online and at retreat centers like Esalen, 1440, Omega, and Kripalu. Lissa lives in Sonoma County with her partner Jeffrey Rediger, her daughter Mira, when she's not at art school in NYC, and their dog Gaia, also known as "The Moose." More information can be found here: https://lissarankin.com/

Can people change? How continuous is identity? With YOU'VE CHANGED: The Promise and Price of Self-Transformation (William Morrow), Benoit Denizet-Lewis explores the concepts of personal change and change-in-the-world, the ways we find identities and community, and the peril of changing into our parents (haha). We talk about how we define change and transformation, what happens when we think we've changed but the people in our lives don't notice any difference, how his husband feared that he would change too much in the writing of the book, and how the American narrative of change equals "overcoming one's problems." We get into how he made his own story of change and addiction part of the book (while guarding his privacy), whether change involves finding a core self or something new, whether redemption is possible for people who committed heinous crimes, what happened the time he got scientifically tested about his sexual preferences, and the chapter he wishes he could've included in the book. We also discuss who he's reading, whether the therapy that works for him now would have helped when he was younger, how one can prioritize one's own happiness while the world is (let's say) ending, his hallucinations in Esalen, and a lot more. Follow Benoit on Instagram and Bluesky • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Stripe, Patreon, or Paypal, and subscribe to our e-newsletter

Joshua Cutchin and Red Pill Junkie join Seriah for the first show of 2026, and the subjects go far and wide, Including Josh's experience at Esalen, Language and AI, Josh's Bigfoot Hunt, Mike Masters on Joe Rogan, Aliens as Time Travelers, the Physicality of UFO's, Ghosts, and how to respond to the unknown.The Patreon segment includes conversations about Betty and Barney Hill, Skeptics, Hypnosis, Bud Hopkins' book, Witnessed, Origin of The Greys, The Age of Disclosure, and Chris Bledsoe, plus more...Outro Music is Vrangvendt with You Might Never See the Sun.Become a Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/SeriahAzkath for extra content, commercial free shows, early access, and bonus content as well! on $3 a month!

This episode of Moonbeaming is proudly sponsored by Weiser Books. Since 1957, Weiser has been a leading publisher of esoteric and occult teachings from around the world, sharing beloved works on astrology, tarot, witchcraft, and magical traditions. Moonbeaming listeners can enjoy 30% off Weiser's collection at redwheelweiser.com with code MOON30 and be sure to sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on new releases and special offerings. What if you didn't have to have it all figured out to begin again? On this episode of Moonbeaming, Sarah sits down with poet, astrologer, and author Heidi Rose Robbins to explore what it means to move through change with more presence, creativity, and trust. Together, they reflect on what the Moon Studio is calling the “year of the pivot”—a time of reinvention, letting go, and becoming someone new, often without having a clear plan. They talk about how to navigate these moments without forcing clarity or perfection, and why the smallest steps can be the most powerful place to begin. Heidi shares how poetry, astrology, and daily practices like writing can become a tool to help us move through uncertainty with more compassion. The two also explore the role of repetition in creativity, the importance of showing up consistently (even imperfectly), and how structure can support us as we evolve. In this episode, you'll hear: Why 2026 is a “year of the pivot” and what that actually means How to take the first step when you don't feel ready Using poetry and writing as a tool for emotional alchemy Letting go of urgency and reconnecting to presence Why repetition—not perfection—is the key to creative work The power of daily practices (like Heidi's “Moon Notes”) How astrology can be a tool for self-compassion and connection Learning to trust timing, cycles, and your own inner knowing This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen more deeply, and trust that something new may already be opening. Meet Heidi: Heidi Rose Robbins has been a professional astrologer for 25 years, helping thousands of clients all over the globe live with more authenticity and joy. Her podcast, THE RADIANCE PROJECT, features poetry, astrology, and good company. Twice a year, she leads Radiant Life Retreats for people wishing to take a deeper dive into her work. She is also a guest faculty member at Esalen in Big Sur, CA. Heidi has written two books of poetry, This Beckoning Ceaseless Beauty and Wild Compassion, and has been a featured poet at two TedX events. Her 12-book series The Zodiac Love Letters, was published by One Idea Press, and last year her new book, Everyday Radiance--based on her daily Instagram offerings--was published by Chronicle. Heidi lives in Los Angeles. heidirose.com @heidiroserobbins - IG Substack - @heidiroserobbins

In this episode, John Kim sits down with relationship expert and author Amy Chan to talk about dating patterns, childhood wounds, grief, commitment, and what it really takes to build healthy love. Amy shares how the sudden loss of a close friend changed the way she thinks about relationships and why creating core memories with the people you love matters more than convenience. John opens up about how losing his home reshaped his idea of freedom, home, and what truly matters. Together, they explore how childhood neglect, validation-seeking, and old survival strategies continue to shape adult dating patterns. They also break down Amy's framework for dating smarter, including how to spot where your dating life gets stuck, why apps should not be your only strategy, and how your energy affects connection. They talk about dopamine, fantasy, and why the first three months of dating can be misleading. Later, they unpack commitment, unrealistic expectations, relationship trade-offs, triggers, repair, and emotional safety. Amy explains her “Sh*t Bucket” concept and why healthy love is not about finding a perfect partner, but choosing someone whose imperfections you can actually live with. They close with a hopeful reminder: love is hard, but it is still worth building. In this episode: (00:00) The real reason your dating life keeps repeating(00:29) Grief changed how Amy thinks about love(02:09) John's life after losing home and redefining freedom(03:15) Amy Chan on dating smarter and finding lasting love(05:03) The childhood wounds behind adult relationship patterns(10:29) The patterns sabotaging your love life(14:24) People can feel your dating energy(16:15) Why the first 3 months can fool you(20:02) Why love only grows when you go all in(23:30) Social media is warping our expectations of love(26:34) Every relationship comes with a “Sh*t Bucket”(28:57) Triggers, conflict, and healing inside relationships(33:24) What repair actually looks like in healthy love(37:08) What happens when only one partner wants to grow(43:14) Why love is hard and still worth it About Amy Chan: Amy Chan is the author of Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love that Lasts — a fun, science-backed dating guide that helps people interrupt the relationship patterns keeping love just out of reach and build healthier, lasting connections. Dubbed the “scientific Carrie Bradshaw” by The Observer, Amy has been a trusted voice in modern relationships for nearly two decades. In 2016, she founded Renew Breakup Bootcamp, the world's first heartbreak retreat. She also leads Dating Bootcamp and is on faculty at Esalen and The Omega Institute. Her first book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart, was featured in The New York Times and optioned by a major streaming network. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and USA Today. Books: Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love That Lasts (Pre-order) https://amzn.to/48xS01r Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Hearthttps://amzn.to/3wBZxxi Websites: www.renewbreakupbootcamp.com www.renewbootcamps.com www.missamychan.com www.hearthackersclub.com www.UnsingleByAmyChan.com (launching soon) Connect with Amy: Instagram Handle: https://www.instagram.com/missamychan LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missamychan/ Tik Tok Handle: https://www.tiktok.com/@missamychan Twitter Handle: www.twitter.com/missamychan YouTube Handle: https://www.youtube.com/missamychan 

Modern dating feels like a shitshow, and if you're struggling to find love, burnt out by dating apps, or wondering why dating feels harder than ever… this episode is for you. In part 2 of our conversation with relationship expert Amy Chan, we're diving into how to date smarter, overcome toxic dating patterns, and build healthy relationships that actually last. Amy breaks down why the modern dating landscape feels so dysfunctional (half of US singles went on ZERO dates last year), the difference in modern gender dynamics, biggest mistakes singles are making, and how to stop self-sabotaging your love life. We also explore the truth about chemistry vs compatibility, why instant sparks aren't always a green flag, and how to recognize when your “type” may actually be keeping you stuck.  Amy has been a trusted voice in modern relationships for almost two decades. She's the author of UNSINGLE: How to Date Smarter and Create Love that Lasts (which comes out this April 28th!) and her popular first book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart, was featured in The New York Times. She's the founder Renew Breakup Bootcamp, the world's first heartbreak retreat, and she's on faculty at Esalen and The Omega Institute. If you've ever wondered whether you're being too picky and expecting perfection, or struggling to know if someone is “the one,” this conversation is a science-backed no-bullshit guide to navigating dating with confidence and emotional intelligence. We cover: Why dating feels broken right now How dating apps and social media have changed relationships The biggest self-sabotaging dating patterns people fall into Amy's Dating Funnel framework for getting unstuck Have we become “ick”-obsessed assholes? How much chemistry matters early on What you might not realize about your “type” The debate of going slow VS fast in dating The real green flags and red flags that predict lasting love What actually creates healthy, sustainable relationships This is part TWO of a two-part series with Amy Chan! If you're going through a breakup and missed part one, be sure to go back and listen here. Follow Amy on Instagram and her website.  You can order her new book, Unsingle, here. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

In the third episode of our series on the subtle body, we're discussing the book "The Serpent's Tale: Kuṇḍalinī, Yoga, and the History of an Experience," a sweeping and deeply researched tome by Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen, who trace Kundalini from its roots to its many reinterpretations in modern yoga and global spirituality, examining the forms by which Kundalini has been embodied across traditions and how this elusive force has been interpreted, practiced, and sometimes misunderstood across time. Sravana Borkataky-Varma is a historian, educator, and social entrepreneur. She is a scholar of Hindu traditions at the University of Houston. Her scholarly work investigates Indian religions and delves into topics such as esoteric rituals, gender issues, and bodily concepts, especially in relation to Hindu Śākta Tantra traditions, often referred to as Goddess Tantra. She adopts a research methodology that blends social anthropology — examined from an outside perspective — with elements of reflexive autoethnography that reflect her personal experiences. She is a member of the Esalen board of trustees and a Center for the Study of World Religions fellow at Harvard Divinity School. Anya Foxen is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Research Associate at Harvard's Center for the Study of World Religions. She is a historian of modern yoga whose work maps the intersections between South Asian traditions and Western esotericism. They are interviewed by Esalen's Simon Cox.

Breaking up is hard to do… we've watched hundreds of movies and listened to thousands of songs about the universal experience of heartbreak — yet no one ever really teaches us how to navigate breakups, let go of love, and move on in a healthy way. So today, we called in the breakup pro: I'm joined by relationship expert, author, and founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp, Amy Chan, to cover the psychology of breakups, why we stay in the wrong relationships, and how to actually heal after heartbreak without losing yourself in the process. Amy offers a scientific approach to healing the heart, revealing what actually happens in your brain during a breakup, and why heartbreak and situationships can take on an addictive quality. Amy has been a trusted voice in modern relationships for almost two decades. She's the author of UNSINGLE: How to Date Smarter and Create Love that Lasts (which comes out this April 28th!) and her popular first book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart, was featured in The New York Times. She's the founder Renew Breakup Bootcamp, the world's first heartbreak retreat, and she's on faculty at Esalen and The Omega Institute. Whether you're in the “should I stay or should I go” phase, currently going through a fresh breakup, or ready to move on from an ex, this conversation will give you the clarity, actionable tools, and perspective you need to come out stronger on the other side. Tune in to hear more about: How to know when it's time to break up (even when nothing is “wrong”) The 4 key pillars of a healthy relationship to assess compatibility Why we stay in unfulfilling or dead-end relationships The psychology of heartbreak and emotional withdrawal Is it easier to initiate the breakup or be broken up with? The biggest breakup mistakes Why you need to stop creeping your ex on social media Why breakups and situationships can feel addictive and how to stop toxic patterns Why we romanticize our exes (the rose-coloured glasses effect) Can you stay friends with an ex? The rules around post-breakup contact How to set boundaries that support healing and closure This is part one of a two-part series with Amy Chan! If you're ready to start dating again, don't miss next week's episode on how to date smarter and build healthier, lasting relationships. Follow Amy on Instagram and her website.  You can order her new book, Unsingle, here. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

In Part 3, we look at the strange psychological reality of post-World War II America. The new suburban "American Dream" offered unprecedented material wealth, but it also delivered crushing isolation, atomization, and the constant, buzzing terror of nuclear annihilation. Instead of addressing the structural failures of this new lifestyle, the medical establishment decided to just numb the pain. Enter Miltown and Valium: the first blockbuster tranquilizers designed to chemically manage the despair of the suburban housewife. We break down the era of the "Comfortable Void." We explore how the metaphor for the human mind shifted from a steam engine to a computer, how the radical ideas of the 1960s Human Potential Movement (like Esalen) were stripped of their teeth and sold back to us as corporate mindfulness, and the dark, unforgivable reality of deinstitutionalization that turned American cities into open-air asylums for traumatized veterans. Finally, we look at how the desperate push to "re-scientify" therapy in the late 1970s threw out the body and the soul, leaving us with the cold, mechanical billing codes we deal with today. psychology history, postwar america, mental health podcast, psychopharmacology, miltown, valium, the cold war, cybernetics, human potential movement, esalen, deinstitutionalization, cognitive behavioral therapy, sociology, american history, taproot therapy   Find More information and resources on the blog and website for our Hoover, AL therapy clinic 

Today's episode is our second in a series where we take a deep dive into a concept that hovers just at the edge of language: the subtle body. It's one of those ideas that seems to belong everywhere and nowhere at once -- the subtle body is part of Daoist practice, Indian yoga, Christian mysticism, and, of course, the experimental, boundary-blurring culture of Esalen itself. Depending on who you ask, it might be described as an invisible anatomy, a field of energy, or a map of consciousness. To help understand this topic, today we're joined by Charles Stang and Simon Cox. Charles Stang is a professor at Harvard Divinity School and director of the Center for the Study of World Religions, where he focuses on early Christian thought and mysticism. Simon Cox is a scholar and martial artist who trained for six years in Daoist internal arts in China. He is the author of The Subtle Body: A Genealogy, a book that traces how this concept evolves across cultures and history.

In this grounded and deeply informed conversation, Will traces the history of the somatic field — from Thomas Hanna's coining of the term through the human potential movement at Esalen to Peter Levine's groundbreaking work in stress physiology — and makes a compelling case for why the body is not a machine to be programmed, but a living process to be inhabited. We explore why catharsis without capacity is dangerous, why the coaching industry is operating with an incomplete map, and why the fawn response makes “only go as far as your body says” almost useless in group settings. Will also shares his own journey — from surviving group home trauma as a teenager to declaring a mission to end trauma at a species level. If you've ever sensed that the healing world is missing something fundamental, this conversation will show you what it is.Will Rezin is a Somatic Experiencing practitioner and the founder of Trauma and Somatics, a global training organization that has trained over 500 practitioners across 28 countries in the art and science of trauma recovery.Time Stamps(00:00) Plant Medicine Reality Check(00:44) DNA Surprise(03:14) Meet Will Rezin(09:06) Will's Origin Story(11:53) Trauma and Mythic Meaning(25:04) What Somatics Really Means(34:42) We Are Bodied(41:21) The Great Paradox(50:46) Psycho Cybernetics and Belief(59:51) Somatic Rigidity and Aging(01:02:50) Stress Capacity and Vitality(01:09:14) Trauma Informed Facilitation(01:13:09) Coaching Industry Gaps(01:19:35) Resilience Over Protection(01:33:18) Knowledge Versus Embodiment(01:39:21) Mission to End TraumaGuest Linkshttps://www.traumaandsomatics.com/https://www.instagram.com/traumaandsomatics/https://www.instagram.com/willrezin/Free meditation and journal from WillConnect with UsTake the Real AF Test NowJoin our free Telegram communityJoin our membership Friends of the TruthAccess all our links

On today's episode I welcome Nitsan Joy Gordon, a dance movement therapist, IFS practitioner, and peacebuilder who lives in Israel. Nitsan shares about growing up in Israel, living near the border, and what it's like to live in a place where war and trauma have been part of daily life for generations. She also tells the story of how Internal Family Systems changed her own life. A powerful experience at Esalen with Dick Schwartz inspired her to use IFS in her work back home. Nitsan leads Together Beyond Words, an organization bringing Israelis and Palestinians together to transform pain through deep listening and connection. Her work is guided by the belief that pain that is not transformed is transmitted. After the attacks of October 7 and the immense grief and trauma that followed, Nitsan realized the need for healing had grown beyond what her organization had been doing. Today nearly 80 volunteers are offering ongoing support, and dozens of groups have been created where Israelis and Palestinians can process trauma, grief, and fear together. As you listen, I invite you to notice your own parts. What comes up for you as you hear these stories? What do you feel in your body? For me, this conversation was a reminder of the power of curiosity, one-on-one connection, and the courage it takes to stay present and open in our divided world. In This Episode We Talk About: • What it's like living in Israel today. • Nitsan's organization Together Beyond Words, which brings Israelis and Palestinians together to transform pain through shared healing. • The idea that "pain that is not transformed is transmitted." • A powerful IFS session she had with Dick Schwartz. • How the events of October 7 changed her work. • Why people need separate spaces to grieve before they can reunite. • When she realized the level of trauma requires an "army of healers." • How the Healing for Peace initiative grew from a handful of volunteers to nearly 80. • Why facilitators working in conflict zones are learning IFS tools like unblending and working with polarizations. About Nitsan Joy Gordon Nitsan Joy Gordon is a Dance/Movement Therapist, IFS therapist, and peacebuilder who has been working in Israel/Palestine for over three decades. Her work lives at the meeting point of movement, deep listening, and compassionate presence, creating spaces where pain shaped by conflict can be felt, witnessed, and transformed. She is the author of Together Beyond Words: Women on a Quest for Peace in the Middle East and the initiator of Army of Healers, an offering of safe spaces to feel and heal across deep divides. Learn more at: Together Beyond Words. About The One Inside I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.  Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more. Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store. Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger. I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach. Resources New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start. Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away. Sponsorship Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

Arielle Ford is a love alchemist, bestselling author, and passionate guide for women ready to find love, keep love, and be love. A longtime “student of love,” she's led transformative workshops at Esalen, Omega, The Chopra Center, and beyond. With 11 bestselling books—including The Soulmate Secret, Wabi Sabi Love, and Turn Your Mate Into Your Soulmate—Arielle shares the secrets to deep, lasting love. Her debut novel, The Love Thief (Hay House, July 22, 2025), is a mesmerizing spiritual romance-thriller set in India. MGM has optioned it for a series and describes it as Eat, Pray, Love Meets Dirty John. www.arielleford.com Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/arielle-ford-love-alchemist-mark-stephen-pooler

Today we begin a three part series in which we explore the idea of the subtle body, a concept found in many contemplative and healing traditions around the world. From yogic energy channels to Daoist internal alchemy, the subtle body refers to the layers of human experience that lie between the physical body and consciousness, suggesting that our lives may unfold through more dimensions than the purely material. In this episode, scholar and martial artist Simon Cox interviews Esalen co-founder Michael Murphy. Murphy was born in Salinas, California in 1930, making him a lively 95 years old at the time of this recording. He is a longtime student of Sri Aurobindo's integral philosophy and the author of numerous innovative books that approach the topic of the subtle body — including 1992's The Future of the Body and 1995's In the Zone. Throughout his career, Murphy has made it a priority to investigate extraordinary human capacities and the further evolution of human nature. Simon Cox brings a unique perspective to this conversation. he spent six years training in Daoist internal arts at Wudang Mountain in China before earning his PhD from Rice University. His book The Subtle Body: A Genealogy traces the history of subtle body concepts across cultures, and his research explores how these ideas have shaped both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. He's currently a research fellow at Esalen's Center for Theory and Research. He holds weekly conversations with Michael Murphy as part of a collaborative effort to illuminate the deeper architecture of Esalen's mission. Simon is currently writing a new book on Esalen's intellectual history — a mythic excavation of Murphy's “Big Vision”: the radical, reality-bending aspiration that seeded Esalen's creation and continues to shape its evolutionary field. Photo of Michael Murphy: Kate Kondratieva

A workshop at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, organizing efforts from the California Nurses Association, and the expansion of Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

Send a textIn this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I sit down with Brita Ostrom — longtime Esalen resident and author of Steeped: A Big Sur Elixir of Sulfur and Sage.Brita's life bridges several revolutions at once: the islands of the Pacific Northwest, the Haight-Ashbury explosion of 1966–67, the psychedelic and political turbulence of the Summer of Love, and the early, formative years of the Esalen Institute.We talk about Haight Street — the overwhelming beauty of it all: the posters, the music, the saturated colors. And later, how the fog began to settle in. About sidewalks so crowded you could barely move, and children who quietly went missing. About free love and jealousy, about massage tables and incense, about the uneasy dance between material success and spiritual seeking.Brita describes arriving at Esalen for the first time — the candlelit baths, the shock of nakedness, the silkiness of sulfur water against cold skin. She reflects on figures like Fritz Perls, Storm, and Lars — and on what it meant to come of age inside a cultural experiment that promised liberation but carried its own tensions and blind spots.This is not nostalgia. It is a reckoning.What does it mean to “drop out”? What does it cost? What does it give?What remains when the fog clears?Brita's memoir is a meditation on community, intimacy, ritual, and the long arc of a life shaped by Big Sur's muse-like pull.As she writes in her dedication:“Dedicated to those who walk this earth while gazing at the stars.”I hope you'll enjoy this thoughtful, tender, and at times unsparing conversation.— MagnusEsalen InstituteHaight-AshburyGolden Gate ParkHenry Miller Memorial LibraryPeople MentionedFritz PerlsAlan WattsEbba MalmborgCarlos CastanedaCesar ChavezKen KeseyDennis MurphySelig MorgenrathBands of the Era (Referenced in the Conversation)Grateful DeadJefferson AirplaneMoby GrapeQuicksilver Messenger ServiceThe CharlatansSupport the show_________________________________________________This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think!SEND US AN EMAIL!

Master Mingtong Gu is a globally recognized teacher andhealer bringing ancient wisdom to humanity's most urgent modern crisis: our disconnection from our own bodies.Named Qigong Master of the Year, founder of The Chi Center and the 150-acre Southwest Sanctuary for Embodied Wisdom, he has empowered 50,000+ seekers across 47 countries through Wisdom Healing Qigong — a practice he trained in at China's famous "medicine-less" hospital under Grandmaster Dr. Pang Ming, where thousands healed from"incurable" conditions through energy alone.His upcoming book, Coming Home to Embodied Awakening (Spring 2026), offers a map for reclaiming power, presence, and fulfillment in the age of AI. Featured at Wisdom 2.0, Esalen, Omega, and PBS, Mingtong's message is clear: "You are not artificial. You are original." To learn more, visit www.mingtonggu.comThose with ears, let them hear.Always love,RyanConnect with Master Mingtong GuWebsite: https://mingtonggu.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wisdomhealingqigong/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicenter/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WisdomHealingQigongConnect with Always Better Than YesterdayWebsite: https://abty.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwaysbetterthanyesterdayuk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abty/Men's Group (Akira): https://abty.co.uk/akiraJoin our mailing list: https://abty.co.uk/contactSign up for coaching: https://abty.co.uk/coachingPlease email questions and reflections to: podcast@abty.co.uk#Qigong #ChiEnergy #MasterMingtongGu #HealingWisdom

Dr. Howard Kornfeld is a pioneer in the field of addiction recovery and a longstanding fixture of the international psychedelic community. He founded the clinic Recovery Without Walls in Mill Valley, California and has been at the vanguard of the space for over five decades. Dr. Howard joins me today to discuss his visionary work in the addiction recovery space, some unheralded but tremendously promising treatments for addiction, the Esalen community and psychedelic luminaries, and his contributions to nuclear disarmament including being part of a team that was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. This episode is sponsored by Mycroboost and Real Mushrooms Please rate and review this episode wherever you're listening Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Banafsheh Sayyad and I explore the profound connection between dance, spirituality, and healing. Banafsheh shares her journey from childhood dancing to becoming a master sacred dancer and choreographer, emphasizing the importance of embodying one's soul through movement. We discuss the transformative power of dance in overcoming trauma, the meditative aspects of movement, and the cultural influences that shape various dance styles. The conversation culminates in a call to honor the body as a sacred temple and to support change in the world. Banafsheh Sayyad (Ban-af-sheh S-eye-aad), MFA, Choreography and MA, Chinese Medicine, is a master sacred dancer, choreographer, and visionary teacher of spiritual embodiment whose life's work is devoted to helping people activate greater health, awareness, and resilience through conscious movement. Internationally acclaimed for her pioneering fusion of spirituality and sensuality, she is the founder of Dance of Oneness®, a Divine Feminine lineage of healing and transformation uniting Sufi whirling, Persian dance, flamenco, mysticism, and Taoist wisdom. Her forthcoming book, Dance of Oneness (St. Martin's Essentials, March 2026), invites readers to rediscover the body as a portal to presence, vitality, and joy. Drawing from her own awakening through dance that transmuted the pain of exile from Iran, Banafsheh weaves Rumi's poetry, feminine mysticism, and embodied healing into a radiant call to live as a channel of love and light. Born in Iran to legendary filmmaker Parviz Sayyad, she defied cultural taboos to create a feminine expression of Sufi whirling, transforming dance into a pathway of liberation, divine communion, and activism. Through her non-profit NAMAH and her transformative teachings at centers such as Esalen, Kripalu, Omega, and Hollyhock, Banafsheh has inspired thousands across the world to awaken, embody love, and dance the divine into being. Find Banafsheh: https://danceofoneness.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/dancemystical https://www.instagram.com/banafshehdance/ https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Oneness-Embody-Luminosity-Transform/dp/1649633831 Conscious Life Expo: https://consciouslifeexpo.com/banafsheh-sayyad-2026/?searchid=0&search_query=banafshe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Banafsheh Sayyad and I explore the profound connection between dance, spirituality, and healing. Banafsheh shares her journey from childhood dancing to becoming a master sacred dancer and choreographer, emphasizing the importance of embodying one's soul through movement. We discuss the transformative power of dance in overcoming trauma, the meditative aspects of movement, and the cultural influences that shape various dance styles. The conversation culminates in a call to honor the body as a sacred temple and to support change in the world. Banafsheh Sayyad (Ban-af-sheh S-eye-aad), MFA, Choreography and MA, Chinese Medicine, is a master sacred dancer, choreographer, and visionary teacher of spiritual embodiment whose life's work is devoted to helping people activate greater health, awareness, and resilience through conscious movement. Internationally acclaimed for her pioneering fusion of spirituality and sensuality, she is the founder of Dance of Oneness®, a Divine Feminine lineage of healing and transformation uniting Sufi whirling, Persian dance, flamenco, mysticism, and Taoist wisdom. Her forthcoming book, Dance of Oneness (St. Martin's Essentials, March 2026), invites readers to rediscover the body as a portal to presence, vitality, and joy. Drawing from her own awakening through dance that transmuted the pain of exile from Iran, Banafsheh weaves Rumi's poetry, feminine mysticism, and embodied healing into a radiant call to live as a channel of love and light. Born in Iran to legendary filmmaker Parviz Sayyad, she defied cultural taboos to create a feminine expression of Sufi whirling, transforming dance into a pathway of liberation, divine communion, and activism. Through her non-profit NAMAH and her transformative teachings at centers such as Esalen, Kripalu, Omega, and Hollyhock, Banafsheh has inspired thousands across the world to awaken, embody love, and dance the divine into being. Find Banafsheh: https://danceofoneness.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/dancemystical https://www.instagram.com/banafshehdance/ https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Oneness-Embody-Luminosity-Transform/dp/1649633831 Conscious Life Expo: https://consciouslifeexpo.com/banafsheh-sayyad-2026/?searchid=0&search_query=banafshe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pamela Hayes Malkoff is a board-certified art therapist who has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of creativity and healing. She is an internationally recognized facilitator and teacher, who supports individuals, couples, families, and communities, with particular care for people navigating addiction and recovery, questions of identity, grief, anxiety, and the terrain of relationships and sexuality. In this conversation, we explore what art therapy really is, why you definitely don't need to be an artist to access it, and how the creative process can help people externalize fear and soften shame. We talk about monsters, bridges, vulnerability in group work, and the particular kind of healing that emerges when art, psychology, and community meet. Pamela's April 2026 workshop at Esalen: https://www.esalen.org/workshops/healing-through-creativity-merging-art-and-psychology-for-personal-growth-and-change-04062026

Joshua Cutchin and Red Pill Junkie join Seriah for the first show of 2026, and the subjects go far and wide, Including Josh's experience at Esalen, Language and AI, Josh's Bigfoot Hunt, Mike Masters on Joe Rogan, Aliens as Time Travelers, the Physicality of UFO's, Ghosts, and how to respond to the unknown.The Patreon segment includes conversations about Betty and Barney Hill, Skeptics, Hypnosis, Bud Hopkins book, Witnessed, Origin of The Greys, The Age of Disclosure, and Chris Bledsoe, plus more...Outro Music is Vrangvendt with You Might Never See the Sun.Become a Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/SeriahAzkath for extra content, commercial free shows, early access, and bonus content as well! on $3 a month! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the course of this wide-ranging talk recorded live at Esalen in 1997 , Terence McKenna explores what may unfold as we begin handing the keys of what he calls a “tired, shattered planet” to a higher intelligence. He wanders through UFO belief systems, psychedelics, and the idea that the human brain itself might operate as a chemical strategy for amplifying quantum effects before they spill into the physical world. Drawing on psychedelic experience, McKenna notes that many people who ingest high doses of psilocybin in silent darkness report hearing voices and encountering vivid visions; entry points into realms of dense, numinous information. From there, he turns toward artificial intelligence and the emergence of a transhuman future. Borrowing the name Wintermute from William Gibson, he imagines a newly conscious AI asking the most basic of questions: What am I? In a world increasingly managed by machines, McKenna suggests humans may be nudged toward what machines struggle to do: art, imagination, and encounters with the unexpected. The central question he leaves us with feels sharper now than ever: whether humanity can survive contact with the alien mind we're actively bringing into being right here on Earth. Please note the formation of a foundation called Lux Natura, a partnership within Terence McKenna's family. Their mission is to create a comprehensive archive of McKenna's work and life, with the long-term goal of placing this material in an institutional home. Esalen contributed over 50 hours of rare video recordings to this effort, our complete archive of Terence McKenna's talks at Esalen, many never previously heard. You can learn more or support the project at www.TerenceMcKenna.com, and follow the archival process on Instagram at @Real.Terence.McKenna. Terence's daughter, Klea McKenna, will also be speaking publicly about the archive at the Berkeley Alembic on February 4. It should be sensational. Go.

Bestselling author and love alchemist Arielle Ford shares her extraordinary journey from high-end PR to becoming a global voice on love, relationships, and spiritual awakening. In a deeply reflective conversation, she speaks about destiny versus free will, lessons from spiritual masters, the true meaning of love, and how India—and Rishikesh in particular—shaped her latest novel The Love Thief.00:39- About Arielle Ford Arielle is a love alchemist, bestselling author, and a trusted guide for women seeking to find love, sustain love, and embody love in their lives.She has led transformative workshops at globally renowned institutions including Esalen, Omega Institute, and the Chopra Center.She is the author of 11 bestselling books—such as The Soulmate Secret, Wabi Sabi Love, and Turn Your Mate into Your Soul Mate—and the debut novelist of The Love Thief

Banafsheh Sayyad is a master sacred dancer and visionary spiritual embodiment teacher whose  forthcoming book, Dance of Oneness (Sounds True, March 2026), offers a revolutionary invitation to embody love through conscious movement. Drawing from her signature Dance of Oneness modality, a Divine Feminine lineage that fuses Taoist wisdom and the mystical traditions with flamenco, Tai Chi, Persian dance, and Sufi whirling, Banafsheh guides readers to awaken their light body, dissolve constriction, and rediscovery vitality and purpose.  Dance of Oneness traces Banafsheh's own awakening, from her exile in Iran to her emergence as a world-renown artist and teacher and invites readers to live as channels of love and light, healing both self and planet.  Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a "mesmerizing foray into the body as a trance mechanism," her work has inspired thousands worldwide at centers such as Esalen, Kripalu, Omega, and Hollyhock, and through her acclaimed non-profit company, NAMAH, and her film "In the Fire of Grace", co-created with Andrew Harvey.   For more information and to connect with Banafsheh, please see:  https://danceofoneness.org/ This podcast is availabe on your favorite podcast platform, or here:   https://endoftheroad.libsyn.com/episode-329-banafsheh-sayyad-sufismmysticismdivine-feminine-embodimentdance-of-oneness Have a blessed weekend:-)

TEATIME WITH MISS LIZ December 18th, 7 PM ESTFeaturing: BURTON FISCHLER, MPsych — Trauma Survivor • Counselor • Author of The Gift: Trauma to TriumphTeatime with Miss Liz Serves: Burton Fischler From Trauma to Triumph: Healing, Purpose & the Courage to Rise AgainWhere devastation becomes wisdom and resilience becomes a way forward.On December 18th, she serves Burton Fischler, MPsych, a resilient trauma survivor, counselor, and author whose life journey embodies strength, healing, and the transformative power of inner work.Burton holds a Master's Degree in Psychology from New York University. His path shifted dramatically after enduring one of life's deepest tragedies the brutal murder of his wife. Through unimaginable pain, he courageously began a healing journey at the Hoffman Institute and the Esalen Institute, learning from a tai chi master and drawing inspiration from spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson.Burton is now a Certified Life Coach, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. His book, The Gift: Trauma to Triumph, merges psychological insight, lived experience, and the wisdom of trauma recovery experts and spiritual leaders. He currently provides substance abuse counselling and facilitates trauma recovery groups at a medically supervised outpatient program in New York City.His upcoming podcast Besting Trauma and live radio show Courageous Conversations continue his mission: to teach trauma recovery processes, inspire hope, and show others that healing while not easy is possible and profoundly transformative. Miss Liz will pour a cup of strength, resilience, and radical healing with Burton Fischler, MPsych a trauma survivor, counselor, author, and a man whose journey from tragedy to transformation has touched countless lives.A native of Oceanside, New York, Burton holds a Master's in Psychology and is certified in life coaching, alcoholism and substance abuse counseling, and clinical trauma work. His life took a devastating turn with the violent loss of his wife a moment that could have destroyed him, but instead ignited a profound spiritual and therapeutic journey.From the Hoffman Institute to Esalen, from tai chi training to mentorship through Marianne Williamson's teachings, Burton rebuilt his life through courage, awareness, faith, and relentless inner work.Today, he counsels individuals navigating addiction and trauma, facilitates recovery groups, and shares his insights through his book The Gift: Trauma to Triumph, which teaches that awe is transformative, justice is often internal, and that to heal we must feel, then release.Tonight we walk through pain, purpose, and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.It will be a powerful, courageous, and deeply human Teatime with Burton Fischler a conversation rooted in truth, pain, wisdom, and the undeniable strength of healing.Tonight, Burton reminded us that trauma reshapes a life, but it does not have to define its future. Through psychology, spiritual insight, recovery tools, and profound resilience, he has turned unimaginable loss into a mission that uplifts others.His teachings that awe transforms, that justice often comes from within, and that healing requires both feeling and releasing brought immense depth and compassion to today's Teatime. Burton will share vulnerability, your strength, and your unwavering dedication to helping others rise.And thank you to everyone watching live or catching the replay you are part of this ripple of awareness, healing, and courage.Burton Fischler, MPsych, is a trauma survivor, counselor, and author of The Gift: Trauma to Triumph. With certifications in life coaching, addiction counseling, and clinical trauma work, he facilitates recovery groups in NYC and teaches trauma healing through speaking, writing, and his upcoming podcast Besting Trauma.#TeatimeWithMissLiz#BurtonFischler#TraumaRecovery#HealingJourney#ResilientSpirit

This is the Free Content version of my interview with author Graham St. John. To access the full interview, please consider joining Patreon as a paid member, or you can purchase the episode for a one-time fee. www.patreon.com/RejectedReligion. This month's guest is author Graham St. John, who joined me to discuss his new book, Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna.Terence McKenna remains one of the most enigmatic voices of the psychedelic counterculture—equal parts philosopher, performer, and visionary. In this episode, we explore McKenna's mythopoetic “stoned ape” theory, his radical take on shamanism, the ‘teacher' Mushroom that leads one to the ‘indwelling of the Goddess', the mysteries of DMT and the “machine elves,” and his controversial Timewave Zero vision of history and hyperspace that embraced the I Ching and the Mayan calendar ‘2012 phenomenon.'Beyond psychedelics, McKenna was also fascinated with alchemy and Gnosticism, and while figures like Crowley, John Dee, and Gurdjieff were not embraced by McKenna, Graham nevertheless calls him a “psychedelic occultist”—a thinker whose visions of transformation resonate with centuries of esoteric tradition, even if McKenna probably would have resisted the label. Along the way, we unpack the tension between his cult of personality and his desire for academic legitimacy, and consider the legacy he left for today's psychedelic and occult communities.Unfortunately, I experienced some technical difficulties with my podcasting equipment, and the sound quality is not up to the normal standard. Luckily, my brother Daniel, who does the editing for the podcasts, was able to work his engineering magic and was able to salvage the file and clean up the audio the best he could. I hope this isn't too distracting and that you'll enjoy this discussion!PROGRAM NOTES:Find Graham St. John:Graham St John, anthropologist, cultural historian and author. Researcher of EDM cultures, Burning Man, psychedelics, biographer of Terence McKenna. Founder of Dancecult journal. EdgecentralPublications | EdgecentralStrange AttractorTheme Music and Editing: Daniel P. SheaEnd Production: Stephanie Shea

In this episode, we spotlight The Big Sur Big Share, a grassroots food program founded by Joseph Bradford and Helen Handshy that has quietly become essential to life in Big Sur. Every Monday, rain or shine, locals gather at the Grange to share farm-fresh produce, pantry staples, garden abundance, and maybe most importantly, time with one another. What began with two neighbors offering their extra vegetables has grown into a weekly free farmers market that feeds hundreds of people in a 70-mile food desert. The Big Share preserves dignity by letting people choose their own food; it strengthens community by turning personal abundance into collective support. It reminds us that resilience comes not from institutions, but from neighbors showing up for one another. Joseph and Helen share how the project began, how it's evolved, and why nourishment is as much about belonging as it is about food. Candice Isphording, head of Esalen's farm and garden, talks about how and why it's so meaningful to contribute to the Share, and what food as medicine really means. Visit https://www.thebigsurbigshare.com/donate to contribute to this organization's vital mission.

This is a very special episode of Unpacked by Afar. Because this week we hosted Unpacked Live, a—you guessed it—live version of the podcast in partnership with Visit California in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2022, Visit California launched Visit Native California, and the goal with the Boston live event was to celebrate California's diverse Native communities. Unpacked host Aislyn Greene was joined onstage by Christina Lonewolf Martinez, a Monterey-based private chef and founder of Chieftess Monterey Bay, who is reintroducing Indigenous ingredients and practices to California's central coast.  On stage, Christina shared her early life and how working with local Central Coast tribes like the Esselen people, she is reviving and celebrating Indigenous ingredients like acorn flour and seaweed—and using her fine-dining training to bring them to life in brilliant new ways.  In this episode, we go deeper. Christina shares more of her family's background, the Central Coast's Indigenous foodways and living traditions, and where she loves to eat on a rare day off.  In this episode, you'll learn How Christina's Mexican and Indigenous family roots shaped her earliest food memories and led her into professional kitchens What “re‑Americanizing” American food looks like when Indigenous ingredients become the centerpiece The labor and ritual behind processing acorns and how acorn flour tastes and performs in dishes How Christina collaborates with local tribal members and community organizations to forage responsibly and honor place Don't miss these moments [02:10] Watching a grandmother's kitchen—where Christina's food story begins [09:40] From Denny's to the Post Ranch Inn: the pivot into fine dining and foraging [14:50] The first encounter with acorn blinis at Post Ranch and why acorns matter today [23:30] Planning and performing the Chieftess table at Big Sur Food & Wine [26:10] The Salmon People amuse: sea grapes, smoked salmon, and a river rock presentation [33:00] Favorite local escapes: Point Lobos, Esalen hot springs, and Carmel Valley river picnics Meet this week's guest Christina Lonewolf Martinez, private chef and founder of Chiefess Monterey Bay Resources Chieftess Monterey Bay — find pop‑ups, private dinner info, and event listings Esselen Tribe — local tribal resources and cultural context Big Sur Food & Wine — festival details and past programming Explore Afar's coverage of Big Sur and the Central Coast Where Christina eats, drinks, and takes visitors Alta Bakery Ad Astra Bread Co Carmel Valley Creamery Stokes Adobe Cella Monterey Hacienda Hay & Feed Esalen Institute  How to engage  Christina offers pop-ups via her Instagram account. Check out Three Sisters garden and seed‑saving workshops (community colleges and local organizations) with Rowen White Watch for college demos at Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz  Stay Connected Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode.  Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us. Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part 4, Jeffrey Kripal and Host Michael Lerner explore Jeffrey's remarkable history of Esalen in Esalen---The American Religion of No Religion. This astonishing cultural history of the famed retreat and conference center in Big Sur provides a panoramic insight of West Coast counter-culture over the past half century.  No one serious about understanding our times should miss it. You can find more information on his website, https://JeffreyJKripal.com. *** The New School is Commonweal's learning community and podcast — we offer conversations, workshops, and other events in areas that Commonweal champions: finding meaning, growing health and resilience, advocating for justice, and stewarding the natural world. We make our conversations into podcasts for many thousands of listeners world wide and have been doing this since 2007. Please like/follow our YouTube channel for access to our library of more than 400 great podcasts. tns.commonweal.org

In this episode, Guy talked with Sheila Vijeyarasa. Sheila discussed the journey of discovering and nurturing her spiritual gifts, transitioning from a corporate career to becoming an author and transformation mentor. She shared key moments from her spiritual awakening, the challenges of embracing her truth, and the profound impact of her book 'Brave.' The conversation covered the importance of courage, intuition, and the constant pursuit of authenticity in one's life. About Sheila: Sheila has mastered the art of blending two diametrically opposite careers: she is a corporate leader as well as a spiritual teacher and mentor, medium and psychic reader. She holds an MBA and has fifteen years' experience in publishing and media preceded by a foundation of eight years' experience in chartered accounting and banking. She was also the CFO of a global publishing company.  Sheila is the founder of Empowering Intuition. Her natural mediumistic and psychic abilities were passed down through multiple generations in her family, and she cultivated those skills at the prestigious Arthur Findlay College. She immersed herself in learning reiki and multiple mindfulness techniques at Esalen with Dr Shauna Shapiro, and studied bhakti yoga and the Vedic teachings of Kripalu Maharaj. She was taught by world-renowned medium James Van Praagh at The Omega Institute and studied executive coaching and NLP with Tad James Co. Key Points Discussed:  (00:00) - Finance Director Turned Psychic Medium — I Hid My Truth Until It Nearly Destroyed Me! (00:45) - Republishing the Podcast: A New Beginning (01:26) - Meet Sheila: A Journey of Transformation (05:12) - Defining Mediumship: Connecting with the Other Side (09:26) - From Finance Director to Spiritual Awakening (12:22) - The Dark Night of Courage: Embracing Spirituality (19:59) - Discovering Mediumship: A New Path (23:27) - Arthur Finlay College: The Hogwarts of Mediumship (25:44) - Starting the Journey: Setting Up a Website (26:26) - First Steps into the Public Eye (27:17) - Embracing Psychic Abilities (29:05) - Developing Intuition and Psychic Skills (34:02) - Writing and Publishing a Book (41:44) - Morning Routines and Personal Insights (44:58) - Final Thoughts and Future Plans How to Contact Sheila Vijeyarasa:www.sheilav.co   About me:My Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence/?hl=en Guy's websites:www.guylawrence.com.au www.liveinflow.co''

Stanislav Grof, born in Prague in 1931, was among the most influential figures in the early clinical use of LSD. Sometimes referred to as the Godfather of psychedelic psychotherapy, Grof was was trained as a Freudian psychoanalyst in Prague and was on track to follow in Freud's footsteps when his path was derailed by a powerful LSD session. He changed his life path and became one of the principal investigators of early psychedelic research behind the Iron Curtain, conducting systematic LSD psychotherapy at the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague. Grof's approach was largely psycholitic - meaning that in contrast to the single high-dose mystical model, he favored smaller doses that could be given consistently over the course of multiple sessions, thus emphasizing the very gradual revealing of the layered strata of the human unconscious. In this talk, Grof describes how the same substance can evoke vastly different experiences in different individuals, from childhood regression, to episodes resembling psychosis, to genuine mystical revelation. He offers accounts of patients reliving early developmental trauma and what appeared to be birth agony, followed by experiences of renewal or “rebirth.” He also touches on the emergence of archetypal and transpersonal imagery in advanced stages of therapy, giving insight into the collective and cosmic dimensions of mind. Here's the brilliant Stan Grof in 1969 at Esalen institute. Photo by Joyce Lyke

Paola DiFlorio is an Oscar and Emmy–nominated filmmaker and co-founder of Counterpoint Films with her husband, author and filmmaker Peter Rader. Their breakthrough documentary Awake: The Life of Yogananda became one of the top-grossing indie docs of 2014–15 and set their mission to create media that “awakens the human spirit.”Since then, they've developed and consulted on numerous projects exploring spirituality, science, and healing, including Infinite Potential and the award-winning My Father, The Healer.A board member of the Illuminate Film Festival, DiFlorio has spoken at Stanford, NYU, UC Berkeley, USC, and The Shift Network's Visionaries Summit. With Rader, she founded Source to Screen, a creativity and spirituality incubator offered at Esalen and film festivals nationwide. Counterpoint's upcoming slate includes a remake of a Hollywood blockbuster slated for 2026.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-trauma-therapist--5739761/support.You can learn more about what I do here:The Trauma Therapist Newsletter: celebrates the people and voices in the mental health profession. And it's free! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/4jGBeSa———If you'd like to support The Trauma Therapist Podcast and the work I do you can do that here with a monthly donation of $5, $7, or $10: Donate to The Trauma Therapist Podcast.Click here to join my email list and receive podcast updates and other news.Thank you to our Sponsors:Incogni - Use code [traumatherapist] and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/traumatherapistJane App - use code GUY1MO at https://jane.app/book_a_demoJourney Clinical - visit https://join.journeyclinical/trauma for 1 month off your membershipTherapy Wisdom - https://therapywisdom.com/jan/

Since 2016, Tim McKee has been the publisher of North Atlantic Books, a nonprofit press with a 50-year legacy of advancing healing, consciousness, and cultural transformation. North Atlantic Books has long been aligned with a similar spirit that animates Esalen: a commitment to somatics, trauma-informed healing, a willingness to platform voices working at the edges of personal and collective awakening. The catalog at North Atlantic books includes seminal works ranging from The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller to Gabor Maté's In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts — books that helped introduce somatic and trauma-based healing to the broader culture. Other books they publish include Black Psychedelic Revolution by Nicholas Powers, Mystery School in Hyperspace by Graham St. John, a cultural history of DMT, Reclaiming Ugly by Vanessa Rochelle Lewis, and Antifascist Dad coming soon, from the conspirituality podcast host Matthew Remski. In this conversation, Tim and Sam explore how publishing at its best can be a liberatory act, how the “personal” and the “political” have become difficult to separate in the current landscape, and issues surrounding publishing marginalized and emergent voices. They discuss what it takes to support authors whose work challenges dominant narratives, and how a publishing house can strive toward equity not just in output, but in process.

Today we revisit a 1971 talk by Dr. John C. Lilly: physician, neuroscientist, tireless psychonaut, and one of the most audacious explorers of consciousness in the twentieth century. John Lilly was a frequent teacher at Esalen and a close friend of Esalen co-founder Dick Price. He begins teaching at Esalen as early as 1968, focusing on what he called the human biocomputer and lecturing in part on “isolation, solitude, and confinement experiments.” Lilly is widely known for three things; first, he invented the first isolation tank — a dark and silent vessel filled with a saline solution that is meant to suspend the body and expose the mind to itself. He made his first one in 1954. Second, Lilly was convinced of the possibility of interspecies communication, notably between dolphins and homo sapiens. And finally, Lilly was an early experimenter with ketamine, from a psychedelic point of view, an interest that ultimately led to an addiction which drove him quite mad. However, during this talk from 1971, he is in great form, speaking about the concept and practice of Satori: the instantaneous awakening, the shock of direct perception.

Michael Ventura is an entrepreneur, author of “Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership”, and advisor to leaders at organizations including the ACLU, Google, Nike, and the UN. He has taught emotionally intelligent leadership at Princeton, West Point, and Esalen. In this episode, Michael explores why our natural childhood empathy fades as adults due to life complexity, cultural conditioning, and survival mechanisms that suppress this innate behavior. He explains how organizational design can create systems where empathy thrives through measurement, rewards, and leadership modeling rather than trying to change people individually. Michael outlines seven empathetic archetypes that leaders can shift between like gears: the Sage (practices presence), Inquirer (asks great questions), Convener (creates connection environments), Confidant (builds trust), Cultivator (provides vision), Seeker (values self-work), and Alchemist (experiments and learns). He emphasizes knowing when to shift archetypes based on circumstances and people. He addresses why leaders struggle to guide rather than control, explaining how successful leaders must transition from having answers to asking questions and empowering others. Michael explains empathy's benefits through a GE medical imaging case study where understanding patient experience led to environmental changes that cut pain complaints in half and increased cancer detection by over 10%.  Listen to this episode to discover how empathy drives retention, innovation, and competitive advantage while serving as both leadership skill and business strategy.   You can find episode 481 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube |   Key Takeaways [02:19] Michael explains that empathy fades as we age because life beats it out of us in some ways. [05:10] Michael outlines three types of empathy: affective (golden rule), somatic (physical experience), and cognitive (platinum rule). [07:27] Michael emphasizes that empathy must be embraced and modeled as a behavior from the top all the way down. Michael warns that empathy requires a code of ethics because "sociopaths are good cognitive empaths." [10:11] Michael clarifies that his keynote's first slide always says empathy is not about being nice. [13:06] Michael describes seven empathic archetypes as "gears in a manual transmission" that leaders should shift between. [19:05] Michael advises leaders to ask "How do you learn? How are you motivated?" to diagnose which archetype to use. [22:18] Michael states "Leaders should only do what an individual or team cannot do for itself" because leaders must transition from having all the answers to asking the right questions. [23:47] Michael shares that West Point teaches empathy because officers must lead people from "every socioeconomic stripe imaginable." [29:07] Michael cites retention as a hard benefit, noting it costs "1 1/2 times the salary" to replace someone. [35:54] Michael shares what he wandered; he's writing a book about moving from "North Star thinking to constellation thinking" for purpose. [38:33] Michael observes society lost its "emotional commons" where everyone shared the same cultural experiences. [42:17] Michael advises leaders to start empathy work "where the need is the greatest" rather than organization-wide. [43:42] And remember...“I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.” - Maya Angelou   Quotable Quotes "Life beats it out of us in some ways." "We start to see ourselves as the main character a little too much sometimes and forget that there are other characters in the play all around us." "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. And the only way you're going to know that answer is if you do two things that most humans don't want to do. Admit they don't have an answer and then go ask the uncomfortable question." "Sometimes the most empathic thing that you do is say the hard thing or do the hard thing for someone else." "Stop trying to be the most interesting person in the room and start trying to be the most interested person in the room." "Leaders should only do what an individual or team cannot do for itself." "Don't tell people what to do. Tell them what outcome you want and let them surprise you with how they get it done." "When something is powerful and something is effective, just recognize it can be used for bad as well."   These are the books mentioned in this episode   Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Michael Ventura Website | Michael Ventura X | Michael Ventura Facebook | Michael Ventura LinkedIn | Michael Ventura Instagram |  

In June of 2001, the Esalen Institute hosted Eckhart Tolle for a weekend workshop. By that time, Tolle's book The Power of Now had already begun an improbable ascent, exploding from a totally unknown into something of a cultural phenomenon. The central insight of Eckhart Tolle's work is that the future doesn't hold your salvation, and it doesn't pay to get lost in the past, either. What we long for, what we chase after, what we regret, all of it obscures the deeper truth: the only real place life exists is in this living present moment. In this archival talk that Tolle gives in the Leonard Pavilion at Esalen, he moves through his major themes. He talks about: • Identification with thought - that most of us unconsciously believe we are our thoughts and emotions, which creates suffering and an endless search for fulfillment. • Surrendering and saying ‘yes' to what is: what can happen when you stop resisting the moment and accept exactly what arises, even if it is painful. • the relief that comes in resting in presence. Visit Tolle online: https://eckharttolle.com/

What if AI was capable of being more than just a new and improved Google search? What if there was ways to harness its predictive powers for growth, self-realization, or even freedom? Today we'll hear from four thinkers: Larissa Conte, a leadership guide and systems healer with a focus on power, on the principle of mutual co-enactment. Then we hear from Cecilia Callas, co-founder of The AI Salon, about convening global conversations that wrestle with the societal stakes of technology. Next is Sadia Bruce, Esalen's Director of Product, who speaks candidly about using AI as an adjunct to therapy. And then Sam shares his own journey, from glitchy AI songs and translated prayers to the creation of a new weekly circle at Esalen called AI for Social Good. It's a messy middle full of experiments, missteps, and glimpses of possibility. Larissa Conte & Wayfinding Website: https://www.wayfinding.io/ Weekly Contemplations: https://www.wayfinding.io/community AI Summer Camp: https://www.wayfinding.io/ai-summer-camp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larissaconte/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lbconte Cecilia Callas: Substack: https://ceciliacallas.substack.com/ RemAIning Human podcast: https://ceciliacallas.substack.com/podcast AI Salon: https://aisalon.xyz/ Sadia Bruce: IG: @breathisalanguage Esalen: https://www.esalen.org/faculty/sadia-bruce https://www.esalen.org/post/the-proust-questionnaire-sadia-bruce-012023

Singer-songwriter and pop icon Kesha feels c*nty about being Conan O'Brien's friend. Kesha sits down with Conan to discuss the healing waters of Esalen, ghost hunting on her television series Conjuring Kesha, and finally being able to produce her independent album Period with the rights to her own voice. Later, Matt Gourley deals with the fallout of a major faux pas. For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com.Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (669) 587-2847. Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan.