Rick Tarnas, in the Fall of 1978, described Esalen this way. “Esalen is a state of consciousness as much as it is a physical place. It is a pagan monastery, a school of the mysteries, where seekers of every description come to find light. Breaking out of the crumbling structures of their past, they come to find themselves. At this poignant moment in their lives, Esalen stands like the Temple at Delphi, where paths inward are offered, where they come to discover again their souls, their bodies, their pain, their knowledge, their happiness at being alive. For many, Esalen is where the tide turns in their private revolution against the inner tyrants of the past.”
I’d been to Esalen before, Laura had not. Coming from Santa Barbara it is an extremely beautiful coastal drive with an enormous amount of hairpin turns. The view is one of the most magnificent that I have seen in the United States. I’ve often said that some of the most amazing places I’ve been to are the most remote and difficult to get to. Esalen has an intimate and magical feeling to it. Check out the catalog for yoga workshops with teachers from all over the country. I’m thrilled to introduce you to one of the in-house yoga teachers, Anna Pierce-Slive.
