Josef London has been a cornerstone of the Esalen community for more than 30 years. In our conversation Josef shares about the leap of faith that brought him to Esalen from Rio de Janeiro in search of healing, transformation, and a place to call home. Today, guests know him from the Gate; he is one of the first people they meet upon arriving at Esalen. He has a delightful smile, but what they may not know is that Josef is steeped in the philosophy of Gestalt, and that he is decidedly not conflict averse - rather, he believes that conflict is where the truth comes out. Yet that at the same time, Josef believes fun is mandatory. He is a lover, with a huge heart, and in this conversation he speaks lovingly and at length about the love he lost, his wife Montgomery. You'll be touched by this conversation with one of Esalen's memorable characters. "Thank you so much." Photo by Kate Kondratieva

Chandra Easton is a senior Dharma teacher, author, and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts. She is well renowned for her efforts to elevate the empowered feminine in Buddhism. Chandra has a deep lineage of study under the guidance of prominent Tibetan and Western Buddhist teachers, beginning her journey in Buddhist practice at the age of four. She’s spent decades bridging traditional Tibetan teachings with a modern approach, making profound wisdom practices accessible and relevant for today’s world. We spoke together live at Esalen this fall where we explored her latest book, "Embodying Tara: Twenty-One Manifestations to Awaken Your Innate Wisdom", diving deep into themes of ego, suffering, and the transformative practice known as 'Feed Your Demons.'

John Marks is the founder of Search for Common Ground, an international NGO whose purpose is to end violent conflict around the world. In 2018, Search was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize. Over the years some of their notable work has included helping to avert genocide in Burundi, supporting free elections in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and creating training in the Democratic Republic of Congo to curb sexual assault. Marks is the author of the new book From Vision to Action, Remaking the world through Social Entrepreneurship. Together, we spoke about how Esalen helped to launch his work and what he’s learned in over 40 years of track 2, or citizen diplomacy. BIO: John Marks had an unconventional path to peacemaking, starting as a critic of the CIA and becoming a renowned social entrepreneur. Marks resigned from the State Department in 1970 to protest the United States' invasion of Cambodia. He co-authored a bestselling book, The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence, which exposed abuses committed by the CIA. His second book, which won a major award for investigative reporting, also focused on CIA abuses. In 1982, Marks founded Search for Common Ground (Search), an organization dedicated to conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Marks's journey showcases a remarkable shift from a career focused on exposing wrongdoing to a life dedicated to building common ground and fostering peace. Marks and his colleagues at Search were known as "Searchers," highlighting their dedication to seeking solutions and common ground in conflict situations.

Today we celebrate Bicycle Day, a modern semi-holiday (unrecognized by official governmental agencies yet observed by psychedelic enthusiasts across the globe) that commemorates Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman’s bike ride home from his lab on April 19th, 1943, after ingesting 250 micrograms of lysergic acid diethlymide, and in the process creating the world's first recorded intentional LSD trip. When Hoffman originally synthesized the compound in 1938, in the Sandoz Pharmeacuticals laboratory, in Basel, he had deemed it next to useless, and put it up on the shelf to be forgotten - but five years later, something within him told him to take a second look. The rest, as they say, is history. Today’s Voices of Esalen episode is a treasure drawn from our extensive archives - an interview with Albert Hoffman himself, conducted by none other than Stanislav Grof, sometimes known as the godfather of LSD psychotherapy. Grof was a Czechoslovakian psychoanalyst who was enormously influenced by Hoffman’s discovery of LSD; in his research in Czechoslovakia he oversaw tens of thousands of supervised therapeutic LSD trips. Grof would emigrate to the United States in the late 1960’s, a move precipitated by the Soviet invasion of his country. Grof spent more than ten years as a teacher in residence at the Esalen Institute during the 1970’s and 80’s, where he developed the practice of holotropic breath work and became one of the founders of the school of transpersonal psychology. In this interview, Grof and Hoffman explore a host of topics, including Hoffman’s discovery of LSD and how on his first trip, Hoffman freaked out and thought he was going insane, then thought he was dying; how Hoffman then became aware that his new discovery would have immense significance to the field of psychiatry; why Hoffman believed LSD could be used as a model psychosis and a way to study schizophrenia; how Hoffman collaborated with amateur mycologist R. Gordon Wasson to create a synthetic version of so-called magic mushrooms, which would be known as psilocybin; how Hoffman traveled to Mexico to deliver this modern version of mushrooms to the famed curandera Maria Sabina, who had introduced Wasson to the mushrooms in the first place, and more. They end this interview by speaking about Hoffman’s reaction to the way LSD escaped the laboratory and infiltrated culture during the turbulent 1960s. This interview was conducted at Esalen Institute in 1984 - just one part of the ever evolving and complex tapestry of history that unfolded here in Big Sur.

Senti Sojwal and Tiffany Diane Tso are founding members of the Asian American Feminist Collective, a grassroots racial and gender justice group that works to interrogate and dismantle systems of racism, patriarchy, and capitalism, telling their stories through various modes of feminist media while providing spaces for identity exploration, political education, community building, and advocacy. https://www.asianamfeminism.org In our conversation we explored a host of topics, including the legacy of feminist activism that undergirds their work, the intersectional identities that inform the AAFC, how Black feminist thought has influenced them, their hashtag #ThisisAsianAmerica (on Instagram), how reproductive justice is key to understanding how colonial power functions, what tokenism is and how it differs from genuine inclusion, and how allyship can actually work in a useful, non-performative way. in their words, Asian American feminism in an ever-evolving practice that seeks to address the multi-dimensional ways Asian American people confront systems of power at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexuality, religion, disability, migration history and citizenship status. Check out their amazing zines and resource page: https://www.asianamfeminism.org/resources Instagram: @aafc.nyc Twitter: @aafcollective

Mary Sanders is a founding board member of the People of Color Psychedelic Collective, an organization that provides psychedelic education to historically marginalized communities in order to foster empowerment and healing. She is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in exploring the depths of transgenerational trauma and, in her words, peeling off layers of oppression and cultural conditioning. She is certified in psychedelic-assisted therapies and believes that plant medicines can serve as tools to effectively heal trauma. During our discussion we talked about her experiences as the only black person in psychedelic circles, and what constitutes a safe space for her as she attempts to explore her own healing. we also touched upon what kind of barriers have to be dismantled for BIPOC folks to access psychedelic-assisted therapy, why there’s often an earned skepticism in communities of color around psychedelics studies, how the war on drugs has affected people who might seek psychedelic therapy, what trends in psychedelic research and psychedelic training education she finds especially intriguing, and what she wishes a majority white populace might do to create a more easeful experience around psychedelic healing for folks of color. POCPC: https://www.pocpc.org/resources Mary Sanders: https://www.empath-center.com/read-me

Justin Michael Williams is an author, activist, meditation teacher and musician. His book Stay Woke established him as a pioneering millennial voice for diversity and inclusion in wellness. His work has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Grammy.com, Yoga Journal, Billboard, Wanderlust, and South by Southwest. Justin was the artist in residence at Esalen during the month of July. He shared his thoughts with us on racism, healing, virtue signaling, men's eating disorders, Eckhart Tolle, the decolonization of wellness practices, and more.

Justin Michael Williams is an author, speaker and musician who works at the intersection of social justice, mindfulness, and personal growth. Justin has become a pioneering voice of color for the new healing movement. His mission is to make sure that all people, of all backgrounds, have access to the information they need to change their lives. Together, we discussed the science of transformation, what it means to combat forces of oppression (in a healthy way), identity labels (and how they function for good and for bad within the activist framework), what it means to go beyond anti-racism, Justin's current take on the human potential movement, and more. Also... Did you know that each purchase in our online store goes directly back to Esalen’s programs and the land? Go to http://shop.esalen.org and embark on a personal treasure hunt for highly curated objects that will support your well-being and spiritual discovery.  Lucia Horan: Where do you want to go? In times of turmoil and change, how do you navigate your way out of resistance… and into ecstasy? Lucia Horan, lineage holder of Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms movement practice and somatic meditation, will share the science and skills needed to support balance, easy, and joy. Celebrate being alive in the wild, wondrous, natural beauty of Esalen. Sign up at https://www.esalen.org/workshops/maps-to-ecstasy-5rhythms-r-mindfulness-workshop Justin Michael Williams and Shelly Tygielski: Learn what it means to set yourself and others free with an awake, authentic voice. Justin Michael Williams partners with Pandemic of Love’s Shelly Tygielski to show the power of coming together across gender, race, age, and sexual orientation. You will leave with greater clarity and a clear course of action to call people forward - instead of calling people “out.” Join them for a wildly inclusive and compassionate weekend. Sign up at - esalen.org/workshops/liberate-yourself-set-yourself-free

Jeff Kripal is a historian of religions - his work includes the study of comparative erotics and ethics in mystical literature, American countercultural translations of Asian religions, and the history of Western esotericism from gnosticism to New Age religions. He’s also the author of the book "Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion" - a must read for anyone interested in unpacking the conditions of history surrounding Esalen’s birth in the early sixties. This interview was originally published in 2016. Coming up at Esalen: The Embodied Life™: Presencing and Re-Visioning. December 10 to 12th 2021, with Russell Delman and Linda Evans Delman. Connect present moment awareness with your intentions and dreams for the future to create a truthful and meaningful life. Experience embodied mediation, guided inquiry, and embodied movement practices like Feldenkrais, a set of neurologically based motor sequences that invite a deepening of body awareness. Sign up at: https://www.esalen.org/workshops/the-embodied-life-tm-presencing-and-re-visioning Gestalt Practice & Principles: Cultivating Embodied Wholeness in Daily Life. December 13 -17 , 2021 During this workshop we will explore the rich practices and principles of Gestalt Practice, apply them to daily life, and begin to experience the simple yet profound potential for growth towards authentic wholeness and radical aliveness. Gestalt Practice cultivates curiosity, equanimity, and acceptance with greater choice for creative possibilities. Rather than focusing on “fixing”, a “cure”, or seeking “accomplishment”, this approach offers methods to aid you in: Cultivating awareness and embodied presence; Growing responsiveness, resilience, and choice; Trusting in your organism’s inherent capacity for self-regulation and co-regulation. Sign up at: https://www.esalen.org/workshops/gestalt-practice-principles-cultivating-embodied-wholeness-in-daily-life Esalen End of Year Campaign - Help Us Make 300 New Friends Last year, Friends of Esalen helped us to survive closures due to the pandemic, fires and mudslides. We're here today because of our friends. When you become a Friend of Esalen with a donation, your contribution helps us finance our day to day operations in Big Sur-from staff to infrastructure. This year, our goal is to raise 450K and make 300 new friends so that we can continue to keep our doors open for generations to come. Become A Friend Now: https://www.esalen.org/give

“All of these sort of regular things that biotech companies do, like snapping up patents so that they can get investor dollars moving forward, they’re intersecting with this culture in the psychedelics world, which is sort of anti-ownership. These forces will clash. They oppose with one another.” - Shayla Love, Vice Media Shayla Love is a senior staff writer at Vice Media whose writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Atlantic, Harper’s Magazine, the Guardian, and more. Her recent focus has been the field of psychedelics and how they exist and interact with the forces of what some refer to as late-stage capitalism. Shayla discussed whether there is a way to corporatize psychedelics responsibly, who has the most to gain in the new landscape of psychedelic capitalism, why the for-profit entity known as Compass Pathways attempted to patent a form of synthetic psilocybin, how and why the accompanying challenge to this patent from a group called FTO, or Freedom to Operate, originated, whether state decriminalization of psychedelics is at odds with federal medicalization, and more. Coming Soon at Esalen: Live and learn at Esalen for 4 weeks as part of our Live Extended Education Program or L.E.E.P.  Under the guidance of our skilled faculty and surrounded by a cohort of twelve other learners, students will be challenged to expand their personal growth edges and open up to greater discoveries of self and community. Learn more and apply, at https://www.esalen.org Integration From the Core: Embodiment through Yoga, Dance, and Sound Meditation. Drawing on the embodied practices of yoga, pranayama , sound meditation, and conscious dance, reconnect your bodies and minds, digest your feelings and emotions, and open yourselves to the wisdom of your heart. Led by Jovinna Chan. Learn more or apply now at https://www.esalen.org.

Dr. Brian Pace is a lecturer who teaches Psychedelic Studies at The Ohio State University. He is trained as an evolutionary ecologist, specializing in phytochemistry, ethnobotany, and ecophysiology. He believes in grassroots drug decriminalization efforts and hopes to find alternative policies to the imperial drug war. For more than a decade, Brian has worked on agroecology and climate change. Dr. Nese Devenot is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute for Research in Sensing (or IRiS) at the University of Cincinnati; an Affiliate Scholar at the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research & Education at Ohio State University; and the Medicine, Society & Culture Research Fellow with Psymposia. She also researches and teaches bioethical approaches to psychedelic medicine. She was a Research Fellow with the New York University Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Study, where she participated in the first qualitative study of patient experiences. Dr. Pace and Dr. Devenot are authors of a paper entitled “Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency,” a piece they created to rebut the common cultural assumption that psychedelics have the potential to improve society because of inherent characteristics that tend to point their users to a liberal, free-thinking ideology. in the discussion that follows, they suggest that psychedelics are non-specific amplifiers of their set and setting, which, they take pains to remind me, is within the capitalist realm, and that contrary to the de facto cultural credo, conservative, hierarchy based ideologies are quite able to withstand the face melting effects of a few hits of LSD. They speak about many cases where psychedelic users either remained authoritarian in their views or became conservatively radicalized after taking psychedelics. We also get into conservative thought leaders who happen to be psychedelic cheerleaders, like Jordan Peterson, as well as the moneyed individuals who are central players in the corporate psychedelic world, like Peter Thiel and Rebecca Mercer. I have taken the liberty of importing some clips that I found on YouTube of these famous folks up for discussion, in the hopes of better illustrating the points being made. Hope you enjoy. More information akin to this: https://www.psymposia.com