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NAKED AMBITION

by Maryedith Burrell

Working more but enjoying it less? Then, you may want to plan a trip to Esalen. Yes, that Esalen. The 60’s playground of Joan Baez and Buffalo Springfield in the deep reaches of Big Sur, California.  The New Age center that defined “new Age.” The one that boasts courses in Intuition and the Dance of Attention and The Wildness Within. The Esalen where Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice turned on, tuned in, and dropped out in Paul Mazursky’s eponymous film.  That very Esalen is still going strong, offering a  line-up of programs designed to provide (and I’m quoting the catalogue) “ explorations of unrealized human capacities.” This, of course, means a blend of East/West philosophies, massage therapists, and shamans. But, what may surprise the cynical is that Esalen also offers more down-to-earth fare such as Golf in the Kingdom and the Big Sur Wilderness Experience. Trust me, a weekend isn’t half bad. In fact, a week is even better. As I grudgingly discovered, Esalen may not be heaven, but you can  see it from there.

It’s hard not to. The Esalen Institute is nestled on a spectacular promontory overlooking the blue Pacific about 45 miles south of Monterey on California Route 1.  Once home to the Esselen Indians, the site has been considered sacred to many over the years because its 27 acres offer “three waters” --- the salt water of the ocean, the fresh water of the creek, and the healing waters of the sulfur hot springs.  The tubs are open around-the-clock to guests, and from 1:00 AM –3:00 AM to the public by reservation only. (Rumor has it a deal was struck with the Hell’s Angels back in the 60’s. Esalen promised to keep the tubs open past midnight, if they promised not to re-enact Altamont.)

If you’re taking classes you can book a room (or sleeping bag space) on the grounds. You can also stay at Ventanna, Post Ranch, or any of the other trendy digs nearby. But, if you want the full crunchy granola experience,  I recommend you bunk on campus.  Chances are you’ll be given a roommate, and, no matter what they tell you on the phone, the staff will give you the hairy eyeball if you lobby for a single.  After all, you’re at Esalen to go with the flow, mix, and mellow. Accommodations range from bunk bed cottages to rooms in The Big House with grown-up beds and breathtaking views. Linens come in a variety of ecru. (Eco-friendly laundry has left everything off-white, but clean.)

Meals are straight out of The Broccoli Forest cookbook. The good folks at Esalen have never heard of sushi or The Zone, but you can call ahead and work out your diet with the kitchen.  You may ultimately end up frying your own fish, but it’s all part of the Esalen experience. A good number of the “helpers” are seminarians working off room and board. So, if the gal at the front desk seems to good to be true that’s because she’s never learned how to be condescending at a hotel management class.

If reading this is giving you a 60’s flashback, consider the following---some people (including the founders of Esalen) actually put their money where their mouths were thirty years ago, and dedicated themselves to changing the world one person at a time.  And, if that means massaging a Beverly Hills linoleum tycoon to the point where he can no longer remember the name of his lawyer, then so be it.  Ten thousand guests a year can’t be wrong. Esalen’s classes in The Fluid Drum must be helping someone.

I went to Esalen on a dare.  I enrolled in a weekend seminar entitled Rediscovering The Soul in Business because it was the only course that fit into my schedule that I could stomach. Anyway, my first impression of the place was a stunner.  The grounds were divine from the perfectly manicured organic garden to the Gazebo Farmhouse, every twist and turn reflected gentle care.  I was, however, totally unprepared for the “clothing optional” aspects of the bathing areas…and for Gregory, my masseuse. A six-foot, twenty-something Adonis wearing nothing but an earring and a golden tan.  But,  Gregory was the perfect introduction to all that is Esalen. He was kind, expert, good-humored, healthy, and did I mention naked?  Hard to argue with a place that produces men like that.  And, by the time Gregory was finished massaging me, I didn’t care that someone who looked a lot like Captain Trips was playing bongos outside the dining room. I didn’t care that dinner consisted of more carbohydrates than you’d find at a Polka Festival. I was moving toward mellow, and it felt great.  A lady wearing Danskins and a poncho was announcing that “morning movement” would be in Huxley House at 7AM, and I was actually considering it.

What was happening to me?  A mere afternoon at Esalen, and the idea of a 24-hour Art Barn was making perfect sense. But, the best was yet to come. After dinner, I found myself on the carpeted flood of The Big House living room surrounded by huge pillows and 15 smiling adults --- corporate lawyers, bankers, think tank consultants, a coffee entrepreneur, and one monk --- all there to “Rediscover the Soul in Business.”  We had convened from all over the nation and Canada to grapple with the elusive idea of how to proceed in our respective fields in some kind of enlightened fashion. I confess I barely understood a word of the first session. One lawyer kept quoting obscure ecstatic poets. Another kept referring to “compliance paradigms.” But, if you had told me before that weekend that the president of a major multi-national bank would be explaining to me, a humble writer, why “value-based” banking can work in today’s world, I would have laughed you down.  Now, I’m proud to say, I actually know what “value-based” banking means. And, thanks to that seminar ( and two more of dear Gregory’s naked massages,)  I’m thinking a little differently.

As I drove home on Route 1 watching the sunset reflect off the stone parapets of  San Simeon, I tried to imagine what William Randolph Hearst might have made of a weekend at Esalen. There’s no telling what impact a little almond oil  and ecstatic poetry might have had on his coverage of The Spanish/American War. Come to think of it, I wonder what Rupert Murdoch would look like naked in a hot tub?  I consider the fact that I am even pondering such far-reaching questions a plus.  Not that I didn’t philosophize before my trip to Esalen,  I just never realized that a patent lawyer from Dallas and a banker from Vancouver might share my point of view.  One thing Esalen has taught me---there is Gestalt in numbers.

Seminar rates $380 per weekend, $740 per week (including room and board.)

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