Register online at
www.esalen.org or by calling 888-8-ESALEN (888-837-2536).
will be used to deepen our feelings of being live- ly and hopeful about our futures.”
Leader bio on page 18. Week of December 9–14
Art as a Spiritual Path: Discovering Your Soul Mandala Paul Heussenstamm
The mandala, an ancient symbol and concentric map of the psyche, has been used by various cultures around the world, including Tibetan Buddhism, Aborigines, and Native Americans. This workshop will introduce you to the man- dala and, through it, to the mystery of the soul and the passionate world of the inner artist. It offers a supportive initiation for all participants, regardless of experience, to open to their natural creativity through art, meditation, ritual, and music. Each participant will complete a colorful personal mandala as a symbol to live with, to study, and to begin a process of learning, grow- ing, healing, and artistic development.
Discover your soul symbols as powerful tools for personal and professional transformation. Come to a deeper understanding of your own creative forces. Mandala painting can open your eyes in a heart- and soul-connected way—to see and feel things you may never have experienced before.
Art supplies will be provided. No previous expe- rience is necessary.
Recommended reading: Heussenstamm, Divine Forces: Art that Awakens the Soul.
($50 materials fee paid directly to the leader)
Paul Heussenstamm comes from a family immersed in art and spirituality. At 35, he began painting in earnest after a single art class expanded into a consuming passion, a new profession, and a new perspective on life. He understands mandalas as psychic maps and symbols of wholeness.
Weekend of December 14–16
Love Yourself and the Rest Will Follow Mike Robbins
Self-love is one of those things that many of us know is important on our personal journey, yet can be challenging to embody and experience in an authentic way. This workshop explores why it can be hard for us to genuinely love our-
selves—the familial, cultural, and personal influ- ences, the thoughts and fears that lead us to believe that we are not good enough and that self-love is arrogant or narcissistic, and the diffi- culty we may have practicing true loving kind- ness towards ourselves. With fun and vulnera- bility, we delve deeply into some specific and powerful ways to experience love towards our- selves, which in turn impacts our relationships, work, personal growth practices, and lives in a profound way. The ideas and exercises laid out in this interactive program give you specific practices to:
• Make peace with and forgive yourself • Accept and appreciate all of who you are
• Care for and nurture yourself in an authentic way
• Experience and express your authentic self • Deepen your capacity to love others
Recommended reading: Robbins, Focus on the Good Stuff and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken.
Mike Robbins is the author of Focus on the Good Stuff and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken. He delivers seminars around the world, his books are translated into 12 different languages, and he writes for The Huffington Post. www.Mike-
Robbins.com.
Heartfelt Wisdom: Quieting the Mind, Listening to the Heart
Rik Isensee & Lori Anne Schwanbeck
This workshop teaches the art of balance, inner harmony, and peace—the basis for spiritual awakening and creating a meaningful life. It’s also an opportunity to slow down and reflect in the midst of the holiday season.
Many of us yearn for a calmer, more centered life, yet with all the pressures we encounter every day, it can seem beyond our grasp. How can we successfully handle daily stress, tame our negative voices, and release ourselves from obsessive thinking? This workshop will teach the art of balance, inner harmony, and a path toward peace. This really is the basis for spiritual awakening, and for creating a meaningful life.
Following a near-fatal accident, Lori Schwanbeck felt the presence of death several times. She had a strong desire to let go, yet there was a magnetic pull in her heart to stay embod- ied and to share the realized wisdom of living a heart-centered life. Rik Isensee had an experi- ence through his mindfulness practice of being “steeped in grace,” which inspired his book, Shift
Your Mood, a guide for how to release emotional tension and shift to the source of your own love and inner wisdom.
We may genuinely believe that true happiness comes from our own inner resources, but how do we access this inherent wisdom? Using tools from positive psychology, along with eastern perspectives on awakening to the present moment, we will explore the link between west- ern psychological understanding and spiritual realization. Combining mindfulness, body awareness, and insights from the new science of happiness, we will provide some easy and acces- sible practices to expand your ability to live more vibrantly, confidently, and at peace—even when faced with challenging circumstances.
Participants will come away with an under- standing of how to shape their own emotions and behavior, and create clarity in their lives. They will also be able to apply this in a clinical setting, if desired.
Recommended reading: Isensee, Shift Your Mood: Unleash Your Life! Your Pathway to Inner Happiness.
CE credit for MFTs and LCSWs; see page 113.
Rik Isensee practices mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy in San Francisco. He is the author of Shift Your Mood: Unleash Your Life! Your Pathway to Inner Happiness.
Lori Anne Schwanbeck is a mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapist. Lori developed Sense and Sensibility, a sensory-focused mindfulness treatment for emotional regulation, which she teaches interna- tionally. She is cofounder of Mindfulness Therapy Associates, located in San Francisco. www.mindful-
nesstherapy.org.
Luminous Being: Embodying the Radiance Sutras
Camille Maurine & Lorin Roche
Immerse yourself in love-drenched meditation and movement. We will explore the luminous teachings of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, an ancient text that describes 112 awareness prac- tices for touching the sacred in the midst of daily life. The Radiance Sutras is a musical, sensu- ous translation of this tantra by Lorin Roche, who has lived and breathed these yogas for forty years. The Radiance Sutras evoke a world of wonder, awe, and delight. The focus of this workshop is on full-body spirituality—accepting every breath, sensual experience, and emotion as a doorway into deep and intimate contact with the energies of life. The practices include
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