Dear Esalen Friends and Family,
As you may already know, extreme winter weather all through California has brought multiple landslides and road closures both north and south of our Big Sur property. Sadly, here at Esalen we have had to cancel workshops and close our doors to guests since February 12. This closure holds through our April 14-16workshops, after which we hope reliable road access from the south will allow us to reopen.
Along with our shock and concern, such wildness also carries the gift of reminding us of our place in the larger natural order. We are honored to be stewards of this sacred land, and we are blessed to call this magical and rugged area on the edge of the world our home. Yet with these blessings come the challenges of our remote coastal location. Out of care for the safety and welfare of our workshop participants, faculty, staff, and residential community, at the first safe weather opportunity in late February we coordinated the evacuation by helicopter and Highway Patrol convoy most of those still in residence at Esalen. A small, dedicated team remains to secure the campus and provide daily maintenance.
We deeply appreciate that our Esalen community extends far beyond our Big Sur home. Our gratefulness goes out to so many of you who have sent messages of concern and support and offers to help in so many ways. We will continue to share with you news from Big Sur and updates on workshops and stories of our community and faculty.
On behalf of our staff and community in Big Sur and Carmel, thank you for your support in these challenging times.
In gratitude and service,
Gordon Wheeler
Esalen President
