As an Esalen Teaching Staff member since 1972, I highly
treasure my community and work at Esalen. With the cutbacks
in the Work Scholar Program this year, I was/am able to only
teach one program a year at this point. This is my favorite
program to teach at Esalen.
During my weekend Esalen Spinal Awareness workshop of June 20-22, 2008,
a very scary looking cloud threw a bolt of lightning behind Coast Gallery
in Big Sur on a “clear” Saturday afternoon. The ensuing fire would change
all of our lives.
I was notified in a few days that the Work Scholar Group
that was to begin on the 29th of June was to be delayed.
I told Mary Anne Will to let me know if I could help in any way.
On Saturday the 28th June I received a message from Mary Anne
that I was to go to Petaluma to help with a group of Work Scholars
who were already in California. She told me that Anthony and Allison
from the Esalen Kitchen were going to go as well. Allison is one of my
assistants and the Best Baker and Anthony I know is The Best. I was off
to a very long drive to Petaluma as I was South of Big Sur. My
Work Scholar Group of 2008 I was determined to continue.
We arrived in an empty IONS facility. We were between groups
and many of the staff were gone. We rose to the situation…we
created a branch of Esalen: Esalen North!
Anthony, Allison, and soon arriving Shea served us the best
gourmet feasts. Like Esalen, we would share these moments
as we ate. Bonding is not just about verbal space, it is also
about BEING with each other.
Eric Moya has a “weather report” and “download” each morning
after breakfast. I would follow a short time later with a
2 – 2 1/2 hour of my Spinal Awareness.
Spinal Awareness is something I have created living and
working as a part of Esalen’s life force since my first
days here so many years ago. It is based on the work of
Moshe Feldenkrais, Gestalt, Taoist-Indonesian Martial
Art for Health, and very strongly The Esalen Experience.
Group building is very much about what Esalen is that
is very unique. I am part of Esalen’s long term teaching
staff well seasoned in this. Eric, Allison, Anthony, Shea
and I were blessed with a uniquely wonderful group of
students/friends.
There was much doubt in the beginning. No one knew what would
happen.
IONS was very hot that heat: 100 degress + radiating over
rolling dry hills in a very lovely place, so different than
Esalen.
I mentioned something about that we could get a swimming
pool. Shea went for supplies and bought a kid’s blow-up
pool and filled it with water. It was Very Hot outside.
It became Esalen bathing at IONS! Great fun it was
for all.
I continued to teach Spinal Awareness every day.
Friday night Eric left for the weekend. Mary Anne
appeared Saturday and both attended my class and
added her own arts. We arranged for her to facilitate
an Esalen Gestalt session to the eager group.
There became a very great uncertainty as to when
this group would end. There were forces that wanted
to stop the group as of Tuesday. Saturday and Sunday
new people arrived. It was madness! I had already
committed to teach To The End even if it was at IONS.
It was/is my only group of this type this year.
Mary Anne in her 2 day sprint, waved her magic wand
and we were on until Friday! Hurray!
Eric departed Tuesday to fly to Florida. We immediately
had a wild party in true Esalen Tradition and Spirit.
Shea when she evacuated Esalen took Her Costumes. Great Fun, Indeed!
I continued my daily classes and the fantastic vital
food continued to flow. The Fire Work Scholars worked
in IONS gardens, cleaned their buildings, refinished
their outside furniture, and spit-shined their kitchen.
I think IONS staff were amazed at how much work was
done by our team!
No matter what was decided and said, I was determined
to bring this group to Esalen. I have been teaching in
the Work Scholar program since the 1970’s. I knew Esalen
needed these people to help once the fire passed.
And…these people needed to be at Esalen. Every day,
I told these Fire Work Scholars that we would go to
Esalen while they were constantly told they would not.
Create your own Reality: Live the Dream. Many people
said NOT. Friday was to be The End.
I emailed Thursday into the late night pleading the
Powers of Esalen. Allison and Anthony reached out
to our Community.
We are here.
I am indebted to Esalen Programs and The Esalen Community and
all of you that we are all together once again.
The people of IONS are really special people. I thank
them for allowing us to be ourselves and sharing their
wonderful home. I hope Esalen and the Noetic Science
people continue to share. We owe their Community some time
here. They need harbor too. We are one in Spirit.
I have finished teaching this so wonderful group of Work
Scholars, people who Live our Dream. I am very happy
to have succeeded and will always do my best for all of you.
We All are Esalen.
Peace and Life,
Patrick Douce
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