Esalen history

Esalen was incorporated as a non-profit institution in 1963.

In 1966, Esalen began year-long residential educational programs that were subsequently replaced by month-long work-study programs and year-long work-oriented extended student programs.

Time published an article about Esalen in September 1967.

Preparatory work for Murphy’s The Future of the Body began in 1977 through the building of an archive, since donated to the Stanford University Medical School, that includes more than 10,000 studies of exceptional functioning.

These diverse interests led to Dick’s formation of Gestalt Practice, a communal approach to developing awareness, which synthesized eastern meditative principles and gestalt structures with a somatic emphasis, which continues to develop and expand through his long-term students.‍Dick died in 1985.

In 1990, Murphy and Esalen initiated Boris Yeltsin's first visit to America — a trip that contributed to Yeltsin's change of heart regarding the United States and capitalism and that became part of ending the Cold War.

In 1994, Esalen created an Artist-in-Residence program.

The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation (2nd edition). Michael Murphy (Institute of Noetic Sciences, 1997).

Then the baths were damaged in 1998 by severe weather, only to be rebuilt after great institutional and financial stress.

She started working with MAPS in 2012, coordinating psychedelic harm reduction services at festivals and events worldwide with the Zendo project.