THE PROCESSES ACCORDING TO ESALEN Using the World’s Greatest Growth Center To Build Your Own Integral Growth Program Hugh & Amalia Kaye Martin P.O. Box 1736 Sebastopol, CA 95473 [email protected] Copyright Hugh Martin & Co. January 2009 The Processes According to Esalen, Page 2 PROLOGUE A REPRIEVE FROM DEATH Hugh Martin remembers his early years at Esalen: “I first discovered Esalen in the Spring of 1965, just three years after its founding. I had been diagnosed with advanced-stage Hodgkin’s Disease lymphatic cancer, and given just two years to live. To make the best of my last days on earth, I had dropped the intensive stress of grad school, and traveled via Berkeley to California’s rugged Big Sur coast in search of a new life. With my young wife (a ‘Joan Baez with curves’) and baby daughter, I settled in a little cabin in the Redwoods, only accessible in mid-winter by an undulating suspension footbridge over a rag- ing stream. From there, my family and I commuted to Esalen Institute, for volunteer work de- veloping the grounds of the new Growth Center. While there, we meshed with the Esalen com- munity, and plunged into the Esalen experience – brutal hotseats with the the infamous Fritz Perls, soul-stripping encounter groups with the tough-but-caring Will Schutz, graceful Tai Chi ballets with Yoda-like Gia Fu Feng, exuberant dance, throbbing drums, soothing sensory aware- ness by the baths, searing acid mind-trips on windy ridge-tops, free sex, savage fist fights, and group hugs. Eventually, as my health and stability recovered, I was offered the position of Esa- len general manager (by Esalen co-founder Dick Price) -- and later, of Perls’ video cameraman – both of which I declined in favor of a life back in the ‘real world.’ Through the influence of Esa- len, of Gestalt Therapy (Gene Sagan), of Reichian Therapy (Gerald Frank), of my third wife Kaye, and of a generous and forgiving God, my cancer completely vanished, and I went on to lead a happy and successful life. For the magic of Esalen, I’m forever grateful – and living proof that it works.” [To continue with Hugh’s personal reminiscences (Thread B), go to The Ballad of Esa-lon, page 8.] Hugh & Kaye Martin [email protected] The Processes According to Esalen, Page 3 HUGH & KAYE MARTIN HUGH MARTIN. Hugh Martin is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. He has appeared on numerous talk shows, led seminars at many colleges and corporations, and spoken at numerous professional conferences and collo- quia. Mr. Martin is president of the FINRA-registered securities brokerage firm, Hugh Martin Securities, and of the California-registered investment advisory firm, Hugh Martin & Co. Hugh is also an experienced Life Counselor. AMALIA KAYE MARTIN. Amalia Kaye Martin (‘Kaye’) is a ‘clairvoyant’ Life Counselor, gifted natural medicine practitioner, and early education special- ist. Kaye is also a dedicated homemaker, full-time mother, instructor in natural medicine and nutrition at Bauman College, certified natural foods chef, and dy- namic community organizer. HUGH AND KAYE MARTIN. Hugh and Kaye are primarily qualified as Integral theorists and practitioners because they have led Integral lives. Both Hugh and Kaye have extensive ex- perience in personal transformation, natural medicine and health, early and advanced education, societal change, natural and cultural environments, and high-level academics. Hugh and Kaye have been married for over 30 years. They have five highly-independent, multi- gifted children with strong family ties. For a complete summary of Hugh & Kaye’s background and qualifications, see Biographical Background, page 113. WHOLE LIFE COUNSELING. Hugh and Kaye Martin are the founders and co-directors of the life planning and counseling firm Whole Life Counseling. Whole Life Coun- seling is a comprehensive program for personal and professional growth, which empowers clients to achieve success and fulfillment in 12 key arenas of life -- education, career, marriage, family, community, emotions, sexuality, finances, health, recreation, nature, and spirituality. For more information, please contact the authors at WholeLifeCounse- [email protected]. Hugh & Kaye Martin [email protected] The Processes According to Esalen, Page 4 [Permission is granted to quote from, revise, and improve this article for non-profit purposes -- provided proper attribution is given to Hugh & Kaye Martin and to Whole Life Counseling, and provided that a copy of modifications and intended use are sent to the addresses below and written confirmation from the authors is received.] Download this article as Word documents: Processes According to Esalen (4.8 MB) Table F: Esalen’s Processes of Growth (0.6 MB) View Table as pop-up window: Table F: Esalen‘s Processes of Growth VIEW COMPANION ARTICLES BY HUGH & KAYE MARTIN: Showcase Page Building The Next Generation of AQAL http://www.integralworld.net/martin05.html Link to this page for an overview of all the following articles by Hugh & Kaye Martin: ADAPT, The Next Generation? How ADAPT Points the Way Toward a Major Revision Of Ken Wilber’s Model of Human Development The Fundamental Ken Wilber What Ken Wilber Really Says About Human Development The Human Growth Continuum The Eight Dimensions of Personal Development The Processes of Human Development The 33 [now 35] Fundamental Methods by which People Grow Arrays of Light An upgrade of Ken Wilber’s Famous Tables from Integral Psychology Hugh & Kaye Martin [email protected] The Processes According to Esalen TABLE OF CONTENTS PROLOGUE ................................................................................................................................... 2 A REPRIEVE FROM DEATH ..................................................................................................... 2 HUGH & KAYE MARTIN ............................................................................................................ 3 THE BALLAD OF ESA-LON ...................................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 9 ESALEN – A BETTER INTEGRAL INSTITUTE (or ILP)? ................................................... 9 OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 10 Thread A: Creating an Integral Growth Program using ADAPT ..................................................... 10 Thread Two: How Esalen helped save Hugh’s life. ........................................................................ 13 INTRODUCTION TO ADAPT..................................................................................................... 14 THE DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH (The Growth Continuum) ............................................. 14 THE PROCESSES OF GROWTH ............................................................................................ 15 THE GROWTH COORDINATOR ........................................................................................... 16 THE PHENOMENON OF GROWTH CENTERS .................................................................... 18 HOLISTIC GROWTH SITUATIONS ...................................................................................... 18 GROWTH CENTERS ................................................................................................................. 21 MID-LOGUE 1 ............................................................................................................................ 23 THE SIREN CALL ...................................................................................................................... 23 INTRODUCTION TO ESALEN ................................................................................................. 24 ESALEN INSTITUTE ................................................................................................................. 24 ESALEN – STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS ............................................................... 25 WHY ESALEN? ........................................................................................................................... 27 ESALEN & THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRAL ............................................................. 29 ESALEN’S DIMENSIONS AND PROCESSES ....................................................................... 33 ESALEN’S DIMENSIONS .......................................................................................................................... 33 ESALEN’S PROCESSES ............................................................................................................................. 35 Esalen’s explicit Processes .............................................................................................................. 35 Esalen’s implicit Processes ............................................................................................................. 35 Esalen as Place. ............................................................................................................................... 36 The Programs of Esalen. ................................................................................................................. 38 The Community of Esalen. ............................................................................................................. 39 ESALEN vs. INTEGRAL INSTITUTE ....................................................................................