From this last weekend! We had a great group, incredible weather, and moments of simplicity.

For more photos: Workshop Journal

Happy Birthday dear Albert. I am honored to know you and count you as a friend in my life. May you have day of celebration and a year of wonder, peace, and health.

Love to you

Finally all of the 2010 workshops are booked and up on Esalen's website and my own website. A great deal of my recent time and creative energy has gone into planning, writing, editing, and the like to get this all together.

For those curious, here are the workshops I am leading this year: 2010 Workshops & Retreats

Honoring Esalen's co-founder, Dick Price, I have two workshops that are unique and may never be offered again (perhaps in another 25 years):

Stepping In, Stepping Out

Following the Way, Returning to the Source

Also you might enjoy this short excellent article about Dick Price that Chris Price wrote for the new Esalen Catalog: Richard Price

from the Wild Big Sur,

Steven

Here is a project (labor of love) I've been working on (and off) for some time. It probably is interesting only to Big Surophiles and anyone wanting to increase their Nature Literacy. Trees of Big Sur and the Santa Lucia Mountains.

There will alway be more to do on this... I know there are edits, changes, and additions to be made. It seems time to publically "launch" this now so I can give it a rest for a while in the coming 2010.

Hope you enjoy!

Inviting you to join us in the Meditation House this Monday, December 21st 7:00am PST in celebrating the Solstice (Winter Solstice if you live in the northern hemisphere and Summer Solstice if you live the the southern hemisphere). We will meet in the Meditation House for a simple 20 minutes meditation together.

If you haven't used the Meditation House before, have a visit and look around: Meditation House. We will get together at 7:00 am PST. Invite a friend or come alone.

Here is a link to a post and YouTube video I just put up... All characters (and yes I mean characters) are Esalen "oldtimers" that go some ways back: Seach for the Center

Announcing the recent publication and release of The Manual of Gestalt Practice in the tradition of Dick Price

This manual is the labor and work of our own John (of iThou fame). This has been a labor of love (and probably other emotions at times). It can be a risk to put forth our creative endeavors to a larger audience.

Please join me in celebrating and congratulating John in his publication of  The Manual of Gestalt Practice in the tradition of Dick Price.

To preview and/or purchase a copy click on this link: The Manual of Gestalt Practice in the tradition of Dick Price

Reception to follow in the iThou Lodge at some tiime and date to be determined.

Steven

Its that time again... The twice a year pilgrimage:

This is an invitation for anyone in the extended San Francisco Bay Area (or further away) to come join us for a day at the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center for the Art of Pilgrimage, Saturday, September 19th, 2009.

My hope with this particular retreat is that it becomes a regular seasonal way for folks that have done programs with me in the past, new participants (bring a friend), iThou community, and Green Gulch regulars to get together at Green Gulch for a day of contemplative walking in the hills of Marin. The fee is minimal, the venue is great, and the opportunity to more deeply understand contemporary pilgrimage together on a seasonal basis is exciting to me. This is where I first met a number of Bay Area iThou participants face-to-face.

Here’s the retreat description.

I love when I get to meet face to face with another iThou participant... Jasimine caught me at lunch on the deck so we grabbed this quick shot with the baths in the background. 

S

If you are experiencing technical difficulties on the site (like "Page Not Found" or finding you can't sign in to the Meditation House, or the Media Player not loading, and the like... you are not alone.

I think the website is going through abandonement issues as Albert settles in his new home. With appropriate workshops and therapy the condition should be resolved at some point when Albert's computer catches up to his physical body and his new home.

Just goes to show how dependent we are on the skills and attention that Albert gives to the site. In the meantime, I guess we can be grateful for what we do have. Thanks Albert for all your efforts!  

We (my family and I) recently made a journey from Big Sur to southern California where we got to have dinner with Albert. I can attest that Albert does indeed exist in more than the virtual world.

It was a send-off dinner of sorts. Ablert is making a big move (leaving California and heading out across these United States) and a bigger move in the direction of his life. While we are all always in some form of transition... I would like to wish you, Albert, a smooth transition, a good journey, and a great adventure in the road ahead. You are courageous. May you dance the dance of life that only you can dance.

Love to you my friend,

K, K, J, & S

 P.S. Here is the same place some years back... Albert and I shrank and the kids stayed the same.

Over the last week I have had a very rich time. From a fathers and sons weekend workshop on Father's Day with my father (88) and my two sons (14 and 17) and 23 other fathers and sons... to a workshop with my sister Susan called Mountains and Waves. Both workshops went deep... I am pleasantly tired and integrating the experience.

For those that care to follow along here are more words and photos: Workshop Journal

Inviting you to join us in the Meditation House this Sunday, June 21st 7:00am PST in celebrating the Solstice (Summer Solstice if you live in the northern hemisphere and Winter Solstice if you live the the southern hemisphere). We will meet in the Meditation House for a simple 20 minutes meditation together.

If you haven't used the Meditation House before, have a visit and look around: Meditation House. We will get together at 7:00 am PST. I will be leading a workshop on this day and may not be able to sign in on the site... I will be participating.

SURPRISE!

On behalf of the iThou community…

On this very special day. The one in which you entered this world. All things seen and unseen conspired (breathed together) to welcome you into this being-ness saying, “yes.”

Yes, you belong, here… now…

On this day of your birth and re-birth may you receive these gifts of words, thoughts, intentions, deeds that are filled with heart and meaning. May you let  yourself be held in the deep ground of love and care that so many (seen and unseen) hold for you.

You, the one that is known as Albert Wong:

May you dance the cosmic dance that no one else but you can dance. May you celebrate this living with every breath.

This is an all day world-wide SUR-prise virtual party for you… May the party of Posts begin!

Light a Candle for Albert: Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday Dear AnJela

 Wishing you health and happiness on this day!

Lighting a Candle for you too.

S

http://fukung.net/v/15472/98bb794a7507ca9f7d84f666e1ef2ed4.jpg

Check out the cover of the Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/issue/May_2009.html

I returned home from facilitating a meeting in Carmel to a fire in Sycamore Canyon (the road to my house)... and its still burning. Downed PG&E line. Lucky for us we don't have the winds we had last week or I might be hitting you all up for a place to stay. Crews have contained the southside (Rancho Rico) and are working on the north side in Sycamore Canyon (the road to Pfeiffer Beach). Hopefully, we will have containment by tomorrow. Weather forecast is good as far as wind is concerned, although we could have record breaking temperatures tomorrow. I will try to add photo tomorrow...

Way to soon to wrap my mind around another fire... and nature will do what nature will do... and I would be quite happy to have this one out soon.

s 

Just finished my first public workshop of the season... if you want to follow along through photos you can check out a slide show here: BSWE Spring 2009 Slideshow or just check out the photo collection here: BSWE Spring Photos

We had an exceptional week. The wildflowers are shouting out, "YES."

The 2nd to the last day of the workshop I ran into Monika at the baths and we got a chance to share stories while soaking in the hot springs overlooking the Pacific Ocean...

from the Sur... Steven

The amazing resilience of nature expressed in wildflowers after the fires. Almost everything you can see in this photo had burned in July 2008. The grasslands recovered fast. You can see other plant habitats that will take longer to comeback. 

For more photos of my tip toe throught the lupines click here (click on photo and choose "all sizes" to see them in a larger format): After the Fire Wildflowers

Or, click here to watch as a slide show: After the Fire Wildflowers: Slideshow

I dedicated a roll in the lupines to you all... especially you, Weems & Wallace

An invitation to all those interested... we plan to have a iThou Community Meditation at 7:00am PST on March 20th the Spring Equinox. We will meet in the Meditation House for a simple 20 minutes meditation together.

If you haven't used the Meditation House before, have a visit and look around: Meditation House. We will get together at 7:00 am PST.

I encourage you to come early and Light a Candle. Use the Meditation Timer in the Listening Station on the right-hand side bar. There are many different lengths... I am suggesting 20 minutes (but since no one else but you knows how long you sit or how you do it, it is up to you). If sitting meditation isn't your style then, dance, do tai chi, yoga, anything that celebrates Spring. If you can't make the 7:00 am PST then come when you can during the day (time is an illusion, right?).

Greetings to all. I have just recently recieved all the dates for my my 2009 worshops and have just updated my website. If any of you are inclined to give it a once over I would appreciate the feedback. I often make some glaring spelling or grammar mistakes and don't notice because I am too close to it and stared at the copy for too long. You can email me with any edits and dead links you catch or suggestions and ideas you might have instead of posting here (my email is on the site). Website link: Steven Harper

So, here was the experiment:

Desired Outcomes: by the end of this experiment we will have….

• Raised enough money to pay for the annual cost of the server ($620 USD).
• Kept the process simple (easy for Albert and easy for those that would like to make an offering).
• Included everyone that wants to offer money for the server as well as those that can’t or don’t want to. Money and participation or use of the site are not linked in any manner. Everyone is welcome.
• Built community, relationships, and understanding (we will have learned something).

I also stated: The model that Wikipedia uses I like. If you can and feel inclined you can contribute to support Wikipedia. If not, you can still use it freely.  There are no advertisements on Wiki and there are none here (thankfully). All support/contributions on Wiki are anonymous.

Inviting you to join us in the Meditation House this Saturday, February 14th 7:00am PST in celebrating the Valentines Day. We will meet in the Meditation House for a simple 20 minutes meditation together.

So here are the details. I thought it would be a wonderful experiment to honor this time with you all (a chance to reclaim this day from Hallmark). Here is what I encourage. If you haven't used the Meditation House before, have a visit and look around: Meditation House. We will get together at 7:00 am PST (that me be early for some on the west coast for a Saturday... and it may be quite late for those in other parts of the country/world).

Last month I started learning how to use iMovie on my Mac. I made the Solstice Invitation which I posted here. Well, here is another one if you want to take a virtual journey with me to get a glimpse into part of what I do and where I live... Somehow I continue to be in awe and in love with this land.

Those of you that have hiked along with me and/or spent some time in Big Sur will recognize many places... all the rest are "secret."

Esalen from the air today.

I went up with a friend that has a plane to whale watch. The sea has been calm and the Gray Whales are swimming south making for a near perfect day for whale watching. We saw plenty of whales along with many pods of Pacific Whiteside Dolphins. We turned south of Esalen to head back up the coast and I got this shot... hopefully I'll get a moment to post more to my flickr site where you can see them in a larger format.

My friend, on this day of your coming into the world. May you ski the dance of skiing like only you can... May you continue to live your life like only a Weems can. May you have many more years on the slopes of life. May you continue to gift those you touch (which are many) with the spirit of the aliveness and the wilds of the mountains...

Happy Birthday to You!

 The Paradox of Choice: Why more is less

Another Google lecture, this one by Barry Schwartz

 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6127548813950043200&hl=en

Why more is less... and less is more. I haven't finished watching this piece myself or figuring any of this out in my own life. I know from my experience of living with indigenous peoples (that have very little apparent choice) and when I lived for a year with nothing but what I could carry on my back, that at least happiness and having "stuff" and choices of stuff, don't necessarily go together. My stuff owns me as much as I own it.

Anyway I liked what I've seen so far and how it challenges some of the assumptions our (my) culture has made.

Well, many of you notice the site has been down for somewhere between 24 and 36 hours. When Albert is away from the computer and the site crashes... it crashes!

There is a great deal of work that has gone into creating the site and goes into maintaining the site. Albert works in the invisible (to us) world of code, servers, and the like to keep this experiment alive. Thanks Albert for all the work and energy you put into ithou. Thanks for bringing it to life again...

with gratitude,

Steven