George's writing, especiallyThe Ultimate Athlete, was a large part of what influence me to be curious about Esalen. Many of my first workshops at Esalen were with George and various co-leaders (Wendy Palmer, Richard Heckler, and others) he taught with. Over the years I would take occasional workshops with him to see how his work was evolving. He was a passionate man for learning. He practiced what he taught: skilled at writing, aikido, music (jazz), and could carry his end of any philisophical discussion with many of the great thinkers of our times.

Hopefully, I'll get a moment to write more... in the meantime — one deep bow to a great teacher.

this news makes me sad -- he was such a good man.

And I think now too of his wife Annie, who has this grief to walk through.

I didn't get much chance to see Leonard other than at a bit of a distance -- as a lowly work scholar  -- when my time at Esalen overlapped with his being there teaching aikido. I did, however, have a strong bond with Annie; for some reason we "clicked" and became friends. And I think of her loss now, as well as our loss of him.

I really wanted to study with him, esp. the aikido, but my Esalen work schedule didn't permit that. And after I moved to the Bay Area, I wanted to join his center and study with him, but he was north of SF and I was east of SF and it just never worked out. And now, it never will. This is one of the problems with death's finality: it closes permanently doors we still had left open in our minds as "one of these days" possibilities.  The "if only"s.

I send my deepest sympathy and support to Annie Leonard, and to Leonard's students and friends who have lost a true treasure.

And I am grateful for him having been who and where and when he was.

Steven, I look forward to reading more from you about your personal experience with him.

They say that the Dead die not, but remain
Near to the rich heirs of their grief and mirth.
I think they ride the calm mid-heaven, as these,
In wise majestic melancholy train,
And watch the moon, and the still-raging seas,
And men, coming and going on the earth.

  Totally Committed

I give thanks for unknown blessings already on the way

I want to express my appreciation as well for all that George brought to Esalen, and the Human Potential field in general.  He WAS a good man, and I, too, made a nice connection with Annie - way back in the day.  For some reason Annie and I baked together for a day or two in the Esalen bakery in the mid-80's.  Can't remember what was going on, yet do remember how much I liked her, how well we got along, and am sending her warm blessings and peaceful energy, as well as to Michael Murphy, who was close to George and all others who are grieving this loss.

Authenticity Heals....

Every now and then I studied Aikido with George in the final years of his Aikido of Tamalpais partnership with Wendy Palmer and Richard Strozzi Heckler.  I remember him as an earnest, well-intentioned gentleman, who could tell a good story.  Condolences to his family and friends.

George, Richard, Wendy.  Dan exams at Aikido of Tamalpais (Mill Valley) 25 (?) years ago. 

George touched my life in many ways.  I have a photo of him I took standing in front of the Esalen office -- a view of a long ways off at Esalen talking to another person, unpublished somewhere (I made a placemat out of it).  George was tall but not intimidating.

I recall in one of his workshops we played a game and he brought a sword down (a wooden one) and you died and layed on the floor and observed what it was like to die.

I will miss George.  Two or three times I drove to the area where I thought his dojo was but never actually went inside even though he invited me to visit (inscribed in a book he signed to me).

In recent days I thought of him more.  And even watched some videos of him in action.

That he was involved in the "Hunger Project" even made me grow in greater respect for him.  And that he was a great Journalist and Author and Aikido Master were more than impressive to me.  He was kind and gentle to me.

Peace, Balance, Harmony, the Tao.  (Aikido for correcting oneself not others).

"I'm glad you asked me that," he would say.  Catching his balance quickly and having fun with his students.  A great teacher if only I were as great a student. 

Condolences to those left behind. 

In a workshop with him and Michael Murphy I had a profound experience of energy flow as I read aloud to George and some other of his Aikido friends.

Once when I was a work scholar I cleaned his room (before he was in it or I knew it was his room) and I had used apparently too much lemon polish for when I returned it was overpowering.  He never said a word.  Nor did his former wife Anne.

He is someone who absolutely made a difference in this world and touched many many peoples lives.  I even watched him on TV once as he broke up some crystalized dogmatic forms and taboos there.

A keen intelligence.  And one who lived what he knew.

George has always been in my heart.  (As has Al Huang and other truely gifted teachers I got to experience 1st hand at Esalen).

Indeed I have recommended his book Education and Ecstacy to teachers and politicians for years. 

Once as he drove onto Highway 1 from Esalen turing left I saw a blue glow from his eyes.  I knew then that he was in touch with what I call the Christ Consciousness available to everyone who wants it.  (Though I doubt he would use that term...an Indigo color).

I don't know if he influenced a pleasurable experience I had with a lady I took to Esalen once, but there were literally crackling bolts of electricity in the room I was in with her (also blue) and was probably one of my better unplanned performances.  It was a uniquely different experience.  I say this in all modesty (if you knew how average in this realm I consider myself). 

But even his book the Silent Pulse and the End of Sex were enormously powerful and thought provoking and educational to me (each signed by him).

Just yesterday, without knowing he had passed, I pulled his book Mastery from my bookshelf.  Perhaps he was saying hello/goodby.  And to George I say Aloha and Mahalo. 

Oh wait can you hear him in Huxley playing Old Man River on that big antique black classy piano.

It was a true honor to be in his clear presence.  He will be missed but never forgotten.  And his work lives on.  Om Peace Amen.  Aum. 

...including a great picture...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/us/18leonard1.html

my father's office was in the Look Building in NYC during the 1950s and '60s. Likely George Leonard worked there also until Look transfered him to the west coast? The iThou AARP contingent may remember the shock and awe of Look's pictures and reporting of the west coast "counter-culture" phenomenon

In the 70s I lived a few blocks away on E. 50th, so we're practically neighbors. ;-)

Leonard put Esalen on the map. He was publicist of the counter-culture, along with Theodore Roszak.
I can remember how we all got drunk on Retsina at some Greek restaurant on 44th, I think, after the '72 NY convention. There's that line from the end of Blade Runner...
"What will happen to all these memories?.... Like tears lost in the rain."

i remember the address of the Look Building being 51st and Madison ave...i ran wild there as a boy in the '50s. May our tears bring Spring Flowers