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And in those famous sulphur baths, stripping
away layers while following the "clothing option-
al" suggestion seems to be taken more often
than not. Nudity is widespread by the pool and
mineral baths and doesn't warrant a reaction.
Esalen President Gordon Wheeler explains
that merging Eastern and Western traditions,
insisting that personal growth goals serve soci-
ety at large, and wall-shattering diplomatic tac-
tics owe a great deal to Esalen, which celebrat-
ed its 50th anniversary several years ago.
"The whole movement for personal inquiry
and personal growth and communications
training was birthed at Esalen, and taken out to
the culture from there," Wheeler says. "Things
that are so valuable that we take for granted
today, such as Doctors Without Borders, were
sparked by Esalen…Esalen brought the [Soviet]
cosmonauts and [American] astronauts togeth-
er…Boris Yelstin's first visit to America was
orchestrated by the Esalen Institute, and after
that trip he renounced Communism."
The nonprofit institute began as the person-
Clothing is optional at Esalen's famous mineral baths, which are set above the pounding Pacific. Esalen's renowned massage treatments take
place indoors or on a deck above the hot springs-fed baths, next to a living roof of native coastal grasses.
Esalen President Gordon Wheeler says students transform when they step onto campus.
"Big Sur's [effects] are not in a soft pretty way. It wakes you up."
