Walk on the Wild Side: Esalen, May 2011

 Walk on the Wild Side

"The wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges and tell a good story when we get back home.”

~ Gary Snyder

Here are some links and resources:

Walk on the Wild Side Photo Set

Walk on the Wild Slideshow

More on Redwoods

The Pygmy Redwood Forest... just for fun

The Art of Pilgrimage at Vallecitos Mountain Ranch
John Muir Nature's Visionary by Gretel Ehrlich (my favorite book about Muir)

I sit here in my office in the Big Sur digesting the rich images, sensations, and feelings of our week together. Still lingering is the strong sense of the human community that came together to walk in the wilds and I find myself deeply appreciating the fullness of everyone's "showing up." 

What a blessing. I am grateful have shared time on the path together... and wondering, what good story will you tell when you get back home.

Big Love,

Steven 

Simply Wild: Esalen, May 2011

Simply Wild in the wild... with Cone Peak

“I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done.”
~ Mary Oliver

I am amazed at how a relatively short weekend can be made timeless. Our experience together in Big Sur touched deeply... and, after all, "what else should we have done."

Here are links that you might enjoy:
Simply Wild photo set
Simply Wild slide show
Eske's photo set
Eske's photos as a slide show
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver
Workshop & Retreats

Thanks to you all for such a fruitful time together.

From the wilds of the Sur with love,
Steven

P.S. Special thanks to Anna for all she gave and all she gives.

The Nature of Zen at Tassajara: April 2011

“Climb Mount Fuji,
O snail,
but slowly, slowly.”

~Kobayashi Issa

There is nothing quite like spring at Tassajara… emergent green, wildflowers, cold creek crossing, the beginning of Guest Season, fresh trails, good food, the lingering wildness of winter.

For more than 30 years I have been making my annual “pilgrimage” over to Tassajara. Each year my relationship to the place and these mountains deepens. I am honored to lead with Abbot Myogen Steve Stücky and to have so many people join us this year.

Here are some links of interest and ones mentioned in conversations:

Photo Set

Slideshow of photo set

Trees of Big Sur

Retreat at Vallecitos Mountain Ranch


Some of you asked about the online meditation site we have been experimenting with... Click on the link and take a look around. There is a meditation timer, virtual candle site, lectures, instructions, a group that sits daily together at 7:00am, and more: iThou Meditation House


Gassho,
Steven

Big Sur Wilderness Experience: April 2011

Where the land and sea meet...

What a way to start off my workshop season. Thank you to each and every one of you. I so dearly appreciated how much heart each of you bought to our circle. 

Here are links I spoke of to explore:

Photo Set of our workshop (photos by Michael C, Arturo P, and me): BSWE photos

Full screen slideshow of the above photos: BSWE Slideshow

Poems: Poems to Live By

Vallecitos Mountain Ranch, New Mexico: The Art of Pilgrimage

"To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:
stay together
learn the flowers
go light"
~Gary Snyder

May you walk in peace,

Steven