Nature & Contemplation: Esalen, May 2018

Nature and Contemplation

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"The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."
~ Henry Miller

As I sit to write this post and feel back into the week I notice some quality of hope — to see and feel wild beauty being appreciated and loved. Perhaps we can find our way to reclaiming the wild beauty that lives in each of us, collectively, and all around us.

One important measure of a healthy ecosystem is diversity. We had a diverse range of interests and places of curiosity. I appreciated how were able to "listen" and follow a sense of "organismic self-regulation" and each find our unique ways in the context of a group as support. I see this reflected in the number of record breaking links requested for this post. And, a first time ever book tour into the wilds of the Esalen bookstore. There were many other firsts... all to be celebrated. 

Here are many links, some of which were personal requests, others for the group:
Photos
Lelani's Photos of our time together (make sure you see all of the sets)
Poems to Live By (poems I used in our workshop, plus many more.
Voices of Esalen Podcast: Interview with Steven (More stories, with Kai as one of the guest hosts)
Gratefulness.org: Bro. David Steindt-Rast's website

Some of Steve's writing related to our workshop or requested:
Waters of the Sur by Steven Harper for Esalen
Ecopsychology: Way of Wilderness  by Steven Harper
Published writings by Steven Harper

Noël & Fletcher:
Wildtender Tending Inner & Outer Wilderness
Gnome Life Records
Cold Spring Fletcher's latest.

Ticks My favorite of the many sites on ticks

I will end here with this poem of encouragement:

Don't Go Back To Sleep
 

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep.

~ Rumi translated by Coleman Barks
From Essential Rumi

With Heartfelt Wildness,

Steven