Um...Who am I?

After a couple of false starts, I arrived at Esalen here in Big Sur, California. My friend Ann Randolph is the artist in residence, teaching a month-long workshop about performing. She invited me up as her guest speaker and as an opportunity to meet the head of the program to perhaps secure my own workshop in the future.

Ann has been put up in the Artist's Yurt:

a two bedroom 'cabin' of sorts. When I arrived, I dumped my stuff and we headed over to the main lodge. Ann is a performer and the night arrived she was performing her one-woman show, "Loveland." She had to rehearse so she directed me to the baths and told me to meet up with her at dinner.

First of all, let me say that the property is astounding. It overlooks the Pacific and there are rolling hills, gorgeous, vibrant gardens, a pool, and of course the baths. There are a series of outdoor tubs and baths overlooking the ocean and everyone is soaking naked. I was so achey from the drive up that I couldn't wait to get in there and have a good soak, too. First you have to shower in a 6-person shower also overlooking the Pacific. I tentatively stripped off my clothes and jumped into the empty shower. When I approached the baths they were all filled - men, women, kids, fat, skinny, taut, shriveled... you name it they're here. I found one with a family - mom, dad and daughter and joined them. Soon after two old men joined and there we were, the six of us, just chatting naked about the weather. 

Dinner was an amazing curried shrimp along with copious amounts of fresh salads and veggies all plucked from their organic garden. At dinner, Ann introduced me to Tjarn, a guy in a bear suit. He swore he knew me. We figured out we both lived in SF, but at different times. I asked where he lived. "Doloros Park," It's very possible he literally lives in the park. I thought the suit was temporary, but no...he walks around in it all the time. Ann says he is the most brilliant writer she's ever taught, ever. 

After, I watched Ann practice sound cues for her show and then found myself as the lighting engineer, raising and dimming the lights at the beginning and ending of her show. Hundreds and hundreds of people came, and it was even better the second time (I'd seen it in LA last month) I spoke to the director of the program, Nancy Lunney, after Ann's show. Nancy, coincidentally, knows my parents from back in the day (late 60's) through a bunch of writer friends, and I even went to nursery school with her daughter. We had a wonderful time connecting the dots of all the people we know in common. Note to Dad: Coleman used to come here and practice/teach some sort of healing arts. She remembered that you knew him!

Later, it was back to the hot tubs for a late night soak. There are 18 people in Ann's workshop and about 9 of them showed up in the small tub. There were lots of jokes about student/teacher nakedness. It was pitch black and you could hear the waves crashing and the sea lions barking. We played a game called "Two Truths and a Lie" which was hilarious and immediately bonded us.(although after 3 weeks together, they're all bonded) Mine were: "I named my feet when I was little and talked to them often", "I was once on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" and "I once fed cookies to Cookie Monster." Please be reminded that I am the guest speaker tonight for the group that was in the tub. I can't help but wonder if they're going to be thinking "that naked girl spoke to her feet when she was little" while I read from "Swimming Upstream, Slowly." 

I can't stop thinking about my friend Erika Banks, who at 18 came up to Esalen as her senior project. I can't wait to talk to her about her experiences. At 18 I never would have jumped naked into the hot tub or appreciated the amazing beauty of this place. Elsalen has always held a magical mystique because Erika was so inspired by her trip here over 20 years ago. Now, finally, I understand.

As we walked back up the hill to the yurt, jelly-legged and mush-brained from the heat of the water, I asked, panting, "Are we at a high altitude?" The sound of the waves and barking seals echoed in the background. "Can you please write about that in your blog," Ann said, as she reminded me we were at sea level.

What will today bring?

And I was never on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

Oh, drop me a comment if you have a chance! I miss you!