In this podcast episode, Pablo and I dive into his history with Esalen Institute and beyond. Pablo Piekar came to Esalen Institute in the late 1980’s for what was supposed-to-be a Gestalt workscholar month. He ended up staying there for 16 years, working as a Esalen Massage Therapist and workshop facilitator.Back in Argentina, he was a licensed psychotherapist at 22 years old. But when he arrived at Esalen, someone told him he was going to heal people with his hands instead, and that he was going to teach people how to give massages. When he said he didn't know how, she said to him, “You don’t teach technique, you teach love.”Pablo went on to practice and teach Esalen Massage around the world, starting on the land itself, but traveling as far as Japan to share this technique.At Esalen, he found community. He found purpose. He met his wife. It was all going until Pablo injured his wrist. In this moment, his body told him he needed to leave and use his brain again - use his intellect. He shares how the body reveals the deeper truth, whether you want to hear it or not. It was really hard to leave the womb of Esalen, where everything was provided for him: from three meals a day, to community and comfort.He refers to Esalen as ‘Mama Esalen,’ a safe place to hold onto. Pablo shares that Esalen is a community, in which people get really close to each other. And when you are coming from a place of authenticity, conflict arises with others. He talks the spirit of Esalen, about how getting naked is not just about removing the clothes but in a symbolic way, it’s about opening up to your authentic self. He impresses the importance of honoring and loving your body today as it's the best body you have today. He urges us not to compare it to others. "Support your authenticity," he says, "That is the spirit of Esalen." We talk about the preschool named Gazebo, that was formulated under the principles of Gestalt in which the kids are allowed to fight. The kids come out of the fights much closer, and my childhood best friend and I are prime examples.When Pablo left Esalen after his injury, he wanted to incorporate these wisdoms into advising businesses. However, he didn’t have the business languaging. He moved to Santa Cruz and got his masters on organizational behavior, which is the behavior of science applied to business environments. In this conversation, he shares about how his education at Esalen directly applies to his executive coaching clients.In this conversation, we meander through philosophies of Esalen, the history of Esalen, and how to live and share a life of meaning. Pablo left Esalen many years ago and returned to Argentina to live with his family, where he advises businesses on how to function better with a background in psychotherapy, gestalt, and bodywork. In the bath, he shares about how his wife and him met at Esalen, how they transitioned into the outside world and grew their family in a multicultural and mindful way. We hope you enjoy getting to know Pablo Piekar. This episode is brought to you by Fractal Forest. Fractal Forest is an Earth-Tek research collective restoring meaningful connection between humanity and the Earth. I wanted to share how I personally use FRACTAL FOREST products. Their shilajit drops help with my focus and energy levels. I’m someone who often wakes up with a burst of energy, which gradually wanes as the day goes on. I have noticed a change in my energy and ability to focus since I started implementing Fractal Forest Shilajit drops into my daily routine. I think what makes Fractal Forest so special is that they use only earth elements in their formulation process: this means No synthetic additives or preservatives are included and it shows - the sensation is pure, the plant is pure! Whether I’m drinking the blue lotus tea, or imbibing drops of dream state, shilajit, these herbs enhance my experience of life. You can use our code SABBATH22 to receive a 22% discount on your next order. We look forwa