Conversations on the Edge: America, Spiritual But Not Religious

If you are looking for another way to grow, in a unique format different from the traditional workshop, please join us for an Esalen original series: Conversations on the Edge. In each of these curated weekend events, we bring together leading experts and visiting teachers to explore a pressing issue of our time in a vibrant, interactive forum of lecture, lightning talks, group discussion and idea sharing.

In America, Spiritual But Not Religious, we will explore the historical, cultural, political and ethical roots of a sentiment common in America: “I am spiritual, but not religious.” Where did this expression come from? What does it mean today? And where is it going tomorrow? This gathering is designed to explore these questions, crystallize the scholarship on the same and move the conversation forward. Visiting teachers include Jeffrey Kripal, chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University, and Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy at the Maine College of Art Dana Sawyer who wrote critically acclaimed biographies of Aldous Huxley and Huston Smith.

This weekend is comprised of several short but impactful lecturettes that end in Q&A and conversation among the audience. Scheduled gathering time will be significantly less than traditional workshops to allow for participation in movement and meditation classes, healing arts and hot springs, and the natural beauty of Esalen. Presenters are subject to change.