Steven Harper on Wilderness in Big Sur and at the Esalen Institute

Steven Harper is a wilderness guide, author, artist, and longtime teacher at the Esalen Institute. He focuses on wild nature as a vehicle for awakening; his work is inspired by a deep connection to inner wild nature. Steven is a contributor to the emerging field of ecopsychology, and has written at length on the subject. He was also a longtime student and close friend of Esalen founder Dick Price, and in our conversation, Steven’s son Kai and I spoke to him about his history with Dick. We also touched upon Esalen in the 80’s, what it was like to raise a family in Big Sur, and how he continues to connect to wild spirit.