Esalen's hot-tub diplomacy

[harmacy666]

Esalen's hot-tub diplomacy

published on cia foia (foia.cia.gov) (https://www.cia.gov/readingroom)

esalen's hot-tub diplomacy
document type:
Crest [1]
collection:
General cia records [2]
document number (foia) /esdn (crest):
Cia-rdp90-00806r000100380026-1
release decision:
Rippub
original classification:
K
document page count:
1
document creation date:
December 22, 2016
document release date:
September 9, 2010
sequence number:
26
case number:
Publication date:
January 10, 1963
content type:
Open source

body:
Stat sanitized copy approved for release 2010/09/09: Cia-rdp90-00806r000100380026-1 lyt cle appzaf,ed 0;; p.^. U : : . 3. Newsweek 10 january 19b3 hickman (right) leads a human-resources seminar in moscow: Detente california style soviet union esalen's hot-tub diplomacy tense california style. It has been called "hot-tub di- plomacy." as most unofficial u.s.- soviet contacts have waned in re- cent years, one back channel has survived: An unorthodox, informal exchange program developed un- der the auspices of the esalen insti- tute, the big sur-based mecca of the human-potential movement. In the past decade a dozen esalen en- thusiasts have journeyed to the so- viet union to compare notes on such topics as parapsychology and herbal medicine. Esalen leaders have also invited soviet scientists and bureaucrats to california. So far the exchanges haven't done much to ease east-west tensions, but they have generated some good vibrations. "the word 'esalen' is hind the scenes to :facilitate more visits. The exchange network blossomed quick- ly. Crosby ventured into the soviet outback ' in search of traditional healers. Former. Astronaut rusty schweickart, another esa= len convert, met with dzhuna davitash' vili-the faith healer who reportedly treated leonid brezhnev-and held an earthbound rendezvous with soviet cos- monauts. Eventually, esalen began spon- soring trips to california for soviet offi- cials. During his visit, skorov stayed with murphy in mill valley. Now he praises murphy as the "incarnation of a man of intelligence, strength and phys- ical beauty." rode 'n' rc b one particularly strange encounter took place last summer. Hick- man asked the soviets if he could broadcast a portion of california's us rock concert inside russia-and in exchange beam a so- viet rock 'n' roll show back to america. The soviets agreed. Three days later hickman and his soviet crew arrived at a moscow broadcast station to find soviet guards with machine guns posted at every gate. The soviet musicians who showed up had re- ceived notice that cars would pick them up at midnight: Some assumed they were about to be arrested. For an audience, soviet au- thorities invited a select group of university students, most of whom had to be issued blue jeans for the event. Not surprisingly, esalen's activities have attracted suspicion. Some u.s. Officials be- lieve the kremlin might have special uses for the human-potential movement. One theory is that moscow is searching for methods to improve the productivity of so- viet workers; another is that the kremlin would like to discover new techniques of behavior modification-or mind control. At the very least, esalen gives the soviets a we come contact with the m ; hickman and urp y y es t they are tm a z or ront. In act, ens r'laationsp with the russians seems more on the order of a as part of a unique exercise in de- the faith healer and schweickart: Herbs and `magic' f or two weeks, the residents of mill magic to me," says skorov. "it is a symbol valley, calif., had a new neighbor: A of people who, like myself, understand middle-aged economist who jogged daily the value of things other than ma- along the tree-lined streets and took a lo- terial wealth." cal energy-awareness course. -the visitor the esalen connection began in the seemed right at home in laid-back marin early '70s when two of the institute's direc- county, except that he was a soviet doctri- tors, michael murphy and jim hickman, naire-georgi skorov, the deputy director began traveling to the soviet union. Then of moscow's institute of u.s.a. And can- hickman met arthur hartman, the diplo- ada studies. In big sur, another russian mat who was soon to become u.s. Ambas- stranger came to soak in the area's famous sador to moscow. Hartman's wife, donna, sulfur baths. He, too, was an apparat- was a close friend of harriet crosby, a chik-yuri zamoshkin, director of ideolo- onetime esalen counselor. Hartman be- gy at skorov's institute. Zamoshkin also came interested in esalen's activities, and took time to meet with hollywood film- after arriving in moscow he worked be- makers and with gov. Jerry brown friendly encounter group. "we've had very civilized dinners and shouted at one another about af- ghanistan," says esalen's george leonard. "i've told them they are order freaks, and they admit it." hickman says that he has received assurances that the exchanges will continue under the new kremlin leadership. And for the moment, even some of the cynics see no harm in esalen's sulfur-bath diplomacy. "if all 270 million soviets and all 230 million americans could sit to- gether in a hot tub," says one u.s.' official in moscow, "the world would be in better shape." or if ronald reagan and yuri andro- pov ever shared a hot soak, could a superpower thaw be far behind? Mark whitaker with gerald c. Lubenow in san francisco and joyce barnathan in moscow sanitized copy approved for release 2010/09/09: Cia-rdp90-00806r000100380026-1