For us, the staff-caretakers of that magical stretch of land in Big Sur where the high cliffs hold back the Pacific ocean, and within days of her arrival, sometime in the late eighties, Paula Shaw quickly become one of us, of the Esalen Community-tribe.
I was hoping to be able to upload some of our yearly staff-week photos to emphasize the point.
What I recall so vividly, was the Mastery workshop of 1988 that she had tailored just for us Esalen staff. It was an intensive 30h weekend in "Huxley", our largest community meeting room, that had witnessed some of the most intense gatherings of Esalen's history ... and this gathering was one of them. A few years prior, we had be shell-shocked by the tragic loss of our most beloved co-founder and leader, Richard Price, and, as a community, we were still struggling to find our footing after his accident up the Hot Springs canyon. To the outside world we were functioning adequately, but within, and amongst us, the grief was still very palpable.
When Paula led us, one by one through the Mastery, with her 6th sense sensitivity, her skillful tough compassion, pushing us to the edges, yet allowing for us to chose to jump, or not ... One by one, we witnessed each others break-through...courage to expand ... and one by one, we grew stronger, larger, and more self-confident. The circle created a healing field of such magnitude that it was able to encompass the entire property, and it continue to resonate for weeks, months, after that.
Paula was able to hold that field for us, binding us together once again, as Dick and Chris Price used to do, back in the day.
Forever grateful to you, dear and beautiful soul ... May you now rejoice with the intergalactic beings of compassion, as two more of our community members, Steve Beck and Rose Chapman have also recently joined the celestial tribe.
With love, CR
Santa Fe, 09/26/25

Just watching Paula Shaw in Coming Home for Christmas which was shown tonight on Great! Christmas channel. She seemed like a lovely, warm and talented lady. Best wishes and take care to all her family and friends.

I was lucky enough to know Paula since childhood. She was a close friend of my grandma’s, and whenever we’d both come to visit, we’d talk about Mr. Young, a show she was on that I loved to watch. She even gave me a prop from the show after it ended. Talking with her was something I always looked forward to, and I’m so lucky I got to experience her wonderful personality both on screen and in person. She’s inspired me to explore my creative side, and will continue to inspire for years to come. Thank you, Paula. I’ll miss you lots.

I was lucky enough to know Paula since childhood. She was close friends with my grandma, and whenever we would both come over to visit, we would talk about Mr. Young, a popular show she was on that I loved to watch. She even gifted me a prop from the show after it had ended. Seeing her amazing personality on TV and in person was an honour, and I’m so glad I got to know her.