Self-Guided Explorations Weekend, April 16-18, 2027

There is a particular kind of rest that only arrives when no one is telling you what to do next. Self-Guided Explorations at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, is a three-day retreat built around that permission: to reconnect with yourself, your dreams and your desires, and to let your own intuition and curiosity shape the weekend.

Rather than following a set curriculum, you arrive to an open schedule of classes, activities and healing modalities, and you choose what calls to you, or choose very little at all. Whether you are awakening a dormant passion, tending an old wound, or simply remembering the joy of being alive, this retreat offers a supportive setting to reset, refresh and recalibrate on the Big Sur coastline. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of the weekend's teaching presence.

What to Expect

The weekend is bookended by an opening circle and a closing circle with your cohort, giving the days a shared intention and a sense of community. Between them, the path is yours. The material describes options that include:

- Deepening a yoga practice
- Exploring breathwork and meditation
- Conscious dance and movement
- Immersing yourself in the creative arts
- Attending presentations by guest faculty
- Taking a long soak in the hot springs under the stars
- Embodiment practice and writing
- Solitude and quiet time on the land

Esalen Massage and a selection of holistic healing services are also available for those who want to deepen the journey, offered by compassionate practitioners at an additional cost.

The atmosphere is one of openness, presence and exploration, grounded in Esalen's longstanding ethos. Teachers are described as seasoned, credentialed facilitators with backgrounds spanning psychology, mindfulness, somatics, creative arts and holistic healing. Guests leave with a renewed sense of vitality and well-being, shaped by what they chose to follow.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is listed as a musician among the teachers in residence for this Self-Guided Explorations retreat weekend. Music is a natural companion to a program built on embodiment, presence and creative expression. No further biographical details were provided by the organizer.

Micha Merrick is also listed as a musician among the teachers in residence for this weekend. Together with the wider faculty, Micha is part of the supportive framework that guides participants toward introspection, creativity and inner growth. No further biographical details were provided by the organizer.

Venue & Logistics

This in-person retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. The registration includes housing accommodations, breakfast, lunch and dinner, coffee, tea and snacks, access to the hot springs and other campus features, and classes on the open schedule. Healing Arts sessions (including Esalen Massage and holistic services), specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. Self-guided participants have access to the open classes but not to preregistered workshops.

Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, and an individual day pass. Scholarships are available by application. Because Highway 1 has seen road closures and travel advisories, check Esalen's current travel advisory before planning your journey to Big Sur.