Inward Bound: Exploring Silence, Movement, and Meditation

Inward Bound is a silent meditation retreat at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, led by teacher, author, and documentary filmmaker Hawah Kasat. Over four nights, it brings together silent meditation, pranayama (breathwork), asana, and dharma talks. It suits people who have never tried a vow of silence and want to taste noble silence in small doses, and it equally suits seasoned silent retreaters who want to refine their awareness and perception.

What to Expect

The retreat asks what might arise if you simply sat and allowed yourself to be, and what lives in the spaces between your thoughts, your breath, and your heartbeat. Practice is built around that inquiry:

- Stilling the "monkey mind" through pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses.
- Exploring the connection between physical stillness and silence.
- Sitting with what comes up between thought, breath, and heartbeat.
- Looking at the subtle differences between Yogic and Buddhist meditation traditions.
- Unraveling the mystery of Vipassana meditation.

The days open with an orientation on Monday, "How to Drop Into Esalen," in the early evening, followed by a welcome and initial instruction. Tuesday through Thursday each hold a morning session from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, covering meditation with asana, movement, or pranayama, and an afternoon session from about 4:00 pm to 6:00 or 6:15 pm that includes practice, a dharma talk, and inquiry. Friday brings a final practice and closing circle from 9:30 am to noon, with departure after lunch.

For small portions of the retreat, participants are encouraged to take a vow of silence, during which there is no writing, reading, or talking.

About Hawah Kasat

Hawah Kasat (he/him) is an award-winning author, educator, non-profit leader, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and yogi. He has more than 25 years of experience teaching yoga and mindfulness, merging ancient Indian traditions with modern practice. His books, podcasts, films, and retreat programs have reached audiences around the world. He guides with what the organizer describes as a culturally sensitive soft touch and a compassionate heart. He has also established a BIPOC scholarship for his workshops.

The Setting

Esalen Institute sits on the Big Sur coast, and the retreat is held there with the hot springs and campus features open to participants. Meals are served daily, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus coffee, tea, and snacks through the day. Lodging ranges widely. Options include shared dormitory-style sleeping bag space, bunk rooms, shared and private rooms, premium rooms with ocean or forest views, wooden yurts, and historic suites. Guests may also attend as a day participant or stay off-site.

Access to Big Sur has at times been limited by a Highway 1 travel advisory, with Caltrans-run convoys at set hours. Check current road conditions before you travel.

Before You Go

No prior silent retreat experience is needed. Your registration covers workshop instruction, housing if you stay on-site, three meals a day, access to the hot springs and campus, and the open schedule classes. Esalen massage and healing arts sessions, specialty coffee and tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. A small material fee applies. Those in the sleeping bag space bring their own sleeping bag, blanket, and bedding.