Self-Guided Explorations Week of April 12-16, 2027

Self-Guided Explorations is a five-day wellness retreat at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, built for people who want time to reconnect with themselves without a fixed program. Guests arrive as a cohort, gather in opening and closing circles, and spend the days in between choosing from yoga, breathwork, meditation, conscious dance, creative arts, rest, or simply the land. It suits anyone seeking a restorative, self-directed retreat on the Big Sur coast, whether to reawaken a dormant passion, tend an old wound, or remember the joy of being alive.

What to Expect

The week begins on Monday evening with an orientation, "How to Drop Into Esalen," followed by the Self-Guided Exploration Welcome Circle. From there the days are yours to shape. Open classes run on a first-come, first-served basis, with no advance sign-up, and the schedule can change, so guests check listings on campus during their stay.

Open classes on the schedule include Pathways to Joy, Good Contact: Basic Practices of Gestalt, Breathscapes, MOJA: Elemental Flow, Mahasandhi Meditation, The Body Electric, Exploring Creativity, Bathing Rituals of Self Renewal, and A Brief History of Esalen. Wednesday and Saturday evenings have their own programs, and guest faculty give presentations. Between classes you might write, soak in the hot springs under the stars, or take a quiet walk. The week closes on Friday morning with the Closing Circle at 11:00 am.

Esalen® Massage and other holistic healing services are available with compassionate practitioners, as an optional addition.

Who Leads It

The week is held by Esalen's teachers in residence, seasoned and credentialed facilitators whose backgrounds span psychology, mindfulness, somatics, creative arts, and holistic healing. Two of them are musicians.

Sam Stern is a musician who offers the Wednesday afternoon class A Brief History of Esalen.

Micha Merrick is a musician who leads the afternoon class Bathing Rituals of Self Renewal.

The Setting

Esalen Institute sits on the Big Sur coast, and the campus includes its hot springs, gardens, and natural landscape. Housing ranges from sleeping bag space and bunk beds in shared rooms, to standard shared rooms, private queen rooms, premium rooms with ocean or forest views, wooden yurts, and the Price House Suite, once the home of Esalen co-founder Dick Price. Guests can also choose to stay off-site, or attend with an individual day pass.

Meals are served buffet-style: breakfast 8:30 to 9:45 am, lunch 12:30 to 1:45 pm, and dinner 6:00 to 7:30 pm.

Travel to Big Sur has been shaped by a Highway 1 advisory, with Caltrans convoys at 7:00 am and 5:00 pm as the only way in and out. Plan your arrival and departure around them.

Before You Go

Nothing is prescribed, and you shape your own experience. Check-in is after 2:00 pm on Monday, with room keys at 4:00 pm. Checkout is by 10:00 am on Friday, and guests may stay on campus until 2:00 pm.

Included are housing, three meals a day, coffee, tea and snacks, access to the hot springs and campus features, the opening and closing circles, and classes on the open schedule. Not included are Healing Arts sessions such as Esalen Massage, specialty coffee and tea or bar purchases, and bookstore purchases. Self-guided guests can join open classes but not preregistered workshops. Those staying in sleeping bag space bring their own sleeping bag and bedding; towels are provided.