Yoga Nidra Retreat, Rest, Restore, and Remember

This five-day Yoga Nidra retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, and is led by meditation teacher John Vosler. It is a yoga retreat for anyone who wants to rest deeply and stop striving, whether or not they have practiced Yoga Nidra before. The invitation is simple: arrive, lie back, and let the practice do the work.

What to Expect

Yoga Nidra, often called yogic sleep, is a guided practice done lying down. It is the center of these five days. The retreat does not set out to change you or fix anything. The idea is that beneath the mind's chatter there is a stillness that has always been present, and the practice helps you return to it.

As the days unfold, tension softens, thoughts quiet, and what remains is awareness itself. The retreat describes this as reconnecting with what is already whole, a remembering of who you are rather than a project of self-improvement. The pace is gentle and unhurried, with plenty of room to listen inward.

You are welcome to come as you are. The retreat asks for very little beyond your willingness to slow down and be held by the practice.

About John Vosler

John Vosler is a meditation teacher, Yoga Nidra guide and retreat leader who has spent more than twenty-five years guiding thousands of people into profound rest, renewed clarity and deep self-discovery. His work is devoted to helping people awaken to the unchanging awareness present beneath life's changing circumstances.

He grew up as the youngest son of an Iowa funeral home director, and says living above the funeral home gave him early insight into energy and the sense that our essence lives on. His path began with the body. He trained in massage, Pilates, craniosacral therapy and other healing modalities, and came to see the body as an entry point to consciousness. In 2002 he met Yogi Amrit Desai and his daughter, Yogeshwari Kamini Desai, who introduced him to Yoga Nidra.

The Setting

Esalen Institute in Big Sur is the home of this retreat. Stepping away from daily life to a place set apart is part of the offering, a chance to leave the noise behind and settle into the quiet beneath it.

Before You Go

No prior experience is needed. The practice is done by lying down and listening, and the invitation is to show up and let yourself rest.