Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of February 5–7, 2027

There is a weekend in the year when nothing is asked of you. At Esalen Institute in Big Sur, Self-Guided Explorations offers exactly that: a retreat built around your own timing, your own curiosity, and the quiet permission to follow whatever calls you. Instead of a fixed schedule, you receive a set of invitations, and you choose which to accept.

Set along the Big Sur coast, this in-person retreat welcomes musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick among its weekend offerings. Opening and closing circles with your cohort bookend the days, creating community without demanding conformity. In between, the shape of the weekend is yours. For anyone who has been craving a reset, a reconnection with their dreams and desires, or simply the remembered joy of being alive, this retreat offers a nurturing place to begin.

What to Expect

The weekend moves from an opening circle through open hours to a closing circle with your cohort. Between those gatherings, you decide how to spend your time. The retreat describes the possibilities this way:

- Yoga and dance-based movement, including conscious dance
- Breathwork and meditation
- Journaling and other creative arts
- Presentations by guest faculty in the evenings
- Long soaks in the hot springs, including under the stars
- Quiet time in solitude and enjoyment of the land
- Doing "so much more, or much, much less"

Teachers in Residence lead the daily open classes, which may include movement, journaling sessions, and breathwork designed to encourage joy and mindfulness. Classes run on the open schedule. Participants in Self-Guided Explorations have access to these open classes, but not to preregistered workshops.

Esalen Massage and a selection of holistic healing services are available for an additional fee, offered by compassionate practitioners. You leave with whatever you came to find, whether that is vitality, renewed creativity, healing, or simply rest.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is listed as a musician for this Self-Guided Explorations weekend. The organizer has not published a detailed biography, so the best way to experience his role is to arrive open to the music and the offerings that shape the weekend.

Micha Merrick is also listed as a musician for this retreat. As with Sam Stern, no further biographical details were provided, and the weekend itself is designed to let each participant discover how the music fits into their own experience.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. The workshop fee covers 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 and tea or alcohol purchases from the bar, and bookstore purchases are not included. Registration options include a workshop stay on-site, a workshop stay off-site, or an individual day pass, and scholarships are available by application.

Highway 1 in Big Sur has been subject to travel advisories and road closures, so review Esalen's current travel advisory before planning your journey. Space is limited, and a waitlist may apply if the program is full.