Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of April 30 - May 2, 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 offers a retreat built around that idea: a weekend where the schedule is open, the coastline is close, and your own intuition decides how the days unfold.

Rather than following a fixed curriculum, you move between yoga, breathwork, meditation, conscious dance, creative arts and guest presentations, or you step away from all of it for solitude and time on the land. Opening and closing circles with your cohort frame the weekend, and the space between them is yours to shape. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of this weekend's offering, adding a musical presence to the Esalen experience.

For the seeker wondering whether this retreat is the right fit, the invitation is simple. If you are longing to reconnect with yourself, your dreams and your desires, to awaken a dormant passion, tend an old wound, or remember the joy of being alive, this is a supportive place to do it at your own pace.

What to Expect

The weekend begins and ends in circle with your cohort. In between, you choose. The Open Schedule includes classes and activities such as:

- Yoga, to deepen an existing practice
- Breathwork and meditation
- Conscious dance and embodied movement
- Creative arts and writing
- Presentations by guest faculty
- Time to soak in the hot springs under the stars

Doing much less is equally welcome. The retreat rests on Esalen's ethos of openness and exploration, honoring both deep engagement and deliberate withdrawal. Teachers are described as seasoned, credentialed facilitators with backgrounds spanning psychology, mindfulness, somatics, creative arts and holistic healing, offering a supportive framework without prescribing a path.

You can also add Esalen® Massage or other holistic healing services from compassionate practitioners to your stay. Participants leave with a sense of renewed vitality and clarity, having reset, refreshed and recalibrated in a way that fit their own needs.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is a musician among the featured artists for this Self-Guided Explorations weekend. Music is a natural companion to a retreat centered on embodiment, listening and presence, and Sam's participation adds to the range of experiences available on the Esalen campus.

Micha Merrick is also a musician featured on this weekend's lineup. Together with Sam Stern, Micha contributes to the atmosphere of a retreat where seekers are free to follow their own curiosity.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, or an individual day pass. Scholarships are available through Esalen's application process.

The on-site package 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, specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. Self-Guided guests have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops.

Esalen has posted a travel advisory regarding Highway 1 road closures and convoy schedules in the Big Sur area, so please review the current advisory on Esalen's website before planning your journey.