Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of December 4-6, 2026

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, California, is a retreat built around that kind of freedom: a weekend where the cliffs, the Pacific, and the open hours become part of your practice, and where your own intuition and curiosity shape the days.

There is no set curriculum here. Opening and closing circles with your cohort bookend the weekend, and in between you choose. You might deepen your yoga practice, explore breathwork and meditation, move in conscious dance, spend time with journaling and the creative arts, take a long soak under the stars, or do much less. Sam Stern and Micha Merrick, both musicians, are part of the offering, bringing sound into a retreat that invites you to reconnect with yourself, your dreams, and your desires.

Whether you are awakening a dormant passion, tending to something painful, or simply remembering the joy of being alive, this retreat makes room for it. It speaks to the seeker who wants support without a script.

What to Expect

The weekend moves between shared circles and self-directed time. The Teachers in Residence lead the daily open classes, which may include yoga and dance-based movement, journaling sessions, breath work, and other practices designed to encourage joy and mindfulness. Guest faculty presentations are also available.

- Circles: Opening and closing gatherings with your cohort offer community and a sense of beginning and completion.
- Open classes: Choose what calls to you from the daily schedule, or skip it entirely.
- Unstructured time: Use the hours between for study, rest, creative work, or solitude on the land.
- Healing arts: Esalen Massage and holistic healing services with compassionate practitioners are available to add to your stay.

Participants leave having tended to their own needs for vitality, restoration, and renewal, through embodiment practice, writing, quiet, and time outdoors.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is a musician featured with this Self-Guided Explorations weekend. Sound is one of the ways participants can explore breath, presence, and feeling during their time at Esalen.

Micha Merrick is a musician also featured with this weekend. Alongside Sam Stern, Micha contributes to the retreat's musical and contemplative atmosphere.

The daily open classes are led by Esalen's Teachers in Residence, who guide the movement, journaling, and breath-based offerings.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute on the Big Sur coast of California. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, and an individual day pass. The on-site workshop includes housing, three meals a day, coffee, tea, and snacks, access to the hot springs and other campus features, and classes on the open schedule.

Healing arts sessions, specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are not included. Self-Guided Explorations participants have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops. A scholarship application is available for those who need it.

Highway 1 near Big Sur has been subject to closures and travel advisories, so review Esalen's current travel advisory before planning your journey.