Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of March 26 - 28, 2027

There is a particular kind of rest that only arrives when no one is asking anything of you. On the cliffs of Big Sur, with the Pacific moving below and the hot springs steaming into the evening, Self-Guided Explorations offers a retreat built around that kind of freedom: a few gentle bookends, and an open expanse of time in between.

This weekend retreat at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, invites you to reconnect with yourself, your dreams, and your desires. Whether you come to awaken a dormant passion, tend to an old wound, or simply remember the joy of being alive, the structure holds space without prescribing the path. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of the weekend's offerings, bringing sound and presence to a gathering shaped by your own intuition and curiosity.

If you have been longing to step out of routine and listen for what you actually need, this retreat is designed for you. The invitation is, in the words of the organizers, "to choose not to choose."

What to Expect

The weekend begins and ends with a circle of your cohort. Between those two gatherings, there is no mandatory session and no fixed schedule. You set your own pace.

Depending on what calls to you, you might:

- Deepen a yoga practice
- Explore breathwork and meditation
- Move in conscious dance
- Immerse yourself in creative arts and writing
- Attend presentations by guest faculty
- Take a long soak in the hot springs under the stars
- Spend quiet time with the land, or do much less

Esalen's teaching faculty draws on psychology, mindfulness, somatics, creative arts, and holistic healing. They are described as seasoned, credentialed facilitators who offer a supportive framework for introspection, creativity, and inner growth. You can also add Esalen Massage or other holistic healing services with compassionate practitioners, booked separately.

What you carry home depends on how you spend the days: a sense of vitality, a reset, and a recalibration through embodiment practice, writing, solitude, and time in a landscape that invites slowing down.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is a musician among the featured teachers for this Self-Guided Explorations weekend. Music at a retreat like this can serve as an entry point into stillness, feeling, and shared presence, and Sam's participation adds that dimension to the open, exploratory rhythm of the days.

Micha Merrick is also a featured musician for the weekend. Alongside Sam, Micha contributes to the creative and contemplative atmosphere of the retreat, offering another way to settle into the body and the moment.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, an in-person gathering on the coast. The registration 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 and holistic services), specialty coffee, tea, or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra.

Self-Guided Explorations guests have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, and an individual day pass. Scholarships are available by application.

Highway 1 access to Big Sur has been affected by road closures and travel advisories, so please review Esalen's current travel advisory before planning your journey.