Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of April 9–11, 2027

There is a rare kind of retreat where nobody hands you a schedule and tells you who to be. Self-Guided Explorations at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, begins from a different premise: that you already know, somewhere beneath the noise, what you need. This weekend retreat is built around choice, intuition and curiosity, and invites you to reconnect with yourself, your dreams and your desires.

Over three days on Esalen's coastal grounds, you shape your own path from an open schedule of classes, movement practices, creative work and healing modalities. Opening and closing circles with your cohort bookend the weekend, and what lies between is yours to arrange. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of the teachers in residence, adding their presence to a program that honors both activity and stillness.

If you are weighing whether this retreat is right for you, consider what you are carrying. Whether you hope to awaken a dormant passion, tend an old wound, or simply remember the joy of being alive, the weekend offers a supportive, nurturing container for that work, or for no work at all.

What to Expect

The arc is simple. You arrive, gather with your cohort in an opening circle, and then step into days that remain intentionally open. The organizer describes the choice this way: "to choose not to choose."

Depending on what calls to you, you might:

- Deepen a yoga practice
- Explore breathwork and meditation
- Enjoy conscious dance
- Immerse yourself in the creative arts and writing
- Attend presentations by guest faculty
- Take a long soak in the hot springs under the stars
- Rest, walk the land, or spend time in solitude

Esalen Massage and a selection of holistic healing services, offered by compassionate practitioners, are available as additions to your stay. Teachers on the open schedule are described as seasoned, credentialed facilitators with backgrounds spanning psychology, mindfulness, somatics, creative arts and holistic healing. The weekend closes with a final circle, and you leave with a renewed sense of vitality and well-being, shaped by your own pace rather than an institutional timetable.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is listed as a musician among the teachers in residence for this retreat. Further biographical details were not provided by the organizer, so the best way to encounter his work is in person, within the open and exploratory spirit of the weekend.

Micha Merrick is also listed as a musician among the teachers in residence. Further biographical details were not provided by the organizer, and Micha's contribution is best discovered as the weekend unfolds.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place in person at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. 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 stay includes housing, 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, specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. Self-guided participants have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops. Scholarships are available through an application.

Highway 1 conditions around Big Sur can change, and Esalen has posted a travel advisory about road closures to the north and south. Please review the current advisory on Esalen's website before planning your journey.