Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat

The light is returning, and the equinox asks for balance: on the mat, in the breath, and in the quieter places where winter's dreams are beginning to stir. The Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, gathers this turning point into a weekend of practice, a chance to settle the body, calm the mind, and let your own creativity and vision begin to bud.

Led by Sarana Miller, this yoga retreat weaves together three healing practices: yoga, meditation, and chanting. Sarana has been a faculty instructor at Yoga Journal and leads annual retreats at Esalen, Wilbur Hot Springs, Mexico, and Alaska. Trained in the Iyengar and Forrest Yoga traditions, she has built her life around sharing the benefits of yoga.

If you are looking for a weekend to deepen your practice at a natural threshold between seasons, in a setting known for openness and exploration, this retreat offers fertile ground. You leave balanced, revitalized, and ready for the fuller, more active days of spring and summer.

What to Expect

The retreat is built around three practices, each meeting a different part of you:

- Yoga to yoke body and mind for present-moment awareness.
- Meditation to cultivate concentration and empathy.
- Chanting, or bhakti yoga, the practice of the heart.

The theme throughout is balance, both physical on the mat and emotional and spiritual within. As the plants begin to bud, the retreat invites your own dreams, visions, and creativity to emerge from their winter gestation. The land of Esalen is described by the organizers as fertile and dynamic, a fitting setting to hold this exploration of spring.

Sarana guides the weekend with the grounded precision of her Iyengar and Forrest Yoga training. Expect an immersive, restorative experience rather than a rushed one, with time to move, sit, sing, and rest in a natural environment that supports each of those.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place in person at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, over a weekend. Registration options include workshop plus on-site stay, workshop plus off-site stay, or an individual day pass. Scholarships are available through Esalen, and a waitlist may open if the program fills.

Workshop stays include housing accommodations; breakfast, lunch, and dinner; coffee, tea, and snacks; access to the hot springs and other campus features; and classes on Esalen's Open Schedule. Healing Arts sessions such as Esalen Massage, specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. The workshop also carries an additional $20 fee for materials.

Highway 1 access around Big Sur has been affected by road closures and travel advisories, and visitors have at times had to rely on Caltrans convoys at set times. Check Esalen's current travel advisory before you plan your journey.