Self-Guided Explorations Weekend of February 19 - 21, 2027

There is a weekend at Esalen built around one quiet invitation: to choose not to choose. Self-Guided Explorations is a wellness retreat in Big Sur, California, where the schedule is yours to shape and the Pacific horizon holds the background of everything you do. If you have been craving time to reconnect with yourself, your dreams, and your desires, this is a place to begin.

Perched above the ocean at Esalen Institute, the weekend opens and closes with circles that gather you into a cohort. Between them, the days stay open. You might deepen a yoga practice, explore breathwork and meditation, move through conscious dance, write in a journal, or take a long soak in the hot springs under the stars. You might also do much less, and simply rest in solitude on the land. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of the gathering, adding their presence to a weekend that honors intuition and curiosity over a prescribed path.

What to Expect

The arc is simple and spacious. An opening circle brings the cohort together, a stretch of self-directed time follows, and a closing circle gathers everyone again to mark what shifted.

- Daily open classes led by Teachers in Residence, which may include yoga, dance-based movement, journaling, and breathwork
- Presentations by guest faculty for those who want a little more structure
- Campus features including the hot springs and gardens
- Optional healing arts, such as Esalen Massage and holistic services, available as add-ons
- Unscheduled time for solitude, rest, and quiet enjoyment of the land

The faculty are seasoned practitioners from psychology, somatics, creative arts, and holistic healing, and they offer a contemplative container rather than a fixed curriculum. Whether you arrive hoping to awaken a dormant passion, process emotion through writing, move with intention, or remember the joy of being alive, the retreat makes room for it. Participants leave having reset, refreshed, and recalibrated in a way that follows their own needs.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is listed as a musician for this weekend. Sam joins the Self-Guided Explorations gathering alongside the Teachers in Residence who lead the daily open classes.

Micha Merrick is listed as a musician for this weekend. Micha joins the same weekend of open classes, circles, and self-directed exploration at Esalen.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place 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 such as Esalen Massage, specialty coffee and tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are not included. Self-Guided Explorations participants may attend open classes but not preregistered workshops. A scholarship application is available for those who need support.

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