Self-Guided Explorations Week of November 23-27, 2026

There is a rare kind of retreat where nothing is asked of you except to listen inward. Self-Guided Explorations at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, is built around that invitation: a five-day retreat where the schedule is open, the coastline is close, and your own intuition decides how each day unfolds. Whether you arrive hoping to awaken a dormant passion, tend an old wound, or simply remember the joy of being alive, the week offers room to reset, refresh, and recalibrate.

The structure is gentle. Opening and closing circles with your cohort bookend the days, offering community and a place to set intention. In between, you choose. You might move through yoga or conscious dance, explore breathwork and meditation, write in a journal, immerse yourself in the creative arts, or take a long soak in the hot springs under the stars. You might also do much less, and that is part of the offering. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are part of the week's Teachers in Residence, so this retreat in Big Sur may include a musical thread alongside the movement and contemplative practice.

For the seeker deciding whether this is the right retreat, the question is simple: do you need a guided curriculum, or do you need space? Self-Guided Explorations is for the second need.

What to Expect

The week begins and ends in circle with your fellow participants. Between those gatherings, the days belong to you.

- An open schedule of classes. Teachers in Residence lead daily open classes that may include yoga, dance-based movement, journaling, breathwork, and other practices designed to encourage joy and mindfulness.
- Guest faculty presentations you can attend as you wish.
- Healing arts. Esalen Massage and a selection of holistic healing services are available with compassionate practitioners, booked separately.
- Time with the land. Soak in the hot springs, sit in solitude, or rest with the Pacific in view.

Many participants leave feeling more vitality and well-being, guided by their own curiosity rather than a prescribed path. Note that Self-Guided Explorations guests have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is a musician among this week's featured teachers. Teachers in Residence at Esalen lead the open classes that shape the daily rhythm of the retreat, and Sam's presence brings music into a week centered on embodiment, presence, and self-discovery.

Micha Merrick is a musician and also part of the week's featured lineup. Together with the other Teachers in Residence, Micha contributes to an open schedule that invites you to move, breathe, write, and listen at your own pace.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, or an individual day pass. The on-site workshop price 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. Scholarships are available through an application.

Highway 1 conditions around Big Sur can change, and Esalen has posted a travel advisory about road closures. Please review the current advisory on Esalen's website before you travel, and plan your route accordingly.