Self-Guided Explorations Week of January 4-8, 2027

There is a stretch of coastline in Big Sur where the fog lifts off the cliffs and the question of what you actually want begins to get quieter, and easier to hear. This five-day retreat at Esalen Institute is built around that listening. Self-Guided Explorations is an invitation to reconnect with yourself, your dreams, and your desires, without a fixed curriculum telling you where to be at every hour.

Held in person at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, this retreat begins in the first week of the new year, a natural moment to reset, refresh, and recalibrate. Musicians Sam Stern and Micha Merrick are listed among the teachers for the week. Whether you hope to awaken a dormant passion, tend an old wound, or simply remember the joy of being alive, the structure leaves room for whatever you need.

The guiding spirit is "to choose not to choose." Opening and closing circles with your cohort bookend the week, and between them you shape your own days through intuition and curiosity, with as much activity or as much stillness as feels right.

What to Expect

The retreat opens and closes with a circle that anchors your cohort. The days between are yours. You might choose from the open schedule of daily classes, which may include:

- Yoga and deepening your practice
- Breathwork and meditation
- Conscious dance and dance-based movement
- Journaling sessions
- Creative arts
- Presentations by guest faculty

Or you might choose solitude, quiet time on the land, or a long soak under the stars. Teachers in Residence lead the daily open classes, offering activities designed to encourage joy and mindfulness.

Esalen Massage and a selection of holistic healing services are available from compassionate practitioners for an additional fee. Participants leave having shaped their own experience of vitality and well-being, through embodiment practice, writing, rest, or all of these.

About the Lineup

Sam Stern is listed as a musician among the teachers for this week. As Teachers in Residence at Esalen lead the daily open classes, the specific offerings may vary, so check the event page for updates on what Sam will be sharing.

Micha Merrick is also listed as a musician for the week. Like all Teachers in Residence, Micha is part of the faculty shaping the open schedule, which may include movement, journaling, breathwork, and other practices that invite joy and mindfulness.

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 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 and tea or alcohol purchases from the bar, and bookstore purchases are not included. Self-guided participants have access to open classes but not to preregistered workshops. Scholarships are available through an application, and a travel advisory has been posted for Highway 1, so review current road conditions before you travel.