The 100-acre stretch of Mother Nature that makes up the Esalen Institute is full of special spots which effortlessly produce awe and wonder. These kinds of locations get your vagus nerve jacked up. To pinpoint just a few of those places, we asked some upcoming workshop leaders to share their favorite points on campus — where they feel Esalen’s mystique and beauty most acutely.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Hard to choose a single spot, but one favorite is what I’ll call “meditation hut corridor,” which includes the hut and its surrounding friends: gorgeous, soulful cedars, the roaring creek, the bridge, the stairs, the rocks. I have many fond memories of ritual creek dips and leaving offerings of flowers, tobacco, and other sacred bits of Earth with Xochitl Ashé, who, during her teaching residency, used to leave birdseed on the bridge railing. Behind the hut is a massive boulder, into which a divet was carved who knows how long ago. It was presumably used by Esselen healers to make medicine. I like to lay my hands on that rock and listen. Sometimes I offer a Ho’oponopono prayer. That so many have found solace in the hut itself gives the environs a unique energetic signature; time stops when I cross the bridge. An elemental experience in every sense of the term.
Sadia leads The Power of Breath: Embodied Liberation, February 13–17.
The benches overlooking the Pacific perched on the steep high cliff overlooking an expanse of blue-green ocean, where kelp bulbs bob near shore and sometimes host a playful otter and extend and expand toward the horizon where sky and sea meet in ever-changing perfection. Perched on these benches, you can feel the hum and buzz of the people behind you who are connecting, reflecting, and reveling in the co-created experiment of attending an Esalen retreat. This spot gives your mind, heart, and body a moment to integrate new insights, to mix the mind with space, to invite the humility of awe.
Eve co-teaches Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Teague O’Malley, March 3–6, 2023.
Of all the mind-blowingly beautiful and sacred places at Esalen, I share a special connection with the main lawn after installing an 80-foot mandala and walking labyrinth there for one of our workshops last summer. Intimately connecting with the land in this way, engaging in a deep-yet-silent conversation with the Earth that uniquely arises from creating art not just on the land but by co-creating with it. Feeling the physical ground rising up to support me, along with the energy of all those that have walked, danced, practiced, tended to, and lived on this sacred land. While other ground tends to feel solid and steady, here, I feel a more fluid energy beneath me: flowing, cleansing, healing, purifying.
Teague co-leads Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Eve Ekman, March 3–6, 2023.
There are many places I love to visit at the Esalen Institute. Some are sacred sites that are private, and others are much more accessible. I love being in the Lodge, to be amongst the many people and listening to all the stories about how they have come to this special place. There is a tribal feeling there with the socializing and philosophizing that is enjoyable for me. I also love the high vista points on the property, the ability to look down over the land and across the ocean that invites all my senses to take in the sacredness of the land.
Little Bear teaches Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Douglas Drummond, March 13–17, 2023.
I love being tucked against the foliage, immersed in the hot springs, and looking out at the vastness of the pacific ocean. For me, I am happiest whenever I am in or close to a body of water. The healing power of the hot springs is deeply felt at this place and accentuated when I tune into the motion of the ocean; whether it is calm and still or wild and tumultuous, it moves something deep inside.
Douglas Drummond co-leads Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Tom Little Bear Nason, March 13–17, 2023.
My favorite spot is the entrance of the garden when you’re walking toward the Lodge. There’s this beautiful fragrant mix of all the flowers and herbs, plants, and, sometimes, laundry. I always breathe deeply there and smile.
Darnell co-teaches Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Cara Chander, March 31– April 3, 2023.
The creek that runs under the bridge by the Meditation Hut. When I take a pause alongside the moving water, my whole being shifts into its most natural form. On days when the water is calm and the weather warm, I enjoy a dip in the cold water to immediately drop into the present. The power of this location clears my mind and neutralizes my energy, allowing for a very sweet refresher.
Cara co-leads Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Darnell Lamont Walker, March 31–April 3, 2023.
My favorite location at Esalen is definitely the garden. It doesn't matter what time of the year I am there: I always marvel at the produce, the plants, and the variety of flowers — some of which I have never seen anywhere else except the Esalen grounds. Walking through the garden beds or the natural foliage with the ocean in the background just feels magical.
Shelly co-teaches Inner Work for the Outer World with Yolanda Ruiz, April 7–10, 2023.
Sitting on the pool deck on a warm sunny day positioned to soak in the view of both the calm ocean and the Santa Lucia mountains looming behind Esalen. Time dissolves into cascading and precious still moments as I begin again and just breathe. My favorite spot? It’s a Point of Existence. No one there to ask, “why?”
J.J. co-leads The Essence of Esalen with other Esalen faculty, March 11–April 7, 2023.
I have meditated in some wonderful spaces. But if I had to choose my favorite meditation space, I’d choose the meditation hut. There is something secretive about walking down those steps to the little round wooden hut. Something almost clandestine about tucking yourself among the trees, insulated from the rest of the world by the sound of the rushing stream. There is also something almost magical about meditating with other people, about occupying a silent space with others who share your intention. I like the meditation hut best in the early hours of the morning, before the sun has made it up over the ridge. There’s a stillness beneath the sound of water rushing to the ocean, a sense of time being held. There, seated on my cushion with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and the first birds of the day outside the window, I feel what, for me, is the essence of Esalen.
Janis co-teaches Nourishing the Whole Writer with Saeeda Hafiz March 27–31, 2023.
Check out a short video with the top places for Esalen Co-founder Michael Murphy, Dave Morin, Mac Murphy, and Don Hanlon Johnson!
The 100-acre stretch of Mother Nature that makes up the Esalen Institute is full of special spots which effortlessly produce awe and wonder. These kinds of locations get your vagus nerve jacked up. To pinpoint just a few of those places, we asked some upcoming workshop leaders to share their favorite points on campus — where they feel Esalen’s mystique and beauty most acutely.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Hard to choose a single spot, but one favorite is what I’ll call “meditation hut corridor,” which includes the hut and its surrounding friends: gorgeous, soulful cedars, the roaring creek, the bridge, the stairs, the rocks. I have many fond memories of ritual creek dips and leaving offerings of flowers, tobacco, and other sacred bits of Earth with Xochitl Ashé, who, during her teaching residency, used to leave birdseed on the bridge railing. Behind the hut is a massive boulder, into which a divet was carved who knows how long ago. It was presumably used by Esselen healers to make medicine. I like to lay my hands on that rock and listen. Sometimes I offer a Ho’oponopono prayer. That so many have found solace in the hut itself gives the environs a unique energetic signature; time stops when I cross the bridge. An elemental experience in every sense of the term.
Sadia leads The Power of Breath: Embodied Liberation, February 13–17.
The benches overlooking the Pacific perched on the steep high cliff overlooking an expanse of blue-green ocean, where kelp bulbs bob near shore and sometimes host a playful otter and extend and expand toward the horizon where sky and sea meet in ever-changing perfection. Perched on these benches, you can feel the hum and buzz of the people behind you who are connecting, reflecting, and reveling in the co-created experiment of attending an Esalen retreat. This spot gives your mind, heart, and body a moment to integrate new insights, to mix the mind with space, to invite the humility of awe.
Eve co-teaches Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Teague O’Malley, March 3–6, 2023.
Of all the mind-blowingly beautiful and sacred places at Esalen, I share a special connection with the main lawn after installing an 80-foot mandala and walking labyrinth there for one of our workshops last summer. Intimately connecting with the land in this way, engaging in a deep-yet-silent conversation with the Earth that uniquely arises from creating art not just on the land but by co-creating with it. Feeling the physical ground rising up to support me, along with the energy of all those that have walked, danced, practiced, tended to, and lived on this sacred land. While other ground tends to feel solid and steady, here, I feel a more fluid energy beneath me: flowing, cleansing, healing, purifying.
Teague co-leads Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Eve Ekman, March 3–6, 2023.
There are many places I love to visit at the Esalen Institute. Some are sacred sites that are private, and others are much more accessible. I love being in the Lodge, to be amongst the many people and listening to all the stories about how they have come to this special place. There is a tribal feeling there with the socializing and philosophizing that is enjoyable for me. I also love the high vista points on the property, the ability to look down over the land and across the ocean that invites all my senses to take in the sacredness of the land.
Little Bear teaches Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Douglas Drummond, March 13–17, 2023.
I love being tucked against the foliage, immersed in the hot springs, and looking out at the vastness of the pacific ocean. For me, I am happiest whenever I am in or close to a body of water. The healing power of the hot springs is deeply felt at this place and accentuated when I tune into the motion of the ocean; whether it is calm and still or wild and tumultuous, it moves something deep inside.
Douglas Drummond co-leads Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Tom Little Bear Nason, March 13–17, 2023.
My favorite spot is the entrance of the garden when you’re walking toward the Lodge. There’s this beautiful fragrant mix of all the flowers and herbs, plants, and, sometimes, laundry. I always breathe deeply there and smile.
Darnell co-teaches Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Cara Chander, March 31– April 3, 2023.
The creek that runs under the bridge by the Meditation Hut. When I take a pause alongside the moving water, my whole being shifts into its most natural form. On days when the water is calm and the weather warm, I enjoy a dip in the cold water to immediately drop into the present. The power of this location clears my mind and neutralizes my energy, allowing for a very sweet refresher.
Cara co-leads Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Darnell Lamont Walker, March 31–April 3, 2023.
My favorite location at Esalen is definitely the garden. It doesn't matter what time of the year I am there: I always marvel at the produce, the plants, and the variety of flowers — some of which I have never seen anywhere else except the Esalen grounds. Walking through the garden beds or the natural foliage with the ocean in the background just feels magical.
Shelly co-teaches Inner Work for the Outer World with Yolanda Ruiz, April 7–10, 2023.
Sitting on the pool deck on a warm sunny day positioned to soak in the view of both the calm ocean and the Santa Lucia mountains looming behind Esalen. Time dissolves into cascading and precious still moments as I begin again and just breathe. My favorite spot? It’s a Point of Existence. No one there to ask, “why?”
J.J. co-leads The Essence of Esalen with other Esalen faculty, March 11–April 7, 2023.
I have meditated in some wonderful spaces. But if I had to choose my favorite meditation space, I’d choose the meditation hut. There is something secretive about walking down those steps to the little round wooden hut. Something almost clandestine about tucking yourself among the trees, insulated from the rest of the world by the sound of the rushing stream. There is also something almost magical about meditating with other people, about occupying a silent space with others who share your intention. I like the meditation hut best in the early hours of the morning, before the sun has made it up over the ridge. There’s a stillness beneath the sound of water rushing to the ocean, a sense of time being held. There, seated on my cushion with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and the first birds of the day outside the window, I feel what, for me, is the essence of Esalen.
Janis co-teaches Nourishing the Whole Writer with Saeeda Hafiz March 27–31, 2023.
Check out a short video with the top places for Esalen Co-founder Michael Murphy, Dave Morin, Mac Murphy, and Don Hanlon Johnson!
The 100-acre stretch of Mother Nature that makes up the Esalen Institute is full of special spots which effortlessly produce awe and wonder. These kinds of locations get your vagus nerve jacked up. To pinpoint just a few of those places, we asked some upcoming workshop leaders to share their favorite points on campus — where they feel Esalen’s mystique and beauty most acutely.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Hard to choose a single spot, but one favorite is what I’ll call “meditation hut corridor,” which includes the hut and its surrounding friends: gorgeous, soulful cedars, the roaring creek, the bridge, the stairs, the rocks. I have many fond memories of ritual creek dips and leaving offerings of flowers, tobacco, and other sacred bits of Earth with Xochitl Ashé, who, during her teaching residency, used to leave birdseed on the bridge railing. Behind the hut is a massive boulder, into which a divet was carved who knows how long ago. It was presumably used by Esselen healers to make medicine. I like to lay my hands on that rock and listen. Sometimes I offer a Ho’oponopono prayer. That so many have found solace in the hut itself gives the environs a unique energetic signature; time stops when I cross the bridge. An elemental experience in every sense of the term.
Sadia leads The Power of Breath: Embodied Liberation, February 13–17.
The benches overlooking the Pacific perched on the steep high cliff overlooking an expanse of blue-green ocean, where kelp bulbs bob near shore and sometimes host a playful otter and extend and expand toward the horizon where sky and sea meet in ever-changing perfection. Perched on these benches, you can feel the hum and buzz of the people behind you who are connecting, reflecting, and reveling in the co-created experiment of attending an Esalen retreat. This spot gives your mind, heart, and body a moment to integrate new insights, to mix the mind with space, to invite the humility of awe.
Eve co-teaches Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Teague O’Malley, March 3–6, 2023.
Of all the mind-blowingly beautiful and sacred places at Esalen, I share a special connection with the main lawn after installing an 80-foot mandala and walking labyrinth there for one of our workshops last summer. Intimately connecting with the land in this way, engaging in a deep-yet-silent conversation with the Earth that uniquely arises from creating art not just on the land but by co-creating with it. Feeling the physical ground rising up to support me, along with the energy of all those that have walked, danced, practiced, tended to, and lived on this sacred land. While other ground tends to feel solid and steady, here, I feel a more fluid energy beneath me: flowing, cleansing, healing, purifying.
Teague co-leads Cultivating Emotional Awareness and Balance with Eve Ekman, March 3–6, 2023.
There are many places I love to visit at the Esalen Institute. Some are sacred sites that are private, and others are much more accessible. I love being in the Lodge, to be amongst the many people and listening to all the stories about how they have come to this special place. There is a tribal feeling there with the socializing and philosophizing that is enjoyable for me. I also love the high vista points on the property, the ability to look down over the land and across the ocean that invites all my senses to take in the sacredness of the land.
Little Bear teaches Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Douglas Drummond, March 13–17, 2023.
I love being tucked against the foliage, immersed in the hot springs, and looking out at the vastness of the pacific ocean. For me, I am happiest whenever I am in or close to a body of water. The healing power of the hot springs is deeply felt at this place and accentuated when I tune into the motion of the ocean; whether it is calm and still or wild and tumultuous, it moves something deep inside.
Douglas Drummond co-leads Healing Waters: Rites of Passage & The Embodied Masculine with Tom Little Bear Nason, March 13–17, 2023.
My favorite spot is the entrance of the garden when you’re walking toward the Lodge. There’s this beautiful fragrant mix of all the flowers and herbs, plants, and, sometimes, laundry. I always breathe deeply there and smile.
Darnell co-teaches Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Cara Chander, March 31– April 3, 2023.
The creek that runs under the bridge by the Meditation Hut. When I take a pause alongside the moving water, my whole being shifts into its most natural form. On days when the water is calm and the weather warm, I enjoy a dip in the cold water to immediately drop into the present. The power of this location clears my mind and neutralizes my energy, allowing for a very sweet refresher.
Cara co-leads Uncover Your Story with Writing, Yoga, and Mindfulness with Darnell Lamont Walker, March 31–April 3, 2023.
My favorite location at Esalen is definitely the garden. It doesn't matter what time of the year I am there: I always marvel at the produce, the plants, and the variety of flowers — some of which I have never seen anywhere else except the Esalen grounds. Walking through the garden beds or the natural foliage with the ocean in the background just feels magical.
Shelly co-teaches Inner Work for the Outer World with Yolanda Ruiz, April 7–10, 2023.
Sitting on the pool deck on a warm sunny day positioned to soak in the view of both the calm ocean and the Santa Lucia mountains looming behind Esalen. Time dissolves into cascading and precious still moments as I begin again and just breathe. My favorite spot? It’s a Point of Existence. No one there to ask, “why?”
J.J. co-leads The Essence of Esalen with other Esalen faculty, March 11–April 7, 2023.
I have meditated in some wonderful spaces. But if I had to choose my favorite meditation space, I’d choose the meditation hut. There is something secretive about walking down those steps to the little round wooden hut. Something almost clandestine about tucking yourself among the trees, insulated from the rest of the world by the sound of the rushing stream. There is also something almost magical about meditating with other people, about occupying a silent space with others who share your intention. I like the meditation hut best in the early hours of the morning, before the sun has made it up over the ridge. There’s a stillness beneath the sound of water rushing to the ocean, a sense of time being held. There, seated on my cushion with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and the first birds of the day outside the window, I feel what, for me, is the essence of Esalen.
Janis co-teaches Nourishing the Whole Writer with Saeeda Hafiz March 27–31, 2023.
Check out a short video with the top places for Esalen Co-founder Michael Murphy, Dave Morin, Mac Murphy, and Don Hanlon Johnson!
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
