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I have many fond memories of ritual creek dips and leaving offerings of flowers, tobacco, and other sacred bits of Earth. Behind the hut is a massive boulder, into which a divet was carved. I like to lay my hands on that rock and listen. That so many have found solace in the hut itself gives the environs a unique energetic signature; time stops when I cross the bridge. — Sadia Bruce

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. — Tom Little Bear Nason

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. 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

When I take a pause alongside the moving water of the creek, 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 Chandler

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 Lamont Walker

 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 Cooke Newman

‍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. Jeffries