A travel advisory is in effect for Highway 1.
Learn More.

Learn more.

Due to road closures along Highway 1 to our north and south, Esalen is closed through April 11.
Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the current travel advisory.

What becomes possible when we come together?

What becomes possible when we come together?

Your gift to Esalen creates the conditions for connection, growth, and new possibilities.
Donate Today
The future is too important to explore alone.

For nearly 65 years, Esalen has brought together people of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to explore what becomes possible when we open ourselves to new ways of thinking, connecting, and understanding the world.

That work has always been made possible by a community of people who believe in the value of curiosity, compassion, and the transformative potential of human connection.

Your generosity helps carry that work forward. By supporting Esalen, you help expand access to experiences that challenge assumptions, deepen understanding, and create possibilities that reach far beyond our grounds in Big Sur.

AT A TIME WHEN DIVISION CAN FEEL EASIER THAN CONNECTION, YOUR GIFT IS AN INVESTMENT IN WHAT WE CAN DISCOVER, CREATE, AND CHANGE — TOGETHER.
More Ways to Give
Write a check
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Esalen Institute
548 Market St
PMB 48853
San Francisco, CA 94104-5401
US

Please note: This mailbox accepts items sent via USPS, UPS, and DHL. It cannot accept items sent via FedEx.

Workplace matching
❯

Many employers support charitable giving through matching gift programs. Your employer or Human Resources department will be able to confirm if this benefit is available to you. You may be asked to complete a form for your employer requiring Esalen’s tax identification number: 94-6114235.

Please contact friends@esalen.org with any questions.

Gifts of Stock
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Appreciated stock is a great way to support Esalen and receive additional tax benefits. You can provide written gift instructions to your bank or broker.

Stock may be transferred to Esalen Institute via DTC as follows:
Esalen Institute at Charles Schwab
Schwab Account #2489-9222DTC Clearing 0164

Please contact friends@esalen.org to let us know when you’ve transferred any stock to Esalen, or with any questions.

Donor Advised Funds
❯

Please consider recommending Esalen Institute as an organization to support through your donor advised fund. Our tax identification number is 94-6114235.

Grants can be mailed to:
Esalen Institute
548 Market St
PMB 48853
San Francisco, CA 94104-5401
US

Planned Giving
❯

Your aspirations for Esalen can live on as your legacy through a bequest in your will or trust. Bequests can be made in the form of cash, stock, bonds, IRAs, real estate, or other personal property.

Learn more.

Contact Us
❯

Reach out to friends@esalen.org.

Meet Our Director of Development

Mary O'Brien

mary.obrien@esalen.org

For me, fundraising is a joyful vocation. I love connecting Esalen’s supporters with the ideas and initiatives that are most meaningful for them; inviting their investment in a mission they care deeply about.
I aim to be an enthusiastic catalyst for Esalen’s growth, cultivating the resources that will amplify our impact in the world, while ensuring integrous relationships with our donors.
This is powerful and fulfilling work which I regard wholeheartedly as a spiritual exchange. It’s a privilege to devote my daily energies toward this essential effort.

Mary O’Brien joined the Esalen leadership team in May 2022 with a background in fundraising for nonprofit organizations in the sectors of higher education, community philanthropy, conservation, and the performing arts. Most recently, she led the advancement and marketing communications teams at Northland College, a private liberal arts institution with a progressive focus on sustainability and our environment. Raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mary now lives and works in Bayfield, Wisconsin on the south shore of Lake Superior with regular travels to Big Sur.

For me, fundraising is a joyful vocation. I love connecting Esalen’s supporters with the ideas and initiatives that are most meaningful for them; inviting their investment in a mission they care deeply about.
I aim to be an enthusiastic catalyst for Esalen’s growth, cultivating the resources that will amplify our impact in the world, while ensuring integrous relationships with our donors.
This is powerful and fulfilling work which I regard wholeheartedly as a spiritual exchange. It’s a privilege to devote my daily energies toward this essential effort.

—Mary O'Brien, Esalen Director of Development

Meet Our Director of Development

Copyright © Esalen Institute and Esalen Center for Theory & Research. All rights reserved. Esalen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. View our Tax ID#, 990, and additional information.

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