Letting go of entrenched ideas — of who we are, of how the world works, of our place in it — is a challenge. It takes energy. Time. Space. Security. This growth asks us to examine ourselves and understand our connection to the whole. This model of change encompasses both personal and communal, and it’s always been at the core of Esalen.

Guided explorations are an evolution of programming designed to function outside of the group structures of our workshops. These experiences are for those who want to immerse themselves in the peace, space, and natural beauty of our campus to do the work of their own personal growth. The beauty of our Big Sur campus supports serenity for the mind, the body, the spirit, and offers nourishment for all three.

• Exploring human potential. The dynamic class schedule changes weekly, but always features opportunities to sit in meditation and mindfulness, explore embodiment and movement practices, and connect with nature. An opening circle, hosted by an Esalen Staff member or a visiting teacher welcomes you as you begin your stay, while a closing circle on the final day provides a mindful way to conclude your experience.

• Feeding mind and body. Savor three healthy meals a day. Our dynamic kitchen draws on global culinary traditions, using the fruits of the Esalen Farm & Garden and other local providers to create delicious meals that support holistic health — for you and for the earth.

• Creating space for reflection. Esalen’s beloved mineral hot springs perch over the Pacific Ocean, a juxtaposition of intimate and infinite. A core part of Esalen from its inception, they’re an ideal place to reflect, find clarity, and set new intentions.

What if what we experience wasn’t always a serious endeavor, but rather an invitation to play, to grow and to learn? Hindu philosophy encapsulates this idea in the Sanskrit word Lila, which means “divine play.” Lila suggests that creation isn’t an obligation but an ongoing, spontaneous, joyful expression of the divine. Perhaps we’re so deeply immersed in the drama of it — like actors lost in our roles — that we’ve forgotten it’s a playful dance? Suppose existence is just a cosmic joke, a juggling act of the relative and the absolute. This unique workshop is designed to help you learn to dance between the everyday mundane and the spiritually sublime.

Each day will begin with the ancient technology of yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Morning classes will be energizing and dynamic to cleanse the blocks of stress, physical/mental patterns, and common discomforts. These sessions are designed to help you access peace, resilience, and a playful state to gently unravel the genius of your authentic self.

You’ll then be guided through various exercises to develop highly nuanced body awareness, followed by physical games and rituals that give birth to organic impulses inspired by the child within. In this, there is no pressure to perform, just an invitation to get lost and found inside yourself, an openness to go beyond your comfort zone, and a willingness to play within the moment.

Each day will close with a soft, contemplative yoga practice and an opportunity to share and hear one another’s interpretation of the day. This helps to absorb the benefits, make sense of your experience, and allow for genuine healing and connection through community.

This workshop is physical, but open and accessible for all levels and diverse bodies. Practices will be adapted and tailored to support you. Please come unprepared, ready to explore, and open to an entirely new outlook on life.

Discover research-backed tools to create a loving relationship. Together, we’ll engage in a comprehensive exploration of the psychological and scientific aspects of dating and healthy relationships. We’ll delve into the science of attraction, unlocking the mysteries of chemistry and creating and sustaining meaningful connections — all grounded in the latest research on relationships.

Our key focus will be the art of building deeper connections through effective communication techniques and empathetic understanding. You’ll learn how to nurture skills that foster intimacy, trust, and lasting bonds. Mastering a comprehensive framework for effective communication is essential for stronger, more resilient relationships, and you’ll learn practical ways to apply these skills in your daily interactions.

In this workshop, you’ll find out how to create a personal relationship narrative that aligns with your current life. Reflective exercises will help you identify and rewire limiting beliefs about love for healthier and more fulfilling bonds. The “Dating Funnel” framework, a structured approach that demystifies the various stages of relationship development, will provide a clear strategy for navigating the dating world, from initial contact to a committed relationship.

By the end of our time together, you will be equipped with a comprehensive set of tools to navigate your relationship journey with confidence and clarity. Understand the foundations of attraction, develop communication skills, and reshape your love narrative.

This workshop is open to all gender identities and expressions and all sexual orientations.

Recommended Reading: Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart and Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love That Lasts by Amy Chan

This workshop includes an additional $15 materials fee.

The body is a dense and visible aspect of a unified field. It can’t be separated from the field in which it lives. The whole body accepts. — Stephen Schwartz

If you have ever danced, you know the power of movement to unlock the hidden places within — the shortcut faster than years of talk therapy. In its elegant way, dance lets us be with what needs attention and love inside.

Rediscover the magic of life through the miracle of conscious movement and the healing power of embodied presence. Drop into your body, reconnect with what most matters to you, and feel alive again in your messy, mysterious, and magnificent human body.

Inspired by a wide range of music and the great sound of silence, supported by the elemental presence of nature, we will travel together across the landscapes of relating — to self, other, the world, and the great mystery that we also are.

During our week together, using the practice of Soul Motion® and the body-based explorations of Gestalt, we will:

• Awaken each day with movement, breath, and sensory awareness.
• Explore our inner landscape through solo and guided movement journeys.
• Connect deeply with others in paired- and small-group practices to be seen and heard.
• Move outdoors, drawing presence and inspiration from nature.
• Reflect and integrate through circles of sharing and silence.
• Include time for teaching and discussion, though most of the program is experiential.

In the process of waking up together — sometimes glorious, sometimes clumsy — we will deepen our skills for empathy and relational fluidity and find ourselves held in effortless belonging.

Zuza Engler is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to sponsor continuing education programs for LMFT, LCSW, and LPCC. This workshop offers 18 CE credits for therapists and social workers. Please email angel@zuzaengler.com for more details about CE credits. There will be a $25 fee for the certificate.

Recommended Reading: Body Process: A Gestalt Approach to Working with the Body in Psychotherapy by James Kepner, Spirituality of the Body: Bioenergetics for Grace and Harmony by Alexander Lowen and The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness by Pema Chödrön

Letting go of entrenched ideas — of who we are, of how the world works, of our place in it — is a challenge. It takes energy. Time. Space. Security. This growth asks us to examine ourselves and understand our connection to the whole. This model of change encompasses both personal and communal, and it’s always been at the core of Esalen.

Guided explorations are an evolution of programming designed to function outside of the group structures of our workshops. These experiences are for those who want to immerse themselves in the peace, space, and natural beauty of our campus to do the work of their own personal growth. The beauty of our Big Sur campus supports serenity for the mind, the body, the spirit, and offers nourishment for all three.

• Exploring human potential. The dynamic class schedule changes weekly, but always features opportunities to sit in meditation and mindfulness, explore embodiment and movement practices, and connect with nature. An opening circle, hosted by an Esalen Staff member or a visiting teacher welcomes you as you begin your stay, while a closing circle on the final day provides a mindful way to conclude your experience.

• Feeding mind and body. Savor three healthy meals a day. Our dynamic kitchen draws on global culinary traditions, using the fruits of the Esalen Farm & Garden and other local providers to create delicious meals that support holistic health — for you and for the earth.

• Creating space for reflection. Esalen’s beloved mineral hot springs perch over the Pacific Ocean, a juxtaposition of intimate and infinite. A core part of Esalen from its inception, they’re an ideal place to reflect, find clarity, and set new intentions.

Men need supportive spaces to embrace vulnerability and explore presence-based touch. In a culture that often rewards emotional restraint and self-reliance, many men have few opportunities to lower their defenses and explore presence and authentic connection — especially through touch. This immersive workshop offers a space for men to reconnect with themselves and one another through the art and practice of Esalen® Massage.

At its core, Esalen Massage is about more than technique; it is a relational, heart-centered approach to touch that honors the body’s innate capacity for healing. Through long, flowing strokes, gentle stretches, and attuned presence, Esalen Massage invites both giver and receiver into deeper embodiment and mutual awareness. In this workshop, you will be introduced to the foundations of Esalen Massage, including quality of touch, rapport, mindful body mechanics, and how to drape comfortably.

Through guided massage exchanges, demonstrations, and unmasking practices, we will explore how cultural expectations around masculinity have shaped our relationships — with ourselves, with one another, and with touch. During our time together, we’ll hold space for honest conversation about what we carry and what we’re ready to release.

Whether you’re new to massage or seek to deepen your personal or professional practice, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore Esalen Massage as a path to wholeness — one grounded in presence, touch, and brotherhood.

Recommended Reading: The Will To Change by bell hooks & Iron John by Robert Bly

10 hours of continuing education provided by the faculty through the NCBTMB

Held by the cliffs, gardens, and vast Pacific horizon, this workshop invites you to slow down, awaken your senses, and remember your belonging to the living world. Through guided outdoor meditations and embodied awareness, you’ll reconnect with nature as teacher and mirror, discovering joy, wisdom, and wonder along the way. Come ready to breathe deeply, listen wholeheartedly, and be restored by the beauty that surrounds you.

Somewhere inside you — buried deeply, or maybe just below the surface — there is a story you’ve been wanting to tell. Like every great story, the creative process follows an arc: a beginning where inspiration stirs, a middle where challenges arise, and a resolution where something new takes shape. This workshop is an opportunity to explore that arc — both in your storytelling and in yourself — through movement, mindfulness, and writing.

Through carefully curated practices, we invite you to step into your creative flow with curiosity and openness. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just beginning to explore your voice, this space is for you.

During this weeklong experience, we will step away from our daily routines and immerse ourselves in the open air of Esalen. You will have the opportunity to move your body, find your breath, observe your mind, and engage with your words in a new way. Writing sessions will offer guidance and gentle encouragement to move past fear, explore your creative edges, and deepen your connection to storytelling.

This workshop will include:

• Journaling and creative writing exercises to explore the arc of your personal story
• Creative pathways to support in discovering and shaping your narrative
• Hatha-inspired yoga movement and Yoga Nidra practices to invite the connection of body, mind, and intuition
• A supportive and playful community to nurture your creative process

As educators, storytellers, and lifelong learners, Darnell and Cara believe in the power of storytelling and movement to awaken creativity. Just as every story unfolds in its own way, so too does our creative path. This workshop is an invitation to explore that unfolding, to experiment with new creative practices, and to discover what feels most alive for you. You will be encouraged to develop techniques and rituals that support your creativity, with the possibility of weaving them into your daily life in ways that feel natural and sustainable.