Esalen Institute is open! However, Highway 1 to the south is closed — please review the current travel advisory.
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.
past workshop

Honey and the Muse: Embodied Practices for Creative Longevity and Nourishment

July 4–6, 2025

Leah Song and Marya Stark

The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.— Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic

Creativity is a celebration of the soul — an ever-present spark waiting to be ignited. This weekend retreat invites you to reconnect with the liberating, communal energy of your creative spirit. Through song, movement, storytelling, and play, we’ll explore practices to access inspiration and express your unique voice as a gift for the world.

Together, we will:

  • Find the still point by grounding in breath and somatic awareness to unlock the wellspring of clarity, intuition, and appreciation.
  • Discover “Ink from the Wild” and turn everyday moments into creative expression through sensory exploration in writing, poetry, and song, honoring the muse as an act of resourcing and nourishment.
  • Embrace group vocal improvisation and free expression in folk choir as a way to move through resistance and uncover new creative pathways.
  • Weave animacy by tapping into myth, archetypes, and personal stories to reimagine our narratives with freedom and ease.

This retreat welcomes anyone seeking to awaken their inner creative spark and bring more imagination, freedom, and purpose into their life.

No experience is necessary, only curiosity and a willingness to explore.

Recommended Reading: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Leah Song

Born into a musical family from Atlanta, Georgia, Leah Song is a storyteller, song-catcher, musician, poet, and community builder known primarily for her role as front woman of Rising Appalachia, alongside her sister Chloe. As a soloist, she incorporates sultry vocals, storytelling, folklore, ballads and boleros into her performances.

Full Bio

Marya Stark

Marya Stark is an award-winning vocalist, music producer, performer, and multi-instrumentalist. She is a bard, storyteller, and poet. Her body of work is steeped in the transformational arts of music therapy, mythical folklore, energetic alchemy, and womb empowerment.

Full Bio