Facing multiple doorways for growth, all you must do is decide. Do you wish to cultivate gratitude and love? Or unlock creativity through art? There are even two chances to learn from one of Esalen’s most revered teachers. There are no wrong answers now. Just follow your heart and step into your new future! It’s waiting for you.
Published August 13–19, 2022
The Enneagram, Inner Work, and the Head Center, October 30 – November 4, 2022 with Russ Hudson and Deborah Rose Longo
The powerful system of nine interconnected personality types is a tool for self-compassion, awareness, and relational wellness. In this workshop, we will look at Enneagram points 5 (The Investigator), 6 (The Loyalist), and 7 (The Enthusiast) as ways we can become stuck in certain patterns of thinking, as well as portals to the amazing possibilities of our awakened minds.
Thanks Giving: A Yoga Retreat, November 21–25, 2022 with Janet Stone
With Esalen as our transformative container, let’s meet during the week of Thanksgiving to remember the awe of the natural world around us and the life force within us. We’ll cultivate curiosity and wonder for the life we have here and now with daily practices — including breathwork, meditation, yoga asana, philosophy, journaling, and yoga Nidra — to create suppleness in mind, spirit, and body.
The Essential Qigong of China: The Energy, the Movement, the Stories, November 25–27, 2022 with Chungliang Al Huang
With over 50 years of teaching experience at Esalen, Master Huang shares the most essential qigong exercises — guiding students through energetic practices of movement, storytelling, and subtle energy work. This is an experience for those who wish to sustain a daily practice for the mind, body, and spirit. Students learn to incorporate this healthy practice as a consistent habit: Wei Wu Wei — “doing by not doing, spontaneously.”
Awakening the Creative: The Painting Experience, November 27 – December 2, 2022 with Stewart Cubley
Experience “process painting” with Stewart Cubley. In this expressive workshop, participants will enjoy artistic freedom — painting without the pressure to perform, produce, or succeed. Whether you are a veteran painter or picking up a paintbrush for the first time, this experience will be about the creative process rather than technique, training, or expertise.
Creative Tai Ji Experience: Change, Transformation, Metamorphosis, November 28 – December 2, 2022 with Chungliang Al Huang
Master Huang will share his unique ways of imparting Tai Ji experience to all levels of practitioners. He playfully reinvents Tai Ji forms with ancient Tai Ji rituals, Five Moving Forces of Nature, and traditional Tai Ji motifs. Students will explore, improvise, and evolve to find renewal and refreshed ways to dance the open structures of this ancient wonder of movement meditation. Get a sneak peek during his Esalen Live! Interview, Five Moving Forces.
Moon Lodge: Honoring the Sacred Feminine, December 5–9, 2022 with Lucia Horan and Dr. Julie Von
How empowered do you feel as a woman navigating this world? What is your relationship to the feminine and her wisdom? This workshop will be about celebrating the body of Woman and the sacred feminine within. Through dance, meditation, massage, acupuncture, and ritual cleansing baths, we will release wounds of the past and share in the sisterhood of humanity.
The Heart of Relationship: A Weekend of Gestalt Inquiry for Couples and Friends, December 9–11, 2022 with Perry Holloman and Johanna Holloman
Perry and Johanna Holloman, intimate partners and friends for over 30 years, share their most effective practices for nurturing their connection — including their primary tool, Gestalt Inquiry. As we learn to discover and safely express what is true for us, both individually, as a couple, or as friends, we deepen our heart’s capacity for intimacy, which leads to a more fulfilling and meaningful shared life.
Journey Space: Music, Movement & Ceremony, December 9–12, 2022 with East Forest and Marisa Radha Weppner
Journey into the art of sound, ceremony, and self-discovery. Three different live music performances by East Forest will be complemented by embodiment work designed to help prepare and integrate inner insights. Throughout the weekend, additional time for yoga, meditation, breathwork, journaling, and ecstatic dance will aid you in building a sustainable and reliable connection to Self.
Spiritual Fertility, December 12–16, 2022 with Lucia Horan and Dr. Julie Von
We’ve been indoctrinated to understand fertility as a purely physical concept, but there is also a deeply spiritual dimension. Come discover and be strengthened in your individual connection to sacred motherhood. Join together with a sharing circle to collectively hold, heal, and create new paths for conception and motherhood. Learn more about healing with Lucia in The Journal.
Ready to renew and jumpstart your metamorphosis before the year’s end? These exciting upcoming programs still have openings. Reserve now before they fill up!
We have even more workshops for healing and self-exploration. Enroll now, or join our waitlist!
Plus, for those who want to immerse themselves in the peace, space, and natural beauty of our campus without the structure of a workshop, we just opened dates in November and December for Self-Guided Explorations.
What would happen if you pressed pause on your everyday life and gave yourself four full weeks to evolve and transform at Esalen? If you’re ready to take the LEEP, we’re accepting applications for these exciting programs.
Esalen® Massage Intensive: Presence and Practice, September 24 – October 21, 2022 with Brita Ostrom, Char Pias, and Dean Marson
Learn how to connect with others through the healing touch of massage. Esalen Massage melds hands-on technique with awareness practices, recognizing the unity of body, mind, and spirit. This is not a professional training course; however, professionals can refresh their technique. All students will receive an incredible array of new awarenesses and skills, including the ability to give a basic Esalen massage.
Integrative Gestalt Coaching, October 22 – November 18, 2022 with Perry Holloman
Integrative Gestalt Coaching™ (IGC) is a method developed by coach and bodyworker Perry Holloman over the last 40 years while living and working at Esalen. Ideal both for people wanting a month of self-exploration as well as those wanting to develop Gestalt Coaching skills to enhance their work, this well-rounded program will help you develop awareness of how your internal experience influences your relationships, and how your relationships transform you to powerfully impact the quality of your life.
“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?
If you’ve always wanted to visit Esalen but haven’t been able to find the room in your budget: Do you know about our scholarship program?
Facing multiple doorways for growth, all you must do is decide. Do you wish to cultivate gratitude and love? Or unlock creativity through art? There are even two chances to learn from one of Esalen’s most revered teachers. There are no wrong answers now. Just follow your heart and step into your new future! It’s waiting for you.
Published August 13–19, 2022
The Enneagram, Inner Work, and the Head Center, October 30 – November 4, 2022 with Russ Hudson and Deborah Rose Longo
The powerful system of nine interconnected personality types is a tool for self-compassion, awareness, and relational wellness. In this workshop, we will look at Enneagram points 5 (The Investigator), 6 (The Loyalist), and 7 (The Enthusiast) as ways we can become stuck in certain patterns of thinking, as well as portals to the amazing possibilities of our awakened minds.
Thanks Giving: A Yoga Retreat, November 21–25, 2022 with Janet Stone
With Esalen as our transformative container, let’s meet during the week of Thanksgiving to remember the awe of the natural world around us and the life force within us. We’ll cultivate curiosity and wonder for the life we have here and now with daily practices — including breathwork, meditation, yoga asana, philosophy, journaling, and yoga Nidra — to create suppleness in mind, spirit, and body.
The Essential Qigong of China: The Energy, the Movement, the Stories, November 25–27, 2022 with Chungliang Al Huang
With over 50 years of teaching experience at Esalen, Master Huang shares the most essential qigong exercises — guiding students through energetic practices of movement, storytelling, and subtle energy work. This is an experience for those who wish to sustain a daily practice for the mind, body, and spirit. Students learn to incorporate this healthy practice as a consistent habit: Wei Wu Wei — “doing by not doing, spontaneously.”
Awakening the Creative: The Painting Experience, November 27 – December 2, 2022 with Stewart Cubley
Experience “process painting” with Stewart Cubley. In this expressive workshop, participants will enjoy artistic freedom — painting without the pressure to perform, produce, or succeed. Whether you are a veteran painter or picking up a paintbrush for the first time, this experience will be about the creative process rather than technique, training, or expertise.
Creative Tai Ji Experience: Change, Transformation, Metamorphosis, November 28 – December 2, 2022 with Chungliang Al Huang
Master Huang will share his unique ways of imparting Tai Ji experience to all levels of practitioners. He playfully reinvents Tai Ji forms with ancient Tai Ji rituals, Five Moving Forces of Nature, and traditional Tai Ji motifs. Students will explore, improvise, and evolve to find renewal and refreshed ways to dance the open structures of this ancient wonder of movement meditation. Get a sneak peek during his Esalen Live! Interview, Five Moving Forces.
Moon Lodge: Honoring the Sacred Feminine, December 5–9, 2022 with Lucia Horan and Dr. Julie Von
How empowered do you feel as a woman navigating this world? What is your relationship to the feminine and her wisdom? This workshop will be about celebrating the body of Woman and the sacred feminine within. Through dance, meditation, massage, acupuncture, and ritual cleansing baths, we will release wounds of the past and share in the sisterhood of humanity.
The Heart of Relationship: A Weekend of Gestalt Inquiry for Couples and Friends, December 9–11, 2022 with Perry Holloman and Johanna Holloman
Perry and Johanna Holloman, intimate partners and friends for over 30 years, share their most effective practices for nurturing their connection — including their primary tool, Gestalt Inquiry. As we learn to discover and safely express what is true for us, both individually, as a couple, or as friends, we deepen our heart’s capacity for intimacy, which leads to a more fulfilling and meaningful shared life.
Journey Space: Music, Movement & Ceremony, December 9–12, 2022 with East Forest and Marisa Radha Weppner
Journey into the art of sound, ceremony, and self-discovery. Three different live music performances by East Forest will be complemented by embodiment work designed to help prepare and integrate inner insights. Throughout the weekend, additional time for yoga, meditation, breathwork, journaling, and ecstatic dance will aid you in building a sustainable and reliable connection to Self.
Spiritual Fertility, December 12–16, 2022 with Lucia Horan and Dr. Julie Von
We’ve been indoctrinated to understand fertility as a purely physical concept, but there is also a deeply spiritual dimension. Come discover and be strengthened in your individual connection to sacred motherhood. Join together with a sharing circle to collectively hold, heal, and create new paths for conception and motherhood. Learn more about healing with Lucia in The Journal.
Ready to renew and jumpstart your metamorphosis before the year’s end? These exciting upcoming programs still have openings. Reserve now before they fill up!
We have even more workshops for healing and self-exploration. Enroll now, or join our waitlist!
Plus, for those who want to immerse themselves in the peace, space, and natural beauty of our campus without the structure of a workshop, we just opened dates in November and December for Self-Guided Explorations.
What would happen if you pressed pause on your everyday life and gave yourself four full weeks to evolve and transform at Esalen? If you’re ready to take the LEEP, we’re accepting applications for these exciting programs.
Esalen® Massage Intensive: Presence and Practice, September 24 – October 21, 2022 with Brita Ostrom, Char Pias, and Dean Marson
Learn how to connect with others through the healing touch of massage. Esalen Massage melds hands-on technique with awareness practices, recognizing the unity of body, mind, and spirit. This is not a professional training course; however, professionals can refresh their technique. All students will receive an incredible array of new awarenesses and skills, including the ability to give a basic Esalen massage.
Integrative Gestalt Coaching, October 22 – November 18, 2022 with Perry Holloman
Integrative Gestalt Coaching™ (IGC) is a method developed by coach and bodyworker Perry Holloman over the last 40 years while living and working at Esalen. Ideal both for people wanting a month of self-exploration as well as those wanting to develop Gestalt Coaching skills to enhance their work, this well-rounded program will help you develop awareness of how your internal experience influences your relationships, and how your relationships transform you to powerfully impact the quality of your life.
“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?
If you’ve always wanted to visit Esalen but haven’t been able to find the room in your budget: Do you know about our scholarship program?
If you’ve always wanted to visit Esalen but haven’t been able to find the room in your budget: Do you know about our scholarship program?
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org