The holidays often leave us brimming with good intentions yet stretched by the emotional labor of hosting, supporting loved ones, traveling, giving, and receiving. Amid all the gatherings and celebrations, the season can feel meaningful — but when it ends, we often recognize the toll it has taken on our emotional reserves. The New Year looms with promise, yet we find ourselves drained, depleted, and uncertain how to channel our energy into change without burning out.
In anticipation of this reality, rather than diving headlong into resolutions, pressure, and productivity, what if we treated the period after the holidays as a chance to refuel? What if the foundation of meaningful change became rest, nourishment, and steady renewal?
Instead of racing into the New Year, give yourself permission to slow down: to rest, to breathe, to process. Whether in nature, through stillness, soñ rituals — little by little — we can align with our rhythms rather than someone else’s expectations.
If you’re looking for structured support to refill your cup in February, check out these workshops led by experienced and wise facilitators who model how to launch into a 2026 with presence, care, and sustainable transformation.
February 9-13, Anne Van de Water leads Vibration Transformation, a workshop devoted to cultivating daily health and wellness practices that raise your vibration. This kind of reset guides you to treat your body, mind, emotions, and spirit as one unified field. Through movement, breath, conscious nutrition, and rest, you give yourself permission to heal, restore, and create a daily wellness rhythm that supports your full potential.
From January 30 to February 1 (or 2), Rekindling the Heart: Ancient Breath Practices, Tibetan Yoga & the Science of Emotion with Eve Ekman and Alejandro Chaoul blends ancient lineages with evidence-based methods to support emotional well-being and resilience. If you’ve felt overwhelmed, burnt out, or unsure how to begin again with emotional clarity, this workshop offers a beautiful pathway to gently re-open your heart, reconnect with your emotional landscape, and build tools for compassionate self-care and presence.
From February 9–13, 2026, Deva Munay leads Attuning to Love: A Sonic Sanctuary for Your Heart, a healing journey with crystal singing bowls. Sound, ritual, movement, and nature can be profound ways to soften, recharge, and re-align — especially after a season of doing and giving. This retreat is an invitation to soften into self-love, restore your sense of wonder, and radiate heart-based energy into a world that deeply needs it.
Also running February 9–13, 2026, Dacher Keltner guides Awe, Compassion, Gratitude, and Beauty: The Science and Practice of Self-Transcendence. Sometimes, the best way to refill our cup is to re-open our capacity for awe — to wonder and remember what matters beyond the “to-dos.” This workshop explores the emotional and physiological power of awe, compassion, and beauty to re-orient us and reconnect us with ourselves and others.
The key to post-holiday recovery is patience and compassion. Our inner world needs time to reorganize and realign. Workshops can be catalytic, but the true work unfolds in the daily rhythm of presence, care, and listening.
Let’s kick off 2026 minus the pressure or hurry, but rather with the addition of softness, clarity, and deeply rooted intention.
“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?
The holidays often leave us brimming with good intentions yet stretched by the emotional labor of hosting, supporting loved ones, traveling, giving, and receiving. Amid all the gatherings and celebrations, the season can feel meaningful — but when it ends, we often recognize the toll it has taken on our emotional reserves. The New Year looms with promise, yet we find ourselves drained, depleted, and uncertain how to channel our energy into change without burning out.
In anticipation of this reality, rather than diving headlong into resolutions, pressure, and productivity, what if we treated the period after the holidays as a chance to refuel? What if the foundation of meaningful change became rest, nourishment, and steady renewal?
Instead of racing into the New Year, give yourself permission to slow down: to rest, to breathe, to process. Whether in nature, through stillness, soñ rituals — little by little — we can align with our rhythms rather than someone else’s expectations.
If you’re looking for structured support to refill your cup in February, check out these workshops led by experienced and wise facilitators who model how to launch into a 2026 with presence, care, and sustainable transformation.
February 9-13, Anne Van de Water leads Vibration Transformation, a workshop devoted to cultivating daily health and wellness practices that raise your vibration. This kind of reset guides you to treat your body, mind, emotions, and spirit as one unified field. Through movement, breath, conscious nutrition, and rest, you give yourself permission to heal, restore, and create a daily wellness rhythm that supports your full potential.
From January 30 to February 1 (or 2), Rekindling the Heart: Ancient Breath Practices, Tibetan Yoga & the Science of Emotion with Eve Ekman and Alejandro Chaoul blends ancient lineages with evidence-based methods to support emotional well-being and resilience. If you’ve felt overwhelmed, burnt out, or unsure how to begin again with emotional clarity, this workshop offers a beautiful pathway to gently re-open your heart, reconnect with your emotional landscape, and build tools for compassionate self-care and presence.
From February 9–13, 2026, Deva Munay leads Attuning to Love: A Sonic Sanctuary for Your Heart, a healing journey with crystal singing bowls. Sound, ritual, movement, and nature can be profound ways to soften, recharge, and re-align — especially after a season of doing and giving. This retreat is an invitation to soften into self-love, restore your sense of wonder, and radiate heart-based energy into a world that deeply needs it.
Also running February 9–13, 2026, Dacher Keltner guides Awe, Compassion, Gratitude, and Beauty: The Science and Practice of Self-Transcendence. Sometimes, the best way to refill our cup is to re-open our capacity for awe — to wonder and remember what matters beyond the “to-dos.” This workshop explores the emotional and physiological power of awe, compassion, and beauty to re-orient us and reconnect us with ourselves and others.
The key to post-holiday recovery is patience and compassion. Our inner world needs time to reorganize and realign. Workshops can be catalytic, but the true work unfolds in the daily rhythm of presence, care, and listening.
Let’s kick off 2026 minus the pressure or hurry, but rather with the addition of softness, clarity, and deeply rooted intention.
“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?
The holidays often leave us brimming with good intentions yet stretched by the emotional labor of hosting, supporting loved ones, traveling, giving, and receiving. Amid all the gatherings and celebrations, the season can feel meaningful — but when it ends, we often recognize the toll it has taken on our emotional reserves. The New Year looms with promise, yet we find ourselves drained, depleted, and uncertain how to channel our energy into change without burning out.
In anticipation of this reality, rather than diving headlong into resolutions, pressure, and productivity, what if we treated the period after the holidays as a chance to refuel? What if the foundation of meaningful change became rest, nourishment, and steady renewal?
Instead of racing into the New Year, give yourself permission to slow down: to rest, to breathe, to process. Whether in nature, through stillness, soñ rituals — little by little — we can align with our rhythms rather than someone else’s expectations.
If you’re looking for structured support to refill your cup in February, check out these workshops led by experienced and wise facilitators who model how to launch into a 2026 with presence, care, and sustainable transformation.
“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?
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
