Workshops

Our workshops are designed to support you in the challenging work of self exploration, in partnership with some of the leading minds of the day. Join us in discovering the next frontiers of individual and societal transformation.

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Esalen offers scholarships.

Are you ready to escape the grip of everyday seriousness and soften into your own vibrant aliveness?

Join us for a soul-soothing, laughter-filled playshop designed to help you lighten up, loosen your edges, and let yourself flow. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Big Sur and the healing spirit of Esalen, this immersive experience is an invitation to return to your playful, radiant center.

Explore the liberating power of ecstatic laughter, deep musical immersion, and somatic movement by tapping into practices that uplift the nervous system, expand breath, and release stress and emotion stored in the body. Through call-and-response chanting, guided “laughter‘cizes,” gentle somatic play, and musically guided journeys, you’ll be encouraged to drop into deep relaxation — and rise into spontaneous delight.

Throughout the week, you’ll be immersed in a celestial soundscape created by the electric zither, kalimba, iPad synths, ambient textures, gong washes, and intuitive voice that weaves seamlessly with nature sounds and percussive play. Healing vibrations invite the mind to ease and the heart to open, making space for curiosity, catharsis, and connection with your own beautiful inner terrain.

Drawing on trauma-aware, nature-rooted embodiment practices, this playshop invites you to move at the pace of presence — sensing into the body’s rhythms, shaking loose old patterns, and letting joy ripple through you in organic, unforced waves. Reconnect with the wild wisdom of your inner child and remember laughter not just as an emotion but as a movement — one that breathes, flows, and frees.

Whether you’re aching to shake off the weight of the world or just ready to laugh from your belly again, come as you are. This playshop is for anyone longing to feel more alive, attuned, and unburdened.

Come play. Come laugh. Come home to joy.

Laughter, Sound, and Consciousness
Laughter, Sound, and Consciousness
LARAAJI and Arji OceAnanda
Laughter, Sound, and Consciousness
December 8–12, 2025
December 8–12, 2025
December 8, 2025
December 8–12, 2025

Winter solstice is a time to reflect — to cultivate vitality and nurture ourselves. The dark days of winter are an opportune time to slow down and make space for self-care. This winter solstice yoga retreat will focus on cultivating inner awareness. By practicing in community, we build inner vitality and brightness to return home renewed.

During this retreat, we will combine three healing practices to  revitalize the body and calm the mind in the exquisite and rejuvenating natural environment of Esalen.

Together, we will focus our attention on being by using:

  • Yoga to yoke body and mind for present-moment awareness.
  • Meditation to cultivate concentration and empathy.
  • Chanting with bhakti yoga, the practice of the heart.

The word solstice is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) because the seasonal movement of the sun’s path appears to come to a stop before reversing direction at the solstices. Moving into stillness, we can return to our lives refreshed and strengthened for the new year to come.  

All levels are welcome.

This workshop includes an additional $20 material fee.

Aligning with Nature: A Winter Solstice Yoga Retreat
Aligning with Nature: A Winter Solstice Yoga Retreat
Sarana Miller
Aligning with Nature: A Winter Solstice Yoga Retreat
December 19–21, 2025
December 19–21, 2025
December 19, 2025
December 19–21, 2025

Explore the dynamic connections between mind, body, and lifestyle for optimal vitality. Drawing from decades of research, this workshop weaves together the latest scientific insights in metabolic health and mindful eating with experiential practices to support greater awareness and agency in your approach to well-being.

Participants will engage in evidence-informed practices derived from clinical trials and discover the emerging research on biosensors and glucose monitors that offer real-time feedback on stress and metabolic responses.

We’ll take a closer look at how to create optimal insulin sensitivity — a foundational aspect of good metabolic health and a key factor in healthy aging. Rather than rigid rules or complex diets, we’ll focus on core principles of optimal nutrition and metabolic function to help us develop — and sustain — lifestyle choices that align with our needs and abilities.

Together, we’ll explore:  

  • The impact of stress on eating behaviors, and how both inside knowledge of the food industry and self-compassion can serve as powerful antidotes to shame and food stigma.
  • How different micronutrients, macronutrients, eating patterns, and timing affect glucose regulation, mitochondrial function, cellular aging, and mental health.
  • Experiential practices, such as mindful eating, yoga nidra, breathwork, and exercise, and their effects on appetite regulation, insulin sensitivity, and energy levels.
  • How to wisely use glucose monitors, stress monitors, and time-restricted fasting.

Elissa and Robert will be joined by mindfulness-based registered dietitian and nutritionist Andrea Lieberstein, who will lead mindful eating practices, including an optional guided mindful meal. Movement teacher Nichol Chase will offer embodied movement sessions throughout the weekend.

Join this compassionate, research-informed space to explore the intersections of nutrition, mindfulness, and metabolic well-being. Whether you’re managing chronic stress, curious about metabolic health, or simply seeking a more conscious relationship with food and your body, you are welcome here.

Please note: This workshop is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat eating disorders, will not focus on weight loss, and may not be appropriate for individuals currently experiencing a severe eating disorder. It is not intended for medical advice or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your nutrition, movement, or health practices.

Mindfulness, Metabolism, and Mitochondria: Improve Your Vitality, Nutrition, and Metabolic Control
Mindfulness, Metabolism, and Mitochondria: Improve Your Vitality, Nutrition, and Metabolic Control
Elissa Epel and Robert Lustig
Mindfulness, Metabolism, and Mitochondria: Improve Your Vitality, Nutrition, and Metabolic Control
January 9–11, 2026
January 9–11, 2026
January 9, 2026
January 9–11, 2026

The body is a portal to the numinous dimensions of the soul’s life. It can lead us to healing and wholeness far beyond simple relief of traumatic symptoms — and to increased access to our feelings and a renewed sense of soulful aliveness. Jungian and depth psychology orient to the deepest currents of the soul, where dreams and life experiences take on cohesive wisdom and unfold in a way that guides the individual. However, developmental wounds, particularly those of a traumatic nature, can interrupt the psyche’s innate thrust toward wholeness.

In this workshop, we will work with authentic movement and other somatic practices grounded in the perspective of depth psychology to learn and experience how the body can serve as a gateway to realign with those innate healing currents.

Our ancestors understood that our dreams and visions often speak not just to the individual but to the community as well. In this realm, which Jung referred to as the “Spirit of the Depths,” we can reconnect with the creative unconscious for insights that remain elusive when caught up in the groupthink typical of the “Spirit of the Times.” We will practice both indoors and outdoors, surrounded by the stunning beauty of the natural world, where the inner meets the outer, to engage with these transformative energies as they emerge.

This workshop is oriented toward therapists interested in learning how to access the somatic underpinnings of psychic life and those committed to weaving the body’s way of knowing with life’s unfolding.

10 CE credits available — for additional information, click here. There will be a $70 fee for CE credit, payable directly to Barbara Holifield. If interested, you can contact her at barbaraholifield1@me.com.

Recommended reading: Holifield, B. (2025). Being with the Body in Depth Psychotherapy: Development, Trauma, and Transformation in the Unspoken Realm., Menakem, Resmaa (2017) My Grandmother’s Hands. Las Vegas, Nevada: Central Recovery Press.

Being With the Body in Depth Psychology: Trauma and its Transformation in the Unspoken Realm
Being With the Body in Depth Psychology: Trauma and its Transformation in the Unspoken Realm
Barbara Holifield
Being With the Body in Depth Psychology: Trauma and its Transformation in the Unspoken Realm
January 30 – February 1, 2026
January 30 – February 1, 2026
January 30, 2026
January 30 – February 1, 2026

What lies behind today’s evidence-based mind-body practices for well-being, resilience, and purpose? This three-day workshop explores the deep lineages and sacred traditions from which many modern methods arise, guided by teachers who walk both worlds of rigorous science and timeless wisdom.

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, Alejandro Chaoul pioneered programs to support patients with chronic illness through Tibetan Yoga, meditation, and integrative medicine. At UCSF, Eve Ekman developed and researched secular, evidence-based tools to strengthen emotional resilience and prevent burnout among healthcare providers.

Together, they will share cutting-edge science and evidence-based practices alongside the sacred dimensions often missing from conventional approaches to healing and renewal.

Participants will explore:

  • Tibetan Yoga of Renewal through breathwork practices
  • Mapping emotions underlying stress
  • Sacred syllables and mantra to protect the mind
  • Meditations to uplift and expand heart and mind

This workshop offers practical, research-informed tools and a sacred perspective to rekindle creativity, ease emotional distress, and reconnect with meaning and purpose — for patients, providers, seekers, or anyone on the path of healing.

This workshop has two options on length of stay: a traditional weeklong of two nights or a long weekend of three nights. The extended stay workshop will include more workshop content which is reflected in the extended stay schedule.

The Alchemy of Awareness: Transforming Burnout into Meaning and Purpose
The Alchemy of Awareness: Transforming Burnout into Meaning and Purpose
Eve Ekman and Alejandro Chaoul
The Alchemy of Awareness: Transforming Burnout into Meaning and Purpose
January 30 – February 1 or 2, 2026
January 30 – February 1 or 2, 2026
January 30, 2026
January 30 – February 1 or 2, 2026

Our clown is the authentic, curious, and playful version of ourselves. Clowning as a life practice is the balancing of our light and shadow while laughing at our attachments. We will explore being soft, brave, and available to the moment. This workshop is an immersion practice that explores our most vulnerable and creative self.

Using tools found in improvisation, meditation, altered states, and movement practice, we will explore clowning as a spiritual practice. The work begins with exercises that help you drop into the body and descend from the mind to access the clown state. With the foundation of a sacred container, we will engage in primarily nonverbal, physical games and rituals that give birth to organic impulses inspired by the child within. There is no pressure to perform, but an invitation to get lost inside yourself, an openness to go beyond your comfort zone, and a willingness to play within the moment.

There is nothing to learn but rather much to uncover — to allow us to move through life in a more open state, with a greater connection to ourselves and the world. This workshop is physical, open, and accessible for diverse bodies. Come unravel the clown within! Please come unprepared and ready to explore.

Recommended reading: Animal Joy by Nuar Alsadir, Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey, Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle

Sacred Clown: Reconnecting to Self Through the Spirit of Play
Sacred Clown: Reconnecting to Self Through the Spirit of Play
Jet Eveleth
Sacred Clown: Reconnecting to Self Through the Spirit of Play
February 2–6, 2026
February 2–6, 2026
February 2, 2026
February 2–6, 2026

When you engage with another — whether a lover, friend, or colleague — are you doing what they want you to do or what they allow you to do? What is the difference, and why does it matter?

Betty Martin’s Wheel of Consent is a groundbreaking model of relating that brings greater clarity and authenticity to our relationships in all areas of life. It creates a practice of separating out receiving and giving, which will challenge you, surprise you, and teach you a lot about yourself! As you become exquisitely aware of your desires and limits and how to communicate them, you will be free to make more embodied choices.

In this small group workshop uniquely crafted for Esalen, we will build on the somatic experience of the Wheel of Consent and its natural outgrowth of personal empowerment. We will expand our views to look more closely at our own power and how we can use it well.

This workshop will include curriculum, discussion, and practices to support participants in:

  • Taking action for yourself or for another, and knowing the difference.
  • Understanding who is doing and who it is for, and knowing the difference.
  • Noticing, trusting, and valuing both your desires and your limits, which leads to empowerment and self-responsibility.
  • Defining what power is (and isn’t), making friends with it, and using it beneficially.
  • Accessing parts of yourself that have been hidden away that are ready to be seen, appreciated, and healed.

The Wheel of Consent is best experienced somatically — in the body. We will include the option to learn through touch, and, of course, you never have to experience touch you do not want — ever.

This workshop includes an additional $50 of faculty tuition.

Recommended reading: The Art of Receiving and Giving: The Wheel of Consent, by Betty Martin

Personal Empowerment Through the Wheel of Consent®
Personal Empowerment Through the Wheel of Consent®
Betty Martin and Marcia Baczynski
Personal Empowerment Through the Wheel of Consent®
February 2–6, 2026
February 2–6, 2026
February 2, 2026
February 2–6, 2026

How we sit, stand, move, and respond to our inner and outer world reflects deeply ingrained patterns wired into our nervous systems since childhood. They reflect our early solutions to physical survival in our family system. Out of awareness, these beliefs and strategies can still run our adult lives, limit our choices, and prevent physical ease and emotional healing.

If you still have pain or limitations from a past injury, it is usually because many other areas in your body had to overwork to protect and avoid using the injured area while you were recovering. These unconscious compensations can create an imbalanced workload and, eventually, new issues elsewhere in our body that prevent complete healing.

Using CFR®, we slowly explore and deeply sense small, gentle movements that bring these hidden patterns into awareness. When our genius nervous system becomes aware of a habit that is no longer useful, it extinguishes it. A greater experience of self-trust and self-worth is uncovered. A new sense of self-love, which comes from paying attention to your details without judgment, usually emerges.

This workshop is for the sedentary who want to become more active, the highly active who want to avoid injury and gain a competitive edge, and the chronically tired and stressed who want to improve breathing, posture, and flexibility. It is for those who have experienced physical injury or emotional trauma and those in helping professions who wish to enhance outcomes for clients and patients.  

You will leave equipped with simple yet effective tools for continued self-healing. Your discoveries will lead to a state of awe about what is possible in your body, your movement, and your life.

Recommended Reading: Somatics by Thomas Hanna and The Elusive Obvious by Moshé Feldenkrais

Accessing the Genius Within: Healing Physical and Emotional Injury With Cortical Field Re-Education® and Feldenkrais®
Accessing the Genius Within: Healing Physical and Emotional Injury With Cortical Field Re-Education® and Feldenkrais®
Tomas Prietto, Judy Greenman and Monica Lesslie
Accessing the Genius Within: Healing Physical and Emotional Injury With Cortical Field Re-Education® and Feldenkrais®
February 13–20, 2026
February 13–20, 2026
February 13, 2026
February 13–20, 2026

Your crown has been bought and paid for. All you have to do is put it on. — James Baldwin

Most people don’t actually fear failure; they fear their own brilliance. In this weeklong journey, we’ll explore how subtle self-sabotage, shrinking, and doubt prevent us from claiming our gifts. Through coherence coaching, embodied exercises, and radical self-honesty, you’ll discover the courage to live as the powerful being you already are.

Participants will:

  • Engage in guided movement and meditation to release constriction and embody expansive power.
  • Use reflective journaling prompts to surface patterns of self-betrayal and write new declarations of possibility.
  • Practice storytelling and peer coaching circles that mirror back wholeness, strengths, and hidden capacities.
  • Enter creative play exercises to rehearse new ways of showing up boldly.
  • Make commitments to sustained daily practices that anchor your dopeness as a lifestyle.

When we embrace our greatness, we move beyond fear into freedom, clarity, and contribution. You’ll receive practical tools and experience a supportive community for the embodied confidence to live your dopeness with courage and joy.

Fear of Dopeness: Surrendering to Your Own Greatness
Fear of Dopeness: Surrendering to Your Own Greatness
Didier Sylvain
Fear of Dopeness: Surrendering to Your Own Greatness
March 16–20, 2026
March 16–20, 2026
March 16, 2026
March 16–20, 2026

At the very heart of “belonging” is the word “long.” To be-long to something is to stay with it for the long haul. It is an active choice we make to a relationship, to a place, to our body, to a life because we value it. Even knowing that it may not be all that we hope it to be, we are keeping the long view of what is possible, and our life becomes an offering to making it so. ― Toko-pa Turner, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home

There is an irony in living in a world with so many “things” to pursue and so many of us feeling a deep sense of disconnection and alienation. Our fierce individualism often leaves us separate from our bodies, one another, and the Earth. “Belonging” is always an integral strand in our many deeply woven threads to self, our communities, and the Earth. We long to belong, and we are created for connection. Building places of belonging begins with the self, trickles out to our wider circles, and ultimately connects us to the entire world.

This five-day workshop will dive into the dynamics of separation and belonging across these many dimensions, utilizing a mix of teachings, dialogue, and embodied experiences. We will draw on the richness of ecopsychology and the playfulness of the 5Rhythms® moving meditation, and we’ll engage in restorative time in contemplation in the natural landscape of Esalen.

Participants in this workshop will experience:

  • 5Rhythms moving meditation
  • Contemplative meditation
  • Teachings within ecopsychology and ecological and social awareness
  • Community dialogues
  • Time in nature
  • Dreaming and journaling

Participants should be prepared to work with challenging material, to encounter difficult and joyful emotions, to engage in experiential practices, including the 5Rhythms movement meditation, and to play within a respectful, compassionate community. We will investigate the ways in which we form connections with others and our various communities, and we will experience the deep fulfillment that comes from greater connectivity.

Recommended Reading: Returning the Self to Nature: Undoing Our Collective Narcissism and Healing Our Planet by Jeanine M. Canty, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home by Toko-pa Turner, The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong by john. a.powell, Sweat Your Prayers by Gabrielle Roth

Embodied Belonging: Weaving Together Self, Community, and Earth through 5Rhythms and Ecopsychology
Embodied Belonging: Weaving Together Self, Community, and Earth through 5Rhythms and Ecopsychology
Douglas Drummond and Jeanine M. Canty with Guest Musicians Sanga of the Valley and Nick Ayers
Embodied Belonging: Weaving Together Self, Community, and Earth through 5Rhythms and Ecopsychology
March 16–20, 2026
March 16–20, 2026
March 16, 2026
March 16–20, 2026

Perimenopausal and menopausal transitions are more than biological phases to endure; they are sacred passages that forge a woman into her fullest expression — as a truth-bearer, a pathfinder, a beauty maker, and a new creation.  

When the monthly cycles end, you’ll undergo tremendous transformations in your body, mind, emotions, and psyche. Crossing this monumental threshold awakens your inner sage, a wild knowing sacredly woven from deep intuition and your soul’s language.

Join Jovinna as she weaves a web of story, nature, movement, and community to capture the magic of this time of life. Anchor the new story for yourself and future generations, infusing meaning and sacredness into this wild and inspired time.  

Over the weekend, there will be:

  • Practice of Conscious Dance to recharge the body and mind.
  • Time to be immersed in nature and connect with your elemental being.
  • Rituals and ceremonies to honor these important thresholds of transformation.

Let this be a time of celebration with reverence and levity as you unfold in the field of endless possibilities without your old roles, identities, and patterns.

Please bring a journal, a small piece of cloth that represents your old self, and an article of clothing that you’d like to wear for the ceremony of renewal.

This workshop includes an additional $35 faculty tuition.

Shedding the Old to Enter the Magnificent Wild: A Women’s Third Rite of Passage
Shedding the Old to Enter the Magnificent Wild: A Women’s Third Rite of Passage
Jovinna Chan
Shedding the Old to Enter the Magnificent Wild: A Women’s Third Rite of Passage
March 20–22, 2026
March 20–22, 2026
March 20, 2026
March 20–22, 2026

Experience five days of deep rest, reflection, and rejuvenation through movement, guided meditation, and the profound practice of Yoga Nidra. This workshop is designed to restore the body, clear the mind, and shift the habitual patterns that keep us from experiencing a state of calm, clarity, and balance.

Yoga Nidra, which translates to “yogic sleep,” guides you to that liminal state between wakefulness and sleep, where you can systematically release stored physical, emotional, and mental tensions. In this state, you can let go of old beliefs and habits that keep you stuck in the past and fearful of the future. With this practice, you can fully experience your emotions while knowing that there is unchanging, unshakable ground beneath you — a calm inner presence that allows you to see clearly and navigate life with greater ease.

Throughout the retreat, we will work with our bodies and minds, creating clear intentions to shift from living by unconscious, automatic programming and find a new perspective — an aware, deliberate way of being. You’ll explore how to bring this newfound awareness of your true self into your personal life, relationships, work, and moments of solitude and love.

Together, we will cultivate new tools to help us navigate when we feel lost, tired, or confused and forget who we are. These guiding instruments can help us negotiate life’s challenges, welcome them as opportunities, and remember our true nature.

This workshop is a unique opportunity to recognize your wholeness, the truth of who you are, and the inner peace that has always been within you — that unchanging, unshakable ground of being that you are. All that is being asked of you is to show up, lie down, and let go. Yoga Nidra will do the rest.

What to bring: blankets, a yoga mat, an eye pillow, and anything else you need to lie comfortably on the floor for extended periods. We’ll also have opportunities to practice outdoors, so make sure you have layers to stay comfortable in varying conditions.

Recommended Reading: Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep, by Kamini Desai; and Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation Healing, by Richard Miller

Yoga Nidra Retreat: Rest, Restore, and Remember Who You Are
Yoga Nidra Retreat: Rest, Restore, and Remember Who You Are
John Vosler
Yoga Nidra Retreat: Rest, Restore, and Remember Who You Are
March 23–27, 2026
March 23–27, 2026
March 23, 2026
March 23–27, 2026

The March equinox, a time of transition and harmony, is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our practice of yoga. The light is returning from the dark days of winter, and balance is our theme — both on the yoga mat and for our emotional and spiritual selves. Just as the plants are beginning to bud, our own dreams, visions, and creativity are emerging from their winter gestation. The fertile and dynamic land of Esalen is a perfect setting to hold us for this exploration of Spring.

During this retreat, we will combine three healing practices to revitalize the body and calm the mind in the exquisite and rejuvenating natural environment of Esalen. Together, we will focus our attention on the practices of:

  • Yoga to yoke body and mind for present-moment awareness.
  • Meditation to cultivate concentration and empathy.
  • Chanting, or bhakti yoga, the practice of the heart.

This immersive weekend will leave us balanced, revitalized, and ready for the full and active days of Spring and Summer.

This workshop includes an additional $20 fee for workshop materials.

Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat
Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat
Sarana Miller
Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat
March 27–29, 2026
March 27–29, 2026
March 27, 2026
March 27–29, 2026

Immerse yourself in the eros of creation. Enter the divine dance between consciousness and form to explore the generative relationship between Shiva, the principle of pure awareness, and Shakti, the principle of creation and form. As these energies are engaged in the body, new layers of intimacy with self and the living world may be revealed.

This workshop calls to seekers, artists, healers, those in transition, and anyone longing to feel more deeply resourced, creatively sparked, or attuned to the rhythms of life. It offers a field for exploration rather than performance — a space where the mystical meets the embodied.

Throughout our week together, an intentionally curated arc of practices will open pathways into this inquiry. We’ll explore movement, somatic and subtle energy explorations, process art, journaling, meditation, relational play, ritual, and land-based practices to create a living tapestry of experience. Each thread is designed to engage different dimensions of being — body, mind, spirit, and relationship — while weaving greater collective coherence.

This workshop is best experienced as a complete journey, with each session building upon the last. Participants are invited to attend fully and remain open to the mysteries of the teachings as they unfold, sometimes in ways that may feel tender or uncomfortable, often holding unexpected gifts.

Out of a sea of spaciousness (Shiva) arises radiant light (Shakti). To enter this mystery is to rediscover life as it is — wild, tender, and whole. Embark a love affair with creation itself and walk away with practices to nourish you beyond our time together.

This workshop includes a $15 material fee.

The Dance Between Consciousness and Form: An Experiential Journey in Non-Duality
The Dance Between Consciousness and Form: An Experiential Journey in Non-Duality
Gitanjali D'Costa
The Dance Between Consciousness and Form: An Experiential Journey in Non-Duality
March 30 – April 3, 2026
March 30 – April 3, 2026
March 30, 2026
March 30 – April 3, 2026

Be inspired by the flame / where everything shines as it disappears. – Rainer Maria Rilke

What part of your life could use some breath, space, movement, flow, and a sprinkle of humor? Where in your work or relationships are you called toward a more passionate participation — or a deeper letting go?

What if you had ways to show up when faced with change, impermanence, loss, and the whole everyday mess of the human condition while remaining in touch with the deathless presence in which everything dances?

Join us in a leading-edge exploration integrating conscious movement, somatic inquiries of embodied gestalt, and the stillness of nature for a transformative process that touches body, heart, and spirit.

In this workshop, we will:

  • Dance, inspired by a wide range of music and the great sound of silence and supported by the benevolent presence of earth and sky.
  • Build resonance with the life around us by moving from the inside out — alone, in pairs, in trios, and as a group, sometimes indoors, sometimes in nature.
  • Explore and express what is alive inside us through movement, awareness practices, and sharing in pairs and in the circle.
  • Experience in motion all the landscapes of relating — to self, to the world, and to the great mystery that we also are.
  • Learn skills for stress reduction, relaxation, and renewal through somatic awareness and practices.
  • Spend time on the land in sitting and walking meditation, allowing ourselves to dissolve a little into space.

By relating to one another in real time in the presence of the natural world, we can not only return to a semblance of sanity but also find ourselves healed and held in the great heart of belonging. This workshop is open to everybody willing to move, pause, listen, and relax, relax, relax one timeless movement at a time.

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 10 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.

Moving Like the Ocean, Sitting Like a Mountain: Soul Motion® and Embodied Gestalt
Moving Like the Ocean, Sitting Like a Mountain: Soul Motion® and Embodied Gestalt
Zuza Engler and Scott Engler
Moving Like the Ocean, Sitting Like a Mountain: Soul Motion® and Embodied Gestalt
April 3–5, 2026
April 3–5, 2026
April 3, 2026
April 3–5, 2026

Revamp, reinvigorate, and polish your luminous self this season with innovative yoga practices for body, mind, and spirit! This yoga renewal workshop includes energizing movement, flow yoga, core activations, meridian sequencing, tapping, rejuvenating holds, and cleansing rituals based on the five elements.

Yoga for the skin sloughs off the old with a potent five-step cleansing ritual. Revitalizing and fluid yoga sequences stimulate the body before thoughtfully weaving muscles and mind together into a recreated and radiant being. We will even take advantage of the potent Esalen springs with a specific bathing ritual. The daily practices of the sparkling Yoga Spring Renewal workshop will be fresh, fun, and rejuvenating — and will leave you feeling the same!

Certified in Anusara Yoga and the Halprin Life Art Process, Ulrika blends holistic practices of yoga, somatic movement therapy, and Swedish skin rituals with the elements of nature for movement medicine. The many layers and systems of the body are addressed, with balanced attention given to the physical and the energetic, the form and the formless,  the unique individual and the collective universal patterns.

Participants should bring a dry brush, coconut oil, and a facial clay mask.

Luminous Yoga Spring Renewal
Luminous Yoga Spring Renewal
Ulrika Engman
Luminous Yoga Spring Renewal
April 6–10, 2026
April 6–10, 2026
April 6, 2026
April 6–10, 2026

Matter is Energy … Energy is Light … We are all Light Beings — Albert Einstein

Each of us walks around within our own energy halo. When two people touch, they spark an energetic exchange. This felt relationship is the heart and soul of Esalen® Massage. With a spirit of gratitude, we invite you to learn and experience the massage that was developed here at the Institute and has since spread around the world. Esalen Massage is known for its flowing integrated strokes, offered from a grounded and centered place. The slow pace and detail provide entry to states of relaxation, connection, and balance.

This course expands the massage experience by incorporating an energetic awareness, allowing us access and interaction with the energy patterns that exist around and through our bodies. Meditation enriches the journey, lighting up a connection to our own deeper patterns. Two senior massage teachers will guide the class during this informative and fun experience. Teaching methods include experiential exercises, brief lecture demonstrations, lots of supervised hands-on practice with classmates, and shared self-reflection.

All levels of experience are welcome, including practitioners and caregivers seeking a fresh focus.

24 hours of continuing education authorized for these faculty members by the  NCBTMB, offered through Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association Teachers. Check with your local authorities regarding recognition of this continuing education.

Esalen® Massage and Energy Work
Esalen® Massage and Energy Work
Ellen Watson and Char Pias
Esalen® Massage and Energy Work
April 6–10, 2026
April 6–10, 2026
April 6, 2026
April 6–10, 2026
Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet. — Buddha

We treasure this life, and yet we rarely can hear ourselves think. We are constantly being bombarded and absorbing information at a dizzying pace. In the 21st century, where stillness and silence are scarce, fast-paced living keeps us bouncing from one task to the next. What might happen if you simply sat and allowed yourself to be? What would arise in the spaces between your thoughts, your breath, and your heartbeat?

Join internationally celebrated teacher, author, and documentary filmmaker Hawah Kasat to explore the depths of silence and solitude. Hawah will guide you with a culturally sensitive soft touch and a compassionate heart toward the bounty of silence. Participants will be guided through silent meditation practices, pranayama (breathwork), asana (movement), and dharma talks, to support the following process:

  • Still the “monkey mind” through pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses.
  • Experience the profound connection between physical stillness and silence.
  • Sit with what comes up in the spaces between your thoughts, breath, and heartbeat.
  • Explore the subtle nuances between Yogic and Buddhist meditation traditions.
  • Unravel the mystery of Vipassana Meditation.

This workshop is suitable for those who have never taken a vow of silence and want to explore what it feels like to observe noble silence in small doses, as well as veteran silent retreaters who want to refine their senses of awareness and perception.

NOTE: For small portions of this workshop, participants will be encouraged to take a vow of silence — during which there will be no writing, reading, or talking.

BIPOC SCHOLARSHIP: Hawah has established a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, person of color) scholarship for his workshops.  For more information on receiving one to participate, please contact him at Everlutionary@gmail.com.

This workshop includes a material fee of $4.50.  

Inward Bound: Exploring Silence, Movement, and Meditation
Inward Bound: Exploring Silence, Movement, and Meditation
Hawah Kasat
Inward Bound: Exploring Silence, Movement, and Meditation
April 13–17, 2026
April 13–17, 2026
April 13, 2026
April 13–17, 2026

A weekend of transformative exploration to bridge physical movement with the subtle layers of internal flow, connecting body, energy, and perception. This retreat goes beyond traditional practices and invites participants to discover the intelligence and freedom inherent in all forms of movement,  not only in the body’s gestures but also in its inner energy and shifting perspectives.

Together, we’ll blend imaginative, expressive movement (Bohemian) with grounding, introspective practices (Gravity) to create a holistic and adaptable approach accessible to anyone, regardless of age or experience. Through a fusion of yoga, somatic therapy, dance and movement meditation, we will explore both dynamic and deeply relaxing states, accompanied by carefully curated ethnic, electronic, and instrumental music that supports our journey.

The experience fuses a diverse array of techniques, including:

  • Body language listening
  • Movement meditation
  • Imaginative and somatic movement
  • Breathwork
  • Fusion dance
  • Sound baths
  • Yin Yang yoga

Led by Czech-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Yemi A.D., founder of Moonshot Platform, these sessions are designed to awaken awareness and align the head, heart, and gut. Participants often experience the release of long-held tension rooted in unconscious patterns, creating space for greater creativity, joy, and inner freedom.

Bohemian Gravity: Transformation Through Dance and Meditation
Bohemian Gravity: Transformation Through Dance and Meditation
Yemi Dele Akinyemi
Bohemian Gravity: Transformation Through Dance and Meditation
April 17–19, 2026
April 17–19, 2026
April 17, 2026
April 17–19, 2026

When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence? —Gabrielle Roth

Your life is not simply a task to be managed but a mythopoetic mystery to be lived. Take a break from the mundane and let yourself be enchanted again. This workshop offers a profound opportunity to commune with the deeper aspects of Self through movement, inquiry, and mythology. To dream. To play. To feel alive.

Since the beginning, humans have looked to stories to make meaning of our lives. Revered mythologist and 1960s Esalen faculty Joseph Campbell wrote, “Mythology is the penultimate truth — penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. It is beyond words.” On this retreat, we’ll engage with daily stories that have the power to help us make sense of our lives, nourish, teach, inspire, empower, and heal us.

Experiential practices include:

  • Archetypal wisdom and nondual yogic mythology
  • Breathwork and meditation
  • Yoga (all levels), dance, and somatic journeys
  • Self-inquiry and writing
  • Rewilding, song, and nature ceremony

Music, nature, poetry, connection, and ritual are exquisitely curated for your hero/heroine’s journey. Our nourishing schedule is balanced harmoniously with relaxing meals, community care, and soaks in Esalen’s healing baths.

Whether you’re searching for renewed meaning in life, navigating life’s complex transitions, or simply enjoy being enchanted, this workshop will help awaken your spirit to courage, gladden your heart, calm your mind, and widen your perspective to vast possibilities. You might just fall in love with existence again.

Grace awaits.

Mythology, Yoga, and Falling in Love with Existence at the Edge of the World
Mythology, Yoga, and Falling in Love with Existence at the Edge of the World
Hannah Muse
Mythology, Yoga, and Falling in Love with Existence at the Edge of the World
April 20–24, 2026
April 20–24, 2026
April 20, 2026
April 20–24, 2026

What if sleep could be more than just crashing into your pillow at the end of a long day? What if it could be a portal to transformation and self-discovery? In this workshop, we’ll dive into the ancient Daoist art of sleep alchemy, where the Wudang Hibernating Dragon and Five Dragons Sleeping methods teach you how to transform snoozing into a practice of subtle awareness and metaphysical transformation.

Rooted in the Wudang Daoist Sanfeng lineage, these techniques harmonize body and soul, turning your nightly shut-eye into a discipline of deep peace. The cosmic journey would be incomplete without Daoist stories like Zhuangzi’s Butterfly Dream and Lü Dongbin’s Yellow Millet Dream, classic tales of metaphysical gaslighting that explore just how slippery the boundaries of reality and illusion can be.

We’ll also talk about practicalities within a Daoist framework, like how your food choices, lifestyle, and daily habits can affect your sleep quality. Expect to walk away with tools for cultivating transcendent rest, resilience, and an appreciation for Daoist cosmology. Along the way, we’ll keep it relaxed — the Dao is at ease. Sleeping in class is encouraged, though snoring will be punished with five hundred years in Daoist hell.  

Participants will practice introductory Wudang sleeping methods to enter, sustain, and deepen sleep states. By the end of the workshop, you will be intimately familiar with practical techniques to deepen sleep, enhance well-being, and dream the dream of life more deeply and lucidly.

Sleep Alchemy: Secrets of Daoist Sleep Practices for Inner Peace and Renewal
Sleep Alchemy: Secrets of Daoist Sleep Practices for Inner Peace and Renewal
Simon Cox with Guest Faculty Jeff S. Reid
Sleep Alchemy: Secrets of Daoist Sleep Practices for Inner Peace and Renewal
April 20–24, 2026
April 20–24, 2026
April 20, 2026
April 20–24, 2026

You are never truly alone — loving guidance has always been by your side. Your spirit guides, part of your soul family and spiritual GPS, are waiting to assist, support, play, and dance with you. In this five-day immersion, you’ll explore how to access their wisdom with patience, trust, and an open heart, and discover how to create a steady, lasting connection with the unseen love that surrounds you.

Through guided practice, instruction, and community support, you will:

  • Explore ways to recognize the guides you were born with and engage with them more steadily and reliably.
  • Experience meditations that quiet doubt, expand awareness, and open your intuitive channels.
  • Participate in interactive exercises designed to illuminate how guidance shows up in clarity, synchronicity, and inspiration.
  • Invite your guides into daily life for creativity, healing, and spiritual restoration.
  • Share insights within a supportive circle of seekers, strengthening both confidence and connection.

This workshop welcomes seekers who are energetically sensitive and open to receiving support from beyond the veil. Whether you are beginning to sense intuitive guidance or already feel the presence of your guides, this framework invites you to discover how to trust these connections more deeply and access your guides more dependably. A profound journey that can change how you navigate this world’s layers — emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

This workshop includes a $40 materials fee.

Finding Your Spirit Guides: Building a Relationship With the Unseen World
Finding Your Spirit Guides: Building a Relationship With the Unseen World
Brenda Rose
Finding Your Spirit Guides: Building a Relationship With the Unseen World
April 20–24, 2026
April 20–24, 2026
April 20, 2026
April 20–24, 2026