We live in times of high existential stress with both ever-increasing personal, societal, and global pressures and the constant pain of witnessing ecological crises and widespread social injustices. These challenges also create opportunities to reconsider our relationships to self, one another, and the planet — and to choose a life of peak purpose and interconnectedness. In this retreat, inspired by the land and its people, we will be guided by rituals reflecting both indigenous and contemporary wisdom. Together, we will learn deep lessons from a variety of modalities, including embodied mindfulness, interpersonal neurobiology, and the four directions of life from the aboriginal Esselen Tribe culture to establish, renew, and recharge our commitments to stewardship of our communities and the earth in these rapidly changing times.
We will have small group listening, experiential activities, lectures, and discussions. We will incorporate ritual, meditation, nature immersion, and movement into each day. Guided by renowned author Diane Ackerman, we will have the opportunity to express ourselves through the written word. Led by contemplative mind-body teacher and musician Nichol Chase, we will become present through mindful movement practices.
Join Tom Little Bear Nason, Rhonda Magee, Elissa Epel, and Dan Siegel as we create new pathways to sacred connection and explore, learn, laugh, love, and bring healing to ourselves and our world. All are welcome. We especially embrace people working on environmental justice issues and anyone needing restoration and rejuvenation.
Learn more about the requirements to receive continuing education credit.
Daniel Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, where he was on the faculty of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. His psychotherapy practice includes children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
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Elissa Epel, PhD, is a professor at UCSF, author of New York Times bestseller, The Telomere Effect, and past president of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research. She is an expert on stress and contemplative practices, including mindful eating for optimal metabolic balance.
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Little Bear is the Tribal Chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. He is a traditional cultural resource specialist, Tribal Archeology Monitor, and Wildland Consultant. Little Bear has a deep history at the Esalen Institute, a sacred site for the Esselen, and has led a lifetime of retreats centering around initiation, ritual and ceremony between humans and their relationship between each other, land and Spirit.
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Rhonda V. Magee, JD, MA, is a professor of law at the University of San Francisco, and a nationally acclaimed speaker on mindfulness and social justice. She is an expert on mindful teaching and learning, race and law, and professional identity development.
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Douglas serves as Director of Healing Arts & Somatics and Director of Community Alliances at the Esalen Institute and is a husband and a father. He has taught the 5Rhythms for 12 years with direct training from Gabrielle Roth in the 5Rhythms® method.
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TBD
Summer Groovers will experience Esalen in a format similar to our Self Guided Explorations workshops. Each Summer Groove week or weekend will open and close with a circle, and be filled with festive, nostalgic activities that harken back to those days of yore.
More activities can be found on our open class schedule.
See general schedule information including arrival, departure and meal times.
Click Register Now to view availability of accommodations and all-inclusive, program-specific tuition. Please note that not all accommodation levels are available for every workshop and additional faculty fees may apply.
We offer scholarship funds for those with financial need. Learn more.
Click Register Now to view availability of accommodations and all-inclusive tuition that includes lodging, three meals per day, access to the baths, and all activities on the Summer Groove schedule.
We offer scholarship funds for those with financial need. Learn more.
For this workshop, you will register and pay for accommodations and tuition in two separate steps.
Second, click Book Accommodations from this page and enter the password to complete your reservation to stay at Esalen.
Prices for accommodations include your lodging, meals, open classes, and use of the baths and other facilities. View partner program accommodations pricing.
All guests and faculty must provide proof of negative test results at time of check-in. Please read our current COVID safety guidelines for complete details prior to booking your stay.
In addition to proof of vaccination, all guests and faculty must provide proof of negative test results at time of check-in. Please read our current COVID safety guidelines for complete details prior to booking your stay.
Effective January 7, 2022 in response to the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant, all guests and faculty will provide proof of negative PCR, NAAT, or antigen test results at time of check-in. The test must be taken within 72 hours nd results must come from a laboratory or healthcare provider.Please read our updated COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Effective December 15 in accordance with new guidance from Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Health, all guests, students, staff, residents, and faculty are required to wear masks in all indoor public settings, irrespective of vaccine status, for the next four weeks (December 15, 2021 through January 15, 2022). Please read our updated COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Effective November 19, 2021, in accordance with new guidance from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, all guests, students, staff, residents, and faculty are no longer required to wear masks indoors on campus. Please read our updated COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Starting November 5, 2021, due to substantial levels of COVID-19 transmission in Monterey County, a mask mandate established by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors will go into effect. Please read our COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
All guests will be required to provide proof of vaccination upon arrival starting September 3, 2021. Please read our COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Masks are no longer mandated indoors or outdoors, except during massage sessions. Guests are not required to provide testing or vaccination verification before arriving on campus. Please read our COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
July 24–28, 2023
This program is full. Find another.
Applications are closed.
Applications are closed.
We live in times of high existential stress with both ever-increasing personal, societal, and global pressures and the constant pain of witnessing ecological crises and widespread social injustices. These challenges also create opportunities to reconsider our relationships to self, one another, and the planet — and to choose a life of peak purpose and interconnectedness. In this retreat, inspired by the land and its people, we will be guided by rituals reflecting both indigenous and contemporary wisdom. Together, we will learn deep lessons from a variety of modalities, including embodied mindfulness, interpersonal neurobiology, and the four directions of life from the aboriginal Esselen Tribe culture to establish, renew, and recharge our commitments to stewardship of our communities and the earth in these rapidly changing times.
We will have small group listening, experiential activities, lectures, and discussions. We will incorporate ritual, meditation, nature immersion, and movement into each day. Guided by renowned author Diane Ackerman, we will have the opportunity to express ourselves through the written word. Led by contemplative mind-body teacher and musician Nichol Chase, we will become present through mindful movement practices.
Join Tom Little Bear Nason, Rhonda Magee, Elissa Epel, and Dan Siegel as we create new pathways to sacred connection and explore, learn, laugh, love, and bring healing to ourselves and our world. All are welcome. We especially embrace people working on environmental justice issues and anyone needing restoration and rejuvenation.
Learn more about the requirements to receive continuing education credit.
Daniel Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, where he was on the faculty of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. His psychotherapy practice includes children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
Elissa Epel, PhD, is a professor at UCSF, author of New York Times bestseller, The Telomere Effect, and past president of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research. She is an expert on stress and contemplative practices, including mindful eating for optimal metabolic balance.
Little Bear is the Tribal Chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. He is a traditional cultural resource specialist, Tribal Archeology Monitor, and Wildland Consultant. Little Bear has a deep history at the Esalen Institute, a sacred site for the Esselen, and has led a lifetime of retreats centering around initiation, ritual and ceremony between humans and their relationship between each other, land and Spirit.
Rhonda V. Magee, JD, MA, is a professor of law at the University of San Francisco, and a nationally acclaimed speaker on mindfulness and social justice. She is an expert on mindful teaching and learning, race and law, and professional identity development.
Douglas serves as Director of Healing Arts & Somatics and Director of Community Alliances at the Esalen Institute and is a husband and a father. He has taught the 5Rhythms for 12 years with direct training from Gabrielle Roth in the 5Rhythms® method.
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org