A refuge for those who want to leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life and connect with nature, with the spiritual environment and relax in a pool or get a massage.
Esalen Institute
Esalen was built on some of Big Sur's most beautiful coastlines during the revolutionary 1960's.
The inspiration of the founders? To merge the spiritual revelations of the East with the scientific revolutions of the West.
The aim is to explore new ideas around creativity and the brain, bodywork, spirituality, leadership, Gestalt, plant medicine, citizen diplomacy, superhumanism, survival of bodily death, extraterrestrial intelligence and much more.
For over 50 years, leading philosophers, physicists, psychologists, religious thinkers and artists from around the world have come to Esalen to explore and realize their own human potential.
Notable visitors include everyone from Alan Watts to Bob Dylan.
Esalen is more than a retreat center or an educational institute. Anchored by Big Sur's awe-inspiring beauty and an unrivaled intellectual history, Esalen is a worldwide network of seekers looking beyond dogma to explore deeper spiritual possibilities; forge new understandings of self and society; and break new ground for change.
You can explore the grounds and discover the institute's farm, gardens, villas and even a waterfall bridge crossing.
It is possible to practice yoga, meditation or take part in one of the 500 workshops, symposiums or seminars on personal and social transformation that take place throughout the year (just sign up), with holistic medicine, eastern philosophy and Gestalt therapy.
Esalen Institute – our experience
We enjoyed a hearty farm to table dinner of lentil cake, mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce (all organic).
For dessert: Vegan carrot cake that I swear they used ingredients straight from heaven.
Our visit to Esalen would not be complete without a visit to the thermal baths🇧🇷 I watched the sunset while soaking in a tub filled with natural hot springs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
As the sun disappeared below the horizon, a whale and her two calves appeared and played on the surface of the water.
Esalen Institute in Big Sur – Address
Institute Address: 55000 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920, United States.
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