Earth, Nature & Ecology
Internal use ONLY
Embodied Belonging: Weaving Together Self, Community, and Earth through 5Rhythms and Ecopsychology
With Douglas Drummond and Jeanine M. Canty
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 […]
Awakening Spring Within: Somatic Herbalism, Plant Spirit Meditation, and Nature Connection
With Marysia Miernowska
You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment. In that insight of inter-being, it is possible to have real communication with the Earth, which is the highest form of prayer. – Thich Nhat Hanh Join herbalist, medicine woman, and plant spirit teacher Marysia Miernowska […]
Connecting With Nature: Discovering the Gifts of Botanical Inks
With Janne Larsen
Creating a profound connection to nature begins with observing and understanding the plants surrounding us, awakening to our symbiotic relationship with them. This workshop offers an opportunity to cultivate an intimate bond with a diverse selection of plants thriving in the Esalen landscape, learning their unique characteristics, stories, and the wisdom they impart. Together, we […]
Wild Pilgrimage: Backpacking Journey to Esalen
With Fletcher Tucker and Mike Smith
In the mountains east of Esalen, an enchanting, ecologically diverse, and psycho-spiritually fertile wilderness awaits. Over four nights and five days, we will engage in a contemporary form of pilgrimage, backpacking as reverent seekers through these ancestral lands of the Esselen Tribe, now known as Big Sur’s Ventana Wilderness. Our journey concludes at the coastal […]
Big Sur Wilderness Experience
With Steven Harper
Esalen is the trailhead to one of the most spectacular mountainous coastlines in the world. With the Big Sur wilderness as the primary teacher, participants will explore the beauty of this wild coast which includes ancient canyons of redwoods, dramatic coastal beaches, rugged rocky mountains, and soft grassy slopes. Drawing from nature and guided by […]
Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Doorway to Joy, Wisdom, and Wonder
With Mark Coleman and Lori Schwanbeck
...how easily you can belong to everything simply by listening. — David Whyte Held by the cliffs, verdant gardens, and vast Pacific horizon, this workshop invites you to slow down, awaken your senses, and rediscover your connection to the living world. Listening deeply to the life within us and around us, we are able to […]





