Esalen Institute's Magic Touch

My family needed some time together, away from the computer, cell phone, laundry, and making dinner; away from obligations, jobs, buses and the frenetic city.

Usually when we hit the road, there is so much to do that we end up needing a vacation afterwards. So we scheduled a personal retreat at Esalen Institute for the weekend. Think of it as our little spring break, without beads and mai tais.

For those of you unfamiliar with Esalen, let me break it down for you. First off you can’t talk about this BIg Sur retreat center without noting its isolation: perched atop the bluffs, ten miles south of Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur on a half a mile of wooded land. Monarchs, om-chanting nudists, mohawked bluejays, whales, otters, and families all gather to ferment in this spacious community.

Once you check in and park your car, you don't turn the ignition key until you depart. The property has everything you need: a store, three meals a day, beach access, a waterfall strategically located above the meditation house, hot spring baths, movement classes, a sweat lodge, an art barn, an ocean view pool, a farm, and even a preschool/daycare center.

Now, though rooms are quite simple (you have to make your own bed when you arrive) the set-up makes a Hawaii resort seem as hectic as New York City. Esalen is almost off the grid, growing their own organic vegetables and fruit (the words seasonal and organic take on a whole new meaning here). Goats munch the lawn; chickens crow merrily; and a big black pig snorts a welcome to kids of all ages. Buffet style meals can be anything from a slew of salads and falafels to bacon and cheddar quiches. And though meals are only served at particular times of day, you can enjoy a collection of the freshest baked bread with heaps of fruit and nut butters and jams all day.

Add to that the access to the entire grounds (with perfectly placed chairs along the coastline). The birds compete with the waterfalls and waves as the loudest sounds for miles. And the yoga and dance classes offered throughout the day are an added bonus.

But the draw for most are the clothing optional hot spring baths. Guests either take a private soak in a clawfoot tub overlooking the Pacific or join others in spacious hot tubs angled over the surf: whatever you choose, you’ll likely be blissed out for days.

As my family and I quickly learned, Esalen gets inside and refreshes you. I’ll use my truck-loving son as an example. He’s 20 months and every other word is concrete mixer or tractor or truck and while at Esalen, the natural world trumped the oh-so-exciting garbage truck that came onto the grounds one afternoon. Though we did stop to look at it, he wanted to go check out the piggies and chickens even more. 

Creating the space for our family to be together, to be ourselves, to be off the grid, so to speak, ended up to be the best medicine we could have asked for. And for the first time after a vacation, we didn't feel like we needed a week off to decompress, rather, Esalen became the place to decompress.  

Even if you aren't a yogi or if public nudity creeps you out, Esalen's serene environment allows for the quiet all of us deserve at least for a weekend.