Arrive with curiosity and openness, and let consciousness meet you exactly as you are.
Across time and cultures, people have described subtle ways of knowing: intuition that seems to arrive from beyond the rational mind, a sense of connection that reaches further than ordinary perception, and heightened sensitivity to energy and emotion. Once understood as part of the human experience, these capacities have often been overshadowed by modern education and conditioning, which tend to value only what can be measured, explained, or controlled. In that narrowing, many may have lost touch with deeper layers of awareness that are still quietly available within them.
Rooted in decades of clinical practice, interdisciplinary study, and personal inquiry, this experiential workshop invites participants into an expanded relationship with consciousness through embodiment, emotional coherence, and nervous-system regulation. Instead of depending on effortful thinking or concentration, the process supports a deep attunement to body, breath, sensation, feeling, and heart, creating an integrated Body–Feeling–Mind field.
Within this unified field, intuitive and seemingly “extra-ordinary” perceptions may emerge naturally. They are approached not as talents to be performed, but as organic expressions of coherence, presence, and connection. No specific belief system is required; the emphasis is on direct experience, self-inquiry, and integration.
Through guided practices, dialogue, and gentle somatic exploration, participants will explore how expanded awareness can be accessed safely and meaningfully, and how it may be carried into daily life, relationships, creativity, and service. This weekend offers a transformative space for embodied exploration, community, and a renewed remembering of the vast potential of human consciousness.
Recommended Reading: The ESP Enigma – The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena by Diane Hennacy Powell; Space, Time and Beyond by Bob Toben
Lead photo: Tim Farrell
Diane Hennacy, MD, is a psychotherapist and neuropsychiatrist with more than forty years of experience exploring healing, consciousness, and purpose. Known for warmth and humor, she brings together neuroscience, wisdom traditions, and resonance-based insight to support people in reconnecting with themselves and their purpose.
Siegmar Gerken, PhD, ECP, is on the teaching faculty at JFK University and formerly taught at the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. He teaches at universities and private institutes around the world on the interconnectedness of psychosomatic processes as they appear through body, emotions, mind, will, and consciousness.
Workshop Schedule
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 include festive, nostalgic activities that evoke those days of yore.
More activities can be found on our open class schedule.
Accommodations & Tuition
For this workshop, registration and payment for accommodations and tuition are completed in two separate steps.
First, sign up and pay tuition directly to [Esalen].
Second, click Book Accommodations from this page and enter the password to complete your reservation to stay at Esalen.
Accommodation pricing includes lodging, meals, open classes, and use of the baths and other facilities.
Scholarship funds are available for those with financial need.
COVID Update
As of June 30, 2023, a negative COVID test is no longer required at check-in. Please review the current COVID safety guidelines for complete details before booking your stay.
All guests and faculty must provide proof of negative test results at check-in. Please review the current COVID safety guidelines for complete details before booking your stay.
In addition to proof of vaccination, all guests and faculty must provide proof of negative test results at check-in. Please review the current COVID safety guidelines for complete details before booking your stay.
Effective January 7, 2022, in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, all guests and faculty were required to provide proof of negative PCR, NAAT, or antigen test results at check-in. The test had to be taken within 72 hours, and results needed to come from a laboratory or healthcare provider. Please review the updated COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Effective December 15, in accordance with guidance from Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Health, all guests, students, staff, residents, and faculty were required to wear masks in all indoor public settings, regardless of vaccine status, for the next four weeks (December 15, 2021 through January 15, 2022). Please review the 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, masks were no longer required indoors on campus. Please review the updated COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Starting November 5, 2021, due to substantial COVID-19 transmission in Monterey County, a mask mandate established by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors went into effect. Please review the COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
All guests were required to provide proof of vaccination upon arrival starting September 3, 2021. Please review the 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 review the COVID safety guidelines prior to booking your stay.
Designed for shared stays, this room type accommodates four to six guests in a welcoming, gender-inclusive setting, with a maximum stay of seven consecutive days. It’s a practical choice for retreat participants who value comfort, simplicity, and a sense of community during their time away.
Each bunk room includes twin-size bunk beds and a private bathroom with a shower, offering the privacy and convenience guests need throughout their stay. Fresh towels, bath soap, and bed linens are provided, so you can settle in with ease and focus on your experience rather than the details.
With its straightforward layout and thoughtfully provided essentials, this accommodation supports a restful and uncomplicated stay, making it well suited for those looking to share space while still enjoying comfort and functionality.
Ideal for guests who want a more social stay without the atmosphere of a dorm, this cozy shared room offers a comfortable and practical setup for up to three people of the same gender. The space is arranged with three beds: two on the main floor and one tucked into a sleeping loft, creating a simple, welcoming environment that still feels private and restful.
Each room includes an in-room bathroom with a shower, making daily routines easy and convenient. To help you settle in with ease, towels, bath soap, and bed linens are all provided. Whether you are traveling for a retreat, a wellness stay, or a peaceful getaway with others, this room offers a warm balance of connection, comfort, and simplicity.
Designed for guests seeking a little extra privacy, this inviting room offers a peaceful place to unwind within the charming, Big Sur-inspired motel atmosphere of the property. Thoughtfully located for convenience, it overlooks the main campus and garden, giving you a calming view to return to throughout your stay.
Inside, you’ll find a private bathroom and a comfortable setting that supports rest, simplicity, and easy access to the wider retreat experience. It’s an ideal choice for solo travelers or couples looking for a quiet, well-situated space to recharge between wellness activities, meals, and moments of relaxation.
If you’d like to share the room, one additional guest may join for an extra $250 per night.
Settle into a relaxed stay surrounded by the charming motel-inspired atmosphere of Big Sur. This Standard Two Double Beds room offers a comfortable, unfussy space designed for easy rest and shared travel. With two double beds and a private bathroom, it is a practical choice for friends, couples, or family members looking to enjoy time together while still having room to unwind.
The room’s simple, welcoming feel makes it easy to slow down after a day of exploring, reconnecting, or simply enjoying a peaceful break. Whether you are traveling for a quiet getaway or a shared adventure, this space provides the comfort and privacy you need for a restful stay.
Diane Hennacy, MD, is a psychotherapist and neuropsychiatrist with more than forty years of experience devoted to healing, consciousness, and purpose. With a warm, engaging presence and a natural sense of humor, she brings a deeply human approach to her work, inviting people into a space where insight and self-discovery can unfold with ease. Her perspective weaves together neuroscience, wisdom traditions,...
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Siegmar Gerken, PhD, ECP, is a member of the teaching faculty at JFK University and previously taught at the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. With an international teaching practice spanning universities and private institutes, he brings a broad, cross-disciplinary perspective to the field of psychosomatic processes. His work explores the deep interconnection between body, emotions, mind, will, and consciousness, offering participants a...
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Fri, Aug 21 – Sun, Aug 23