“I wouldn’t be at Esalen without scholarship. It’s that simple. I cannot thank the Friends of Esalen Fund or the Esalen community enough, there aren’t adequate words for my gratitude. I know I will pay it forward in some way.”
– Sowaila Zada, Resident Scholar
Become a Member
At Esalen, we believe the power of connection and community can change our world for the better. We've created the Friends of Esalen community to offer more ways to get and stay engaged for individuals who want to have a more active role in advancing our mission of personal and social tranformation. Friends of Esalen members fund projects and initiatives that are most important and urgent to Esalen, including expanding access to workshops through vital student scholarships and funding infrastructure needs that result from our remote location in Big Sur. Our members help support what is truly unique about Esalen, including our:
- Groundbreaking workshops and faculty
- Vibrant living and learning community
- Leading-edge research and conferences through the Center for Theory & Research
- Stewardship of the land, including our working Farm & Garden
Esalen is a 501(c)(3) organization and your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.
Member Benefits
With an annual gift of $120 or more, members enjoy:
- Ability to reserve a Friends of Esalen Retreat, an unstructured experience at Esalen
- Subscription to the Esalen catalog
- Invitations to members property tours and receptions
- Subscription to Friends of Esalen newsletter
- Ability to purchase tickets in advance for Esalen signature events like the Midsummer Festival
With an annual gift of $500 ore more, members enjoy all the benefits listed above and:
- 10% discount at the Conley Bookstore
- Ability to be added to a priority wait list for filled workshops
With an annual gift of $1,000 or more, members enjoy all the benefits listed above and:
- On property concierge service
- Day pass for member and a guest
- Invitation to General Manager and CEO online forum
For more information, please contact friends@esalen.org.
