July 22–26 Secular Sabbath is an ambient music-centered experience that brings people together in community through the sensory self. Based on the founder's upbringing at Esalen Institute, Secular Sabbath incorporates sensory experiences such as bodywork, breathwork, tea ceremony, and more to bring our whole body/mind/spirit online. Shop 4th of July Sale and more at The Home Depot. We offer free delivery, in-store and curbside pick-up for most items. The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the Maps to Ecstasy: A 5Rhythms® Mindfulness & Art Celebration June 30 - July 4, 2025 Lucia Horan and Douglas Drummond with Guest Musicians Leah Song, Sanga of the Valley, Nick Ayers & Guest Artist Martha Peabody Join the Waitlist Also performing at the Saturday, July 2, open-to-the-public festival will be the Ashé Ensemble – a Cuban, Brazilian, African, and Afro-Cuban group comprised of some former members of the Grammy award-winning Babatunde Olatunji – and Isupo Irawo, an Afro-Cuban music and dance group with a vibrant rumba style. Big Sur’s redwoods, state parks, and tide pools are once again within easy reach for Bay Area travelers this Fourth of July weekend, now that a section of Highway 1 that had been partially closed has reopened to two-way traffic. Since the early days of the 1960s, legends and aspiring artists have performed, studied, taught, and found refuge at Esalen. Today, Esalen is once again a destination where widely acclaimed greats energize minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits — and remains a creative laboratory for emerging talents to experiment and grow. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. July 4–6, 2025 Teachers in ResidenceLetting go of entrenched ideas — of who we are, of how the world works, of our place in it — is a challenge. It takes energy. Time. Space. Security. This growth asks us to examine ourselves and understand our connection to the whole. This model of change encompasses both personal and communal, and it’s always been at the core of Esalen. Guided Each March, he could be found on campus teaching and dancing alongside Joseph Campbell at the writer and philosopher’s annual birthday celebration. Every 4th of July, he’d dance to the beat of Babatunde Olatunji’s drums alongside other immense talents, including Joan Baez, Béla Fleck, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Bruce Langhorne. Esalen is a not-for-profit holistic educational center offering wild comfort and space for emergent transformation and internal exploration since 1962. Visitors are now able to access Esalen as well as other businesses and trails in northern Big Sur via twice-daily convoys on Highway 1 operated by Caltrans. Convoys run only at 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each day. These are the only opportunities to travel into and out of Big Sur, so visitors must plan accordingly. The Big Sur California Calendar of Events. Join us in Big Sur for concerts, music festivals, international marathons, weekends of fun floating down the Big Sur River. Learn more about the creation of Fourth of July 2019 Doodle and discover the story behind the unique artwork. Learn about what to pack, driving directions and how to get here, massage and activities, food and drink, check-in/check-out times, cancellation policies, and more. Esalen is a not-for-profit holistic educational center offering wild comfort and space for emergent transformation and internal exploration since 1962. Thank you for your interest in Esalen Institute, a leading non-profit center exploring and realizing human potential through experience, education, and research. We work toward the realization of a more just, creative, and sustainable world, seeking answers to questions unlikely to be explored by traditional universities and religions. From beach fireworks in South Carolina and a Michigan cherry festival to a Nashville concert and parades around the U.S., check out top spots for a fun Fourth of July. Celebrate summer at Esalen on Saturday afternoon, July 4th with live music and dancing outdoors by the ocean! The musical line up includes Ozomatli and Sambada, snacks will be provided, and access to the baths is included as well. Born into a musical family from Atlanta, Georgia, Leah Song is a storyteller, song-catcher, musician, poet, and community builder known primarily for her role as front woman of Rising Appalachia, alongside her sister Chloe. As a soloist, she incorporates sultry vocals, storytelling, folklore, ballads and boleros into her performances.
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