The series finale of AMC's Mad Men featured several scenes of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) “Om”-ing away at a coastal California retreat that bears a striking resemblance to Big Sur’s Esalen Institute.
Esalen, founded in 1962 by two Stanford alumni and still active today, is self-described as a “an integral learning environment devoted to pioneering deep change in self and society; in heart, spirit, and bodymind.”
Whether or not Don’s visit to the institute deeply changed him is up for debate, but he’s not Esalen’s only high-profile visitor. Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Bruce Springsteen all spent time at the institute at one point or another.
According to the Monterey County Weekly, the Mad Men crew was spotted filming near Big Sur last summer, sparking all sorts of fan theories regarding how the show’s final season might play out. Spoiler alert: Don is not D.B. Cooper.
If you’re still processing the series finale, perhaps you should consider taking some Time To Reflect at Esalen.
