Steam and Massage

Yoga and Meditation

Body and Mind Wellbeing

Doorway To The Wilderness

 
Growing Edge

A Big Sur Retreat
and Wellness Center
offering Bed and Breakfast
Style Retreats

On the cliff, over looking the Pacific directly below, The Growing Edge is a place of inspiration, magic and vitality... an ideal setting for rest and rejuvenation.
Enjoy quiet space, panoramic views, private beach cove, and miles of trails and pristine wilderness nearby.


We're sorry - but the Growing Edge was bought by someone who does not want to share it with other.

The Growing Edge is situated in the heart of one of the most awe-inspiring and mystical places on the planet...the Big Sur coast of California!

All Photos by Margie Whitnah



There are panoramic views of the Big Sur coastline, easy access to a secluded beach cove and many private places to relax, reflect and enjoy the vitality of the elements. For those wanting to explore, there are endless miles of hiking trails nearby.


 

As humble witness to the powerful elemental forces of nature, we are poised on the edge...nestled between the pristine peaks and valleys of the rugged Ventana wilderness and the rich waters of the Monterey Bay Marine Reserve. Here lies access to some of the most beautiful, biologically diverse, and undisturbed lands remaining in coastal California..

In the heart of Big Sur  
Where time dissolves into the rhythms of the natural world

 

Growing Edge

A Big Sur Retreat
and Wellness Center
offering Bed and Breakfast
Style Retreats

 

This beautiful natural setting supports a deep ecological perspective for health. The land, once home to the Esselen Indians, is still considered sacred and we are reminded to walk softly.

 

Secluded yet accessible, The Growing Edge is located on the ocean side of the Pacific Coast Highway (HWY 1), about an hour's drive (approx. 40 miles) south from Carmel/Monterey and approximately 50 miles north of San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. Esalen Institute is our immediate neighbor to the south.

 

Services

Rates

 


Upon arriving at The Growing Edge, you can relax and settle into a different rhythm almost immediately! The Guesthouse, perched at the water's edge, offers an intimate and friendly environment for rest, renewal and change.

 

  

 

Trail to beach

 

 Services

Rates 

 

  

Big Sur EcoGuide

Big Sur Camping

Birding

Hiking

Lodging

Activities & Events Calendar

Interactive Map

Story of Big Sur

Old Coast Road
& Hwy One

People & Places

Bixby Bridge

Molera Beach

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Partington Cove & Canyon

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Nacimiento Road

Ventana Wilderness

Big Sur Lodge


Wild Iris in Big Sur

  

Santa Lucia Reserve

Mission San Antonio

  

 

Yucca Whipplei verse in Double Cone Quarterly - Ventana Wilderness Alliance

 

 

 

 

 
Chaparral Sweet Pea

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Coast Interactive Map

Monterey Bay Volunteer

 

Monterey

Pacific Grove

Monarchs in Pacific Grove

Pebble Beach

Carmel

Carmel Valley

Point Lobos

Monterey Peninsula

 

 

 

 

 

Wildlife in San Simeon

Once thought extinct, Elephant Seals have made a resounding comeback. Go to the scene of some real wildlife excitement. Hearst would have loved it, right there in his front yard!


Fremontia 

 

 

 

Cambria

Cayucos

Harmony

Morro Bay

Montaña de Oro

Pinnacles Monument

Salinan Nation

Steinbeck Center

Central Coast Activities

 

Santa Cruz

Natural Bridges Butterfly Sanctuary

Castroville

Artichokes

Santa Cruz Redwoods

Marine Sanctuary

Moss Landing

Voices of the Wetlands

Elkhorn Slough

Pelican Protection Alliance

 

 

California Back Country

San Juan Bautista

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PelicanNetwork

About Pelican

Pelican Membership

Member's Comments

PelicanNetwork Links

 

 

Other Big Sur Websites

Ventana Wilderness Alliance

VWA Double Cone Quarterly

 

Henry Miller Library

Big Creek Reserve

Esalen Institute

 

Ventana Wilderness Society

Condors

 

Robinson Jeffers

Camaldolese Hermitage

Nepenthe

Big Sur Land Trust

 


Interactive map

 


(Above) A bedroom, and (Right) an eating area by the kitchen.(Below left) A bedroom, and (below right) a reading room

An ideal balance between personal engagement and quiet space for reflection is maintained. Guests are encouraged to take time - time for the sacred, to remember what is meaningful, and to be nourished and inspired by nature.

 

Growing Edge Services

Steam and Massage

Yoga and Meditation

Body and Mind Wellbeing

Doorway To The Wilderness

Scenes at the Growing Edge - the deck on the beach (left), native plants surround (above), and (below left and right) the views south and north along the coast.

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Rates - Rooms available for two day stays and longer.

Retreatants share the common space in the house and on the grounds, including a large, expansive meeting/reading room, dining sunroom, a fully stocked kitchen, patio, grassy lawn and private beach cove. All rooms have a spectacular view of the ocean and Big Sur coastline!
Room
Daily rate
Weekly rate
Monthly rate

Master Suite, Queen bed, private bath

225
1350
2895


Patio Room - Queen bed, shared bath, own sink, private door to patio

175
1050
2100


Library Room - Queen bed, corner view, shared bath

175
1050
2100


Moon Room - Two single beds, shared bath

160
960
1920


Sunset Room - Two single beds, shared bath

140
840
1680
We require 2 night minimum until Wednesday for the next 7 days

.

Growing Edge is a smoke-free environment and the use of alcohol is discouraged.

Extended stays of 1 - 3 months are also possible. Retreatants share the common space in the guesthouse and on the grounds, including a large expansive "living room", dining sunroom, communal kitchen, patio, grassy lawn and private beach cove.

Each person is responsible for her/his own food. Rooms are generally reserved on a "one person - one room" basis, however the Master Suite and the Patio Room can accommodate a couple.

 

The light of the natural world and songs of the sea fill each room ...

... reflecting qualities of simplicity and peace.



Services

Massage and Steam Treatments

Experience nourishing touch and feel stress dissolve under the hands of an experienced massage therapist. An aromatherapy steam treatment may follow the warm oil massage for a complete therapeutic treatment.

Warm Oil Massage (1 hour)....$105

Steam.......................$35

 

Introduction to Yoga and Meditation

The practice of yoga is a gentle and an effective way to develop awareness, strength and flexibility in both body and mind. A personalized introduction to basic yoga movements is tailored to your specific needs. Beginning meditation practices may also be explored.

1 hour session

Private......$75

Couple.......$95

 

Doorway To The Wilderness

For those wishing to directly connect with the magnificent nature of Big Sur, there are endless possibilities for exploration nearby. In addition to comfortable accommodations, we can provide trail information about the beautiful Ventana wilderness and guide you to spectacular seashore settings. Guided day trips may be arranged.

Private and Group Rates....

 

The Art of Self Care

What truly nourishes you; body, mind and spirit? Explore how the ancient art and science of Ayurveda can provide simple yet profound principles and lifestyle practices that support the unfolding of health and happiness! (Kay Brownfield or David Howard) 

1 hour session....$125

2 hour session....$140

 

Psycho-Spiritual Support

Occasionally our "soul" asks for more attention! Dedicate some time to remember and reconnect to the natural intelligence and healing potential within the psyche, and let this be your guide for the direction and purpose of your life. Kay Brownfield, Founder/Director of the Growing Edge integrates Western Spiritual Psychology, the wisdom of Ayurveda, bodywork, breathwork and ritual to help bring clarity and spirit to your everyday experience.

 1 and one half-hour session....$125

 

Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation

Build a strong foundation for lifelong body/mind well-being through understanding your specific constitution and nutritional needs. Your personalized consultation will provide essential tools to develop and maintain health, vitality and a balanced psychophysiology. David Howard draws on elements of Ayurveda(the traditional science of self-healing practiced continually in India for over 5,000 years), a wide range of botanical / herbal knowledge, and contemporary Western nutritional science for a holistic, integrative approach. 

1 and one half-hour session....$125

 

Big Sur Botanicals

a special project being developed by The Growing Edge, focuses on research and development of a bio-regionally sustainable, botanically based medicinal system to support the burgeoning natural healthcare movement.  The project seeks to provide an interactive educational environment for the study of botanical healing. Ask about our Living Integrity products.

 

For sleeping, there are five guestrooms:

Master Suite 1 queen with private bath

Patio Room 1 queen, 1 single, shared bath

Library Room 1 queen, shared bath

Moon Room 2 singles, shared bath

Sunset Room 2 singles, shared bath

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before a white person ever saw Big Sur, a large population of Indians lived here peacefully and prosperously for thousands of years. Salinan, Esselen, and Ohlone-Rumsen artifacts show Big Sur habitation for 10,000 years.

In 1542 Cabrillo sailed by here and wrote: "There are mountains which seem to reach to the heavens, and the sea beats on them."

Big Sur began 35 million years ago, 14 miles deep in the earth off the coast of Mexico. Tectonic plates rubbing against each other moved these mountainous rocks north. Five million years ago they pushed up out of the ocean to form an island that is now Big Sur. The Santa Lucia range, which includes the Ventana Wilderness of today, is young and precocious.

Today, Big Sur is a coastal wilderness. It is as pristine as could be imagined for its 200,000 acres and 90 miles of premium California coast. It is a grand testimony to the human craving for appreciating this raw, bold beauty that it has been protected. A highway was constructed in the 1930's just to see this boldly beautiful natural setting.The road in this setting has come to define Big Sur for most people. But, the will of the pioneers to conserve the remarkable region has prevented its destruction by development.

Ninety-five per cent of Big Sur is the fold-upon-fold of Ventana Wilderness, rare biology, incredible geology that most people do not ever see. In the coastal mountain canyons that vein the intricate quilt of watersheds (e.g. a hike in Partington) one gets an inside peek at this wondrous country.

In these pages you will come to know it, want to appreciate it and help conserve it.

All photos by Margie Whitnah
Margaret Owings, founder of Friends of the Sea Otter and Friends of the Mountain Lion, said, "There's something about Big Sur that puts people in their place. Something they have to come back to, because it does something to you. And it gives you a responsibility to keep it like this."