I'm an instructor at the Esalen Institute, a famous wellness retreat near Silicon Valley. Here's why tech executives flock to this oasis of 'transformation.'

• The Esalen Institute is a retreat and educational institute that was established in Big Sur, California in 1962.
• Esalen has become known as a moral gathering ground for Silicon Valley executives.
• Esalen instructor Justin Michael Williams said that the real draw is to enhance human potential. 

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Justin Michael Williams, a motivational speaker and instructor at the Esalen Institute. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.