
Each week at the Ranch offers a unique experience.
Our Specialty Weeks are week-long health and fitness programs held in addition to regular classes. Visiting instructors (the finest in their fields) are dedicated to enriching your mind/body/spirit experience.
Special Presentations include evening events, guest lecturers, arts and crafts classes, workshops, concerts and more. Some of the individuals who have graced our podium and/or led workshops include Dean Ornish, Larry Dossey, Jean Achterberg, Molly Ivins, Gail Sheehy, Graham Spanier, Amory Lovins, Erica Jong, Naomi Wolf, Madeleine Albright, Steve Thomas, Jane Fonda, Pepper Schwartz, Beverly Whipple, Ruth Westheimer, Mona Golabek, Roger Ebert, Jerry Brown, Arianna Huffington, Linda Wertheimer, Sandra Day O’Connor, Ken Dychtwald, Robert Butler, Bill Moyers, Larry Grobel, Dan Wakefield, Marion Nestle, Marion Burros, Alice Waters, Max Frankl, Swami Veda, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Clodagh. Each week brings someone new and exciting, a tradition dating well back to the early days of the Ranch—a time best-known for the lectures of the late Professor Edmond Szekely, and the frequent visits of author/philosopher Aldous Huxley.
Our special programs are free of charge (but some classes, such as wreath making and “prayer arrows”, have a small materials charge), and we encourage you to enjoy as many as possible during your stay.
Click
on the dates below to see detailed information regarding each week's
theme and special presenters. Please note that the information
and schedules are subject to change (although this is rare) without
notice. Although many of our guest presenters spend an entire
week with us, those with busy schedules may come only briefly.
In order not to miss a presentation that is important to you, check
the weekly events calendar as soon as you arrive.
In addition to our guest presenters, Ranch co-founder Deborah Szekely gives an inspiring evening talk each week (schedule permitting) followed by a question and answer period. These warm and informal talks take place almost every week, and are a mix of philosophy, history, and inspiring observations on how to live the “longer healthier life.”
- Ballet Week | Roni Mahler
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Tanya Holland
- Rancho Reads & Writes 2010 | L. Levine, K. Kamen Goldmark, S. Barry, & J. Delbourgo
- – Conversation with the Author | Kathi Kamen Goldmark and Leslie Levine
- – From Concept to Bookshelf | Sam Barry
- – Writing for Magazines, Newspapers and Yourself | Leslie Levine
- – Publishing in the Digital Age | Joëlle Delbourgo
- Sex Education for Grown Ups | Debra Haffner
- Labyrinth Week | Karen R. Cross
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Pam Anderson
- A String and a Prayer | Eleanor Wiley
- Boot Camp for Writers | Sandy Dijkstra
- Amazing Oceans of Life | Mark Hixon
- Get In On the Act | Jerry Whiddon
- Pilates Week | Madeline Black
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Sarah Copeland
- Sensuality and Sexuality | Beverly Whipple, Ph.D.
- Put Some Snap Into Your Snapshots – Bring Your Camera! | Susan & Neil Silverman
- Conquering Procrastination and Living Life to the Fullest | Neil Fiore
- The New Left in Latin America: How New? How Left? | Richard Feinberg
- Pilates and Gyrokinesis®: A Fun Fall Full Moon Week | Tannis Kobrinsky
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Robin Asbell
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta: Gluten Free | Carol Fenster
- Dream On: Exploring Your Dream World | Veronica Tonay, Ph.D.
- Sensuality and Sexuality | Beverly Whipple, Ph.D.
- Cultivating Community Through Creative Action | Erin Lee Gafill
- Better Family Photos – Bring Your Camera | Tom Birmingham
- The Bar Method | Kate Kuo
- Best Movies So Far this Year | Roger and Chaz Ebert
- Aerobics with Soul® | Maria Nhambu
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Deborah Schneider
- Are You SPENT? | Frank Lipman, M.D.
- Love Cycles | Linda Carroll, M.S.
- Secretariat: Pure Heart, The Rise Of An American Sports Icon | Bill Nack
- A Breath of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition | Swami Veda Bharati
- — Michele Hebert
- — Mehrad Nazari, Ph.D.
- Kitran | Ragani
- Yoga and Holistic Health Series | Dale Buegel, M.D.
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher George Geary
- Love Cycles | Linda Carroll, M.S.
- Couples Week
- Inspiration: Yoga and Writing | Phyllis Pilgrim and Irene Borger
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Marie Simmons
- Put Some Snap Into Your Snapshots – Bring Your Camera! | Susan & Neil Silverman
- CatchFire: Physical, Mental, and Emotional Energy | Peter McLaughlin
- Couples Week
- Broadway Week | Larry Lane and Shelley Estes
- Broadway Cabaret | Rebecca Luker, Howard McGillin and Joseph Thalken
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Jill Nussinow
- Adventures on Wall Street | John Olson
- Food Markets of the World | Paulette Mitchell
- Make Your Own Alebrije | Lauren Sherman
- Fitness Walking | Linda Warren
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Maureen Clancy
- Concert | Martha Aarons, flute and Miles Graber, piano
- Prime for Life: Functional Fitness for Ageless Living | Randy Raugh
- Kundalini Yoga | Ramona May
- Courage in Relationships | Marilyn J. Mason, Ph.D.
- Concert | Martha Aarons, flute and Frances Renzi, piano
- The Joy of Writing | Lynne Kaufman
- Pilates Week | Kim Krausher
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Jill Melton
- Breaking the Communication Barrier | Abe Wagner
- Journal Your Way to Better Decisions | Sally Stich
- An Evening of Gershwin | Lan O'Kun
- Healing Power of Sound with Crystal Bowls | Susana Moore and Les Garfinkle
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Alisa Barry
- Your Next Calling: From Inspiration to Results | Carolyn Ingram and Leslie Gebhart
- Dance Performance | Eveoke Dance Theater
- The Bar Method | Laura Stein
- Pilates Week | Cathleen Murakami
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Marie Simmons
- The Power of Purpose: A Year of Living Purposefully | Richard Leider
- Transformational Sound Healing | Susie Self
- Mandalas | Susie Self
- All Gershwin Concert | Tom Barabas
- Powerful Posture: Regaining Your Place In Gravity | Nathan Briner
- Handwriting Analysis | Lena Rivkin
- Fitness Dance Week | Ranch Dance Staff
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Gary Jenanyan
- The Positive Power of Hypnosis | Bee Epstein-Shepherd, Ph.D.
- Iyengar Yoga | Aman Keays
- An Evening of Mexican Piano Music | Laura Dean
- The Hidden Dimension of Human Communication | Peter A. Glaser & Susan R. Glaser
- Spiritual Poetry Week | Phyllis Pilgrim and Susan Duhan Felix
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Deborah Schneider
- Concert | Ensemble Mira
- Autobiography and the Memoir | Lawrence Grobel
- Seeing the Possibilities — Bring Your Camera | Pat Harrison
- Zen Qigong | Robert Rosenbaum
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Greg Patent
- Concert | Ensemble Mira
- Change Your Mind, Change Your Body | Jody Miller
- Explore the December Night Sky | John Scott Marrone
- Triathlon Week | Dean Hinchliff
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Robin Asbell
- Raja Yoga and Meditation | Michele Hebert and Mehrad Nazari, Ph.D.
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teachers Vitaly & Kimberly Paley
- Water & Triathlon H2O | Dr. Jane Katz
- Handwriting Analysis | Lena Rivkin
- Improving with Improv | Charlie Allenson
- Pilates Week | Odile Zelenak
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Susan Westmoreland
- Quest for Inspiration | Leslie McGuirk
- All Gershwin Concert | Tom Barabas
- Inspiration: Yoga and Writing | Phyllis Pilgrim and Irene Borger
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Martha Holmberg
- Pilates Week | Jill Winegar
- The Truth About Sleep | Rubin Naiman, Ph.D.
- Ashtanga Yoga and Pranayama | Michelle Haymoz
- Pilates Week | Laurel Silverman
- Healing Power of Sound | Susana Moore
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Becky Selengut
- All Gershwin Concert | Tom Barabas
- Prime of Life Yoga | Larry Payne
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Jill Melton
- Make Your Portraits Come Alive | Connie Reider
- Solution Oriented Dream Decoding | Layne Dalfen
- Concerts | Robert Naumko
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Meredith Deeds
- The Poker Guys… | Larry and Lenny
- An Evening of Mexican Piano Music | Laura Dean
- Hatha Yoga Week | Barbara Kaplan Herring
- Develop Your Personal Power | Diann Newman
- Martial Arts Week | Jim Buhisan
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Deborah Madison
- Feldenkrais® Week | Betsy Ingalls
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Lynne Rossetto Kasper
- Seeing the Possibilities — Bring Your Camera | Pat Harrison
- Focus on Golf | Bee Epstein-Shepherd,Ph.D., Seth Epstein, JayDee Cutting, MBA
- Pilates Based Sculpting Techniques | Norma Shechtman
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Chris Prosperi
- What is Inside Shines Out: Poetry | Myra Klahr
- Love Cycles | Linda Carroll, M.S.
- Cultivating Community Through Creative Action | Erin Lee Gafill
- Better Family Photos – Bring Your Camera | Tom Birmingham
- Spirit Week: Yoga and Everyday Mindfulness | Phyllis Pilgrim and Elana Rosenbaum
- Building Bone Health in Today's World | Stan Bassin, Ed.D.
- Swim Week | Dr. Jane Katz
- Bird Week | Joe Sweeney, Phil Pryde, and Neil Solomon
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Marie Simmons
- The Joy of Anusara Yoga | Jennifer Fox and Paul Gould
- The Spirit of Yoga | Phyllis Pilgrim and Michele Hebert
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Denise Vivaldo
- Bridge Table Wisdom… | Betty Ann Kennedy
- Photography Programs — Bring your Camera | Gary Harmatz
- Writing What You Don't Know | Irene Borger
- Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships… | Ruth Nemzoff
- Pilates Week | Conni Ramsey
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Diane R. Worthington
- Breaking the Communication Barrier | Abe Wagner
- Ta'i Chi and Qigong Week | Kevin M. Sullivan
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Jill Silverman Hough
- Pilates and Gyrokinesis | Cathie Murakami
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Alisa Barry
- Photography Programs — Bring your Camera | Gary Harmatz
- Self- Discovery Through Journal Writing | Rita D. Jacobs, Ph.D.
- Pilates Week | Karen Sanzo
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Georgeanne Brennan
- World Environment Day Fair | Laura Silvan
- Reading Frida Kahlo: How Does Her Art Speak? | Renee Sandell, Ph.D.
- Fitness Walking | Linda Warren
- All Gershwin Concert | Tom Barabas
- Joy of Anusara Yoga | Jennifer Fox and Paul Gould
- Folklore and Stories: A Window into the Soul | Rabbi Michael R. Zedek
- A Musical Potpourri | The Boone Sisters
- Love Cycles | Linda Carroll, M.S.
- Swim Week | Dr. Jane Katz
- Writers' Week | Madeleine Blais, Les Standiford and Ellen Sussman
- Mindful Yoga | Ann-Marie Ahye
- Seeing the Possibilities — Bring Your Camera | Pat Harrison
- Soul Motion | Vin Marti
- Quest for Inspiration | Leslie McGuirk
- Water Week | Craig Stuart
- Water Week | Craig Stuart
- Jazz Piano | Joel Camche
- Sculpting Workshop | Marianne Groh
- Egoscue Method | Rick and Theresa Mathes
- Writer's Week
- – The Power of Place | Dan Wakefield
- – All About Editing | Anne Simpkinson
- – What Makes the Bad Guy Bad | April Smith and Douglas Brayfield, MFT
- A Breath of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition | Swami Veda Bharati
- Ballet Week | Roni Mahler
- What's New with Happiness? | Arlene Matthews
- A Breath of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition | Swami Veda Bharati
- Ballet Week | Roni Mahler
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Gary Jenanyan
- Love Cycles | Linda Carroll, M.S.
- Pilates Week | Rebekah Rotstein
- Change Your Mind, Change Your Body | Jody Miller
- Spiritual Poetry Week | Phyllis Pilgrim and Susan Duhan Felix
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Chris Prosperi
- Building Bone Health in Today's World | Stan Bassin, Ed.D.
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Tori Ritchie
- Writing From the Inside Out | Shelley Harrison Rae
- Concert | Ensemble Mira
- Aerobics with Soul ® | Maria Nhambu
- Healing Power of Sound | Susana Moore
- Bridge Table Wisdom… | Betty Ann Kennedy
- Martial Arts Week | Jim Buhisan
- Hatha Yoga | Shayne and River Morgan
- Tackling Peace | Tanya Oziel
- Breaking the Communication Barrier | Abe Wagner
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Deborah Schneider
- Fitness Walking | Linda Warren
- Tai Chi and Qigong | Cari Shurman
- All Gershwin Concert | Tom Barabas
- Inspiration: Yoga and Writing | Phyllis Pilgrim and Irene Borger
- NIA® | Robyn Maltz and Susie Schoonmaker
- Culinary Experiences at La Cocina Que Canta | Visiting Teacher Gary Jenanyan
- Zen Qigong | Robert Rosenbaum
- Self- Discovery Through Journal Writing | Rita D. Jacobs, Ph.D.
- Spirit Week: Yoga and Meditation | Phyllis Pilgrim
