Five Lessons From A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat
For the last two years, I have facilitated a yoga retreat on the Osa Peninsula at Boca Sombrero Resort. The unspoiled Osa is a remote area on the south Pacific side of Costa Rica where the rainforest meets the sea. On my first trip to Costa Rica, I was so impressed with the beauty of the jungle and ocean, the wildlife, and the people, I am returning for a third time in 2013! It is difficult to capture the full impact of our rich and colorful experience, but I wanted to share a few of the lessons learned.
1. Practice Pura Vida
Pura Vida literally translated means Pure Life. Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of perseverance, good spirits, enjoying life slowly, and celebrating good fortune, whether small or large. One of our retreaters had the chance to put the concept into practice immediately when she got to the airport and realized shed somehow failed to book her flight! All the details of arranging child care, organizing work responsibilities and carefully packing for a week in the jungle had taken precedence over actually buying her ticket. Fortunately, she was able to get on a flight that same night and arrive only a few hours later than the rest of us. And more importantly, she was able to practice pura vida and recognize the whole incident just validated how much she really needed a vacation!
The next time you make an honest mistake that proves your humanness, can you practice pura vida?
2. Open to Grace
3. Have a Beginners Mind
Pura Vida Retreat & Spa
Known for their intense yoga retreats, the deliciously chic Pura Vida Retreat also has weeklong Body, Mind and Spirit packages that include twice daily yoga, organic foods with vegetarian options, meditation sessions and several eco-tours. Choose from one of numerous wellness workshops, or enjoy a short stay for its peaceful ambiance and decadent spa treatments. Situated in Alajuela, rooms range from deluxe tents to posh suites complete with Jacuzzi and Balinese showers.
Blue Osa Is Far More Than A Yoga Retreat In Costa Rica
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Nothing can ruin waking up to the sound of the ocean. Not even a pack of roaming howler monkeys doing what they do best right outside your window. After all, when you’re in Costa Rica you’re not there for only the ocean.
Costa Rica is far more than that.
We found ourselves in the Osa Peninsula, one of the most beautiful regions of the entire country, not for the beach, not for the nature, but to enjoy the Blue Osa yoga retreat during their 2014 press week. While our initial reason for visiting was for a yoga retreat, we left the Osa Peninsula with memories well beyond the yoga mat.
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Paradise Within A Paradise
Draped over the mountains that form the background of Dominicals beaches and at the end of a meandering path, Mina Verde is a three acre slice of paradise within paradise, a world unto itself, including a waterfall and a natural swimming area, all connected through a series of hiking trails.
Catch a once in a lifetime sunset every evening from the Traveling Palm fringed view-point, wind downhill and gather in the main house and coworking space or retreat in one of our three comfortable and unique cabins, made from upcycled materials. This is also where you find a cozy firepit and yoga deck, all of which have stunning views of the Pacific Ocean
Mina Verde offers specialized Costa Rica retreats taught by local, driven, and qualified teachers so that you can Master a skill and gain lifelong knowledge in the beautiful and relaxing nature of the Osa Peninsula.
The Community At Blue Osa
While Blue Osas design, amenities, and services are top-notch, they arent what make the eco-resort such an irreplaceable destination.
The Blue Osa experience is so remarkable because of the community it has createdand the life-changing differences this community is making for the staff, the guests, the environment, and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Its a difficult task to try to capture the essence of the community in words. The longer we stayed at Blue Osa, the more enthralled we became with it, and the more we discovered the positive impact that Aaron and Adam are having on the lives around them.
For starters, there is the interaction that Blue Osa cultivates between its guests in some ways, it is like a luxury summer camp for adults. At dinner each night, guests are mixed up to sit with new people. While in other circumstances this could be intimidating, at Blue Osa it feels perfectly natural. In this way, all the guests know and learn from each other. After one dinner, you feel you have been friends for ages. Each night thereafter is just a different dinner party with new friends.
Another nice detail is that there is Wi-Fi in only one, centrally located area. This was a strategic move on the part of Aaron and Adam, again to foster community rather than seclusion. We loved it, especially while sipping on those Spicy Passion-fruit Mojitos and sharing travel stories into the night.
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How To Get There
Blue Osa is located about 8 miles south of Puerto Jimenez on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Known for its rich bio-diversity and stunning natural beauty, the region has been called the most biologically intense place on Earth by National Geographic.
Blue Osa is nestled near Corcovado National Park and the warm shores of the Gulfo Dulce the perfect place to see endangered rainforest plants and animals.
Book your international flights to San Jose, Costa Rica.
From San Jose, you will fly or drive to Puerto Jimenez. You may book your local flights directly with Costa Ricas national airline, Sansa Air, or Skyway. If you are staying overnight, you may want to consider booking with Aerobell as it is located in Pavas, which is much closer to downtown San Jose.
The Sansa/Skyways Airport terminal is about 100 meters from the International airport. Once you exit from immigration, you take your luggage and walk left. You will exit the terminal onto the main street and then keep walking until you come to the airport.
Once You Book Your Flights
Please message us to arrange a Blue Osa shuttle to and from the Puerto Jimenez Airport. Once the shuttle request form is received, youll get a shuttle confirmation emailed to you.
Costa Rica Retreat: The Luxury To Meet Others
You have the luxury to meet others like you, to mingle at lunch and dinner, to meet like-minded individuals who are here to rebuild their soul as well.
Blue Osa Yoga Selfie, Puerto Jimenz, Costa Rica
As I usually write about smart luxury properties -the value and the luxury it gives to my soul.
I can say, that I valued this trip more than most. I needed the luxury of time off, time to not be so concerned about how I look and focus more on life and me.
Disclosure: Thanks Blue Osa, as they organized a wonderful #presstripblueosa week for social media influencers, fashion bloggers and travel writers and bloggers where we were hosted. As usual, my opinions are my own!
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Sacred Couples Journey / June 4
What invitation would you and your partner like to be with each other? Are you living your true potential? What else might be possible that if you knew was possible could create a life and living beyond your current reality? During these three magical days your journey contributes to restore a deeper connection of true togetherness. Tools for creating your life, your relationship and even your financial reality will be the greatest contribution you will receive during this one of its kind life and living experience.
The Sacred Couples Journey is created and facilitated by Tara & Eduardo Canhos Tara is an intuitive, alchemist and world renown wellness practitioner of 37 years contributing daily at her wellness ranch in South Florida and abroad. Along with Taras husband Eduardo, Brazilian native and cofounder of Intentions Ranch is an intuitive empath who interacts with animals in nature daily. The energy of the two together infuse a dynamic presence that contributes to the sacred energy of love, kindness, joy, peace, ease and potency. Both Tara and Eduardo are focussed on creating and maintaining a comfortable space throughout the retreat. Welcoming friends from all over the world!
If you are ready for greater change in your relationship, this is a journey that can greatly shift your entire reality. And well have a lot of fun!!! How does it get any better than that?
Yoga Retreat Costa Rica: Arrival By Prop Plane
When arriving by tiny prop plane, you never know quite what to expect, but this?! A rainstorm and suddenly I am right in the middle of it. Losing altitude, we dropped again and then got pelted with rain that was coming in sideways. I couldnt wait for this part of the trip to be over and I would never have expected this. At least the pilot had his hula girl, who comforted me in some weird way!
The cloud and rain finally cleared and we came in for a landing on a miniature airstrip near Puerto Jimenez and imagine my surprise as it was right beside the local cemetery! I am not sure if it was a good sign or not, but for me, I have always enjoyed cemeteries, so I took it as a good sign and got out to photograph it as soon as we landed.
Puerto Jimenez cemetery, Costa Rica
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Here Is The Interview Our Team Conducted With Her:
Have any life experiences led you to the practice of yoga, meditation, holistic medicine and Reiki?
I have experienced difficult losses and challenges that both yoga and meditation have helped me overcome. I have been married for 26 years and have raised two grown men with patience and love due to my mind-body practices.
Living the yoga lifestyle has helped me through the loss of my sister and the closure of my practice studio after her death. I live by the principles of yoga and meditation every day in all aspects of my life.
My sister was in the hospital in 2010 for chemotherapy for many months. She was my partner in our yoga studio, and when she got sick, I took care of her classes and her work. I kept our houses and our children, while my husband worked in another city. Many things were happening and I had a lot of stress, in that year, I went to a private retreat, and afterwards, everything was easier to manage.
In 2011, I led my first retreat because I needed it and I knew others needed it too. The retreat was near my home and studio in the mountains of Georgia in the United States.
I have now done 25 retreats in 8 different countries like Costa Rica, Bali, and South Africa the focus of the retreats is relaxation, wellness, and fun everything I needed when I started.
***activities May Be Subject To Change
The Osa Peninsula is truly amazing and we encourage you to get out and see the area. Optional activities include:
Surf
Surf Lessons $50 Beginner / Surf Lessons / Board rental $25
Bird Watching $35
Go for a sunrise walk with a guide and a telescope and see the bird world unfold before your eyes!
Sea Kayaking $55
Far from the open ocean waves, lies the calm waters of the inner gulf, where mangrove estuaries invite exploration. Kayaking these wild waterways offers an unobtrusive and sublime means of navigating one of the most important of tropical ecosystems, the mangrove estuary.
Dolphin Boat Tour $65
Feel the exhilaration of seeing hundreds of bottle-nosed dolphins. Your boat will take you out into the calm morning waters of the Golfo Dulce where your experienced local guide will search out the large pods of dolphins. Once found, they will follow the boat, and sometimes show off by jumping 6 or 8 feet out of the water right next to you!
Horseback Tour $60 + Waterfall Rappel $30
Enjoy a horseback ride around Matapalo with an experienced guide. You will ride through primary jungle, pass through the cattle field, and enjoy the rush of galloping along the beach. You can also opt to extend your tour up to the Carbonera waterfall where you can rappel down a 100 ft. waterfall in the primary forest!
All activities will be arranged upon arrival. Prices and availability subject to change. Please remember all payments are in cash.
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Go To A Yoga Retreat Osa Peninsula Costa Rica
Heading to a yoga retreat in Costa Rica frightened and excited me all at the same time, if youre looking to try and get away and practice some yoga with some experienced and enlightened teachers, you could try places such as the retreat in Costa Rica, as well as places like here too. The intimidating part was that it had been over a year since I had practiced any yoga my mat was getting dusty in the back of the closet and my downward dog looked more like a lazy cat stretching. The thrilling part was that I would be spending a whole week at Blue Osa Yoga Retreat + Spa on Costa Ricas Osa Peninsula, located on the countries southern Pacific coast.
Blue Osa is known for practicing morning silence, exercising sustainable tourism, having a secluded beachfront property, healthy farm-to-table meals and as being a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
Who couldnt use a little nourishingbird
Exploring The Osa Peninsula
There are so many opportunities for adventure and outdoor activities on the Osa Peninsula that we had to make some hard decisions about which ones to choose to do.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie you can choose to do things like rappelling down a waterfall or ziplining, while if you prefer to keep your feet on the ground you can opt for things like trying Costa Rica chocolate at a cacao farm or hiking through the jungle to look for wildlife.
And let’s not forget the abundant wildlife right on the Blue Osa property- you can see scarlet macaws flying overhead while you relax in the pool and hear howler monkeys all through the night. We also had the opportunity for a life-changing experience of working with a turtle conservation center to release just-hatched baby sea turtles back into the ocean as we happened to be there at just the right time of year.
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Best Yoga Retreat In Costa Rica
The energy here is amazing. Great owners and staff. Amazing views. It truly feels like you are in a different dimension. They gather every evening like a family before serving their delicious dinner. A great place to escape from the world and find peace.
- Trip type: Traveled with friends
- Value
6.3 miles
- Free Wifi
4.4 miles
- Free Wifi
3.4 miles
- Free Wifi
6.5 miles
- Free parking
6.2 miles
- Free Wifi
17.6 miles
- Free parking
5.9 miles
- Free Wifi
6.4 miles
- Free Wifi
10.6 miles
- Free parking
15.7 miles
- Restaurant
601606879
This yoga retreat opened my core on all levels. I would do it again in a heart beat, and miss dearly the space and family that was created there. Truly a life changing experience. I am forever grateful.
- Value
- Trip type: Traveled solo
- Trip type: Traveled solo
- Trip type: Traveled as a couple
- Value
- Trip type: Traveled with friends
- Sleep Quality
Facilities In Blue Osa
The facilities at Blue Osa were beyond my expectations even though they were already high after viewing the resorts
As I arrived at the resort, I was welcomed by a team of smiling and enthusiastic staff. The open lobby offers a generous view on the jungle and the ocean, and it also has sofas, chairs, benches, and a large open kitchen area where you can watch dinner being prepared. The place is decorated tastefully, creating a very peaceful and relaxing vibe.
After checking-in and nibbling on some snacks and juices, the staff walked me to my bedroom. The bedroom consists of two queen-sized beds, a large en-suite bathroom, a comfortable couch, and a spacious wooden wardrobe. From the room, I could hear the sound of the waves and could even see the ocean from my windows. The accommodation also came with a fan, which I didnt need to use during my stay but it might have come in handy if there had been a heatwave.
My bedroom was right underneath the shala, which overlooked the jungle and the ocean. Beautifully decorated, I felt at peace the minute I walked in the yoga room and couldnt wait to attend my first yoga practice.
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What’s Included In This Package
- Your personal mantra based on your day and location of your birth given by the Chopra Centre
- $50 gift certificate to a spa service
- 2 x yoga sessions per day from Saturday evening through Saturday morning
- Welcome cocktail party on the day of arrival to the retreat
- Complimentary jungle hike with a guide
- Wifi connection
- Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day
- 8 days, 7 nights of accommodation in beautifully furnished rooms in a gorgeous lush setting
- 2 x yoga sessions per day from Saturday evening through Saturday morning
- Daily meditation classes
- 3 daily delicious and nutritious farm-to-table meals
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Welcome cocktail party on the day of arrival to the retreat
- Specialized workshops
- Complimentary jungle hike with a guide
- Pre and post retreat support from our team
- Course Manual
- Deepak Chopra Designed Primordial Sound Meditation Training
