Yes! It is official – almost!! Costa Rica is the country with the Happiest People in the World! Nicholas D. Kristof, columnist from The New York Times doesn’t feel it is a coincident that “Costa Rica is one of the very few countries to have abolished its army and it’s also arguably the happiest nation on earth. There are several ways of measuring happiness in countries, all inexact, but this pearl of Central America does stunningly well by whatever system is used. For example, the World Database of Happiness, compiled by a Dutch sociologist on the basis of answers to surveys by Gallup and others, lists Costa Rica in the top spot out of 148 nations.”

“Scholars also calculate happiness by determining “happy life years.” This figure results from merging average self-reported happiness, as above, with life expectancy. Using this system, Costa Rica again easily tops the list. The United States is 19th, and Zimbabwe comes in last.”.”

“A third approach is the “Happy Planet Index”. devised by the New Economics Foundation, a literal think tank. This combines happiness and longevity but adjusts for environmental impact such as the carbon that countries spew.”

“Here again, Costa Rica wins the day, for achieving contentment and longevity in an environmentally sustainable way. The Dominican Republic ranks second, the United States 114th, because of the large ecological footprint and Zimbabwe last.”

“Maybe Costa Rican contentment has something to do with the chance to explore dazzling beaches on both sides of the country…Costa Rica has done an unusually good job preserving nature and it’s surely easier to be happy while basking in sunshine and greenery than while shivering up north and suffering from “nature deficit disorder.”

Not only is Costa Rica the Happiest Country in the World but according to Dan Beuttner, National Geographic, we are one of the 4 Blue Zones in the world! More on that later.”

As we like to say here on our mountain overlooking the ocean at Costa Rica Yoga Spa in Nosara where people are happy and healthy, “Life Is Good Up Here”!

To relax and rejuvenate and experience the Pura Vida, visit Costa Rica Yoga Spa, contact us today..”

January was a surrealistic surfer’s dream!  Moonlight surfing!!!  And, without wetsuits! The bonfires on the beach were blazing often, as everyone waited for the moon to throw some “light” on the ocean.  The bonfires were built for landmarks and socializing – not warmth!

The weather and the water were both perfect!  The waves were often perfect for an evening of a “once in a lifetime” experience for many of those on the beach.  Some Canadians visited from, “Good Grief, how many degrees below zero?” – I don’t think they stopped smiling or laughing the whole time! Some of our guests landed at a bonfire on the beach. They came back with a whole group of new friends!  What spectacular evenings! The stories of this surrealistic experience continue……Lifetime memories for everyone!

To learn about suf and other retreats at Costa Rica Yoga Spa, contact us today.

Organically grown foods are rich in nutritious value and often taste much better than their counterparts, and growing food organically is a lot easier on the environment as well. You can grow your own natural food or buy it from stores specializing in whole foods. Often, you can also buy organically grown foods at local farmer’s markets, but it is important to ask the vendor some questions before you purchase their produce, as it may not have actually been organically grown. The benefits of choosing these products and natural foods are numerous. The primary benefit experienced by most people is the improvement of their overall health and well being. Health foods like organic produce are known to help with weight loss and nutrition, disease prevention, and are also widely accepted as remedies and cures for the ailments of common health problems such as asthma and diabetes.

It is our goal, here at Costa Rica Yoga Spa, to organically grow enough vegetables, fruit and nuts to serve all of our guests and sell our surplus to local organic restaurants and markets.

Organic Recipe of Costa Rica Yoga Spa

Beet Salad

• 3 medium uncooked beets – grate and put in salad bowl

Dressing:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• finely grated ginger – about a tablespoon or so – or more
• finely grated garlic – to taste – we use a lot
• salt
• honey – to taste – depends on the lemon or citrus used

It’s better to let this sit for about an hour or more and then enjoy!

All of us here at Costa Rica Yoga Spa support all of the hard work that is done at Nosara Wild Life and S.I.B.U, to protect and care for many injured monkeys here in Nosara, Costa Rica. Most of the monkey’s injuries are caused by electrocutions from power lines. Because of our support and concern for their project and the many monkeys who live or pass through our ranch every day, we have all underground utilities at Costa Rica Yoga Spa.

During all building phases, special care is taken never to interrupt the path of a “monkey trail”. When we trim trees or see a fallen tree, we always make sure the monkeys can still travel along their highway without having to drop to the ground which puts them and their babies at risk of predators. We encourage any of our guests to contribute to this worthy cause or volunteer to work at the sanctuary while here visiting at Costa Rica Yoga Spa.

Visit http://www.nosarawildlife.com/ for more information.