I am relatively new to the world of yoga. Yes, my wife had dragged me to a yoga retreat class or two in Nosara. But, what am I doing? Stretching and twisting trying to look like all the other women in the class. Oh, I failed to mention that I am 61-yr-old, 6’ 8”, 215 lb. tall man with lots of sports and old-age wounds to think about and try to work around, but I have been able to fake it out so far.

Anyway, about three years ago, my wife and son and I decided to build a yoga retreat and Yoga Teacher Training facility on the ranch our son has owned for years in Nosara, Costa Rica. Originally, we were going to build a house and retire here on this beautiful ranch. But, what the heck, “Gotta have something to do.”

Fast forward, 17 months and here I am in a Yoga Teacher Training class inside the most spectacular setting – a 45’ round, thatched roof ranchito with the most beautiful teak wood posts and floor in Nosara. It is just as breath-taking as the view from high up on this mountain, facing the Pacific Ocean (that, by the way is about 80 degrees f.). The jungle between us and the beach is protected land and no one will ever develop it, so that means no noise, no pollution, no neighbors – just birds, monkeys, cows, chickens, butterflies, iguanas, and other wildlife – and us – forever! Just up the road is Playa Ostional where the Green Ridley turtles come to lay their eggs and that’s why it is protected.

I am now learning at my “old” age what cat and cow is, downward-facing dog, plank, cobra, warrior and tree pose and how to be balanced and not fall on my face anymore. I am taking notes like I did 40 some years ago in school, doing homework and reading the Bhagavad Gita, all to have a much better and understanding of on-and-off-the-matt yoga while practicing Yoga in Nosara.

Thanks to our special friend and teacher, Ashley Ludman, our schooling and guidance has moved us all in a pre-designed path of study and practice in such a way as to keep our stamina, enthusiasm and awareness as high as we can. Each day brings us further along in our physical and mental yoga practice. We start at 6:00-6:30 a.m. and finish at around 8:30-9:00 p.m., but, not to worry, the staff at Costa Rica Yoga Spa keeps us fed with absolutely the best tasting fruits and vegetables, most of which are grown on the ranch or purchased at the nearby organic market.

Working as hard as we do, the proper fuel keeps the body happy. The days and nights are not totally filled with practice – we do have activities in Nosara, from personal time to read, time to relax in our rooms or around the pool or if you are up to it, a hike to any one of the many waterfalls that are flowing at enormous levels as we are in the beginning of what is turning out to be a very, wet and welcome rainy season. I am looking forward to yoga on the beach and already have enjoyed many sunset yoga sessions during our yoga retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica.

I hope that today I have given you a little glimpse of my time and you, too, can remove your fear and open to the graceful yoga world we have here at Costa Rica Yoga Spa. If you don’t become a teacher you will be a better student of a very healthful and graceful life of yoga.

Namaste, Benito

To learn more about Yoga Retreats in Nosara, contact Costa Rica Yoga Spa today.

Here is a testimonial we found on Trip Advisor from one of our great guests at Costa Rica Yoga Spa! Thanks Erik!

“I just returned from another great Costa Rican adventure. This time I was lucky to be invited to stay at the Costa Rica Yoga spa as a guest of my friend Ashley who was teaching a three-week yoga immersion program. I had such a great stay that it motivated me to spread the word about this awesome place.

The Finca Un Amor—the farm upon which the lodge and yoga rancho sit—is perched up high overlooking farms, wildlife refuge, river basin, and the pacific ocean. At the lodge where I shared meals and slept for nearly three weeks, I was close enough to the ocean to hear the surf, which had to compete with the roaring waterfall emanating from the other side of the yoga rancho. Being close to surf is important; and, from the finca, you can be surfing in 15 minutes at Olgas, Guiones, or Ostional (in the dry season). It’s about 7 km to Playa Guiones and I easily made the drive down to the beach nearly every day (in the rainy season). Fortunately, my room at the “Jungle Lodge” featured an all-natural alarm clock: the nearby howler monkeys and roosters made sure I was up early enough to surf before breakfast! Which reminds me to remind you: Be sure to bring your good camera and binoculars because wildlife viewing opportunities are everywhere at the finca. I personally saw chacalacas, egrets, hawks, herons, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, iguanas, kiskidees, snakes, vultures, a million insects and some that I forgot!

The Yoga Spa is operated by wonderful hosts Ben and Jill. They used to run a Bed & Breakfast and grow olives in California before taking up the ex-pat life. That they were experienced B&B owners was more than evident in the cleanliness, cooking, and generous hospitality. Darren (Jill’s son) and Ben and Jill have worked hard to ensure that the land, the architecture, and the service foster a special sense of community. Ben and Jill, the other guests, and I ate nearly every meal together for three weeks—most prepared in the open-air kitchen. Eating at the lodge may be my favorite part of all! The food was fresh, local, wonderful and plentiful. The café was always a quick steam kettle away. The sweeping ocean and river basin views from the table and kitchen area were stunning. And, Ben knows exactly how to load cervezas in the fridge to serve perfectly almost frozen Imperials.

As for the food; it was incredible and sustainable. We fetched eggs and cheese from the neighbor’s finca. From avocados to zucchini, we ate more vegetables (that I can’t pronounce) than you can ever imagine. I drank more fresh juices in three weeks than I have in three years in the US. There are banana trees out one side of the kitchen and there’s a mango plantation out the other. One day I saw a man deliver a bunch of coconuts freshly hacked off a tree nearby. Fruit trees, herbs, and peppers plants are scattered about the finca seemingly content to wait for their day in the kitchen. The tropical fresh fruit always arranged neatly on the kitchen counters would make the Chiquita lady want a new hat.

Sound too good to be true? Well, I am not exaggerating and it gets even better. Staffed with accomplished B&B owner Jill, culinary student Hailey interning as the spa’s Cocinara de Verena, and local ticas Xenia and Melena, there was a never a shortage of excellently prepared food! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Desayuno, almuerza, y cenar! Appetizers and desserts. Antes y postres! From peanut butter banana oatmeal smoothies to Sangria! From fried plantains to chicken marsala! With all that talent in the kitchen and the bountiful fare of Costa Rica at their disposal, we ate like kings. And, I loved it.

Hopefully by now you understand that the Yoga Spa is no ordinary hotel or lodge. You don’t just sleep in your room and pass the other guests in the hallway. It was truly a collective affair. In addition to eating together, we danced together and we had fun together. Willie led salsa lessons in the Yoga rancho/discoteque. Schlomo played guitar in the Yoga rancho/concert hall. Sasha brought over her swings, which we promptly rigged-up in the Yoga rancho/circus trapeze. We dined together at tico-owned restaurants. And together we closed down the local bars and discos!

Everyone in the Nosara area knows Ben, Jill, and Darren. (Of course, at 5’ 22” it’s hard not to know Ben! His tree towers above the rest of the forest.) And, everywhere we went with them we were treated like rock stars by the locals. This is important, especially if you’re new to Costa Rica or the Guanacaste region. My hosts acted a whole lot more like adventure guides than innkeepers; they were intent on ensuring that their guests experienced the local tico culture to the fullest. I’ve been to Costa Rica many times over the past 10 years, yet I learned a lot and met many new friends in the presence of these wonderful hosts.

Since everything about the Yoga Spa and Finca Un Amor is organized around community, I’m not really sure they had any choice but to invite me to practice yoga with the group. Since you’ve read this far, you probably know that the Nosara area is a magnet for students of yoga and the like-minded. This place is a dream to study yoga. Imagine practicing in the perfect temperature and humidity of Costa Rica with an ocean view in one direction and the sounds of a waterfall raging in the background. I don’t have to imagine it. I did it!!

I think it’s the community aspect that sets this place apart from the other yoga teacher training offerings in the area. At the Institute, you’re on your own for food and lodging; the class sizes are much larger; and the direct contact time with the instructors is limited. Many of the yoginis I met who were studying at the Institute who came up to visit the Yoga Spa for classes remarked about this contrast. At the Yoga Spa, you practice together, eat together, travel together, and pretty much live together. You’re having coffee with your instructor in the morning, practicing with her during the day, and dancing with her at night!

In summary, I’d give this place a 100-star review if trip advisor would let me! But the faint of heart should remember: this is Costa Rica. That means unpaved and sometimes impassable roads, especially in the rainy season from May to November. If you’re going to be mobile, I recommend renting a four-wheel drive vehicle. To avoid a long drive to the finca from the Liberia or San Jose airports, fly Nature Air into Nosara and you’ll be only 15-minutes away!

Again, you’re not staying at a Sol Melia or the Bellagio. If you want to burrow into a Marriot-style hotel room, turn on the TV, crank up the AC, and call room service, then this place is not for you. If you’re going to Costa Rica for the culture, the outdoors, the surf, the wildlife, the yoga, and the adventure, then you’re in for a treat you will remember for a lifetime.” – Erik

If you are interested in learning more about a retreat at Costa Rica Yoga Spa, contact us today.

The Last Week of Yoga Teacher Training!!! It literally is putting one foot in front of the other and pushing through – determination and tenacity took me through. And, knowing all of the benefits I was receiving – and enjoying were great motivators for me. This journey reminds me of the Little Engine that kept saying, “I know I can, “I know I can”. Yes, I can!

I thought forward to Sat. when I will have accomplished something that was completely unexpected – being a certified Yoga Teacher! What an accomplishment that will be – so surviving the rest of the week in poses and contortions that I didn’t think this body could do anymore. But, really, at 67, the thought about wrapping my body into the Bird of Paradise pose – and a handstand – whew, the thought of that one… I keep the mantra, “I know I can, I know I can…in my mind and heart each day during my retreat“.

I peeked at what was on the agenda for the next couple of days – they were written in Sanskrit, but I am learning more of this beautiful language every day – enough that I can only imagine what twists and lifts I will be accomplishing the next day in Nosara. Every day I have embraced and done what a month ago, I would have deemed impossible for a senior, novice yogi. Each day gave me more strength, flexibility and balance which brought me such joy. I loved my eye-opening adventure in this amazing Yoga Teacher Training class.

I look forward to learning more lessons this week – about life and yoga in Nosara.

Come accomplish what you thought wasn’t possible! Start the journey of learning yoga and more about yourself! Contact us today to learn about a retreats at Costa Rica Yoga Spa.

On the first day of yoga teacher training our fearless leader Ashley introduced us to a new word: kula. She explained to us that kulas come in many shapes and sizes and that they are comprised of a group of people who co-exist and find support in one another. She also explained that by living together for three weeks up on this mountain we would be creating a similar type of community. Thus, the kula was born…

10: We always encourage each other to try new things, like backbends, inversions, and the first time they brought me out to the Tropicana bar.

9: We help push Darren’s car and/or golf cart to the mechanic each time it breaks down.

8: When in doubt we’re not afraid to palpate one another.

7: “disfunctional family” dinners.

6: We always share our “chit” with each other.

5: We read bedtime stories from the Bhagavad Gita. (just try it, you’ll sleep like a baby).

4: We’re not afraid to show our inner Shakti, or any other parts of our bodies.

3: We throw 30 second dance parties every time someone does something cool.

2: We love a good adventure, sweat lodge, visit to the witchdoctor, meditation at the graveyard, and generally anything else the rest of the population would consider taboo.

1: We know the true importance of our community and through the ups and downs of spending 200+ hours together in 21 days, we always stick by our KULA!

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“This picture means a lot to me; it was taken on the most beautiful sunset I have seen in a long time. After a little hike through the Jungle, we randomly ended up to Playa Pelada, and without exchanging many words, we all started to perform our favorite postures to honor this poweful ball of fire sinking into the Ocean. Perfect timing and perfect space to be a witness of the Universe’s divine Consciousness. Those Moments are pure and sometimes we need to stop and take time to appreciate and contemplate what the life is offering to us. The way I see this picture, I am expanding my fire chakra outward, grounding my heart side to the Earth, and reaching to the sky, hoping for my highest potential! Pura Vida !” – Yoga Teacher Training student Evita.

To learn more about retreats that will enhance your inner and outer mindfulness of yoga  and self or to take advantage of all the things to do and see in beautiful Nosara such as surfing, kayaking, hiking, or wildlife exploration contact us today to begin your reawakening in Nosara.