***Before booking, please contact Root2RiseYoga@gmail.com to inquire that your preferred accommodation is still available.   

Freedom to Flow is calling you if...

· You are an adventurous spirit seeking inspiration outside your daily routine. 

· Your inner child seeks playtime to explore the wonders of nature.

· Your body or mind craves a recharge for optimal wellness.

· You'd like to learn from the culture of one of the happiest countries in the world, as named by Happy Planet Index.

· You'd like practical tools for awakening inner joy, regardless of rain or shine.

>>> Watch a trailer (click here) for "Freedom to Flow" Nature, Culture & Yoga Adventure Retreat in Costa Rica 2018.

How You’ll Benefit from Freedom to Flow:

1. Cultivate resilience and inner calm through guided daily meditations and practice in the art of joyful living with Root 2 Rise Yoga Founder Michelle Chua.

2. Increase your physical strength and flexibility through fun daily outdoor adventures and yoga asana (posture) practice with Michelle, moving mindfully at your pace and ability level.

3. Find clarity and greater Self-awareness, as you step outside of your home routine to explore Tico (Costa Rican) landscape and lifestyle and meaningful travel in Central America.

4. Unplug and detoxify from big-city life, bathing your senses in fresh rainforest and ocean air and inspiring views of enchanting biodiverse wildlife – tropical jungle plants, exotic birds, mischievous monkeys, mesmerizing sloths and much more! 

5. Balance effort and ease--through guided inner work and free time to play--as you redefine your priorities and flow with pure life, or pura vida, Costa Rica’s motto, of living in the present moment, among other definitions you'll explore.

6. Discover and experience the insightful parallels between yoga philosophy and pura vida living as facilitated by your yoga teacher, who is a former Manuel Antonio resident passionate about Costa Rica and thankfully eager to share its life-enriching power.  

7. Expand your global perspective and dive into Tico culture, creating heartfelt memories with locals and world travelers, both within and outside our tribe, while practicing or learning  Spanish.  Be ready to engage with the towns we'll stay in, as this retreat is about connecting with the culture and building unity in diversity!

Root 2 Rise Yoga believes in mindful eco-conscious travel and aims to build bridges of peace among cultures through educationally fun integration of the arts.  We value nature, culture and alignment with living yoga, balancing wellness instruction, playfulness and freedom to explore town living like a local.  We believe in giving, not just receiving, love where we visit, with optional activities like environmental conservation projects, volunteering and donating books to local schools.  We support the local economy visiting a variety of neighborhood restaurants for our included meals and hiring locals for our guided excursions.  Lastly, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica is a special destination to your retreat leader in that she hosts these retreats inspired by her gratitude for the life-transformative experiences she received during her 14-month volunteer teaching there that led to her becoming a yoga teacher, founding Root 2 Rise Yoga in 2010.  

Lying in your king-sized luxurious bed, you eagerly awaken to the serenade of howling monkeys and melodic birdsongs as the rising sun shines over a luscious green jungle and ocean landscape beckoning you through wall-sized windows to come play outside.  Like an 8-year-old ready to open birthday gifts, you flow with breath-taking awe into a day of hiking to waterfalls, savoring home cooked local meals, zip lining over vast aerial views of the rainforest, revitalizing with group yoga and meditation, wandering around town to practice your Spanish at the beach and souvenir market and making new friends at an after-dinner Latin Dance session or live-music cafe for wine and dessert.  Unplugged, you reconnect to the life force that sustains us all--humanity and nature.  Each day a new inspiration awakens your soul to pure life and you deeply know why this place, this experience, these beings, you and your life are special. 

You just have to have been there to know.  

And the best thing is, the journey doesn't end when you leave Costa Rica; Pura vida is a free, most meaningful souvenir you can share with your loved ones when you return home.

Santa Juana Eco-Lodge (Nights 1 - 2): luxury cabins, or casitas, include one or two king-sized beds, a fully-equipped kitchen with refrigerator, spacious balcony with hammock and panoramic views of the rainforest and Pacific Ocean, large ceiling fans and a large bathroom with hot water, hair dryer and basic toiletries (shampoo, soap, lotion, towels).  Meals are served in El Mirador restaurant, a short walk away.  Santa Juana's small mountain village temperatures average 70s-80s F with typical rain in the late afternoon/evening and sometimes early morning, creating thriving green plantlife.

Villa Manuel Antonio (Nights 3 - 7): a shared 7-bedroom 3-story luxury vacation villa overlooking the jungle and Pacific Ocean, sitting atop Manuel Antonio center.  It's walking distance to beaches, top restaurants and cafes, the tours office, bus stop for accessing the adjacent town and the national park, some nightlife,  and a small business center, which includes a bank, grocery store and souvenir shop.  Each bedroom includes 1 queen-sized bed, dresser, air-conditioner and fan.  A few bedrooms have a private balcony and some have ocean views.  *Guests choose their bedroom in the order in which they registered.  Guests share 1-2 bathrooms per floor, with a total of 5 full restrooms equipped with hot water, towels, soap, shampoo and lotion. Each floor has a communal living room with couches.   The first floor has a fully-equipped kitchen and a large shared balcony for our at-home open-air yoga sessions overlooking the jungle and ocean.  The weather in Manuel Antonio in June is warm (70s-80s F, but generally warmer and drier than Santa Juana) and humid and may rain briefly in the early mornings and evenings making for refreshing air in the day, during this start of the rainy season.  

Accommodation Options:

Single - Your own or a shared casita in Santa Juana (depends on total number of guests and available casitas) and your own bedroom in Villa Manuel Antonio

Shared - Share your casita with your pre-selected roommate in Santa Juana, and share your bedroom and one queen-sized bed with your roommate in Villa Manuel Antonio.

 Your cancellation must be sent in writing via email to Root2RiseYoga@gmail.com.  Cancellations before December 31, 2017 will be refunded total payment minus $500 USD deposit.  Cancellations after December 31, 2017 will not be refunded.
 

In the unlikely case that Root 2 Rise Yoga or its Costa Rica venue cancels the retreat due to uncontrollable circumstances, your payment will be fully refunded. Other similar accommodations or options within the retreat area will be explored and proposed to you before cancellation. Michelle Chua or Root 2 Rise Yoga are not responsible for your expenses incurred in preparation for any canceled retreat, such as airline tickets, loss of work, and/or other costs associated with preparing for your trip. 

A $500 non-refundable deposit and completion of Traveler Info section secures your space on this retreat, pending full balance paid by March 15, 2018 and completion of Cancellation Policy Agreement and Liability Waiver forms via email.  The forms will be sent to you via email upon registration, along with your trip preparation list.

Watch a 1-minute interview with Stephen Duprey, who attended Costa Rica Retreat 2017, here.

Watch a 5-minute reflection by Janette Guzman, who shares her experiences about attending Costa Rica Retreat 2014, here.