We invite you to join us on a unique retreat that will explore your true self. You will be taken on a journey of transformation through the exploration of art and dance, yoga, qigong, healing circles, journaling and meditation.  

This is YOU time. Imagine a beautiful journey where your creative self unfolds at your own pace, and you will feel inspired and rejuvenated. You have the opportunity to move your body and express your feelings and essence through journaling, art work, connect with nature, rest and have fun with your fellow participants. 

 Outi Harma will be facilitating the visual art workshops with us. Originally from Lapland, Finland, Outi has been living and working as an artist/painter in Los Angeles for the last 30 years. Outi believes that everyone is born creative and that often we just need an encouragement and a safe container to let our creative expression to blossom and free our inner painter.

Outi loves to witness and guide people to the that doorway and step through. In her world the act of creation is sacred. It should be honored without judgment so we can find a freedom to explore unknown territories. Where we can find the golden treasures in the process of painting instead focusing in the our preconceived idea what the outcome should look like. 

Johanna Harmala is the creator and manager of Living Forest Lake Arenal Retreat center in Costa Rica. She is a certified Yoga teacher, Dance, Movement and Qigong Instructor, Occupational therapist, Reiki master, Interior Designer, Healing facilitator and a trouble maker :). 

She is passionate about transformation and the language of energy. In her movement and healing sessions she offers a loving space to create a deeper connection with the light; the life force energy with it's own universal intelligence. 

Apart from running the center and hosting retreats, Johanna offers weekly yoga and dance classes at Living Forest. She adores to live in this magical piece of land at Living Forest with her pets: a loving labrador called Nela and a cat with an attitude, called Tigre.

We both are very excited to collaborate on this journey with you all, bring it on!!!

 During our retreat you are in an energy field where you are supported. This loving energy can bring forth profound healing, insights and new shifts. In a supportive and nurturing environment we come together to experience…

· Ecstatic Dance: In a free-form dance we will have some guided warm ups and cooling down, but the rest of the time you get to follow your own energy and dance. There is no right or wrong way. You follow your own energy and let your body lead you in this sacred space.

· Healing circles: We will have two healing circles during our days enabling you to let go of what no longer serves you, and get into a greater alignment with yourself and the universe.

· Visual art:  There will be three workshops where you will be guided to explore and express through painting. No prior painting experience needed. This will be a safe and non-judgment space where we can emerge with the spirit of exploration without specific goal of an outcome. Outi will share her diffrent tips and techniques for painting to help you to dive into your creation and have fun.  All materials are included in the workshop price

Dance and art are fantastic ways to express creative energy. It’s natural to feel self conscious or become overly critical at times and this is part of the journey we are all taking together. How liberating it is when we find the freedom and joy of expression!

We don’t work to a strict schedule as we like to keep our days fluid. You can find an example of how our days will be in the itinerary section. In addition to planned activities, you will have lots of rest time, for example you can take a dip in the jungle river, read your book or take a nap in the hammocks, commune with the nature, and have nurturing conversations with others. 

We also have a fun excursion day prepared for you, included in the package. Visit a 500-year-old Ceiba tree, which was the inspiration for the Tree of life in the movie Avatar. Bliss out at the hot springs by the volcano. Enjoy a sunset dinner with gorgeous lake views. There is also a wealth of extra activity possibilities (at an additional cost) you might like to consider, such as a relaxing massage, horseback riding, waterfall hike or stand up paddle boarding. 

Living Forest is situated close to Lake Arenal. Your accommodation is provided at Living Forest lodge and River View Casita, with hot water and comfort surrounded by lush, pristine nature. Three delicious meals with locally sourced fresh ingredients are prepared for you daily (we can cater for special dietary requirements). 

We would love to have you join us on this transformational and fun freedom journey!

This ALL INCLUSIVE retreat includes:

• Lodging at Living Forest for 5 nights
• Transportation to and from Liberia airport (LIR). Please check out the pick up times prior to booking your flights
• Three nourishing meals daily prepared from locally sourced ingredients (gluten free and other options available)
• Morning and afternoon workshops with yoga, qigong, meditation, dance&movement, journaling, art work and healing circles
• All art materials for the art workshops
• Excursion: Visiting a 500 year old Ceiba tree, hot springs by volcano Arenal and a sun set dinner at a restaurant with beautiful lake views
• The use of beautiful Living Forest’s property, where you can enjoy the jungle river, relax in the hammock, catch a glimpse of toucans, to enjoy the howler monkeys on the river side trees

Only things that are NOT INCLUDED are your air fare, travel insurance and little cash, if you like to purchase some extra tours/services/snacks/souvenirs.

Please fly to Liberia (LIR), officially named Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport.  We are just 1.5 hour drive from the airport. Please be sure when you are booking your flights, that the arrival to Liberia is before 2pm.  If you prefer to travel later, we can help you, but the transport to the retreat location is at your own cost. 

 There will be a group airport pick up at 2 -3pm at Liberia Airport the arrival day ? March, 2020. We will confirm the exact time closer to the time.

 The driver can stop in a store on your way to Lake Arenal, so you have a chance to buy some snacks etc if you like.  At Living Forest we will have a Welcome Dinner at 6pm. 

On DEPARTURE day March ?th our program finishes late morning. Pick up to the airport leaves at 11am at Living Forest .  You can catch any flights homewards from 3pm onwards. 

 You might like to explore by yourself some other areas of Costa Rica before or after our retreat. Some retreat participants like to head to the Pacific coast for some fun in the sun.  Please feel free to ask us for recommendations or anything else we can help you with. 

Prior your trip we will send you a Packing List and some other useful information about traveling in Costa Rica. Keep it simple; casual summer cloths with some long sleeves for early mornings/evenings.  Bring a notebook for journaling!

Payment:

A deposit of $500 reserves your trip.

Early-Bird payments are due by January 1st, 2020

Regular payments are due by February February 15th, 2020

If you would like a slightly different payment plan, please write to us.

Cancellation policy:

Deposits are non-refundable.

Payments more than 90 days from the retreat: 50% refundable

Payments less than 90 days from the retreat: Non-refundable

Video from Living Forest:  https://vimeo.com/128820733

www.livingforestlakearenal.com

www.facebook.com/LivingForest.LakeArenalRetreatCenter

https://www.instagram.com/livingforestcr/

Check out Artist Outi Harma's beautiful work at: 

outiart.com

outiart.etsy.com

facebook.com/outiart/

instagram.com/outiart/

Testimonials: 

“Nestled by a river and jungle, Living Forest is one of the most grounding and rejuvenating places-mother nature abounds...i love the yoga classes taught by Johanna and the other myriad of workshops that she continues to offer. Truly a wonderful experience!”

- Ginny Lamont -

“The Transformation, Creativity, Life” retreat February 2019 with Johanna Harmala was profoundly powerful and healing for me. Johanna was such a strong, yet humble, and beautiful leader for us. The content, the setting, the food, the yoga- everything was woven together so intentionally, yet with a relaxed freedom to allow for the retreat to manifest organically. It felt like an effortless dance between lightness and play, and some deeper spiritual work- both of which were so healing and valuable. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to grow, play, heal and learn.

- Jacklyn Mucaria, yoga teacher -

“The birthday gift I gave to myself could not have been more perfect!  I spent five days with my husband at Living Forest at a retreat Feb 2019 doing everything I love: yoga, dance, meditation and art.  As they say the icing on the cake on my birthday was having everyone at the retreat do hands on and send me such love which I still feel today! The retreat was to rejuvenate...I am rejuvenated and ready for what comes next. Thank you Johanna for making me feel so special! Your place will always hold a special place in my heart!”

- Wendy Scroder -

“Just Being at Living Forest brings me totally in tune with feeling a heightened awareness of what it is to be alive and at one with Nature. Hidden in a lush green rainforest jungle, surrounded by the sounds of a rushing river, tropical birds calls (and colors!) plus families of monkeys occasionally traveling through, Living Forest is absolutely one of the most magical places I've been. Johanna makes it all come true with her Joyousness, laughter, and Love. She is a dazzling Lightning Bug of the universe and following her path brings a great sense of peace and joy. That's why I am devoted to her yoga class, where I can experience not only the practice but her divine presence as well. She effortlessly extends a sense of warmth, well-being, and did I mention, joy? it just overflows, like the riverbank after a hard rain. Multi-talented, she embraces many ways to create connection, through dance, music, art, yoga, and her abilities as an accomplished practitioner of such healing arts as cellular memory release. Obviously, I can't say enough! I have received great healing under her guidance and my life has been deeply enriched by her presence.”

- Annie Welch - 

“Johanna Harmala is a very wise soul. I have observed her Sadhana (spiritual commitment & practice) for decades now & been lucky enough to be a recipient of her healing many times. She has spent her life exploring movement & the body & teaches what it really means to feel & attune to the intelligence of the body. There are not many teachers with the depths that she has explored. She can help you change your life. “ 

- Cathy Pearson Yoga Teacher Trainer-Ireland & Bali -