Mindfulness is for Everyone

There are many ways and many reasons to practice mindfulness and/or meditation.

Whether you already have a mindfulness practice and want to deepen your experience or you are new to the idea and want to discover and experience it, you are in the right place.

Mindfulness Masters

The wisdom of nature, the incredible sensing capacity of horses and the power of experience will enlighten and support you to tune in, discover or refine your own mindfulness practice, deepen your self-connection and create a sense of balance at a mind, body and spirit level. 

What makes this so unique?

Tula Vida is off-the-grid and surrounded by nature as far as the eye can see - like stepping back in time, everything feels simpler, nourishing and restorative, the ideal place to retreat.

And the horses are our zen masters. Read on to find out more...

Why do we need this kind of retreat?

Sometimes we feel worn out, overwhelmed or stuck amidst all the stress and distractions. Being mindful, more present or really relaxing can feel challenging. The routine or disconnection can take its toll and we get out of balance. 

Looking at it from a nervous system perspective, it makes sense as we are constantly operating on fight, flight or freeze, the busy brain takes over and we barely have a chance to rest, digest and let our body and mind recharge in peace. This is not sustainable.

Experience and Nature are the Best Teachers

The good news is that the horses and the natural world have the secrets of “going back to grazing” or “growing through” whatever comes up, living fully present, relaxed, alert and connected. And Costa Rica - with its vibrant, abundant delights for the senses all around - is the ideal place to learn.

Tula Vida Magic

Tula Vida is a 72-acre natural oasis, designed to bring everything back into balance just by being here. Expansive views, solid retreat spaces, vibrant nature, pure air and water, rainforest soundtracks, natural light and the presence of the horse herd all speak at a deep level to your whole system – supporting you to feel truly present, supported and alive. 

Horse and Nature Experiences

Sally Nilsson and Eric Kolesar have many years of experience facilitating experiences based on principles of mindfulness and connection, which offers both a deeply felt sense of what you are looking for, as well as the knowledge and tools to take home with you and recreate it.  

We include guided nature and horse experiences, breathing tools, mindful movement, coaching, play and fun, as well as space and support for your own reflection or practice time in beautiful spaces. 

With the Tula Vida horses as guides, you will get to know your own unique nervous system better and explore how to work with it (rather than against it) to create the state, feeling or energy that you want more of. The goal is not to control everything (control is an illusion). The practice is to build a flexible and resilient nervous system that can handle whatever happens - like the horses.

Other things the horses model and teach us:

-  Being rather than just Doing

-  Becoming truly present and mindful amidst distractions

-  Noticing and processing stress and discomfort

-  Emotional and social intelligence

-  Non-verbal communication

-  Cultivating presence and positive, inspiring energy

-  Belonging in the herd, connected and supported

Discover it for yourself - it is hard to put into words but when you feel it, it is transformational! 

A Sense of Home

Our guests often comment how quickly they feel like they belong here, with welcoming humans, animals and the land itself. 

Our rooms are designed as a retreat from the wilds of nature - calming, comfortable spaces where you can relax and rest well as you process your insights and connect deeper with yourself. Meals are healthy, delicious and made with love so your whole body feels nourished along the way.

We are here to support you.

Away from the sights and sounds of busy human life, we have created an oasis for both humans and horses. Every time we step onto the land we feel the power of the natural world to soothe, nourish and restore us. 

Tula Vida Ranch

Tula Vida Ranch is surrounded by 3 volcanos, an expansive sunset view and pristine rainforest, with rivers, springs and ponds - the horses roam freely in this stunning environment where you will find you can breathe more deeply and re-discover your flow.

Accommodation

Our rooms are beautiful and comfortable with a terrace and individual bathrooms.  

The Villas are double rooms with private bathrooms and a stunning terrace. The Horse Manor has private rooms with a shared kitchen/living area and a stunning terrace where the horses may come and join you for your morning coffee. 

Our communal lodge is where we share meals, practice yoga and is a safe, comfortable space to rest. 

Nourishment

Meals are home-cooked with love, using fresh local ingredients.  Our water comes from our abundant natural springs and we have air fresh from the trees to breathe - everything is designed to be in harmony with the surroundings and support your mind, body and spirit to rest, re-energise and renew.

Environment and Herd

We are 100% off-the-grid with our own solar power and fresh spring water living in harmony with nature while remaining a safe, comfortable human retreat. We even have good internet!

We have planted 1000s of trees and plants already, including a food forest and a nursery for endangered trees, to encourage the forest to regenerate and give wildlife corridors to pass through the neighbouring national parks.  It is a true sanctuary for all visitors, which includes shy tapirs, rare bell-birds and plenty of toucans, sloths and monkeys.

We spend a lot of time out on the stunning 72 acre property - with trails, rivers, waterfalls, valleys, primary rainforest and abundant wildlife - truly accessible nature.  

Tula Vida Foundation is a 501c charity registered in the US with a mission to rescue horses in Costa Rica and sponsor people to come for transformational horse experiences and retreats.

A visit to us supports not just yourself but also the natural environment, the rescue horses, the local community who work with us and people without the means to have these kind of experiences.