The psyches and souls of women also have their own cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place.

- Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Running with the Wolves

Hello and warmest welcome here ❤️

Yay for considering a most delicious nourishing retreat for yourself!

I have been hosting a week-long retreat each winter, usually in February, for almost 10 years. It’s a great time to get warm, create some extra space for slowing down in winter time. In the astrological calendar, end of March is the New Year, when Spring comes, and winter time is a time for rest, replenishment, emptying out, beginning again with a fresh new start.  I feel so fortunate to continue to co-create these experiences of profound connection and renewal that emerges through this sacred, sweet, spacious time. I’m thrilled you’re considering this for yourself.

A glimpse of my retreat pillars, the guideposts of the retreat, and what you can expect:

• Experience wild + rugged BEAUTY that is southwest Nicaragua. Nicaragua on the whole is still very beautifully undeveloped, rich in biodiversity, and is home to some of the kindest people. The earth hums with vitality and raw beauty. 
• Reconnect to your body and a healthy RHYTHM. Start the day with morning silence (often a favorite time of day). We practice meditation at 7am, and from there move into a daily morning movement practice at 7:30am, with nourishing breakfast to follow. Late morning, head out for a surf, swim, chill time or adventure tour. Return back to the group for late afternoon practice or workshop, intentional communal dinners, and deep rest. (The whole day may sound a bit early, but when the sun sets at 6pm, you easily settle into a rhythm waking at dawn, sleeping at dusk.)
• Experience the wild BEAUTY that is YOU. Just by creating the time and space to be in wild nature, with time and space to unwind, and practices to reconnect all of us back to our essence, who we are outside of all of our roles and identities… the layers of busyness, figuring out, having to be someone.. fall away. We come a little closer to remembering childlike wonder, curiosity, and to the unencumbered, free souls we are! We create the space to unwind and listen to the whispers of your body and heart. 
• Self-honoring as you adventure. Permission to be in the practice of connecting with your body and your intuition and honoring yourself, at all levels. Choose your adventure day to day, plenty of free time, and within the structure of retreat. 
• Nourishing, powerful, playful and restorative movement.
• Morning Yoga Practice: The morning yoga practices offered will support all levels of practitioners. This is retreat is a soulful experience that seeks to deeply meet you where you are at in your body. Classes will alternate with all-levels yoga flow. On the alternating days, we will offer mindful strength and a slow foundations flow. We recommend using the retreat as inspiration to practice yoga at least twice a week leading up to this time.
• Afternoon practice: Yoga labs, dance and restorative yoga will be offered in the afternoon! Both are blissful practices, and an opportunity to shake it, set your soul free and dance! As well as alternating days to really rest and soak in restoration.
• Receive. Receive support and nourishment — from nature, from community, from yoga practice and us as your guides for the week. We create the space with enough structure and support so you can simply learn and experience. To truly allow ourselves to receive is such an important part of rejuvenating our feminine energy, vitality and creativity, and has been one of the ultimate teachings for me. 
• Radical love! To be held in radical love, warmth and kindness. The space we seek to provide on retreats is one where you can trust that you will feel welcome and celebrated exactly as you are. The 
• Beautiful community. To experience the kindness and support of community. While you will have plenty of your own time and space to do as you wish.. we share yoga, meals, and any other moments you choose together. The energy of feeling connected and seeing so much beauty around us — ultimately helps us remember ourselves and all we are.
• Soulful home away from home. 
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TEACHINGS ROOTED IN:

• Yoga + buddhist philosophy, and somatic experiencing. A holistic approach to sharing the philosophy, science and spiritual aspects the practice.
• Wholeness and healing. At the core of yoga philosophy is teaching that we are whole, perfect and complete, right now. Nothing we can “do” will change or improve upon that, it already is. At the same time, we are all healing. We live among so many societal, cultural, and often familial structures that don’t support our thriving. Sometimes we’ve undergone a great loss, or are in the midst of a big life transition. Wherever you are on the journey, you’re welcome.
• Cultivating the resource of wellbeing. Cultivating wellbeing is a foundational nervous system practice that is a big part of the healing and thriving journey. Noticing beauty, noticing small shifts in our perspective, and allowing ourselves to feel the satisfaction of a nourishing day, a yoga class we did our best in, or whatever we’re up to. So often we’re moving to fast to register how we’re really doing, and on retreat we practice taking in goodness.

We have lead about 15 retreats over the past 6 years, and every single time I arrive I am thank myself over and over again for carving out time and space for what really feels like a sacred ritual of taking a week each year to dedicate to daily practice, rest, room for spontaneous adventure, deeply nourishing food, movement, and of course beautiful community. If this retreat calls to you, I know you will find many gems here that serve you! 

RETREAT DETAILS:  

- Costa Dulce is a sanctuary nestled on the southern coast of Nicaragua, offering a unique blend of tranquility, adventure, and community. Here, the gentle whispers of the jungle and the soothing rhythm of the waves invite you to a journey of self-discovery and connection. Whether you’re drawn by the allure of the surf, the tranquility of yoga, or the promise of wellness, Costa Dulce is your gateway to an unforgettable experience. Alongside being an incredibly beautiful eco-resort, there are opportunities to participate in cultural experiences like Cacao rituals, salsa classes, temezcal ceremonies. Learn more about Costa Dulce here: https://www.costadulcebeach.com/

- Meals: Enjoy healthy fresh, organic, plant-based and gluten-free meals at Costa Dulce. Our food has consistently been one of our favorite features for guests, where most find our farm-to-table kitchen to be a highlight of their trip. La Dulce Cocina takes pride in serving you healthy and delicious local food. We pay extra attention to selecting locally grown fresh ingredients so our menu changes with the seasons.

We consider food to be a pillar of well being. Good food not only means that it’s deliciously kind to our taste buds, but also that it is good for our body, our planet and our communities. A true nourishment for ourselves and our surroundings. We understand how important individual dietary needs in order to feel good and that’s our main goal.

- Shared Rooms: Most people who join the retreat share a room with someone they haven't met yet! I consciously pair people based on my intuition and the information I receive from you. Sharing rooms is common on a retreat, and always works out beautifully. If for any reason your room situation doesn't work out, there is always another option we can work out for you.  

- Other retreat activities:

- Fishing and Catamaran tours

- Horseback riding on the beach

- Surf, boogie board, snorkel

- Jungle hikes (guided and on your own)

- Cultural connection with cacao ceremony, salsa classes, cooking classes on site.

- To book:  If this retreat is already feeling like an easy yes, great, jump on in! If you'd like to connect on the phone to see if it's a good fit for you, please email me at julianneyoga108@gmail.com  with a few times that work for you to connect. I love meeting people and connect on the possibility for you to join this special retreat, to see if it's a good fit, and without any pressure to join. 

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As a dedicated student of yoga for over a decade, I truly believe that nourishing ourselves nourishes all life. Investing time and energy back into ourselves is essential to remember we are not only here to be of service, but to know ourselves as divine and worthy of receiving as well. We will use the yogic philosophy of the 8 limbs of yoga as a foundational teaching of this retreat, and explore how we can use the limbs to experience the joy of the inner most self, and express that in our being.

Come join us! This retreat is a time for you to slow your roll.. to live in the present, be wonderfully pampered with delicious meals, transformative yoga, immersed in nature and open to all that possible for your life! Please feel free to reach out with any questions.   

With love, Julie