True Nature Travels Blog

Summer Sangha Retreat with Karina Ayn Mirsky & Friends

426638_2774069488134_1808831123_nThe True Nature Community extends beyond the retreats we host in Costa Rica.  Our family or sangha reaches right into the heart of the teachers we connect with and supporting them at home, in their local studios and the students and communities they serve on a daily basis.

Karina Ayn Mirsky is more than family to True Nature.  She is our sister, teacher and friend.  We have worked, taught and served alongside her for over ten years – in Costa Rica and at home.  This summer she is bringing teaching a retreat at the Himalayan Yoga Institute to rejuvenate, inspire and uplift while in the company of other dedicated yogis.

580617_10201475583745110_1470843495_nShe is bringing together a group of bright beings to teach along with her during this retreat. True Nature co-founder Kristin Luna Ray will life voices and hearts with chant and kirtan during the immersion.  The spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Rajmani Tigunat, PhD is also a special guest presenter.

Dates for the retreat are August 6th-10th.  More details about how to register and accommodations at the institute here.

ALSO! Check out Karina’s 2015 Retreat Information with True Nature in Costa Rica! We are so grateful for our connection with this amazing teacher and human being.

 

479910_10151044555750812_1405883343_nKarina Mirsky is a certified ParaYoga teacher and the director of Sangha Yoga in Kalamazoo, MI. She holds a master’s degree in East/West Psychology and is an adjunct professor of Yoga Studies at Antioch University Midwest. Karina draws on her experience as a performance artist, massage therapist, and cancer survivor to convey yoga as a therapeutic science and catalyst for personal transformation. In the March 2008 issue of Yoga Journal, she was featured as one of 21 teachers under the age of 40 shaping the future of yoga in America. Karina hosts teacher trainings and conducts private practice at Sangha Yoga, leads seminars in the USA and Canada, and holds annual retreats in Costa Rica.

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Check out Luna’s music video for Sita Ram on the True Nature Youtube Channel!

True Nature Travels Blog

A Day in the Life at a True Nature Retreat

Have you every wondered just what a day on a yoga retreat looks like?  What exactly will you be doing from the moment you open your eyes until you hit the pillow to go to sleep?  Welcome to your “virtual” day in the life at a True Nature Retreat. Take a deep breath and enjoy…

cr2010-20065:30am – Good Morning!! Be prepared to rise with the sun in Costa Rica.  And if the sun doesn’t lure you out of bed, then the sounds of the jungle or the neighbors roosters just might!

5:45am – Morning meditation or time to journal and reflect.  The symphony of the world waking up around you combined with the stillness of this auspicious time of day is a perfect combination and reason to pack your meditation cushion.

6:15am – Tea time!  Many of the retreat centers in our portfolio of offerings will have tea, coffee and juice out for attendees by 6am.  It’s a nice opportunity to connect your community or maybe continue your meditation and enjoy your morning cuppa in silence.

sound of silence7:00-9:00am – Morning session with your retreat leader.  You can feel every hair on your body standing up with pure joy as you tuck your yoga mat under your arm and walk to the yoga deck to do what you came here to do.  Practice yoga in the exquisite and breathtaking settings that Costa Rica has to offer.  We guarantee this is nothing less than a magical feeling!

9:30am – BREAKFAST!!  Enjoying the fresh, whole foods that our retreat centers offer will definitely be one of the highlights of your experience.  By the end of the week – after eating mostly raw, organic and at some locations – right off the farm where you are staying – you will feel energized, lighter and ready to clean out your fridge when you get home!

10:00am-12:30pm – Free time – Relax at the beach, by the pool, take a nap in a nearby hammock, chat with new friends or all of the above.   We encourage all of our retreat leaders to schedule plenty of free time for their students as this is when you are able to really process and begin integrating the transformation that is taking place!

lunas-dahl1:00pm – LUNCH – Fresh squeezed fruit juices, brightly colored greens and lots of opportunities to try out Costa Rican typical dishes like rice and beans.

2:00-4:00pm – Excursions and Service Projects!  Perhaps you have always dreamed of horseback riding along the beach or zip lining through the rain forest.  Our service initiatives partner our retreats with sustainable community projects in rural villages throughout Costa Rica.

4:00-6:00pm – Relaxing evening yoga, meditation session with your retreat leader to wind down and process the days activities.

Village-Rep-Lindsay-Padilla6:oopm – DINNER – Enjoy the community and bonding by sitting around a table and enjoying a meal together.

7:00-9:00pm – Free time or perhaps an evening sat sang, lecture or kirtan.

9:30pm – Lights out!

Are you interested in hearing about our schedule of events and retreat? Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to the True Nature Community!

True Nature Travels Blog

David Newman (Durga Das) Reflects on True Nature Experience {VIDEO}

“I know how much comes together to put a retreat on. It’s such a joy to work with Joshua, Luna and True Nature Education. They took care of everything and made the whole process easy so we could focus on what we enjoy doing most. We are really happy and hope to be back soon.”

~ David Newman (Durga Das)

Screen Shot 2014-03-27 at 8.42.19 AMKirtan Artist, David Newman (Durga Das) co-created a retreat with True Nature Educations co-foudners, Kristen Luna Ray and Joshua Canter this past January.  We were so honored to share this sacred time with David, his wife Mira and their daughter, Tulsi (who is the same age as Josh and Luna’s daughter, Jaya).

1545864_10151860138775812_1497835783_nDavid has been compared to George Harrison, Paul Simon and Dylan when they are in their “soul” mode by LA Yoga Magazine.  He is at the forefront of bringing the kirtan community together through he and Mira’s “Stay Strong” project, creating a global message that shows the community coming together through music, song, and prayer, to unite and uplift people and strengthen their ability to help in times of need.  100% of proceeds from their efforts are donated to Global Green USA.  Check out his Stay Strong music video featuring some of the leading kirtan artists today including Jai Uttal, Krishna Das and Radhanath Swami.

Hear more about what David has to share about his experience with True Nature Education on our You Tube Channel.

1618690_10151860137970812_342940989_nAlso, to read more about what our first family retreat together was like, read Joshua’s reflections on being in community with David and his family.

True Nature Travels Blog

Want to Lead a Yoga Retreat? The One Thing You Must Do

Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica“That could be me….”

We think we can speak for just about everyone who has ever signed up for a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course when we say that everyone, at one point or another(or hundreds of times!) has looked longingly at the image of a beautiful yogi practicing along the beach at a beautiful, tropical location.  We have all dreamed of one day, just maybe with enough intention and support, that could be us, leading a yoga retreat while overlooking fiery sunsets and the cascading waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Yoga retreat, Costa Rica

 

“That could be me….” zip lining through the jungle, sipping the refreshing juice right out of a coconut, hiking to a magnificent waterfall, creating space and community for profound transformation for our students, and of course, ourselves.

When teachers come to us with their own unique dream of teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica they want to know how they can make it happen.  What are the right things to do, to say.  How many students do they need?  How will they get from place to place?  How much will it cost? When is the best time of year to go?  Got a question about teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica? We have the answer.  And, after years and years of leading successful retreats, we have narrowed down the one thing that is absolutely essential to do if your dream is to lead a yoga retreat in this beautiful, tropical paradise.

Yoga Retreat in Costa RicaENVISION YOUR RETREAT!

Yep!  Start smelling the flowers, in your mind, right now!  Feel the waterfall beating down on your back giving you the best natural massage you have ever had. Hear the howler monkeys giving you and your students a 5am wake up call.

See the smiling, relaxed and restored faces of your students as you hold a loving space for them to unwind from their plugged in lives at home.  Taste the succulent mango, the ripe papaya. Feel yourself in meditation at sunset, in deep gratitude for your journey that has led you to right here, right now.

We take great care to customize each  program.  We will work with you to help you manifest your unique vision, offer our experienced guidance, support and wisdom along the way.   Make time everyday to actually see yourself at your retreat and engage all five senses in your visualization.

Not a bad way to begin manifesting your dream!

Yoga Retreat Costa RicaBe a part of our 2015 True Nature Teaching Team! We are looking for amazing yoga teachers to connect and collaborate with that are passionate about providing transformational experiences for their students.  Read more about teaching with us here.

 

True Nature Travels Blog

Mind|Body|Fitness Yoga Retreat – Ready. Set. TRANSFORM!

“The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.”

~ Barbara Deangelis

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photos courtesy of mind | body | fitness

Andrea Dyer and her band of merry yogis dove right into their Annual Costa Rica Experience yoga retreat! From crossing items off bucket lists to sunrise yoga and full moons, the first few days of their journey together warmed up to become their home for the week quite nicely.

Andrea’s passion for adventure has led her to guide her second retreat in Costa Rica with us.  Andrea shares her experience leading a retreat with our experienced staff in this video here.

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Andrea packed a week of daily yoga, meditation, stand up paddle boards, waterfall hikes, visits to the hot springs and plenty of personal time for her students to enjoy.  It’s in that individual space, whether you are taking in the sunset or listening to the symphony of sounds in the jungle that true transformation really takes place.

And, of course it is in clinking coconuts and building community that

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True Nature Travels Blog

Mindful Travel: The Journey of Awakening

998cbfc255a3e88b0a7c45dd05152825For many of us, international travel has become a homogenized, sterile experience and, for the host country, a consumptive, offensive one. We need a new model for travel — a model that allows for discovery and mutual interaction with others at a heartful level. This new model of travel could be called, “Mindful Travel.”

Mindful travel is about being alive in the moment — being wide-awake — being present to what life puts in our path. It does not involve elaborate itineraries, lists of tourist sites, high-rise hotels or pre-fabricated tours. When we become a mindful traveler, we invite events and experiences to appear at their own time and in their own way. We enjoy making plans but we are always open to new opportunities. We allow for surprises and new friends.

When we are mindful, we are aware of choices and opportunities as they present themselves. We open up to new experiences and to doing old things in new ways.

f1b85aa44f6487855266b083c6d08069This is the essence of mindful travel — observation and participation. Mindful travel is spontaneous. Because the journey is one of unfolding moment by moment, we remain fully present and come to see more clearly. This can lead to an acute observation of both ourselves and others. We see with new eyes and learn to appreciate both others and ourselves in a fresh way. We experience each new world as if for the first time.

Mindful travelers thrive on what is happening in the moment and choose actions within that context. Synchronicity occurs, and we encounter the right person and new experiences we might never have had. Mindful travel encourages us to question assumptions that can be obstacles to mindful travel. Some more common assumptions are.

5e0240289dd2421096d82163cbdf16baAre we alive to where we are, and not talking about some other place or somebody else?

How are we affecting the people around us and the environment?

How can we use travel to positively impact the world?

(adapted from www.peacefulworldtravel.org)

Are you ready to begin a new journey?  Book your next trip with True Nature Education – find out how right here.

True Nature Travels Blog

Making Every Moment Count

3acc086f1a4d1e767e6ca195aa5bf9a8It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle of life, the speed of the Facebook feed, the limited hours in the day and the dreams and opportunities that we sometimes feel are passing us by.  The amount of energy that we spend “thinking about being caught up” is staggering when you actually take a moment to reflect on it.

 

 

 

How much time have you spent lately worrying about something or replaying a negative story in your head?

A lot, huh? What if you took all of those moment you spent worrying and put that energy towards cultivating more presence and awareness in your life?  Or better yet, building on a dream, imagining, spending time with loved ones, letting someone know how grateful you are for them. Yes, life CAN feel and be overwhelming sometimes, but it’s truly in those moments that we have the opportunity to step back into presence.

Wait, what?  When we feel disconnected from living fully – THAT is when we need to step back into it?  YES!  When we notice ourselves getting wound up in a story or pattern, that is the perfect moment to notice and bring yourself back to your center.  To remember your true nature is one of love, pure being and you are whole and perfect in this moment.

This powerful practice can change your life because no matter where we are on the path, there will always be countless moments throughout your day when you have the opportunity to notice yourself disconnected from presence.  Moment by moment you begin to recognize that each one counts.

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It’s a gradual process, one that takes practice, patience and the willingness to keep coming back, day by day; moment by moment.

Here are some thoughts to support you in calling this practice into your life.

Befriend your habits (the good, the bad and the ugly)

Recognizing that your habits, patterns and beliefs are all truly a part of the wonderfully already perfect you is an important first step.  We will always have obstacles (inner and outer) in our lives so approaching them like a “friend in need” with compassion, empathy and forgiveness is a good approach.  Hey, everybody worries sometimes.

Let your “bad” habit jumpstart a positive one

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True Nature Travels Blog

Six Ways to Make Your Yoga Retreat Unforgettable

Leading your own yoga retreat is a dream just about every yoga teacher has had at one time or another in their “yoga career.”  If you live in the virtual world of yoga, its difficult not to find dozens of images crossing your computer screen each day of breathtaking beaches and stunning landscapes dotted with peaceful yogis mastering an amazing pose or resting blissfully in savasana.  If you have ever thought to yourself, “That could be me teaching that class…”  read on.  Here are six ways to create an unforgettable yoga retreat experience for your students.

20120315023736-ff67b1241. Set clear intentions and goals

As much as you want to offer an unforgettable experience for your students, you are also about to embark on a life changing journey leading a yoga retreat in a foreign country.  Create clear intentions, goals, timelines for your self right at the start and this will help to ensure you are on track. Intentions and goals can include how many students you need/would like to sign up for your retreat, cultivating the focus for what you want to teach during the retreat, what kind of outside activities you would like to offer your group, etc.  From manifesting the over arching “vibe”of your retreat from the day you say go, to knowing all of the details inside and out, this will help to grow confidence and faith in yourself as you set out in the unknown and the more confidence and faith you have in yourself, the more your students will have in you as their guide.

2. Make sure the logistics of the trip are effortless and easy

There is nothing worse than traveling to a different country with a different language, customs, etc. and not have the logistics of your trip organized with every i dotted and t crossed.  Planning for scenarios A, B & C is often necessary, as there are times events don’t always unfold as planned.  Make sure you have the support you need up front.  Organizing your trip with an experienced travel company is important as they have the know-how to predict what could shift during your retreat and how best to put plans in place to keep space you are creating as contained as possible.

cr2010-15793. Add an element of service to your trip

We have led, supported and helped to organize hundreds of retreats over the last ten years.  No matter how much energy and effort a teacher puts into creating an amazing experience for their students, when they incorporate the element of service into the retreat, the students always go away with that time being one of the main highlights of their journey.  Creating a space for your students and yourself to be able to “give back” to the land and people is always a win/win.  Do it.

4.  Make sure to schedule plenty of “downtime” for your students and yourself!

When we say “downtime” we don’t mean mediations led by you. We mean “nothing on the schedule” downtime where everyone has an opportunity to soak in the experience they are having.  And, almost always, you as the teacher will have some logistics to handle, so this ensures that you can take care of business and have plenty of time to swing in a hammock as well.

6325. Immerse yourself in the community aspect of the retreat

Strong bonds and friendships will be formed on your retreat.  Your students are having a “once in a lifetime” experience.  Even in a weeks time, you will find that there is a unique community amongst your group.  Making sure you are not tied up with too much logistics or too packed a schedule (see #4) will help to make sure that when you are not teaching or leading the group, you can just enjoy the experience with them as well.  Teachers sometime feel like they need to remove themselves from their students if they are not leading a class.  Immersing yourself in the sweet moments of the trip that happen “off the mat” will foster deepened teacher/student relationships as well as allow your students to see you being relaxed and, well, just you as you are (without your teacher hat on).

trentrojbeach6. On the eve of your adventure, be ready to let go and go with the flow

You have planned everything perfectly, your timeline looks great, you have plenty of downtime scheduled, playlists are made, your surfing lessons are scheduled and tomorrow you board the plane to lead your first yoga retreat.  (GO YOU!).  Take a deep breath and be willing to let it all go.  All of this experience is part of your own path as a lifelong student.  It is inevitable that, as with life, there will be things that do not go exactly to plan.  Be ready to go with the flow, be open minded and just have fun!

Teach for us!  We are currently booking for our 2015 Retreat Season and would love to help you make your dream come true of leading a yoga retreat in beautiful Costa Rica!  Check out how it works HERE.

True Nature Travels Blog

On Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica with MBFYoga: Go to the Edge

IMG_20140320_123854On yoga retreat in Costa Rica Andrea Dyer of mind|body|fitness|yoga is blogging “from the road.” The group moves from Santa Teresa on the beach at Hotel Tropico Latino, to the rainforest surrounding Finca Luna Nueva Lodge today:

Blue skies, sunshine and palm trees – Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, has invited us out to play. Everyone is here for different reasons – some came with a list of challenging things to cross off bucket lists; some came to have a soothing, relaxing vacation; come came to rekindle their love of the sea, surfing and Costa Rica.

IMG_20140320_124956Some came to deepen their yoga practice and some came to get a start for their yoga practices. With yoga and meditation in the early mornings and the late afternoons, our days were filled with expansion into Santa Teresa offerings.

We started the first day with Yoga on the Beach and Surfing.  By afternoon, we were on to spa treatments, horseback riding and Stand Up Paddle boarding. So much filling our days, but here are some highlights: Fulfilled bucket list items for Leslie (celebrating her birthday this week) – Yoga on the beach and surfing. Surfing was a huge hit for the surfers amongst us. Great guidance from champion surfers.

IMG_20140320_124253Spa treatments with the sound of waves crashing on the beach – so soothing and helpful for getting the kinks out. Stand Up Paddle Boarding with the Costa Rica SUP Champion, Edith Garcia – the water was rough, but

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True Nature Travels Blog

The Sound of Silence

IMG_20140318_110042In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.

~Mahatma Gandhi

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True Nature Retreat Leader, Jessica Caplan is taking her students on a retreat for the soul this week with her journey into Space, Sound and Silence. The setting for an intimate retreat like this could not be more perfect than at La Cusinga Eco-Lodge and Retreat Center in Uvita, Costa Rica.  Tucked away in a private reserve of over 600 acres, this rainforest lodge provides guests with sweeping ocean views, sandy beaches, natural pools, and the chance to experience the burgeoning forests and astonishing wildlife of the country’s most famous ecosystem.

IMG_20140318_110707Jessica’s passion for music and meditation will infuse each day with a harmonious balance of inner stillness and how to dance to the beat of our own unique drum.   We look forward to sharing more of her dreamy images with you as she and her students continue their journey together.

If you are a yoga teacher and interested in talking with one of our True Nature Guides about hosting your own retreat read up on what is entailed and get in touch with us! 

Coming up in our 2014 Season! There is still time to sign up!

June 7-14, 2014
Jungle Love! A Costa Rica Yoga Experience
with Missy Balsam

July 21-28, 2014
Shakti Power Yoga Costa Rica Retreat
with Lauren Farina and Kelly Farina Carter

View our entire calendar of retreats here.

 

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