A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat, What’s Not To Love?
The sky ripped and roared. Lightening illuminated the sky and thunder shook the oceans. I was coming in on a ferry boat into a foreign land in the dark by myself. I have traveled solo quite a bit and I was no stranger to thunder storms. So I took in the rain and pondered what was awaiting me at my final destination. After all, I was in Costa Rica, a place of paradise, covering something I care tremendously for, yoga retreats.
In Cost Rica there is one Spanish lesson you need, Pura Vida. Hi= Pura Vida. How are you= Pura Vida. I am doing well= Pura Vida. The locals, or “ticos” joke about this, but really there is a lot of truth to this phrase that literally breaks down to Pure Life, and is virtually 
used as much as possible. That is the mentality of this gorgeous country; pure life. Barely the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica has so much to offer from culture to landscapes. The hospitality is unreal and the abundance of love and greenery is just as mind blowing. I couldn’t wait to join the Shakti Yoga retreat!
I was excited to dive in and as I arrived to the lush tropical retreat center on the ocean, I had butterflies of what to expect. Every yoga retreat is different and beautiful in their own special and unique way. I was joining in the last leg of this trip. It was the Shakti Power Yoga retreat. I walked in at the end of dinner and immediately felt at home. Warm beaming smiles, radiating hearts, and glowing yogis greeted me. I knew I arrived.
Long story short, the Shakti Yoga sisters, Lauren and Kelly, know how to lead a robust and fantastic retreat. They have been part of the True Nature family for sometime and their global adventures have evolved to an art. The community they bring with them from Nashville and the yogis from around the nation that join their retreats all reflect what Lauren and Kelly are all about, love.
They truly love what they do and it shines. The community they build during retreat is strong with acceptance, dedication, and a playful spirit. It was such a pleasure and honor to get to know these lovely ladies and explore what retreat means on the shores of Costa Rica.
To accurately account and share the entire retreat would need more than one blog space dedicated. Alas, this is one blog post, so I will do my best to share my top 3 things I love about going on retreat with the Shakti sisters and True Nature.
1. Karma Yoga Project: The heart and soul of True Nature is the act of giving back, or Karma Yoga. Sure you can travel and participate in eco tourism. But, it is another thing to dive in heads first, roll up those sleeves and immerse yourself into the culture. Paying particular attention to seeing what work needs to be done and then physically fulfilling that work on a micro level is such a lovely way to give back to the communities your visiting. Most True Nature yoga retreats include an aspect of this. For the Shakti Yoga retreat we participated in a school that serves elementary school children. We cleaned up yards, prepped gardens, taught yoga, played, laughed and learned.
2. Family: Family is more than just blood. It is the people you connect and share with. Every one of these beautiful ladies 
on retreat were so sweet, accommodating, and genuine. Deep and beautiful friendships were forged. Also, there was literal family on this trip; multiple groups of sisters and moms!!! Daily practicing, group meals, excursions, and service projects made relationships strong and vibrant. Being surrounded by this energy is an amazing boost of connection that I greatly appreciated. Lauren and Kelly did an amazing job fostering these relationships and allowed a space for new friendships to blossom, and past relationships to strengthen.
3. Adventure. You can not have a Costa Rica experience without adventure. Whether your four wheeling through dense jungles with howler monkeys guiding your way, trudging through rivers to experience a powerful waterfall, or being covered with saltwater from surfing in rolling waves right outside your room’ a Pura Vida experience is at your finger tips. During retreat, excursions are abundant and supported by local and knowledgeable guides. Not only will you know you will be safe and the outing will go smooth, but you will push your limits and experience something totally new. I am a strong believer that adventure wakes something up in all of us. One of my favorite experiences with the Shakti yoga group was four wheeling through rainforests to the close by town of Montezuma, a quaint rootsy coastal town. Delicious food, local goods, waves crashing, and speed on four wheels allowed a memorable experience.
I could go on and on about how wonderful this week is for yourself offering a chance for one to reconnect, serve, practice, and adventure on. The best way to experience it, is first hand. We would love to have you! The Shakti sisters are hosting a True Nature Italy retreat this fall with only a couple spots available! Be sure to check it out here and hope to see you global!
