On this particular evening, after an exhilarating zip lining adventure through the cloud bridge canopy, we concluded the day with a mental excursion as I guided the group through a visualization to find our spirit animals. We then feasted on yet another exquisite Rio Chirripo meal topped off with an avocado mousse who’s decadence can’t seem to be replicated. As I walked down to my casita, the dream inducing River Room, I was entranced by how the geometric stone steps nearly felt soft as the night chill crept into my bare feet.
I know this path, this side of the mountain, so well, that the darkness no longer intimated and the nocturnal mountain animal sounds were a welcome lullaby. Nearing my lodging I reminisced of the day’s events and the camaraderie of the group. I contemplated the growth I witnessed in each participant and I was grateful for my own personal break throughs.
My mind was quickly put on pause as I felt the atmosphere around me shift. I was getting closer to the raging river and a gentle mist like fog had surrounded me. I was now in the pool area that was lit by tiny fairy lights which made the fog feel even more enchanting. This place, this retreat, these people, the staff, this gift of my life, it all just filled me in that moment and I felt nearly breathless.
There are places on this earth, in our minds and in our hearts that are so special, so magical they can make us feel like we are transported to an other worldly dimension. Rio Chirripo is one of those places.
I can mention many other moments when mother earth’s power, in that particular, place, Rio Chirripo, while I’m guiding these retreats, reminds me that I am a child of this divine loving universe. When I am meditating in the mornings by the River, the feeling of oneness is so easy to focus on that I can easily recall that feeling nearly any other time I want to access the sensation of union and divinity. I think the term the Costa Rican people frequently use, Pura Vida, pure life, is an accurate description of the energy that is felt and can be sustained after experiencing a Soul Quest Retreat at Rio Chirripo Lodge in Costa Rica.
Honestly, this is no exaggeration. I know every participant I’ve taken on these retreats feels the same. If you feel the call, to deepen your connection to yourself, mother earth and learn tools for developing inner harmony that you can utilize in your daily life, then travel with me, to the land of Pura Vida.