Playa Hermosa, COSTA RICA
November 2023
An agenda based on mindfulness activities to bring you back to the peaceful present moment to reset and refresh your mental and physical health as you tune into the rhythms of nature all around you.
Lighten Up! Retreat in Costa Rica is right on the beautiful Playa Hermosa in Guanascaste. Playa Hermosa, which in Spanish means “beautiful beach”, is only 25 minute drive from Liberia Airport.
Its warm calm Pacific waters are perfect for swimming year ’round. Playa Hermosa is a unique location in that it is secluded and tranquil, yet just minutes from great dining and other attractions.
Costa Rica is famous for their clean drinking water, friendly locals and abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Lighten up your mind and body like never before. You are worth it!
“A breath of fresh air… Literally! The Costa Rica Retreat exceeded my expectations, from beginning to end. If becoming more present, relaxed, and commited to self-improvement appeals to you, consider making an investment in yourself and the Lighten Up Retreat. Thoroughly professional staff, knowledgeable and 100% committed to wellness and the participant’s well-being, I highly endorse this “outside-of-the-box” experience.”
Graden Travis
Reconnect with nature in this tropical, balmy, ocean paradise
Nature is our most powerful medicine. It is our home, and our nourishment.
Prepare for a personal connection to the wildlife wonders that are a part of everyday life in Playa Hermosa. Bathe in the green of the jungle, walk with the sentient beings we share this planet with. Wake to the chattering family of Howler Monkeys swinging above!
Accommodations
Enjoy deep healing sleep to the sound of the waves in a boutique hotel located on pristine Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. Wake to the calls from the howler monkeys as you connect with nature and join in with Bud’s morning Tai Chi on the soft sand only a few steps from your room.
Beautiful, clean and well maintained room at the El Velero Hotel. Each room (king or 2 queens) is equipped with modern air conditioning units, refrigerators, microwaves and Wi-Fi access.
Sample Day at Lighten Up!
7:00am – Healthy Breakfast (Included)
8:30am – Opening Circle & Mindful Yoga on Deck
10:00am – Snorkeling/Fishing boat pick up on the beach
12:30pm – Healthy lunch at our hotel (included)
1:30pm – Beach time/book a massage/nap/journal
4:30pm – Visualize to Materialize Meditation with Kathryn
6:00pm – Your choice dinner
7:30pm – Movement with Priscila
Fun is definitely on the agenda!
You have entered a stress-free zone of flexibility and freedom. We encourage light heartedness and respect your choices during your trip. There are no restrictions or expectations about participation.
We are here to help you achieve your deepest level of peace and joy.
Follow your bliss!!
Did you know that our retreat in Costa Rica is in one of the 5 unique Blue Zones of the world?
A Blue Zone is an area where residents enjoy an extraordinarily long, healthy lifespan. Locals often live to be over 100 years of age. Costa Rica has a lifestyle dedicated to happiness and healthiness. It is even home to the United Nations University for Peace.
A common greeting in Costa Rica is pura vida, meaning “pure life”. The country is very proud of the cleanest drinking water in the world that is also rich in natural minerals, and organic fruit may play a part in making this place a longevity hotspot. Add some time to your one precious life. Who knows how many years we can add from one amazing week soaking up the high vibration energy of Costa Rica, turning back the clock with relaxation and mindful, healthy living tips you can bring home that last a lifetime.
Some of our Testimonials
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what some of our past travelers have said about our Lighten Up! Retreats.
“The Lighten Up Retreat was wonderful. There were a lot of first. This was my first time in Costa Rica meeting a new group of people, my first time to teaching both Yin Yoga/Asana and Taiji (Mu-i and Yang 24) at a single retreat, my first Book review and signing as well as my first time teaching Aqua-Taiji (Float) to a select group of people willing to trust, explore, let go, as they experience the essence, magic and transformative process of Taiji. As we “moved and healed together in Unity”. I’d like to thank Lighten Up Retreat for inviting me to this wonderful opportunity and beautiful/intimate retreat to teach, examine, and relax.”
Zochi Young
“Kathryn Remati is the most genuine, empathetic and compassionate person I have ever met. She took the time to get to know each and every person on her retreat. I was amazed with how she found the right approach to communicate and guide each and every individual in their own unique way that would best serve them. Her meditations were always fantastic, of course. But it was the light and easy flow of how she approached every day that really allowed me to drop all expectations and thinking about the future. The entire experience was incredible and everyone that attended left feeling fulfilled and light. I can’t wait to go to the next one!”
Derek Skol
“One of the hardest aspects of the pandemic for me has been the loss of personal contact, events to share, and adventures to anticipate. This loss had left me feeling isolated, and my increasing discouragement led me to finally accept the reality that I had to do something dramatic to bring back my joy in living. I found this return to joy in Kathryn and Bud’s Lighten Up Retreat. What a gift they gave all of us. What a gift to spend a week on a beautiful beach in Costa Rica, sharing meditation, tai-chi, and other transformational activities with a group of wonderful new friends. The location was superb and the meals delicious, and our time together filled a void that I had been deeply missing since the pandemic started. We sang, danced, swam in the clear waters, kayaked the bay, watched exotic wildlife, and shared meals both at our home base and in restaurants along the beach. Best of all, I got to know a group of very special news friends. Thank you for your skills in organizing an exceptional event. One that not only brightened my time in Costa Rica, but also gave me new skills and renewed energy to move ahead with creating a better time ahead.”
Bruce Miller
Your Trained Facilitators
Kathryn Remati
You may have met her on the Insight Timer meditation app or at the Sedona Yoga Festival or attended a Kaiser Permanente class for stress, sleep, weight or wellness. Kathryn is a Health Educator, certified meditation instructor and creator of the Tranquil Me meditation app. Ms. Remati’s voice is a gift that leads even the most anxious to inner peace. She will help you find the perfect type of meditation for you and your lifestyle.
Priscila Soares
Graduated in Art Education and Motion Picture, Priscila is an artist of many mediums. Her mission is to help people get in touch with their own essence through art. Her creative work involves sculptures, paintings, jewelry making, photography, video, design, meditation practices, breath work, music, movement and more. Priscila has a studio in a collective at the Mare Island Art Studios in Vallejo and has been featured in many blog articles, magazines and even on NBC News. You will find that her creativity classes will help you learn more about your Self and you will gain new tools to achieve what you want to manifest in your life.
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