Restorative Tools and Yoga
When we have to tools to get ourselves back into balance, life looks and feels much easier, with more peace, contentment and feelings of freedom.
On this retreat, we will teach you a variety of tools to pause, relax, re-energise and restore yourself, as well as connecting mind, body and breath in yoga practice with Eric Kolesar. You will explore ways to find balance in your daily life with a 1-to-1 life coaching session with Sally Nilsson. And of course we will also have some experiences with the Tula Vida horses!
Retreats can be a fantastic way to reset the system and top up the well of energy. However, often this all gets turned upside down again when we get home to the daily routine and stress triggers. This week will be focussed on practical and do-able ways to keep bringing yourself back, again and again, to that place of balance – creating habits, practices, ideas and a whole tool-kit of ways to support yourself in your daily life.
This restorative and re-energising retreat takes place in vibrant nature, with our horses supporting the experience, for a multi-sensory balancing of your system and a plan for the mind to take home and put into practice.
Give your mind the tools it needs, as your soul settles and your body gets back its flow
Tula Vida horses understand the importance of movement, breathing, connection and flow – this is how they have survived as a species on ever-changing earth for 56 million years! Let them model this practice of creating internal and external balance, resetting after stress and finding or creating enjoyment and peace in each moment.
In this restorative yet energising workshop you will practice energising and balancing yoga and tools for restoring your own sense of wellness, as well as learning from and playing with our extraordinary horses in their home - the spacious and vibrant green fields, rivers and rainforest near the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Take home a sense of balance, joyful experiences and ideas on how to re-introduce this to your daily life.
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Cherish and nourish your body with yoga, mindful movement, pure clean air, spring water, healthy food, gentle movement designed to get your body flowing, beautiful natural surroundings, restorative wood-fire sauna and healing massage.
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Engage your mind with tangible take-home tools to restore your sense of well-being, release stress and be supported in a life coaching session to create a plan to take this feeling back into your own life.
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Explore connection with the horses, sensitive beings who can process and accept emotions, release stress as it arises and live in a natural way – when we support ourselves to do so, we are able to do this too.
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Feel your energy expand and your soul sing as you release and detoxify the mind and body and immerse yourself in the positive, fulfilling, heart-based work of the horses and the natural world.
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Join us and become part of the herd, feeling safe and accepted, free to explore and find your own place and balance.
Our mission is to provide a deeper connection with self, through horses, nature and experience.
RETREAT DETAILS
Date: Arrival 4 July, Departure 10 July 2022
(ask us if you would like to extend your stay or go to the beach afterwards)
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Limited to 10 Participants to ensure a personal experience for each of you.
What’s included:
We want to look after you during your stay so you don’t have to worry about any of the details or extra costs – it’s all included and arranged for you, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy a multi-sensory experience, with the following highlights:
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6 nights in a charming local guesthouse
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All meals – delicious homecooked, farm fresh meals or meals out in stunning lake view restaurants
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All transport to and from activities
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Daily yoga/mindful movement (all levels welcome)
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Mindfulness, breathing and restorative tools – learning, practice & materials
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90-minute relaxing massage
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Tula Vida horse experience – includes all facilitation, materials & equipment
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1-to-1 professional life coaching session to support finding balance in daily life
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Wood-fire sauna next to a jungle river – enjoy hot and cold therapy as you heat your body in the sauna then wade into the cool, refreshing water
ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE is $2,595 (includes 13% service tax)
If you would like to guarantee a single room, $500 supplement
Excluded: flights, airport transfer, tips, alcohol & soda
No prior horse experience required.
Optional add-on adventure (costs vary) includes paddleboarding/wakeboarding on Lake Arenal, horseback riding to a private waterfall, visit and soak in beautiful, natural local hot springs, ziplining, local coffee tour, jungle volcano hike or relax in the hammock by the river!
covid-19 doubt - flexibility
As travel opens up (albeit slowly), we are happy to be offering our retreat schedule for 2022. As the world continues to find its new normal, we need ways to find balance and restoration more than ever. It is easy to escape from all the stresses of Covid and society in Costa Rica, where nature carries on blooming and the vibe remains peaceful and positive.
We appreciate that travel will continue to involve an element of uncertainty in 2022 and we do our level best to make the process as smooth and stress free as possible for you, while staying flexible on changes.
We invite you to sign up and give yourself something to look forward to, even if it is not 100% certain to go ahead. Any deposit or booking you make with us that you cannot attend due to a Covid-related situation will be transferable to another group or private retreat or, if no other dates work, refundable minus a small booking fee.
We are looking forward to welcoming you onto a retreat soon.
What They Say
Recover, Restore and Renew
In these reflective experiences, you will join our extraordinary horses in their home - the vibrant green fields, rivers and rainforest near the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica – and experience becoming part of the herd, tuned in to your own senses, safe and free to be yourself, connected to the great wisdom of Mother Earth for healing, balance and growth.
Let the horses show and teach you how to just “be” rather than doing or thinking. Take a dive into your own consciousness through the transformative modality of Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy and find healing at the deepest levels. Allow yourself to play in the bubbling, carefree streams. Cherish and nourish your body with healthy food, gentle movement designed to get your energy flowing, beautiful natural surroundings and healing massage. Feel held and supported by the natural world.
About Your Facilitators
Sally Nilsson
Sally Nilsson is an expert facilitator, certified executive coach, experienced mentor and certified advanced instructor in Eponaquest Equine Facilitated Learning and Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy.
In 2019, Sally co-founded Tula Vida together with her partner Eric Kolesar to offer transformational experiences with the talented Tula Vida horse herd. Read more about Sally and the Tula Vida Team.
Eric Kolesar
Eric Kolesar is a certified instructor in Eponaquest Equine Faciliated Learning and Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy, a 500 hour certified yoga instructor and expert in a multitude of energy modalities.
In 2019, Eric co-founded Tula Vida together with his partner Sally Nilsson to offer transformational experiences with the talented Tula Vida horse herd. Read more about Eric and the Tula Vida Team.
These Special Horses will:
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Magnify the parts of you that are hidden inside, the tender and true parts. Through their innate horse communication skills and non-judgemental presence, they show us humans what is buried in our unconscious, beyond the mind chatter and busy brain: the non-verbal part, the intuition, the senses – our true authentic selves.
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Sense and respond to subtle changes in our body language and energy. As highly sensitive animals, horses provide immediate, powerful and visual feedback on our presence in that moment so we get to practice and modulate how we want to come across, and how to find true internal peace and balance of the nervous system (self and co-regulation).
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Welcome you as part of the herd. Horses are wired for connection and will actively work with you to allow your real and best self to be seen and accepted without words.
What They Say
Stay in the stunning local area
This part of Costa Rica is surrounded by lush pastures and rainforest overlooking the Arenal Volcano and Lake, Costa Rica, about an hour from Liberia airport (LIR).
You will have clean and comfortable accommodation run by friendly hosts in the small village of Sabalito, around the corner from Tula Vida and the horses.
This natural and tranquil experience has plenty of Pura Vida (the locally used expression for pretty much everything good, which translates as Pure Life!)
ENJOY DAILY Mindful Movement
We take a holistic approach in all our retreats, supporting mind, body and soul to feel nourished and restored. The pace of modern life, as well as the challenges of living through the pandemic, can be hard on our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
You will enjoy daily Mindful Movement with Eric Kolesar to rebalance your whole being and give you take-away tools manage life stress and live more mindfully – the essential ingredients in adapting to change and uncertainty, as well as keeping your own energy topped up.
“I feel more grounded and connected to myself, through mindful movement and interaction with the horses.” Angela, Therapist
What is Mindful Movement?
Eric started his movement expertise in martial arts, going on to become a 500 hour certified yoga instructor and energy practitioner. Through his lens as a life coach and equine facilitated learning facilitator, and hearing about intimidating experiences some people have had with “yoga”, Eric has combined the neuroscience, flow of energy, physical benefits of movement and natural rhythms to create what he calls “Mindful Movement”, a powerful and gentle blend of stretches and movements designed to calm and rebalance your body so the energy can flow freely again.
Imagine standing in a lush green space, birds singing in the background, horses grazing in the distance. Tune in to the rhythm of nature and breathe out. Let the tension melt away and experience feeling part of something whole. Start mindfully and gently moving with the rest of the group, in ways designed to get the energy flowing again through your whole body. You feel balanced, relaxed, alive.
“The mindful movement with Eric was by far the best yoga experience I have encountered as it was a spiritual and soul replenishing moving meditation not just a work out.” Jennifer, Real Estate Agent Owner
Additional Activities and Excursions
As well as mindfulness tools, yoga, sharing horse experiences and exploring the natural world, you will have the opportunity to see some of the local area and eat out at some local restaurants. Tula Vida is located next to the stunning Lake Arenal in the shadow of the Arenal volcano.
One day will be an optional activity day (at an additional cost) to go paddleboarding or wakeboarding with Eric on Lake Arenal itself, to go horseriding to a private waterfall near the Arenal volcano with our friend and expert naturalist guide, Enrique Molina, to enjoy a local coffee tour with our neighbour who is very proud to have recently received his certification for fully organic coffee, to go ziplining through the jungle canopy, or take a soak in natural volcanic hot springs, volunteer at a local dog rescue or explore the jungle and support a newly created local conservation project. There are many wonderful things to do in this area, but you also may choose to give yourself a day of peace in nature, swinging in the hammock and watching the toucans by the river!
What Will This Retreat REALLY Be Like?
Each day you will get your energy flowing with a yoga/mindful movement practice and learn some mindfulness tools to restore your balance. You will experience uniquely designed interaction with the horses on the ground in our tranquil corner of the rainforest, as well as have time to soak in the peace and energy of this beautiful place. A private life coaching session will be scheduled with Sally (1-2 hours) during your week to support integration of the retreat into your daily life. You will have the option to include an activity on one of the days (see ideas above). Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be at Tula Vida or at a local restaurant.
There will be a mixture of group and individual exercises, with processing and down-time in restorative nature, together with healing massage and other natural experiences aimed at restoring balance and allowing positive energy to flow.
The vibrant colours and sounds of the rainforest as the sun rises and sets, and the clean, fresh oxygen and water, all support your body to get back in tune with its natural rhythm and find balance, peace and contentment at a deep level.
Who is it for?
Anyone who is feeling in need of restoration, looking to create some habits and a tool-kit to find their own sense of balance and positive energy, who is drawn to yoga, nature and/or horses, is curious or who has read this far should take the plunge and give themselves this retreat! Start the restoration process here and take it home with you, feeling the impact on daily life.
Participants for retreats (unless otherwise specified) should be 18 or over. Families or younger people looking for experiences, please check out our Group & Family Experiences page or get in touch to find out more.
No prior horse experience is necessary – all levels are welcome. Tula Vida horse activities will be mainly on the ground.
What is so exciting about this experience?
A life-changing experience! This retreat has a focus on movement, flow, creating tools and looking to weave a state of balance into your daily life. Costa Rica is nature’s playground and it’s easy to tap in to the senses here and kick-start the positive energy state you want to feel more of. We will focus on supporting you to find what works for you, what doesn’t and what is most likely to be sustainable – so you can create your own, sustainable restoration practice.
Horses and the natural world are - as scientific studies, personal change gurus, mindfulness experts and even business schools and corporations are writing about – one of the fastest, most effective and powerful ways to feel healthier, more positive and get your sense of self and perspective back.
We have a beautiful corner of the world that we are keen to share with you - we really feel the benefits of living surrounded by beauty and a “pura vida” (pure life) attitude of the Costa Rica people, with the incredible support and wisdom of the Tula Vida horse herd. We want you to feel these too.
THE (NOT SO)
SMALL PRINT
Cancellation Policy and Insurance
Cancellations more than 60 days before the start of retreat will receive a refund less a 20% processing fee. Cancellations 60 days or less before the start of retreat will not receive a refund. A deposit is required to secure your place. Payment in full is required 60 days before the event.
Travel insurance is required to attend all workshops and retreats. Travel insurance should cover changes in plans and emergency medical care and evacuation. Retreat organisers will not be liable for any injuries or illness.
Medical or Mobility Questions
We will do our best to accommodate all ADA or accommodation requests. However, participants should know that the retreat is located in a jungle in the northern part of Costa Rica. Please inform retreat organisers of any medical issues which may affect your participation in the retreat so that necessary adjustments can be made where possible. If you have medical/mobility concerns, please contact Sally to discuss modifications.
COVID-19 tests
We have at-home testing kits which everyone will take upon arrival to reduce any concerns of transmission (although most people may already be vaccinated in any event). If tests are required to re-enter your home country, there are many testing facilities nearby (including at the airport) and we can help you arrange this.
For other questions, terms & conditions see Frequently Asked Questions in our FAQs
Explore our other options...
There are different options here at Tula Vida, tailored to suit your needs. We offer individual, group and family experiences with the horses. Perhaps you are looking to design your own experience, or would love an internship...we can help with that too. Take a look at the options below, and if you don't see what you are looking for just get in touch.
