Costa Rica Yoga Retreat – Live a Pure Life

Combining a Yoga Retreat with a trip to Costa Rica, a beautiful location in nature is the perfect recipe to help you relax, recharge and renew. Costa Rica has become extremely popular as a destination for yoga retreats due to its natural beauty and biodiversity, outdoor activities and adventures, and it’s positive and happy attitude and vibe, Pura Vida!

Pura Vida means ‘pure life’ and is used regularly in Costa Rica by locals instead of saying hello, goodbye, thank you, and more. It basically means ‘everything is great and life is good’. What a great way to live life each day! This positive attitude, Pura Vida, aligns very closely with yoga philosophy, such as being happy and content with what is, and living life authentically and purposefully. One of the yoga spiritual observances that make up the eight limbs of yoga, called Saucha, literally means purity. This includes purity, cleanliness and clearness of mind, speech and body, the outer body and the inner mind. Yogis are all about living a pure life!

Named ‘The happiest country in the world’, Costa Rica has a passion for freedom, democracy and equality. This inspiring and progressive culture attracts many tourists and travelers to visit, and of course yogis. The ultimate goal of yoga is to reach enlightenment, which is freedom from all suffering, and finding your inner peace and joy. What better place to practice yoga and continue on your journey towards this pure place of peace and joy, than the happiest country in the world.

During a yoga retreat, there are often two yoga practices per day. First thing in the morning before breakfast as it’s typically recommended to practice yoga upon rising and before eating, and early evening before or after dinner. This leaves lots of free time during the day, either for self-reflection, meditation, or to explore the beautiful country and take advantage of all the fun outdoor activities and adventures.

With many different micro-climate zones, and the greatest density of biodiversity of species in the world, Costa Rica has something for everyone. You can explore the lush rainforests and jungles with high levels of precipitation and lots of living vegetation, or take a jungle tour in the hot and dry cloud forest. Costa Rica is famous for canopy zip-lining, where you are literally amongst the vegetation and forest. As well as it being a thrilling experience, you’ll appreciate the vastness and denseness of the jungles and rainforests.

Surfing and other water sports are popular on the Pacific coast, where many tourists enjoy the tropical beaches and ocean, and a R&R. You must visit Arenal, the most famous active volcano in Costa Rica. It’s common to see lava pouring down the side after eruptions. Other popular day trips and activities include visiting hot springs and geysers, bird-watching, horseback riding, kayaking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, working on an organic sustainable farm and lots more.

Thanks to the rich volcanic soil, Costa Rica is also well-known for gourmet coffee beans and cacao beans. Since cacao beans, an amazing superfood, are found natively in the jungles, it’s no surprise that the jungle animals are happy, and that Costa Rica has some delicious and healthy chocolate. So even if yoga is not your focus, you may enjoy the high quality coffee and chocolate!