Experience life in a “Blue Zone.” Come to Nosara, Costa Rica with me…

This is an exciting post for me to write because I’ve been looking forward to planning this for a couple years now.  I am happy to announce that I am hosting a dream retreat in one of my favorite places on Earth, Nosara, Costa Rica.

Nosara is a place very dear to my heart.  10 years ago, in July of 2013, my husband and I traveled there for 5 weeks while I began my Pilates teacher certification at Pilates Nosara.  It was there that I met my friend/mentor Page Seifert, owner of Pilates Nosara.

I went to Nosara to do my mat and reformer training because I wanted to be immersed in Pilates and I wanted it to be special.  This was a big life change for me as I was transitioning from personal training to Pilates.  Immersing myself for 5 weeks helped me get the feeling of what life is really like there.  Nosara and the entire Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica, is known and well documented for being a “blue zone.”  A “blue zone” refers to a geographic area in which people have low rates of chronic disease and live longer than anywhere else.  The long and healthy lives that people live in these areas of the world are due to their lifestyle.  They eat diets full of a variety of plants, and eat meat on average 5 times per month.  They live naturally active lifestyles, and maintain family life with the upmost importance.  They live in multigenerational homes, giving the elderly ongoing valuable roles within their communities.  They live a life of purpose and connect to their natural surroundings daily.

On top of all of this, Nosara is a town filled with yogis and surfers from all over the world.  There are a few spectacular yoga retreat centers attracting health conscious people to visit and live there.  The food is local and fresh, nutritious and delicious.  The healthy, happy vibes are palpable and contagious.

While I was there for 5 weeks with my husband Mark, we felt so inspired.  This is where we came up with our idea for our business, Pilates Art Studio.  In Nosara, people are following their hearts, and living their dreams.  You can feel that when you talk to the business owners and workers.   I always want to be the kind of person who follows her heart and lives out her dreams, so I feel moved and inspired by others who do the same.

When we came home from that first trip my husband kept talking like he wanted us to move there.  He really feels that way; I get it, and I do think he would live a long, happy, healthy life there. As you may know, Mark is a painter.  He was so inspired by the beauty and life in Nosara, he continued to create so many paintings inspired by it.  The reality for me is that I don’t want to live there year round; I want to live in Buffalo with my family and my friends.  I have lived far from home before, thousands of miles from my parents and other loved ones and I’ve decided that I prefer to be close to them.  Buffalo is my home.  That doesn’t change the fact that I want the energy of Costa Rica to permeate my being.  I want my son to be immersed in this way of life regularly so it helps to shape his views on life, humanity, and the interconnectedness of all living beings and nature.

My dream is to take a group of people to Nosara, Costa Rica, so they can bring this energy back to their hometowns, work places,  relationships, and health choices.  Whether it’s Buffalo, or anywhere else they may go.  It’s so good, it helps elevate your consciousness and make you realize what’s really important in life.  Your health, family, relationships, and community and surroundings.

In 2016 we went back to Nosara for a second time with our young son.  This time the Pilates studio I train at had moved to the Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort.  When I walked onto the grounds of this place, my jaw dropped.  This is where Page works everyday!  It’s spectacular.

I went to pilates while Mark and our then 1 year old son, Gianluca, waited for me in the dreamy outdoor, lounge/juice bar.  After pilates I got a smoothie and relaxed by the pool with them.  I could just feel how special this place was.  I’ve known since that day that I wanted to do bring people here. The Pilates studio, the yoga shalas, the gym, the spa, the delicious healthy food;  I feel that they built this retreat center for me to bring you to, for me to lead you through perfect days in paradise.

As they come to me I will try to put into words why I feel called to do this; why I want this to be part of my business.  Just planning this retreat brings the energy of Nosara into my life.  I can feel it infuse me with life force and I’m so excited for you to feel it too.

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