The lushness of Costa Rica awaits you!  Wake up to the sounds of the rainforest wildlife and breathtaking views, perched high in the volcanic hills of Alajuela. Enjoy daily Kundalini and Gong Yoga classes, workshops & meditations, heathy and delicious meals, experience a relaxing massage treatment using tropical ingredients, relax by the pool, or adventure out to experience a cloud forest canopy zip line, waterfall hike or coffee plantation tour.  Our home for the week is at one of Costa Rica’s most sought-after retreat locations, offering eight acres of natural beauty, exquisitely maintained gardens, outstanding hospitality, and a variety of accommodations to suit your wishes.

Special offerings during this week include:

Release, Relax, Renew: Self-Transformation in Paradise
Change your life (or simply your attitude!) with a daily two-hour yoga and sound healing experience facilitated by Mehtab, Laura (Guru Karam) and Tej. These transformational workshops are the heart of our retreat. Using breath, sacred sound, meditations, and gong relaxation, you will release old patterns and discover new possibilities within your self.

Cosmic Conversations
Relax after dinner in a circle of friends with astrologers and ayurvedic practitioners as we explore the astrological events that are occurring this month. We will discuss the huge karmic shift that is happens this month and how they affect you and the planet. Different topics each evening –your personal moon sign, the astrology of relationships, ayurveda in your kitchen, and what everyone will be feeling in the 18 months ahead.

Early Morning Yoga Practice
Sunrise comes early in paradise and we are there to welcome it with a yoga practice and meditation before breakfast. Start your day this way and you may never want to stop!

Costa Rica is a global go-to spot for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Volcanic hills and lakes and plummeting waterfalls shape the lush, vibrant landscape. Tropical jungles teem with hundreds of wildlife species that exist nowhere else on the planet. San José, located in the Central Valley, is Costa Rica’s bustling urban capital. Our retreat center is tucked serenely in the clouds, nearly a mile above the city.

Our oasis for the week includes a richly landscaped swimming pool, and a mountainside hot tub. Delicious dishes are lovingly prepared from fresh local produce, regional purveyors and greens and herbs harvested from a Holistic Garden. Meals, served buffet-style in our chic dining hall, feature both North American and Costa Rican vegetarian, fish and chicken dishes to tempt your taste buds and nourish body and soul.  We also can accommodate vegan, gluten-free, and high-protein diets.

Complimentary coffee, tea, alkaline water and filtered water are available throughout the day. The wine and juice bar in the dining hall stocks Costa Rican and Central American beers, sulfite-free, organic wines and bottled water. It is also the place for fresh smoothies, custom-blended chai and organic wheat grass elixirs (made from wheat grass grown in-house). Additional items that you desire can be added to your personal tab.

Please plan to arrive to San Jose International airport on March 12 and depart on March 18th.  Your retreat starts with dinner on the 12th  and ends with breakfast on the 18th. We will collect participants travel plans well in advance and arrange your airport transfers as part of your retreat.

Costa Rican law requires your passport be valid for at least 90 days after the date you enter the country.  When in Costa Rica, you’ll need to carry your passport information with you at all times. If you should be stopped by officials, a photocopy with your photo, passport number and entry stamp will usually suffice and is recommended when making local excursions. Please also note that a $29 non-residency departure tax will be due when departing Costa Rica, though most major airlines now include this cost in their ticket price.

*IMPORTANT Covid note: As of January, 2022, ALL participants must be fully vaccinated to enter Costa Rica Currently, all travelers need to complete an online Health Pass (available 48 hours prior to travel) and upload their vaccine card. To return to the US, you need to provide a negative Covid test taken in Costa Rica. Our hosts can provide this test, or you might choose to bring a travel approved self test. At present, teachers and OYG are additionally requiring that all travelers  provide a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of travel.  

Climate n the mountains of Costa Rica’s Central Valley is beautiful year-round with warm days (70s-80s F) and mild nights (60s F). The sun rises at 5:30 and sets around 6 all year long. We will be in Costa Rica during what many travelers consider to be the best month of year. March is the heart of the dry season with incredible sunshine and spectacular displays of tropical flowers and foliage. During March in Alajuela Province where we will be has mild temperatures in the low 80s in the day to mid 60s at night. 

What to pack:

• Passport
• Comfortable yoga clothing, plus some warmer layers in case of chillier nights
• Closed-toe shoes in case you decide to do jungle excursions. You may also enjoy a walk or run through the surrounding coffee fields.
• Sunscreen
• Note: Soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided. Hair dryers are available.
• Insect repellant (Though the high elevation makes Pura Vida mosquito-free, you may encounter mosquitos on excursion.)
• Bathing suit & hat
• Journal and pen
• Refillable water bottle (Pura Vida’s water is filtered with a 1-micron and a UV filter.)
• Flashlight, headlamp or cell phone flashlight
• You can bring your own yoga mat or “rent” a disinfected mat and prop bundle from the center for $5 / day (Covid safe)
• Note: electronic adapters are not needed
• Cash for tips in small bills (US$ are accepted almost everywhere, but it is unlikely that change can be made. ATMs are a taxi ride away.)

Mehtab, Laura (Guru Karam) & Tej Arvind

Mehtab Benton is the originator and author of Gong Yoga, the first book on using the gong in the practice of yoga. He has trained hundreds of yoga teachers, therapists, and musicians in the art of playing the gong. He is a lifelong Kundalini Yoga practitioner and teacher and has trained teachers in Hatha and Kundalini Yoga for over 18 years. He is a certified Vedic Astrologer with an international practice. Mehtab is the author of Gong Yoga, Astrology Yoga, Teaching Gong Yoga, and the DVD course How To Play the Gong for Yoga, Meditation, and Healing. [Read more about Mehtab]

Laura (Guru Karam) Benton began her life-long yoga practice at age 16 at a Kundalini Yoga Ashram in Houston, Texas. She is certified in Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga and is a Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainer. She has presented classes internationally on Gong Yoga Nidra, the art of deep relaxation with the gong, and brings a feminine perspective to the art of playing the gong for meditation and relaxation. She is the recipient of the International Kundalini Yoga Teacher’s Association “Building Communities in Yoga” award and a three-time presenter at the Southwest Yoga Conference. Laura is an Advanced Practice Nurse, an Ayurvedic Educator for medical professionals, and a Clinical Hypnotherapist. With her husband, Mehtab, she has taught yoga and sound healing in over 20 countries. [Read more about Guru Karam]

Tej Arvind is a Vedic astrologer, gong therapist, and yoga teacher with certification in a Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. She has taught in yoga vacations with Mehtab and Guru Karam in Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Bali. She will be co-presenting the Moon Sign reading workshop and teaching morning yoga classes at our retreat. [Read more about Tej Arvind]

Enchanting accommodations scattered across meticulously landscaped grounds, each designed to delight with views of lush gardens and majestic mountains. A $595 deposit will ensure your space and we’ll be happy to set up an easy payment plan for your balance.

rNOT INCLUDED:

• Airfare to San Jose
• extras such as massage or additional excursions (ex.canopy zipline. or waterfall tour)
• Travel Insurance
• Sanitized mat and prop bundle available for $5 / day
• Gratuities to Center staff

Refunds and Cancellations: Refund less deposit ($595) before Dec 15, 2021. No refunds after Dec 15, 2021. In case of cancellation, you may transfer your deposit or your reservation to another person as long as you notify One Yoga Global 21+ days in advance. Due to arrangements made with our vacation hosts, there can be no exceptions to this policy.

If you place a deposit, the balance due will be set to charge in equal installments starting the month after deposit through Dec 2021, unless other arrangements are made. All participants will be required to sign a liability waiver to participate on the trip.

We HIGHLY recommend that you consider purchasing Travel Insurance. Travel insurance companies like TRAWICK INTERNATIONAL offer policies that insure your investment in case you need to cancel (including an add on “cancel for any reason” option), coverages for expenses incurred due to to weather & travel delays, personal property loss and emergency travel medical.  Please review policies carefully to choose the coverage you need.

We recommend that you consider purchasing trip insurance to protect your investment. AIG Travel Guard and Trawick International are two providers that we recommend. Please review policies carefully to ensure they provide the coverage you need.

We recommend that you consider purchasing trip insurance to protect your investment. Trawick International and Travel Guard are two providers that we recommend. Please review policies carefully to ensure they provide the coverage you need.