6 day NVC retreat using embodied experiential learning & Permaculture practice to cultivate increased capacity & compassion for a regenerative future together

ANYONE feeling the call of the jungle is invited to experience the magic which awaits! You WILL return fully relaxed and restored. We have lovingly created a retreat with offerings such as meditation, sound healing, yoga/yoga Nidra, past life regression, guided imagery, journaling, shamanism, journeying, ceremony, reflexology, art, and palmistry.
Participate in whichever activities you wish or explore on your own. No experience of any kind is needed to enjoy these offerings. 

This retreat promises an intimate connection with nature and community, a hiatus from the digital, in Costa Rica’s rejuvenating embrace. As a revered locale for yoga retreats and teacher training, it's the ideal backdrop for a transformative journey.

Nestled in nature’s embrace, this rejuvenating experience is designed to help you relax, ground yourself, and embrace the therapeutic benefits of yoga amidst the enchanting landscapes of Costa Rica. It’s time for new beginnings - a chance to launch the best version of yourself.

Looking to host your own retreat?

Join Carlos and Elena for this 3-week training program here at The Sanctuary, where they will share their expertise with those called to deepen their yoga practice and become confident teachers. 

Come join Rope Play: Shibari Immersion at The Sanctuary at Two Rivers in Montezuma, Costa Rica. Take a journey into the unknown, into the depth of the jungle.

This retreat promises an intimate connection with nature and community, a hiatus from the digital, in Costa Rica’s rejuvenating embrace. As a revered locale for yoga retreats and teacher training, it's the ideal backdrop for a transformative journey.

Join us for a week of self care at the Sanctuary! Two yoga sessions per day, three delicious meals, and healing in the jungle. For more information, e-mail nina@joyisnotoptional.com

Organized and led by founder and lead trainer Grant Ifflander, the Keepers of the Earth Teacher Training Course, or the KotE 200 Hour YTT, is a Yoga Alliance certified, one-of-a-kind journey and deep dive into the essence of spirituality – transformation. We know that to become truly embodied leaders and spiritual teachers in this line of work – Yoga – our work must be done at the deepest of levels. Thus, the KotE YTT was birthed… out of a need to help devoted practitioners forge themselves anew in the fires of legitimate practice (sadhana) and become respected leaders in their field and community…

Embracing the elements of music, colors, shapes, textures and words hidden throughout our humanity transforms the artistic process into a portal for presence. This is a spontaneous journey where we invite even the loudest voices in our head to take a seat for a while. Let them enjoy the company of the river and conversations with the trees. We’ll hold space for the whispering voices, and those that demand to be heard, in a judgment free environment. Arriving as we are, we can cultivate a love for what is rather than being stuck in what was, or distracted by what is to be…

The Lakshmi Rising Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program is unique, transformative, and highly regarded worldwide, with trainings held in Costa Rica, Verona, Italy, South of France, and Costa Brava-Barcelona, Spain throughout the year. Lakshmi Rising Hatha Vinyasa Yoga is an awareness-based practice that includes fluid, dynamic asana, kriya, pranayama, mantra, meditation, dance, wellness, self-care, and ritual for optimal health and personal growth. Our method is a revitalizing approach to develop mindful self-awakening and cultivate strength and flexibility on all levels through the practice of yoga. We are a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School!

Join us in collaboration and exploration into the first facet of Yoga, Ahimsa. Ahimsa translates to non-harm, and it is noted by Patanjali as the first gateway into the eight-limbed practice of Yoga. Non-harm may initially strike us as a simple conversation, however, a deep practice of Ahimsa is extensively complex, laborious and illuminating. A full bodied practice of Yoga will guide us as we explore Ahimsa and work toward love, compassion, freedom and union within all realms…

We are here to empower you. We offer education, inspiration, and support for your evolution. We hold the space for your transformation. We provide the knowledge to complement your will and desire for growth and healing…

We want YOU to experience the purity of living, the sense of connectedness, the depths of feeling, the gentle embrace of Mother Nature, the warmth of the human heart, your magical True nature. We want to See you. We want to see you blossoming, living fearlessly, knowing and intentionally using your Power as a Creator. Come and Explore. Trust and See. Wonder and Receive. Be Alive! Meet Yourself, and be surprised by the ever growing knowing of how big and wonderful you are. Reflected through the eyes of your Sisters, you are ready to bloom. To be seen. Recognized and Loved…

We are the change that the world is finally ready for. We are the future. We invite you to join us. The Lakshmi Rising community is a circle of seekers, educators, healers, wellness warriors, spiritual geeks, artists, and fellow humans who have accepted the mission of making the earth a healthier, happier, and more peaceful place through the science of yoga.

7-days/ 6-nights in the heart of Nature will awaken your awareness and sooth your soul. Join our jungle kula for a morning and evening practice which will incorporate movement, meditation, chanting, breathing, art and human connection as a form of self-study, awakening and healing. Indulge in potent body work, relax by the pool, explore the jungle and rivers, dip beneath a waterfall, observe rare wildlife (we’ve got monkeys!), and restore your vitality on a jungle, eco-friendly adventure…

The 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) course is the foundational training for advanced study of yoga. Whether you plan to teach professionally, are looking to deepen your asana practice, or are interested in exploring yoga’s history and philosophy, this course offers a robust introduction to the Lakshmi Rising Hatha Vinyasa Flow method in an intensive, transformational environment.

The “Voices of the Earth” April Immersion is a Leadership Development Camp for leaders, facilitators and practitioners looking to unlock an even more authentic expression of Self by adding the tools of Ritual, Ceremony, and Sacred Music to their toolbox. Are you ready to confront what is holding you back from your fearless and most authentic expression of Self?

Poetry of the body. Let the body express itself through intuitive yoga, embodiment movements and fluidity. Listen and understand your body language in order to flourish. Our bodies are raw masterpieces that we have to honor and celebrate every single day. Dance of the breath. The art of breathing to establish the beautiful link between the expansive energy as we inhale, and the rooting down toward the Earth as we exhale. Breath is a dance who creates life but also a true presence inward. Intuitive power : listening to our hearts with the ability to trust from within.

During this retreat, we will gracefully embody these three principles through Sadhana asana, mantra chanting, (he)art, dance of freedom and others liberation practices.

This will be a sacred and soulful women’s gathering to reconnect and nurture our body, mind, and spirit. With a daily ritual of yoga, pranayama and meditation to allow embodiment and mindfulness, we will deepen our practice and experience the benefits of a yogic lifestyle. We have luxurious and healing treatments built into the week. You will receive three separate treatments including acupuncture from MAHA Holistic Wellness or Medicine of the Heart, a massage by the waterfall from MAHA Holistic Wellness or Sacred Wild Healing, and a pure plant and gua sha facial from Tamanu Skincare. Be among empowering women while participating in a cacao ceremony, waterfall wellness ritual, sound healing gong bath, Lakshmi Rising dance, acroyoga and more during our transformative time together…

***ONE SPOT LEFT!!! Bigger Life Adventures was born from a sudden spark of inspiration to combine all of our passions and share them with our friends — travel, yoga, adventure, recovery “outside the box”, cultural immersion, and to promote sustainability and environmentalism along the way. Doing this work of enabling others to have a life-changing travel experience truly lights OUR souls on fire!

Come practice non-vinyasa style yoga with an emphasis on alignment with the idea that “the perfect pose is the pose that is perfect for you,” and one size definitely does not fit all. Since we all come in different shapes and sizes, why would our yoga poses look the same? My hope is that your practice is one that is comfortable for you, no matter what you look like, how old you are or what kinds of injuries you arrive with. Gratitude is the key to happiness…

Rise with Us

Our 200-hour YTT is where it all begins. This course offers a robust introduction to the Lakshmi Rising Hatha Vinyasa Flow method in an intensive, transformational environment. Lakshmi Rising’s YTT encompasses our mission of education, empowerment, and evolution; draws from many traditions; and emphasizes more than the physical practice of yoga. We are where sweat, strength, flexibility, and fun meet softness, quiet, introspection, and self-love.

Retreat and reset! Deeply nourish yourself through the healing and regenerating power of Nature. The Sanctuary at Two Rivers is the place…

Enjoy the new year in the beautiful Costa Rican jungle! Great setting, yummy food, beautiful people and time for YOU…

Our 200-hour YTT is where it all begins. This course offers a robust introduction to the Lakshmi Rising Hatha Vinyasa Flow method in an intensive, transformational environment. Lakshmi Rising’s YTT encompasses our mission of education, empowerment, and evolution; draws from many traditions; and emphasizes more than the physical practice of yoga. We are where sweat, strength, flexibility, and fun meet softness, quiet, introspection, and self-love.

Our Yoga Alliance Approved 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training intensive immersions gives you three weeks to focus on your yoga practice with other curious, interesting people from around the world. It is a time for you to enjoy life while learning about the timeless tradition of yoga, cultivating true health and happiness and making new friends. Investing in this program is a life enriching experience even if you have no intention of teaching…