ChayaYoga - Retreats for a Life of Balance

ChayaYoga Retreats for a Life of Balance

For information on the February 2009 Costa Rica Retreat, click here.

A time for purification, rebirth and rededication…
December 21-24, 2008 • Kripalu Center, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
www.kripalu.org • 800.741.7353

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The winter solstice is celebrated in many ancient and modern cultures as a time of purification, rebirth, rededication, and a return to the light. Astronomically, it marks the date when the days begin to lengthen and nights grow shorter. The winter solstice is especially meaningful to Chaya, whose Sanskrit name means “the shadow.” The word “chaya” is popularly associated with worshipping the sun, the illuminator of the world and the purveyor of good health.

This retreat with Chaya will include:
• daily practice of yoga, breathwork, and meditation
• yoga nidra and other deep relaxation practices
• chanting and sacred rituals
• exploration and integration
• time for fun and reflection

Chaya specializes in adaptive yoga, emphasizing awareness of breath and sensation in each moment rather than how far you can go, making this retreat appropriate for all levels. Come experience the rhythms and laws of nature in a yoga workshop that will support you in deepening your practice, resetting your internal clock, celebrating the sun, and rekindling the light of spirit within you.

ChayaYoga Winter Retreat • February 2009

Celebrate the essence of Yoga and Ayurveda on the pristine Caribbean
shores of Costa Rica with Chaya as your guide and mentor for this
week-long respite at the Samasati Nature Retreat…

In response to an overwhelming interest in Costa Rica, yoga and wellness, this ChayaYoga retreat has been custom-designed to represent the ultimate in self-care. This is your vacation, your retreat, so we invite you to participate in as many or as few of our planned activities as you’d like. There are plenty of places to relax and opportunities to stay active—there is truly something for everyone.

Take all the thinking and effort out of your vacation and allow yourself to just be.

Enjoy… small groups • customized programs • a sense of renewal • inspiration • learning how to live a life of balance.

As your mentor Chaya will…guide daily yoga classes • meditation • yoga nidra • deep relaxation • facilitate dialogue on the ancient wisdom of yoga and ayurveda • help you tailor the practice of yoga and ayurveda to suit your individual needs • create daily routines that support yoga to make it most effective.

Receive the many benefits of this program and meet its goal—finding freedom from habitual patterns while transitioning into a life of balance and joy, and living according to your true nature in order to move forward in life with grace and ease.

“Samasati is an unforgettable resource of inspiration and tranquility.”
Yogi Times magazine

“Samasati’s greatest distraction is its very beauty and its comforts.”
American Way magazine

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Chaya has chosen Samasati Nature Retreat because of their reputation for excellence. It is an exquisite and upscale retreat facility and Eco Resort situated on 250 acres of pristine tropical forest overlooking the Caribbean Azure Blue Sea in the marvelous country of Costa Rica. The artful balance achieved within its environment makes Samasati Nature Retreat an ideal destination for nature lovers, yoga practitioners, group activities and individuals looking for a special, exotic vacation.

The resort is sustainably operated and is an ecologically sound oasis that offers guests an unparalleled opportunity to absorb the healing and rejuvenating power of nature. We will be surrounded by abundant wildlife - Brilliantly colored butterflies and birds, mischievous howler monkeys, and flocks of toucans all live in harmony with the visitors to the retreat, yet do not come close to your rooms.

Costa Rica is one of the world's leaders in all natural health and beauty care products. The spa facilities at Samasati utilize this by offering visitors luxurious natural treatments that cleanse and polish the body while the stunning natural setting, combined with chaya’s yoga, meditation, study and philosophy workshops will heal, restore and balance the body, mind and spirit for a life of balance.

Cuisine

Delicious and abundant vegetarian meals are served three times daily... "buffet style" in Samasati’s open air restaurant. All of the vegetarian cuisine offered comes from locally grown and, whenever possible, organic foods incorporating culinary influences from all over the world. The dining room is an impressive native wood and bamboo structure with high vaulted ceilings and split level floors, overlooking a gorgeous view of jungle and sea.

Homemade breads and marmalades, fresh tropical fruits, yogurt, granola, juices, and eggs by order are offered in the morning. Lunch is a varied display of the best Costa Rican food... rice, beans, fresh salads, and all kinds of local organic roots and plantains, baked, fried or mashed. The evening dinner is a real treat, always special at Samasati Restaurant.

Chaya’s program will include:

Spend your afternoons exploring the jungle or relaxing at the beach (a short shuttle ride $7 round trip, or walk away) For more adventure, a variety of eco-excursions are available for individual booking. Samasati offers guided expeditions including bird-watching, kayaking, waterfall trekking, and shaman tours, or relax on one of the spectacular white or black sand beaches and get a massage or luxurious body treatment. The choices are plentiful to make this yoga retreat a true dream vacation.

Room Options

Rooms with Shared Baths
Single Standard $1280
Double Standard $1190
Single Deluxe $1360
Couples Deluxe $2540 (2 people)

Private Bath (Bungalow-Deluxe Rooms)
Single $1760
Double $1460
Triple $1310

Pricing includes tuition, meals, taxes, and Chaya’s group classes. It does not include airfare, transfers, eco-excursions, gratuities. Continuing Education credits or certified hours for teacher training are available by request/application.

Registration, Cancellation and Refund Policy:

Your registration is complete upon receipt of application* (click here for registration form) and 50% deposit payable to Sharon Heller 204 Main St. apt. B Lenox, MA 01240. The balance is due by December 29, 2008. There are a limited number of rooms available, so please reserve now to assure your spot.

A full refund, less a $250 processing fee, will be offered for cancellations made on or before the close of business, December 29, 2008. No refund will be offered for cancellations made thereafter, (nor will a refund be offered if you simply do not show up or leave early). A 25% credit can be applied toward a future program with Chaya for cancellations made on or before the close of business 30 days before.
We reserve the right to cancel any program at any time; if we cancel a program, you will receive a full refund for tuition and accommodations.

For the group rate airport transfer to Samasati, arrive to San Jose Airport by 2:00pm on Saturday February 21, returning February 28 after 2:00.

Arrangements to stay at the lovely Orquideas Inn in Alajuela and airport transfers are available for those who will need to arrive the day before or leave a day later. Please inquire and reserve ahead to assure availability.

Guided Eco-tours: Take Advantage of all that Costa Rica has to Offer

Samasati Nature Retreat is located in the Talamanca/Carribean region of Costa Rica. It is completely surrounded by National Parks and protected areas: Cahuita National Park, Tortugero National Park, Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuse, Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve, Bri-Bri and Cabacar Indigenous Reserves, to name a few.

They offer the following daily, guided activities as well as organized packages that include the most popular excursions which are "must see" before you leave Costa Rica. You can pay for the excursions with cash or credit cards directly to the tour operator once you are at Samasati.

RAIN FOREST CANOPY ADVENTURE
Ten minutes away from Samasati, eight aerial platforms and 1200 meters of cable are nestled deep into the jungle. After a short walk ...the adventure starts. Our professional guide will take you from one platform to the other explaining facts about the vegetation, the animals, and how the local indigenous use some of the herbs you will see. An incredible opportunity to "dive" into the jungle and enjoy it from up above.

Duration : 4 hours.
Departure time: 8:30 AM
$ 55.00 per person (*Minimum 2 persons)

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SURFING LESSONS
Learn to surf the waves of the Caribbean. You don't need to be a professional surfer to experience the thrill of riding a wave. Samasati's instructor is experienced and the Caribbean sea is gentle with first-time surfers. Don't miss the opportunity! Samasati will provide you with a surfing board and promise you the time of your life!

Duration: 2-hour lesson
$ 60 per person

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CACAO TRAIL
The complete cacao tour includes a guided visit to each one of the sections of the park (Corn plantation, Cacao plantation, Botanical garden, Medicinal garden, Iguana farm), canoes tour in the Cacao Trails canals, walk through the Cahuita National Park, visit to the Cahuita Turtle nesting beach and a Caribbean style buffet lunch, fresh fruits and juices.

Duration: 9:00 Am to 3:30 Pm
$ 52.00 per person

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SAMASATI BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
Samasati's virgin rain forest harbor thousand of known life forms and thousand yet to be described. Resonating with the songs of birds and the screams of the howler monkeys at dawn, the rain forest is quiet in the heat of the day, its stillness punctuated by the insect-like call of poison dart frogs, the rasping of cicadas or the whistled notes of wrens and antbirds. The dark, cool interior of the primary forest is surprisingly free of entangling vegetation. Only where light manages to filter through the interlocking canopy to the forest floor does vegetation proliferate. Walking into the rain forest is like taking a step back on time. The modern world and all its stresses fade into insignificance.

Duration:2 hours
Departure time: any time before 2 PM
$ 10 per person

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BIRD WATCHING GUIDED TOUR
Immerse yourself in the 250 acres of biological reserve of Samasati Nature Retreat. Leaving at 5:30 AM from the restaurant, our experienced guide will take you through the many trails of the property where you will have the opportunity to have a close look at the inhabitants of the forest floor, the middle and the upper layer of the canopy. Slaty-Tailed Togon, Violaceus Togon, Blue-Ray Tanager, White Hawks, Laughing Falcons, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan, the Daring Collared Aracari and other parrots are some of the birds who will welcome you!

Duration: 5 hours
Minimum 2 people
$ 40 per person

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CAHUITA NATIONAL PARK
The coral reef of Cahuita National Park includes approximately 240 habitats. There are 123 different species of fish, 44 species of crustaceans, 140 shellfish and 1281 seaweed species identified. We can also observe 35 different coral species such as the fire coral, the red coral and the black coral which is unique to this area. Miles of white beach and dense tropical jungle. This tour will start with a boat trip to the coral reef where you will be snorkeling. Then will follow a guided walk on the Cahuita National Park's trail, where wild animals are easily spotted in the middle of the abundant and colorful flora. The rest of the day is to be enjoyed lying on the white sand beach or visiting Cahuita Village.

Duration: 5 hours + time on the beach
Departure time : 8:30 AM
Price per person: $ 65.00

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KEKOLDI INDIGENOUS RESERVE
The western region of Samasati Natural Retreat is bordered by the Bribri Indigenous Reserve. Further into the forest and higher into the mountains is the Cabecar Indigenous Reserve. The Cabecar and Bribri Indians are among the oldest inhabitants of Costa Rica. Their community and culture are intact and have been hidden from the curiosity of the average tourist. More than 600 native people live in the reservation, still in close contact with Mother Nature and keeping alive ancient knowledge on the use of plants and natural resources. In the area, you will also have the opportunity to visit Volio Waterfall. Please remember that sustainable tourism is vital to the survival of these tribes.

Duration: 5 hours
Departure time: 8:30 AM
$ 75 per person
$ 60 2- 5 people
$ 55 per person 6+ people
Lunch included

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SHAMAN TOUR
A 40-minute drive will take you to the heart of the Bribri indigenous reserve in Suretka. A small boat will help you cross the Sixaola river and a ride of 30 minutes will bring you to the oldest and best maintained area where two of the last shamans from the Bribri tribe live and exercise their healing power. You will be able to ask questions and be in the “healing house,” a sacred space where rituals and healing take place. This tour takes you back in time where the connection with nature is still pure and uncontaminated.

$ 65 per person (2 person minimum)

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WATERFALL TREKKING
Guided trekking to a majestic waterfall. Forty minutes to an hour walk in the jungle, in the river, up and down big rocks. Healing and powerful, the waterfall is like a jungle's baptism. Jumping under the strong jets will massage and renew anyone!

Duration: 3 hours minimum
Departure time: 10 AM
$ 45 per person

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SEA AND RIVER KAYAKING
At the beautiful beach of Punta Uva, with the help of a trained guide, you will kayak in the ocean with a sea kayak. Than you will slide towards the Punta Uva River, that unwinds into the jungle into a paradise of birds, wild animals and tropical plants, leaving behind you nothing but ripples. After the kayaking, the options are: exploring the Punta Uva promontory, snorkeling and sunbathing at the beach either way, this is a day full of adventure and wonders!

Duration: 3 hours + beach time
Departure time: 9:30 AM
$ 80 per person
$ 60 per person 2 -5 people
$ 55 per person 6 or more people

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HORSEBACK RIDING AT THE BEACH
Exquisitely trained horses and an expert bilingual guide/teacher will accompany you in this adventurous excursion on the wild beach of Cahuita National Park. At first, in order to make friends and to get used to the horse's pace, you will be taken on a brief horse's walk in the jungle where is also possible to observe animals. You will then come to the beach where the horses can either keep walking, trotting or take you for a breathtaking gallop along the shore. Of course a stop for swimming and resting on the beach is included on the day's program.

Duration: as long as one can take it
Departure time: 10 AM the latest
$ 85.00 per person
$ 65.00 2 - 6 people

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WHITE WATER RAFTING
The Pacuare river is world famous for its sheer beauty. A true river gorge, it is flanked by steep, green walls. You will see waterfalls cascade into the river from both sides. Wildlife is abundant, with sloth, toucans, parrots, coatis, morpho butterflies and colorful frogs being common sights. Other inhabitants of this jungle include monkeys, jaguars, peccaries and tapirs, but these animals generally stay more hidden. It is not an overly challenging river, but it has many rapids that will make your adventure very interesting and fun. The 18-mile-one-day-run includes a total of 38 rapids. Few rivers in the world can offer you so many rapids in such a short stretch of water.

Upon arrival to the river you will get geared you up with a life jacket, helmet and paddle and then briefed with a full safety orientation talk by our expert guides. The first 4 miles consist of class II-III rapids, a great time to test your new river skills, gain confidence in your team, and have fun. Here you will find very beautiful pockets of secondary forest. After about 40 minutes we will enter the Pacuare River Gorge, which is 5 miles of some of the best white water Costa Rica has to offer. After the gorge the river opens up to another 5 mile stretch called "Valle del Pacuare." The river here changes and becomes wide open, giving you the opportunity to rest a bit and watch the varied wildlife. The final 3 miles are filled with class III rapids which carry you all the way to the end.

Duration, including transfers : 8 hours
Departure time: 6:30 AM
$ 95.00 per person
$ 88.00 per person more than 15 people

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BEACHES NEAR SAMASATIPUERTO VIEJO VILLAGE / BEACH
4 miles away from Samasati, Puero Viejo beach is a black sand volcanic beach with none to mild waves. Also North of Puerto Viejo, you will find the best surfing beaches on the Caribbean Coast.

Transportation is $ 7.00 per person, minimum 4 passengers
Fewer than 4 passengers, $ 20.00 total

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CAHUITA NATIONAL PARK BEACH
Cahuita National park consist of several miles of white beach and dense tropical jungle. Nearby you will find Cahuita village, which is a small typically Caribbean settlement. The coral reef of Cahuita National Park includes approximately 240 habitats. There are 123 different species of fishes, 44 species of crustaceans, 140 shellfish and 1281 seaweed species identified. We can also observe 35 different coral species such as the fire coral, the red coral and the black coral which is unique to this area.

Transportation: $ 8.00 per person, minimum 5 passengers
Fewer than 5 passengers, $ 25.00 total

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PUNTA UVA (GRAPE POINT) BEACH
The editorial in 2001 Outside Magazine Travel Guide called Punta Uva beach "one of the best seven beaches in the world". A white sand beach located at the entrance of the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Punta Uva is a "must" destination for people visiting the Caribbean Coast. Emerald waters, lots of coconut trees, very secluded.

Transportation: $ 8.00 per person, minimum 5 passengers
Fewer than 5 pax, $ 25.00 total

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MANZANILLO BEACH
In the heart of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Manzanillo white beach extends for few miles south all the way to the Panama border. Manzanillo village is a very small Caribbean settlement.

Transportation: $ 10.00 per person.
Fewer than 5 people: $ 40.00 per mini van

TRAVEL TIP: Visit http://phiya.worldventures.com, and click the “meta search” button (under “Powersearch your trip”) to view the lowest airfares to Costa Rica!

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