True Nature Travels Blog

Being Something More
Have you ever been tugged with the question – “How can I be something more?”  Has your heart ever whispered in the early hours of the morning, reminding you of dreams yet to be realized, and then somehow, in just a whisper of that whisper, shared how to make it happen?  The True Nature Education (TNE) community is honored, humbled and extremely grateful for the amazing group of teachers and leaders who make up our first round of 2015 Teaching Faculty. Individually, they answered their inner call to be something more, and are now taking it to Costa Rica to share with hundreds of inspired students from all over the world.  Could you be one of them?

communityyoga_eventphotoBeing Something More

What does this mean to you? Here at TNE – we strive to ask ourselves that questions daily.  How can we “be more” in all we do? “Being Something More” is our theme as we kick off our 2015 Retreat Season and wrap up the last half of 2014.  Over the course of the next few months we will introduce our teaching faculty with exciting blogs about their courses, personal one-on-one interviews  and guest blogs  to share with our community.

You can stay up to date right here as our 2015 Retreat Calendar adds new retreats weekly.  Below is our first round of programs.  From the beaches, to the mountains to the jungles of Costa Rica; along with program offerings in yoga, meditation, nutrition and more –  we have something for you.
If you are a teacher looking to answer the call to ‘be something more’, please contact us as we have several spaces still open in our calendar and would love to help you answer the tug at your heart.

Wrapping up 2014

June 7-14, 2014
Jungle Love! A Costa Rica Yoga Experience
with Missy Balsam
Luna Nueva Ecolodge

June 14-21, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

July 26-August 2, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

July 21-28, 2014
Shakti Power Yoga Costa Rica Retreat
with Lauren Farina and Kelly Farina Carter
Hotel Tropico Latino

December 13-20, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

2015

January 10-17, 2015
Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience
with Alana Roach
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

January 10-17, 2015
Finding Your Foundation
with Helen Lee and Rachel Bunting
La Fortuna, Costa Rica

January 31-February 7, 2015
4th Annual Mind|Body|Fitness|Yoga Costa Rica Retreat
with Andrea Dyer
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

January 31-February 7, 2015
Surrender to the Flow: A Costa Rica Getaway
with Carrie Williamson & Crystal Gray
Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica

Feb. 7-14, 2015
Relax and Renew in Costa Rica
with Laura Vanderberg
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

February 7-14, 2015
Fermentation for your Mind, Body, and Spirit Retreat
with Trish Carty and Cathy Eason
La Fortuna, Costa Rica

February 13-20, 2015
The “Day Yoga” Studio Costa Rica Experience
with Devon Schmidt
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

February 21-28, 2015
Serving from a Cup Overflowing
with Karina Mirsky and Friends
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

March 2-7, 2015
3rd Annual Rhythms of Joy Retreat
with Tiina Kivinen (A Special Post Envision Retreat)
Play Uvita, Costa Rica

March 7-14
2nd Annual Space, Sound, Silence Yoga Retreat
with Jessica Caplan
March 7-14, 2015
Playa Uvita, Costa Rica

March 7-14, 2015
Nourishing Your Heart of Courage
A Mindfulness Yoga Retreat
with Joni of Healthy Body Peaceful Soul
Carribean Coast, Costa Rica

March 14-21, 2015
Open to the Possibilities:  A Costa Rica Yoga Adventure
with Tim Washburn
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

 

Keep checking back in with us as we will continue to add retreats to our program calendar. 

 

 

True Nature Travels Blog

Being Something More
Have you ever been tugged with the question – “How can I be something more?”  Has your heart ever whispered in the early hours of the morning, reminding you of dreams yet to be realized, and then somehow, in just a whisper of that whisper, shared how to make it happen?  The True Nature Education (TNE) community is honored, humbled and extremely grateful for the amazing group of teachers and leaders who make up our first round of 2015 Teaching Faculty. Individually, they answered their inner call to be something more, and are now taking it to Costa Rica to share with hundreds of inspired students from all over the world.  Could you be one of them?

communityyoga_eventphotoBeing Something More

What does this mean to you? Here at TNE – we strive to ask ourselves that questions daily.  How can we “be more” in all we do? “Being Something More” is our theme as we kick off our 2015 Retreat Season and wrap up the last half of 2014.  Over the course of the next few months we will introduce our teaching faculty with exciting blogs about their courses, personal one-on-one interviews  and guest blogs  to share with our community.

You can stay up to date right here as our 2015 Retreat Calendar adds new retreats weekly.  Below is our first round of programs.  From the beaches, to the mountains to the jungles of Costa Rica; along with program offerings in yoga, meditation, nutrition and more –  we have something for you.
If you are a teacher looking to answer the call to ‘be something more’, please contact us as we have several spaces still open in our calendar and would love to help you answer the tug at your heart.

Wrapping up 2014

June 7-14, 2014
Jungle Love! A Costa Rica Yoga Experience
with Missy Balsam
Luna Nueva Ecolodge

June 14-21, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

July 26-August 2, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

July 21-28, 2014
Shakti Power Yoga Costa Rica Retreat
with Lauren Farina and Kelly Farina Carter
Hotel Tropico Latino

December 13-20, 2014
Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program
Manuel Antonio and Luna Nueva EcoLodge

2015

January 10-17, 2015
Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience
with Alana Roach
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

January 10-17, 2015
Finding Your Foundation
with Helen Lee and Rachel Bunting
La Fortuna, Costa Rica

January 31-February 7, 2015
4th Annual Mind|Body|Fitness|Yoga Costa Rica Retreat
with Andrea Dyer
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

January 31-February 7, 2015
Surrender to the Flow: A Costa Rica Getaway
with Carrie Williamson & Crystal Gray
Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica

Feb. 7-14, 2015
Relax and Renew in Costa Rica
with Laura Vanderberg
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

February 7-14, 2015
Fermentation for your Mind, Body, and Spirit Retreat
with Trish Carty and Cathy Eason
La Fortuna, Costa Rica

February 13-20, 2015
The “Day Yoga” Studio Costa Rica Experience
with Devon Schmidt
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

February 21-28, 2015
Serving from a Cup Overflowing
with Karina Mirsky and Friends
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

March 2-7, 2015
3rd Annual Rhythms of Joy Retreat
with Tiina Kivinen (A Special Post Envision Retreat)
Play Uvita, Costa Rica

March 7-14
2nd Annual Space, Sound, Silence Yoga Retreat
with Jessica Caplan
March 7-14, 2015
Playa Uvita, Costa Rica

March 7-14, 2015
Nourishing Your Heart of Courage
A Mindfulness Yoga Retreat
with Joni of Healthy Body Peaceful Soul
Carribean Coast, Costa Rica

March 14-21, 2015
Open to the Possibilities:  A Costa Rica Yoga Adventure
with Tim Washburn
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

 

Keep checking back in with us as we will continue to add retreats to our program calendar. 

 

 

True Nature Travels Blog

1512086_638863206167130_5202010020011765157_oJune is upon us, and that means that we’re just days from the launch of our next yoga retreat journey, Jungle Love! A Costa Rica Experience with Missy Balsam.

For what is sure to be an incredible seven days, Missy and her students are preparing to embark on a journey of yoga retreat and adventure. Hosted at one of our favorite retreat centers, Finca Luna Nueva Lodge, the retreat will be hosted in an environment of self-healing, fostered by the nearby Arenal Volcano and the town of La Fortuna. Arenal is the adventure capital of Costa Rica, and the group is planning on taking full advantage of it through activities like hiking, hot springs excursions, canopy tours, waterfall expeditions, and more.

10422565_10152074903686930_2296553190345365648_nA bit off the beaten path, this peaceful yoga retreat will be nested in Luna Nueva’s jungle paradise. meditative walks on the property’s lush rainforest trails. Daily yoga sessions will be inspired by Missy’s teaching style of empowerment, inspiration, and joy, encouraging students of all levels to keep growing and evolving, discovering the happiness that is already inside of all of us.

Luna Nueva is world-renowned for its fresh, organic, nutritionally-dense food grown right on-site. Altogether the group is ready to set foot on a path of rejuvenation and recharging for the mind, body, and soul. Days will be complete with meditative walks on the property’s lush rainforest trails and plenty of personal reflection time in this unique wilderness.

To immerse directly into the local land and community, Jungle Love! will be incorporating service “karma” yoga and Bhakti yoga elements through projects during the week.

We’ll be posting updates “from the road” with some reflective writing and photos to keep you posted on the retreat in action so you can share in the experience. Stay tuned with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@TrueNatureEducation) for a peek into the action!

True Nature Travels Blog

426638_2774069488134_1808831123_nThe True Nature Community extends beyond the retreats we host in Costa Rica.  Our family or sangha reaches right into the heart of the teachers we connect with and supporting them at home, in their local studios and the students and communities they serve on a daily basis.

Karina Ayn Mirsky is more than family to True Nature.  She is our sister, teacher and friend.  We have worked, taught and served alongside her for over ten years – in Costa Rica and at home.  This summer she is bringing teaching a retreat at the Himalayan Yoga Institute to rejuvenate, inspire and uplift while in the company of other dedicated yogis.

580617_10201475583745110_1470843495_nShe is bringing together a group of bright beings to teach along with her during this retreat. True Nature co-founder Kristin Luna Ray will life voices and hearts with chant and kirtan during the immersion.  The spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Rajmani Tigunat, PhD is also a special guest presenter.

Dates for the retreat are August 6th-10th.  More details about how to register and accommodations at the institute here.

ALSO! Check out Karina’s 2015 Retreat Information with True Nature in Costa Rica! We are so grateful for our connection with this amazing teacher and human being.

 

479910_10151044555750812_1405883343_nKarina Mirsky is a certified ParaYoga teacher and the director of Sangha Yoga in Kalamazoo, MI. She holds a master’s degree in East/West Psychology and is an adjunct professor of Yoga Studies at Antioch University Midwest. Karina draws on her experience as a performance artist, massage therapist, and cancer survivor to convey yoga as a therapeutic science and catalyst for personal transformation. In the March 2008 issue of Yoga Journal, she was featured as one of 21 teachers under the age of 40 shaping the future of yoga in America. Karina hosts teacher trainings and conducts private practice at Sangha Yoga, leads seminars in the USA and Canada, and holds annual retreats in Costa Rica.

Screen Shot 2014-05-27 at 1.06.46 PM

Check out Luna’s music video for Sita Ram on the True Nature Youtube Channel!

True Nature Travels Blog

426638_2774069488134_1808831123_nThe True Nature Community extends beyond the retreats we host in Costa Rica.  Our family or sangha reaches right into the heart of the teachers we connect with and supporting them at home, in their local studios and the students and communities they serve on a daily basis.

Karina Ayn Mirsky is more than family to True Nature.  She is our sister, teacher and friend.  We have worked, taught and served alongside her for over ten years – in Costa Rica and at home.  This summer she is bringing teaching a retreat at the Himalayan Yoga Institute to rejuvenate, inspire and uplift while in the company of other dedicated yogis.

580617_10201475583745110_1470843495_nShe is bringing together a group of bright beings to teach along with her during this retreat. True Nature co-founder Kristin Luna Ray will life voices and hearts with chant and kirtan during the immersion.  The spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Rajmani Tigunat, PhD is also a special guest presenter.

Dates for the retreat are August 6th-10th.  More details about how to register and accommodations at the institute here.

ALSO! Check out Karina’s 2015 Retreat Information with True Nature in Costa Rica! We are so grateful for our connection with this amazing teacher and human being.

 

479910_10151044555750812_1405883343_nKarina Mirsky is a certified ParaYoga teacher and the director of Sangha Yoga in Kalamazoo, MI. She holds a master’s degree in East/West Psychology and is an adjunct professor of Yoga Studies at Antioch University Midwest. Karina draws on her experience as a performance artist, massage therapist, and cancer survivor to convey yoga as a therapeutic science and catalyst for personal transformation. In the March 2008 issue of Yoga Journal, she was featured as one of 21 teachers under the age of 40 shaping the future of yoga in America. Karina hosts teacher trainings and conducts private practice at Sangha Yoga, leads seminars in the USA and Canada, and holds annual retreats in Costa Rica.

Screen Shot 2014-05-27 at 1.06.46 PM

Check out Luna’s music video for Sita Ram on the True Nature Youtube Channel!

True Nature Travels Blog

Have you every wondered just what a day on a yoga retreat looks like?  What exactly will you be doing from the moment you open your eyes until you hit the pillow to go to sleep?  Welcome to your “virtual” day in the life at a True Nature Retreat. Take a deep breath and enjoy…

cr2010-20065:30am – Good Morning!! Be prepared to rise with the sun in Costa Rica.  And if the sun doesn’t lure you out of bed, then the sounds of the jungle or the neighbors roosters just might!

5:45am – Morning meditation or time to journal and reflect.  The symphony of the world waking up around you combined with the stillness of this auspicious time of day is a perfect combination and reason to pack your meditation cushion.

6:15am – Tea time!  Many of the retreat centers in our portfolio of offerings will have tea, coffee and juice out for attendees by 6am.  It’s a nice opportunity to connect your community or maybe continue your meditation and enjoy your morning cuppa in silence.

sound of silence7:00-9:00am – Morning session with your retreat leader.  You can feel every hair on your body standing up with pure joy as you tuck your yoga mat under your arm and walk to the yoga deck to do what you came here to do.  Practice yoga in the exquisite and breathtaking settings that Costa Rica has to offer.  We guarantee this is nothing less than a magical feeling!

9:30am – BREAKFAST!!  Enjoying the fresh, whole foods that our retreat centers offer will definitely be one of the highlights of your experience.  By the end of the week – after eating mostly raw, organic and at some locations – right off the farm where you are staying – you will feel energized, lighter and ready to clean out your fridge when you get home!

10:00am-12:30pm – Free time – Relax at the beach, by the pool, take a nap in a nearby hammock, chat with new friends or all of the above.   We encourage all of our retreat leaders to schedule plenty of free time for their students as this is when you are able to really process and begin integrating the transformation that is taking place!

lunas-dahl1:00pm – LUNCH – Fresh squeezed fruit juices, brightly colored greens and lots of opportunities to try out Costa Rican typical dishes like rice and beans.

2:00-4:00pm – Excursions and Service Projects!  Perhaps you have always dreamed of horseback riding along the beach or zip lining through the rain forest.  Our service initiatives partner our retreats with sustainable community projects in rural villages throughout Costa Rica.

4:00-6:00pm – Relaxing evening yoga, meditation session with your retreat leader to wind down and process the days activities.

Village-Rep-Lindsay-Padilla6:oopm – DINNER – Enjoy the community and bonding by sitting around a table and enjoying a meal together.

7:00-9:00pm – Free time or perhaps an evening sat sang, lecture or kirtan.

9:30pm – Lights out!

Are you interested in hearing about our schedule of events and retreat? Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to the True Nature Community!

True Nature Travels Blog

“I know how much comes together to put a retreat on. It’s such a joy to work with Joshua, Luna and True Nature Education. They took care of everything and made the whole process easy so we could focus on what we enjoy doing most. We are really happy and hope to be back soon.”

~ David Newman (Durga Das)

Screen Shot 2014-03-27 at 8.42.19 AMKirtan Artist, David Newman (Durga Das) co-created a retreat with True Nature Educations co-foudners, Kristen Luna Ray and Joshua Canter this past January.  We were so honored to share this sacred time with David, his wife Mira and their daughter, Tulsi (who is the same age as Josh and Luna’s daughter, Jaya).

1545864_10151860138775812_1497835783_nDavid has been compared to George Harrison, Paul Simon and Dylan when they are in their “soul” mode by LA Yoga Magazine.  He is at the forefront of bringing the kirtan community together through he and Mira’s “Stay Strong” project, creating a global message that shows the community coming together through music, song, and prayer, to unite and uplift people and strengthen their ability to help in times of need.  100% of proceeds from their efforts are donated to Global Green USA.  Check out his Stay Strong music video featuring some of the leading kirtan artists today including Jai Uttal, Krishna Das and Radhanath Swami.

Hear more about what David has to share about his experience with True Nature Education on our You Tube Channel.

1618690_10151860137970812_342940989_nAlso, to read more about what our first family retreat together was like, read Joshua’s reflections on being in community with David and his family.

True Nature Travels Blog

Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica“That could be me….”

We think we can speak for just about everyone who has ever signed up for a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course when we say that everyone, at one point or another(or hundreds of times!) has looked longingly at the image of a beautiful yogi practicing along the beach at a beautiful, tropical location.  We have all dreamed of one day, just maybe with enough intention and support, that could be us, leading a yoga retreat while overlooking fiery sunsets and the cascading waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Yoga retreat, Costa Rica

 

“That could be me….” zip lining through the jungle, sipping the refreshing juice right out of a coconut, hiking to a magnificent waterfall, creating space and community for profound transformation for our students, and of course, ourselves.

When teachers come to us with their own unique dream of teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica they want to know how they can make it happen.  What are the right things to do, to say.  How many students do they need?  How will they get from place to place?  How much will it cost? When is the best time of year to go?  Got a question about teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica? We have the answer.  And, after years and years of leading successful retreats, we have narrowed down the one thing that is absolutely essential to do if your dream is to lead a yoga retreat in this beautiful, tropical paradise.

Yoga Retreat in Costa RicaENVISION YOUR RETREAT!

Yep!  Start smelling the flowers, in your mind, right now!  Feel the waterfall beating down on your back giving you the best natural massage you have ever had. Hear the howler monkeys giving you and your students a 5am wake up call.

See the smiling, relaxed and restored faces of your students as you hold a loving space for them to unwind from their plugged in lives at home.  Taste the succulent mango, the ripe papaya. Feel yourself in meditation at sunset, in deep gratitude for your journey that has led you to right here, right now.

We take great care to customize each  program.  We will work with you to help you manifest your unique vision, offer our experienced guidance, support and wisdom along the way.   Make time everyday to actually see yourself at your retreat and engage all five senses in your visualization.

Not a bad way to begin manifesting your dream!

Yoga Retreat Costa RicaBe a part of our 2015 True Nature Teaching Team! We are looking for amazing yoga teachers to connect and collaborate with that are passionate about providing transformational experiences for their students.  Read more about teaching with us here.

 

True Nature Travels Blog

“The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.”

~ Barbara Deangelis

IMG_20140317_124917
photos courtesy of mind | body | fitness

Andrea Dyer and her band of merry yogis dove right into their Annual Costa Rica Experience yoga retreat! From crossing items off bucket lists to sunrise yoga and full moons, the first few days of their journey together warmed up to become their home for the week quite nicely.

Andrea’s passion for adventure has led her to guide her second retreat in Costa Rica with us.  Andrea shares her experience leading a retreat with our experienced staff in this video here.

IMG_20140317_122916

Andrea packed a week of daily yoga, meditation, stand up paddle boards, waterfall hikes, visits to the hot springs and plenty of personal time for her students to enjoy.  It’s in that individual space, whether you are taking in the sunset or listening to the symphony of sounds in the jungle that true transformation really takes place.

And, of course it is in clinking coconuts and building community that

True Nature Travels Blog

“The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.”

~ Barbara Deangelis

IMG_20140317_124917
photos courtesy of mind | body | fitness

Andrea Dyer and her band of merry yogis dove right into their Annual Costa Rica Experience yoga retreat! From crossing items off bucket lists to sunrise yoga and full moons, the first few days of their journey together warmed up to become their home for the week quite nicely.

Andrea’s passion for adventure has led her to guide her second retreat in Costa Rica with us.  Andrea shares her experience leading a retreat with our experienced staff in this video here.

IMG_20140317_122916

Andrea packed a week of daily yoga, meditation, stand up paddle boards, waterfall hikes, visits to the hot springs and plenty of personal time for her students to enjoy.  It’s in that individual space, whether you are taking in the sunset or listening to the symphony of sounds in the jungle that true transformation really takes place.

And, of course it is in clinking coconuts and building community that