What can I say? The Hoola-Fit Full Circle Retreat was more magical than I ever could have imagined. Getting to Indigo Yoga Resort was an adventure in and of itself! After landing in San Jose, I met up with Casandra and Marlys, and we took a shuttle to Tambor. From there, we hopped on a ferry. Then, two shuttle rides later, we arrived at Indigo Yoga Resort. Hungry and tired from our travels, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then turned in for the night. The rooms were so cute – complete with our own kitchens, balconies with hammocks and private, outdoor showers.
The next morning, we met up with our host Caroline. We put the finishing touches on retreat plans and anxiously awaited the arrival of the rest of our crew. Carissa, Chris and Meagan soon joined us, and the next few days were action-packed. We began each morning with breakfast and yoga (taught by the amazing on-site instructors: Angela and Randy). After a quick rinse in the pool, we came together for masterminding and professional development sessions. What an awesome group of people! The conversations were informative, transformational and inspiring!
Lunch was next, and then hoop classes each afternoon. The retreat center was just a short distance from the beach, and we were so grateful for our sunset hoop jams every evening. Mal Pais is truly a special place.
Chef Randy did an amazing job preparing breakfast and lunch for us each day, and then we’d go offsite for dinner. The food in Costa Rica is nothing short of spectacular. The fish is especially fresh!
A few of us opted in for surf lessons on Day 3, while others chose to hang poolside. The surf lessons were definitely a highlight of the trip for me. Learning a new skill oftentimes brings up a bunch of different emotions. And the waves in Costa Rica are no joke. I fell – a lot, and I also experienced success! The feeling of riding a wave into shore was so exhilarating, and every time I fell, it gave me an opportunity to re-assess what worked and what didn’t. It was as mentally challenging as it was physical, and I loved every minute of it. In fact, those of us who surfed had such a great time that we decided to rent boards and go again the next day.
Casandra and Meagan did a great job facilitating their circle discussions, too. In Casandra’s class, we created mandalas and discussed conscious community building. And Meagan led us through some business coaching exercises that helped us get clear on where we wanted to go and what we aimed to accomplish. Mine was all about multi-level instruction – and then Casandra and I came together on the last day of the retreat to lead a discussion on “Integrity in Business.” The open format of our circle discussions allowed for everyone to share, bond, and connect. It was everything I hoped it would be and more! I even had a chance to lead a kids class, and Caroline brought in some of the locals to participate.
All in all, Costa Rica was amazing, and I can’t wait to get the wheels in motion for next year… I think I’m going to take some Spanish lessons in the meantime (I had a funny moment when trying to order a vegetarian dish… instead of saying “sin carne” (which means no meat), I accidentally said “cien carne” (which means 100 meats)! Lesson learned 😉 So, I’ll leave you with some photo highlights from our trip. Until next time… Happy Hooping! XOXO, Abby
