"I AM" Back from our Costa Rican Retreat

Dancing through Costa Rica: Pura Vida

We had an excellent time hiking, watching sunsets, dancing, journaling, practicing yoga and barre class, singing, playing with guitars, sharing good food with friends, and appreciating the beauty of this tropical paradise.  

Somehow, the wonder of living life gets lost in traffic, pressured schedules, and a hurried work pace. Costa Rican locals have a saying, Pura Vida; it means Pure Life. That's how a waiter at a local Dominical restaurant, Mono Congo, can stop what he's doing to dance with one of his customers.

Our daily lives can drive our body and mind into chaos when we forget to be human. When we get caught up with "making" a living rather than living to make a life, we forget to breathe. We stop tasting the bittersweet flavors this abundant earth offers us, shut out the loving touch and kindness of our family and friends, become deaf to the sounds of chirping birds and howling winds, and stay blind to the grandeur and beauty of this planet.  

When we tear ourselves away from the monotony of our daily routines and begin to appreciate how we can awaken this aliveness in ourselves, we reconnect deeply with our world. If we genuinely want to stay in touch with our humanity, we must learn how to connect with mother earth, and then, take the time to appreciate her. 

I believe we create our reality. Each time I visit Costa Rica, I bring a piece of her back to L.A. and revisit the feelings I experienced while there. When I meditate and immerse myself in my inner world, I can blend Costa Rica and my existence at home. The freedom of time constraints, relaxation, and joy I felt in paradise can coexist with my daily living here in Los Angeles. I AM lucky to have captured a peaceful and tranquil state of mind while on retreat, and because I love and recognize that feeling in my body, I can choose to recreate it wherever I AM and whenever I wish.

I also know that if I shift my state to a more hectic and fast-paced workaholic mindset, I will slowly begin to lose that wondrous sense of Pura Vida. It's easier to trust, let go, and release stress while on vacation. It's more challenging to sit at home looking at a phone, listening to beeping alerts reminding us of busy schedules, and watching bank balances drop because of spending money on a "great" time in paradise.  

The trick to maintaining a Pura Vida mindset is to remember the sensations experienced while in that state.  I KNOW that experience still exists in my heart. I can visualize the sunsets, trees, birds, and flowers and feel the same pleasure and delight as if I were in paradise. I can have the same human experience of connecting with nature, love, and people who appreciate me and the simple things in life while sitting in my L.A. loft. I can close my eyes and breathe, then fuse that feeling into the rest of my days. 

Thanks for letting me share this experience with you.   

I hope you can make our next retreat. I would love for you to come. I'll let you know next time we go. For now, I wish you much love and peace.

Namaste.

Clarita

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