The Retreat

Four Nights.
One Way Home.

Essence Arenal · El Castillo, Costa Rica
A small, in-person immersion in the rainforest — where coming home to yourself stops being something you practice, and becomes who you are. Yoga and meditation, in community, with the volcano and the lake as your backdrop.
November 11–15 Essence Arenal, El Castillo Fewer than 10 women
The Invitation

You don't need another vacation.
You need to come home.

You've done the class. Maybe you've started the Initiation. You know, at least in flashes, that you were never the potato — that underneath the story is soil that was never actually lacking anything.

But knowing it in a quiet moment at home is one thing. Living from it — for four full days, away from every role you perform, every notification, every reason to perform "fine" — is another.

"This isn't a trip to escape your life. It's four days to finally stop leaving yourself."

This retreat is small on purpose — fewer than ten women — so there's room for real stillness, real conversation, and real practice. Not a resort. Not a performance of wellness. Just yoga, meditation, and the ground beneath both.

Where You'll Stay

Essence Arenal

22 hectares of rainforest, overlooking the Arenal Volcano and Lake

Essence Arenal sits on a hilltop in El Castillo, a quiet village well off the tourist path, with sweeping views of the volcano, the lake, and the valley below. It's an eco-lodge built around a working permaculture farm — which means the food you eat is grown steps from where you sleep.

The Setting
Rainforest hilltop, volcano and lake views, private rooms with private bathrooms.
The Food
Farm-to-table vegetarian and vegan meals, grown on-site at the property's own organic farm.
The Practice Space
An open-air yoga studio set in the jungle, built for practice with nature as the only backdrop.
Beyond the Mat
Spring-fed pool, spa circuit, forest trails, and Costa Rica's natural hot springs nearby.
The Arc

Five days. One homecoming.

Each day moves you further from the potato and deeper into the soil — through yoga, meditation, and real rest, not a packed itinerary.

Day One
Nov 11 · Arrival
Arrive, and let the performing stop.
Settle in. No agenda tonight beyond a shared meal and an opening circle — the first exhale of putting the trying down.
Day Two
Nov 12
Meet the potato.
Morning yoga and a guided meditation naming the stories you've been carrying — the ones you came here to finally put down.
Day Three
Nov 13
Rest as the soil.
The deepest practice of the retreat — extended meditation, open space, and time in nature to let the ground beneath the story become unmistakable.
Day Four
Nov 14
Integrate, in community.
Practice carrying this home — with the women beside you, in the ordinary moments of a shared day, not just on the mat.
Day Five
Nov 15 · Departure
Closing circle, and the way forward.
A final morning practice, a closing circle, and a clear, simple way to keep this alive once you're home.
What's Included

Everything held, nothing performed.

4 nights' lodging at Essence Arenal — single or double occupancy
Daily yoga and guided meditation sessions with Susan Ann
All meals, farm-to-table vegetarian and vegan
Spa treatments
Opening and closing circle, in community
A small group — fewer than 10 women

Not included: airfare, airport transfers, and excursions.

Reserve Your Place

The Retreat

November 11–15 · Essence Arenal, Costa Rica
$2,397 single
$2,167 double
Per person · fewer than 10 spots · deposit to reserve · payment plans available
Apply for a Spot
A deposit reserves your spot, with a payment plan available leading up to November. Space is intentionally limited to hold real intimacy and depth — applications reviewed on a rolling basis until the retreat is full.