November 21-28, 2026 at Pura Vida Spa, just 20 minutes from the San Jose International Airport in Costa Rica.
The Experience…
We created this retreat as a return to the simplicity of breath, community, and meaningful connection—an invitation to step away from the noise and come back to what truly sustains us. In the mountains of Costa Rica, let Pura Vida take care of the cooking while you unwind the tension of daily life, moving together, sharing experiences, and exploring the natural beauty of a country long celebrated for its joy and ease of living.
Quiet mornings.
Fresh tropical breakfasts.
Mindful movement classes.
Time by the pool.
Optional spa treatments.
Afternoon workshops.
Hammocks.
Optional eco tours.
Sunsets.
Evening gatherings by the fire pit.
Deep sleep in a mountain breeze.
The Retreat Centre: Pura Vida
Known as one of the world’s most trusted retreat destinations, Pura Vida blends natural beauty with decades of experience to support meaningful, lasting well-being—so you leave not just refreshed, but truly renewed.
Located just 20 minutes from the San Jose International airport, Pura Vida sits on 8 aches of landscape at an elevation of 4265 ft, where year round temperatures average from 16°C at night to 26°C during the day.
- Heated pool
- Hot tub
- Spa
- wifi
- Walking paths
- 5 yoga halls with breathtaking views
- Outdoor fire pit
- Boutique gift shop
- Beautiful gardens
- Specialty drink bar
Your stay includes three daily meals: Delicious dishes are lovingly prepared from fresh local produce and regional purveyors. Served buffet-style in an inviting dining hall, all meals feature both North American and Costa Rican vegetarian, fish and chicken dishes to tempt your taste buds and nourish your body and soul. Specialty diets can be accommodated with advance notice.
Accommodations
Accommodations range from the most gorgeous glamping suites to luxurious villas. See accommodation details here.
Retreat Investment
Your $500 USD (non-refundable) payment secures your place in the retreat and covers the curated experience itself—including all programming, sessions, and group offerings.
Accommodation is selected separately and will be added based on your room preference—Pura Vida will contact you to complete your booking after your initial deposit has been paid through Christine at: b o d y w e l l t h e r a p i e s [ a t ] G M A I L [ d o t ] C O M.
Rooming rates below are additional to the above $500 and are per person USD (rooms are reserved on a first come basis):
Rooms with multiple occupancy are intended for guests who are registering together. We are unable to match roommates or create shared room groups. If you are booking a shared room, please arrange your own roommates before registering.
What’s Included:
- Airport transfer
- 7 nights accommodation
- 3 delicious meals/day
- 2 movement classes/day
- All taxes
- Coffee & fruit all day
- Use of all resort facilities
What’s not Included:
- Airfare
- Optional spa treatments
- Staff gratuities
- Optional Eco tours/excursions
- Specialty beverages
Eco Tours (optional):
Wednesday offers 3 full-day tours to choose from:
- Bajos Del Toro Blue Waterfall Adventure
- Hot springs hike and soak
- White water rafting
Half-day tours are on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday:
- Waterfall gardens adventure
- The Green Ark Botanical Gardens Tour
- Doka Coffee Plantation Adventure
- Cloud Forest Canopy Adventure
Your Hosts:
Twenty years ago, Judith and Christine hosted their first retreat at Pura Vida in Costa Rica—beginning a tradition they carried through seven remarkable gatherings. Over time, life led them in different directions, each focused on their own work (and living 500+ km apart), yet the rhythm of co-creating these spaces is something they’ve deeply missed.
Their retreats have welcomed multi-generational groups, each rooted in a shared desire for deep rest, genuine connection, and the quiet luxury of time and space to simply be.
Judith’s lifelong love of music and movement began with dance and has evolved into a rich blend of Qigong, Yoga, and Nia—a practice that weaves together dance arts, martial arts, and healing arts.
With a background as a Thai Yoga Massage practitioner and Reiki Master, her work is rooted in embodied awareness and energetic healing. She is also the former owner of Studio Soleil, where she taught and developed her practice for 15 years, and has co-facilitated 15 international retreats, most in Costa Rica.
In her classes, Judith invites you to move beyond thinking and into feeling—awakening ease, expression, and inner joy through playful, mindful movement.
Christine is a Registered Massage Therapist whose work is rooted in decades of exploration of the body through movement, beginning with yoga and evolving into both teaching and hands-on therapeutic practice. She spent many years teaching yoga and developing a comprehensive teacher training manual, reflecting her depth of study and commitment to embodied learning.
She has co-led multiple retreats in Costa Rica, including 7 in partnership with Judith, creating immersive experiences that weave together rest, movement, and nervous system support in a natural, restorative setting.
In her clinical work, Christine blends precision with intuition, helping clients understand patterns of tension and return to greater ease, function, and resilience in their bodies.
Retreat FAQs
Fly into SJO-Juan Santamaría International Airport on November 21st—if your flight gets in late, you will not miss any of the retreat—we begin our program on November 22nd.
If you want to fly in early, there are plenty of affordable hotels close to the airport (you can book an extra night at Pura Vida at a 10% discount if you prefer the ease of arriving one time).
Your passport must be valid for SIX MONTHS from your entry date. If you arrive on November 21, 2026, your passport must be valid until at least May 21, 2027.
Pura Vida welcomes us with plenty of hammocks, a pool, hot tub, and spa… you’re free to settle into whatever kind of doing—or not doing—your body needs.
Confirm your attendance with an initial payment of $500 USD to Christine, you can email her at B O D Y W E L L T H E R A P I E S [a t] G M A I L [dot] C O M
Your second payment (50% of your room rate) is made through Pura Vida—they will reach out to you to make arrangements. The final payment is due 60 days prior to departure.
Judith and Christine met in 2003 during a Thai massage training in Montreal, and obviously hit it off right away! As you can see, the passage of time has changed little more than the lines on their faces 🕉️