Costa Rica Summer Retreat 2013

Imagine an entire week of Qigong in a cool, tropical mountain paradise where the temperature stays between 60-80 degrees all year round.  Imagine being fed 3 delicious meals every day, plus snacks, fruit, tea, and coffee to your heart’s content. Imagine traveling to crystal clear mountain rivers, hot springs, local markets, or just lazing around in a hammock.

Why Go To Costa Rica?

Don’t miss this trip. Watch this wonderful video taken at the Blue Mountain retreat center in Costa Rica, and hear what students have to say:

The Blue Mountain Retreat Center

The Blue Mountain is an amazing place. Visiting it should be on your list of things to do before you die. When you leave the Blue Mountain, you will count the days until your return. It’s that special.

The Blue Mountain is run with great attention to detail, from the fresh cut flowers in the rooms, to the exquisite food preparation, to the friendly smiles of the staff. This creates an ideal learning environment where you can let go of all your cares and concerns, and just enjoy.

The Center is built around the Temple of Learning, which is higher up the mountain. This beautiful indoor/outdoor space is where the seminars are held. If you are accustomed to doing Qigong indoors, just wait until you practice in the open air with a million-dollar view of the mountains.

At the bottom of the hill is the Maloka Hall where we eat our meals, socialize, grab snacks, and relax. Fresh fruit, snacks, coffee, and tea are available here between (and during!) meals. There is a beautiful fire pit in the center of the Maloka, where people relax in the evening. The evenings a great opportunity to chat with me, Dr. Akemi, or with other students. As my teacher often says, some of his best lessons were learned while sipping tea with his Sifu. The Maloka provides you with this opportunity every evening.

The sleeping rooms vary in size, luxury, and type. Please see below for descriptions of each one.

Traveling to Costa Rica

Costa Rica is extremely tourist friendly, especially for Americans. Although you do need a passport, you don’t need a visa. Flights to San Jose International are easy to find.

Most locals in Costa Rica speak some English, but you’ll have a bilingual guide the entire time, so it doesn’t matter. Once at the Blue Mountain Retreat Center, there will be lots of English speakers.

Costa Rica is very cheap when compared to the U.S. You won’t be paying for meals while on the Blue Mountain, but everywhere else, you can get a delicious meal for much less than you would pay in the States. You can also buy cheap goods at the duty free shops on the way back.

Programs & Dates

Course Dates: July 20-27, 2013

Daily Schedule: The sun rises early in Costa Rica, and it’s easy to become a morning person. Breakfast is served at 8:00am, but coffee is available as early as 6:00am.

Training starts at 9:00am in the amazing Temple of Learning, with a breathtaking view of the mountains in front, and a genuine 15th Century Chinese statue behind. At 11:00am, we take a 30-minute snack break in one of the beautiful gardens. Training resumes at 11:30, and continues until 1:00pm. Then we walk down through the gorgeous path filled with flowers to enjoy a delicious lunch, followed by dessert.

In the afternoons, you’re free to nap, lounge, get a massage, or take a walk along the river. At 4:30pm, snacks (tea, coffee, fruit, yoghurt) are served. Dinner is at 7:00pm in the Maloka. After dessert, choose to sit around the indoor fire, socialize with your new friends in paradise, or go back to your room for a rest.

Arrival Info: We recommend that you plan to arrive on the 19th.  For a small fee, you can go sightseeing (the Volcano is spectacular), and stay over in a beautiful hotel in San Jose (roughly $100 for a room, which you can share with others).  Then you can relax and catch the bus to the mountain the next day.  Otherwise, you need to arrive before noon on the 20th at San Jose International in order to catch the bus.

Day 1 – Medical Qigong

Day 2 – Vitality Qigong

Day 3 – Intellectual Qigong

Day 4 – Martial Qigong

Day 5 – Spiritual Qigong

Day 6 – Tour Day

Packages

The price for all packages includes everything except airfare. Prices range from $1099 for a dorm room to $1899 for a luxury, private suite. All packages include:

There are several different housing options. The price varies depending on the housing that you choose. If you need to arrange a payment plan, then please contact me directly.

Suites (Quetzales)

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These large, luminous suites have a private bathroom, a spacious, covered terrace (with a hammock), and a spectacular view of the mountains. World-class comfort at an affordable price. Perfect for couples. A roommate will be arranged if you need one.

Click below to make a $400, non-refundable (except emergencies) deposit on one of the above rooms (double or single).  After making the deposit, please contact Sifu Anthony directly to arrange a payment plan.

Wooden Houses (Tangaras)

(Click on the images to enlarge)

Comfortable, charming little wooden houses for single or double occupancy. These have an attached bathroom, and a small terrace with a panoramic view. A roommate will be arranged if you need one.

Click below to make a $400, non-refundable (except emergencies) deposit on one of the above rooms (double or single). After making the deposit, please contact Sifu Anthony directly to arrange a payment plan.

Non-refundable Deposit
$400
Make Deposit

Nature Lover “Tent”

(Click on the images to enlarge)

Large, colonial-style, permanent “tents” in the primal forest, complete with electricity, private bathroom, hot shower, and toilet. A roommate will be arranged if you need one.

Dormitory

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The dormitory is located up on the wooden mezzanine of the Temple of Learning. There are shared bathrooms and hot showers downstairs. Bathrooms and dorms are segregated by gender. Bring your own sleeping bag and a sense of adventure. (The temperature never drops below 60 degrees, but a sleeping bag is helpful.)

Click below to make a $400, non-refundable (except emergencies) deposit on one of the above rooms (double or single). After making the deposit, please contact Sifu Anthony directly to arrange a payment plan.

Non-refundable Deposit
$400
Make Deposit

Other Info

Arrival

We recommend that you plan to arrive on July 19th.  For a small fee, you can go sightseeing (the Volcano is spectacular), and stay over in a beautiful hotel in San Jose (roughly $100 for a room, which you can share with others).  Then you can relax and catch the bus to the mountain the next day.  Otherwise, you need to arrive before 12:30pm on the 20th at San Jose International in order to catch the bus.  If you miss the bus, you’ll have to pay for a taxi to the retreat center, which is roughly $200.

Departure

Plan to depart on the 27th after 2:00pm.  The bus ride from the retreat center is about 4-5 hours, and we typically leave at 7am.  If your flight is too early, you won’t catch it.  You can stay overnight in San Jose if you like, or just schedule your after 2:00pm. 

What to bring

The climate on the mountain is basically springtime all year round.  The temperature fluctuates from about 55F at night to about 79F during the day.  That being said, you should bring the following:

• Flashlight
• Clean Shoes (for the Temple)
• All-Terrain Shoes (for getting around)
• Binoculars (if you like birdwatching)
• Warm clothing (you’ll need a sweater at night and in the mornings)
• Layers
• Comfortable clothes for training
• A valid passport (must be valid for 6 months AFTER your entry date)
• A prepaid return ticket.
• Camera
• Sleeping bag (dorm only)

What about Internet?

There is an Internet room at the retreat.  For a small fee, you can plug in a laptop, or use their computer to check email.  Unfortunately, iPads will not work here.

Mobile Phones

If you have international roaming, your mobile phone may work on the mountain.  Last year, I bought an international Text Messaging package for about $10.  This allowed me to send and receive texts while on the mountain.  I did not use my telephone at all.

You can also purchase a local SIMM card to put in your phone.  Akemi and I bought a local phone + a SIMM card for about $30 last year.  It worked great.  If you want to do this, you need to buy the SIMM card BEFORE you leave the airport.  Contact me for details.

Other Phones

Otherwise, you can use the phone in the common room for a small fee.  If someone needs to call you there, the number is:

(506) 27425278

Water

The water on the mountain is as clean as you’ll ever drink.  It comes directly from a nearby spring, and it is run through several filters.  It is also tested regularly for microbes.  In nearly 10 years of operation, they have never had any kind of problem with the water.

What about coffee?

There is delicious coffee and tea freely available from 6am to 6pm.

What’s the schedule?

Breakfast is at 8am.  The classes are usually from 9am to 1pm, with a coffee/tea/snack break at 11am.  Lunch is after the class.  The afternoon is open for hiking, practicing, socializing, or trips. 

Massages

There will be therapeutic massages available at the retreat center.  There is a schedule, and you just sign up.  They cost $70-85 per hour, which is a good price for what yo uget.

Laundry

If necessary, you can have someone wash your clothing for a small fee.  It usually takes 24 hours to have it all washed and returned.

Costa Rica

The country is a democratic republic. Under the 1949 constitution, all citizens are guaranteed equality before the law, the right to own property, the right of petition and assembly, freedom of speech, and the right of habeas corpus. A unique feature of Costa Rica is that it does not have an army. Costa Ricans decided there would be less chance for dictator coups without one, and so it has become a global model of democracy. During the last 50 years, the money that would have gone into the military has been spent on education. The country has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Sifu Anthony directly.