January 1st - 8th, 2014
Itinerary for January 2014 Uploaded Soon!
Join us for an 8 day course in tropical plant medicine, holistic healing, yoga, meditation, healing rituals and sacred circle, located at the beautiful eco-lodge, La Cusinga, in Uvita, Costa Rica. This course is intended to be a healing journey and retreat, honoring our individual and collective path of healing, reconnecting with nature and the magic of sacred circle.
Each day of the course will center on journeying through each of the 7 chakras, moving from the root to the crown, focusing on herbs, yoga, meditation, and ritual to open and nourish each of these sacred centers.
The retreat will include traditional healing practices, daily plant medicine classes, meditation, yoga, hiking, plant medicine journeys, medicine making, and rituals journeying through each of the seven sacred centers. Bodywork and massage will be available for those wishing to schedule sessions with our therapists.
Plants we will be working with in medicine making and ritual through the retreat include Cacao, Ylang Ylang, Hibiscus, Guava, Passionflower, Guanabana, Biriba, Ginger, Coffee, Yerba Mate, Coconut, Jasmine, Tilo, Guava, Sugar Cane, Noni, Bitter Melon, Citrus, Jackass bitters, Cinnamon, Turmeric, Hombre Grande, and others. Work with the plants will include a combination of plant walks, medicine making, plant spirit journeys, explorations in ethnobotany, ritual, and connecting to the spirits of the nature.
Yoga & Meeting Space
COSTA RICA COURSE REGISTRATION FORM '14
To register, fill out the registration form and send it to the address provided.
Course will be limited to 20 people.
Full course details will be sent upon registration.
Students will enjoy 3 farm grown (mostly organic) meals a day, all plant medicine classes, optional daily yoga and meditation classes, healing ceremonies, evening fire circles, access to La Cusinga's beaches, trails, waterfalls, natural pools, and beautiful grounds. Healing journeys with the ocean and rainforest will be a part each course, as well as exploring the deep history and spirit held in the land of Central America. For those wishing to stay for a longer period of time before or after the start of the course, please contact La Cusinga for lodging availability.
TEACHERS -
Plant Medicine Classes & Journeys with Sage Maurer
(Course Facilitator)
Sage Maurer is the director of The Gaia School of Healing in Westminster, VT. She is an independent practitioner and teacher of herbal healing, plant spirit medicine, shamanism, deep ecology, and ethnobotany. In 2001, Sage founded The Gaia School of Healing in Boston, Massachusetts, and has trained over 300 apprentices in the past 12 years mainly in New England. Sage holds a degree in anthropology with a concentration in ethnobotany from The University of Hawaii, and a Masters degree in environmental education. Sage has spent 10 years studying tropical plant medicine and ethnobotany in Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Amazon. Sage is currently teaching year round in Vermont and Boston, Massachusetts, where she is offering apprenticeships and workshops throughout the year.
Yoga Teachers To Be Announced!
RETREAT LODGING
Included in the cost of the course is dorm lodging, and private rooms can be booked with La Cusinga for those who wish to spend a little extra. Please contact La Cusinga for private cabin rates.
View from the Lodge
 
Group Accommodation - Private Cabins Available
COURSE COST
Sliding Scale from $1050 - $1250
*** Based on what you can afford.
(includes cost of course and all classes, dorm lodging, 3 organic meals a day)
To contact Sage about the course, you can email her at thegaiaschool@gmail.com
or by phone at (617) 838 -8094. Please allow a few days for her to get back to you.
La Cusinga Beaches
Daily Yoga Space
La Cusinga, Eco-Lodge
La Cusinga Eco Lodge in Uvita, Costa Rica is a coastal rainforest eco lodge dedicated to marine and terrestrial conservation and environmental education. Its location on the southern Pacific coast provides guests with sweeping ocean views and a relaxing beach vacation. In addition La Cusinga is part of a private nature reserve that supplies the visitor with an unparalleled look at Costa Rican wildlife and rainforest. The reserve consists primarily of 250 hectares of virgin rainforest that borders thousands of more acres of privately protected forest. On Costa Rica1s still wild south-western Pacific coast, La Cusinga Lodge borders Ballena Marine National Park which was developed to protect the humpback whales that frequent the coast. La Cusinga Lodge was established in order to share the unique site with Costa Ricans as well as international visitors. Besides getting exposure to rural Costa Rican culture and beautiful vistas, visitors have access to highly prolific areas of primary tropical rainforest and unspoiled coast, all conveniently accessible. In 2010 they received 4 out of 5 leafs in the CST Certification.
La Cusinga Ecolodge maintains several trails that wind through the pristine protected rainforest and along the beautiful beaches. From three-hour treks through the forest to short walks down to the beach there are trails for all ages and abilities. On each trail the visitor is sure to get a glimpse of the diverse Costa Rican wildlife. Wildlife at La Cusinga is abundant and you will see many species that may include: morpho butterflies, tree frogs, ospreys, parrots, parakeets, toucans, howler monkeys, bottle-nosed dolphins, hawksbill turtles and the great humpback whale.
La Cusinga Eco Lodge is constantly looking for the perfect balance between the natural and social environment. They are protecting their forest and want to keep it as it is, without harming or changing the delicate ecosystems that are working inside each corner in the jungle and the woods. Finally they are also interested in raising the local families1 wellbeing, because they have dedicated their time and life in this dream.
Lodge Dining
 
Restaurant
Commitment to Sustainability
The commitment that La Cusinga Ecolodge has to sustainable development and the community is evident throughout the lodge. The buildings are made from their own reforested woods, local materials, and are nestled in naturally harmonious settings. All black and grey waters have a septic treatment that assures that no pollution ends up in the forest, river or the ocean. All of their electricity is from solar and hydropower and the sun heat all their water. All trails are done in a way that has the least impact on the surroundings and the least amount of erosion takes place.
The food La Cusinga serves is made from products from their own gardens, and local suppliers of organic products. All of their waste is recycled, organic produce is used for compost and all other products are recycled or taken to the municipal waste disposal site. La Cusinga has been making a positive impact on the community since its beginning. They hire local Costa Ricans who often stay for ten or more years.
La Cusinga is very active in the conservation of the park, humpback whales, the rain forest, beaches, and turtles. They use educational programs, such as speakers, seminars, and financial investment to conserve and preserve the surrounding resources and beauty. They host fun-days for the local schools, and make it an educational event for the students, professors and parents. Lastly, La Cusinga has been a voice for the community in the government concerning the preservation of humpback whales.
La Cusinga Beach
 
Swimming in La Cusinga waterfalls and pools.
GETTING TO LA CUSINGA
By bus
The bus from San Jos» to San Isidro leaves from the MUSOC terminal located on Calle Central/Ave. 22-24. Buses start to leave at 5:30am, from that time, one bus will leave every 30 minutes to an hour. This trip takes about 3-4 hours.
To get to Uvita the same day you must leave no later than 11:30am. Once in San Isidro you must reach the Dominical terminal. Buses to Uvita/Palmar Sur leave at 9am and 4pm daily. The 9am bus makes it final stop in the town of Uvita, from there you will have to take a taxi to reach the lodge (about 4 km). If you are traveling in the 4pm bus, simply ask the driver to stop at La Cusinga. This trip takes about 2 hours.
By car
Take the Inter-American highway from San Jos» towards San Isidro (3 hours max). Once in San Isidro, take the road to Dominical. This road will get you on the Southern coastal highway passing by Dominical and heading south towards Uvita. The lodge is 5km south of the Uvita bridge, between the kilometers 166 and 167. This trip takes about an hour to and hour and a half.
*Please keep in mind that you are in Costa Rica. Things like weather, road conditions, public, political or religious activities can delay your trip.
Off the Southern Coast Highway (Costanera Sur), we are located:
* 22 km South from Dominical (15 - 20 min)
* 35 km North from Palmar (50 min)
* 57 km Southwest from San Isidro de El General (80 min)
* 65 km South from Quepos (120 min)
Contact La Cusinga at www.lacusingalodge.com for more information on getting there.
Fire Circle
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