The way I was living was sucking my soul dry.  I was lost, depressed, developed eating issues, and was surrounded by a world of binge drinking and illusion.  

Ecology 101 at the University of Georgia answered a deep longing and created a path forward where there seemed to be none.  The professor announced that he would be taking a research assistant down to Panama.  I didn’t care what I was researching (it happened to be parasitic wasps)… I heard the call and knew it had to be me going. 

When was the last time you felt every cell in your body telling you to take a step forward in a different direction, and you said YES?  This defining moment is often life-changing in subtle or massive ways.

YES is where my love affair with Central America started, 27 years ago.  Through my twenties, I continued to return as a traveler and volunteer for months at a time.  Central America was the rite of passage that I so desperately needed.  She saved and transformed my life.  The people, land, music, dancing, and biodiversity all filled my very parched soul. 

Twenty-seven years from the first time I set foot on her sacred land, I’m returning – this time, I am thrilled to share her life-giving energy with a group.  

Whenever we leave home with the intention to go on a journey, we are transformed.  Linear time as we know it shifts… with an open heart and clear intent; deep transformation can happen in a week, even a weekend. 

Next week, I hope that this group falls in love with Central America as much as I have and will adore her, listen to her, receive her medicine, and want to protect her.  

The special sauce that I bring to retreats is the gift of helping individuals remember.  Remember how to listen to the land, the water, the air, flora & fauna, and to the truth within that lies just beneath the surface.  This is transformational.

If you feel the call to take a reprieve from the world of routine and journey beyond the known, follow your heart and say yes.  You will NEVER regret it.  

I’ll be returning to Costa Rica again next year, as well as Iona Scotland (which feels like another homecoming to me).  The mountains of WNC, another beloved landscape, will be the sacred container for spring and fall retreats. 

If you feel the call, please say yes.