Offerings
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Types of retreats
Finca Lilapad retreats are tailored and customizable depending on whether youβre here to grieve, detox, connect, detach, move, introspect or simply ‘be’ in stillness.
The types of retreats we offer include:
π Grief retreats for women
π Individual 1-on-1 grief retreats
π Womenβs retreats
π Silent retreats
π Nature retreats
π Yoga retreats
π Couples retreats
π Sound healing retreats
π Adventure retreats
We believe our small retreats offer the best of both worlds, where you get dedicated personal attention given our current comfortable capacity is two couples / four individuals, yet we also offer the opportunity to integrate into the wider conscious community for gatherings if this calls you.
We have recently finished construction of a cosy jungle geodesic dome and wooden A-frame. See homepage for photos.
Modalities
Depending on your individual requirements and priorities, our choice of retreat offerings and modalities include:
π Farm-to-table organic locally / home-grown food
π Yoga & movement
π Meditation
π Pranayama & breathwork
π Farm tour & plant talk
π Exotic fruits
π Floral epsom salt bath
π Coaching & deep listening
π Nature trek & grounding
π Waterfall / beach / river excursion
π Somatic therapies
π Trauma work
π Ceremonies & altars
π Journaling
π EFT tapping
π EMDR
π Pet therapy
π Terrahertz frequency healing
π Womb healing
π Farmerβs market trip
π Reiki & energy healing *
π Sound healing / shamanic sound journey *
π Massage / bodywork *
π Craniosacral therapy *
π Art or pottery class *
π Jewellery making class *
π Chocolate making class *
* additional cost
Hatha vinyasa yoga
Kirtan and sound healing
Movement and altar
Nature walk on Finca Lilapad
Spotting howler monkeys in our backyard
More howler monkeys on our land
Retreat day trips
Our choice of excursions include:
β’ River, beach or waterfall trip
β’ Farmers market visit
β’ Community gatherings / events
β’ Blue clay treatment
β’ Sharing circle
Beach trip
Jungle hike to Goddess Falls
Nauyaca Falls
Local swimming pool
Another local swim spot
Catering
Catering is done in-house, prepared with love and fresh ingredients daily. We personally follow an omnivore diet, with meat offered from consciously-raised, grass-fed animals, including nutrient-packed raw dairy. We also cater for vegetarians, where eggs are sourced from happy hens. As far as possible the nourishing meals we serve will be organic and locally grown farm-to-table (either from our land or from farmers in the area).
Typical schedule
A standard 8 day / 7 night retreat itinerary could look like the following:
DAY 01
2:00pm - Arrival, welcome juice & snack, introductions and settling in
3:30pm - Introductory sharing circle or private coaching session
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 02
7:00am - Herbal tea
7:30am - Yoga and breathwork
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Farm tour
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Free time
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 03
7:00am - Herbal tea
7:30am - Movement and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Local swimming hole
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 04
7:00am - Herbal tea
8:00am - Farmerβs market trip or community gathering (includes breakfast)
12:30pm - Lunch
4:00pm - Yin yoga
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 05
7:00am - Herbal tea
7:30am - Kirtan / chanting
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Bodywork or sound healing
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Meditation
DAY 06
7:00am - Herbal tea and breakfast
9:30am - Waterfall or beach trip (includes lunch)
3:30pm - Free time
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 07
7:00am - Herbal tea
7:30am - Yoga and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
3:30pm - Blue clay treatment
4:30pm - Sunset floral and epsom salt bath
5:30pm - Last supper
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 08
7:00am - Herbal tea
7:30am - Closing ceremony, altar creation and sharing circle
9:00am - Goodbye breakfast
11:30am - Check out
During βfree timeβ we invite you to disconnect from your phones and instead explore the land, read a book, bird watch, stretch in our Shala, relax on our Peace Seat or in a hammock, experiment making homegrown herbals teas, pet a furbaby or simply βbeβ.
Please note that a sound healing session and bodywork / massages have an additional cost.
What's included
The following offerings are included in the cost of our retreats:
β’ 3x meals per day
β’ Accommodation
β’ Unlimited herbal tea and filtered structured water
β’ Excursion / trip outΒ
β’ Classes and modalities (yoga & movement, meditation, pranayama & breathwork, farm tour & plant talk, floral epsom salt bath, coaching, nature walk, waterfall/beach/river trip, somatic therapy, ceremony, journaling, EFT tapping, terrahertz frequency healing, womb healing)
What's not included
The following offerings are not included in the cost of our retreats:
β’ Flights
β’ Transfer to / from the airport
β’ Modalities offered by third parties (sound healing, massage, craniosacral therapy, reiki/energy healing,Β art/pottery class, chocolate making class, jewellery making class)
Grief retreats
If youβre landing on this page, it is likely that you have experienced a bereavement and/or are grieving deeply. We are so so sorry.
Sadly you most likely know only too well that you don’t get over your grief, particularly if it’s a bereavement. Instead, you somehow one day start to learn how to cope and live with it.
Grieving and healing is not linear and can sometimes feel utterly overwhelming. When youβre grieving, there can be a tendency to isolate and not want to be a burden on others. But you are not alone and donβt need to suffer in silence.
Online groups can be so beneficial but offline, in-person retreats provide real space, time and permission for you to unload your grief and trauma and feel all the associated emotions in a safe and non-judgemental setting.
We innerstand what itβs like to have to face this dark reality after our beautiful baby daughter died in 2022.
We can empathize with first hand experience how extremely intense, subjective and debilitating grief can be.
We know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing grief.
Thatβs why we take a very personalized approach to planning a grief retreat and will have regular check-ins with you throughout the time you are with us to see if your needs have changed from what you envisioned.
Some days movement and yoga might feel aligned for you, or some EFT tapping, journaling or somatic therapies.
Another day it may feel good to get a massage, have a sound healing ceremony or an epsom salt bath overlooking the sunset.
There may be a time you want to head deep into the jungle to scream or be guided through a rage ceremony.
At some point you may wish to go and sit by/in one of the local pristine rivers or swimming spots and be held by pachamama and the elements.
Most days we would invite you at some point to allow yourself to open up during an intimate sharing circle or 1-on-1. But this would be your choice entirely when, if, what and how you share.
One day you might want to lie on our comfy outdoor ‘peace seat’ in your PJs, or even in bed, with nourishing meals brought to you and maybe a furbaby for therapy!
You donβt need anyoneβs permission or approval to grieve however you want. Come as you are and we’ll hold space for all of it. Allowing yourself to fall apart is not a waste of time. It can be absolutely necessary to help shift blocked energy.
If itβs an unfathomable child loss youβve experienced and youβre a woman who has recently given birth, you may find it healing to have a βclosing of the bonesβ ceremony, a grief ceremony, or womb healing practices such as a yoni steam, castor oil pack, abdominal massage, moxybustion treatment, a flower bath, or some bodywork.
To find out if our grief retreat offering would feel aligned for you, get in touch with us to schedule a complimentary, no obligation 15-minute discovery call (or text messages if this feels more aligned) where weβll ask you about your preferences and priorities and see if we can custom-make an itinerary that would feel good for your heart and nervous system.
Photos
Videos
Testimonials
Thank you for being so present and selfless. For infusing all the love languages. The long notes you (Emily) took and details and tailoring of care that you put into me is so unique. And the genuine quality time spent. Us sitting by the river was such authentic conversation, as well as the mealtimes. It felt like family for someone who didnβt have a family growing up. I really valued that and the laughter. This is what it feels like to laugh again and be happy when you release some trauma! There was true warmth and I got to open up. This is friendship I would want to see again. Such a homely and nurturing experience. You guys are such perfectionists with great attention to detail!
Absolutely I found all the modalities helpful. Talk therapy, breathwork, all of them! It alleviated some of the things I felt for sure. Thank you for teaching me how to breathe! It made me really be present and be like yo I donβt even breathe in the right way! I donβt have true insight from the little bits Iβve done but I know the effects of these can be profound and it inspired me to want to learn to practice on a daily basis. So much better than medicating yourself!
The setting was perfect natural beauty and serenity. Thank you for sharing your piece of paradise. This is my kinda luxury, jungle luxury! That beautiful waterfall that money canβt buy, a multi million dollar view! The sound of nature really did connect me to the earth in such a more profound way than one would think. Such a beautiful land and knowledge and wisdom and experience. I canβt wait to come back and see the progress and eat the grapes I planted and blessed with abundance and love!
Such appreciation for Mateo the chef also. Grabbing fresh organic vegetables and plants from the garden made for such a homely feeling. His knowledge and hospitality and delicious comfort food! Everything I ate was organic and from either from a local farmer or the garden. It inspired me to eat cleaner! The fruit bowls were the best Iβve ever had! All the love shows in your food.
I felt safe to share and validated. That long 1-on-1 session with you (Emily) helped with you giving a different perspective and you sharing your grief was so profound. It allowed me to share more and feel safer. Otherwise I donβt think I wouldβve been able to connect with you at the level I did. I havenβt been listened to like that before so thank you for that and offering your reflection in a kind way.
I absolutely have more hope for the future. I think youβve awakened different aspects of me in wanting to change my lifestyle and be an expat!! My sense of peace and stability and self love. You wrote down notes on things I said and repeated them to me which were really hard to hear but youβd gently remind me and ask permission to share a reflection. Iβll be taking a lot of stuff back with me. Being mindful of my words and my mentality, the different modalities. Youβve shown me life can go on after grief and itβs a choice on whether it does so in a beautiful way or a miserable one. Youβve inspired me to do the shadow work!
Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a morning like this with the ceremony and view and breakfast and company. Although it initially seemed steep because Iβm in a transition period, I do think the retreat is well priced. It was an investment in myself. The tailored modalities, the organic food, the land, the view, the yoga shala, the bed, the bathroom! I would be happy to pay tenfold if I wasnβt in a transition! Thank you so much for being such wonderful hosts and enlightening my life. Truly grateful to the Almighty, blessed and honored.
This grief retreat in Costa Rica provided me with not just solace, but also a deeper understanding of life's natural cycles and the interconnectedness of all beings. Emily and Mateo's compassion, the delicious organic meals, and the serene environment, coupled with the company of their lovely pets, made this retreat an unforgettable and transformative experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this retreat to anyone seeking healing and a profound connection with themselves and the natural world. Muchas gracias, Emily, Mateo, Monchi, and the sweet cats, for this life-changing experience.
Thank you so much Emily and Mateo for receiving me and offering a safe space for me to come through, allow myself to be vulnerable, feel the feelings and work through my grief and layers of traume from abuse and miscarriage. This retret happened at a point of very strong transition in my life and will remain a treasured memory. I will make sure to recommend it other women and men. I came not really knowing what to expect and I leave feeling a greater sense of awareness of myself and my healing journey, greater self compassion. Thank you for the work you do for the healing of others. Stay blessed and may your deepest hearts' desires be fulfilled. With love and in friendship, Elizabeth
I was able to stay with them for a few days and they took really good care of me and showed
One of the highlights was a beautiful healing bath with Epsom salts and flowers and cacao. It was a really nourishing time that I experienced in their care. I felt really held and safe and had so much peace on their land with the quietude of nature all around and the Diamante waterfall in plain sight.
Such a beautiful view with the landscape all around - so tranquil and healing.
I am deeply grateful for the experience. I was going through probably the most challenging time of my life and they welcomed me into their space and held me in a very powerful transition time.
Their humbleness and their own life experience made it so that I could trust them to provide the safety and support that I needed and I felt comfortable to be where I was at in my journey.
I felt like I could be vulnerable and raw and real in my experience and share that openly with them. Because I know theyβve gone through deep grief I felt like I could also open up in that way and share my grief, and I can continue to do so knowing that theyβre there for me and will offer their support and friendship no matter what. That feels really good.
So if youβre someone whoβs experiencing a big life transition - the loss of a loved one or a shift in the relationship of some kind - or perhaps dealing with a shift in your own self whether itβs health-related or emotional - on every level physical, emotional, spiritual or mental - I highly recommend that you reach out for support and just know that Em and Mateo are holding that space in a deeply humble and welcoming way.
Sample itinerary
The following is a sample grief retreat itinerary, which would be entirely flexible depending on your evolving needs every day. We recommend up to a three week stay to allow yourself to fully sink into the space and be served by us, experiencing the range of modalities on offer as well as providing ample time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Each guest can opt in or out of as much or as little as you wish.
We also innerstand that a 7, 10 or 14 day retreat may feel more aligned and would be more than happy to condense the following itinerary to suit your timeframe. Please do feel free to get in touch with us to see how we can tailor a package to best serve you:
Please note that we currently do not host grief retreats for men. Couples grief retreats may become an offering later in 2024 where the womenβs only treatments (yoni steam, moxybustion treatment, castor oil pack, abdominal massage and closing of the bones ceremony) can be substituted with offerings such as a rage ceremony, a hike, a swim, high yoga, bodywork, anger release techniques such as foraging and macheteing the land or chopping wood. Stay tuned for more information!
DAY 01
2:00pm - Arrival, welcome juice & snack, introductions and settling in
3:30pm - Introductory deep listening and therapy session
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 02
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Yoga and breathwork
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Farm tour
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Free time
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 03
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Movement and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Journaling
3:30pm - EFT tapping
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 04
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - EMDR and hooponopono
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Local swimming hole
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 05
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Silent / contemplation day
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Quiet solitude modalities - journaling, EFT, walking meditation
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Continue silent, solo modalities
5:30pm - Silent dinner
7:00pm - Meditation
DAY 06
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Yoga and pranayama
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Massage
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 07
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
8:00am - Breakfast
9:30am - Waterfall trip (includes lunch)
2:30pm - Free time
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 08
7:00am Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Movement and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
3:30pm - Blue clay treatment
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 09
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Yoga and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Castor oil pack
3:00pm - Abdominal massage
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 10
7:00am - Farmerβs Market trip (includes breakfast)
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Free time
4:00pm - Restorative yoga
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 11
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Silent / contemplation day
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Quiet solitude modalities - journaling, EFT, walking meditation
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Continue silent, solo modalities
5:30pm - Silent dinner
7:00pm - Meditation
DAY 12
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Yoga and meditation
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Free time
4:30pm - Floral and epsom salt bath
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 13
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1)
7:30am - Cacao / yerba mate ceremony
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Moxybustion treatment / yoni steam
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 14
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
8:30am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
3:00pm - Sound healing
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Movie night
DAY 15
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
8:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Beach (includes lunch)
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 16
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Yoga and pranayama
8:30am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
4:00pm - Yin yoga
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 17
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Kirtan / chanting
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
3:30pm - Rainbow eucalyptus tree hugging
4:30pm - Sungazing
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 18
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
7:30am - Silent / contemplation day
9:00am - Breakfast
10:00am - Quiet solitude modalities - journaling, EFT, walking meditation
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Continue silent modalities
5:30pm - Silent dinner
7:00pm - Meditation
DAY 19
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
8:30am - Breakfast
10:00am - Community gathering / event (includes lunch)
5:30pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Free time
DAY 20
7:00am - Daily sharing circle (or 1-on-1) and herbal tea / coffee
8:30am - Breakfast
10:00am - Free time
12:30pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Closing ceremony ~ grief ceremony / rage ceremony / closing of the bones ceremony
5:30pm - Last supper
DAY 21
9:00am - Goodbye breakfast and guidance circle
11:30am - Check out
Events
Check back soon to find out about events scheduled or join our mailing list below to be the first to know.
If you live in the Southern zone of Costa Rica, reach out to Emily (click the link below) to be added to our private mailing list of events happening in-between retreats. We are currently building a Dome structure and A-frame to increase our capacity for overnight events.