Back to Nature, Back to Self:
2027 Costa Rica Retreat
​Back to Nature, Back to Self
2027 Costa Rica Retreat​​
February 19-26, 2027
Casa Kia Ora - Dominicalito
A retreat to return to You. Take time to unplug, reconnect, and restore. Daily yoga, aarti and silence joined with ceremony, ritual, and rooting into nature. Back to Nature, Back to Self will have you feeling nourished, connected, and whole, as you integrate back into life.
​The Heart Space Center Founder, D'Arcy Valverde, has been visiting various parts of Costa Rica, multiple times a year, for over a decade. When she fell upon Casa Kia Ora on her second trip to Dominicalito, she knew it would be home to this Back to Nature, Back to Self Costa Rica Retreat.
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With near and dear Tico (Costa Rican) family, Costa Rica is like a second home to her, and she cannot wait to be with you, nestled in the heart of the Costa Rican jungle, a short walk from one of her favorite Costa Rican beaches; Dominicalito, as we connect back to nature, and back to self, in this 7-night, 7-day wellness retreat.
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Fall asleep and wake up immersed in the jungle in your own luxurious private or shared cabina.
Attendees will have access to two private plunge pools, an ice bath, firepit, walking paths with river access, private dining, and daily group practices will take place in our own private open-air yoga shala.
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What's Included*:
​All-Inclusive:
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7 nights of luxurious accommodations in your own private or shared cabina, nestled in the jungle including:
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​private patio
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sliding glass doors
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Rain head shower
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Dressing room with en-suite closet
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Air conditioning
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Ceiling fan
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Fiber optic Wi-Fi
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​Opening and closing ceremonies.
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Daily morning yoga practice.
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Daily morning aarti practice.
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Daily evening group reflections. ​
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Cacao & Sound Healing Ceremony led by local Tica Sound Alchemist and Holistic Therapist.
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One group excursion, such as a waterfall hike, surf lessons, an animal experience, horseback riding, etc. The group excursion will depend on group and their requests**.
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Additional group offerings, based upon group and their requests.** These offerings will include practices such as yoga nidra, somatic breathwork ceremony, kirtan, ecstatic dance, and more!
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Catered nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner, served in our own private main house at Casa Kia Ora*** including dinner on day of arrival and breakfast on day of departure.
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All gratuities.​
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​* Everything listed as included is optional. Attendees are encouraged to participate in as much or as little of the offerings as feels right to them, from day to day. This is your time, we want you to enjoy it doing what feels right for you, moment to moment!​
**During registration process attendees are invited to share their interests in additional group offerings and excursion. Additional offerings hosted at Casa Kia Ora will depend on the groups' vibe day to day.​
***On certain days the catered lunches may be offered as to-go "bagged" lunches (for example on excursion day).
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​Retreat Intention - Slowing Down:
Back to Nature, Back to Self.
The purpose of this retreat is to return back to nature, and back to Self. As such, we'll be focusing on slowing down, landing into the jungle, the beach, and our practices.
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Because of this, we are intentionally not offering a packed schedule of things to do-do-do. In our culture of go-go-go and do-do-do, we invite you to join us here to unplug, slow down, and simply be-be-be. We want to give you extra time to notice what's present as we slow down together, amidst immersing in nature and in practice.
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Come back to nature, and back to Self.
What is not included:
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Airfare.
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The local transportation company we're working with on optional airport transfers, suggests arriving into San Jose International (SJO) airport by 11am/12pm, for adequate time through customs, immigration, baggage collection, and travel to Casa Kia Ora in Dominical. With checkout from Casa Kia Ora being 11am, we suggest flying out of SJO 7pm or later if you plan to depart on the final day of the retreat.
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- Airport transfers.​​
- Upon registering, there will be an option to add group shuttle in a Mercedes-Benz van, for arrival and departure, at an additional cost each way.​
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​Wellness treatments (massage, reiki, facial, EMDR, chiropractic, and more) - all optional to book on your own with Casa Kia Ora's wellness team with treatment spaces located just a short walk away (roughly halfway between our accomodations and the beach!)
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Offerings and excursions not listed in the "What's Included" section.
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Travel insurance.
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Public yoga classes offered at Casa Kia Ora's public yoga shala.
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Alcoholic and specialty beverages.
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Any meals outside of the catered 3 daily meals (+ dinner on arrival day and breakfast on departure day)
​Back to Nature, Back to Self
​​There are three registration tiers, depending upon when you register (the earlier you register, the more you save!):
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Satya - VERY early (for those who move with clarity and trust - your truth calls you early.)- save $500 by registering before 2026*
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Santosha - Early (join from a place of contentment and flow—your presence is already enough.)- save $300 by registering between January 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026*
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Samadhi - Regular (enter the wholeness of the retreat experience—union, community, and awakening.) - you can still attend if you register on or after October 1, 2026*​​​​
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A $500 non-refundable deposit is due upon registering. A payment schedule is included in the registration form, and varies depending upon when you register. Option to pay total amount due in full, upon registering, is also available.
All registration tiers have options for single or double occupancy in any of the following accommodations:​​​
​Satya Registration Rates – Very Early Registration
“For those who move with clarity and trust - your truth calls you early.”
​Save $500 by securing your spot Satya style - VERY early, and before 2026!
​​​​Available through the end of 2025
​​​Sabitha Accomodations
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Double Occupancy (Satya Tier): $2,450 per person
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Single Occupancy (Satya Tier): $3,400 per person​​
​​Stay in one of the three cabinas located just a short walk from Royal Sabitha cabinas and the private main house. Although everything is quite close, these cabinas are located slightly further from the main house where all onsite meals are hosted, and furthest from the outdoor yoga shala. Save a little bit, and get a few more steps in while you immerse yourself in the jungle.
​​​Royal Sabitha Accomodations
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Double Occupancy (Satya Tier): $2,650 per person
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Single Occupancy (Satya Tier): $3,600 per person​​
Stay in one of the four cabinas located just off of the private main house. Although everything is quite close, you'll be in the cabinas located closest to the main house where all onsite meals are hosted, and closest to the outdoor yoga shala. Pay a little more for a slightly closer proximity to where most group practices will be offered.
​​​Royal Sabitha Room in Private Main House Accomodations
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Double Occupancy (Satya Tier): $2,750 per person
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Single Occupancy (Satya Tier): $3,700 per person​​
Stay in the single room with full bathroom located within the main house at Royal Sabitha. You'll be conveniently situated where all onsite meals are hosted, and just a step outside to the outdoor yoga shala. Please note: private room is located on the second floor, so is only accessible via stairs.
​​The Satya - Very Early Rates - listed above are available through the end of 2025. Once those rates expire, this page will be updated to reflect our Santosha - Early Rate. Santosha rate will be available through September 30, 2026.
Our Samadhi - Regular Rates - will be added to this page on October 1, 2026.*
*Rates are available within specified times, as long as space is available.
Cancellation Policy
​$500 deposit, due at registration, is non-refundable.
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Cancellation for personal reasons prior to 90 days of retreat start date, you may receive 50% of all payments (excluding deposit) - however, if your spot is filled within a timely manner, 100% of payments will be refunded (excluding deposit).
Cancellation for personal reasons within 90 days of retreat start date, no payments can be refunded. However, if your spot is filled within a timely manner, 100% of payments will be refunded (excluding deposit).
Cancellation for emergency situations - natural disaster, death in the family, serious medical condition/injury - prior to 90 days, 100% of payments will be refunded (excluding $500 deposit). Cancellation within 90 days for emergency situations will be considered with potentially up to 50% of all payments refunded - if your spot is able to be filled, then 100% of payments can be refunded (excluding deposit).
Frequently Asked Questions
​​If you have questions not listed here, please do not hesitate to reach out to
D'Arcy directly at darcy@theheartspacecenter.org.
​​Q: What kind of yoga will be offered? Do I have to have a lot of experience practicing yoga to attend this retreat?
A: The main type of yoga offered in our morning practices will be hatha/vinyasa-style practice, so offering a variety of time to hold different yoga asanas (shapes), while also time to be fluidly moving on our mats. As a trauma-informed yoga teacher, D'Arcy (your retreat leader) does her best to ensure her classes are accessible to all levels and body types; reminding students to take rest and/or modifications when needed. All are welcome! Whether you have no experience practicing yoga or you've been practicing for years. There is potential for other styles of yoga, such as yin yoga and yoga nidra, to be offered throughout the retreat as well; if offered these will likely be offered later in the day, unless the group vibe needs this in the morning. We'll be reading your energy throughout the retreat to do our best to accommodate the needs of attendees from day to day.
​Q: Do I need to bring my own yoga mat? Are yoga props available?
A: Casa Kia Ora has yoga mats and blocks available for your use, so no need to travel with your own mat - unless you'd like to!
​Q: I understand a payment schedule is included in the registration form, for those who choose the interest-free payment plan, but I'm curious now what that looks like. Can you share?
A: It depends on when you register, but here is the timeline included in the registration form (specific to when you book): Satya (VERY early) rate (register before January 1, 2026): •$500 deposit due at registration (non-refundable) •1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by March 19, 2026 (11 months before retreat start) •1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by May 19, 2026 (9 months before retreat start) •1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by July 20, 2026 (~7 months before retreat start) •1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by September 18, 2026 (~5 months before retreat start) •1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by November 19, 2026 (3 months before retreat start) •FINAL 1/6 of full amount due needs to be received by January 19, 2027 (1 month before retreat start) Santosha (early) rate (register between January 1 and September 30, 2026): •$500 deposit due at registration (non-refundable) •1/4 of full amount due needs to be received by October 19, 2026 (4 months before retreat start) •1/4 of full amount due needs to be received by November 19, 2026 (3 months before retreat start) •1/4 of full amount due needs to be received by December 18, 2026 (~2 months before retreat start) •FINAL 1/4 of full amount due needs to be received by January 19, 2027 (1 month before retreat start) Samadhi (regular) rate (register between On or after October 1, 2026): •$500 deposit due at registration (non-refundable) •1/3 of full amount due needs to be received by November 19, 2026 (3 months before retreat start) •1/3 of full amount due needs to be received by December 18, 2026 (~2 months before retreat start) •FINAL 1/3 of full amount due needs to be received by January 19, 2027 (1 month before retreat start)
​Q: Can dietary restrictions or allergies be accomodated?
A: Absolutely! There will be questions about dietary preferences, restrictions, and allergies when you register. We will do our best to accommodate all needs.
​Q: Who is leading the retreat, and what kind of experience do they have?
A: D'Arcy Valverde, Founder of The Heart Space Center will be leading this retreat. She has extensive experience teaching vinyasa, yin and yoga nidra as a 500-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher. She is also a Continuing Education Provider with the Yoga Alliance, and a Trauma-Informed Breath Coach. D'Arcy has been facilitating Somatic Breathwork Ceremonies for years and will be graduating from Somatic Experiencing (SE) International as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in February, 2026. D'Arcy has been working 1:1 with clients in SE, and has been practicing SE for many years. She has extensive background in international event planning, and has been visiting family in Costa Rica for over a decade, discovering new pockets of the country each time she travels there, and is thrilled to host you in Dominical - one of her favorite places in Costa Rica! You can learn more about her background on the About Us page at www.theheartspacecenter.org/about. You can learn even more about her background, specifically as it pertains to event planning, at https://www.theheartspacecenter.org/post/the-journey-into-the-heart-space-center-it-all-began-in-4th-grade
​Q: How many people do you expect to attend the retreat?
A: We have space to accomodate up to 16 people.
​Q: How close is the beach to where we'll be staying?
A: Dominicalito is the closest beach to where we'll be staying, and one of D'Arcy's favorite Costa Rican beaches! It's roughly a 1-mile walk to the beach; mostly down a gravel road. Once you come to the bottom of the gravel road, you'll need to cross a larger road, which she's done many times without issue. Another smaller gravel road from there takes you a short length to the beach.
​Q: What kinds of clothing should I pack?
A: Dress for the weather; typically Costa Rica in February is hot and summer-like (yay!). But definitely check the current weather when you pack. Clothing to practice yoga in (in an outdoor shala), swimwear, sturdy shoes for walking/hiking (my go-to are my chacos when I'm there!), sun hats, and loungy, comfortable summer-wear. And don't forget to pack your reef-safe sunblock - and anything else you'll want to be comfortable.