Qi Gong and Yoga Renewal Retreat

Hosted by Matthew Van Dyke and Anna Hunt
The Goddess Garden – Caribbean, Costa Rica
December 29, 2012 to January 4, 2013

Join us at the Qi Gong and Yoga Renewal Retreat with Matthew Van Dyke to celebrate the beginning of the new Mayan Baktun 144,000 day cycle and the start of the 2013 New Year, offering each and every one of us a fresh start. Located in the natural setting of the Goddess Garden Eco-resort and Spa on the Caribbean coast of peaceful Costa Rica, you will benefit from the healing properties of Nature, Qi Gong and Yoga as you gain new perspective into what it means to be alive.

During this vacation you will revive your body and mind through healing physical practice, healthy organic food, and an abundance of Nature’s gifts to admire. In addition to daily Qi Gong and Yoga classes, this vacation includes visits to some of the most spectacular beaches in all of Costa Rica, a special New Year’s celebration on the beach, a taste of the relaxed Costa Rican culture, and much more. Enrich your memories and your life – join us at the upcoming Qi Gong and Yoga Renewal Retreat.

• 7-days / 6-nights of eco-friendly accommodations at The Goddess Garden (with daily maid service)
• Daily Qi Gong classes taught by Matthew Van Dyke, Certified Medical Qi Gong Practitioner
• Daily Yoga classes taught by Anna Hunt, RYT-200 Yoga Alliance-certified Instructor
• 3 healthy meals per day (vegetarian and vegan options available), prepared with local-grown produce and served with fresh tropical juices
• Group snorkeling and beach day outing to Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
• Outing to the town of Puerto Viejo
• Visit to Cahuita National Park, offering beach-front hiking and abundant wildlife
• Individual energetic assessment, performed by Matthew Van Dyke
• New Year’s Eve celebration on the beach
• Opening and closing celebrations
• Transfers between San Jose and The Goddess Garden
  

Qi Gong and Yoga Renewal Retreat Prices

Early-bird prices are offered through the end of September 2012, at which time prices will increase. All pricing is on a per person basis. Single accommodation is for one person in a room; double accommodation is two persons per room in separate beds; triple is three persons per room in separate beds. Each bungalow at The Goddess Garden offers spacious living spaces, porch or balcony, private bathroom, fully screened windows, amongst many other amenities.

Housing options are first come, first serve. If you are travelling alone, you can request any housing option and we will try to match you if there is another traveler looking for a roommate.

Qi Gong and Yoga Classes

As based on ancient Chinese Medicine, a continual flow of qi, or vital energy, achieves balance in the inner and outer body. Practices such as acupuncture utilize the flow of qi to restore equilibrium within the body and to help cure illness. A person may also engage in physical practices to increase and to more effectively control the flow of qi. Qi Gong, meaning energy method, is a series of such exercises.

During this amazing week, Qi Gong instructor Matthew Van Dyke will offer the rejuvenating series Qi Gong for Life, a blend of medical Qi Gong that balances our "3 treasures”: Body ~ Energy ~ Spirit. Each class will consist of slow moving exercises, breathing and meditations designed to bring us into integration with ourselves and nature. Matthew will also offer insight into the theories behind Qi Gong, East Asian Medicine and Daoism.

To compliment the renewing effects of Qi Gong for Life, yoga will be offered each day of your vacation to help the body integrate the benefits of the week’s practices. Anna Hunt, RYT-200 yoga instructor, will offer a variety of Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga that will be catered to the experience levels of retreat participants.

Each guest will also have the opportunity to receive a personal energetic assessment from an East Asian Medical Perspective. Matthew, who is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, will employ pulse reading, tongue diagnosis, and acupuncture channel/point palpation to determine your constitution and overall balance of yin/yang and organs (zang fu).

Qi Gong Instructor Matthew Van Dyke

Matthew Van Dyke was educated at Five Branches University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where he received a Master’s Degree in Chinese Medicine. His knowledge spans Acupuncture, herbal therapy, Tui Na Chinese massage, nutritional therapy and counseling, and Qi Gong. Matthew also studied in China at the Liao Ning Hospital in Shenyang and is a Licensed Acupuncturist. He is the owner of Skagit Valley Acupuncture & Herbs in Washington State, where he resides with his wife and son, and also acts as the Clinic Supervisor at the Middle Way Acupuncture Institute in Mt. Vernon.

Teaching Qi Gong and empowering people to take charge of their own health is at the forefront of Matthew's healing philosophy. He regularly teaches Qi Gong classes and workshops in the Northwest United Sates and in British Columbia, Canada. Matthew is a certified Medical Qi Gong Practitioner (M.Q.P.) and a certified Jingui Qi Gong Instructor.

Yoga Instructor Anna Hunt

Anna Hunt is a RYT200 Yoga Alliance certified instructor. Anna’s passion for yoga began over 10 years ago, as she turned to the practice to alleviate the stresses of corporate life. Heavily influenced by her time with Iyangar-taught Marianne Wells, Anna’s approach to yoga focuses on proper posture alignment, understanding her students’ individual needs and helping them find a deeper peace and acceptance through Yoga. Spending time with a variety of teachers both in the US and Costa Rica, Anna incorporates many styles into her classes, including Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga and Yin Yoga. Anna currently teaches in Atenas, Costa Rica, and runs Pura Vida Yoga Vacations with her husband Dylan.

The Goddess Garden

We invite you to experience your Caribbean yoga vacation at the eco-friendly scenic community situated a short walk from a breathtaking secluded beach. Offering an enchanting ambiance and an immersive jungle experience amidst the rainforest, The Goddess Garden features spacious bungalows, plentiful terraces and hammocks for relaxing, wood-trimmed lodge and dining hall, and an amazing hidden-canopy swimming pool surrounded by tranquil gardens. Find balance in your life as you practice Yoga and meditate in the expansive, open-aired meditation hall adorned in exotic hand carved wooden sculptures. Delicious organic meals are prepared with kindness from local organic produce at the on-site restaurant. Guest can also indulge in a variety of spa services, including massage, Reiki, Hot Stone treatments, and much more, to help relax tight muscles and re-align the body, mind and spirit.

The small beach town of Cahuita is only a short taxi ride away, offering restaurants, shops and access to the Cahuita National Park. The park trail meanders along white sand beaches and clear blue waters and hosts abundant wildlife. It is easy to spot White Face monkeys, Howler monkeys, three-toed sloths, snakes and Iguanas. Visit the popular town of Puerto Viejo, just 20km away, to find local crafts, boutiques, international dining and very active nightlife.

Click here for more details about The Goddess Garden and the Cahuita/Puerto Viejo area.

• Spacious bungalows immersed in the jungle
• Beautiful multi-level swimming pool
• Massage parlor with Ayurvedic healing services
• Wireless Internet access in bungalows
• On-site master chef offering creative meals, with vegetarian and vegan options available
• Nearby, the charming beach town of Cahuita
• Access to a beautiful secluded beach on the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea
• Access to beautiful gardens and nature walks for viewing birds, monkeys, sloths, frogs, and snakes, as well as the oldest tree in Cahuita

• Canopy tour and zip-line
• Kayaking trips
• Snorkeling and scuba diving adventures
• Horseback riding on the beach
• Visit an Indigenous Medicine Man of the Bribri Tribe
• Nature preserves like the Sloth Sanctuary and Jaguar Rescue
• Surfing lessons
• White water rafting
• Bird and nature watching
• Butterfly farm tour
• Visit an indigenous Indian reservation & cacao farm
  

Travel Information

The airport you will fly into/from is San Jose International Airport (Juan Santamaria), SJO, in Costa Rica.

Ground transportation between San Jose and The Goddess Garden will be provided on the mornings of December 29, 2012 and January 4, 2013. Plan for a 4.5 to 5.5 hour drive through beautiful Costa Rican country.

The shuttle leaving San Jose on Saturday, December 29, 2012 will be leaving by 8:30am at the latest. Hotel recommendations will be provided upon registration, for your stay in San Jose prior to the retreat. For red-eye and early morning arrivals, we can offer a pickup at the airport as long as you arrive by 7:00am at the latest, as you will need to get through customs before the shuttle leaves.

The departure travel day is Friday, January 4, 2013. We will depart in the early morning. Please, try to schedule your return flight departure no earlier than 2pm to allow for ground travel time and early check-in.

Important Notes:

• Your reservation will be secured with payment of $150, as a non-refundable deposit paid at booking, which will be applied towards total payment.
• 50% of retreat cost is due by October 1, 2012. The remainder is due one month before arrival, by end of day November 29, 2012.
• Double rate is for two persons per room; triple for three persons per room. Housing options are first come, first serve. If you are travelling alone, you can request any housing option. We will try to match you with another traveler(s) if there is one looking for a roommate. We will contact you if your housing request cannot be met to discuss the available options.
• Yoga and Qi Gong classes, all activities and meals are optional, although they will not be refunded if missed.
• We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule a retreat for any reason. In this case, tuition may be transferred to another retreat or fully refunded, including the housing deposit. 30 days notice will be given.

Retreat Investment Does Not Include:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Gratuities to hotel staff and instructors
• Additional hotel stay in San Jose or ground transfers to/from The Goddess Garden if arriving at the resort a day prior or remaining additional days
• $28 Costa Rica exit tax payable at airport upon departure