Throughout my journey coming into the career I find myself pursuing today I continuously returned to what I wanted to help people to feel... and that is Self Love and Self Worth. This initially brought me into the field of health and nutrition coaching. I went to an absolutely fabulous school that did a fantastic job of touching upon the spectrum of diets and lifestyles out there that people embrace in the pursuit of health. They also thoroughly explained how my mind-spirit piece places into the body piece. One thing that stands out from the whole training program was a short discussion one day of how there are plenty of people who eat well and exercise yet they still don't have health, and there are those who eat whatever they want and never get sick. This moment jolted me back into the original reasoning for joining this program: I wanted to help people to live a healthier, happier life and this doesn't come from a regime of diet an exercise, this comes from love. 

Soon after I began working with people the flaws of the system began to emerge. People came to me because they wanted better bodies, more energy, fewer health issues, etc. Ultimately, most people that I work with know what they want and roughly what they need to do to get there, what they are seeking is someone to hold them accountable. To which I often wonder, why can't you hold yourself accountable? Who are people looking to change for- themselves or those around them? I don't want to be standing over your head bullying you into health, I want to stand beside you and remind you that you are such a beautiful being and you should take the best care of yourself possible. I want to give you a reason to love yourself so much that the only person you need to be accountable to is you! Having someone to hold you accountable can also be a form of victimization, if I am the one holding you accountable, and you "fail" then somehow it's my fault and you are the victim of my own failure as a coach. An empowered individual recognizes that they hold their reigns to their life, they want a hand to hold not a boss to keep them in line, they are the boss.

While in my training I became increasingly aware that just about everyone these days is coming out with a diet or lifestyle book. They all offer vastly different ways to get to the same end point: health. It's crazy! Diet is a science that cannot be defined and you know why? Because everyone is different and every day is different! It's a beautiful thing to be reminded that every Soul is unique. You can thrive on a vegetarian diet for years then suddenly carbs don't work for you anymore and you jump back to meat. I struggled in working with diets because I felt there was a lacking in personal awareness. I cannot tell you what to eat, you need to eat, then feel your body's reaction to the food over time, then make the call for yourself. The best diet in the world is the one that you create for your own unique body and how it's feeling today. The more you box yourself into a set list of items that you can eat, the less likely you are to hear your body if it's asking for a change. We spend so much time thinking and rationalizing that in many ways we have lost our intuition and ability to sense our bodies reactions to everything we put it through.

The final point of contention with my career as a health coach was that you spend so much time experimenting with different tips and tools to figure out which worked best for each individual. This makes perfectly good sense, but it was frustrating to both myself and the clients. It took months of trial, error and patience to slowly figure out what needed to be done. This is a fantastic way to explore the "unique you" and how to keep you uniquely healthy, but the process was often very drawn out because the client didn't even know where to start. There was a general lack of personal awareness, it's hard to know what you need when you don't necessarily know who you are. It's also hard to fix a physical condition when it actually stems from a mental or emotional one. You can't create a beautiful flower if you ignore the soil from which it grows. This process seemed as though you were starting at the surface and working inward, what I wanted to do was to start within and work your way out. Connect clients to who they truly are, understand why they are this way, accept and love who they are, become more empowered to authentically live a life that reflects who they are AND THEN build a life of health around them to support this new authentic life. 

This is where Soul Realignment changed my practice completely. I work with people to reconnect to themselves, find love and acceptance for themselves, and authentically live a life of abundance. It is from that space of true self love  creates motivation to build practices that honor and nourish the physical body. Let go of the negativity and the blocks that start in the mental/emotional body and affect the physical body. You become accountable to yourself once more because you are the boss of your own life, you are empowered. 

Everyone needs something different on their path to sustainable health, some are fine doing it all on their own and some people want help. Health Coaches do a world of good in supporting individuals to find a method that works for them, but if you feel like you just keep hitting dead end roads with your process of physical health then maybe it's time to check in with a different line of health. Reconnecting with yourself at Soul level, going back to starting point and working your way back out to create Mind Body Spirit health. Once you create this connection you will never have to go back, because you cannot lose the love you  have for yourself that fuels the fire of health.

We are all unique, we innately hold very specific qualities that builds a beautiful blueprint of our Soul - I actually call it the Divine Soul Blueprint. This charts our Soul and gives us the different characteristics that blend and compile to make us who we are. It is when we work with who we are, when we get into the flow of the natural rhythms of our own lives that things flow. I often imagine a river, if you fight to get upstream you are going on only move a few inches at a time, or you can just relax and the river will take you where you need to go. Find your strengths, nurture those strengths, find your weaknesses and nurture those too! You cannot grow and evolve if you only focus on what you are good at! An empowered individual isn't afraid of new challenges, instead they see them as an opportunity to prove your worth, to grow, to find a new way to succeed and possibly even to fail. An empowered individual isn't afraid of failure, because failure is the opportunity to grow. Ultimately, failure isn't failure, it is a new opportunity in disguise. The only failure is the one that you give up on. 

Uniqueness creates compassion, I call it the "namaste effect." Namaste is the understanding that I have a beautiful light within me that makes me, me, and in seeing that I am also able to see the light within you that makes you, you. The more you embrace your strengths and weaknesses, the more you understand that everyone else has their own strengths and weaknesses too. They are neither right nor wrong, they are who they are- in understanding this you can honor this, both in yourself and in others. 

Too many people speak of intuition as if it is a coveted thing that is gifted to only a few people. Intuition is something to covet, because it ultimately is your inner compass guiding you through life, but it is not a "gift." Though some people may innately have higher intuition than others, intuition itself- just like love, power and abundance- is available to anyone and everyone. Intuition is clarity, it is knowing your own mind and seeing everything within you and around you so clearly that life is simply understood, you just know. Intuition isn't something that you try to create, every time you find yourself trying you are using your mind. Intuition comes from a place that is deeper than the mind, it comes from the Soul, that lovely source within you that is all-knowing, all-powerful. If you find yourself trying and thinking that means that you are not letting it be and simply knowing. 

We live in a world that is always plugged in and running, there is a constant flow of movement and information. Information, ideas, news and more is forever being thrown at us all at once, we don't have to try very hard to find answers and learn more, it's all at our fingertips. This is a beautiful thing but in many ways it has numbed us, if it's all right there waiting to be accessed then why should we think on our own. Most people no longer know how to read maps and street signs because they have a GPS telling them where to go. This is highly metaphorical for how we are living our own personal lives. Gone is the need to check in, tune in, to what is going on within you, listen to your self, read the signs and know what you feel. We've become a world of analyzers and thinkers, which is ultimately the opposite of intuition. There is no need for intuition when everyone and everything is telling us what needs to happen and how it all should be.

This isn't to say that you should run your life on intuition alone, it is a reminder to find balance in between. If you constantly make decisions that are logical and can be explained you will be just fine, but you may not always be making a choice that serves you best. The statistics and science experiments explain the population as a whole, forgetting about all the unique aspects of the magnificent you.


So how do you rebuild intuition? Simple, detach and disconnect. When you find yourself in a quiet place with nothing to distract you, you become acutely aware of the little voice inside. If you have no one and nothing to seek the answers from, you are forced to find the answer for yourself based on your own inner judgment. Intuition develops over time and practice. 

In my Yoga training I was continuously promised by my Guru that my intuition would heighten through my daily yoga practice. I didn't quite understand that at the time but I quickly became aware of this truth. Through yoga you devote yourself to your breath, the only thing we are doing in the present moment. The more connected you become to your breath, the more connected you become to everything thought of the mind and every action/reaction of the body in that present moment. It is in the present moment that awareness of everything enhances, thus building intuition. If you continuously practice this on your mat, it naturally edges into the rest of your life as well, becoming more and more aware of your thoughts, actions, reactions and inner sensations that come from living in the present. 

People who live disconnected lives tend to be more intuitive as well. Again, in those quiet moments you connect with yourself and the clarity comes rushing in. It is for this reason that people often are inclined to exercise or spend time in nature when they need to clear their heads and find a certain answer for certain questions. Spending extended lengths of time disconnected and "far away" and do wonders for reconnecting to your inner self. 

The time I spent in Costa Rica, India and Nepal- far removed from technology and social media, pushed me closer and closer to my own intuition. There is significantly less stress in this space, you are naturally making decisions without fret, and these decisions serve you at your highest level. You can take all the amazing information that is given to you and combine it with the wisdom you hold within to make an educated decision that supports the magnificent you.

Why do we go on a retreat? Typically it's to take some time to unwind, refresh, disconnect, rest and get back to the person you want to be. We often crave a retreat when we are nearing the end of our rope, knowing that the same old weekend getaway just won't cut it anymore, we need something new, something different. 

Join me at Punta Mona, Monkey Point, an 85-acre off-the-grid, permaculture and sustainable education center that is located at the southern tip of the Caribbean side of the country, embedded in the jungle. "Off-the-grid" is a nice way of saying that it is completely isolated- the only way to get to Punta Mona is to either hike in or take a boat. To the north is Manzanillo and the other more touristy towns, to the south is Gandoca and Sixaola that boarder Panama. Most people come from Manzanillo which is "the end of the road" coming from San Jose. The trip to Punta Mona is a journey in and of itself, taking a solid day of buses, changing buses, and patience. It's best not to rush this part- it can either be a very stressful journey dealing with schedules and unforeseen breakdowns, or a gorgeous one with the opportunity to slow down and take in all that the surroundings have to offer. There is the opportunity to stay in Puerto Viejo, which is the main town closest to Punta Mona that has a wide variety of grocery stores, farmers markets, restaurants, cabinas, hand-made goodies and more. I highly recommend giving yourself an extra day to stay in Puerto Viejo and take in some of the awesome afro-caribbean vibes!

Every piece of this journey is an amazing experience, from the bus ride through cloud forests to get to Puerto Viejo, onward rambling down the beach roads to the sleepy village Manzanillo, then finally on to the boat that takes you past the island, over the reefs and to Monkey Point. I'll never forget my first time here, every second blew my mind more than the second past. 

So you finally make it out to Punta Mona- how do you even begin to take it all in? When I first came here 5 1/2 years ago it was one of my first big journeys so the experience of going somewhere new and wild and spending more than a week was beyond exciting. I get there and there are happy, half naked people hanging around the kitchen enjoying the afternoon sun. There are two buildings there to greet you and a everywhere you look are gardens that melt into the forest. It's hard to figure out what is intentionally planted and what is naturally thriving.  At the time I was an intern, which meant that each day after yoga and breakfast the other interns and I (there were 9 of us total) worked, whether on the farm or cooking and cleaning. We would enjoy lunch and the afternoon/evening off for our own fun and adventure,  before enjoying down time at the back house before bed. It was simple and perfect. Not much to worry or think about, just get up every morning and live. There is minimal power that is provided by Solar energy, there is minimal kitchen resources without refrigeration and only 2 working stove burners, so by force things were simple. The rustic-ness of the space created it's own discomforts, but what are discomforts in comparison to the magnitude of awesome surrounding you. It was here that the coconut fell on my head to give me the massive epiphany of what it meant to live simply. The hard work, lack of technology, even lack of bright lights brought about a clarity and peace which is largely the reason for why I am doing what I do today.  This is the Pura Vida lifestyle: strong family and community connections, simple living rich in the love and resources that are naturally around you. There just isn't the need to strive for bigger and better, because what you have is perfect. 

I knowing how much peace, release, clarity and change that can be facilitated in a trip to Punta Mona, I wanted to build a retreat that was supportive of this. I am not creating the positive changes, I am bringing you to a space and supporting you as you experience it all for yourself! Yoga and meditation twice daily will keep your focus on you, expanding your awareness to make you more intuitive of what makes you, uniquely, authentically, awesomely you. We will partake in smaller activities to serve as supportive agents as you weave through your week experiencing the different sensations, thoughts and emotions that come from the quiet, calm clarity. The best part is that while you are working on yourself, you have the opportunity to connect with others who are doing the same- because everyone is there for similar reasons, with similar interests it makes it easier to build camaraderie with those around you, giving and receiving support in a very open and engaging way. There will be ample free time to be as adventurous or peaceful as you would like. Maybe it's a quiet space you need? Well there is plenty of isolated beach to cover. Maybe you want to play and explore? There are plenty of trails and different microcosms of the jungle to wander through. Take a kayak out to the island, snorkel in the reed, or find a hammock to daydream in. Punta Mona is the perfect catalyst to reconnect with yourself and get back into the life you enjoy living.

In the five plus months I spent living at Punta Mona, and the many people I interacted with, none weren't hugely affected by the place and few left without plans of some day returning. This isn't a resort on the beach with umbrellas in your drinks, with the jungle pruned around the edges of your 5 star room. This place is real, raw and breathtaking. You won't enjoy a cushy, luxurious week, but you will enjoy a week that will change you forever. 

The purpose of your life is to live it. I often discuss this with clients while reviewing a Soul Realignment reading. "Why am I here?" is a rather valid question that often is the underlying reason for having a reading done. You are raised to believe that you are here to serve certain purposes, both for yourself and others. Though this viewpoint isn't necessarily wrong, it is a bit more complicated than I believe it is meant to be. As a Soul, you have come into this life because you wanted to continue to process of self exploration and growth. 

The more you know of who you are, the better job you can do at being yourself. Focusing on others does not help you to grow and evolve, focusing on yourself does. This seems really selfish, and that is exactly what it is intended to be. It is your job to work on your own life and to let others do the same in the way that they choose. Not only does this make it easier for you to be happier, but it also makes you a more compassionate person as you learn to understand that each person is doing what they can to make themselves happy. 

Try something new: instead of spending your effort seeking to improve others in the hopes that this will improve you, try improving yourself trusting that as you improve you will be of greater service to the world around you. It may take a lot of effort to make this transition because to the naked eye it seems wrong and selfish, but I promise the results will amaze you. I often tell people to imagine themselves a lamp, if you plug yourself in and receive 100% of the electricity not only do you receive power, but you also become a light to others. 


As you shift your focus onto what makes you feel good you find yourself seeking opportunities and relationships that align to you. When you find yourself aligned to the life around you, you are much better at it, creating better relationships, more successful work, greater joy and abundance.