The Healing While Black Retreat
July 27-August 3, 2024 - NOSARA, COSTA RICA
RETREAT & REGISTRATION DETAILS
YOGA & MOVEMENT
Embodied practices enhance our health, and culture is a healing resource that lives in our bodies and our movements. Each day will begin with Kemetic/Smai-Tawi (Egyptian) yoga (with Ramses Amun) to invite more conscious and ancestral awareness of your breath-body-being, rooting and centering us to start each day. Dominique Cowling will lead us in beautiful practices of "rest" through Restorative Yoga to bring more intentional support and care to our hearts and bodies. Both conscious and expressive movement will be infused throughout the retreat.
NUTRITION
Honoring the sacredness of our body means consciousness of what we consume. What we put into our bodies impacts our mental, emotional, and physical functioning. Delicious "gourmet vegetarian" meals with a range of choices are served each day at Blue Spirit. (They also offer a Detox-Cleanse program.) We are excited that one of our Teacher-Healers, Koya Webb, brings a deep knowledge of nutrition and her teachings reflect the connection between nourishing our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.
MEDITATION
Meditation and mindfulness are critical wellness tools so that we don't get lost from ourselves, from each other, from truth. They invite presence in the present moment, deepening awareness, and expansion of consciousness. We will have one "Day of Quietude", observing silence throughout that day to clear your mind and hear the whisperings of your soul. This day includes mindful eating and silence during meals. Dr. Shelly will guide us and provide instructions for the day, and we will have a communal debriefing in the evening.
MENTAl HEALTH
While the issue of Black mental health has become more visible, we must continue to claim our right to emotional wellness. Research tells us that race-related stress has as much impact on Black health as diet, exercise, smoking, or income. We will offer practices such as therapeutic writing, as well as education about mental health. We are honored that Dr. Thema will gift us with wisdom and resources for both liberation and "homecoming" in the context of racial trauma. We will reclaim our peace and our power!
CULTURE
Culture heals. We are intentional in offering a retreat experience where our Blackness is centered, affirmed, and celebrated! We will immerse ourselves in the beauty and vibrance of our diverse African diasporic cultural expressions. We invite you to embrace and express the beautiful and unique ways that culture shows up as YOU. Some highlights of the retreat are Dr. Daktari’s Sakhu Djaer Dance Circle process with live drumming, an inclusive spiritual-cultural opening ceremony, and of course, a “That’s My Jam” dance party!
COMMUNITY
We are each other’s medicine. We do not heal in isolation but in relationship and in community. Our retreat will provide opportunities to ground in the truth of Ubuntu (“I am because we are. We are, therefore, I am”). We invite you to join with us to cultivate a sense of belonging, connection, and care through our shared and diverse experiences as Black people. We know that magic happens when Black joy is met with Black authenticity and creativity. We are looking forward to our Game and Open-Mic Night!
Interested? SIGN-UP FOR UPDATES
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Accommodations
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Blue Spirit Costa Rica is a world-renowned retreat center that offers a wide range of outstanding wellness programs and services. The Blue Spirit has wonderful amenities and the property includes a relaxing infinity pool, beautiful walking pathways, private areas for reflection, breathtaking sunsets, and awesome closeness to the stars at night.
The rooms include cozy single and double "Hermitage" rooms in the main building, ocean and mountain view larger rooms, and "Nature Suites" and "Pacifico Cottages" nestled in lush green jungle surroundings (these rooms are great for couples!). You can read detailed descriptions of the rooms HERE. Internet is available in all rooms except for eco-cottages and tents.
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The food is amazing! Three "gourmet vegetarian" meals are served each day. There are vegan and gluten-free options. Fish is offered 2-3 times per week at dinner. There is also a cafe with yummy and nutritious smoothies and snacks for purchase.
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Blue Spirit also offers a range of Massage Services, an optional Detox-Cleanse Program during your stay, and the Nosara Longevity Center on-site which has a variety of protocols and treatments. You will learn more about these services on site and can sign-up for what interests you (costs of these services are not included in the general Program Retreat Fee).
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Please note that Blue Spirit is located on an incline and the Main Building has multiple levels. There is an elevator in the main building but additional stairs are required to access some rooms or reach the Reception Desk. The dining and pool areas are on different levels, and the Longevity Center, as well as Massage Rooms and smaller meeting locations, are located along a hill. The Nature Suites and Pacifico Cottages require walking up and down a hill or using outdoor stairs to reach the Main Building. The beach and outdoor exploring around will involve walking up/down hilly paths or steps.
An Intentional Black Space
The "Healing While Black" retreat is intentionally designed to provide a gender-inclusive space of healing and wellness for Black people of the African diaspora (African American, Afro-Latine, Afro-Caribbean, etc). Our offerings are tailored to addressing the health risks and disparities experienced by Black people, including racial stress and trauma which has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a public health crisis. Being Black can be significant for our experiences in the world (e.g., how we are treated, interpersonal interactions, resource asymmetries, health disparities, anti-Black and intersectional racism, colorism, race-related stress, unsafety, microaggressions, etc.).
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Our African heritage and collective history as Black people in the diaspora play a powerful role in our strength and resilience, our creativity and expressiveness, our passion and purpose, our kinship and care. Our shared and our diverse experiences are powerful opportunities for affirmation, for being "seen" and "felt", and for cultivating belonging, connectedness, and a sense of community.
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Our vision is to provide a communal space of respite and refuge where we can exhale, where our nervous systems can settle from the often vigilant activation of being Black in the world. Research supports that culturally-responsive and affirming care, in communities of shared identity, can increase the effectiveness of our healing practices. It is common to see women's retreats and men's retreats. It is less common to see Black retreats and we are excited to offer this experience.
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Thank you for honoring our intention for this retreat.
RETREAT PRICING
Retreat pricing includes two components:
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(1) The HWB Retreat Program Fee ($1600). The fee includes healing offerings and teachings from our incredible team of world-renowned Teacher-Healers. We invite you to check out our Preliminary Program Activities and Schedule for a preview of the retreat experience.
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(2) Accommodations & Meals at Blue Spirit for 7 days and nights. Blue Spirit accommodations range from $1,090 to $2,505 for the week, depending on the room category. Please review the Room+Meals Prices and the Property Map before registering. You will be asked to rank your room choices. Please note that rooms are allotted on a first come, first serve basis. There are a limited number of rooms in each category on the property. If you have a strong preference for a room type, we highly recommend that you register as early as possible.Your room will be reserved and confirmed by email 1-2 weeks after your first payment has been received.
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Forms of Payment and Due Dates
We use the Stripe payment portal for retreat payments. Forms of payment include Credit Cards, Apple Pay, CashApp, and ACH Bank Transfer.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
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For a cancellation made prior to February 1st, you will receive a refund less a 3.5% Processing Fee.
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For a cancellation made between February 1st and March 15th, you will receive a refund less a 3.5% Processing Fee plus a $200 Cancellation Fee.
For a cancellation made between March 16th and 60 days of the start of the program, you will receive a refund less a 3.5% Processing Fee plus a $500 Cancellation Fee.
No refund or credit will be offered for cancellations made within 60 days of the start of the program, no-shows, or early departures.
For any incidentals or unforeseen circumstances we strongly suggest Traveler’s Insurance.
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