Forest Therapy
The art of Shinrin-Yoku
Live the experience of Forest Therapy (Forest Bathing) in the most beautiful trails of Monteverde. Either as a gift for you and your family (private groups) or as part of the itinerary during your visit in the area (walk open to the public).
What we'll be doing
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We will be sharing for 3 hours, covering a short distance (less than half a km). Unlike a guided natural history walk or tour, Forest Therapy is more of a slow and relaxed walk, during which we awaken the senses and enter the present moment to achieve a deeper and more sensorial connection with the natural environment of the forest.
What is needed?
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Some basic things to be comfortable in the forest: suitable clothes according to the weather, closed shoes, water, hat or sunscreen, etc.
No special physical skills, knowledge or previous experience in similar practices are required.
The most important thing is the intention to fully live the experience and having an open heart to share with the forest and the beings that accompany us.
Contact Us
To reserve a Forest Therapy walk or to incorporate the experience in your wellness retreats, environmental education programs, holistic health and Teamwork activities.
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Ask for virtual sessions!
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Holistic health retreat
A weekend of Wellness in Nature
For those who want to be in contact with nature for a longer time, get away from the stress of the city and take a well-deserved and restorative rest, this is an excellent option.
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We offer our "Verde Sana" Wellness Retreat, a weekend immersion in Monteverde, specially designed to nourish and revitalize our body-mind-spirit, with organic food; yoga, Qi Gong and "Grounding" sessions; Forest Therapy walks; relaxation with Tibetan bowls and time to choose an extra activity.
We also give you the option to create your own “wellness package” according to your interests and needs, accompanied by a group of holistic therapists and artists with extensive experience and great sensitivity. Organize your group of friends, work colleagues, family or come on your own to enjoy this natural paradise in the mountains.
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Contact us to provide you with all the information and details of the activities, accommodation and prices.
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( *) Activities to choose from within the wellness packages:
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- Forest Therapy
3 hrs in the forest of Monteverde, with Marcela Morales.
- Yoga / Qi Gong (Chi kung)
1.5 hrs in nature, with Marcela Morales.
- Aerial yoga
1.5 hrs at Antigravity Valle Escondido, with Susana van Schie.
- Reiki
1 hr at Diamante Holistic Center, with Gloriana Arguedas.
- Tibetan bowls
1 hr at Diamante Holistic Center, with Gloriana Arguedas.
- Thai massage
1 hr / 1.5 hrs with Kelly Lange
- Clay class
2 hours at Rio Chante Cultural Center, with Milagros Rodríguez.
- Nature photography session
2 hrs in the Forest, with Mariela Vásquez.
- Tours
To choose: natural history tour, night walk, horseback riding,
bird watching, suspension bridges, canopy, coffee tour.
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Wellness Retreat "Verde Sana"
Friday
Arrival in Monteverde, Check in at hotel
(Optional: night tour, 5-7 pm)
7:00 pm Welcome, Yoga Relax
7:40 pm Dinner.
Saturday
7: 00-7: 15 am Detox Green Juice
7: 15-8: 00 am Qi Gong / Grounding (Earthing)
8: 00-9: 00 am Breakfast
9: 00-12: 00 am Forest Therapy
12: 30-1: 30 pm Organic Lunch
2: 00-5: 00 pm Space "My well-being" ... various activities to choose from (* see list) or "Hammock time"
5: 15-6: 15 pm Yoga Relax
6: 30-7: 30 pm Dinner
8: 00-8: 40 Tibetan Bowls Meditation
Sunday
7: 00-7: 15 am Detox Green Juice
7: 15-8: 00 am Qi Gong / Grounding
8: 00-9: 00 am Breakfast
9: 00-12: 00 am Forest Therapy
12: 30-1: 30 pm Lunch
1: 30-2: 00 pm Tree planting / Closing
Optional Afternoon (* see list)
Corporate Wellness
Employers and representatives of organizations that care about the well-being of their employees, are incorporating this experience as a way to encourage organizational performance and support the personal-occupational-physical-emotional development of their collaborators.
Forest Therapy is used internationally and exponentially by corporations to:
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Reduce employee stress, supporting health and wellness.
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Improve work environment and productivity.
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Create a healthy work environment, increasing the connection and relationship between people, the team and the company.
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Increase creativity, focus and positive attitude.
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Create empathy and sensitivity for nature, thus supporting the protection and conservation of the environment.
We offer Forest Therapy experiences in various modalities that adjust to the needs and objectives of your company, organization or work team. Whether it is an experience of a morning, a weekend of well-being in nature (see Retreats in Monteverde) or a series of pre-established meetings, to go deeper, thus improving the results.
Birdwatching and Naturalist Tour
Monteverde is a worldwide recognized destination for bird watching. Its topography and location on the continental divide, allow for different life zones and a great diversity of flora and fauna to be found in a relatively small area. Species such as the Resplendant Quetzal and the Bell Bird nest in these forests and can be observed at certain times of the year. The natural history and bird watching tour is an entertaining and interesting opportunity to learn about the ecosystem, ecology, conservation and biodiversity of the cloud forest.
What we'll be doing
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We usually start the tour very early in the morning to enjoy the time of highest bird activity. As these are private walks (which makes this tour a more personalized and unique experience), there is flexibility to choose the meeting time, the duration - 3 to 4 hours - and the place we will visit. During the walk we will be observing and identifying birds as well as many interesting species of plants and mammals that we often find in the forest.
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Where?
Monteverde has a great variety of reserves and protected areas in different altitudinal ranges and this makes it possible to visit trails in different types of forest that host different species of flora and fauna. Some of the most visited trails are: Monteverde Biological Reserve, Curicancha, Santa Elena Reserve, Valle Escondido, Aguti Wildlife Refuge, Bajo del Tigre, among others.
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What is needed?
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As part of my guiding equipment I will be carrying Swarovski telescope and binoculars as well as the book "Birds of Costa Rica - field guide" by R. Garrigues and R. Dean, from which I did the Spanish translation of the second edition. We will also be using some cell phone apps such as e-bird and Cornell lists and Xeno-Canto sounds.
Ideally, each person should bring their own binoculars and equipment / clothing suitable for walking in the forest: water bottle, repellent, sunscreen, notepad, cap, long pants, closed shoes, poncho or jacket. No previous experience is required, anyone is welcome!
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Contact us to organize the tour and find out about prices and special packages.
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Yoga + Qi Gong
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These sessions offer a combination of Hatha Yoga asanas (postures) in which we work the flexibility and strength of our physical body, with movements of Qi gong (Chi Kung) that help to clean, tone and balance the channels or meridians through which the energy in our body flows.
Qi Gong practice originates in Traditional Chinese Medicine, in which through movement, breathing and visualizations, we circulate energy (Qi or Chi) to avoid excesses or deficiencies that create an imbalance in the body. We are healthy when we are balanced inside, we get sick when there is an excess, lack, stagnation or dispersion of Qi.
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Hatha Yoga is one of the 8 branches of Yoga, a traditional discipline of India, which focuses on a system of body postures to purify and maintain the flexibility, strength and balance of our body. Both practices provide endless benefits, including: reduction of stress and anxiety, prevention of disease, boost to the immune system, physical and mental discipline, strengthening of the musculoskeletal system, improving the quality of sleep and rest, improving absorption of nutrients and elimination of toxins, feeling of peace and general well-being, etc.
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For these sessions, no previous experience is required, there are no limits of age or physical condition. We practice in small groups and preferably in natural settings.
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Ask for virtual sessions!
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