Welcome!

Pura Vida!

You’ll notice one of the first phrases when getting to Costa Rica is “pura vida.” These two words pretty much sum up everything that makes this Central American paradise so amazing. 

Simply translated, it means “simple life” or “pure life”, but here in Costa Rica, it is more than just a saying—it is a way of life. Costa Ricans (Ticos) use this term to say hello, to say goodbye, to say everything's great, to say everything's cool.

Chances are that you’ll hear “pura vida” from friends and friendly people all over Costa Rica. It’s the way of saying hello, making you feel welcome or saying, “see ya later”.

Don’t be surprised if you see people on the street telling each other “pura vida'' instead of the “buenos días” or good morning you would hear in other Latin American countries. In Costa Rica, people are very friendly, so you’re going to run into this expression A LOT.

Actually, this Latin American version of “c’est la vie” is a big reason why Costa Rica is such a peaceful, laid-back place. “Pura vida” is more than an expression; it’s a choice of how to live life.

Here’s why it’s so important to Costa Ricans:

“Pura vida” is a tiny bit of wisdom that changes the way Costa Ricans look at the world. If you try it out, we’re willing to bet there will be a positive impact on you too! Here a five qualities that are important in Costa Rican culture:

• Focus on what’s important in life: Family, friends, gorgeous vistas and tasty food are all worth more than electronic gadgets. Living the good life is more about who you spend it with than how much you have.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff: Irritating things happen to everyone sometimes, like a rainstorm when you just washed your car or a mistake at work. However, a Costa Rican would say “pura vida” to all of it. After all, if you’ve got your health, your family and a beautiful country, does it really matter if someone else shows up late?

• Don’t forget to take some time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Remember to step back from the camera for a moment to savor the experience itself. Take in the jungle sounds, notice how majestic everything is and feel the tropical sand in between your toes.

• Always take time to relax: You’re important too. Taking care of your kids and your family is a good thing, but you also deserve to nurture you. Whether it’s a spa visit or a professional massage from time to time. Setting aside time to relax isn’t a luxury — or at least it shouldn’t be.

• Don’t be in such a hurry: “Pura vida” also means to slow down a little. It’s not about showing up late to places; it’s about not looking at the clock in the first place.

A Bit About The Retreat Center:

Welcome to our new home away from home!

As we embark on our fourth year offering immersive transformational retreats, we open our arms to Imiloa Institute to hold us.

Imiloa Institute is a global hub for the education and advancement of humanity. They believe that through a posture of learning and spirit of service, they can powerfully catalyze the individual and social transformation which will create stronger communities, transform our planet and build a better world.

We light up in the ways that our visions so beautifully align and powerfully bring us together.

Imiloa is a majestic, 20-acre private mountain-top property located in Costa Rica with 180 degree sunset ocean views overlooking the entire Pacific from Manuel Antonio in the north to the Osa Peninsula and Cano Island in the south.

It is a complete natural paradise with 17 accommodations including 200 year old homes from Bali, jungle bungalows and sacred geodesic domes.

What they have curated is absolutely incredible.

Historically, Costa Rica has been the meeting place of tribes for thousands of years. It is the cradle of the North and South, a meeting point for the Incas and the Aztecs, and it is the perfect location for Imiloa as Costa Rica continues onward in it’s rich history of being a meeting place to exchange ideas, vision and go deep within to discover what we have all been seeking.

Imiloa provides more than just a landing place for Wise Warrior Retreats.

It provides access to ancient lands in which we can sit upon to honor our plant teachers and all who have come before us.

We are so incredibly grateful to the Imiloa family for hosting us and holding us so beautifully.

The Imiloa staff is available to you for all logistical requests and to make your retreat experience at their resort an exceptional one. Please note that if you are needing any support on anything retreat-specific, you will want to connect directly with a WWR staff member.