PSA: Don't forget to enter to win our big big big yoga retreat packing guide giveaway! And, if you have the YBC App and take a min to review it, send a screenshot of your review to Lauren and we'll send you a little something in thanks.

Flower outside our venue! Photo by @rachl626 — Flower outside our venue!
Photo by @rachl626

And we're back! Our Costa Rica jungle yoga retreat just happened at the beginning of November, and it was the most wonderful time! November is a great time to go to Costa Rica because it's at the very end of the rainy season and right when their dry season starts, so the prices are usually reasonable and the weather is mostly agreeable. We had rain exactly one night, and we just did our yoga practice inside which was cozy and kind of nice, actually.

Our group was an amazing group of smart, kind, warm, easygoing women who knew what they wanted and went for it. I scheduled the retreat leaving the afternoons mostly open so that those who wanted to relax by the pool could do that, and those who wanted to take off and explore could do that as well. As it turned out, everyone wanted to do a little of both so one day, they all took off for the hot springs, and then another day, everyone stayed nearby and read or got massages and chatted by the pool. We had one group excursion to the rainforest, where we did a zip lining course and a horseback riding adventure. And of course we had morning yoga and evening yoga where we did all sorts of interesting classes like blindfold yoga, inversion practice, and a "say yes" workshop that I absolutely love to teach. Below is a little testimonial videos the ladies were so kind to do on the very last morning. (Huge thank you, you guys!)

Our venue was lovely, as well. I rented two vacation rentals in a gated community next door to one another. We gathered in one house for food and in the other house for the pool, yoga, and hanging out. It worked out really well, in my opinion!

For next time, I think I'll make the retreat one day longer, and offer an optional spa day where the lady will come to us and do massages and/or facial. That way, people who want to relax can do so and those who want to explore a bit more could even take the entire day and go to the beach or something.

What I loved about the group was how open minded and caring everyone was. We had some beginners, and some more experienced students and it was all good - everyone asked questions when they popped up without fear of begin judged or anything. I felt like everyone was super welcoming and brought such good energy into the space. I swear at the end of every retreat I do, I feel like I leave with a handful of new friendships. So lucky.

Our girl Lauren had a rough go of it, though. While the rest of us were enjoying Costa Rica, Delta gave her seat away three different times! We wound up having to purchase an entirely new flight just to get her there for about 30 hours total. She had all our swag bag stuff so we needed her! Poor thing spent way too much time in airports but you would never know it with her positivity and good vibes that she showed up with! She had gone all out weeks prior to the trip and put together an incredible swag bag for our students! We included:

Super adorable custom totes from Totally Good Time
Javazen - a blend of coffee + cacao + matcha
Bamboo cleansing cloths from Kaia Naturals - perfect for post yoga sesh
Lemon towelette from Herban Essentials - great for travel, especially if you're flying!
Yoga strap from Clever Yoga - snag yours now with code 'YBC15OFF' for 15% off
Oatmeal fruit squeeze from Munk Pack - perfect for a quick hearty snack on the go
Hair ties from Sweaty Betty - They look weird but they are actually incredible
Training socks from Sweaty Betty - perfect for zip lining ;-) or slipping on during a flight
Natural Gum from Glee Gum
Travel size sleep blend roll on essential oil from 21 drops - great after a long day of travel!
Coconut eyes from ToGoSpa - for the beauty!
'I'm Grateful For:' notepad from The Gratitude Diaries (inspired by the book)
Lavender facial oil from True Moringa - for everything, literally.
Temporary jewelry tattoos from ShimmerTatts - these are seriously gorge guys.
Om Sweet Om Tea Blend from BlendBee (not pictured)
and lastly, an eye-mask from yours truly