Breath Retreat 2023
October 28 - November 4 | 2023 | Blue Spirit | Costa Rica
Sat, Oct 28 - Sat, Nov 4
All Rooms On Sale Monday, April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
Join James Nestor, Chuck McGee III and an international group of fellow pulmonauts at a boutique resort along Costa Rica’s pristine Guiones Beach for an unforgettable week of sunshine, surf, gourmet local cuisine, and moonlit swims as we explore the science and art of breathing.
Limited availability
Please contact us with any questions: retreat@mrjamesnestor.com
What can breathing do for you?
For thousands of years ancient cultures used breathing as a medicine to help heal the body and calm the mind. Modern science has more recently shown that harnessing our breath can measurably reduce stress, blood pressure, anxiety, depression, snoring, chronic headaches, and even asthma and some autoimmune diseases.
In this immersive weeklong retreat, we’ll explore a new breathing practice each day, from relaxing and restorative techniques to more highly-energizing breathwork methods that heat the body up, lull it into a heightened immune response, and shift states of consciousness.
All levels of registration are ALL INCLUSIVE of more than 25 hours of intensive breathing instruction and practice, individualized assessments and training, alignment and biomechanics, three handcrafted meals a day, and connecting with extraordinary humans from all over the world.
At the close the retreat each guest will leave with a toolbox of breathing practices to improve mental and physical state, anytime and anywhere, for years to come.
Buteyko Breathing Technique Kundalini • Tummo • Kriyas • QiGong • Hypoventilation Athletic Training • Apnea • Pranayama • Resonant Breathing
PACKAGES & COST
All Inclusive
The room costs are ALL INCLUSIVE of food, lectures, moonlight, surf, and everything else except alcoholic beverages and optional massage services.
There are no hidden costs. There are no sneaky fees. There are no pitches for timeshare opportunities. Just show up and we’ll take care of the rest.
$3999/person
Superior Ocean View Room
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room, which means the total price of the room is $7999 for two people ($3999/person). Superior Ocean View Rooms are most luxurious option at Blue Spirit. Each room offers private step-out balcony and extraordinary full ocean views. Guests can choose from either one king bed or two twin beds. Private bathroom with solar hot water and air-conditioning. Very limited capacity.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$3749/person
Ocean View Room
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room, which means the total price of the room is $7499 for two people ($3749/person). Ocean View Rooms feature step-out balconies, full ocean views, and desk. The rooms are well-furnished and provide the perfect space for two people. Guests can choose from either one king bed or two twin beds. Private bathroom with solar hot water and air-conditioning.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$3249/person
Pacifico Cottage Rooms
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room with a single queen bed. The total price is $6499 for two people ($3249/person.) Tucked away amidst the tropical gardens the cottages are close enough to the beach to hear the ocean. Cottages are very private and offer a porch with hammock, queen bed, outdoor shower, and air conditioning. Private walkway to main dining and breathwork hall is ~150 incline steps (about a 5 minute hike).
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$3249/person
Mountain View Room
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room, which means the total price is $6499 for two people ($3249/person.) Located in around a tropical garden, the cottages offer step-out balconies and stellar mountain views. Well furnished and roomy, The Mountain View Rooms are sweet abodes for two people. Guests can choose between one king bed or two twin beds. Private bathroom with solar hot water and air conditioning.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$3249/person
Nature Suites
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room, which means the total price of the room is $6499 for two people ($3249/person). The suites are situated on a hillside overlooking lush vegetation and feature private bathrooms and an outdoor shower overlooking the jungle. Each suite has a separate enclosed porch with a desk, solar hot water, and air conditioning. Guests can choose between one king bed or two twin beds. Private walkway to main dining and breathwork hall is about a ~7 minute walk.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$2749/person
Hermitage Rooms (double occupancy)
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room, which means the total price of the room is $5499 for two people ($2749/person). Private and elegant, these cozy rooms are designed for couples and offer a single queen bed, partial views of the ocean and mountains, front-row seats to crazy monkey tree action, private bathroom with hot water, and air conditioning. Hermitage Rooms are located in the main building and are just steps away from dining and breathwork hall, and accessible from elevator.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$3999/person
Hermitage Rooms (single occupancy)
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
The perfect single occupancy option; cost is for one person staying solo. Private and elegant, these cozy rooms offer a single queen bed and feature partial views of the ocean and mountains, front-row seats to crazy monkey tree action, private bathroom with hot water, and air conditioning. Hermitage Rooms are located in the main building and are just steps away from dining and breathwork hall, and accessible from elevator.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
$2499/person
Eco Cottage (no AC)
Rooms On Sale April 10 at 10am Pacific Time
This is a double occupancy room with two twin beds and the most affordable option to join Breath Retreat. Cost is for one person/one bed in a cottage with another roommate. (We are happy to arrange roommates for single travelers — see FAQ below.) Situated in lush vegetation, these remote cabins offer an in-nature experience. Private bathroom, ambient temperature water shower. No air conditioning or (reliable) Wifi. A ~7 minute hike to main hall.
All meals, all instruction, and all else included.
Reservations
Breath Retreat offers both single and double occupancy rooms and cottages at a variety of price levels. For further information on bed configuration and room details please see the room descriptions under room pricing.
We have reserved Eco Cottages for solo travelers who would like an affordable option of having a roommate. Amy, our Concierge will reach out to you after making your reservation to pair you with another guest.
Rundown
• Daily lectures with James Nestor exploring the history and science of breathing
• Group and individual breathing instruction with Chuck McGee
• Handcrafted local cuisine
• Sunrise/sunset breathwork
• Morning and evening swims along a pristine and private beach
• Evening sound baths
• Morning Yoga, Qi Gong, alignment workshops
• And did we mention swimming, sunshine, monkeys, and coconuts!?
Your Hosts
JAMES NESTOR will lead daily multimedia informational sessions, live expert interviews, and archival reviews on the history and science of breathing techniques. Nestor will be available throughout the week to answer individual questions and consult about whatever. In between lecturing, Nestor will be leading several evening gong baths by night and by day taking a place on the mats between the rest of the group to participate in breathing sessions led by...
Chuck McGee III, a world-renowned breathing instructor, will run breathing sessions and personal instruction. McGee himself suffered from hypertension, Type 1 diabetes, severe chronic pain, and depression for several years before discovering breathing practices that allowed him to help reduce or completely reverse his conditions. He’ll show you how he did it and explain how and why it works, drawing from techniques in Oxygen Advantage, Buteyko Breathing Technique, Wim Hof Method, XPT, Qi Gong, and more.
Schedule
The schedule is loose and will be changing depending on the flow of the event. We are organizing several guest experts to join us virtually. Here’s a rough sketch of what to expect.
All days are padded with ample free time for surfing/swimming/beaching/napping/massage and more.
Saturday (Day 1) – Arrival, opening group dinner, getting settled.
Sunday (Day 2) – Breathing Basics. Morning breathwork and assessments; optional yoga; pre-lunch presentation overview on why humans are the worst breathers in the animal kingdom/nasal breathing basics with exercises; post-lunch group breathwork; group dinner and drinks; deep sleep meditation/breathwork.
Monday (Day 3) – Qi Gong Breathing. Morning breathwork; optional yoga; pre-lunch lecture on Qi Gong with exercises; post-lunch breakout sessions focused on mechanics and alignment; group dinner and drinks. Evening sound bath.
Tuesday (Day 4) – Breath Retention/CO2 Training. Morning breathwork; optional yoga on the beach; pre-lunch lecture on breath retention and CO2 training; deep sleep meditation/breathwork. Evening Breath & Sex presentation with Bradlee Roffers.
Wednesday (Day 5) – Airway Health and Myofunctional Therapy / Adventure Day. Morning breathwork; optional yoga; post-lunch lecture on chewing/myofunctional therapy and airway health; live instruction with expert myologist. Guests are free to adventure out to surf, hike, sightsee in the afternoon. Evening south bath.
Thursday (Day 6) – Kundalini. Morning breathwork; pre-lunch lecture on Kundalini with exercises; breakout session for final breathing assessments/group sessions; pre-dinner 90-minute kriya breathwork.
Friday (Day 7) – Tummo/Bon Buddhist Breathing. Morning breathwork and individual assessments; optional yoga; pre-lunch presentation on Bon Buddhist/Tummo breathing with exercises; evening final 80-minute cleansing Tummo breathwork; group dinner, Breath Retreat dance party blowout (!), closing ceremonies.
Saturday (Day 8) – Reintegration and long goodbyes.
FAQ & Additional Details
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Breath Retreat at Blue Spirit is perfect for anyone who breathes. We offer clear instruction, support, and an environment for guests to take their breathwork as far as they’d like to go, from biomechanics basics, gentle and nourishing practides, to full-on vigorous hour-long ancient techniques. You are the pilot at Breath Retreat; not the passenger.
We have hosted hundreds of humans from more than 20 countries all over the world, including CEOs and vanlifers, physicians and artists, teenagers and octogenarians, single people in a relationship and single people not in a relationship, couples traveling together and multi-generational families. You will be in the company of amazing people doing amazing things from all over the world. Children under the age of 17 are not permitted.
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We offer a broad range of program pricing from $2,499 to $4,000 per person for the entire week. Pricing includes all food, workshops, yoga, fitness classes, sound baths, sunsets, sunrise swims, and the now-legendary Breath Retreat Friday night blowout dance party. Alcoholic drinks and desserts are not included. Costs do not include travel insurance (mandatory-see below), ground transport, or flights.
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The chefs at Blue Spirit can accommodate any dietary needs. While the chefs focus on locally-sourced plant-based cuisine, each meal will offer various options for every dietary nuance. All meals are served buffet-style allowing you to choose whatever you’d like. For protein-focused eaters, every meal offers eggs and every lunch and dinner offers both eggs and fish. Loads of gluten-free and vegan options with every meal. Blue Spirit also offers dishes to accommodate food restrictions and allergies (but be sure to tell us at least a month before you arrive.) There is even a Pure Food menu, offering veggies, grains, and legumes cooked without any seasonings or oils. Fresh smoothies, pastries, desserts, and more are available throughout the day, every day. Wine and beer are available on your dime.
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Our Great Breath Retreat Concierge Extraordinaire, Amy, can arrange roommates for solo guests interested in sharing an Eco Cottage. All guests must first book a stay in the Eco Cottage; after that, feel free to reach out to retreat@mrjamesnestor.com for next steps. (If we don’t hear from you we’ll be in contact to arrange.)
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Proof of Travel Insurance is required prior to departing. Things come up, and things seem to come up much more often last minute. Things come up, and things seem to come up a lot more often right before big events. We want to make sure everyone is covered in case of some unforeseen circumstance that would require the trip to be cancelled. Amy will be requesting a copy of your insurance certificate within one month of reserving your room.
We like www.insuremytrip.com and www.travelinsurance.com. The minimum insurance coverage requirements to attend Breath Retreat at Blue Spirit are as follows: Trip Interruption: $12,000 | Trip Cancellation: $10,000 | Medical Evacuation: $500,000 | Medical Protection: $50,000
Cuisine
All guest packages include three handcrafted and locally-sourced meals a day. This is the freshest, most nourishing food in the area.
The Blue Spirit chefs specialize in locally-sourced gourmet plant-based cuisine. Each package includes egg options with every meal and local fish with lunch and dinner to sate paleo, keto, and pegan eaters.
Alcoholic drinks not included in guest package price.
Scene
Blue Spirit is located on the Southern end of Guiones Beach in Nosara, on the Northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.
Blue Spirit resides along the coast with three beaches: Playa Guiones, Playa Pelada, and Playa Nosara, all of which are protected as a turtle refuge, and almost half of the greenery in the entire area is protected forest which has become a sanctuary for howler monkeys and other wildlife.
This is a natural jungle environment, which means it’s raw and exposed to the tropical elements. You’ll be hearing monkeys and birds and seeing iguanas, insects, and other critters out and about. You’ll see stars and the moon at night. You’ll be not around, but in nature.
Between sessions you are free to roam, swim, sunbathe, or just soak in the natural environment. Blue Spirit can recommend local activities and help arrange transportation (at your cost) to horseback riding, river kayak expeditions, spearfishing, surfing, stand up paddle surf, and waterfall hikes.
Getting There
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The closest international airport to Blue Spirit is Nosara Regional Airport. This tiny airport is just a few minutes away from Blue Spirit and the easiest way to go.
Book flights through Sansa Airlines (https://www.flysansa.com/en) from Liberia International Airport (LIR) or San Jose.
Otherwise, most guests fly into Liberia International Airport and travel by shuttle to Blue Spirit. The shuttle will take about 2.5 hours.
Blue Spirit handles all transportation and offers shuttle services from Liberia Airport (LIR) on Saturday, Oct 28 and Saturday, November 4. Cost is $60 + 13% Costa Rica tax each way.
At the end of the retreat, Blue Spirit offers several group shuttle services to Liberia International Airport on Saturday between 7:00 a.m. through 10:00am.
Please contact Blue Spirt Transportation (https://bluespiritcostarica.com/shuttle-reservations/) for booking and/or for more information. (Breath Retreat cannot answer or assist with transportation — this is all handled through Blue Spirit.)
For international flights, we suggest checking Google Flights. (But know for some reason that Google Flights doesn’t often list the Los Angeles direct flight, which is the flight you want to get on if you are coming from the West Coast.)
If you are flying into San Jose, Costa Rica we’d suggest a Sansa (see above) flight to Nosara.
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If you prefer to rent a car (you will NOT be needing a car during the retreat) please write us for specific directions. The car rental agency Adobe is supposed to be the best.
See Blue Spirit Directions for more information.
Reservations
Space is limited. Please contact us with any questions: retreat@mrjamesnestor.com
