Yoga Retreats With Leanna Hamilton -

Anamaya is no ordinary retreat center…we provide an experience that transforms people at a cellular level. Our guests connect to nature, they connect to others from around the world, and most importantly they connect to themselves.

You can come for the yoga…but it’s not necessary. Many of our guests come to simply enjoy everything else Costa Rica has to offer.

DATES: March 21 – 28, 2020

PRICES: After you get to know our special yoga teacher for these weeks, please have a look at our Rates & Reservations page to see our BASE RATES (which cover accommodations and meals).

PACKAGES: We have a yoga retreat package for everyone in order to customize your experience, and the cost of the package you choose is added to your BASE RATE. Our packages include Yoga & Adventure, Yoga & Rejuvenation, Yoga & Surfing, or Pure Yoga. For more information about these packages please visit Anamaya Retreat Packages (ARP’s). Or for those who are not totally into yoga, there’s no need to choose a yoga package at all – you can book all your activities and excursions A La Carte. We call it the Relaxation Retreat.

We are also now offering a Scuba Certification and Yoga package to our guests who are interested in learning how to scuba dive… And a very special Couples Retreat package if you are traveling with that special someone.

OPTIONAL WORKSHOPS: We are super excited to offer our guests 3 amazing workshops this week. The first is called A New Approach to Inversions, the second is a Myofascial Release workshop, and the third is All About Handstands. Please see below for more information.

Guest Teacher Leanna Hamilton

Leanna discovered yoga in 2010, after an invite to what turned out to be a three-hour, heated vinyasa flow. With her foot shaking in her hand, Leanna was overwhelmed with laughter and joy. There was no turning back. Coming from a background in dance, Leanna was exhilarated by the challenge of developing both athleticism and breath-body movement. She found that as the dance world became something of the past, yoga became something of the present. She was able to express her artistry through yoga. After two years as an eager student, she decided the next natural step was to pursue her teaching certificate. Leanna trained under Tiffany Yoga (now Yoga Medicine) and received her 200-RYT in 2013. She is currently finishing her 500-RYT program with Yoga Medicine.

Leanna has found that her passion as a teacher lies in the integration of anatomical awareness, and playful, mindful movement. She strives to give each student the opportunity to learn within his or her own body, through very specific and guided cues. Leanna’s specialties are in shoulder, spine and hip dysfunction, yoga for athletes, myofascial release, Chinese Medicine and inversions. While her classes may require unique movement, multifunctional use of props and a possible inversion, or two, they are always accessible for all levels.

Leanna’s Teaching Philosophy

“The beautiful thing about yoga is that it encourages us to be content within the present. The more we listen to the present moment and the more we check in within the physical and emotional state of our being, the more clarity we actually receive at the moment we are ready to receive it.” This was the comment I made below a photo that I posted on my Instagram account over a year ago. This has something that has slowly manifested its way into my life after over 9 years of practice. I believe to be self-aware is one of the most powerful tools within ourselves. I love that yoga is a place where self-awareness can be taught and encouraged. I always remind my students to come into their practice without judgement, allowing themselves to come into a space of acceptance. When we allow ourselves to set aside those overwhelming and tiring expectations, we are able to more freely come with an open heart. We no longer have to be the person we think we should be. We can come as we are. No matter where you are in your practice, beginner or advanced, true growth will come when you listen to your body. I will encourage you to set aside what you think you should do, and instead, practice in a way that makes you feel good within your own body. I will encourage you to be open to acceptance. I will encourage you to be present. I will encourage you to look within. Let’s reinvent the practice together.

What To Expect

Our practices will follow the elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Earth, Water, Wood, Metal and Fire. You will be experiencing both the philosophy behind each element as well as anatomical correlation within the element’s meridian lines. Both morning and evening practices will reflect the same element, however, the morning practice will be vibrant and awakening, while the evening practice will be soft and restorative.

Workshops

A New Approach to Inversions

There are probably more people wondering what the actual benefits of an inversion practice are than those who are ready to jump upside-down. The truth is, there are actually many benefits to getting inverted, including improved blood circulation, mental clarity and increased energy! There are also many levels in which that can be accomplished. I will be here to guide you into your inversion journey safely and with a playful approach. This workshop will look at armbalances, forearm balances and headstand. We will go over specific stabilizing exercises for the muscles involved and then play upside-down! This 2-hour workshop is designed for all levels and is $25.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release is a technique used to release and soften the fascia back to a healthy state in order to function properly. When the fascia is functioning properly, the body can work in a healthy way allowing for decreased chance of injury, and/or healing in areas that are already injured. You will receive two tennis balls and will learn the tools of self-myofascial release from the toes to the head. This “hurts so good” technique will leave you wanting more! This 2-hour workshop is designed for all levels and is $30.

All About Handstands

The goal of this workshop is to get you into handstand using a safe, alignment-based method. We will go over strengthening exercises, anatomy of the handstand, how to fall out of handstand, and secret tricks of the trade to get you flying. For those more advanced in your handstand practice, we will also be going over multiple approaches in handstand, including, pop-ups, kick-ups and presses. This 2-hour workshop is designed for all levels and is $25. See you on the flip-side!