Sometimes, we all need to retreat. From work, from responsibilities, from our endless Canadian winters. And more importantly, we don’t only retreat from – we retreat to. On our annual creative writing retreat in Costa Rica we retreat into nature, healthy food, daily workshops, an immersion in writing, wonderful weather and a community of likeminded souls. We come back rejuvenated and with fresh inspiration for our creative projects.

This past 10 days, I took 11 incredible people to Finca Luna Nueva, our magical writing base in the heart of rainforest in Costa Rica. Mornings were spent in writing workshops, on a gorgeous deck looking down on the bamboo restaurant and pool. While hummingbirds flitted past us, cicadas buzzed and howler monkeys roared in the depths of the forest, we explored writing techniques together. In the afternoon, we wrote in hammocks, at our desks and atop a glorious lookout tower. We swam in the pool, lazed in the hot tub, ate food growth steps away on the biodynamic farm and slowly created a community of kindred spirits. We took a night tour in the rainforest, immersed ourselves in the healing waters of the local hot springs, went out to dinner in La Fortuna and so much more. Most of all, we shared stories, laughed together, wrote a whole lot and fed our creative souls.

At the end of the week, Kim – the manager at Luna Nueva Lodge – said to me, we love having your writers here. They are such incredible people. And she was right. There’s something about people who love to write – the honesty they bring, the empathy they have, the ideas they share. But it’s the people at Luna Nueva who make this possible for us – their kindness and warm-heartedness that makes the place feel nothing like a hotel and everything like a second home.

With our 4th annual retreat behind us, we’re now looking forward to next year! If you’d like to join us for our next writing adventure, check out our information here:
https://www.centauriarts.com/retreats/creative-writing-retreats-and-holidays/

You can also read reviews by past participants, and a full account of our writing adventures, here:
https://www.facebook.com/centauriwritingretreats/