Yoga classes led daily by Alana & Caileigh accompanied by Singing Bowls and Vibrations with Brian
Are you missing the Liberated Heart tribe?
Good news! Here is the week
in review to take you back to paradise! The stories of the Liberated Heart retreat will
be fresh in my mind and heart for years to come. I believe the world is made of stories
as much as it is made of molecules so reflecting on the magic of this trip has really reminded
me just how fantastic our retreat was!
Hard to believe that its only been two weeks since we all embarked upon our journey together.
For Caileigh and Alana, the story started a year before when Caileigh went on Alana’s retreat in Costa
Rica. Caileigh had such a transformative time that it inspired her to team up
with Alana to form Explorations of Self. It’s incredible how her own experience on retreat
led her to create life-changing retreats for others.
(From left to right: Brian Anahata Russo, Caileigh Feldman, Alana Diosa Roach) our Liberated Heart Guides
Caileigh, Alana and I envisioned Liberated Heart as a retreat to bring out the love in everyone
through yoga, sound, food and community. We did not have to try too hard! Everyone was in awe
as soon as they arrived to the beautiful Bodhi Tree Resort. A grand dining room, an infinity pool,
spacious cabinas and a coconut to sip upon arrival. Bodhi had it all. The staff were so friendly
and the food was first class. Everyone felt right at home at Bodhi and relaxed in Costa Rica’s tropical climate. On the night we first arrived, I asked Sonhei how she was feeling coming into the retreat. She said, “To tell you
the truth, I haven’t been thinking about it because I’ve been so busy with work. I really have no
expectations, I’m excited for everything.” I love this response because it rings true for many of us
who came on retreat. We are juggling a million things and then suddenly we have a
week to unwind. We don’t even have time for expectations. And that turns out to be a good thing,
because no expectations allowed us to embrace our experience with openness and curiosity.
Infinity Pool & Lounge Area
Cindy shared how she was almost dreading coming on retreat because it was taking her away from
her many responsibilities. Then, she was captivated by Costa Rica as soon as she arrived! She
realized there is no “right time,” you just have to go! And that is the point of liberated heart, dropping the
stories we tell ourselves to allow new ones to emerge. It reminds me of a conversation I had with Debra Hardison, She told me that we always have a choice to tell the stories that bring out the best in us. Debra literally did this when she told the story of Dropsy the Squirrel, a book she wrote about nursing a squirrel back to health after he ‘dropped’ out of a tree.
Delicious & healthy local cuisine, 3 times a day with Liberated Heart, Explorations of Self Retreat in Costa Rica
Cindy embodying her inner goddess in Playa Nosara
Bodhi Tree Resort is an amazing place to recreate the story of yourself in only a week! With a gorgeous outdoor yoga shala overlooking the beach and many indoor shalas for practice, BodhiSurfing, Liberated Heart Tribe!
held the space for us to return to our roots. Speaking of roots, every day of our retreat was symbolized by one of the seven chakras. It was amazing to see how the chakra theme played out in the yoga sessions and sound healings each day. I gave George a sound healing on root day and the day after he told me how rooted he was feeling in the space of the retreat center. I was so blown away by George’s story. He had broken every bone in his body after getting hit by a truck and he brought himself back to life through the power of his heart. As soon as he was able to flex his knee just half-an-inch, he began his journey into yoga. He was told he would never walk again yet through his own inner-strength and yoga practice, he now strikes the fiercest warrior pose I’ve ever seen!
Warrior George.
George’s story is not only an incredible tale of his perseverance but also of yoga’s saving grace. Yoga means
union with God and that’s why yoga is the heart of our daily practice on retreat. It was so special to see our
mother-daughter pairs unite through yoga. Deborah and Sonhei were ‘flown’ in the air, resting on their daughters
hands and feet just like they did for Lisa and Hannah when they were babies! It was so powerful to see how everyone’s practice blossomed under Caileigh and Alana’s instruction. Through beautifully guided sessions, we learned to tune into the present moment of each posture, be gentle with ourselves and stretch what we thought was possible for mind, body and soul! Doing one Hatha and one restorative session every day allowed us to balance our active side while allowing ourselves to heal as well. Alana reminded us to ‘find our edge’ in so many poses; to stretch into that place where we are a little uncomfortable so that we can grow into our mastery! It was so awesome to see everyone find their edge beyond the mat. Ellen really took this to heart. She had fun while facing her fears on the longest zip line in Nosara and through difficult yoga poses. Zip lining wasn’t the only excursion our retreaters had fun exploring. Our retreaters had an awesome time riding horses on the beach at sunset and surfing on one of the top surfing beaches in the world. It was so cool to see how people who never thought they’d get up on the board were riding waves all the way into shore! We also had a service trip where retreaters got to plant beautiful tropical trees right on the beach and even give them a name! Carolyn and some other retreaters even went local and spent
time hanging with Costa Rican families. Anything is possible here in just one week!
Lisa & Sonhui, Mother & Daughter acro
What I loved about this retreat is the community that formed so effortlessly between different kinds of people of all
ages. Jenna and Marianna didn’t know anyone coming on the retreat but now leave Costa Rica friends for life!
Developing community is built right into the retreat. Everyone ate together which gave us a chance to practice mindful eating. Caileigh and Alana led a nutrition workshop that inspired many retreaters to make changes to their diet and commit to a healthier lifestyle. Bodhi Tree even had vegan deserts which made eating healthy even tastier!
Chris’ sacred touch workshop brought us all together to realize how profound and comforting a massage can be! My sound healing gave everyone a chance to release what did not serve them and tune into the love inside themselves. But I think Jen was right when she said the ‘laughter therapy’ around the table was the best medicine. Laughing around the table and telling stories really was the best part of the trip.
Marianna & Jenna sisterhood through Liberated Hearts
It was amazing to see how in love Kyle and Anna Maria were -after being with each other for only a semester in college-
Kyle & Annamaria
chatting with Ellen and Marv who have been married for over 30 years. Marv said he proposed to Ellen
Marvin & Ellen
after only being together for five months because he knew she was the one. On the last day of our retreat I followed my heart and asked Caileigh to marry me right on the beach. And she said yes!
Brian proposed, Caileigh said, “YES!” During our last night in Costa Rica together as the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
Our seven months together felt like lifetimes and I knew she was the one. I am so happy to have shared one of the most beautiful moments of my life with my new tribe. Costa Rica really is truly magical. We started our week by celebrating Deborah’s birthday and on the last night we had Cathi’s birthday which made my engagement even more special! I can’t say enough about how much I learned about myself and how much fun I had on this retreat. The takeaway for me is that ‘liberated heart’ means being free to follow what you love.
Jenn & Cathi saluting their inner and outer power as the sunsets in Playa Nosara. Happy Birthday, Cathi!
I am so happy everyone had an incredible time practicing yoga, going inward through sound healing and tuning in to the lifestyle that they wanted to take home with them! Caileigh, Alana and I are so grateful for our Liberated Heart tribe and can’t wait to reunite on many more Explorations of Self retreats to come!
Deborah and Hannah, mother daughter love boat!
About the author: Brian is a teacher and healer. He brings the mind, body, heart and soul back into balance through overtone chanting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.
He has the unique ability to hear oto-acoustic emissions, the natural
frequencies emitted by the body.
His spiritual name “Anahata Nada” means “unstruck sound” and echoes his ability to hear the sounds of the cosmos. Anahata also means heart and speaks to Brian’s passion to help others hear the sound of their heart to guide them on their journey. Follow on instagram @anahatanada333 www.besoundnow.com Contact: bjrusso333@gmail.com
My Wife Sonhui and her Daughter attended the latest Costa Rica Retreat,they have both attended retreats in the past and also travelled to many parts of the world,their comments on the Explorationsof self retreat were many and varied,the one description that I heard many times was “it was Just Magical”not only was the retreat magical,now that they are home they have new perspectives on life health and there own wellbeing,they both have been continuing to practice yoga at home together Lisa taking the role of instructor,I am amazed at what they learned and can now achieve with their bodies.
Your efforts knowledge energy and love are an inspiration to all that have the privelidge to attend your retreats,what a world we would have if everyone could experience your awe inspiring retreats and teachings.
Pura Vida?????
Thank you for you kind words from the heart, Clinton! We LOVE your family SO much, and we look forward to having them and you on one of our magical retreats very soon!
nting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.
Alana’s love for yoga came from firsthand experience with just how powerful the practice is. “In 2009, Yoga found me. Inside the studio, she experienced a deep sense of belonging, but the most profound part was what happened after. “I felt as though I was at true peace. I finally knew what the word meant. Until that moment, I had just understood it cerebrally. There is something profound to be said about Peace dropping into the heart.”
My Wife Sonhui and her Daughter attended the latest Costa Rica Retreat,they have both attended retreats in the past and also travelled to many parts of the world,their comments on the Explorationsof self retreat were many and varied,the one description that I heard many times was “it was Just Magical”not only was the retreat magical,now that they are home they have new perspectives on life health and there own wellbeing,they both have been continuing to practice yoga at home together Lisa taking the role of instructor,I am amazed at what they learned and can now achieve with their bodies.
Your efforts knowledge energy and love are an inspiration to all that have the privelidge to attend your retreats,what a world we would have if everyone could experience your awe inspiring retreats and teachings.
Pura Vida?????
Thank you for you kind words from the heart, Clinton! We LOVE your family SO much, and we look forward to having them and you on one of our magical retreats very soon!