Better than TV's "survivors"
University Students are invited to
scroll down this page and to discover
their own outstanding jungle adventure !
Enjoy a magical week in Costa Rica
Daily agenda, itinerary and syllabus
Learn how Costa Rica's ancient sorcerers discovered
the base elements in " the creative process ",
the « Fire, Water, Air, Earth & Spirit » in Nature,
from authors, training consultants and Costa Rica experts
Suzy Ethier and Lawrence Poole.
The Self-empowered Life
a 7-day learning-adventure in southern Costa Rica
During this unique one-week educational tour, you'll visit a cloudforest reserve, an andean paramo, a typical Central American town in the southern Talamanca mountains, a real kick-back surfer haven on the Pacific coast and the exotic rainforest jungles. Come to learn about your own creative nature with theme adventures and activities - like a horseback trek to a mystic waterfall, a climb into the treetops, a hike to a healing place in the jungle, a sunset beach ritual, etc.. Act out a daily itinerary by playing heuristic games, discussing fascinating syntheses, learning creativity tools, listening to stories about the first Americans and their sorcery-science and by discovering Costa Rica's great biodiversity.
Nature rules the jungle - so the following agenda is subject to last minute changes and instant adjustments.
Day 1 Arrive San Jose - PM, A maximum 16 participants will be met at the Juan Santamaria Airport and transferred to a Hotel for check-in and the orientation meeting - for a few "lessons from the jungle". We'll be visiting the most biologically intense place on Earth so "survivor" rules are important. Read our Preparations page and be willing to put yourself at risk in a variety of ecoadventures in exchange for an intimate contact with Nature; sign the waivers. Meet your hosts and training consultant/tour guides Lawrence and Suzy and other relevant staff: IIDC is devoted to learning in Nature. Just like the "edge of wilderness" areas we'll visit, the asphalt jungles in strange cities have been know to harbor snakes so we'll trade safety info.
The week's theme formally explores Creative self-empowerment as the antipode to stress. The adventure package includes various animations and "heuristic*" activities and offer small groups of interested university students a great vacation while exploring an ancient culture and exchanging on important themes. The week will reveal Nature's creative management processes in a tour visiting ideal learning environments. « Fire » will represent the creative juices -consciousness- each will bring; the week's adventures (both physical and metaphysical) will be discussed and an earnest Q&A will be engaged. Enjoy a Bienvenido Cocktail. (* from the greek : self-discovery, self-realization, self-teaching, etc.; A form of inner apprenticeship.)
Day 2 Transfer to San Isidro de El General - AM, We'll cross 4 biozones including the andean paramo in a National Park. It's a 3.5 hour drive so we'll stop for a fresh mountain trout lunch at a private ecological reserve. Wear a warm jacket; look for the Resplendent Quetzal; deep-breathe the purest air.and then continue to a town in the prosperous canton of Perez Zeledon, in the southern Talamanca Mountains. We'll elaborate on Nature's 4 paradigms.
PM In this pre-holiday week there'll be a lot of hustle and bustle in the town San Isidro, in the Valle El General, so we'll split up into available Cabinas and typico Hotel rooms scattered around the downtown core. (You'll love it - it's a tiny slice of Latino life.) PPM - Beer, bocas and a tale about a magical people and the elementals in Nature at a Resto/Bar. The story tells how to understand the creative mind and includes a couple of recipes for seeing the world in different ways.
Day 3. Transfer to Playa Dominical - AM, Where the mountains meet the sea, we'll bunk in a beach village, surfer haven and great place to hang out for the next 4 days. PM, We'll meet later to see how the elements « Fire » and « Spirit » are intensities of a single indivisible energy. And learn why Nature's creative imperative is "altruistic self-interest". PPM At a beach bonfire ritual, you'll hear the story of Quetzalcoatl and how it relates to modern brain/minds and science.
Day 4. Playa Dominical - AM, Today discover the element « Water » from a mystic Waterfall that runs down a great gorge, deep in the jungle. It's a symbol for the "depth" in creative intelligence and for the "flow" of consciousness. Begin with fruit and sunrise "sorcery rites" at the ocean's edge; then bus and horseback ride an hour into the jungle, where a copious breakfast waits. After eating you and your horse will continue to a spectacular "power spot" deep in the rainforest. The blue lagoon is huge fun - so swim, wade, tube, dive off cliffs, sun on rocks, enjoy. Experience how creativity flows from a relaxed state of mind. After taking your fill, ride back to lunch, then back on the bus. PPM We'll teach you how to make "coco loco" at sunset on the Pacific and then share the recipe for "stopping time" in a quincunc ('kwin'coonch). Have the rest of the night off.
Day 5. Playa Dominical - AM, Trek a jungle rio at sunrise -the "Baru Riverain ecology" is one the most bio-diverse on Earth. Have breakfast before visiting a Private Reserve to discover the element « Air ». You'll learn from the rainforest canopy. Using ropes and pulleys and things, you'll reach the treetops where 70% of jungle life exists. Have lunch and spend some time learning about Nature's rule where "life resonates to light". PM, Later - after a swim and shower and a rest - we'll meet to give you a synthesis for mastering brain/mind and attaining illumination. Then enjoy the night off - there may be a dance somewhere.
Day 6. Playa Dominical - AM, Discover the element « Earth » by exploring medicinal herbs and healing plants in a jungle Quinta. Visit a "sylvantherapy park" to learn on how magic plants heal the body, mind and soul. Ahhm when all's well... the world can seem like paradise. We'll discuss pragmagic, CNS and the inner radio, the "assemblage point" and how "to do" herbal remedies at home. PM, You can hang at the beach or tube down the river or surf and have most of the night off; there'll be indvidual and small group work. You'll resolve an enigma and prepare for a "dreaming ritual".
Day 7. Transfer to San Jose -AM, This is a long travel day; so the drive will be broken up into 3 periods and the bus will host a workshop called "Knowledge is Power" on mnemonics (from the greek: mindful, of memory) and "deep wisdom". You can begin with an early morning "powerwalk" on the beach and have fruit on the bus for the hour's ride (we'll stop and bid farewell to El Diamante and the mystic valleys) to San Isidro; then enjoy a power-breakfast with conference on "the art of "stalking". You'll find the 5 elements can be organized into a prosperity incubator; you can digest the speaker's notes when back on the bus.
We'll cross the Cerro stopping on the top to touch the clouds and then lunch in Cartago, Costa Rica's "old capital", where we'll find how power can be reached with "the art of dreaming". PPM A celebration supper will include a talk on "the art of seeing", i.e. using clairvoyance in daily life. From a Scenic-Resto high above the city lights of San Jose, you'll see the "sorcery" formulas put into a synergetic and life-enhancing whole, and we'll hand out certificates suitable for framing. And before we bid you "pura vida" and adios, you tell us what you've learned on the nature of a creative mind" and personal power.
Day 8 Departure
- You'll be
transferred to the Juan Santamaria Airport for the flight home, or
you can continue your visit.
Does not include Airfare to San Jose, local and $17US departure tax at San Jose, balance of meals and libations (and a single occupancy premium).
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