If you’re a screenwriter who suffers from writer’s block, escape to a tropical paradise in Costa Rica where award-winning screenwriter Bill Boyle and movement coach Bibi Caspari will help you let go of stress, connect with your creative core and open the pathway to writing a great script.
Do you want your ideas to flow on the page and connect with your readers?
Are you ready to get up from your desk and feel alive again?
Do you want to feel joyous about your writing?
Do you wish you could get away to write in a beautiful place?
It’s time to retreat
for some Pura Vida in Costa Rica.
Imagine waking to the sound of howler monkeys.
A jungle symphony surrounds you with its delightful music.
You hear the babble of streams and waterfalls everywhere you stroll.
Go ahead. Breathe deep. The air here is fresh.
You’ll thank the universe you’re in this tropical paradise.
THIS is Pura Vida.
What’s this retreat about?
Learn, refocus, reconnect and write your screenplay.
What better place to do this than in the rich tropical rainforest environment of the Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort in Nosara, Costa Rica?
- Awaken your senses and imagination
- Free your body and creative spirit
- Tap into your source of inspiration
- Learn to write a powerful visual narrative that will connect with your readers
- Find support in a community of like-minded writers
I can hear the jungle symphony. Tell me more!
Award-winning screenwriter Bill Boyle will mentor a group of 8-15 screenwriters.
You’ll learn how to write a powerful, visual narrative that will grab the attention and imagination of your readers and connect with them at a visceral level.
Performance artist and movement coach Bibi Caspari will teach you how to define characters and express stories through movement.
Move, stretch, release blocked energy and connect to your inner muse in an open-air yoga shala with stunning jungle and ocean views all around.
Retreat Highlights
Visual Mindscape Screenwriting Program
Mentor: Bill Boyle, award-winning screenwriter and master of visual storytelling
Through The Visual Mindscape of the Screenplay method of screenwriting, Bill Boyle will guide a group of 8-15 screenwriters in classes focused on creating a powerful, visual narrative that will engage the interest and imagination of your readers.
During the week, we’ll schedule private coaching sessions for you with Bill to work on your screenplay.
You’ll have lots of time to write and enjoy the heavenly grounds of Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort.
Bill Boyle is the lead proponent of a visual style of screenwriting called The Visual Mindscape of the Screenplay. It’s a visual approach to screenwriting and storytelling that allows the reader to experience a story as each image unfolds, engaging them at a visceral level.
Bill has sold or optioned everything he has written and attributes much of his success to this method of screenwriting.
Stories in Motion
Mentor: Bibi Caspari, performance artist and movement coach
Let your body feel vibrant and alive again!
- Relax and renew
- Learn to be more expressive
Bibi Caspari will guide you through gentle stretches, breathing and movement exercises to help you “check-in” with your body and support mindfulness, personal awareness and relaxation.
You’ll learn:
- To identify areas of tension
- Self-massage
- Alignment
- The importance of listening
Film is fundamentally a visual medium, and what better way to learn how to write visually than to tell stories without words using your body to communicate?
You’ll learn to tell stories and define characters through interactive exercises that include improvisation and alignment work.
Adventure Tour: Canopy Zip-lining
Experience a thrill on the longest Canopy Tour in the world located within a pristine 2500-acre forest reserve. This tour is nestled in the mountains surrounding the village of Nosara and will be a highlight of your trip. You will travel across majestic mountain ridges and soar high above multiple ravines with breathtaking views of rivers, waterfalls and the Pacific Ocean. The final stage emerges from the serene forest, crosses high above beautiful Nosara River and sails directly into a disco-bar on the top floor of a five story architectural wonder.
Adventure Tour: Horseback Riding (Optional Add-On Tour)
Yes, you can ride on the beach in this bucket list horseback riding adventure!
This optional tour will take you from the Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort to the river and up to the hills with breathtaking views of the ocean, beaches, and mangroves. The horses will guide you through jungle trails and along the beaches of Nosara and Ostional.
You’ll learn about local plants and their medicinal use, see local wildlife like howler monkeys and a large variety of birds. All horses are friendly, reliable, and trained by an expert, and all levels of horse handling and riding experience are welcome.
You can add this tour to your retreat package during checkout.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. –Helen Keller
Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
You’re in for a treat! Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort is set on over 8 acres of stunning grounds landscaped with flowers, large Guanacaste and Pochote trees, waterfalls and gentle streams that run throughout the property. This idyllic environment is the perfect place for quiet contemplation, meditation and writing.
The resort features a 25 meter salt water lap pool, juice bar, and Spa, all with jungle and ocean views. Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort is designed to blend seamlessly into the natural landscape and inspire a feeling of home in harmony with nature.
Wake with the howler monkeys, write beside gentle streams, and be serenaded by the symphony of the jungle. Wherever you wander through the grounds, the sounds of the waterfalls will follow you. Quaint sculptures and statues will surprise you at every turn.
Follow gentle paths over stone bridges to your bungalow and be embraced by the calming hand-placed rocks and waterfalls throughout the Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort.
The pristine Playa Guiones Beach, world famous for surfing, is just a short walk down a jungle path. You can sit on the beach and write, enjoy spectacular sunsets and swim in the gentle waves of the Pacific Ocean.
Your home for the week will be in an exquisite, Balinese-furnished bungalow set amid the splendor and lush beauty of the Costa Rica jungle.
You’ll feel pampered in your modern accommodations, with all the conveniences you need, including:
• Ceiling fans
• Air conditioning
• Free WiFi
Accommodations are double shared rooms with shared bath. Please let us know if you’ll be traveling with a partner or friend and want to room with that person. Otherwise, we’ll match you with a same-gender roommate.
Rooms feature:
• Comfortable twin beds
• Warm woods
• Large windows to let in the natural light and nature’s beauty
• Stone sinks imported from Bali
• Outdoor private shower
• Amenities to make your stay restful and soothing
You may just want to stay in your room and write!
Activities in and around beautiful Nosara include horseback riding, stand up paddle board tours, waterfall hikes, ATV adventures, wildlife explorations including visiting with the ocean turtles at a nearby black sand beach, bike riding (bikes available for rent) and surfing, to name a few. Resort staff can help arrange these activities.
Yoga Classes (Additional Fee)
Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort offers daily community yoga classes at $15/class. Multi-skilled yoga teachers (vinyasa, hatha, therapeutics, yin restorative, ashtanga, advanced posture clinics) and also meditation, pilates, and fitness coaches can be available to help meet your needs.
The yoga shalas (studios) at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort are the perfect backdrop to any yoga class, whether you choose a challenging vinyasa style class or restorative meditation. Feel the breeze caress your skin as you gaze out over the jungle and beyond to the ocean. With hardwood floors and 360 degree views, there is no better spot to take a deep exhale.
The resort has a fully-equipped Pilates Training Center and a Fitness Facility.
Spa Services (Additional Fee)
Walk along the jungle path to your own private oasis of tranquility and relaxation. Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort offers a variety of unique spa treatments using locally organic oils and lotion. Enjoy your own mini paradise.
Schedule a treatment from 9 AM to 5 PM via email at frontdesk@bodhitreeyogaresort.com and restore your body and soul to prepare for another amazing day in paradise.
It’s pura vida!
Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort uses natural, fresh ingredients to promote good health. Meals are served buffet style next to the pool in the open air pavilion with breathtaking jungle views.
Our retreat includes daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner (excluding wine and beer). Choose from an array of hot and refreshing cold soups, an excellent buffet of veggies and salads, organic chicken, fish, and vegan options.
Organic wine and artisanal beer are available for purchase with your dinner.
Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort can accommodate most special dietary needs.
Retreat Schedule
Saturday, May 13
12:00 pm Shuttle pick-up at Liberia Airport, transfer to Nosara
3:00 pm Check-in at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
4:00 pm Orientation and Welcome Reception
Sunday, May 14-Friday, May 19
Retreat program
Saturday, May 20
7:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am Check out of Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
9:00 am Shuttle pick-up at resort, transfer to Liberia Airport
About Nosara
The name Nosara refers to the area around three pristine beaches on the Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. It has become a hot spot for eco-tourism and one of the hippest holistic hubs on the planet, with a focus on surfing, yoga and health.
The region is also one of several “Blue Zones.” Blue Zone is a term used to describe a geographic area where more people live to be centenarians than anywhere else on Earth.
Nosara hosts one of Costa Rica’s oldest expat communities. Both expats and Ticos here strive to find a balance between development and nature. Houses, hotels and restaurants are spread out along a network of streets and pathways that wind through lush jungle vegetation. Hundreds of acres of forest and the beaches here are protected by the national park system and a local citizens association. There is a long-standing moratorium on hunting.
The actual village of Nosara is located 4 miles inland, along the Rio Nosara. It’s a small traditional Costa Rican town with grocery stores, restaurants, churches and the landing strip for daily flights to and from San Jose and Liberia. Halfway to the beaches, you’ll find a gas station and ATM cashier.
Playa Guiones is the main beach, a 3 mile crescent of white sand known as one of the best surfing spots in Costa Rica. It’s one of the best places to witness spectacular sunsets, as well. This little piece of heaven is only a few minutes’ walk from Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort.
Playa Pelada beach lies directly north of Playa Guiones. It’s protected by a reef, so the waters here are calm and well-suited for swimming. Visit as the tides turn and you’re likely to see a natural blow hole that sprays water into the air. On the northern part of the bay, you can explore tidal pools and caves in the rocks.
Travel further north during low tide and wade through the estuary of the Rio Nosara to access Playa Nosara, the most remote of the three beaches. Here, mangroves form a natural barrier between the black-sand beach and the jungle beyond. Since the waves at this beach are among the highest in Costa Rica, the water is not safe for swimming.
Playa Nosara beach and the estuary of the Rio Nosara form part of the Ostional Wildlife Reserve where thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles come to lay their eggs, particularly during July through December.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting to Costa Rica
There are two international airports in Costa Rica: Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, better known as Liberia International Airport (LIR) and San Jose International Airport (SJO).
Liberia (LIR) airport is the closest airport to Nosara, a 2/2½ hour scenic drive away.
Getting to Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
We will meet you at Liberia International Airport (LIR).
Round trip shuttle service from Liberia International Airport (LIR) to Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort is included in your retreat package.
You must meet the shuttle at the Liberia Airport on Saturday, May 13, 2017 by 12:00 pm. On Saturday, May 20, 2017, we will return by shuttle to Liberia Airport to arrive around 12:00 pm. Please plan your flights accordingly.
Is Costa Rica safe?
Costa Rica is safe. The country is a stable, democratic republic, bordered on the north by Nicaragua and on the south by Panama, both with stable governments.
Violent crime is very rare in Costa Rica. Nosara is a very healthy community but like any place in the world, it is best to adopt normal precautions and care with your belongings to avoid any possible petty theft.
Do I need a Passport?
Citizens of the U.S. and Canada and most European countries may enter Costa Rica with a valid passport. If you have any doubts you should check with the applicable Costa Rican Consulate in your country about rules governing entrance into Costa Rica.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Your passport must have at least six months left before expiration to enter the country. THEY WILL SEND YOU BACK if its expiration date is less than six months.
Do I need a Visa to visit Costa Rica?
Visitors from USA, Canada and most of the European countries can stay 90 days without applying for a visa. To be certain please check with the CR consulate or Embassy in your home country about any requirements to visit Costa Rica.
Departure Tax
There is a departure tax of $29 to be paid at the airport when you leave Costa Rica. It needs to be paid in cash (US$ or Costa Rican Colones) or with credit card at the airport on your departure day.
Check Up On Your Vaccines
If you are traveling to Central America from a yellow fever hotspot (parts of Africa and South America), then you must have your yellow fever vaccination and proof (yellow card). Other recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and rabies. For some parts of Central America, you might also need malaria medication, but consult with your doctor first.
What kind of electricity is there in Costa Rica?
If you bring anything electrical, Costa Rica runs on 110 Volts, 60Hz. If you want to bring 220V equipment, a converter is needed. If you need batteries, bring only rechargeable ones if possible please.
Are US dollars accepted in Costa Rica?
Yes. The official currency in Costa Rica is the Colones, but almost all businesses in Costa Rica, accept U.S. currency. You may wish to get Colones from an ATM at the airport for your journey to Nosara, but once you get to Nosara, US dollars are accepted everywhere.
What is the weather like?
The winter season, December-April, is warm and dry with clear blue skies, with average temperatures ranging from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit (25 to 35 degrees Celsius). May through November is the Green Season. The days from June through beginning of September are usually clear and sunny with occasional light rains. September and October months are the peak of the rainy season, when rains can last all day.
Do I need travel insurance?
It’s always advisable to get travel insurance whenever you travel outside of your country. We recommend Travel Guard, but there are many other good travel insurance companies.
What’s Included
- Shared accommodations at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
- Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner during the retreat
- Round trip airport transfers from Liberia Airport to Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort
- Screenwriting program with Bill Boyle
- Movement classes with Bibi Caspari
- Canopy Zip-lining tour
- Optional Horseback riding tour for an additional fee
What’s Not Included
- Flights
- Tips, souvenirs, and other items not listed in the inclusions above
As film is first and foremost a visual medium does it not make sense that the screenplay which is the spine, heart and soul of the film also be a visual experience? – Bill Boyle
Facilitators
Bill Boyle is an award winning screenwriter who has become one of the most popular script consultants in the industry. Creative Screenwriting Magazine rated him among the top 10% of screenwriting consultants. He lectures at universities and film schools throughout Canada and the United States, has taught at UCLA Extensions and is quickly gaining a worldwide following, with clients in North America, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Bill distinguishes himself from most of the other screenwriting gurus in that he also maintains a successful screenwriting career. Films based on his screenplays have received multiple awards and recognition including: Palm Springs Film Festival “Critics Choice” * Atlantic City Film Festival “Audience Choice” * Toronto Reel World Festival “Best Canadian Feature” * ACTRA nomination for Best Dramatic Writer * Canadian Film Awards Finalist * Recipient of the Harold Greenberg Fund * Chicago Film Festival Special Jury Nomination.
He is the lead proponent of a visual style of screenwriting called “The Visual Mindscape of the Screenplay” and notes in his book The Visual Mindscape of the Screenplay (released in 2013) that the visual mindscape method “… allows the reader or viewer to ‘discover’ elements of the story rather than being told. By being able to actively participate in the unfolding of the story, the overall experience for the reader becomes a more visceral and luminous experience. I feel this is the true magic of the screenplay.”
Bibi Caspari is a personal development coach, a performance artist in mime, dance and movement, and an actress (Quest for Fire, Circle of Two and Sealed with a Kiss). She has performed internationally on stage, in television, in film and as a soloist with her company, Caspari and Company Mime Dance Theater. She has taught movement, mime and improvisation to children and adults, amateurs and professionals.
As a consultant in the personal development field, Bibi has taught presentation and communication skills to professionals and other business people. Her diverse professional background in personal development, production, writing and the performing arts has contributed to her experiential learning and broadened her perspective. Along with her studies in the movement arena, she has explored the human growth potential movement and personal development. These two areas came together in her teaching when she realized that people’s resistances kept them from learning.
Bibi began coaching her students in moving through their obstacles. She brought her knowledge of movement and personal development together in a workshop she called Body Image, which was about the body-mind connection, body language and personal presentation.
Based on her involvement in a think tank, studying the limitations and problems in traditional forms of education, Bibi founded Forward Step, a non-profit organization working to make personal development accessible to all. Her own experience of the transformational power and benefits of participatory learning inspired her to create Forward Step’s COMPASS program, an innovative personal development training for at-risk youth and adults, which she has facilitated in high schools, juvenile facilities, employment readiness programs, recovery programs and correctional facilities. As the founder of the COMPASS program, she was invited to share her passion and expertise at the 2012 TEDxConejo.
In her consulting practice, Bibi is committed to nurturing her clients’ growth to become more empowered and effective in reaching their goals and creating the lives that they want.
Diana Osberg is the owner and founder of Mia Terra Retreats. She produces extraordinary retreats to inspire writers, artists and creative souls. Diana is a screenwriter and has worked in the entertainment industry for over 30 years in production, creative development and administration. Diana is a world-traveler, or as she likes to put it, a “world citizen,” and loves to go on unusual adventures. She has helmed a 165 meter barque off anchor and into the Strait of Gibraltar under the command of the ship’s captain. She has sailed as crew on tall ships in New Zealand, Spain and the Canary Islands, participated in an English immersion program with Spanish business people in Spain, and tracked Mustangs in the wilds of the Nevada mountains on horseback. She has kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, but did not get the gift of the gab. She’ll have to kiss it again, I guess.
Bill’s workshops were not only immensely helpful, but inspiring as well. He always gives generously of his vast experience, talent, and insight. Every meeting with Bill further inspires my passion for this craft. He’s changed the way I look at screenwriting.
Lois SimmieBibi is nothing less than spellbinding. Her artistic fluidity and embodiment of story makes her not only memorable, but a top pick of a dancer I delight to watch over and over and over again. If you get the chance, don’t miss the inspiration of Bibi. You will feel awakened in your cells as she weaves both powerful and nuanced movements that are evocative, entertaining and masterful.
GretaBodhi Tree Yoga Resort
Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort