The Ritual Retreat
at The Goddess Garden
Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica
Join Jumakae and friends for a week immersed in the Caribbean jungle alongside other women and gender expansive folks as we reconnect with ourselves as future ancestors through mindfulness, movement, and the power of storytelling at the Goddess Garden Eco Resort, where the rainforest meets the sea.
November 5 - 13, 2023
I WANT INDear future ancestor,
I see you. You’re doing the work to make this world a better place.
And you’re so good at it that you’re the one people go to for respite and advice. Amongst your friends, family, and community, you’re known as the “healer” - even when your loved ones are still not 100% sure what you do.
But hey, you’re so dedicated to this sacred path of service that you’ve even made a career out of it - even while juggling other parts of your life, from raising a family to volunteering for other causes.
You’ve got the degrees, certifications, raving reviews, and testimonials from those that have been a recipient of your medicine.
Perhaps you're the first in your lineage to get a formal education or achieve independence, whether you're a child of immigrants or come from a legacy of struggle - yet you still feel like a fraud at times because of the disconnect you feel from your roots.
People praise you for your dedication and commitment because it’s always been more than just a job - but a calling… to the point where your personal and professional life overlap!
Your passion for representation and social change is an inspiration to many, it’s as if opportunities are abundant. Another client, creative project, campaign, workshop, presentation, etc. - and you show the f*ck up every time while giving it your all while putting others' needs before your own.
And amidst all of the external success -
you're ready to explore who you are beyond that.
My love…
𓆸 What if you don’t need another program, but an actual BREAK from it all?
𓆸 What if you finally stopped filling that blank space in your calendar for other people's time by giving it back to yourself?
𓆸 What if I told you that you don’t need to consume anymore information, because your story is more than enough?
𓆸 What if you don’t need more healing, but a place to (re)discover what brings you JOY?
𓆸 What if you don’t need to hold it all together? Instead, what if what you actually need is to disappear into the jungle, twerk it out, and primal SCREAM?
Here’s the thing:
Your wild self needs the spaciousness to be primal without the fear of being silenced or judged by others if you were to actually move your hips freely and speak from the pit of your womb.
When all the body has known is survival its whole life, pleasure can feel like a threat to the nervous system.
Imagine yourself...
𓆸 Being completely immersed in the beauty of a protected rainforest only accessible by few, with the sounds of the ocean to soothe you to bed after you've spotted a sloth or a toucan from your balcony - without other tourists to impede your vibe.
𓆸 Taking an entire week to not have to worry about planning anything for yourself - especially where you get to travel ethically while feeling good about what you put in your body. Above that, everything is organic and sourced directly from the land with your wellness and nature's conservation in mind. Plus, you have full autonomy and consent of what you want to do with your time (and your life!).
𓆸 Being guided through the power of plant medicine to experience a sacred bond with the earth and a greater understanding remembrance of your purpose here on this planet, led by people of color that center decolonial praxis in their work.
𓆸 Finding that village of care that you prayed for; where you can invoke your dreams unapologetically, heal your tender heart with others that will celebrate the f*ck out of you, and move your body freely without doubting the magic of what's possible to create (AND attract) in this world as your embodied liberated self.
As a result of our time together, we will:
Connect with ancient earth-based healing modalities while reclaiming the wisdom of your ancestors so that you can always call upon them for guidance and support
Tap into your power as a sensual being so that you can explore your body as a wise teacher and fall in love with who you see in the mirror
Embody your inner goddess archetype while learning to lead life as an everyday ceremony so that you can become a magnet of possibilities
Cultivate a meditation and mindfulness practice so that you can stay grounded in times fear and uncertainty while exercising your energetic boundaries
Gain confidence to share your story medicine so that you can use your voice as an instrument for healing and your lived experience as wisdom
Nurture a community of other storytellers and radical healers so that you can decrease feelings of isolation and expand your village of support
Is this you?
Perhaps you’ve dreamed of hopping on that plane to visit another country, but you’re still scared of what’s on the other side - so you’ve postponed it yet again.
Or maybe you have, except there was no one to show you how to go beyond the tourist traps by connecting with the indigenous people and plants of the land while giving back to conservation efforts (because exploitation and gentrification is a real thing, and no way do you want to be a colonizer!).
Wellness spaces have been predominately cisgender and white, and you long for a community that reflects you and your values - one where you can put your superhero cape down, strip away your titles, and remember why you chose this sacred path of activism and entrepreneurship to begin with.
You’ve gotten this far with that beautiful brain of yours, but you’re now ready to strengthen your intuition so that you can allow your ancestors to guide the way while allowing your beautiful body to soften with ease.
You know that if you keep heading down this road, burnout is inevitable (again) - and the last thing you want to feel is resentment for the work you do and the people you cherish.
Because the truth is...
You are meant to be here.
Your work is so important and needed in the world.
But you are worth so much more than your productivity,
and you are worthy enough to be loved and poured into.
If you landed on this page, you are on the right path. And you are not meant to do any of this alone. We will go so much further in the liberation of all beings when we do this together.
MEET YOUR HOST
Hi, I'm June! aka "Jumakae"
Retreat Host & Life Doula
Fun Fact: "Jumakae," is a combination of my first, middle, and last name...
(It was also my artist name back in the day as a rapper and spoken word poet!) I'm a wellness consultant, storytelling guide, and life doula that supports others who are in the process of rebirthing themselves and their story medicine.
After spending my twenties as an arts educator and community organizer inside of nonprofit organizations, I began craving an alternative narrative to healing and justice that went beyond the stories of struggles. If racism is only 500 years old, then how can we tap into our ancestral wisdom that precedes beyond that? Curiosity led me back to Thailand, where I studied with a traditional midwife to learn the birthing ways of my lineage - and realized the importance of treating life as an everyday ceremony that is worth celebrating until our last breath. Thus sparked my calling to assist others in remembering their purpose on this planet, while reflecting on the legacy they’re here to leave behind when they, too, become an ancestor.
In my five years of entrepreneurship, I was able to generate multiple six figures in revenue as a transformational life coach and business alchemist that supported hundreds of people around the world with learning how to tell better stories while growing their healing practice.
In 2022, I shut down my operations and took my first 6 month sabbatical to rediscover my own medicine after experiencing massive burnout and heartbreak. I immersed myself in the Andes mountains of Peru during a political lockdown where I radically fell in love with my own company, and the Caribbean jungles of Costa Rica where the spirit of Harriet Tubman was invoked during a plant medicine ceremony with a request to do more than just talk about liberation, but to actively embody it. I also tapped into my ancestors that went beyond my own bloodline! From there, I knew it was time to shift my services by creating spaces for others to reconnect with what brings them joy.
Today, I'm excited to host local and international wellness retreats for women and gender-expansive folks, and facilitate storytelling workshops for organizations with a passion for social change. You can find me meditating in the morning and dancing in the moonlight as my spiritual practice.
Check out my Tedx talk, “How to Connect with Your Ancestors” or listen to my weekly(ish) podcast at yourstorymedicine.com for some inspiration!
VENUE DETAILS + FOOD
The Goddess Garden is a tropical oasis nestled between the Costa Rican rainforest and the Caribbean Sea. This ecological sanctuary is cared for by a lovely couple, Jacqueline Bürkler and Marcelo Ruiz, that are committed to the preservation of nature.
At this resort, sustainability is at the forefront of design. Spread across 14 acres, we offer a unique experience where you can witness nature revealing its beauty to you.
The Goddess Garden offers a wide range of facilities and amenities to discover, including Caribbean-inspired bungalows, three group spaces, an open-air restaurant, spa, exotic gardens, and much more. We will be just a five-minute walk from a serene and private beach, making it an ideal location to unwind and disconnect.
The Venue
Immersing yourself where the Caribbean Jungle meets the Atlantic Ocean, without tourists as a distraction.
You'll be housed in an eco-lodge with a private balcony shared with your roommate to unwind. Hammocks are available throughout the venue, with pool access on-site.
Two Queen-size beds
Each room has two queen-sized beds that provide ample space for guests to spread out and relax during their stay. With plenty of room to move around and store luggage, our intention is that you can feel comfortable and at home.
*The dorm rooms shown in the video will house our guides.*
Private Bathroom
Each room has a private bathroom that's spacious and well-equipped with modern fixtures. Large shower, a separate bathtub, dual sinks, and plenty of storage space for toiletries.
*The water in the rooms is heated by solar panels to cut down the use of electricity.*
Food
There will be three meals daily served buffet style, with Ayurvedic recipes and delicious Caribbean inspired food that are predominantly vegetarian with organic vegetables and fruits locally grown. Requests for any dietary restrictions will be accommodated for.
*Organic leftovers are composted as fertilizer in the garden.*
Activities:
✨ Sensual Embodiment Practices
✨ Storytelling & Vocal Coaching
✨ Guided Meditations, Breathwork, & Sound Alchemy
✨ Psilocybin Ceremony (Optional)
✨ Bribri Cacao Farm and Waterfall Excursion
✨ Access to Cahuita National Park
✨ Goddess Photoshoot
✨ Open Mic Night... and more
*All activities are entirely consensual since this is the space for you to rest, restore, and receive whatever medicine your body needs.*
Spa available on site that offers a variety of massages like Ayurveda, Reiki, Deep Tissue, Thai Massage and much more for an additional fee.
Get Intimate With Your Guides:
Jayda
(Sexuality & Relationship Educator)
@jayda_kissed
Jayda Shuavarnnnasri is a queer Southeast Asian sexuality & relationship educator & artist. Also known as Sex Positive Asian Auntie, she helps liberate folks from sexual shame by creating space for authentic conversations about sexuality, relationships, identity and healing. The topics that arouse her most are sexual exploration, identity, transformative justice, and creating the relationships outside of the convention mold. She is also the producer of Auntie’a Altar, a stream of consciousness podcast where she shares personal stories of navigating non-monogamy, relationships and sexuality.
Nettie
(Sensual Embodiment Guide)
@nettieluvstzu @the_ritual_room
Nettie is a passionate movement practitioner and sensual embodiment liaison with over a decade of experience in helping others explore their deepest desires and needs through movement and meditation. She firmly believes that movement is medicine, and has dedicated her life to creating sacred, embodied spaces for others to connect with their sensuality and reclaim their personal power. Using a variety of embodied practices, Nettie guides her clients in discovering self-love and exploring their innermost selves. With her compassionate and intuitive approach, Nettie empowers others to embrace their bodies and live fully in the present moment.
Rathana
(Altar Keeper & Retreat Mama)
@plantberri
Rathana So is the founder of PlantBerri, a plant-based food start up that offers innovative plant-based food products to support healthy lifestyle choices.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Long Beach, she is oldest of 5 children born in a family of Cambodian genocide survivors. Plantberri came about as solution to So’s quest to find high quality plant-based food options. Her vision is build the PlantBerri into resource of not just clean plant-based foods, but a plant-based lifestyle that is easily accessible. While she has catered nearly every Your Story Medicine event since its inception, she will be serving as our retreat mama and altar keeper to keep the space feels sacred throughout.
Miguel Ángel
(Plant Medicine Ceremonialist)
@shamanpapi
Ángel (Miguel Ángel) is a two-spirited Puerto Rican-Dominican somatic practitioner & healing justice facilitator with a decade of experience working as a public health practitioner in the fields of sexual health, human rights, mental health.
Angel’s integrates their experiences as a community health worker in HIV to their healing practice as a trauma conscious somatic healer and psychedelic medicine guide. Angel’s mission is to teach effective healing and burnout prevention practices to empower changemakers experiencing stress and systemic oppression through breathwork, somatic activated healing, meditation and self-love coaching. They believe all bodies, all minds, and all spirits deserve healing, justice, joy, equality, and liberation.
Roz Kumari
(Sacred Photographer)
@rozkumari_ @kumarivisionz
Roz Kumari is a Caribe born photographer with roots in Costa Rica, while branching off to New York, New Orleans, and currently calls Long Beach, CA her home.
In addition to being a published photographer (Vogue India, Getty, Black LA Now), she is a birth and postpartum Doula, healer, and certified yoga instructor. Her maternity and birth photography has became one of her signature styles as she has become known for capturing these sacred rites of passages, and celebrates body positivity throughout her work. She's also a proud mother of four children. It's to all of our advantage that she happens to have an amazing eye and mind for snapping at the right angle at just the right time for us to encapsulate ourselves in our joy as future ancestors.
...and more surprises to be revealed.
This Event is FOR...
Women and gender-expansive folks that need a nervous system reset and a break from social change work so that they can have the spaciousness to create, radically fall in love with their story, and embody liberation through sensuality as future ancestors.
This isn’t for you if…
𓆸 You’re looking for a simple vacation versus a transformation that invites you to look deeper within
𓆸 You’re not ready to confront your trauma with love, compassion, and tenderness
𓆸 You’re not in a place to tap into your sensuality, and prefer something more toned down or conservative
𓆸 You believe that gender is defined by anatomy, and may be uncomfortable sharing space with people who do not solely identify as women
𓆸 You are uncomfortable with ancestors, meditation, spirituality, and connecting to the unseen realm.
The Experience
Please note that everyday will have a storytelling, mindfulness, movement and sensual embodiment component. All activities are consensual, though we encourage you to participate in what you can to deepen your relationship with the community. Schedule is subject to change, though our intention for each day remains the same. Details will be sent in your welcome packet as we come closer to the date.
🌿 Day 0 (Nov. 5): ARRIVAL
🌿 Day 1 (Nov. 6): ROOT CHAKRA
🌿 Day 2 (Nov. 7): SACRAL CHAKRA
🌿 Day 3 (Nov. 8): SOLAR PLEXUS
🌿 Day 4 (Nov. 9): HEART CHAKRA
🌿 Day 5 (Nov. 10): THROAT CHAKRA
🌿 Day 6 (Nov. 11): THIRD EYE
🌿 Day 7 (Nov. 12): CROWN
🌿 Day 8 (Nov. 13): Check-out
The Investment
*Limited Spaces Available*
Inclusive of all expenses, except for flights
What's Included:
𓆸 Transportation to and from San Jose airport. *We encourage arriving the day before the event start date in case of any delays travelling. This will ensure you will be on time for shuttles.*
𓆸 Lodging (double suite, queen size bed rooms) with internet access
𓆸 3 vegetarian meals a day, prepared in an ayurvedic kitchen
𓆸 Guided activities, movement props (yoga mat, block, etc)
𓆸 Excursion to the cacao farm and waterfall
𓆸 Psilocybin ceremony (microdose only; optional)
What's not Included:
𓆹 Your flight to/from San Jose Airport at designated times (Arrival Nov 5, 2023 and departure Nov 13, 2023 with times TBA)
𓆹 Personal, medical or trip cancellation insurance (highly recommended!)
𓆹 Personal taxi transport to the airport outside of scheduled group transport.
𓆹 Souvenirs, phone calls, taxis, and laundry services
𓆹 Additional activities during free time: Horseback riding, spa services, etc.
𓆹 Tips and gratuities
Still need more time...
but want to secure your spot?
WAIT!!! Before you Go….
Are you still not quite sure?
Do you still need some time to make room in your schedule for yourself, but want to secure your spot at this retreat?
Is it a YES for you and you need a little more time to gather your investment, but you don't want to get left out?
Breathe, I've got you! I completely understand where you are and I want you to know that you are not alone. My desire is to make it possible for you to still come play with us.
A $750 USD non-refundable deposit can be paid to hold your space at the retreat. 💜
The deposit will go towards and be deducted from your full payment.
The remainder must be paid at least 7 days before the retreat.
*If you need an alternative payment plan, please email [email protected] and we will do our best to work with you.
Only 12 spaces are available max.
*Creating community before arrival is important to us!*
Here's how you'll be supported:
𓆸 Group Preparation calls on Zoom (Times TBA)
𓆸 Group Integration call post-retreat on Zoom (Times TBA)
𓆸 Private WhatsApp Group for ongoing communication
*Value: $1,500 Included as a part of your experience 🙏
**Still want to join, but have more questions?
Email hello@yourstorymedicine, or keep scrolling.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
🌺 Do you offer scholarships and/or refunds?
🌺 Is this only for women of color?
🌺 What if I don’t know where my ancestors are from?
🌺 What if I’m not flexible enough to move?
🌺 Do I have to participate in all the activities?
🌺 Can I bring my kids/partner?
🌺 Do I need travel insurance?
🌺 What do I need to pack?
🌺 How will roommates be arranged?
🌺 I’m concerned about covid…
🌺 Cancellation Policy
