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Open Heart, Open Path:
Aligning Your Inner Compass
“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”
– Ramana Maharshi
2025 Retreat Dates
- January 25 - Feb 3rd -
Plant Medicine Retreat
The Alchemy of Plant Medicine
Costa Rica has called me back time and time again over the years. I come to work with specific healers and plant medicines. My community there has become my chosen family. They are some of the wisest, kindest humans I have ever known. They have changed and enriched my life's journey, as well as my ability to share healing with others.
Creating this kind of safe, tender space to gently support your internal work is my mission for curating these retreats. Change can be profound when the depths of the internal world and the energy of a like-minded group are held in balance. It is a deep human need to be witnessed as we grow, and the connections I have seen emerge from these experiences can be deep and lifelong.
There is a unique power in diving into this work in the jungle, far from the safety of our familiar daily patterns. The beauty and wildness of the jungle-- the ongoing cycle of growth and decay, the vibrant sounds of the myriad creatures sharing the space, and a palpable earth frequency-- all create the ideal environment to feel our Oneness with the planet.
My hope for you is that this retreat becomes a sturdy bridge to span the space between your spiritual growth and your return to daily life at home. That it will guide you to show up in new ways for yourself, your family, friends, work and communities. That it connects you with a life of greater ease and less suffering.
My vision is that by pursuing deep personal work, we will each be giving our best in the project of transforming the world.
"I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”
― John O'Donohue
The Location
Your home for the retreat will be the lush Dominicalito, on the southernmost tip of the country. It boasts rich farmlands, high jungle mountains including the exquisite Diamonte Falls, and is a surfers’ paradise.
We will be staying at Casa Nautika, a private guest home designed to welcome intimate
retreats. The owner, John, is deeply involved with the medicine community and will be our gracious host. The house is open plan: intentionally designed to create a feeling of community, with plenty of opportunity and space for private sanctuary. Some of the medicine experiences and much of the integration work will happen here.
Healing Food
You'll experience the culinary artistry of our in-residence chef. Each meal is crafted to align with the healing energy of the medicine, ensuring a holistic nourishment that caters to both body and spirit.
"Dr. Sarah Foster curated a soul-nourishing explorative journey for healing. I was welcomed into a safe space and given a clear outline of my physical and spiritual journey over the 7-day retreat that I embarked on with other curious souls in beautiful Costa Rica. My experience was transformative and gentle, even when it challenged me to go deeper. I felt seen and embraced by the other incredible humans that also chose Sarah to guide them through this retreat. We laughed, cried, journaled, stared at stars, faced our shadows, were humbled, and ultimately - invigorated with the Truth our bodies innately know. I believe it's a never-ending journey of self-exploration. Sarah and her incredible team of healers helped me explore my Self and understand a little bit more though every activity, question, and moment. I'm eternally grateful and will be back as I continue my soul's path. Thank you, Sarah!"
-Dana Ramnarine, she/her/hers
Vice President| Creative Talent Strategist
“I reached out to Sarah because I was feeling stuck, in hopes of finding a new path forward. As a nurse, I had only book-knowledge about what sort of process I was looking for beyond what I could find at my therapist’s office. In Sarah’s care, I found healing in the most surprising ways that have made a lasting imprint on not only the issues I was processing at the time, but also my fledgling appreciation of the energetic and feminine aspects of healing she wove into my experience. Sarah held a generous, open-hearted space that was truly respectful of my own healing wisdom and opened me to a new vista of freedom and flow. Working with her was an empowering experience for which I’m deeply grateful!”
Jennifer, RN, Seattle
Integration
Integration is, in my experience, the most important part of the process. The medicine ceremonies
can be intensely transformative psychological, emotional and spiritual experiences. However, the lessons often unfold gradually over time and require practice to become fully integrated into your life experience.
I honor and value the fact that everyone integrates differently, and this is part of the process.
There will be daily offerings including yoga, massage, sound healings and breath work. There
will be time to journal, draw, walk in the jungle and swim in the ocean.
I will offer “one on one” IFS and Hakomi based integration work for you individually, as often as you
need, throughout the retreat.
I will also provide private integration sessions both prior to arrival as well as after your return home.
There will be two scheduled group zoom sessions after the retreat for everyone to continue
collective integration.
The Medicine
The medicine journeys center around the psychedelic Ayahuasca.
There will be three overnight ceremonies lead by a deeply practiced medicine man who is part
of the Santo Daime tradition. He has lived in the valley serving the medicine for over 25 years
and grows, harvests, cooks, and serves all his own medicine.
The ceremonies will be overnights: both in a temple space in the valley as well as one night in a sacred cave behind the waterfall on Diamonte Mountain.
Musical frequencies are central to the way the medicine works through our systems. The ceremonies are accompanied by live music to provide both harmony and
friction needed during the arc of the experiences.
Although Ayahuasca is the centerpoint of the retreat, there will be several other transformative ceremonies, perhaps just as powerful.
These include a Temezcal (sweat lodge), as well as Kambo: an Amazonian frog
medicine with deep cleansing properties. These ceremonies will be held by an experienced medicine man who works from a Brazilian tradition.
What's Included:
- AccomModations at the private home/sanctuary in Dominicalito.
- All meals and beverages.
- All Plant Medicine, soundbaths, yoga, and ceremonies.
- Shuttle from San Jose Airport on arrival day and back to the airport on departure day.*
- Two zoom integration sessions with dr. sarah foster, one before the retreat to prepare and one after.
* If you arrive or a depart on a different day, you'll need to book your own transportation.
I attended Sarah’s 2023 Costa Rica retreat and was blown away. I’ve participated in retreats similar to this one in the past, but never one that was so carefully and thoughtfully put together. Every aspect of the week was designed to support and nurture the growth and healing I experienced. Not only were the other participants an amazing group of mindful individuals, but I felt completely supported throughout the entire journey. Sarah was immensely present in both the ways that she quietly held space for each of us to do challenging work on our own, but also in the ways she was available to each of us individually to help work through sticky and sometimes very difficult personal material that came up. Sarah’s western medical background, along with more modern psychological practices such as IFS and Hakomi make her an ideal
practitioner and provide her with multiple lenses to view the many things we all have to work through. Working with her has been a true gift.
-J.F.
“At the height of my depression, feeling my lowest, traditional approaches to therapy were leaving me wanting more. The idea of taking antidepressants has never been appealing. I was desperate for something new, someone that could really help. The universe said yes and with perfect timing Sarah came into my life like a lighthouse at the edge of a storm. After our first session I walked away feeling heard, held, safe. I’ve never felt like I’m “just a client” to her. She’s become a great friend and teacher to
me over the past year of sessions and journey work. And in that time I feel like I’ve rediscovered myself. I feel happy, I feel full, I feel like Noah. Her approach makes the hard work feel easy. Like being gently guided through the forest you’ve been lost in for so long. I have learned so much about the world and myself from her, laughing and crying along the way. The space she provides is immaculate and her energy is warm and full of unconditional love. Sarah is a blessing.”
Noah. M , Seattle
Retreat Cost
$6,500
Spaces are limited to ensure an intimate experience.
With only 10 guests per cohort, this retreat is an opportunity to experience profound healing in a closely-knit community.
No matter how you identify, there is a safe place for you here. All ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and identities are very welcome.
10% of all retreat proceeds will be donated back to the farmland to maintain healthy soil to grow this medicine for generations to come.
To reserve your spot, please book a free introductory call with Dr. Foster to ensure this retreat is a good fit for you.
Please select "Retreat Call" after clicking the link below.
reserve your spot
2025 retreat dates:
- January 25 - Feb 3rd -
Exclusive pricing available to returning participants
and advance reservations.
Deposits, Refunds, Cancellations
To secure your spot at the YOXON IM Medicine Retreat amidst the breathtaking beauty of Costa Rica, we kindly request a deposit of $3250 USD by November 20th, 2024. This amount reflects 50% of the full retreat tuition.
Spaces for the retreat are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once your deposit is paid, your spot will be securely reserved.
If you find yourself unable to attend before November 20th, 2024, we will do our best to fill your spot. If successful, a refund of your registration costs, minus a $500 administrative fee, will be issued.
All cancellation requests should be sent in writing to Amanda Donald
(amandagendonald@gmail.com)
In the unlikely event of the retreat's cancellation by YOXON IM, Casa Nautika, or the Costa Rican government, your registration fee will be refunded, minus the $500 administrative fee.
Please note that we require a minimum of 7 spots to be filled at full tuition in order for the retreat to take place.
If you are interested in subsidizing sliding scale spots, please get in touch with Amanda to discuss.
(amandagendonald@gmail.com).
"I approached my journey with Sarah with trepidation, given my background of childhood trauma, addiction, and depression. However, Sarah’s expertise in both western medicine and holistic therapies quickly eased my fears. Her understanding of my struggles and her reassuring nature boosted my confidence. Her skillful communication and attention to detail made the entire experience deeply fulfilling.
The connections formed with fellow travelers, starting even before our trip to Costa Rica, were profound. The private chef’s extraordinary meals were a highlight, and Sarah’s thoughtful leadership at communal gatherings fostered openness and genuine connection. The range of activities, from waterfall excursions to sacred ceremonies, yoga, and therapy sessions, contributed to a deeply spiritual and transformative experience.
Post-retreat, I've felt a peak in my energy, improved sleep, and a sense of calmness. I'm grateful for this journey and excited for my next trip with her in the spring."
- S. Sexton
-J.F.
“Sarah's skillset is exceptional. Her blend of Hakomi and IFS through all stages of the journey supported me in exactly the ways my system really needed. Every aspect of the setting contributed to the sense that I was completely safe to surrender. She was fully attuned with me through the journey providing pivotal enhancements to my experience, leaving me wondering if she was clairvoyant! Sarah was patient and so, so gentle. I have done this work with others and had very meaningful experiences. However, I would recommend Sarah and her skills above all others.”
- L. Hamilton
I offer sliding scale appointments for a percentage of my clients for each retreat. Sliding scale spaces are extremely limited. Please message me to discuss your situation.
If you are able and would like to subsidize a retreat spot for someone in need, please message me to discuss.
