Some guests have come on retreat at the Farm of Life for the food, and that is a totally valid reason- it’s beyond delicious!
Regardless of what brings you to the farm on a wellness retreat, the nourishing meals prepared by chef Ariana will be a highlight of your stay- and will leave you feeling inspired!
As women, we are often caring (and cooking!) for others. We are naturally nurturing and nourishing that which we love, and what matters to us. It’s absolutely beautiful, AND can also be exhausting.
When you come to a women’s retreat, you get to enjoy 10 days without cooking and cleaning! Yes you heard me- no chopping, stirring, blending, sautéing or best yet, washing up.
A retreat is an opportunity to step away from your day to day life and dedicate this time to fill your cup, to nurture yourself and to be nourished.
Opening and allowing to receive is not always easy as we have been programmed to always be giving. Receptivity is a beautiful feminine quality that can bring greater balance to our lives.
Food is only one way to be nourished on a retreat. You’ll also be nourished by nature’s jungle beauty, pristine waterfalls, sunshine, meaningful connection, silence, movement, stillness, self care and simply being.
We have space for you to come and be nourished in Costa Rica during my upcoming women’s wisdom retreats.
Choose from January 25th-February 1st or March 4th- 11th
Retreats include three wholesome and delicious vegetarian and gluten free meals a day – with exception for special ceremony days- as well as fresh coconut water and medicinal teas with herbs from the greenhouse.
I am so glad you found your way here, and I know it is no coincidence. It is in fact a most perfect alignment and a reflection of your commitment. Your unique presence and gifts are an intricate part of our circle. Thank you for being here.
I am so excited to share with you that there are two opportunities in 2023 to choose from to join me in Costa Rica for my 6th and 7th annual women’s retreat at Farm of Life.
It is an absolute honor to be sharing these retreats with you, year after year. The vision for this year’s retreats is VERY special to me and it exists because you are ready; we are ready.
We are in times of great transformation and the spirit of the land at Farm of Life is calling us forth, along with our soul’s own readiness and commitment, to REMEMBER together.
It is time.
In overflowing gratitude, Lacey
Join us for the 6th annual 8 Day Women’s Wisdom & Ancestral Arts Retreat
Women’s Wisdom & Ancestral Arts Retreat January 25th – February 1st 2023 Farm of Life Diamante Valley, Costa Rica
We welcome you to take your seat in a circle of women who are remembering the ways of our feminine wisdom & sacred traditions.
For 8 unforgettable days, you will be immersed in nature, sisterhood and a safe container for sacred transformation, all while experiencing the beauty and magic of Farm of Life and Costa Rica.
The retreat is an intimate group size and open to 13 women who are devoted to their Self discovery.
Book a complimentary 20 minutes discovery call to see if this retreat is for you! Book Now
Offer yourself this peaceful time, and precious gift to step away from your day to day routine, and come home to yourSelf in the jungles of Costa Rica.
Recharge as you connect to the elements of our Mother Earth: revitalize your strength & vitality as you walk barefoot on the earth ; renew and purify in nearby crystaline waterfalls; dance and play in radiant ocean waves; bask in and receive the sun’s healing glow; hydrate and refresh from living springs & fresh coconuts; nourish & cleanse with high vibrational foods from the land; breathe deeply & fill your lungs with clean fresh mountain air.
Retreat Highlights
Natural Accommodations with breathtaking jungle & ocean views Daily yoga, movement & meditation Sunset beach trip & Waterfall experiences Ecstatic Dance & Cacao Ceremony with Indigenous Bri Bri Cacao Hands on pottery workshop Elemental Song Circle around the campfire 8 Days of Transformative Guidance by Lacey 3 Nourishing meals prepared for you daily (with exceptions for ceremony) Private Waterfall Blue Clay Spa Experiences Inspiring Women’s Wisdom Circles Breathwork & Crystal bowl sound bath Journey
When we gather in sisterhood, we remember together with each woman as a sacred reflection and witness. Our ancient soul and feminine self is calling us home to nature; calling us home to sisterhood. The time is now to connect more deeply with the earth, the elements, and her plants as they carry the wisdom needed to move forward in these times.
We are remembering that we can heal ourselves with the feminine wisdom and traditions that live within us and are ready to be reawakened.
We are remembering the simple beauty and power of singing songs around the campfire, being awed by the stars, feeling the healing force of the shining sun, bathing in her cleansing crystalline waters and breathing in her fresh air.
Our ancestors are knocking on the doors of our hearts, and we are answering the call. Our life truly is the answered prayers of our great great grandmothers. We are here to carry forth the healing in our lineage, as we heal ourself.
Retreat Flow
Each morning after greeting the sunrise, we gather in the open air yoga shala to share in a movement and meditation practice as you take in the vistas of the Pacific Ocean and the serenity of the surrounding jungle. Lacey will guide you through a variety of styles of yoga, dance, and meditation inspired by the daily theme which has been carefully curated to offer you an intentional and transformative experience.
After a deliciously fresh breakfast, we will hike to an epic nearby waterfall or gather in sisterhood circle to explore and remember the ancestral ways of our feminine wisdom.Together we will remember what it means to be a woman of the earth who is deeply rooted in her center and deeply connected to nature.
We will remember the wisdom of our great grandmothers and bring back the traditions and practices that support us as women and mothers throughout the many initiations in our life. We will reawaken our inner maiden, mother, matriarch and crone wisdom so we can be of service to ourself, our family and the world. We will reawaken our inner medicine woman and connect with the wisdom of our womb as we honor ourselves as cyclical beings.
A healthy lunch is enjoyed on campus, at the waterfall or the beach. The afternoon allows space to rest, read in a hammock, enjoy the all natural pool, or treat yourself to a massage. Grounding dinners are served after witnessing the mezmerizing sunsets.
Book a complimentary 20 minute discovery call to see if this retreat is for you! Book Now
The retreat also includes three very special ceremonies and a variety of ancestral arts workshops.
Experience a heart opening cacao (raw chocolate) ceremony with music, song, dance, and ritual guided by Lacey. The cacao is sourced locally from the local Indigenous Bribri people and is truly a gift for your body, mind, heart, womb and spirit. The intention of this ceremony is to release, cleanse, heal, reawaken, rejoice and expand your self love.
The second ceremony, will be a sunset beach ceremony.
We will connect with the great mother ocean and share in a special womb healing journey that has been passed down to me by my teacher Monika Nataraj, and her teacher, Marcela Lobos. This ceremony, originating from the Shamans from the Peruvian Andes and Amazon Jungle, is an initiation given by lineage of women who freed themselves from suffering and they want us to remember that we did not come to suffer, but to be powerful creatresses.
The third ceremony will be a powerful group breath work and crystal bowl sound journey where you will be held in safe space to relax, release, purify, tune into your higher wisdom and receive insights and guidance, all through the power of breath and sound. Connect to body, mind, heart and spirit.
Throughout the entire retreat we will be connecting with nature, the elements and the wisdom of our ancestors. One special workshop will be a hands on pottery experience where you will be able to create your own power piece that you can take home with you.
Other practices include drumming, elemental song circle, fire building, barefoot jungle hike, making a herbal wand, womb dance and so much more!
The retreat offers ample time and support for deep rest, relaxation and integration. One of the annual retreat highlights is the private waterfall all natural spa day with healing Costa Rican blue clay full body treatments and fresh aloe vera hair masks.
Take this time for you and dedicate this retreat to your holistic well being and remembrance of Self. Recharge physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Immerse yourself in the healing jungles and waters of Costa Rica and fill your cup.
Apply to receive pricing, accommodation options & registration details.
Farm of Life, nestled in the middle of the jungle at the top of a mountain, makes it the ideal location for our retreat. This gem is located in the Southwest coastal region of Costa Rica near Dominical Beach. During your stay at Finca de Vida, bask in the high vibrational elements of the farm, feel the nourishing tropical breeze, listen to the symphony of innumerable birds & insects, watch the mesmerizing dance of the butterflies, dragonflies & hummingbirds.
This magical property bursts with radiant, fragrant flowers and lush gardens, towering ceiba trees, and flowing crystalline waters. Connect with Mother Nature and be nurtured by barefoot walking, sun gazing, breathing in fresh mountain air, hiking through the jungle trail, eating off the land and drinking pure spring water. Witness unforgettable sunsets and the mystical, shapeshifting clouds. Every moment at the Farm, everywhere that you look, all that you hear, touch, taste, & smell is an opportunity to experience pure wonderment and awe of this magical slice of paradise.
Accommodation Styles: Deluxe Cabin – Coconut & Monkey suite
two queen beds, exquisite ensuite bathroom with outdoor shower, view of the entire valley, large balcony with rocking chairs and hammock. Offered as semi private (2 share accommodation)
Cabins in the Orchard – Ceiba & Ylang Ylang
two twin beds or 1 king, ensuite bathroom with outdoor shower, fruit orchard view, balcony with hammock & rocking chairs. Offered as private or semi private 2 share
Jungle View Cabins : Toucan & Macaw
two twin beds, ensuite indoor bathroom, epic jungle view, balcony with hammock and rocking chair. Offered as semi private (2 share).
Apply to receive pricing, accommodation options & registration details.
Lacey lives a passionate, vibrant, natural and holistic life in the jungles of Costa Rica. She loves to nourish and nurture, and lives a devotional life of service as birth & postpartum doula, sacred ceremonialist, plant based chef, holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, retreat facilitator and women’s womb guide.
Her embodied presence is inspired from over 10 years of seeking – inwardly within her own Being and traveling around the world to sit at the feet of masters – truth, wisdom, and harmony with the natural world. She has humbly come to recognize that nature is her greatest teacher and provides her with everything.
Lacey puts ALL of herself into every offering she shares and is beyond grateful to share the wisdom and practices that have been passed down to her from many incredible teachers.
“Lacey is a living example of being in connection with spirit, service and the divine feminine.” ~ Jody Calvi, Farm of Life Owner
8 Day Retreat Includes
7 Nights/8 days Accommodation at the Farm of Life. with semi private (2 share) or private cabin (limited). All cabins include a balcony with an epic view, hammock, ensuite bathroom, linens, towels, and fibre optic internet. * Daily Morning Meditation, Yoga & Movement The practice is for all levels and combines Lacey’s years of experience as a teacher and student of yoga and feminine arts. She has learned a variety of styles and approaches from various teachers, and during retreats utilizes yoga, movement and meditation as a tool for inner transformation. All props provided!
Delicious Organic Vegetarian Gluten Free Meals served in the open air dining hall, including fresh coconut water and medicinal garden tea! The menu is a beautiful blend of raw high vibration foods (think the best tropical fruit and smoothies you’ve ever had and fresh leafy greens from the organic garden!) and soul nourishing home cooked meals to support your journey. Yes, coffee is available at breakfast, served with fresh coconut milk.
Sample Menu Breakfast Tropical Green Smoothie Strawberry Vanilla Chia Pudding topped with hemp seeds & cacao Fresh Fruit Salad & Boiled eggs.
Lunch Rainbow Kale Wraps with Tahini Dressing Chickpea Hummus & homemade crackers Garden Salad with honey mustard dressing
Dinner Fragrant Basmati Rice & Lentil Dhal served with Apricot Chutney Roasted Ginger Turmeric Cauliflower Sesame Garlic Sautéed Garden Greens
Fresh coconut water and medicinal herbal tea available throughout the day
Women’s Wisdom Circles & Ceremonies including a cacao ecstatic dance ceremony, sunset beach ceremony, and a breathwork + sound journey. * Ancestral Arts workshops in including pottery, fire building, sun gazing, barefoot hiking, and herbal wand making * 3 Waterfall Adventures & 3 Beach Trips * Spa Day with healing Costa Rican Vida Blue Clay & garden fresh aloe vera * Farm of Life Medicinal Prana Tour
Campfire & Song Circle * Sungazing Instruction with Farm of Life Co-Creator, Brian. * Healthy Fibre Optic Wifi to stay connected to loved ones. * Group Shuttle Transfer to/from San Jose Airport Hotel * Mid-Week Laundry Service
Book a complimentary 20 minute discovery call to see if this retreat is for you! Book Now
+ Bonus +
Group Preparation Call before the retreat * Group Integration Call after the retreat with Lacey * Private Group Chat for connecting with sisters and sharing resources * Welcome Letter with full details (ie: current travel policies, what to bring, how to prepare, airport hotel listings, retreat schedule, etc.)
Apply to receive pricing, accommodation options & registration details.
Airfare to San Jose International Airport (San Juan Maria)
Accommodation in San Jose the night before the retreat (January 24th 2023).
PLEASE NOTE: The retreat beings at 8 am on January 25th in San Jose. All guests are required to arrive in San Jose at least one day prior. The hotel meeting point in San Jose will be shared upon registration. The retreat ends on February 1st at 10 amin Dominical, then a complimentary shuttle will transport you to the San Jose airport or hotel. All flights must be booked after 5pm or consider spending the night in San Jose and flying out the next day.
Beach Lunch on ceremony day
Massage Therapy or Breathwork with Sound Healing ($90)
Staff Gratuities
Sister Praise from past Women’s Retreats
Memories from Past Retreats
Apply to receive pricing, accommodation options & registration details.
I served this incredibly simple and YET INCREDIBLY delicious dessert at a recent women’s retreat I offered…and they ALL went CRAZY for this chewy – caramel-chocolatey treat!
Thanks in advance for your patience as I am still finalizing exact amounts to be able to even call this a “recipe” BUT this will definitely offer you the guidelines you need to get started!
Trust me, this will be your new go to for healthy, raw desserts!
What you’ll need
A pack of organic Medjool dates
A jar of all natural peanut butter
~1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, crushed
For the homemade chocolate
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1-3 tbsp maple syrup, depending on how sweet you’d like the chocolate.
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch or two of pink Himalayan salt
optional to add a pinch of cayenne
Method
Begin by preparing your homemade chocolate.
Add 1 inch of tap water to a medium saucepan. On top of it, place a glass or stainless steel bowl.
Turn the burner onto medium.
Add coconut oil into the bowl, and it melt.
Once melted, add in the remaining ingredients.
Whisk together until well combined, ensuring the heat is not too high.
Taste. Add more maple syrup as desired but remember the dates are already super sweet!
The chocolate should be a perfect balance between not too thin and not too thick. Add more oil (to thin) or cacao powder (to thicken) as needed.
Allow to cool and set aside.
Prepare a large plate of flat baking pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the dates by gently opening them in half with your hands to remove the pit.
Be mindful not to break them completely apart!
Fill each dates with 1-2 tsp of natural peanut butter.
Stuff the dates with some crushed peanuts.
Fold the dates back together and do your best to press the peanuts and peanut butter inside.
Place them in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden up the peanut butter (not necessary but it makes it way less messy)
Using your hands (or a spoon if you really want to!), dip the filled dates into the chocolate bowl. Do your best to cover the entire date.
Place on the baking tray and go through this process with each date.
You may wish to sprinkle the snickers with additional peanuts and salt!
Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
Feel free to use your homemade chocolate for any other desserts!
I am writing from a beautiful winter wonderland in Northern Ontario in Canada, where I am currently spending time at my parent’s home where we are all on a family healing journey.
In October 2018, we found out that my father was diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer, and so I felt called to be of service in the deepest way. Some travels plans were cancelled, and i left my job! I was on a mission to Educate and Inspire (the vision behind Holistic Lacey) a natural, non traditional, healing pathway without chemo or radiation (and to save my father’s life!). Long story short, fast forward 3 weeks, my dad said YES!
You can read more below about all the many ways we are healing cancer naturally and holistically with the help of a naturopathic doctor as well as all the steps we take at home. I share this with you as some of you may either have/ will have/had cancer, or know a friend or loved one who will walk this path. It is my deepest prayer that all Beings have the education and knowledge to make informed treatment choices and know that natural options are available and effective.
If you feel inspired to make a contribution to our GO Fund me campaign to cover the $20 000+ cost, we welcome this fully.
To be honest, I actually found a variation of this recipe on the Taste of Home website. At a first glance, I thought this is not the recipe for me with its bleached white flour, white sugar, canola oil, buttermilk, etc…reminding me of some of my grandmother’s recipes (which is beautiful and nostalgic, but not how I want to nourish my body temple.)
And in that moment, I remembered how much I love taking any recipe and transforming it into a healthier version by substituting the types of flours, oils, sugars and for this muffin, even using flax “eggs” for a vegan version. I feel so grateful to have this knowledge and am looking forward to sharing this recipe with you!
Here are 2 tips for you: #1 – you can use spelt flour the same way you’d using any other kind of flour in a recipe without any need to change the measurements. #2- You can use less oil in a baking recipe by substituting half the oil for apple sauce (and it even makes the recipes more moist!)
This muffin is really tasty! …and it is jumbo! If you’re not much of a breakfast person, this may feel a bit heavy for you first thing in the morning so enjoy it mid morning with a tea, or in the afternoon.
Makes 16 delicious, moist, abundant muffins (with the most perfect crunchy topping!)
Ingredients
4 Flax Eggs (4 Tbsp of organic ground flax mixed with 8 Tbsp warm water)
5 cups Organic Light Spelt Flour
1 Cup Organic Raw Sugar
1 Tbsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice (or mix mostly cinnamon with ground ginger and a pinch of all spice and nutmeg.)
1.5 tsp Baking Powder
1.5 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Local Maple Syrup
2 cups Organic Canned Pumpkin Puree
1/4 cup Organic Almond Milk, or any non-dairy substitute that you have on hand
1/4 cup Organic Coconut Oil, melted
1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Chopped Pecans
Topping
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar
2/3 cup Pecans
1/4 cup Organic Rolled Oats
2 Tbsp Organic Virgin Coconut oil, cold or room temperature
Directions
In a small bowl, combine ground flax and warm water, stir and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, raw sugar, spices, baking powder and soda and salt.
In another bowl, combine maple syrup, pumpkin, almond milk, coconut oil, apple sauce, vanilla. Mix in flax eggs.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until almost mixed and then fold in the pecans.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor, add all the ingredients for the topping and pulse for 5 seconds. Otherwise, finely chop the pecans and mix in a bowl with remaining ingredients.
Prepare muffins tins by greasing with additional coconut oil.
Scoops muffin batter into the tins (I use the silicone ones!), filling half way, and top each one evenly with the crunchy-sweet oat topping. Warning… these do get a little messy 🙂
Bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool on a drying rack for 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups.
It’s our personal human nature to set goals and intentions, to want to be somebody, to get somewhere in this life we have been given.
Recently, I learned that the word intention (a word I use quite often) comes from the latin root, intendere. Tender/tensum means “to stretch toward” something, and it got me thinking, “why do we always want to be stretching toward something ?
When it comes to goal/intention setting in various areas of our life, we like to “move toward” a somewhat immediate result, perhaps in the time frame of a few months to a year. We talk about that advancement or raise at work; or a health goal like training for a 5km race, losing weight, meditating daily or quitting smoking.
As for the inside job, maybe we are trying to be more patient with loved ones, to speak more confidently during a business meeting, or to become a better listener with our partner.
Long term goals are definitely not alien to us either—think 5 or 10 year plans for buying a house, starting a family, paying off school debt, etc. Whether we reach the goal or not, we typically have a type of reward or finish line in mind.
When we set a goal that we want to meet, we put our full focus, will power and determination into it—at least in the beginning We may even become over obsessive or addicted to our goal and witness it as it becomes all we think or talk about (but not necessarily in the most mindful way).
Society has definitely conditioned us to be goal oriented “human doings,” but what about a non goal goal, like an intention for life?
I don’t mean accomplishing x,y,z by the time we are 90 years old, but rather taking time to contemplate how it is we want to “be” in our life, vs what we “do.”
For example, a personal “life” intention of mine is to live with grace and to serve the greatest Good; to live a holistic and harmonious life with this body, mind, spirit, nature and all Beings. I want to live for the joy of Being, not because that is a goal, but it’s who I am, it’s my natural state.
As I started to keep more focus on the Highest, most Supreme, Grand intentions, my life started to have more purpose. Of course there a mini intentions set within this, yet the main focus does not lie there.
By taking some time to journal and sit in stillness, we can allow ideas for this “life intention” to arise. From here, we can start to ask ourselves questions like “does my lifestyle support my highest goal?”, “Do the people I surround myself with align with my dharma (a term used in Buddhism to mean life purpose)?”, “Am I acting in every moment from this place of intention with every word I speak and action I take?”
Living a more purposeful life does have not to mean traveling the world, become famous or driving our dream car… but it definitely can also mean that!
The doing, the collecting of things and successful accomplishments will simply unfold with time (that is this life!). Me, there person, will be acting out my life plan, as mySelf bears witness.
What’s going to keep us grounded in truth, focussed on love and thriving with grace is the embodiment (walking our talk!) of this life intention in each and every moment.
It’s when we recognise our Highest Self and live from a place of pure naturalness and spontaneity, as the yogis call Sahaja, that we will feel fully free.
When transitioning to a plant based diet, focus on adding as many organic, seasonal, local and fresh fruits and vegetable to your diet. I recommend adding salads or raw food to every meal (according to constitution), as well enjoying snacks such as fruit, veggies, superfoods & green smoothies. Some of my favourite nutrient powerhouses include sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, avocados, almonds, brazil nuts, berries, lemons, broccoli.
Whole grains/ flours
Quinoa
Millet
Brown Rice
Spelt flour
Light bucwkwheat
Sprouted grain bread/ rye bread
Soba noodles
Rolled oats
Barley
Nuts & seeds
Flax seeds
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Pecans
Almonds (almond butter)
Brazil nuts
Sesame seeds (+tahini)
Beans, legumes, & more veggie protein
Chickpeas
Black beans
Kidney beans
Edamame
Mung beans (sprouting)
Red lentils
Green lentils
Organic Tofu
Organic Tempeh
Organic Free-Range Eggs
Sweeteners
Maple syrup
Honey (raw/local)
Molasses
Dried fruits
Medjool dates
Organic un-sulphured apricots
Cranberries
Raisins
Oils & vinegars
Olive oil
Coconut oil
MCT oil
Sesame oil
Grapeseed oil
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Spices & fresh herbs
All spices &herbs especially cinnamon, sea salt,turmeric, fresh ginger root, garlic, parsley, cilantro
3 to 5 drops of food grade peppermint oil or mint extract
4 bananas, frozen
3 tablespoons raw cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips.
handful Fresh mint leaves, optional
Instructions
Add coconut milk and spinach to blender and blend until as smooth as possible. Add maple syrup, bananas, peppermint oil and leaves. Start on low and slowly turn blender up to high, using the damper stick of the vitamix. Use the damper to mix well in all four corners, for about 1 minute. Add cacao nibs or chocolate chips and pulse 3 times. Enjoy immediately or allow to set for one hour in the freezer.
To be honest, I actually found a variation of this recipe on the Taste of Home website. At a first glance, I thought this is not the recipe for me with its bleached white flour, white sugar, canola oil, buttermilk, etc…reminding me of some of my grandmother’s recipes (which is beautiful and nostalgic, but not how I want to nourish my body temple.)
Welcome to Holistic Lacey | Nourishing body, mind, heart & spirit 