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Adventure
Retreat
IN Colombia

Exploration | Growth | Adventure | Fun

March 5 – 17, 2023

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SAVE 15% for the New Year!

Fun, adventure, honesty, spirit, growth, authenticity, and expansion will find their way to you throughout this retreat. Hiking through a tropical forest to a secret waterfall, feeling the energy of excitement before jumping in – the water allowing you to know the freedom and courage you have to accomplish anything.

Visit 4 incredibly unique mountain towns outside of Medellin, Colombia. The scenic homestay of Guatape, the beautiful rivers and waterfalls of San Rafael and San Luis, and the incredible views in San Carlos are all awaiting you.

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Daily morning yoga and meditation help you to find peace and calm, bring a greater understanding of yourself, build strength in body, character, and mind!

Leading into workshops focused on discovering new perspectives on life, developing a new understanding of how to live. With group discussion, journaling practices, purposeful intention, and a combination of traditional wisdom & modern research you will leave knowing how to be your best self everyday of your life.

We all have beautiful and magical experiences in life, but an experience’s real power is in how it helps us to touch/discover a core part of ourselves and in turn change our perception to align with the Truth of our being.

That way its impact is no longer contained for the period of the experience, but carried forward for the rest of your life because Your Perception is Your World!

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All of these towns are pueblos (or “small towns”), more like villages. Besides Guatape they are less well known and most travelers never see their beauty or experience the real life of local people in Colombia. Here you will be able to explore, feel, and support the way most people live in this region of Colombia

Ask Yourself...

Yeah it would! And I’m gonna bet that you experience that from time-to-time, but let’s make that most of the time, or better yet?! ALL OF THE TIME! Modern research in the past two decades within Positive Psychology has shown proven techniques to increase and maintain our self-esteem and build confidence within ourselves. Alongside the practices tested for centuries within Yoga and Buddhism, you will be standing tall.

Every part of your life! And we can bring this to fruition during our time together in Colombia. With new perspectives brought on through traditional wisdom and writing practices based on modern research you’ll develop a new understanding about yourself leading to greater comfort within and no longer allowing the judgment of others to hold you back.

Everything is possible on the other side of that wall called “FEAR.” But we can climb that wall, we can find a way around that wall, we can break that wall! Learn proven techniques used by psychologists to help you embrace fear and use it as a tool for your own fulfillment.

More authentic and more expressive and less afraid – is the answer. Through our upbringing, through societal norms, through behavioral programming many of us have a hard time expressing ourselves freely – for fear of being rejected, unliked, unwanted, shunned from the “tribe.” But we will learn how to be aware of these feelings, how to face this fear, and how to feel freely human!

Envision...

Envision the upward spiral you will be on upon leaving this retreat and where that is going to carry you!  You will be leaving this amazing retreat with the awareness, knowledge, and tools to carry the excitement home with you.

Building a steady practice of meditation and exercise

Establishing AM and PM rituals that enable you feel fulfilled everyday

Knowing your #1 Self-Care Habit

Making new friends to help motivate and hold integrity with each other

Knowing the science of how to instill new habits and breakdown old ones

And much more than this through the experiences and exercises explored!

Learning how to go inwards and listen to your best-self and inner-knowing

“Mike coached the daily work, attention, incremental progress, review and repetition with care, constancy and compassion that made the difference for me to help changes stick.

One of the most important habits that I learned and developed with Mike’s help was checking in with ME!—taking a moment to notice how I’m doing, how/what I’m feeling, and what my body is ‘saying’ to me. Those ‘simple’ observations open the possibilities for knowing (being more self-aware), and acceptance (self-acceptance), and change—addressing those feelings as desired—or just allowing them to be…okay. Thanks, Mike!”

– Dom, The Farmer

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Are You Ready to Join Us?

March 5 – 17, 2023

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Guatape

Stay in a traditional farm house tucked away, in front of the mountains of Antioquia. Experience life on an organic permaculture farm, enjoy a tour of the farm learning how the concepts of permaculture coexist with the lessons of life. 

Meet the impressive Paola who started her farming hostel venture with only $500usd following her passion and what she knew was right in her heart.

Discover the history on a hiking tour to a secret viewpoint. 

Wander into the tropical forest to play in magical waterfalls.

Eat delicious organic vegan food.

And… Pet a goat!

San Rafael

Wind through the mountains from Guatape to San Rafael, known for its plentiful array of flowing rivers. See the town square common amongst pueblos (small towns) and feel the difference in energy between touristy Guatape and the more residential San Rafael.

Stay just outside of the main town next to one of the many rivers in this area. Meet Nestor, hostel owner and family man, who will be our guide and personal chef! You are sure to enjoy his famous pizza!

Take a swim in the river just a few steps from your bed!
Walk along a tropical forest path to some locally known waterfalls.
Enjoy fresh and delicious home-cooked meals.

San Carlos

Hike through the jungle-ly mountains from San Rafael to San Carlos with Nestor as our guide. You’ll be thankful for all of that yoga strength as we hike for several hours experiencing the true wilderness of Antioquia!

Upon arrival you will enjoy a lovely retreat center hidden away – a 10 minute walk from the town square. Staying on her beautiful farm you can learn more about gardening and planting whilst partaking in her lovely cooking, using ingredients grown by her and her children.

Swim beneath a 30 foot waterfall!

Enjoy a quiet place along the river

Find some relaxation and calm at this tranquil retreat.

San Luis
Let’s go on another adventure! Hiking from town-to-town, San Carlos to San Luis. Through the old equestrian trails still connecting these traditional towns.

San Luis is the most charming of all the towns for me. A feeling of connectedness between the people and the joy they show in befriending visitors. With waterfalls, rivers, and views all a short walk away you will find many pleasures awaiting you here!

Hike through the jungle and discover the grandest waterfall so far
Enjoy an eco hostel retreat center surrounded by tropical birds
Discover the joys of a small town atmosphere

Daily/Town-ly Schedule

We’ve got four incredible towns to checkout and we’re going to have 3 days at each one. Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect for each day! (Not an exact science here, but the general plan looks like this)

First Stop? Iconic Guatape!

Day 1: Arrival in Guatape

Day 2: Activity Day

Day 3: Free Day

Day 4: Travel to San Rafael

Second? Rivers of San Rafael!

Day 5: Activity Day

Day 6: Free Day

Day 7: Hike to San Carlos

Adventure on to San Carlos!

Day 8: Activity Day

Day 9: Free Day

Day 10: Travel to San Luis

 

My Favorite – San Luis!

Day 11: Activity Day

Day 12: Free Day

Day 13: Last day! Final Get-Together and Farewell

 

Everyday won’t have exactly the same schedule, but they will look something like this:

Arrival Day 

12pm – 4 : Arrive at the Eco Farm Hostel

5:00pm : Dinner

7:00pm – 8:30: Introductions, Expectations, “Ground Rules”

 

Activity Days

6:30am – 10 : Meditation, Yoga, Reflection, or Activity

10:00am – 11 : Breakfast

11:00am – 1 : Reflection, Practice, Talk

1:00pm – 3 : Lunch

3:00pm – 6 : Reflection, Practice, Talk, or Activity

6:00pm – 7 : Dinner

7:00pm – 8:30: Group Discovery Circle and Meditation

 

Free Days

6:30am – 9 : Meditation and Yoga

9:00am – 10: Breakfast

10:00am – 7pm: Free Time! Go off and Adventure and Explore!

7:00pm – 8:30: Reflection, Practice, Talk, Group Discovery, Meditation

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Day – Guatape to San Rafael

6:30am – 9 : Meditation and Yoga

9:00am – 10: Breakfast

10:00am – 12pm: Group Activity

12:00pm – 1: Lunch

1:30pm – 3: Van Ride to San Rafael and Settle In

3:00pm – 5: Group Activity
5:00pm – 7 : Dinner

7:00pm – 8:30: Group Activity and Meditation

 

Travel Day – San Rafael to San Carlos

6:30am – 9: Meditation and Yoga

9:00am – 10: Breakfast

10:00am – 5pm: Hiking through the mountains to San Carlos

6:00pm – 7: Dinner

7:00pm – 8:30: Group Activity and Meditation

 

Travel Day – San Carlos to San Luis

6:30am – 9: Meditation and Yoga

9:00am – 10: Breakfast

10:00am – 5pm: Hiking through the mountains to San Luis

6:00pm – 7: Dinner

7:00pm – 8:30: Group Activity and Meditation

“Meditation is helping me become more aware of my thoughts and emotions. This is helping me control my mood and reduce stress. Meditation is also helping me live in the present moment more often and practice gratitude every day, which I find extremely beneficial to slowly swap those negative thoughts for positive ones.

I really enjoy my conversations with Mike about meditation and mindfulness. I genuinely consider Mike a role model and a guide that helped me find some answers through his training. I believe his incredible experience along with his knowledge in the area makes Michael an excellent teacher.”

– Raul

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Sound like the perfect retreat? Come Join Us!

March 5 – 17, 2023

Colombian Cuisine

Get ready to enjoy home-cooked vegetarian cooking! (vegan upon request) Every retreat center will be cooking their own specialty recipes for you. A lot of it made with organic fruits and veggies straight from their own farm to your belly.  Healthy, Nourishing, Vegetarian and Vegan Fair!

Then you can go out and experience the offerings of local options like: 

Bandeja Paisa (or “Tray Paisa”) – a tray of food from the locals (locals of Antioquia or the Paisa region are called Paisa. Typically served with meat (I’ve heard it’s delicious), but is one of the few local options that can easily be made vegetarian. A tray of offerings with rice, beans, egg, avocado, salad, and platano – you won’t be hungry after this!

Patacon– take some plantains, fry them a second to make them soft, smash down into a patty, fry them up again until crispy, serve with some salad or cooked tomato medley, and DELICIOUS! 

Arepa – simple but a favorite of mine and a staple of Colombia. An arepa is like a flatbread made from corn flour (white corn for more savory, yellow corn for more sweet). Heated on the stove with a special arepa pan that every household has in Colombia and then served with eggs, avocado, salad, or anything on top and it’s a treat to eat every time.

50 cent Ice Cream – Yeah…50 cents…it’s very dangerous.

**that isn’t meat in the photo – it’s actually vegan crumble! Nice work though if you noticed that :p

Common Questions

I understand we are all busy, we all have things to do, we all have obligations calling us. But a vacation or retreat that is only 5 or 7 days barely scratches the surface. It takes 3 to 5 days just to get situated and then as soon as your mind and body have let themselves become transported to this amazing experience…BOOM!…it’s over and time to head home without any chance to take in and embody any lessons you have learned. Back to that busy-ness that makes it difficult to integrate this paradigm shift you just cultivated! 

Give yourself the freedom, respect, and love of a longer retreat so you can truly embody something new. In this way, you will be able to bring your self-mastery skills with you. And when you return home, you will be able to integrate them into the folds of your life.

I remember my first international flight and it was exciting, but wow I felt really nervous too! We’ll have our private Facebook Group to help answer questions and ease nerves. We’ll have a group call to discuss travel related thoughts and concerns so we can make the flight an additional fun part of the adventure.

My sister visited me in Colombia and it was her first time flying alone internationally. She found the whole process (coming from USA) to be simple and easy. Also, the airport in Medellin is quite small and clear paths to find your way.

I’ve booked dozens of flights over the past 8 years of travel experience. In a group call, I’ll walk people through my process of finding flights using flights.google.com and share tips I’ve picked up on the way like booking directly with airlines instead of through third-party businesses.

If all of that feels like too much, you can always find a travel agency online or one near you to take care of all bookings for you.

Take a deep breath. Stand tall. Check-In. Allow yourself to feel into whatever is coming up for you when this statement is met. I never traveled alone before I was 27. And then when I did, there was a liberating sense of freedom available in the independence. And in that independence too came greater self-confidence in my own abilities to take on new challenges. Let yourself feel into the excitement, know that you are capable navigating this transit 😀 

Also, before we leave for Colombia, we will have our new community of friends in the private Facebook Group, so everyone can get to know each other and support each other. Before the retreat even begins you will have a whole new set of friends!

YES! This retreat is for you if…

You are curious and love experiencing the more local side of the country.
You enjoy going “off-trail” and exploring the beauty available in the less touristy locations of the world.
You want to support local families and businesses when traveling.
You don’t mind getting down and dirty climbing through some tropical forests!
You are ready to get authentic and vulnerable expressing your true self.
You want to build stronger self awareness and understanding going deeper inwards.
You are excited and nervous about this trip.

Deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel before 45 days prior to our trip start date, I will refund 50% unless you find a replacement. This does not include any portion of the deposit. If you do not find a replacement, your deposit will be forfeited. No refunds will be given if you cancel later than 45 days prior to our trip start date.

I reserve the right to cancel the trip if it is not meeting the trip minimum of participants in which case your funds are fully refundable.

*Trip cancellation insurance is always recommended when making travel plans.

In the event that Covid-19 protocols interfere (for example destination is under lockdown), the retreat will be rescheduled for a later date when travel is possible again.

If this occurs, you will have the option to transfer all of your funds towards the future retreat dates or you will be receiving a full refund.

No refund is given if the participant is contracting the virus and can’t attend the retreat in which case travel insurance would most likely cover any losses depending on the travel insurer’s policy. It is important to confirm with the travel insurance provider that Covid-19 related issues are covered and to what extent.

This retreat is designed just for you, so you get this chance to experience YOU without your partner and/or children.

Yes, There will be two separate pickup times, which will be set after plane tickets have been purchased and we can determine the most appropriate times for pick-up.

The weather will be a bit chillier in Guatape because it is at a slightly higher elevation. So it will feel a bit like early spring. And often times there is also sporadic rain and rain over night is common. 

 

In the remaining three pueblos, it’ll be warmer – perfect weather for shorts and short sleeve shirts or dresses.

You can feel comfortable wearing whatever you’d like. There is not a specific code they follow here like may exist for temples or places in Asia.

We will go over the fun details, including what to pack, on our pre-retreat group call. I also have a video showing exactly what I pack during my travels for some initial insights.

“Mike has been extremely sound and helpful in moments of chaos when I needed it, with his knowledge and perspective in meditation and grounding. I can be hardheaded and chaotic with stress, so his guidance through meditations has helped me reground and re-center in very intense moments/periods of life. I will be forever grateful for this guidance and his consistency!”

– Phoenix

What’s Included

  • Pre-Trip Call

    Pre-trip Preparation Call to have the chance to meet everyone in the group, share your intentions for the retreat, and learn how to best prepared for this epic adventure.

  • Skill Building

    Reflexion Exercises, Science Backed Journaling Practices, Habit Building, Check-In Practice, Self-Understanding, Creating AM and PM Rituals based on what is right for you in your life in this moment.

  • Daily Yoga & Mediation

    Daily Yoga and Meditation & Nightly Insightful Group Discovery and Expression Circles allowing ourselves to take on Feeling Human

  • Meals

    12 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 10 dinners, which includes a Welcome dinner and Farewell dinner

  • Accommodations

    Accommodations in lovely retreat hostels in Guatape, San Rafael, San Carlos, and San Luis as listed in the itinerary. These will all include shared rooms, with each person enjoying their own bed (except in San Carlos, one queen bed will be shared).

  • Activities

    All planned activities in each of the pueblos (small towns) including tuk tuk or private vehicle transport.

  • Transportation

    Transportation to and from airport (designated times only!)

  • Transfers

    Arrival and departure transfers between towns with a private vehicle or locally guided hike.

  • Fees

    All entrance fees and guide fees to the sites and hikes we explore together with our private guide.

What’s Not Included

  • Airfare

    Your round-trip airfare to and from home

  • Meal on Free Day

    Lunch and Dinner on free days are not included (you can refer to the itinerary)

  • Alcoholic beverages

    Alcoholic beverages at any of the locations.

  • Free Day Transportation

    Transportation on your free days

  • Miscellaneous

    Other non-included items would include souvenir shopping, personal phone calls, personal taxis, laundry

  • Insurance

    Personal, travel, medical, or trip cancellation insurance (I do recommend you have this just in case)

Meet Your Retreat Leader

Michael Hockstein

Michael is a software engineer by training but he left his career of seven years at the prestigious Lockheed Martin and the comfort of home to explore the world – both the external and the internal. Ever since, he has been living in many countries like India, Nepal, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, almost everywhere in Southeast Asia. During that time he has spent a year practicing and studying Buddhism and meditation on several silent meditation retreats,  received his 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Certificate in 2019, and completed the 300 day Optimize Life Mastery Program in 2021. Trained in the art of living from traditional wisdom and modern research – he now teaches others how to live a more mindful, fulfilling, and meaningful life.
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I’ve been practicing meditation for the past 9 years. I first started with a YouTube video labeled, “You Don’t Have to be in the Himalayas to Practice Meditation”. Back then, meditation had been in my rear view for some time and for whatever the reason, I clicked on this video and my life as a meditator began. That first 10 minute meditation session left me in the most calm, free, and unconvoluted mental state I had ever felt. At that point I knew for sure, that there is something to this meditation.

Funnily enough, I ended up in the Himalayas several years later. Through my travels between Buddhist Monasteries and Yoga Ashrams I ended up finding my way to a small family village in the lower hills of the Annapurna mountain region whom housed their own Yogi. I practiced and learned more about meditation there too. So…if you want…you can also learn how to meditate in the Himalayas :p

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ONLY 7 SPACES LEFT!

There is only room for 7 adventurers! So book your spot now! Send me an email, we’ll setup a time to talk and make sure we’re a good fit for each other.I want to make sure you are spending your money in a way you feel good with – answering any questions, knowing who I am, and what to expect.  Looking forward to our chat 🙂

We’ve got a New Years Special happening right now! Save 15% on the regular price of $2700.

Only pay $2295!
Activities, Transport, Stays, Food all Included!!!

* * * This Special ends on January 31, 2023 * * *

Included in this price:

  • 13 days and 12 nights
  • All Activities
  • All Transport
  • All meals included except on free days
  • Yoga and Mediation instructing and guidance
  • Best-Self Sciences and Practices
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I’m ready.  Let’s do this!

March 5 – 17, 2023

Colombia Fun Facts

  • Colombia is the second most biodiverse country on the planet (second only to Brazil) with over 60,000 different species of animals…Including more species of birds than Europe and North America combined.
  • Colombia also has one of the most diverse collection of flowers in the world. In particular with over 4,000 varieties of orchids!
  • One of the best coffee countries in the world with over 50,000 coffee bean farms and plantations (3rd in exporting). And with the availability of different elevations and climates throughout the country the variety of palettes is fun to explore.
  • The official name of Colombia is the Republic of Colombia and is derived from the last name of explorer Christopher Columbus. The country’s name is pronounced Col-o-mbia, not Col-u-mbia, which is a common mistake by non-Spanish speaking visitors – like me :p
  • Colombia is the only country in South America that has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Have any questions?

Want to find out if this retreat is for you?

Send me a message and let’s find a time to chat!