In the words of the retreat participants - Rancho Margot yoga April 2010

The words, and the feelings that were expressed and shared have been compiled here......these are the words of the retreat participants, a group which gelled with everyone......as their energy became one with the energy of Rancho Margot, the trees, the birds, the river, the mountains......
all sentient beings in union.........in yoga....


The retreat was well-balanced between yoga, intention setting, meditation, activities and free time. I never felt like I was being asked to participate in something that I didn’t want to do. …..the ranch is beautiful ……the setting of Rancho Margot is fantastic. I learned how to quieten, still my mind on this retreat and I think the location has so much to do with that. appreciated that guests and volunteers could be part of the retreat too. This is important for community, energy and health of the ranch……really enjoyed the variety of yoga teachers and approaches - super great, given how much yoga we were doing. Never felt like things got too repetitive…….I loved the diversity of age within the group. I think you guys should do more retreats. I could go on for 5 pages, but I’ll stop now, Thank you so much, to both Irum and Jim………………Sehr (Toronto)

A great big heartfelt thanks to YOU, Irum.
First of all, thank you for bringing us all together at the wonderful, harmonious and healing place that is Lake Arenal and Rancho Margot itself... it's indeed a very special place. Juan and Fredrick have done a remarkable job of creating and running this ranch. I appreciated their warm hospitality and that of everyone working there, especially everyone in the kitchen serving such beautiful heartwarming food. It has inspired me to introduce Food Yoga classes in my kitchen!!!

Secondly, thank you for your ever present warm smile, loving hugs and compassion as you allowed us to relax, transform, evolve and blossom and heal in our own space and at our own pace... personally, I don't see how this could be possible in a very structured or busy program... Tico time is the way to go!!! I truly appreciate your humility and have much to learn from as a yoga teacher myself. Thank you for extending a welcoming opportunity for me to teach the Kundalini class.

Last, but not the least, having Jim at the retreat made the yoga practice and experience more wholesome... his soulful kirtans must surely have struck the "Anahata" in all of us, as it did in me by kindling my childhood memories of kirtans which was so much a part of my spiritual upbringing... " Sometimes the path forward begins with a journey back"!!! Jim has been the "Bhagwan" (God) amongst us Goddesses...helping balance the energies!………….

I have a vision, a vision of a natural, pure, harmonious healing place, a healing space for all of mankind, for all beings from all walks of life. A healing place, a lifestyle of exercise, nutrition, meditation, medicine where all those who need healing at one level or another will find the opportunity to serve and love one another and hence ultimately heal themselves. We are all healers and it is by healing others that we realize that dormant potential, the creative flow to nurture, nourish and radiate from.
My vision is to have such a place, set up in India (not yet enlightened as to exactly where) - a place for a life of wholesome, meaningful, purposeful, fulfilling activities. To have a vegetable patch, a cow, an ayurvedic kitchen, holistic medicine, yoga and other ancient healing arts for EVERYONE to come and serve and be served. As part of karma yoga experience, one can have many opportunities to have a meaningful and deep experience taking part/contributing to promote health and education to the local needy communities, especially for women and children.
I guess this is all an extension of what Rancho Margot has and I absolutely know why I was brought here for this retreat.
Yes, I CAN, Yes my vision can materialize!!
I am grateful to all and the universe for the nurturing, nourishing, love and light that I received here. Thank you IRUM, Thank you JIM ............Mamta (Toronto)

Everyone is noticing the shift in me!!! I can't tell you how AMAZING I feel!!! I would love to be able to be back there breathing in the fresh air……..Katie (Toronto)


How is everything at Rancho Margot. I miss you and I miss the lifestyle there. It was such an amazing experience……… I learned a lot about myself and I am much more accepting and relaxed with myself now a days. I am connecting with people and not in a hurry as much any more……..Brianna (Toronto)

I loved 2 yoga classes a day - waking up to the sunshine and the river and early morning yoga was amazing.  What a great start to the day!  Everything about the place was wonderful, nothing else to say about that except they do a great job of making all guests feel at home and welcomed (and well fed!).  The ranch is amazing!
……..Rebecca (Toronto)

Thank you so very much for creating this experience for me. I am touched by the Universe--and the beauty of all of YOU and the ranch itself.
Thank you for your kind, cheerful acceptance and making me feel so welcome into the group. The walking meditation combined with the beautiful yoga and music times opened my eyes to new beginnings and my heart to the love that always surrounds me………..
I felt and feel the overwhelming need to dive deeply in to silence….while swimming in it I experienced an understanding of my separation from myself, my Self through a mind that is accustomed to running as noisy as the river in front of me………..thoughts were so loud in the silence, yet refreshingly so……I felt deeply connected and a yearning to stay there for a long while………………that part of me that I found in Silence is yearning for attention, for nourishment……..It fed my soul so completely. So to merge, to surrender to the resistance and simply be, regardless of circumstance - that is the call I answer…..Thank You……So Ham, Sat Nam -> Thank you……..Jen (Colorado)

Yoga retreat at Rancho Margot

........they trusted, and they came........we spent a memorable time, wrapped around the energy and the scenic beauty of Rancho Margot.......there were no discussions on "what have you come to seek or surrender"..............instead we did yoga, we offered a healing session where everyone got an opportunity to dive deep within, as they brought up and penned down stuff they were ready to surrender.........burning each paper, symbolizing letting go of things not serving them anymore................each person, found their own healing stone, to hold and to wear, reinforcing how they want to manifest their life..............

days and evenings were spent, doing yoga, chanting kirtan, jamming sessions, lazing in the pool or by the pool, talking, laughing, hiking, swimming, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, zip lining, yoga at the waterfall, warm spring in the night, star gazing..........lots of eating and some drinking, always much sharing.........with surrender, healing and joy, transformation happened.............
to borrow these words:
"we are all visitors in this time and space,
we are all passing through;
our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to love, to grow, and
then we return home"

being back at Rancho Margot

 being back at Rancho Margot, and it feels good....the energy of the rainforest seeps through the body and soul..................there is always a place which captures your heart, and feels like home...........how does one describe in words what the heart feels.........experiences can be labeled as amazing, profound, heavenly...........yet experience brings with it the notion that something has happened in the past and the mind is reliving it.........removing the "past" thoughts from the present moment, allows one to be in each moment.......in one of those moments, Jim is leading the chant.......we are sitting around him, participating in his chanting........the view from the porch where we are perched overlook the magnificent "magical mountain"....the rain was falling and at times it seemed that the trees, also swaying to the rhythm of the rain and the music and chanting...........we pick up on the sound of a bird singing, and there it is, the most beautiful bird......i feel a surrender, in me and near me........all of us in tune and in harmony.......