Breathtaking - Jewish Mindfulness Retreats

19/09/2025

This is just a suggestion. Please allow yourself to keep adding more aspirational wishes. There is not such thing of over wishing goodness! Pura Vida! and Illustration by

04/09/2025

After more than four decades of work in psychology, spirituality, and progressive Jewish organizations, Marcelo is now dedicating his time to accompany people seeking change and integrity. As a member of ’s professional team, he brings his unique blend of mindfulness practices and wisdom both to his private practice and to the retreats he co-hosts with his wife in Costa Rica and around the world.

21/08/2025

Fascinating and still obvious insight from neuroscience that challenges our approach to leadership, productivity, and mental well-being.

Renowned neuroscientist Nazareth Castellanos’s work demonstrates that our brain is continuously “sculpted” by the signals from our body. This isn’t just philosophical; it’s physiological.

She states: “The brain is a prisoner of the body’s physiology. To change the mind, we must first change the body.”

This has profound implications. It means that sustainable performance isn’t just about cognitive strategies. It’s about body-level hygiene: managing our stress through breathwork, improving posture during long work hours, and building interoceptive awareness to prevent burnout.

It reminds me of another of her powerful quotes: “One can only love what one knows, and one only loves what one takes care of.”

To care for our teams, our work, and our vision, we must first care for the instrument we use to engage with it all: ourselves. How are you integrating mind-body practices into your leadership and daily routine?

20/08/2025

Dear you, or maybe someone else you know. Maybe this post is reaching your current or some future self—the one who’ll need these words next week, or next year, when the ground feels less steady.

Wherever (and whoever) you are when these words land:

We made something for the people who are curious about themselves and active travelers of life.
The Live UP! Mapping tool—created by my sister, therapist and illustrator , and me—isn’t about finding the “right” path. It’s about:

Holding beautiful questions like:
Where does this ache belong on my map?
What forgotten detour might actually lead me home?
Who would I trust to navigate this terrain with me?

Tracing where you’ve been without rewriting history.

Noticing where your body whispers “turn here” before your mind agrees.

Leaving blank freeways for the selves you haven’t met yet.

At our retreat, you’ll receive:

Original, hand-illustrated maps and other tools as you will be guided through processes to trace emotions like uncharted terrain.

A traveler’s kit that keeps unfolding long after you leave.

For therapists, organizations or families wanting to use in their work, I’m happy to share the tools separately so email me at karina@karinazilberman.com
You’ll journey not only to the lush landscapes of Costa Rica, but to the most wondrous destination of all: your own inner wisdom.

Wishing our paths cross on the map of life,
Karina and Marcelo

17/08/2025

Costa Rica is known for it’s untouched natural resources. Playa Azul is one of them. We host our retreats in eco friendly settings for an eco soulfully process.

07/08/2025

05/08/2025

There are two incredible opportunities to join our Take a Breath Retreat on February 17-22, 2026 at a special fare! But this limited offering is only available until August 22, 2025. Don’t say that we didn’t tell you…

01/08/2025

❤️

31/07/2025

30/07/2025

In June 2017, we left the Upper West Side of Manhattan and moved to an Ecovillage in Costa Rica.
Lots of unknowns. Lots of farewells. Lots of dreams. Lots of excitement. Lots of feelings.
But above all, a desire to make our life our practice—to live in alignment with what feels most authentic in this moment of our lives.
To listen to the still, small voices within each of us, and within our relationship.

That’s why we love hosting and leading retreats here.
Because the way we live is not separate from the way we work—our story is part of the invitation.

30/07/2025

True HOPE is neither naive nor passive; it is the stubborn choice to plant trees under whose shade you may never sit.

28/07/2025