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Anti-Aging Blue Zone Costa Rica El Chorro Falls Healing Hiking in Costa Rica Horse Horses Howler Monkeys Mindfulness Montezuma Nicoya Peninsula Telomeres Travel to Central America travel to Costa Rica Waterfalls Costa Rica

Course Correction:To the Peaceful Blue Zone of Costa Rica

Mindfulness is the practice of the ability to be in the moment, letting go of any judgement.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination”      Jimmy Dean

Mindfulness is the practice of the ability to be in the moment, letting go of any judgement. It has been my experience that horses are highly intuitive and sensitive animals that flow with change and course correction, and live in the moment.

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This to me is why I continue to seek knowledge and wisdom from the spirit of the horse. If you can observe objectively, you have the ability to change course and map out your course.Costa Rica presents opportunities to mindfulness practice and meditation, which Glenn and I both did daily with Yoga and Pilates. When my overactive mind is swirling with thought, I return to the cherished images of the beauty and peace that I felt in Costa Rica. I look at my photos like a precious jewels, and have a bowl of pink shell sand collected on our hike to El Chorro Falls in between Montezuma and Tambor, Costa Rica.

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The hike is magnificently alive with wildlife, with tropical sounds and brilliantly coloured butterflies. It took us about 6 hours of hiking round trip bordering the reserves, including a lunch stop at Piedra Colorado beach, and a glorious swim at the waterfall.There is horseback riding available to this exquisite destination.

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The sand turned from white and pink shell beach, to black sand, to a rich golden colour. The waterfall cascades from the cliff to a tide pool trickling to the ocean. The ocean breeze held an invisible current of happiness and health.

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After traveling to Costa Rica, Belize and Panama, Glenn and I have made our course correction to the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. It is in a Blue Zone which is defined and described by Dan Buettner in his book ”The Blue Zones; Lessons for Living Longer from People Who’ve Lived the Longest”, as “Places in the world where there is a high concentration of persons over age 100, and there is a substantial disability free and disease free life expectancy”. Gilbert Brenes of the Central American Center for Population describes the people of the Nicoya Peninsula as having longer telomeres than the rest of the Costa Ricans. It is described in CNN news as “the longer the telomere the longer the life.” I have experienced rapid healing there, details which I will describe in a future blog. It has proven to us in the years that we have journeyed to this area of the world, how physically and emotionally healing it is to be there. This blog is about our challenging and purposeful journey shifting from a small ranching community in the Cariboo to the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica.I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you!

Kim

By horsecounsellor

Kim Mowatt, a #1 Bestselling author, neuroscience-educated Registered Psychiatric Nurse, Mental Health Clinician and founder of Wise Women on Horseback, has drawn on 35 years of experience to write her soon to be published, innovative self-help book series. In her books, Kim uses solution-focused, scientific and evidence-based techniques to assist others achieve mental wellbeing resulting in lasting happiness.

Kim co authored the #1 Bestseller Emotional Intelligence for Women: Mental Health Matters, an inspiring book offering a set of supportive tools and stories to help women conquer negative influences, harness the power of psychological wellness and thrive emotionally.

A longstanding member of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of B.C, Kim is registered with the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals, specializing in stress, anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Verified by Psychology Today, Kim was acclaimed by 100 Mile Mental Health and Substance Use Clinic for her development of client programs using Heart Science Biofeedback, Neuroscience, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

A Certified Riding Instructor and Ride Communications Coordinator for the Backcountry Horsemen of B.C., Kim and her husband raised their family at Chrome Heart Ranch, a therapeutic riding retreat. Here, Kim developed the Wise Girls equestrian program, in response to the mental health needs of young people. Clients visiting this unique sanctuary from around the world learned how to reset their hearts and minds, to help navigate through anxiety, depression, loss and change, to find calmness and inner peace.

2 replies on “Course Correction:To the Peaceful Blue Zone of Costa Rica”

I hope that I can visit you and we can make a life of food, swimming, and love of animals!

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