Who is In? – PachaMama, Costa Rica

Who is In? is a spiritual workshop at PachaMama Eco Village & Retreat Center in Nicoya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It is built around a single koan, "Who Is In?", and suits anyone drawn to self-inquiry, contemplative practice or a meditation retreat setting in which a question, rather than a technique, does the work.

What to Expect

The workshop creates a space to work with the koan itself. The organizer describes it as a powerful device designed to allow a remembrance, and the invitation is to sit with the question directly rather than answer it from the head. As with any koan, the point is the living contact with the question, not a tidy conclusion.

The workshop sits within PachaMama's wider programming, which includes meditation retreats, silent retreats, Vipassana, emotional healing workshops, yoga workshops, breathwork and musical journeys. Many of these programs are built around silence, presence and listening inward, and Who is In? belongs to that same contemplative current. It is a good fit if you are curious about koan work, or if you already have a sitting practice and want to turn it toward direct inquiry.

The Setting

PachaMama is an eco village and retreat center in the tropical forest of the Nicoya region of Guanacaste. The grounds include a jungle reserve with riverbanks, and the center's programs make full use of the forest around them, from body cleanse programs to ceremonies held outdoors. Being surrounded by that much green and quiet suits inward work well.

The center runs events through much of the year, but it closes its doors for September and October during Costa Rica's rainy season. Plan around that if you are choosing when to come.

Before You Go

The material describes the workshop as open to those drawn to the koan and does not list prerequisites, so no formal experience is stated. Some familiarity with meditation or silent sitting may help you settle into the question, but it is not described as required.

Because PachaMama is a working retreat center in a tropical forest, it is sensible to pack for warm, humid weather and for time spent outdoors. For details such as language of instruction, accommodation options, meals and the daily schedule, check the event listing on this page.