The Newest Partner of Elevate Joy Retreats

One of my biggest challenges in my service work is embracing fun and joy. It's no coincidence my business is called Elevate Joy Retreats, as Richard Bach said, "we teach best that which we most need to learn." It's true I am learning how to embrace more joy and shift into play, especially when it comes to offering my services to the world.

It can feel hard to break free from the programming that tells us creating anything worthwhile requires hard work and sacrifice. But that's not the reality I'm choosing anymore. I'm choosing fun, joy, and play in my work—and let me tell you, that's where the real magic happens.

Let me share how I met Leewan, a magnificent Banyan tree in the heart of downtown San José, in the most unsuspecting metropolitan corner you could imagine.

The Day Everything Changed

It was Saturday, and I'd been working all week on content and developing a new program for my retreat coaching service. I deserved a day off to take my kids go-karting and out to lunch with their grandma, right? But working for myself means no set hours, and a part of me was encouraging me to feel guilty for abandoning my work to have fun.

I put that guilty voice in the backseat and set out for a day with my kids. I knew I needed to welcome fun in and so I consciously chose to live in the magic that is available all the time no matter what we are doing! When we abandon the illusion of control, struggle, and effort, we open the floodgates for magic to rush in. That's exactly what happened the day I met Leewan.

The Divine Detour

That Saturday morning, my kids and I drove to San José for lunch with their grandma. I dropped them off and went shopping while they had grandma time.

I was fully present, loving every moment. That objecting voice was nowhere to be found.

On my way back to pick up the kids for go-karts, I got "lost"—which was unlikely since I knew exactly where I was going. But I missed my turn and had to take a backstreet. That's when I saw her.

My eyes practically popped out of my head! How had we never met before?

I immediately parked and walked over to get a closer look, to feel her energy, to stand under her shade and meet this majestic being up close. When I meet a sacred being like this I will ask for a name. She shared that her name is Leewan—a name that means "enjoyment."

Meeting Leewan

She's a divine messenger, sharing the blessing that amidst all our busyness, we're invited to embrace enjoyment as a way of being in the world. People sit on benches underneath her branches, soaking up her refreshing, healing energy. But many miss the deeper invitation Leewan extends through her very existence—a celebration of all life, right there in the middle of San José.

In the most unsuspecting place, this magnificent being radiates pure enjoyment for simply being in the world. She's an incredible gift, showing us how we can choose to be our radiant essence no matter where we are or what we're doing.

It doesn't matter that she's surrounded by human hustle and bustle. Unwavering, she emanates and embodies enjoyment, offering us this remembrance every single day.

The Magic of Letting Go

Of course, Leewan helped me find her through that "wrong" turn—which wasn't wrong at all, it was me being open to magic. She delivered her message loud and clear: it's more than alright to let go of guilt and those false ideas that work needs to be hard, that we need to control and strive to accomplish everything.

The truth is things come together quite seamlessly once we free ourselves from our self-constructed notions that work needs to be serious and hard.

Partnering with Sacred Wisdom

Leewan is now my newest partner in Elevate Joy Retreats, reminding me daily that joy isn't just what I teach—it's how I choose to live and work. And from this space of play and enjoyment, the most beautiful magic unfolds.

But here's what makes this partnership even more powerful: Leewan's wisdom doesn't stop with me. Each of the Sacred Sites I work with carries unique messages for those who choose to partner with them. Through my retreat coaching, I empower others to connect with the ancient wisdom of these Sacred Sites to support their soul mission and vision.

When my clients create retreats in co-creative partnership with the living essence of Costa Rica and these Sacred Sites, they tap into something far greater than any business strategy or marketing plan. They align with the earth's own celebration of life, receiving guidance and support that flows directly from these ancient guardians.

Leewan teaches us about enjoyment and play. Other Sacred Sites offer their own gifts—healing, clarity, transformation, connection. Together, they create a living network of wisdom that supports not just my work, but the sacred work of every soul who chooses to step into partnership with them.