6-Day Existential Courage & Mindfulness Retreat in Panama's Chiriquí Lowlands

Day one starts with a pickup from David airport, a welcome drink, and an opening session where you'll meet the rest of the group. The next three days are built around the Same Method workshop, a framework with four pillars: denoising (quieting mental chatter), presence, creating vigor, and creating direction. You'll spend around five hours a day in the workshop, broken into two blocks with a long lunch break. The exercises are physical as much as mental—walking backward, moving blindfolded, and other tasks that force you to focus on the body and the moment.

Day four is an immersion day in Boquete, a town famous for its cloud forest. You'll go on a nature hike, do a slow walk and a backward walk, and have lunch there. The day ends back at the villa with a sound bath. Day five returns to the workshop format, but includes a fireside gathering in the evening where you can talk openly about what's coming up for you. The final day is a closing session and morning ritual, followed by breakfast and departures.

What makes this retreat different is the artistic lens the hosts bring. Merette van Hijfte has performed works by Marina Abramović at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam; Samuel van Keeken has walked 422 miles backward through Northern Spain, a performance art piece about presence and endurance. These are people who have actually used these practices to live differently, and it shows in how they guide. There's no script, no preachy philosophy—just exercises that get you out of your head and into your body.

The villa itself is newly built, with large windows looking out onto the campo and Volcán Barú in the distance. It's quiet, remote, and surrounded by working farmland—cows graze across the river. There's a large swimming pool on the property, and the river is right there for a refreshing dip. Guests say the highlight is often the simple things: the sound of birds, the warm homemade cake with coffee, the feeling of being completely removed from daily life.

What's included

- Airport pickup and drop-off (from David) - 5 nights accommodation in River Villa - Daily delicious and nutritious meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) - 15+ hour Same Method workshop - 432Hz sound baths daily - Writing for self-inquiry - Access to Papayal River and swimming pool - Nature hike in Boquete - Pre and post retreat Zoom call - High speed internet - Fireside gatherings - Group conversations and reflections

What's not included

- International flights - Domestic flight from Panama City to David - Travel insurance - Visa fees