PAZ RESIDENCY. PROGRAM
Long-term living experience in the magical Osa Peninsula rainforest of Costa Rica.
An invitation to slow down, simple life in the rainforest by the beach.
Paz is a place for people who feel called to step out of modern life for a period of time and remember, through natural experience, what it means to be human again.
It offers a way of living aligned with nature and with our shared humanity. When we return to the rhythm of nature the body naturally begins to come back to life.
The program exists to offer a different way of living together as residents, not as guests or volunteers. There is no work exchange, no fixed volunteer hours, and no retreat-style program.
What people often get out of this is not a specific outcome, but a state: more presence in the body, a calmer nervous system, clearer perception, and a felt sense of connection to daily life. Without schedules, roles, or expectations to perform, space opens for rest, perspective, and reorientation.
Our way is simple
The elders say the ocean, the waterfalls, and the stars are all the medicine we need.
In a place as pure as Paz, you don’t need tours or ceremonies — just time in nature. Here, surrounded by rainforest and sea, simply living and enjoying yourself brings balance back to life.
We see ourselves as assistants to nature, taking you to the right place at the right time.
When you slow down and let the natural rhythm lead, you begin to see the magic — in the connections, in the unfolding of each moment, and in how nature speaks to you through beauty, peace, and love.
The structure is simple: live together, share responsibility, spend time in nature, and step out of normal routines for a period of time.
People join for a minimum period of time and live on the land together as residents, not as guests or volunteers.
They contribute a daily amount that covers food and shared operating costs. This contribution is not payment for accommodation or activities, but a way to support collective living.
Residents participate in everyday life: sharing meals, helping with basic tasks, caring for common spaces, in charge of administration and organizing activities. There is no staff serving residents; life is shared.
The intention of the residency is not to teach, heal, or fix anyone.
Paz does not operate through methods, practices, or belief systems. Instead, it creates the conditions for reconnection through simplicity and direct contact with life.
There are no workshops, facilitators, or schedules to follow, and no staff whose role is to serve participants. There are no promised outcomes, no guided processes, and no expectations of transformation. What happens here happens through living itself.
When the body slows down, when days lose urgency, and when life becomes less managed, something often begins to reorganize naturally. This is not something we create. It is something we allow.
The residency offers space. What arises within that space belongs to each person.
Paz is just a place to stay — we add nothing — because here nothing is needed.
We offer the rare chance to feel nature as it once was
The Osa Peninsula is Costa Rica’s last wild frontier. A living Eden with 4.5% of the world’s biodiversity thriving in one place and the last untouched beaches of Costa Rica.
We live with over 2500 species of mammal, trees and birds: Jaguar, Puma, Ocelote, tapir, wild-pigs, capuchin, howler, squirrel and spider monkeys, ant-eater, coati— dolphins, whales, turtles, toucan, scarlet maccaw.
Most people have not experienced untamed nature to this level of biodiversity - it’s like jurassic park - or how nature used to be.
Paz is located on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. The land is beachfront, with miles of pristine beaches and no one around.
There is a beach lounge for live music, bonfire, meditations and bbq’s with hammocks and lounge chairs. There is an earth spa for heat-cold therapies with natural elements. We are completely off-grid.
There is a surf break directly in front, primary forest right on the sand. Creeks, ponds and calm bays to swim. Waterfalls to hike. This is a real experience in the rainforest, most people have not had contact with untamed nature at this level of diversity. All forms of land and ocean life are present. Even our dog, is a coyote.
Spending serious time in this forest and ocean gives people a first hand experience and a very different perspective of life than that of the modern world.
Cycles
The residency operates in monthly cycles to create stability and avoid constant movement on the land. Each cycle follows a simple rhythm: three weeks open and one week closed.
During the open period, residents and a limited number of guests live together on the land. The closed week is used for rest, maintenance, and integration.
Residents may repeat one or more cycles, and this gives them the opportunity to visit other parts of Costa Rica but also to take time, integrate and apply experiences in the human world.
The land operates in monthly rhythms:
• 21 days open
• 10 days closed
Arrival & Departure Rhythm
Residents
Between 6 and 10 max
• arrival only on Day 1 or Day 10 of each cycle
• minimum stay: 10 days
• all residents depart together at cycle end
This prevents constant turnover.
Guests
Between 2 and 4
• stay 1–5 nights
• join during open cycles only
• adapt to existing rhythm
Residents hold continuity.
Guests pass through.
Contribution Model
Paz does not operate as an accommodation or retreat. For this reason, residents do not pay for rooms, programs, or activities. People do not pay for accommodation or experiences.
Instead, everyone contributes to support shared living. Residents make a basic daily contribution that helps cover food, shared supplies, gas, and the operational costs required to keep life on the land functioning.
This contribution is not payment for services or experiences. It exists so that meals can be shared, common spaces can be maintained, and the residency can function sustainably.
There are no additional fees for activities, teachings, or participation. Some optional activities such as surfing or paddleboarding may have an extra cost if equipment or instructors are involved.
They contribute to sustain shared life.
• Residents: Early bird starting at $20 per day ( limited time )
• Guests: $75 per night
Covers:
• food
• basic supplies
• cooking gas
• daily operations
No facilitation fees.
No activity pricing.
Local Family Owned. Small-Scale & Intimate. 12 guests max.
Shared Apt. for 6 men & cozy loft for 6 women.
Off Grid - Located after the end of the road. We are solar powered.
Hand-Built - We do everything ourselves. Design, build, photos and create all messaging on our own.
Shared Lofts & Bungalows – Simple, cozy sleeping arrangements that foster community while offering comfort.
Always Connected to Nature – Feel outside while inside: fully screened floor to ceiling, natural light, and ocean breeze.
Our Lofts
Capacity & Sleeping
Living at Paz is simple and communal.
Residents sleep in shared rooms with individual beds. Bathrooms are also shared. This setup is intentional and supports a sense of equality and shared responsibility.
Sleeping arrangements are divided by house. One house is designated for men and another for women. Capacity is limited to maintain balance and avoid overcrowding.
The spaces are clean, functional, and comfortable, but not designed as private accommodation. Privacy exists through personal boundaries rather than individual rooms.
This style of living is an important part of the residency experience. Sharing space naturally encourages patience, communication, and adaptability.
Those seeking private rooms or hotel-style comfort may not feel at ease here.
Houses
• Casa Nido (men): 5–6 beds
• Casa del Bosque (women): up to 10 beds
Shared rooms.
Individual beds.
Shared bathrooms.
No private rooms or upgrades.
Rather than being served an artificial experience— we create a community experience in the wild that recharges our spirit while opening a new perspective and possibility.
Experience
Spend the day in paradise, rainforest, wildlife and untouched beaches.
Bonfires, live music, and beach BBQ every night.
Surfing, native saunas, ocean & waterfall adventures — guided by owner.
As a community, we are involved hands-on in all tasks. Cooking, fires, order, music.
Stay
Sleep in Airbnb 5-star rated lofts.
Good vibe, style and quality linens.
Private, dry, fresh, ventilated single beds in spaces designed to feel outside while being inside.
One lofts for 6 men & one for 6 women.
Eat & Drink
3 daily meals + fresh fruit, coffee, and tea.
We serve fresh, local and healthy home-made food.
Life
We are all the same, no teachers, gurus. No dogma, methods or practices.
Very private with only 12 residents in 2 acres and 3 lofts.
Independent. All activities are optional. Time alone relaxing is encouraged.
Sober. No liquor, drugs, etc.
No phones or cameras outside rooms.
The Core Work at Paz
The core work at Paz is not a practice, a method, or something that is taught.
It begins with rhythm, conditions, and a shared way of life. By living simply on the land, sharing responsibility, and stepping out of habitual routines, the body gradually settles into a state of openness. The nervous system softens. Attention moves out of constant thinking and into sensing, listening, and being present.
This way of living prepares the ground. Then, sometimes, something happens.
It may happen in a waterfall, in the ocean, on the beach, or deep in the jungle. It may happen through an encounter with wildlife, or while doing something playful and embodied like swimming or surfing. There is no formula and no schedule for it.
In these moments, the beauty and intensity of nature are not observed from a distance. They are felt directly. Something outside enters, and something inside opens. Without effort, without interpretation, the body receives a sense of connection so complete that it can dissolve sorrow, anxiety, and worry in a very real, lived way.
Nothing is explained. Nothing is taught. You simply feel lighter. More alive. More joyful. More at home in yourself.
These moments are not promised, and they cannot be produced on demand. They arise naturally when the body is receptive and life is met without resistance. Over time, through continued living, presence, and direct experience, people often learn how to recognize and enter these states of connection more easily.
This is not knowledge that accumulates through classes or repetition. It is wisdom that comes through lived experience, through beauty, and through direct contact with life as it is.
At Paz, the work is not to seek these moments, but to live in a way that allows them to find you.
Activities That May Arise
In between daily life, people are free to do what feels right in the moment. This may include swimming in the ocean, surfing, walking the beach, hiking to waterfalls, spending time in the jungle, meditating, stretching, making music, reading, writing, or simply resting.
At times, shared activities naturally arise — such as earth sauna sessions, beach walks, group meals, or evenings around the fire. These moments are not planned as a program. They usually emerge from the rhythm of the group and the conditions of the day.
Nothing scheduled.
Nothing guaranteed.
Often includes:
• earth sauna (Paz temazcal)
• meditations
• beach walks
• waterfall hikes
• jungle walks
• ocean swims
• surfing (extra fee)
• paddleboarding (extra fee)
• fire nights
• music
• silence
Food Model
Communal kitchen supported by a cook.
Food at Paz is simple, shared, and communal.
Meals are prepared in a common kitchen and eaten together whenever possible. The intention is nourishment, not variety or culinary experience.
The diet is based mainly on rice, beans, vegetables, salad, fruit, coffee, and tea, with eggs, fish, or chicken included occasionally depending on availability. There is no menu and no special meal planning.
Everyone eats the same food. This helps keep daily life simple and avoids creating separation or service dynamics.
Residents participate in cooking, food preparation, cleaning, and kitchen organization as part of shared living. Meals are not provided as a service, but as a collective responsibility.
This approach keeps costs low, reduces complexity, and supports a grounded rhythm around food and daily life.
Meals are simple:
• rice
• beans
• vegetables
• salad
• fruit
• coffee and tea
• eggs, fish, or chicken occasionally
No menu.
No special requests.
Everyone eats the same.
Support Team
Paz has:
• a cook
• cleaning support
• maintenance support
Their role is to:
• support hygiene, safety, and infrastructure
• assist daily operations
• care for the land
Their role is not personal service.
This is not a hotel model.
Shared Responsibility & Participation
Even with staff support, shared life depends on participation. These tasks are not organized as work shifts, but happen organically as part of living together. Just like at home.
Residents take part in everyday tasks such as helping in the kitchen, cleaning shared spaces, caring for the land, and supporting the basic functioning of the center. These tasks are not organized as work shifts, but happen organically as part of living together. Just like at home.
Life at Paz functions through shared responsibility.
Residents are not guests being served, and the space does not operate through a work-exchange model. Instead, everyone contributes in simple, everyday ways that support life on the land.
This includes helping with cooking and food preparation, cleaning shared spaces, washing dishes, light maintenance, caring for common areas, fire and BBQ preparation, and supporting the general flow of daily life.
In addition to these basic tasks, residents may also take part in organizing, facilitating, or supporting internal and external activities when appropriate. This can include helping coordinate educational events, community gatherings, or simple activities that arise naturally during a cycle.
Residents are also encouraged to participate in the administrative and creative needs of the center when aligned. This may include content creation, photography, video, writing, digital support, or helping document life at Paz.
These contributions are not assigned as fixed shifts or measured in hours. They emerge through communication, awareness, and willingness to support what is needed.
The intention is not productivity, but participation. Shared responsibility helps create a sense of belonging, cooperation, and care for the land and for one another.
Residents’ participation
Residents are temporary caretakers of the land and community.
They participate in four main areas:
1. Daily life & physical tasks
• food preparation and kitchen support
• cooking assistance when needed
• dishwashing and cleanup
• cleaning shared spaces
• organization of common areas
• light maintenance
• care of tools and equipment
• firewood collection and preparation
• lighting and tending fires
• BBQ setup, cooking support, and cleanup
2. Activities & educational events
Residents may support:
• internal activities and shared moments
• walks, sauna days, and group experiences
• educational or skill-sharing events
• external activities open to locals or visitors
Support includes preparation, logistics, setup, and cleanup.
3. Administrative participation
Residents may assist with:
• guest orientation
• arrival and departure coordination
• communication and logistics
• event organization
This builds transparency and shared ownership.
4. Content & digital participation
Residents may participate in:
• photo and video documentation
• storytelling and writing
• social media or website support
• digital organization and archiving
Content is collaborative and consent-based.
Presence comes before production.
Guests’ participation
Guests’ responsibilities are limited to daily life:
• food preparation and kitchen support
• dishwashing and cleanup
• cleaning shared areas after use
• helping with fire or BBQ when present
Guests do not participate in:
• administration
• content creation
• event organization
Guests integrate respectfully into the rhythm already in place.
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Phones, Substances & Alcohol
Substance-free
• no alcohol
• no recreational drugs
• no plant medicines
Technology
• phones allowed but limited
• no phones during shared activities
• no filming without consent
• no social media creation during daily life
Presence is prioritized.
Boundaries and Limits
Paz is a shared living environment that depends on respect, responsibility, and clear boundaries.
This is not a therapeutic space, a ceremonial center, or a place to teach or guide others. There is no spiritual hierarchy and no role for imposing beliefs, practices, or personal philosophies onto the group.
We ask participants to arrive with humility and an openness to learn from life here, rather than bringing systems, teachings, or methods they wish to apply to others — especially when those beliefs come from cultures or territories that are not their own.
Practices related to spiritual competition, judgment, evangelization, imported ceremonies, or modern pseudo-spiritual trends are not aligned with the direction of the space.
This also includes the use of pseudo-psychology or psychological language, diagnoses, or interpretations without proper medical or professional training.
Paz is not a place to “work on” others. Each person is responsible for their own internal process.
Because the environment is quiet and free from constant distraction, emotions and inner movements often surface naturally. Participants are expected to take responsibility for what arises, communicate clearly, and seek support appropriately when needed.
Regarding substances, Paz does not operate as a party environment. The use of drugs, including ayahuasca or mushrooms, is not part of the culture here. Intoxication and altered-state seeking are not supported.
Occasional shared dinners or a beer or glass of wine may happen naturally, but it is not the norm and never the focus. This is not a place to escape the feelings or emotions, but to meet them with compassion and heal them with the wisdom of nature.
Respect for the land, for others, and for oneself is essential.
Like releasing a captive animal back into the wild
It’s about remembering what’s always been within you. Here you don’t become something new by doing something; you recover from nature what was always there.
Community then becomes posible again.
At Paz, we see sharing spaces, food and stories as natural as a waterfall. This is about remembering the way humans are meant to live.
Stepping away from retreats, guests and the volunteer model
As retreats and spirituality becomes the wellness industry and blends with fashion, finance, luxury and social structures — filled with concepts and answers stored as mind knowledge — most guests bringing this expectations, practices and interpretations of wisdom from cultures that are not their own — rather than to listen and learn directly to the quiet wisdom of nature — under this conditions alignment with Paz, nature and Corcovado, and everything I mentioned becomes imposible.
On the other hand, I receive over a 100 monthly applications for volunteering. Over 95% express their interest, alignment or even necessity to come. They are the reason I created this project. They are the people I want to host. But the center has space for 14 guests and that’s too many volunteers. Hosting, feeding, managing and putting them to work is out of scope.
So I went back and read over 200 applications, realizing that people wanted a place to connect and learn from nature. That they resonated with this direct approach and wanted to come — volunteering was just the way they imagine it possible for them to come to an impossibly expensive setting like this.
The thing is that Paz Corcovado was a gift from life with very clear instructions — it was given to me to recover from very difficult situations with the promise that once that was done, then it was meant too host other people that needed that too.
So, this is why I created the Paz Residency program
So t
Do get in touch!
Your visit is important, you are not just another guest. If you feel a calling to visit, for nature and are at a moment of change in your life — then we’ll love to start a connection even if not for an immediate booking.
You may also contact us via WhatsApp +506 8614 0699