Discovering the Elements
May 11 - 17, 2025
Mastatal, Costa Rica
Understanding your holistic constitution through the Elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether
You are invited to join us on an immersive and transformative journey into the ancient wisdom of the Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether – in the heart of the Costa Rican jungle. This course transcends the boundaries of traditional learning and goes beyond the confines of textbooks and classrooms, aiming to resonate within your body and revive the ancestral knowledge that resides in your soul.
The Foundations of Life
The Elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether are not merely theoretical concepts; they form the very fabric of human existence. They are the foundation of the universe. They are the backbone of ancient healing practices such as Chinese Traditional Medicine, Ayurveda, and most other Earth-based traditions. These elements encompass cultural, medicinal, herbal, spiritual, movement, and energetic traditions of healing.
Beyond the Classroom
Traditionally, the elemental framework was not confined to classrooms but interwoven into daily life and culture. Passed down through food choices, seasonal cycles, stories, remedies, and community interactions, the elements were the essence of communities. Our courses aim to bridge the gap between theory and experience, integrating this framework into your body and soul, as it is meant to be.
Instructors:
This course is taught by two teachers. Solin, who grew up in the jungle within a family that uses the elemental framework and Kealy who has dedicated over 15 years to studying and re-discovering the elements on a soul level.
Jungle Living:
Immerse yourself in the beautiful, raw, breathtaking Costa Rican rainforest, where nature's rich tapestry serves as a mirror for learning and self-discovery. Time spent in the jungle offers unique opportunities to intimately explore the elements, allowing you to experience the intricate dance of nature through all five senses.
Location:
Our beautiful location in the town of Mastatal is nestled between the Zapaton Indigenous Reserve and La Cangreja National Park, and the last untouched rainforest in Costa Rica's picturesque Puriscal County.
Practical and spiritual. Experiential and energetic. Cultural and intuitive. Magical and empowering. Educational and holistic. Transformative and grounding.
Embodied Learning
Your days will focus on each element separately and will incorporate ceremony, herbalism, food choices, yoga & movement, observing and mediating with each element, and deepening our intuition through connection to spirit and nature.
Through both the detailed course material and living in the beautiful and wild jungle, this course is designed to:
… expand your connection to the elements,
… bridge your current knowledge to the universality of the elements,
… help you remember your ancestors’ wisdom of how to use the elements,
… shift your perspective about health, wellness, and herbal medicine,
… create more compassion for yourself and others,
… and expand your capacity to create harmony within yourself and others.
This course is for everyone, no matter your level of knowledge or experience in holistic healing modalities. If you want a longer time to experience the elements, and focus on hands-on body work, please check out our 2-week course and 2-month internship. Contact us for details.
Testimonials
“As a life-long learner, this course has helped me connect the dots on so many of the holistic modalities I have studied.” - Sylvia
“This course has been pivotal for me as an herbalist. I love the indigenous wisdom taught in such a practical, funny, hands-on way." - J'dan
“This course weaves energy and spirituality with the practical, seamlessly. I walked away with new tools for my healing practice AND a deeper awareness.” - Corin
“This course is life changing! It gives you the tools and framework to read plants, nature, and people in a completely new way, that simultaneously feels like a process of remembering.” - Bailey
“This course has brought deep clarity to me with how to approach people and as an herbalist. My herbal school friends would love it!” - K
"This course has blown my mind! Not every healthy thing is for everyone, but how to distinguish? take this class. It. Spells. It. OUT! I can't wait to put this wisdom into practice." - Milton
Daily Agenda
Throughout the course, we will focus on one element at a time, allowing you to deeply understand and connect with each one.
Each day will center around a specific element and include:
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Ceremony
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Herbalism
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Food choices
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Yoga & movement
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Observing and meditating with each element
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Deepening intuition through connection to spirit and nature
During each day, you will:
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Practice element-based yoga and movement
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Create an altar to honor each element (please bring objects to place on the altar!)
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Define each element within ourselves and in nature
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Experience and observe each element in its natural environment, using the jungle and local farms. For example, for the earth element, we will touch different types of soil and plant a tree. For the water element, we will hike to a waterfall and feel the rushing water's power.
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Learn to recognize elemental imbalances in ourselves and others
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Enjoy teas related to each element, drawing from indigenous Huetar cultural knowledge. Our instructor is a local expert in medicinal plants.
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Create herbal medicines supporting each element, using local herbs and indigenous knowledge
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Meet Your Teachers
Kealy Rudersdorf
Kealy is a mother, teacher, writer, herbalist, mover of energy, intuitive healer, lover of homegrown food, a community builder, a tree hugger, a lifelong student of the 5 elements, a mentor, a jungle dweller, a silly song singer, a medicine maker, a truth teller, a joyful laugher, and friend to all. Kealy’s path has twisted and turned, from structural engineering to elementary school garden teacher to energy medicine and herbalism. Kealy’s fiercest passion and truest life purpose is connecting people to Mother Earth and themselves, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Through curiosity, crafted experiences, the 5 elements, and the 5 senses, she delights in observing her students understand nature and themselves more deeply. Kealy has been studying and practicing holistic medicine since 2013, and co-founded KIS Botanicals with Solin in 2017. Kealy teaches courses on herbalism, energy medicine, permaculture, gardening with kids, and provides private healing sessions. She is passionate about connecting people to nature, working with kids, building resilient communities, and spreading joy in everything she does.
“Kealy is an incredible teacher. Her patience, love of what she does, and depth of knowledge is evident during every minute of her class. Her classes are like being wrapped in a big hug because she fills them with ceremony, knowledge, and joy! She continues to be my mentor in energy medicine and am so grateful I found her.”
“I am a yoga teacher and have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. Kealy’s element course has profoundly affected my practice. She had a beautiful way of weaving movement with herbalism, art and body work. Her knowledge is both deep and wide. Her classes are detailed and well-paced to fully understand each element. I feel like I will return to my class notes for a long time to come.”
“I 100 % recommend Kealy’s element course. She is an incredibly gifted healer and teacher. I am so lucky to have her work with me and help me though some really rough times as well as now as a teacher. Her intuition is unmatched, she knows exactly what I need and how to push me towards healing myself. Her connection to spirit is evident and I love how she introduced me to my guides during the course. I can’t wait for our next session together!”
Solin Garcia Sanchez
Solin is a father, Huetar Indigenous tribe member, a knowledge keeper, a plant lover, a farmer, a community builder, a water and land manager, a passionate environmentalist, a gifter of food and plants, a medicine maker, a jokester, self-taught botanist, a keeper of cultural traditions. Solin has spent his entire life living near his plants. He grew up deep in the jungle before there was ready access to a city and was lucky enough to have learned from his grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles the cultural traditions, uses of plants, and how to live in harmony with nature. His deepest desire is to live simply with nature. You are hard to find Solin without a machete on his side, a plant in his hand, and a new question to ask. When Solin co-founded KIS Botanicals, his purpose was to resurrect and give value to his culture's plant knowledge.
"The best part of the Element's class was, by far, Solin. Just him... and in his way of being with nature and plants. He is constantly doing such important work, and doesn't stop joking around while doing it. His knowledge is incredible and I am forever grateful for his willingness to share it."
"Solin is very 'air' or intellectual teacher. Meaning he doesn't always ask how the plant makes us feel or dives deep into the water or emotional aspect (although Kealy does - they make a great team!), but can go on and on about a plant's uses and how his family survived using it. You can tell his stories are all first hand. I loved learning from him, his knowledge should be shouted from the mountain tops!"
"Solin is a treasure! I really admire his goal of trying to keep his culture and family's knowledge alive. I have studied herbalism in the past, but never quite with someone like Solin. He eats, breathes, thinks, and cherishes the plants in a way that is unmatched."
What should I expect during the course?
During the course, your accommodations will be at Siempre Verde, a locally owned business in Costa Rica. The owners, Marcos and Jenni, are lifelong members of the Mastatal community and will be your hosts. They are both amazing and trained guides with a passion for sharing knowledge about the local flora, fauna, and jungle life.
At the beautiful Siempre Verde, you will profoundly immerse yourself in nature and witness the elements both during and outside of class time. You will be surrounded by nature 24/7, with very limited internet access, in a remote village where the nearest supermarket is an hour away.
You will arrive during the early green (or rainy!) season, experiencing almost daily rains that can last from a few minutes to several hours. These rains offer opportunities to slow down, refresh, and embrace the water element. Picture rain kissing your skin as you walk to dinner, or the soothing music of downpours on tin roofs.
Expect to stay in simple yet beautiful structures. Course participants are scheduled to stay in the dormitory with an optional upgrade available. Contact us for upgrade details.
At every turn, you will enjoy breathtaking views of the tropical jungle and neighboring national park. In the mornings, you will feel the power of the sun.
Anticipate encountering fire ants and mosquitoes, but also the delight of spotting a toucan flying by and hearing a sloth call for its mate.
You can also look forward to savoring simple, delicious, local, and nutritious food. While not every meal will feature superfoods, beans and rice are staples on the menu, alongside fresh pineapples, homemade ferments, sweet bananas, and freshly harvested tubers.
This experience is a step above camping; do not expect all creature comforts.
Immerse yourself in the wild jungle with the intention of learning to balance energy and connect with the elements. This experience has the potential to genuinely change your life.
Meet your hosts: Jenni and Marcos
Jenny and Marcos are trained guides and lifelong members of the Mastatal community and all around incredible people. They co-own Siempre Verde where they provide guided tours, connect people to the local flora and fauna, cook delicious meals, and help to make you feel comfortable.
