OUR DIVINA VIDA FARM TEAM
& LIVING IN LIGHT RETREAT CENTER INSTRUCTORS
LISA MORRIS
Lisa is the steward of Finca DiVina Vida, a captivating property nestled in the Costa Rican rainforest. She has been blessed and is honored to be a part of this sacred endeavor.
Currently, she is an Advanced Certified BodyTalk Practitioner since September, 2003, PaRama Practitioner and Certified BodyTalk Instructor. She has been a practicing Energy Intuitive for many years working with various healing techniques such as Quantum Touch, flower essences, sound healing, breathwork, past life journey work, auric field imaging, visualization & affirmation coaching and color/art therapy.
After practicing Shamanic energy medicine, Lisa found Bodytalk. After a call from a mentor Lisa greatly admired asking her if she had heard of Bodytalk, she visited the only California practitioner and instructor in Nevada City. Listening to this new paradigm of asking the body what the “priority” is the body is wanting, Lisa knew she was in the right place to learn and to build upon the transformational sessions she was already offering to her clients. She is passionate about being a point of change in the way we do medicine bringing the responsibility to the individual and away from institutions.
Specializing in family and environmental matrix sessions, which also include business and corporate structures for complete balance within all systems, Lisa brings a unique style of whole systems. She works with notable clients from all around the world.
"Once empowered in physical and emotional health, there is nothing we cannot do. We live in a universe of infinite possibility" - Lisa Morris
FLORY GARCIA
Farm Manager Flory is the third generation Cacao Farmer at Finca DiVina Vida.
She will guide you with a gentle walk through the cacao orchard and herb gardens and teach you all that she knows about the importance of healthy soil, the foundation of fine chocolate, the details of fermentation and, like with wine, learn how this integral step is essential in the journey to fine chocolate. She will show you how the processing is done by hand with love and laughter, and teach you each detail to make your own chocolate blend.
BRENDA HINTON
Brenda is our consulting and teaching chef for DiVina Vida. She is a raw food chef, instructor, speaker, author and coach who travels internationally, empowering both corporate clients and individuals to achieve healthier lifestyles. Her passion is teaching others the power of plants, the Magic of Food as Medicine and the subtle connection between nourishing our beautiful selves with simple whole foods for optimum wellness. With a warm and enthusiastic teaching style, Brenda is much appreciated for her knowledgeable yet relaxed and lively approach.
Brenda Hinton has been striving to live holistically and authentically for over 20 years. Diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in early 2007, her research into the diet/disease connection intensified, "as if my life depended on it ...and it did!" She discovered that a diet rich in nutrient dense raw foods gave her more energy to recover. Today, cancer free, she is a committed vegan and maintains a whole plant food predominantly raw food diet. Her company, Rawsome Creations, invents and manufactures culinary tools for living foods enthusiasts.
The power of plants and their magic to sustain us is unmistakable and sharing that is her greatest passion.
"Through the years and in my work with others, those with health challenges as well as those simply seeking more vital lifeforce energy, I find great benefit in a simpler, less processed, additive-free whole plant food diet lovingly prepared with ingredients that are as close to their source as possible." - Brenda Hinton
MAIREAD McCORRY
Meet Mairead, a highly qualified professional in the field of holistic health and education. Holding a Masters Degree in Acupuncture, an Advanced Diploma in Ayurveda, a Bachelors Degree in Nursing, and a Graduate Diploma in Education, Mairead brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her practice.
With over twenty years of expertise in health and education, Mairead is a certified Ayurveda Practitioner and Chinese Medicine Practitioner. Her diverse background includes eight years as a Registered Nurse in critical care settings and four years as a dedicated teacher in consciousness-based education.
Mairead's passion lies in sharing wisdom and inspiring individuals through various modalities, including Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Yoga, and a deep connection to nature. She seamlessly integrates Eastern and yogic philosophy, meditation, and holistic practices to provide comprehensive support for the body, mind, and heart.
Her mission is to contribute to the well-being of others by offering services aimed at cultivating more joy, bliss, and the evolution of consciousness for all. With a loving approach, Mairead is committed to helping individuals on their journey to holistic health and personal transformation.
“More relevant today than ever, society is chasing the next panacea for physical and emotional health. Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine teaches us that balance is our natural state and when we align with nature through circadian medicine we allow the body to access its innate intelligence to heal, evolve and transform.” - Mairead McCorry
GUSTAVO MOLINA CAMPOS
Gustavo, an Agroecological-Biodynamic Farmer at Finca Sirena, and also serving as an auditor/inspector in sustainable agriculture and certified organic projects. He earned his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences from EARTH University and pursued specialized studies in Soil Sciences at the University of Costa Rica.
He’s a truly committed person to the opportunity of contributing to the sustainable development of the agricultural sector and communities in general.
CHRISTOPHER GUTIERREZ
As a child, sound frequency and water always mystified Christopher. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, any opportunity he had to be with water, in whichever form, was a transcendent experience.
He began playing the saxophone at age 9 and onward professionally in the US military for 13 years before attending university and obtaining a masters degree in psychology and occupational therapy.
A series of rapid life-changing events occurring in 2020 ushered in his latest chapter of relocating to Costa Rica, changing nearly everything, and allowing love & trust to lead on a whole new level.
He now spends half the year on a biodynamic farm in northern New Mexico and the other half living in paradise, amidst waterfalls and rainforests in the central pacific region of Costa Rica. Every breath is a living testament to the resilience and love permeating this body. He is so very grateful to have finally arrived!
His passions include wholistic regeneration & revitalization, restructured water, botanical cultivation, medicinal concoction, application and integration, biodynamic agriculture & anthroposophy, longevity practices (breath, nutrition, lifestyle, psycho/biological pattern breaks), community co-creation, cacao infatuation, essential oils, and animal care.
Brendan Coates
Brendan aka The Gut Whisperer, is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (R.H.N) and Certified Gluten Practitioner (CGP), with honors from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Raised in small-town Georgetown, Ontario, he excelled in sports like Major Junior Hockey and Tier II Junior baseball. Brendan has also served as a personal trainer and hockey instructor.
During his time in the Caribbean, he collaborated with top chefs in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, enriching his expertise in food and hospitality. His lifelong passion for health and fitness led him to have been crowned in 4 Men’s pageant/fitness competitions. Currently, Brendan teaches cooking classes across Toronto and serves as a wellness coach at Habitude Addiction Center in Hamilton, Ontario. There, he designs group exercise programs and nutritional plans to enhance detox and overall health, aiding clients in overcoming addictive eating behaviors and achieving weight loss goals. He's pursuing further education at Kingdom College of Natural Health towards a doctorate degree.
At DiVina Vida he will be hosting plant medicine ceremonies. His mission is to bring friends, family members and clients to DiVina Vida and share the gifts of the land and the nurturing of this space of healing.
DANIELLE D’AMOUR
Founder of Kama Life Ayurveda,
According to Ayurvedic wisdom, in order to achieve a deeply fulfilling and happy life, we've got to dial into our Pleasure (Kama), Duty (Dharma), Wealth (Artha) and Liberation (Moksha).
In other words, it is our humanly mission to feel really good, have purpose, live comfortably and free from suffering.
Ayurveda taught Danielle how to really feed herself: body, mind and soul. She has infinite practical tools to take care of yourself while living fully in the unpredictability of daily life.
She will guide you in unscrambling the messiness of life and place it in a perspective that makes sense for you. Guide you to a deeper relationship with your mental, physical and emotional body that leaves you with a deep seated sense of satisfaction and pleasure in your own being. Her goal is to help you gain a profound sense of clarity and empowerment and provide you with a clear roadmap towards your desires and goals.
After all, living the life of your deepest desires is an inside job. It starts with you, showing up for you. - Danielle D’Amour
MARÍA CRISTINA BONILLA
Nestled on the slopes of the Barva Volcano in Costa Rica, you'll find Cristina, together with her husband and their six adopted dogs, in the serene, green, and rural town of Sacramento. Choosing this lifestyle and building their dreams rooted in holistic principles was a conscious decision for Cristina. Over the years, simplified and enriched by living close to nature, she's embraced a self-sufficient and harmonious way of lifing, finding balance within herself, nature, and her surroundings.
Since she was young, she always questioned life and the search for answers took her down all kinds of paths. She studied holistic therapies at the Gaia Institute, while working in the area of coffee and tourism. But at the age of 28, she transformed her life moving to a biological reserve in the mountains of Costa Rica, where she started guiding tourists who came to the reserve in search to experience a different way of living in this eco-sustainable project. She immersed herself in organic gardening, raising goats, making cheese, and providing wellness therapies. After 11 years, in 2015, she embarked on a new journey. She pursued further studies, graduating from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York and becoming a certified yoga instructor at YogaLamat in San José. Cristina is a practitioner of various holistic therapies, including massage, lymphatic drainage, moxibustion, aromatherapy, reiki, yoga and vibrational therapy.
Now, at DiVina Vida, she will be sharing her knowledge and expertise of integral well-being through workshops on creating DIY natural products and skincare items, from soaps to creams, shampoos, balms, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. She'll guide others in embracing a holistic approach to self-care and well-being.
ED RUSSELL
Going between Sarasota, Florida and Calle Hermosa, Costa Rica, soundhealer Ed Russell has played musical instruments since childhood.
Because of his studies in energy practices and as a Reiki master, Ed is attuned to subtle energies and sound frequencies.
Beginning in 2009, his love of sound carried him to work with singing bowls and gongs. Playing from the heart and with intention is the foundation of his work. His sessions prove particularly beneficial in allowing people to respond to their own inner rhythms. Among many talents that Ed possesses, pan drum and digeridoo are some of those.
ALEJANDRO MONTOYA
Alejandro, our experienced shuttle service operator, has been providing transportation services with his company for DiVina Vida for the past three years. He will personally pick you up at the airport using his own vehicle, which can accommodate a maximum of 7 passengers.
Prior to his current role, Alejandro spent 11 years at the international airport Juan Santa Maria in Costa Rica and 11 years of valuable experience in customer service within the tourism industry. He served at the prominent local hotel, the Hampton, in San Jose, enhancing his expertise and knowledge.
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
