AWAKEN: Sacred Plant Journeys for Gay Men
A 7 day retreat in Costa Rica for gay men seeking to let go of old wounds and reconnect with their most authentic selves through guided ceremony, music, embodiment and integration
We guide you from “not being enough” into compassion, and wholeness.
900+ participants have joined Qasa so far
7 Days / 6 Nights
Eco-chic hotel
What Awaken Is
Across 7 days, participants are guided through sacred plant ceremonies. These are intentionally held spaces for deep inner work, with respect for indigenous wisdom, while honoring the needs of modern GBQT+ men. Led by experienced facilitators, each ceremony is designed to be trauma-informed and grounded in consent and care.
These immersive retreats invite you into profound connection – with yourself, with community, with the earth, and with something greater.
It is a non sexual space created to help you feel safe, present, and supported as you explore greater clarity, belonging, and aliveness.
Deep Inner Work
Guided journeys, reflection, and embodied practices that support clarity and reconnection.
Queer Centered Space
A space designed specifically for gay men, grounded in belonging, consent, and care.
Fully Private Container
All retreat activities and meals are exclusive to your group.
Integration Focused
Preparation, support during the retreat, and integration after you return home.
Feel held by the land
Waterfalls, jungle air, quiet reflection, nature is always part of the journey.
No Pressure. Plenty of Choice.
You are in charge of your pace. Everything here is opt in.
AS SEEN ON
QASA inside look
Profound Growth. Expanded Consciousness.
What is a Sacred Plant Journey at QASA?
Our sacred plant journeys are intentionally held spaces for deep inner work, drawing from ancient traditions while honoring the needs of modern GBQT+ men. Led by experienced facilitators, each ceremony is designed to be trauma-informed and grounded in consent and care.
These immersive retreats invite you into profound connection – with yourself, with community, with the earth, and with something greater. You’ll be invited to engage in embodiment practices, share moments of reflection, and explore the lush jungle through waterfall adventures – all within a vibrant queer community. While there may be opportunities to discuss sexuality as part of our whole selves, the retreat is non-sexual, creating a container where you can feel safe, connected, and fully present.
Through ritual, music, community, nature, and skilled integration, many participants experience clarity, transformation, and a renewed sense of belonging – both within and beyond.
Two Sacred Paths, One Shared Intention
Awaken offers two retreat paths. Each one works with a different sacred plant tradition and each one has its own feel, but both support the same deeper intention: reconnecting with your wholeness, clarity, and aliveness.
Choose your journey:
🌿 Grandmother Vine
A guided journey known for depth, surrender, inner listening, and powerful perspective shifts that can help you see your life with greater honesty and clarity.
Often chosen by men who feel called to a deeper, more intense path of reflection and release.
When:
Apr 19 – 25 / July 26 – Aug 1, 2026
🍄 Mycelial Muse
A guided journey known for heart opening insight, emotional release, creative reconnection, and gentle but profound inner exploration.
Often chosen by men who want openness, clarity, and a softer entry into deep inner work.
When:
May 17 – 23, 2026 / Aug 9 – 14, 2026
Both paths are held with care, preparation, and integration in a fully private, queer centered container.
Why Men Come to Awaken
We’ve welcomed more than 900 men into our retreats.
All Qasa experiences center on:
RECONNECT
with yourself in a safe, queer affirming space
Step
into greater clarity, purpose, and self trust
Deepen
your connection to inner wisdom and the living world
Move
old stories and patterns that no longer fit
Experience
embodiment practices that spark creativity, self expression, and joy
Remember
what it feels like to be fully alive in your body and your truth
All of our retreats feature
How it feels
Through our retreats, adventures, and festivals, we guide guests from shame, fear, and disconnection to joy, embodiment, and technicolor belonging. You’ll laugh until you cry, cry until you laugh, and remember what it feels like to be fully alive – in your body, in your truth, and in a community that celebrates you exactly as you are.
Expert
Facilitators:
Skilled, trauma-informed guides create immersive, heart-opening experiences that help you grow with care and clarity.
Inclusive Queer Community:
Join a vibrant, loving community that honors queerness in all its forms - where you are free to be fully, joyfully you.
Exceptional Natural Setting:
Costa Rica’s jungle, ocean, and pura vida spirit offer more than a backdrop - they’re part of the journey.
Holistic
Wellbeing:
Our programs engage the full spectrum of your being - mind, body, heart, and spirit - through movement, rest, play, and connection.
The Arc of the Journey
Prepare
Before you arrive, we support you with screening, practical guidance, and intention setting so you can come in grounded and informed.
Experience
At Qasa, the journey unfolds through guided ceremony, embodiment, reflection, nature, rest, and connection.
Integrate
What happens here matters because of how it lands in real life. Integration is part of the retreat, not an afterthought.
2026 Retreat Dates
After you apply through the screening process, you can choose the retreat path and date that feels right for you.
April 19 to April 25, 2026
Grandmother Vine
Facilitators: Rocky Heron, Publio Valle, Rafael Gondim
May 17 to May 23, 2026
🍄 Mycelial Muse
Facilitators: Rocky Heron, John Jacob Mubaraki
July 26 to August 1, 2026
🌿 Grandmother Vine
Facilitators: Ash Ruiz, Rocky Heron
August 9 to August 14, 2026
🍄 Mycelial Muse
Facilitators: Rocky Heron, John Jacob Mubaraki
Meet Your Facilitators
Awaken is guided by experienced facilitators who hold this work with depth, integrity, and care. Each retreat is supported by a team committed to safety, presence, and a truly queer centered experience.
Rocky Heron
Rocky Heron is an artistic wonder – a singer, songwriter, yoga instructor, and alignment coach with an ability to weave together community through devotion and skillful embodiment.
Alex Sloan
Alex Sloan (he/him) is a San Francisco–based kinkster, facilitator, and longtime explorer of pleasure, power, and embodiment.
Ash Ruiz
Dan Link
Donovan McGrath
Donovan is the founder of Amplified Yoga, for which he travels the world sharing his positive vision. His motivation is to encourage you to Amplify…
John Jacob Mubarak
John Jacob Mubarak is a passionate advocate for holistic healing and integrates the power of sacred plants, breathwork, psychology…
JoJo Bear
Luke Anthony
Luke has been a Kahuna Bodyworker for over 10 years, learning this connective and energetic practice in his native Australia where Kahuna Bodywork is very popular.
Mike Peck
Paulo Rebello
Paulo was born in the Brazilian Amazon, went to College in France and England, and immigrated to the US to pursue his Master’s in Counseling. During graduate school, he was introduced…
Research Spotlight: Psychedelics & LGBTQ+ Wellbeing
We proudly partnered on the first longitudinal study to explore how psychedelic retreats impact LGBTQ+ participants.
Key Findings:
Mental Health
Participants reported significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress - improvements that persisted at the three-month follow-up.
Quality of Life
Measures of psychological, social, and environmental wellbeing all increased, with many describing a greater sense of stability, purpose, and joy in daily life.
Spiritual Connection
Many experienced a deepened sense of meaning, connection to something larger, and a renewed relationship with their own inner wisdom.
Self-Compassion & Authenticity
Participants reported feeling more comfortable in their identities, more self-accepting, and more willing to express their authentic selves.
Beyond the numbers, personal accounts revealed themes of belonging, liberation from shame, and profound emotional release. Many participants described the retreats as life-changing, offering both immediate breakthroughs and tools for continued growth.
Is This for Me?
Sacred Plant Journeys are for you if:
You feel called to explore healing with sacred plants in a safe, inclusive, and respectful space.
You are navigating grief, transition, stuckness, or disconnection - and seeking deeper clarity or release.
You want to be held by experienced facilitators who honor both tradition and trauma-informed care.
You crave time in nature, community, and ritual to reconnect with your inner truth.
You are ready to feel more whole - less numb, more present, and deeply supported.
What participants say
Our Retreat Amenities include
Spectacular waterfalls
11 Gorgeous Bamboo Cabins (25 beds sleeping up to 28)
Camping area
Beautiful yoga shala
Communal bathroom and showers
Kitchen + dining to accommodate 30+
Gym
Pristine Nature
Abundant hiking
On-site bodywork
Accommodations include
All cabins are handmade primarily from locally-sourced bamboo, and while they are protected from the elements and enclosed in mosquito netting, they are open air and have spectacular views of the jungle. Private and shared accommodation options are available.
Private Deluxe Cabin
A beautiful, hand-crafted bamboo cabin with a queen or king bed.
SHARED TWIN JUNGLE CABIN
A shared cabin with two comfortable twin-size beds. You will have one bed to yourself and you will be matched with another participant who will sleep in the other twin bed.
SHARED 4 BED JUNGLE CABIN
A shared cabin with four comfortable single beds. You will have one single bed to yourself and you will be matched with three other participants who will sleep in the other beds.
King Jungle Cabin
A beautiful, hand-crafted bamboo cabin with a queen or king bed.
All cabins come with:
- Lights
- Electricity
- Overhead Fan
- Luxurious Bedding
All cabins share a gorgeous bamboo bathhouse and shower facilities.
A/C is unnecessary in our region.
Price includes accommodation, use of facilities, and morning embodiment classes (such as yoga, meditation, etc) offered several days per week.
This price does not include the cost of meals ($50/person/night).
PRIVATE
DELUXE CABIN
A beautiful, hand-crafted bamboo cabin with a queen or king bed.
SHARED 4 BED JUNGLE CABIN
A shared cabin with four comfortable single beds. You will have one single bed to yourself, and you will be matched with three other participants who will sleep in the other beds.
KING JUNGLE CABIN
A beautiful, hand-crafted bamboo cabin with a queen or king bed.
SHARED TWIN JUNGLE CABIN
A shared cabin with two comfortable twin-size beds. You will have one bed to yourself, and you will be matched with another participant who will sleep in the other twin bed.
All cabins come with:
- Lights
- Electricity
- Overhead Fan
- Luxurious Bedding
All cabins share a gorgeous bamboo bathhouse and shower facilities. A/C is unnecessary in our region.
Price includes accommodation, use of facilities, and morning embodiment classes (such as yoga, meditation, etc) offered several days per week. This price does not include the cost of meals ($50/person/night).
Meals include
We have an in-house chef who prepares fresh and delicious meals daily, using local, organically grown ingredients whenever possible. We will do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
frequently asked questions
FAQs
Got questions about our retreats in Costa Rica? Read the FAQs or get in touch via the contact form below.
Need more insights? Read our comprehensive blog about all things retreat-related in Costa Rica.
Qasa is a queer sanctuary nestled in the lush Costa Rican jungle. We are a hotel and retreat center offering a mix of transformative experiences, playful freedom, embodied pleasure, wellness, and connection — all centered around the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you’re coming for a retreat, a hotel stay, or an event, we welcome you with open arms (and optional clothes).
While our retreats are predominantly for GBTQ+ men, our hotel welcomes all guests who value conscious community, natural beauty, and authentic connection – regardless of background, identity, or how you love.
Qasa offers an eco-chic boutique hotel and transformational experiences, including sacred plant journeys, nature-based adventures and embodied pleasure retreats. We also offer intentional gatherings, parties, and festivals, as well as daily world-class classes, workshops, and events.
Yes! You can stay with us as a hotel guest during “off-retreat” times. It’s a beautiful way to enjoy nature, community, and rest. Check availability here.
Key community agreements include respect, radical self-expression, inclusivity and non-judgment, clothing-optional, consent, sex positivity, intentionality, responsible use of consciousness-altering substances, clear communication, and co-creation.
Absolutely. We celebrate body freedom and comfort. Nudity is welcome in common areas, and respected as a non-sexual form of self-expression. Please always sit on a towel 🙂
Yes. We are an adults-only space (18+). Our programming and environment are not suitable for children.
Yes, Costa Rica has a good track record in terms of safety, and its growing social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community makes it a relatively safe destination.
In Costa Rica, personal participation in sacred plant ceremonies for spiritual growth is not penalized under current law, with enforcement focused on trafficking rather than individual practice. While the landscape remains unregulated and evolving, ceremonies conducted in genuine spiritual contexts may benefit from constitutional protections; we honor these traditions with full respect for Costa Rican law and culture.
Getting to QASA
- Qasa is located 3.5-4.5 hours from San Jose International airport (SJO), and roughly 1.25 hours from Quepos Airport (XQP) which has regular flights from SJO on Sansa Airlines and Green Airways
- After booking a stay at Qasa we will be happy to help you book a private taxi through a trusted provider. Private taxi rates (subject to change) are approximately:
- $180 from San Jose or SJO Airport
- $80 from Quepos or XQP Airport
- $90 from Manuel Antonio
- $30 from Dominical
- $30 from San Isidro
- If renting a car, a 4×4 is required to access the hotel in the rainy season
- The most economical option to arrive is to take a public bus to San Isidro or Dominical and then take a private taxi
Flexible Stays/Experiences
Hotel Stays in Costa Rica
Indulge in pure relaxation at our serene retreat. Just stay and enjoy the hotel, where every moment is designed for your comfort. Unwind in stylish accommodations, savor delectable cuisine, and relish in the tranquil atmosphere. Your escape begins here.
