About Yoga Ashram
A boutique jungle sanctuary for transformative wellness — family-owned, tradition-rooted, intentionally small.
Who We Are
Not a resort. A sanctuary.
Yoga Ashram — Costa Rica was founded in 2023 by Matea Zajec and Acyuta C., two practitioners who had spent decades studying and teaching yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic sciences across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. They created this sanctuary not as a commercial retreat business, but as a living expression of what they believe transformative wellness should be: intimate, authentic, nature-immersed, and deeply personal.
We are located in the Guanacaste dry forest of Costa Rica, minutes from world-class beaches and surrounded by jungle. Our center is small by design — we host 6-12 guests per retreat, not 30. This is not because we cannot scale; it is because we will not. The work we do — nervous-system regulation, emotional integration, pattern interruption, self-inquiry — requires safety, attention, and trust. These do not scale.
Every retreat is led by us or by teachers we have personally trained. The food is prepared in our kitchen. The gardens are tended by our hands. The ceremonies are held by people who live here, not flown in for the weekend. When you come to Yoga Ashram, you enter our home.
Our Approach
What We Stand For
Authentic Tradition
We teach from lineage — not trends. Our yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic sciences are transmitted with integrity, not diluted for mass appeal.
Intimate Scale
We host 6-12 guests per retreat, not 30. This allows personalized instruction, genuine community, and the safety to do deep work.
Plant-Based Living
Our cuisine is 100% plant-based, designed to support clarity, detoxification, and energetic sensitivity. We grow what we can and source the rest locally.
Nature as Teacher
The jungle is not our backdrop — it is our co-teacher. The sounds, rhythms, and raw beauty of Guanacaste are integral to every retreat experience.
Family-Operated
We live here. We teach here. We raise our family here. This is not a corporate wellness brand — it is our home, opened with intention to those who are ready.
Integration Over Escape
We do not offer escape. We offer tools, clarity, and practices that you take home. A retreat with us should improve your life after you leave, not just while you are here.
Meet the Founders
The People Behind the Sanctuary
Matea Zajec
Lead Teacher & Co-Founder
Matea brings two decades of dedicated practice and teaching across yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic sciences. Her teaching is rooted in tradition yet adapted to the modern seeker — precise, warm, and deeply knowledgeable. She holds a BA in Eastern Religions and Philosophy and has trained thousands of students worldwide.
Credentials
- • E-RYT 500 Yoga Teacher
- • Yoga Teacher Trainer
- • Ayurvedic Health Counselor
- • Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) Practitioner
- • Reiki Master
- • Certified Sound Healer
- • Meditation Teacher
Acyuta C.
Vedic Science Practitioner & Co-Founder
Acyuta's work bridges ancient Vedic wisdom with contemporary somatic practice. His approach to breathwork, meditation, and self-inquiry is direct and grounded — designed to create lasting shifts rather than temporary experiences. He co-created Yoga Ashram as a living container for authentic transformation.
Credentials
- • Vedic Science Practitioner (Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotisha)
- • Experienced Yoga Teacher
- • Breathwork Teacher (Wim Hof certified)
- • Reiki Master
- • Meditation Teacher
- • Inner Engineering Graduate
Why We Are Different
A Niche Retreat Center
The wellness industry has a scaling problem. Retreat centers that grow large inevitably dilute the intimacy, personalization, and depth that make transformation possible. We refuse this trade-off.
Yoga Ashram is not a hotel chain with yoga classes attached. We are a single location, family-operated sanctuary with one purpose: to hold space for genuine transformation. Our guests are not customers — they are seekers who have found their way to a container designed specifically for the work they need to do.
This means we do not offer every modality under the sun. We offer what we know deeply: yoga rooted in tradition, Ayurveda applied practically, sound and energy healing held with integrity, breathwork grounded in physiology, and self-inquiry supported by Vedic frameworks. If you are looking for a generic wellness vacation, we are not the right fit. If you are looking for depth, you have found it.
Our Location
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
We are located in the Guanacaste province on Costa Rica's Pacific coast — a region known for dry tropical forest, world-class surf breaks, and extraordinary biodiversity. The nearest international airport is Liberia (LIR), approximately 90 minutes away.
Our sanctuary sits in the jungle canopy, minutes from pristine beaches. You will fall asleep to the sounds of howler monkeys and cicadas, and wake to tropical birdsong. The dry season (December-April) brings golden light and offshore breezes. The green season (May-November) offers lush vegetation, quieter beaches, and warm afternoon rain.
This is not a beach resort. It is a jungle home opened to those who are ready to do real work in a real place.
Ready to Meet Us?
Whether you are seeking rest, healing, transformation, or adventure — we are here. Browse our retreat categories and find the experience that matches your intention.