Envision Festival 2020 – The Voyage to Costa Rica

It’s time for another 2020 festival preview!  This time, we’re taking you to the jungles of Costa Rica.  Getting ready for their 10-year anniversary, Envision Festival is sure to not disappoint.  Being veterans in the festival world has its perks.  Envision provides its attendees with endless possibilities.  From going on ATV jungle adventures and dancin’ like a fool on the beach to participating in the Herbal Clinic Training and going to a yoga workshop, there will be something for all attendees to enjoy.  Envision will take place from February 17-24, coming back home to Rancho La Merced for their 6th year.  Since this is will be the 10-year anniversary, Envision has given the option to choose either a 4 or 7 day festival experience.  The 4-day option will be from the the 20-24.  This will be the music festival option with workshops going on during the day and music playing till the sun rises.  The 7-day option is geared more towards a transformation festival experience.  You will have three extra days to go explore Costa Rica with many excursions to choose from.  Huffington Post describes Envision as, “… a heaven of creation, inspiring love through music, dance, yoga, art, healthy living and sustainability.”  This is exactly what Envision describes through their 7 Pillars: sustainability, music, spirituality, movement, health, art, and education.  These 7 pillars are the ideals that make Envision one of the best festivals around today.  Let’s dive into what these 7 pillars really mean and the experiences that are to be had in paradise.

Sustainability is a subject that will resonate throughout the whole festival the whole week.  Envision encourages their guests to teach and learn new sustainability practices.  There will be a number of workshops and speakers that will be sharing their views on learn and share their sustainable solutions within their communities outside of Envision.  Some workshops and speakers  that will hit on this topic are Paul Stamets, Ryan Rising, Rob Greenfield, and Yaniv Shanti.  All of these people have their own, unique experiences and views on how to make the world a more sustainable place to live.

To set the mood for these workshops we need to talk about the second pillar, which is music.  The past lineups for Envision have been superb, but this year will be a little more special.  Headlining this year will be Rüfüs Du Sol, Tipper, Clozee, and Nahko and Medicine for the People.  Other notable artists are The Funk Hunters, Beat Fatigue, and Lazy Syrup Orchestra (sunrise set??).  There are many returning artists, as well as some new talent for this years 10th anniversary.  Besides the headliners, we are really excited to see Dirtwire, Of The Trees, and Cheshire bring life back to the beach and jungle that is Rancho La Merced.  Check out the full lineup here.

The third pillar is spirituality.  Envision wants to, “… create a safe space to share knowledge and ideas, while enlightening all those who traveling different paths.”  Going to hear Amanda Sage speak will surely edify your spiritual self.  Amanda Sage is an artist who uses her paintings to project a spirtitual and planetary growth within the viewer.  In 2014 she launched the ‘Amanda Sage Collection.  Another speaker to know about is Yaya Erin Rivera MerrimanYaya is a Spirit Medicine Practitioner and Guidance Counselor.  She is the primary facilitator of the Medicine Mandala Green Magic Apprenticeship.  You will not want to miss the knowledge that is given out at these two workshops.

It’s a good thing to assume that you will be moving a lot at Envision Festival.  There are just so many experiences to be had.  You can take a tour of the Envision Festival Property, courtesy of the Envision Green Building Tour, go climb waterfalls, explore gorgeous coral reefs, and even go horseback riding on the beach during the sunset.  The ATV Jungle Tours are what caught my attention.  In any case, there will be plenty of places to explore during the week long festival.

The next pillar is all about health.  This ties into some of the same concepts in the sustainability pillar.  The Herbal Clinic Training Retreat has been huge success in past Envision Festivals.  It is a 14-day retreat to learn and implement practical knowledge surrounding the healing powers of medicinal plants.  This will be the fifth year that this class has been offered.  The schedule includes seven days of class, followed by five days of implementing what you have learned with a team of established herbalists.  The Retreat will start on February 9 and lead right into Envision, going till the 24th.  This is a great opportunity to learn more about herbal medicine techniques while also enjoying all that Envision has to offer.

The art that is seen at Envision is like none other, which is why it is their sixth pillar.  You will see artists creating live art to music that surrounds the jungle.  You will be able to interact with huge art structures and installations.  Envision wants their guests to interact and communicate with the environment around them.  To achieve this, Envision lights up the jungle and beach at night, creating a whole new paradise you have only seen in your dreams.  Envision brings in world-renown artists, as well as amateur artists to create a beautiful world within Rancho La Merced.

Finally, the seventh pillar is education.  There are so many topics and skills to learn at Envision.  You can learn about at least one subject that you didn’t know before by implementing each pillar while at Envision.  Through all the workshops and excursions you can participate in, taking what you have learned and experienced at Envision and teaching it to the world is a necessity after attending this bewitching festival.  One of the most educational retreats to take part in is the Envisioning Magic Retreat.  This retreat will be from February 15-24.  Guests will spend 10 days traveling and immersing together from the Caribbean to Punta MonaPunta Mona is a permaculture farm and educational retreat center on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.  Their core values are Earth care, people care, future care, and fair share.  During the retreat you can indulge in jungle gourmet foods, learn about permaculture and medicine making at Punta Mona, and practice yoga in the lush Caribbean jungle.

Well, I don’t think needs to be any more explanation for how magical awe-inspiring Envision will be for their 10-year anniversary.  What more can you want when you can go snorkeling, ride ATV’s through the wilderness, and then go see Clozee perform in the beautiful nature that will encapsulate your soul and make you wish you could stay there, in that moment, forever. Envision Festival is truly one of a kind.  If you get the opportunity to go and experience this magical place, I would implore you to not let it slip by.  Tickets are still available, so don’t miss out on this life changing opportunity.

Envision Website

Envision Tickets