Sometimes the deepest lessons arrive when we loosen our grip.
High above the rainforest, suspended from a zip line on the flanks of Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano, I felt the invitation of the Pura Vida lifestyle in my body before I understood it with my mind. Fear and exhilaration moved through me all at once as the jungle rushed beneath my feet. There was nothing to control. Only the choice to lean back, trust the harness, and let life carry me forward.
Around me, laughter echoed. Guides waited patiently. Fellow Spirit Tours travelers encouraged one another, each person stepping forward in their own time. No one was rushed. No one was left behind. And again and again, the same gentle phrase held us all: Pura Vida.
In that moment, it became more than words. It became a way of being.
The Pura Vida Lifestyle as Spiritual Practice
Pura Vida is a phrase commonly heard in Costa Rica, yet its meaning extends far beyond translation. Literally, it means “pure life.” In practice, it reflects a worldview rooted in presence, gratitude, and trust. The Pura Vida lifestyle feels less like a philosophy to adopt and more like an invitation to remember what already matters.
It’s no surprise that Costa Rica has become a destination for spiritual tourism and personal growth. Here, the outer journey so often becomes an inner journey. Life moves at a human pace. Connection takes precedence over efficiency. Mindfulness arrives not through discipline, but through daily interaction.
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Every time I struggle through my limited Spanish, especially in La Fortuna at the base of Arenal Volcano, the exchange usually ends the same way. Once we’ve communicated and genuinely connected, the clerk or waiter smiles and says, Pura Vida. That gentle affirmation makes my halting effort feel not only accepted, but welcomed.
When Values Become Visible
The Pura Vida lifestyle isn’t an abstract idea. It’s expressed through lived choices. I was astonished to learn that nature has a voice in Costa Rica’s legal system, that the country is home to the first UN-sponsored Peace University, and that it chose long ago to disband its standing army.
These are not symbolic gestures. They reflect a collective commitment to peace, community, and reverence for life. Values here are not aspirational. They are practiced.
One afternoon, we visited an open-air workshop run by three older Indigenous Costa Rican women. Using local clay and natural dyes, they demonstrated ancestral pottery techniques with laughter and care. My own attempt produced a misshapen bowl. With a few deft turns, one woman transformed it into something beautiful. She handed it back with a smile, a gentle pat, and a quiet Pura Vida.
Grace, made visible.
Learning the Pura Vida Lifestyle Through Community and Nature
Over years of returning to Costa Rica, I’ve come to recognize the quiet optimism woven through daily life. When we ask, “Can we see the baby turtles?” or “Can we try a local pottery class?” the answer is often, “Sure, sure.” And here, it actually happens.
Walking through the jungle, watching leaf-cutter ants and listening for howler monkeys, feels like stepping into oneness. The sounds of birds and the deep peace of the forest awaken something ancient within me. A self that does not move at the pace of modern life. This kind of knowing can’t be learned from a book. It must be experienced.
At the beach, seated in a simple open-air restaurant beneath a thatched gazebo, my feet resting in the sand, my whole body softens. Perfection isn’t required here. Needs are met without excess. Simplicity leads. From this vantage point, I can finally see my own busy, deadline-driven life with compassion rather than judgment.
The Pura Vida lifestyle is shaped by this relationship with the land. Nature is not scenery. It is teacher, companion, and guide.
Carrying Pura Vida Home
Integrating the Pura Vida lifestyle beyond Costa Rica is both the challenge and the gift. Some practices I continue to carry include:
- Practicing gratitude for small, ordinary moments
- Slowing conversations so connection matters more than efficiency
- Spending intentional time in nature, even close to home
- Choosing simplicity over excess when possible
- Trusting flexibility when plans change
Living this way amid full schedules and uncertain times isn’t easy. Yet living Pura Vida offers a steady framework for contentment and peace. Rooted in gratitude, optimism, community, and reverence for nature, it nurtures resilience without asking for perfection.
In a world that rewards speed and constant achievement, the Pura Vida lifestyle feels both radical and deeply timely.
Wherever you are reading this, pause for a breath. Feel the ground beneath you. And if the words Pura Vida linger, let them. They have a way of finding their own rhythm, quietly and patiently, reminding us that life does not need to be hurried to be meaningful.
About the Author
Rev. Dr. Petra Weldes is the Co-Owner of Spirit Tours. Dr Petra recently retired as the Spiritual Leader of CSLDallas a role she held since 1998. She is a gifted speaker, teacher, and interfaith leader who brings heart, humor, and insight to everything she does. Over more than three decades, her work has inspired thousands to live with greater joy and spiritual awareness.
An award-winning minister and author, Dr. Petra has led workshops and retreats around the world, helping people connect with their purpose and inner wisdom. She has also created courses on practical spirituality and co-authored three journals on living with joy. Through her teaching and storytelling, she creates welcoming spaces where people can explore, grow, and truly feel at home on their spiritual journey.
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