People travel to Blue Osa from all over the world to heal. The Osa Peninsula is a powerful energetic vortex that seems to magnetize a certain type of person which is why Yogi Aaron was called here in the first place. He was hosting a yoga retreat right down the road from the sacred land that would later become Blue Osa.
Blue Osa is called a yoga retreat and spa, and although there is an emphasis on these healing modalities, our offerings don’t stop there.
Just as yoga is not limited to just the physical movements you would find in a class, healing takes many different forms.
One of Blue Osa’s offerings that some might not know is available here is acupuncture. So here you will learn a little about this Eastern therapy as well as Blue Osa’s Acupuncturist, Koji.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an Eastern form of healing that has come a long way in Western society based on scientific proof of its positive health impact on recipients.
If you know very little to nothing about acupuncture you probably at least know that a practitioner sticks tiny needles in your body. And although that is true, we want to expand on this knowledge of this valuable healing practice, because it might just be the answer to a problem you are currently experiencing.
So what is acupuncture?
Simply put, an Acupuncturist inserts tiny needles into a combination of up to 361 specific points on a patient’s body that will activate, circulate or unblock the flow of Qi through meridians, or pathways in the human body.
Placing these fine needles in these specific spots, results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
It’s not uncommon for someone to be scared of needles and so one might avoid Acupuncture for this reason. But the needles used are very fine and are usually a few centimetres long.
The needles may be inserted just under the skin, or deeper so they reach muscle. Once the needles are in place, they may be left in position for a length of time lasting from a few minutes up to around 30 minutes.
You may feel a tingling or a dull ache when the needles are inserted but you should not experience any significant pain so don’t let these tiny needles stop you from a treatment that just might change your life.
Benefits of Acupuncture
Besides the fact that Acupuncture gets results, it is a popular treatment for many reasons:
- People can effectively combine acupuncture with other treatments.
- It carries a low risk of side effects.
- It is a flexible form of treatment that can target numerous health concerns at once.
For these reasons, we believe acupuncture is a complementary treatment that will enhance the healing experiences of our guests and we couldn’t be more honored to have such a seasoned master of the practice at Blue Osa.
Meet Blue Osa’s Acupuncturist Koji
At age seventeen, Koji purchased a one-way ticket to India and for the next seven years, he traveled throughout Asia and Africa to become a dedicated student of Eastern healing therapies and techniques.
At a Shao Lin Monastery, in China’s Yunan Province bordering Tibet, he studied Tai Qi, Qi Gong, and Kung Fu. In Hunan Province, he mastered the basics of Chinese and learned the rudiments of ancient medical practices from a Master acupuncturist, who successfully treated severe bullet wounds during the Tiananmen Square protests.
Koji explained the reason he became an Acupuncturist was because “Tian Ming is our ‘heavenly mandate.’ I figured out mine was to do something good that helps people.”
Koji moved to British Columbia and completed a rigorous five-year curriculum at the Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences. Prior to earning his doctor’s degree and graduating valedictorian, he returned to China for his clinical practicum.
Koji first visited Costa Rica on a surfing trip. He fell in love with the Osa Peninsula and its people. In 2006, he and his young family relocated to Matapalo not far from a surfing break and right down the road from Blue Osa. His nearby clinic treats locals as well as expats and tourists.
“When you pay for my service at Blue Osa you are also supporting the clinic where we treat many Ticos for next to nothing.”
Like Chinese philosophy, Koji’s approach to health care is practical: “I am really into what works. We cannot separate mind from body, but I like to begin with what can be seen.”
Koji explains, “In Chinese medicine, thoughts and emotions move throughout the body in a particular way. People can have personal and psychological challenges in one’s life that affect their bodies, but when you manipulate the physical body you can influence mind and spirit.”
Healing is a Journey
As stated above, healing is a journey and every body is different. That goes for the mental, emotional and the spiritual bodies as well, not just the physical body. As we all have unique experiences, genetics, traumas and lifestyles that contribute to our current state of being.
Whether you are at the very beginning of your healing journey or you’ve been struggling for quite some time, Blue Osa is here to support you. We have very gifted practitioners, like Koji, who are Masters in their field and specialize in unique offerings that you can rest assured will transform you in one way or another.
So if you’re ready to immerse yourself in Blue Osa’s healing container on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, click the link below and book your healing vacation now.
