Instructor & Co-Founder

Mara is a certified masseuse, yoga instructor, personal trainer, and level-4 Reiki master.

She was raised just outside of Rio De Janeiro and lived there until she was 32 at which point she moved to Southern California. Her early years were fraught with dysfunction, perhaps the reason she became a healer. Mara has been working with private clients for the past 20 years providing somatic body work, massage, breathwork, and sound-bowl healing treatments.

Mother of three wonderful children, Mara is also a four-time IFBB champion and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English.

Co-Founder

Mara and Chris are co-founders of Maravilha Retreat Center and intend to create a Maravilhoso retreat — a place of serenity, peace and transformation.

Chris is a certified yoga instructor (RYT-200 hours), Reiki (level 2), Vipassana meditator, cold therapy and breath work facilitator and an Ayahuasca ceremony facilitator and integrator.

Maintenance

Tiago is our everything man and takes care of the maintenance of our property.

Hospitality

Neya and Eileen are our master hospitality team! They provide all of our cooking and cleaning services.

Tour Guide

Born in Rio de Janeiro and raized in Búzios, Loan specializes in eco tourism. With over 12 years of experience and fluent in English and Spanish, he will take care of all your adventure needs — hidden hiking trails, bike rides, scuba diving, canoeing and anything else you desire to experience in Brazil. He doesn’t just want you to visit Búzios, but to feel it!

Our Spirit Animals