From the Founders

More than 30 years ago, we both had reached a point in our lives where we made a choice to start living on a more spiritual basis. We began on separate paths, each facing their own challenges, seeking a way to feel more connected to ourselves, to other people, and to life.

When we met, we were just finding our balance, and forging ahead together seemed both exciting and  risky. We did not know what lay ahead, but we did know there was no going back.

The Road Together

Over the years since, as we built a marriage and raised a family, this became the journey of our lives. Never certain, and certainly never perfect, we experimented with every spiritual and wellness practice we encountered, always searching for new answers, new solutions to bring us closer to an ideal we couldn’t quite define, but we knew we had to strive for.

We read books, attended seminars, joined groups, spent countless hours in yoga, prayer, meditation, breathwork, and speaking with friends who shared our passion. At each bump in the road, each crossroads, we leaned in, and what we continually discovered was that it wasn’t any specific idea, practice, or supplement, but rather it was the spirit of seeking itself that supplied us with fresh strength when we might have otherwise faltered. 

Keep it Simple

A simple, age-old truth emerged as the ultimate answer, and the answer was that it was not about the answer at all, it was about the question. It was not the destination, it was the journey itself.  It was not the discovery, it was the seeking.

Likewise, it was not about reaching a place of perfect health in our bodies or eternal serenity in our minds. It was embracing the full spectrum of experience, the gifts of this world, the gifts of our consciousness, and the gifts of connection. 

Searching the World Over

For many years, we had traveled whenever we could. We visited beautiful beaches and stayed at luxury resorts, but we often returned home feeling as though we needed another vacation. We rested, but we had not necessarily grown, opened, or felt changed by the experience.

It was just at this point that we were drawn to Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast, and specifically to Punta Uva. The jungle came right up to the sea. The water was warm and gentle. Monkeys, sloths, birds, butterflies, lizards, and countless other forms of life surrounded us everywhere we looked.

It felt raw, vibrant, peaceful, and completely alive.

It was undeniably magical. For us, it was a place where nature, movement, touch, music, laughter, vulnerability, adventure, and being with other people seemed more tangible, more accessible. 

We immediately wanted to share it with our family, with our friends, and with anyone else who might experience it the same way.

We had spent years searching for the right place, but after only thirty-six hours in Punta Uva, everything came together. We found the property that would become Asencia, and it felt as though we were in the right place at exactly the right time.

On that very day, hours before we had to return home, we were invited to take part in a blessing of the land. During that ceremony, we set an intention for the property: that everyone who came here, including our family, our friends, and one day our guests, would feel peaceful and happy, deepen their connections, and remember what life is truly about.

The Dream of  Asencia

Maren had spent more than 25 years working in the luxury spa and wellness industry. She knew firsthand how much thought and care could go into creating a beautiful guest experience. But she also knew traditional luxury could sometimes feel too polished, formal… disconnected from real life.

We wanted a place of comfort and beauty, but we also wanted truth, nature, freedom, and genuine human connection. We wanted what we came to think of as luxury for the human spirit.

We worked with local architects and builders to place the casitas carefully within the land, preserving the surrounding nature and creating an experience connected to the jungle, the breeze, the sunrise, and the sunset.

We also realized very quickly that everything we needed was already here: massage therapists, chefs, breathwork facilitators, yoga teachers, artists, guides, and wellness practitioners are all part of this community. Their talent, warmth, culture, and knowledge are an essential part of Asencia.

The plants and natural resources of Costa Rica have also become part of the experience. The herbs growing near the casitas, healing teas, cacao, native plants, body treatments, food, and local traditions all connect us more deeply to the place we are in.

Our Intention for You

Asencia is not designed to isolate people from the real world or create a false version of reality. It is meant to bring people more fully into the world. That is why breathwork, massage, sauna, and cold plunge belong alongside ATV rides, waterfalls, wildlife, shared meals, music, movement, and laughter.

To us, the human experience is not one or the other. It is all of it together.

When we are at Asencia, we feel closer to the people we were always meant to be. We feel more present, more alive, and more connected to what matters. That is what we hope to share with every person who comes here. Not the pressure to become someone new, but the space to remember who you always have been.