The Seed of Kubuda: From Sound Healing to Costa Rica Retreats

A Spark in Naples

The seed for Kubuda was planted in 2015, when I first crossed paths with the radiant soul that is Nicola Bunnett, owner of Kunjani Café in Naples, Florida. Anyone who knows Nicola knows her as a light—bright, loving, and endlessly generous. From the very beginning, she extended an open hand and heart, inviting me to lead weekly evening meditations at Kunjani.

What began humbly—with one crystal bowl, two facilitators, and three meditators—soon blossomed into a gathering of fifty people, eight crystal bowls resonating in harmony, and a community rooted in love. Those evenings were transformative, not only for those who joined but for me as well. I witnessed, time and again, how just one hour of intentional stillness and sound could ease burdens, soften hearts, and remind us of our own inner light.

Discovering Casa Kia Ora

Over those years, Nicola and I became dear friends. In 2018, she and her husband, Neville, followed a calling to create a retreat center. Their search for the perfect location led them to the lush southwest coast of Costa Rica, where the land itself seemed to sing with possibility. They invited me to join them in exploring properties, and having visited Costa Rica just a few years earlier, I leapt at the chance to return. Together, we found the land that would become Casa Kia Ora, a sanctuary rooted in nature and love.

The first time I walked the property, I knew: people needed to come here. This was a place where deep healing could unfold, where transformation could blossom, where the jungle itself seemed to hold you. It felt like the perfect place to weave together my own journey of healing and the work I had been offering through Firefly Within. Kubuda was beginning to take shape.

The Pause and the Return

Casa Kia Ora opened its doors in 2020, but the world paused. Travel stopped, and with it, the plans for our first Kubuda Costa Rica retreat were placed gently on hold. Yet the dream did not fade.

In 2021, I returned to Costa Rica, and Casa Kia Ora had already grown into something more magical than I had ever imagined. The richness of the jungle, the thoughtful details infused into every corner, and the promise of spaces still to come—like the Shala yoga studio and Kunjani Costa Rica—were all part of its unfolding story.

By the summer of 2023, I returned once more to Costa Rica to find Casa Kia Ora in full bloom. At the same time, Nicola’s vision for Hello Wellness was being born—a dream of creating a wellness center within the sanctuary. Her vision inspired me deeply, intertwining with my own unfolding dream for Kubuda and adding yet another layer of richness to what was to come. Casa Kia Ora was evolving, and so was Kubuda.

Birth of Return to Radiance, Your Costa Rica Retreat

Every class I attended, every book I read, every teacher I met added layers of wisdom and depth to the vision. Piece by piece, the first Kubuda retreat, Return to Radiance, was born.

Return to Radiance was crafted with love, care, and intention in every detail. From the private chef who nourishes with meals aligned to each retreat’s energy, to the curated excursions designed to awaken joy and playfulness, to the workshops and practices guiding guests back to their inner radiance—each element was chosen to support comfort, connection, and transformation.

And at the heart of every Kubuda, just as it was in the beginning at Kunjani Café, are the nightly sound healings and meditations. What once began with a single crystal bowl in Naples has now blossomed into immersive sound journeys that close each day of the retreat—helping guests release, integrate, and return to a place of deep peace. It is here that the original seed of Kubuda continues to bloom.

Kubuda was never meant to be just a retreat—it takes its name from the Shona language of Zimbabwe, Nicola’s homeland, meaning to rise up. It is an offering of the heart, a place where the jungle holds you, where radiance is remembered, and where transformation unfolds in its own perfect time. Here, we do not retreat; we rise and return to our radiance.

Come Experience the Magic

Kubuda is the seed of love and intention, grown into a living sanctuary of transformation. But words can only share so much—the true magic is felt when you arrive, breathe in the jungle air, and allow yourself to be held by its beauty.

I invite you to join us for our next Kubuda and experience for yourself the radiance, connection, and transformation that await.

In radiance and gratitude,

Karin Wolfe

Founder, Kubuda