The Founders

Stephan Rechtschaffen
Since founding Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York over 30 years ago, Stephan has been working in the field of inner growth and spirituality.He has been a leader in the holistic educational field and has influenced society at large with his understanding of the emerging trends in cultural shifts occurring in societal awareness in alternative health, education, environment and community practices. Currently he serves as a Special Adviser to Omega’s Board.

Stephan is a nationally recognized holistic physician who lectures on health, wellness, nutrition, longevity and time. Stephan is the author of Time Shifting, a book that focuses on one’s relationship to time and stress amidst the quickening pace of modern life. These interests have drawn him to living and working in the more mindful and slower paced environment of Blue Spirit in Costa Rica.

Stephan has been involved for many years in developing communities that model sustainable and spiritual dimensions of living a more wholesome and authentic lifestyle. He has and currently serves as a consultant or Board member to many organizations which promote this type of work, including Upaya Zen Center, the Center for Discovery and GeoFund. He looks to work more closely in Central America to promote organizations espousing these values. He views the emerging culture in Costa Rica and Latin America as an important frontier in practicing the values of a sustainable and wholesome lifestyle for himself, his family and others.

Michael Mayzel
While having executive experience in business spanning over 20 years, a commitment to environmental advocacy and humanitarian principles have been fundamental influences in his business practices. While Executive Vice-president for Daymen Photo Marketing, owner of the Lowepro brand of camera bag and carrying cases, Michael worked in collaboration with Valhalla Wilderness Society to assist in the creation of the Spirit Bear Wilderness Park in British Columbia, one of the oldest coastal rainforests. He also worked alongside the Raincoast Conservation Society to secure the largest trophy hunting concession in North America, effectively stopping grizzly bear and wolf hunting in the British Columbia middle coast. He is currently involved in several business ventures in Canada and is actively involved in both Human Rights Watch and War Child Canada.

Recently moved from Toronto, Canada, he now makes his home on Vancouver Island in Victoria close to family and friends. A strong desire to support others who are guided by humanitarian principles is ever present and varied, from supporting locally family run businesses to encouraging aspiring artists. Michaels’ interests range from being a passionate photographer and lover of music to being a participant in a variety of sports.

Joshua Rosenthal
Joshua Rosenthal is the founder and director of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition – the largest nutrition school in the world specializing in holistic nutrition and lifestyle counseling. The Institutes mission is to play a crucial role in improving the health and happiness of people’s lives throughout the world. Joshua has over 25 years of experience in the fields of whole foods, holistic living and personal coaching. He is also the author of Biodiversity and Human Health, The Energy Balance Diet and Integrative Nutrition Feed Your Hunger for Health & Happiness and is a monthly contributor in several magazines about nutrition and holistic living.

Thierry Von Der Weid
A native of Switzerland, Thierry studied Commerce at the renowned Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Lausanne Switzerland. After creating a successful concert light show business, Thierry and wife Martine traveled extensively through out the Americas for 2 years. They eventually settled in Nosara and opened the Café de Paris Hotel and Restaurant in 1995. Since then they have been intensely active in the Nosara community and have founded various non-profit organizations including Health Care, ESL classes and in Public School development. All the while developing the Hotel Café de Paris in Nosara as a community hub along with a bank, a combined clinic and pharmacy as well as other various shops.

Thierry and Martine are proud to be a part of the Blue Spirit Retreat Center. They are enjoying participating in it’s development as an ecological and green project. They look forward to building the best future in which to raise their six year old son Mael.