Today’s episode probably never would have happened if it weren’t for a car accident that occurred during my trip to Rythmia in Costa Rica — a moment of serendipity and synchronicity that I am, looking back, grateful for.

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Because that shared experience started my conversation with Alix Goldsmith Marcaccini, who runs Cuixmala, which is both one of the most beautiful and ecologically sustainable vacation destinations on the planet.

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Cuixmala — which means “the soul’s resting place” — is an oasis in the center of the 30,000 acre Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve. Here, the line between luxury and nature dissolves. The estate was originally built by Alix’s father, Sir James Goldsmith, an influential British businessman who became disillusioned with corporate life and dedicated himself to ecology. And environmentalism is still at the heart of Cuixmala today.

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A sprawling biodynamic farm provides 90% of everything served on the estate, while wild animals are protected and roam freely. And integrated into all of this is otherworldly architecture that only serves to highlight the diverse surroundings: postcard-perfect beaches, rocky bluffs jutting out into the Pacific, lush jungle, sweeping savannah, or coconut palm groves.

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Cuixmala is a little slice of paradise in the middle of a chaotic world. It’s an effort to do a little good for the planet as our species slowly destroys it. It’s a unique opportunity to enjoy the height of luxury while also getting in touch with the spiritual side of yourself that can only reveal itself in nature.

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It’s something you really have to see for yourself.

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Topics Discussed In This Episode:

• Why Alix’s father, Sir James Goldsmith, built Cuixmala
• Sir James Goldsmith’s astounding ecological efforts & confrontational relationship with the press
• Transitioning from organic to biodynamic farming
• No piece of nature is unimportant—even a single baby turtle—which is why we made sure every baby sea turtle made it to the ocean safely while I was visiting
• The craziest thing that Alix has ever seen on the property
• Alix’s three natural childbirths (two on the Cuixmala property)
• Why is conventional food “organic” but artificially-created food is just “food”?
• The difference between being organic and bio-dynamic
• A psychological and spiritual perspective on farming and the cycle of life
• Alix’s journey with plant medicine
• The most outlandish requests that Alix has had from her guests
• Why Alix is motivated to contribute and create a positive impact on the planet, even though she doesn’t really have to

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More about this episode.

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