"AmaTierra Redefines the Three Rs: Relax, Renew, Rejuvenate"
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Check out our new Organic Living Tour which includes the AmaTierra experience along with a stay at one of the world's most esteemed sustainable farms.
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Owners, Bob and Jill Ruttenberg
Bob and Jill, the owners of AmaTierra, are from Tucson Arizona and live on the premises.
Jill is a registered herbalist (AHG) who specializes in Chinese and western herbal medicine. Jill is a colleague of Dr. Andrew Weil and participated in weekly patient conferences at the program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona Medical Center. She has also had the good fortune to study with some of the best herbalists and OMD's in the world, including Dr. Michael Tierra and Dr. Joel Penner. Jill is also a certified massage therapist who practices many modalities, a Hatha Yoga instructor, and writer of articles for U.S. alternative health publications. Nutritional consulting, massage and yoga classes are all available on the premises at AmaTierra.
Bob Ruttenberg comes from a career of 40 years in the music business which began the day he returned to Chicago from the Woodstock Festival of 1969. He owned two record stores in the mountains of Colorado in the 70's & 80s and since then has helped hundreds of artists become known and respected, especially in the world of jazz music. Bob's friendly and enthusiastic nature and his passion for music will ignite your love of the arts. Ask Bob to turn you on to a special CD of your favorite kind of music. You will like it.
The Ruttenbergs have two grown daughters, Amanda, a visual artist currently living in Connecticut, and Tara, a recent graduate of the Master’s program at University for Peace in Costa Rica.
Our Mission
Our mission is to serve the whole person and provide an oasis of tranquility and rejuvenation through yoga, meditation, mind/body awareness, healthful food, fresh spring water, herbal medicine and bodywork.
We wish our guests to relax and have fun in a friendly atmosphere, to let nature be the primary healer, and to touch in with the local culture of rural Costa Rica. Please join us at AmaTierra and experience a truly unique retreat.
Owner/Partner Investment Opportunities
AmaTierra, LLC is a community of investors who believe in the vision of a peaceful haven for rest and rejuvenation which has as its foundation the beauty of the tropics and builds upon that magnificence with the tenets of natural health and healing. Together, these exceptional people form the backbone of this very special place called AmaTierra.
If you wish to join our investment community, there are still a few spots available. Please direct serious inquiries to Bob or Jill Ruttenberg by emailing us at amatierra@gmail.com.
Read more about AmaTierra's wonderful partners and investors.
Our Wellness Professionals
Psychotherapists & Horse Reflection Experts, Mark & Marsha Friedman
AmaTierra is a holistic center which firmly believes in addressing all aspects of a person. The inclusion of professional psychotherapists Mark & Marsha Friedman to our staff offers guests a new dimension of healing. Mark and Marsha, who have been married for 35 years, work together in creative, experiential and joyful ways to help clients create powerful and lasting change in their lives.
Mark and Marsha are available for group sessions or private sessions with individuals, couples or families during their stay at AmaTierra. They help people re-frame negative thinking and learn better communication skills to deepen relationships and transform engrained patterns. The end result is a healthier self image and more joyful interactions with others. Guests feel comfortable in the presence of this nurturing couple, and much is accomplished in a very short time.
In addition to providing private sessions, the Friedmans also offer an Equine Experience at their picturesque ranch. Here people and horses come together for a unique experience to learn more about the deeper levels of one’s true self, and to manage life’s challenges in new and different ways.
cheryl. april 2010.
"My family benefited enormously from our Equine Experience. Marsha and Mark are highly skilled and provide a structured, warm and nurturing atmosphere in which to explore. The horses were incredible and highly intuitive. It felt like a magical & almost spiritual experience. Our family came away stronger, more centered and even closer than we were before. The photos were also a gorgeous bonus! It was also a nice way to explore the local Costa Rican countryside and culture. Thanks M & M!"
Isabel Valverde Hernandez, Massage Therapist, Esthetician and Spa Specialist
Our Staff
Kenneth Badilla, Manager and Guest Services
Kenneth was born and raised in southern Costa Rica and grew up working for his family's hotel and restaurant in the Osa Peninsula. He learned the art of service-industry management from a very early age, a skill he perfected in his time working for large hotels and restaurants around the country.
Kenneth is a remarkable tour guide, and he'll impress you with his wealth of local knowledge on Costa Rican wildlife. Kenneth's friendly smile, vibrant, capable personality, impeccable attention to detail, talent for guest relations and motivated work ethic shine through everything he does. We are delighted to welcome him to our AmaTierra team.
Margarita Arias Nunez, Head Chef
Margarita is a Costa Rican native of our local county of Turrubares with over twenty-five years' experience in the restaurant industry.
She delivers consistenly delicious gourmet creations with a special Costa Rican twist, is trained in Asian cooking and specializes in traditional fare. Margarita's ability to cater to all dietary needs is truly remarkable and we are grateful for the four years she has been tempting our tastebuds here in the AmaTierra kitchen.
Yolanda Jimenez Bermudez, Head of Service Staff and Housekeeping
Rafael 'Cuco' Zuniga Navarro, Maintenance Manager
Amatierra staff and their families
Including Elizabeth Alpizar Bermudez, Sara Sandi, Marjorie Jimenez, Marjorie Carvajal Herrera, Kitchen and Service Staff.
"Breathtaking scenery, wonderful people, great food. Never before have I had such an amazing experience."