1-Day Retreat: Healing Qigong and the Zen of Kintsugi, May 2025

by | Dec 8, 2024 | Information | 0 comments

1-Day Retreat: Healing Qigong and the Zen of Kintsugi (Golden Harmony)

When: Saturday 3 May 2025, 9am – 3.30pm. Please arrive between 8.45 – 9am

Where: Auckland Botanic Gardens (in the Friends Building), 102 Hill Road, The Gardens, Auckland 2105

This 1-day retreat is truly unique as this amazing combination of ancient Chinese and Japanese practices has never been offered before by Kia Ora Tai Chi. Join us for a day of self-care, where the team will guide you on how to nurture your health, let go of stress, and embrace the golden magic of imperfection.

Participants: Adults aged 18+. Beginners will be very welcome.

Embrace the Healing Power of Qigong from Ancient China

Two hands cupped over a sphere of bright light.

Awaken the energy flow within you with qigong

Discover the art of healing qigong (pronounced ‘chee gong’) with deep meditative breathing and mindful movements.

Experience a golden glow within as you awaken the energy flow (qi) throughout your body, calm your mind, and enhance your overall wellbeing.

Find Flow through the Japanese Zen concept of Wabi Sabi

Japanese calligraphy with English translation stating that wabi sabi is: “The beauty and appreciation of things imperfect and impermanent; accepting the flow of life.”

Unlock the secret to inner peace with wabi sabi. This centuries-old Japanese philosophy finds beauty in simplicity, imperfection, and the natural flow of life, which will leave you feeling ‘as good as gold’.

How liberating would it feel to stop trying to be perfect all of the time? Absolutely, it would be like winning a ‘get out of jail free’ card in a board game. By embracing imperfection and going with the flow, your movements will become more fluid and you’ll improve your qigong.

By integrating wabi sabi into your qigong practice and also everyday life, you’ll let go of stress and tension, sleep better at night and feel more energised during the day.

Rediscover Wholeness with Kintsugi (all materials will be provided for this)

White china bowl with shiny gold glue outlining the cracks.

Broken ceramic bowl that has been joined back together using golden glue (kintsugi)

Experience the magic of kintsugi (literally “golden joinery”), which is the centuries-old Japanese art of mending broken pottery with golden glue.

This practice teaches us that flaws and cracks are what make us truly unique. By applying this philosophy to life, you’ll learn to see beauty in every moment and cherish the golden experiences that shape you.

During this workshop, and with the guidance of an expert sensei (teacher), you’ll create your own kintsugi piece to take home—a beautiful reminder that nothing is ever truly broken.

Explore the Tranquil Auckland Botanic Gardens

Pathway with green bushes and red flowers either side of it, and a wooden bridge leading to a Japan-styled covered sitting area.

Camellia garden in the Auckland Botanic Gardens

At the end of the retreat, there will be time for your own self-guided tour of these peaceful gardens. You may like to:

  • Explore the serene beauty of the Camellia Garden, which will be just coming into bloom. Camellias are native to both China and Japan (and other parts of Eastern and Southern Asia).
  • Immerse yourself in Shinrin-yoku (Japanese for ‘forest bathing’) in the dappled seclusion of the native bush area.
  • Admire: the many fascinating and intriguing sculptures throughout the gardens.
  • Embark on your own ‘sniffari’ and delight in the aromas of the edible and herb gardens.
  • Get dreamy with the palms or in the rose garden.
  • Or simply wend your way along the many walkways to feast your eyes and senses on nature at its best.

$195 per person | Limited to 10 participants.  

Please contact Jocelyn (of Kia Ora Tai Chi) to reserve a place in this unique retreat by phoning or texting her on 027 493 9851, or using the Contact Form on the Kia Ora Tai Chi website. She will advise options for payment.

About your instructors

Smiling woman in a red shirt with a sword

Jocelyn Watkin

Jocelyn Watkin is a qualified qigong and tai chi instructor in Auckland, New Zealand, who has been enjoying the health benefits of these ancient Chinese arts for over 20 years. She has visited China three times and Japan over 10 times. She loves exploring and researching the traditional philosophy and the concept of Zen of both countries.

She is the founder and director of Kia Ora Tai Chi  and is registered as a group exercise provider (with own choreography) with the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs). 

Testimonial: “I really enjoyed your style, Jocelyn. Friendly, caring, informative and non-judgemental. You made me feel relaxed and welcome. Thank you.” (Participant in the Stardome mini-retreat, March 2022)

Woman with blond hair applying golden glue to a ceramic piece

Ema Frost

Ema Frost is a New Zealand artist, illustrator and ceramic designer who has been teaching Kintsugi for over five years. She regularly travels to Japan to study and learn new techniques.

Testimonial: “I really enjoyed the kintsugi workshop with Ema. She is very patient and a great teacher. And now I have the skills to make anything with this style, and have even made one as a gift. Really enjoyable day. Fun and relaxed atmosphere. Would definitely recommend this workshop. (Lisa)

Who should attend?
This workshop is open to anyone aged 18+ who seeks to refresh and rebalance their body, mind, and soul. Ideal for beginners and also for tai chi and qigong enthusiasts who want to get more out of their practice.

Here are all the details of this 1-Day Retreat for Healing Qigong and the Zen of Kintsugi (Golden Harmony)

When: Saturday 3 May 2025, 9am – 3.30pm, please arrive between 8.45 – 9am

Where: Auckland Botanic Gardens (in the Friends Building), 102 Hill Road, The Gardens, Auckland 2105

Parking: Plenty of free parking is available in the main car park at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. The Friends Building is a small house located next to the main carpark (on the Western side of the car park).

What to wear:  Comfortable, loose clothing that is easy to move in and flat-soled shoes. Please bring a jersey or hoodie to keep warm, as we will be sitting still for some of the time. If you want to explore the gardens after the retreat, please also bring an outdoor jacket.

Please bring: Your lunch, pen and paper to take notes, filled water bottle and a snack.

 $195 per person | Limited to 10 participants

Please contact Jocelyn to reserve a place in this unique retreat by phoning or texting her on 027 493 9851, or using the Contact Form on the Kia Ora Tai Chi website. She will advise options for payment.

 What is qigong (pronounced chee-gong)?

Silhouette of a woman breathing out with birds and stars soaring up from her mouth

Qigong breathing is healing and liberating

For thousands of years the Chinese have had a secret. A secret that helps to increase longevity and assists the body to heal from injury, illness and trauma.

That secret is qigong – a deep, meditative breathing and movement exercise that connects the mind to the body.

The main reasons why people learn qigong are to manage and reduce stress, and improve their overall health and well-being.

Qigong is about releasing stress, not suppressing it. Through special qigong breathing you can learn how to let go of stress so you can enjoy more of the good and creative things in life.

Jocelyn and Ema would love to share their knowledge with you at this very special retreat so you can immerse yourself in Healing Qigong and the Zen of Kintsugi.

Cancellation policy

This retreat must be paid for in full to reserve your place. A 90% refund is available if you withdraw before 1 February 2025. A 50% refund is available if you withdraw before 1 March 2025.  No refunds are available from 1 March onwards.

If you are unwell on the workshop day (3 May 2025)

Please do not attend if you are sick or have cold or ‘flu-like symptoms. In these circumstances, you will be issued with a credit to attend another tai chi or qigong workshop or retreat by Kia Ora Tai Chi.

All participants will need to respect the need for social distancing at all times during the retreat. Anyone is welcome to wear a face mask if they wish.

The room will be well-ventilated and hand sanitiser will be provided.

We will abide by the NZ Government’s health advice and regulations as they apply at the time of this retreat.

Tai chi and qigong can boost immunity

by | Dec 12, 2021 | Information | 0 comments

Human figure holding a Yin/Yang ball with radiating lines pulsing outwardsLatest evidence suggests that both tai chi and qigong have a positive impact on immune system functioning and inflammatory responses.

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic has driven more research into medical interventions and options that improve immunity and recovery.

The quest has been wide-ranging and has included the effect that tai chi and qigong have on our immune responses.

During 2020, a group of medical specialists and researchers from hospitals in Sydney and Seoul and also from the Harvard, Stamford and Sydney Medical Schools collaborated on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 full-text randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for tai chi and qigong. These 19 RCTs involved 1,686 participants in total.

The conclusion: Current evidence indicates that practising tai chi and qigong has a positive impact on immune system functioning and inflammatory responses. Read more: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/7/7/39/htm

Please bear in mind that these RCTs required people to practice tai chi or qigong at least twice per week and for at least several weeks. The positive effect on your health and wellbeing from tai chi and qigong can’t happen if you only try it once or twice and then stop. You need to practice regularly. There are very few things in this world that work with just one dose.

Please also note that while the review confirmed tai chi and qigong have a positive impact on immune system functioning and inflammatory responses, it did NOT prove that these activities prevent you from catching Covid-19 or other diseases.

Additional activities that can help you to boost your immunity levels are:

  • Maintaining a healthy diet
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Keeping hydrated, especially in summer and also when exercising
  • Minimising stress

If you have any concerns about Covid-19 or other health matters, please talk to your doctor and other fully-qualified medical professionals.

Better breathing, better life

by | Sep 17, 2020 | Information | 0 comments

Breathing – we all do it automatically: approximately 18 times per minute, 1,080 times per hour and nearly 26,000 times in a 24-hour day. You would have thought we’d got it down to a fine art?

But, what if I told you that most of us could do this breathing thing a lot better? And, by better I mean having more more energy, less anxiety, better sleep, less stress, a better posture with less back ache, and that it was a way you could quickly calm your mind when it is revved up. Of course, you don’t have to do this type of breathing for all of those 26,000 breaths. Instead, you can try it for just for a minute or two and for 2-3 times per day – it could make a huge difference in your life and health.

Tai chi is an ancient, Chinese exercise programme and martial art that involves a series of movements performed in a mindful, focussed manner and accompanied by deep breathing.

You don’t have to know tai chi to learn tai chi breathing. I can show you how to do this so you can breathe your way to better health. You will be able do this anywhere, anytime at home, at work and even on a bus or train.

Let me show you how in this short, 3-minute video.

What happens when we don’t breathe properly? Journalist, James Nestor, and a friend decided to try it for just two weeks. He said on Radio NZ National this week, “We knew it wasn’t going to be fun, but we didn’t know it was going to be a bad as it was. Within a few hours my blood pressure shot up about 20 points. That night I start snoring and I had not snored before.”

Check out the RadioNZ broadcast with James Nestor in this link.

I’ve also written about WHY tai chi breathing is so good for you and how it can help you to bust stress in just a few minutes per day. Click here to find out.

How to escape from the ‘No Sleep Club’

by | Aug 26, 2019 | Information | 0 comments

It’s a night club, but there’s no dancing or happiness. The ‘No Sleep Club’ is no fun at all. It feels like you are stuck at the Hotel California – “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”. [Lyrics by The Eagles, 1977]

However, Dr Giresh Kanji has discovered five keys, any of which will open the door to the escape route.

After decades of research, literature searches and clinical trials, Dr Kanji identified the following activities (the keys) to escape insomnia. These also help with depression and anxiety, which are often closely related to insomnia:

  • Tai chi
  • Meditative breathing
  • Exercise that is at least slightly rigorous
  • Sauna
  • Yoga

There were no surprises for me to discover that tai chi is in the Top 5. Nearly all of my students (and me) comment on how much better they sleep after a tai chi class.

Note: not one of the five activities includes medication or hospital visits.

You don’t have to do all of the activities listed above, just pick one and get started. Fortunately, with tai chi you can win the trifecta as the first three activities listed above are packaged together when you learn tai chi. If you’re doing tai chi in our humid January and February weather, you might even get something close to sauna conditions, too. 🙂  Click here to try a special tai chi breathing exercise with me. It takes less than a minute to learn.

Find out more about why and how these five activities [habits] work by watching this TV interview with Dr Kanji. It is just under 5 minutes duration. Or you can clilck on this link: https://youtu.be/F8GIgJ3fM7M

Dr Kanji has written a book called: “Brain Connections: How to sleep better, worry less and feel happier” where he explores the role of childhood trauma, stress, and the links between stress-related symptoms and fatigue, concentration and dementia. He outlines the five habits [activities] that reduce the activity of the stress brain and improve insomnia, anxiety and depression. Click here to learn more about this book or to buy it.

Dr Kanji is a New Zealander and a graduate of the Otago Medical School. His is a musculoskeletal pain specialist and researcher. He explored the sensory amplification of pain in his PhD including the role of the human stress response.

Dr Giresh Kanji

He is an honorary Senior Lecturer at Auckland University, the chairperson of the NZ Pain Foundation and editor of Australasian Musculoskeletal Medicine. To find out more about him: https://gireshkanji.com/dr-giresh-kanji

Find out more:

Tai chi calms and grows your brain

by | May 17, 2019 | Information | 0 comments

Watering can pouring water onto a head and the brain is sprouting new, green leavesYour brain while meditating – calm, clear and confident. Your brain doing tai chi – calm, clear, and confident. This is no coincidence. Even my newer students notice how the more experienced students ‘get in the zone’ when doing tai chi. They want that, too. Don’t we all??

Ah, mawhitiwhiti iti (little grasshoppers), the key is in the breathing. With tai chi you learn how to match your breath with your movements.

I’ve dug out a great article to help you understand how it works:

“… Both tai chi and mindfulness meditation focus your attention on the breath. That single focus may help your brain make lasting changes that impact the way you see (and cope) with things.

Research has found that both tai chi and meditation have a powerful effect on the mind, cultivating a stillness that serves to increase focus, reduce stress, and boost cognitive skills.”  Read on

Wait there’s more! This research has also shown that tai chi can train your brain and improve your life in three ways. This is because tai chi:

  • grows the size of your brain, even when you are no longer a child (or even young)
  • improves your memory and ability to stay focussed
  • shakes off stress.

Keep practising and you too will enter the zone. Click here to discover more about this research into tai chi.