Workshops and retreats

1-Day Retreat: Discover Balance and Harmony with 5-Element Qigong

• When: Sunday 2 November 2025, 9am – 3.30pm. (Please arrive between 8.40 – 8.55am)
• Where: Auckland Botanic Gardens (in the Logan Campbell Building), 102 Hill Road, The Gardens, Manurewa, Auckland 2105
• Participants: Adults aged 18+. Beginners will be very welcome.
• Limited to 10 participants

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a way to re-balance yourself when you feel ‘out of kilter’. Absolutely!  Through the ancient, revitalising art of 5-Element Qigong you can learn how restore and rejuvenate your body, mind and soul.

According to ancient Chinese philosophy, everything in the universe (including humans) is composed of  five elements – Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Fire. When these five are in harmony, all is well. When they are not, you feel ‘out of balance’, tired and often stressed.

As a qualified qigong instructor, Jocelyn Watkin offers an in-depth opportunity to learn the venerated practice of 5-Element Qigong — a gentle yet powerful sequence of movements based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, which harmonises your movements and breathing in line with the five elements.

This gentle, nourishing retreat will include:

• Guided 5-Element Qigong, which is suitable for all abilities.
• Mindful breathing and relaxation.
• A beautiful guided art activity where you’ll make a mandala, symbolising balance and harmony.
• Time in nature and the opportunity for a self-guided stroll through the gardens.
• A small, supportive group of adults in a peaceful setting.

Whether you’re new to qigong (pronounced chee-gong) or looking to deepen your existing practice, this retreat is a chance to reconnect with what truly sustains you — inside and out.

Read the reviews and feedback from Jocelyn’s 1-Day qigong retreat in May 2025:

• “One of the best retreats I have ever attended.”
• “It was a nurturing and valuable day to spend time healing myself.”
• “Loved the philosophy and history behind qigong.”
• “I loved the welcoming and accepting atmosphere of the whole day.”

Retreat pricing: $175 per person

• 100% refundable until 1 September 2025.
• A 50% refund is available if you withdraw between 2 September and 1 October
• We are unable to provide refunds if you withdraw after 1 October.

Limited to 10 participants.

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

What is 5-Element Qigong and why is it so good for you?

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.

All qigong has health benefits, as based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). However, the ancient practice of 5-Element Qigong is a gentle yet especially powerful sequence of breathing and movement focussed on your meridian/energy lines and your internal organs.

At this 1-day retreat you’ll learn:

• About the fascinating five elements: Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Fire and how, according to TCM, they are believed to exist in everything in the universe, including us humans.
• The ancient history of how these five elements relate to the absolute and infinite potential of Yin/Yang to improve strength and balance.
• How to rebalance yourself when you feel ‘out of kilter’ with the curative power of 5-Element Qigong.
• How the gentle, restorative 5-Element Yin movements support your wellbeing and, according to TCM, also the ongoing health of your meridian lines/energy channels and organs for the spleen (earth), lung (metal), kidney (water), liver (wood), and heart (fire).
• How to self-care and nurture yourself with healing qigong to release tension and stiffness.

By flowing through movements that support each element, 5-Element Qigong brings emotional and physical energy back into harmony. This will help you to let go of sluggishness and stress so you can:

• Gently awaken your energy.
• Improve flexibility, circulation, and organ health.
• Harmonise and centre your thoughts and emotions.
• Connect more deeply with your breath, mind, body, and to nature.

 What are mandalas and what sort of mandala will you create during the retreat?

A mandala is a geometric, symmetrical pattern of shapes and symbols. The word means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit. It is also known by other names in different cultures. Most mandalas are circular or enclosed in a circular shape.

Since the dawn of time, humans have been drawn to circular forms. Rock carvings found all over the world incorporate round shapes in various ways: spirals, concentric circles, symbols of the sun and moon, and also from nature such as fern fronds.

It is probable that the cycles of nature inspired these artworks, such as day moving into night and back into day, the ever-changing phases of the moon, and the rhythms of the seasons.

Some mandalas have symbolic meanings in several different cultures and religions. For example, sand mandalas, also known as dry paintings, are guides to long-held traditions and are essential for meaningful rituals in meditation, healing, or spiritual journeys. These are practised by diverse populations such Native Americans, particularly the Navajo, by Tibetan and Buddhist monks, as well as Indigenous Australians, and also by Latin Americans on certain Christian holy days.

Whatever their purpose across the world, mandalas all have one aspect in common which is why these pleasing, circular forms resonate with most of us today – they represent unity, balance, harmony, and inter-connectedness, particularly with the natural world.

Once you start noticing mandala-like forms, you’ll see their influence everywhere – art, architecture, carpets, fabrics and furnishings, mosaics, church windows, and dream catchers, just to name a few.

At this retreat, you’ll learn how to create your own mandala

With the guidance of your teacher, you’ll create either:

A vibrant window mandala using the colours of the five elements, which you’ll take home as a glowing symbol of harmony and balance. (Ideal for beginners. No experience necessary.)

Or, if the weather co-operates, you’ll design and build a unique nature mandala (also called earth art) made from leaves, fronds, petals, twigs, etc. This is also ideal for beginners and no experience is necessary.

On completion, you’ll take a photo of your creation as a lasting reminder of your connection to the elements and the cosmos. You’ll then leave your actual mandala behind to ‘re-wild’ – either back into the earth or to be scattered by the four winds.

At this retreat, you’ll also have time to explore the tranquil Auckland Botanic Gardens

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

• Wander in the Camellia Garden and be transported to temple woodlands of China or Japan. Camellias originated in Asia and this tranquil, meditative garden has been designed with their heritage in mind.
• 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.
• Immerse yourself in Shinrin-yoku (Japanese for ‘forest bathing’) in the dappled seclusion of the native bush area.
• Or simply wend your way along the many walkways to refresh your eyes and senses on nature at its best.

Retreat pricing: $175 per person

• 100% refundable until 1st September 2025.
• A 50% refund is available if you withdraw between 2nd September and 1st October.
• We are unable to provide refunds if you withdraw after 1st October.

Limited to 10 participants.

Please contact Jocelyn if you have questions or 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 instructor

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, which included training at the sacred Wudangshan (Wudang Mountain), which is the tūrangawaewae of tai chi and qigong. (Tūrangawaewae is a Te Reo Māori word meaning spiritual home or a place to stand where you feel especially connected).

Jocelyn also teaches restorative, nature journaling and mindfulness-based art therapy to help people manage and relieve stress. When combined with the calming, meditative breathing and movement of qigong, creativity becomes even more restorative.

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). 

Testimonials about Jocelyn from her May 2025 retreat: 

• “Fabulous – and I am being honest. Your values and respect shine through Jocelyn.”
• “You are positive and affirming and when you help it felt as if you really were focusing on us as individuals.”
• “Pace and variety perfectly pitched without losing depth of understanding.”

Here are all the details of this 1-Day Retreat to Discover Balance and Harmony with 5-Element Qigong

When: Sunday 2 November 2025, 9am – 3.30pm (please arrive between 8.40 – 8.55am)

Where: Auckland Botanic Gardens (in the Logan Campbell 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 Logan Campbell Building is an indoor venue that is nestled in the gardens and is just a 2-minute walk from the main carpark.

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 (chairs will be provided for this). 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.

Who should attend?
This retreat 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.

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.

Cancellation policy

This retreat must be paid for in full to reserve your place.

• $175 per person (100% refundable until 1st September 2025).
• A 50% refund is available if you withdraw between 2 September and 1 October.
• We are unable to provide refunds if you withdraw after 1 October.

If you are unwell on the day of the retreat (2 November 2025)

Please do not attend if you are sick or have a cold, Covid 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 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.

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