How good would it feel to learn soothing, health-boosting tai chi and qigong on a beautiful South Pacific island? Absolute heaven! This retreat is for you if you want to tap into the legendary health benefits of tai chi and qigong so you can take home that heavenly feeling.
Testimonial: “Jocelyn makes tai chi such an enjoyable experience! She makes everyone feel welcome, no matter what age or level of experience. I love Jocelyn’s humour and her patience too. Tai chi has helped me focus on my breathing and posture. I feel invigorated after each session.” (Cynthia, February 2020)
You can discover the secrets to having more energy and less stress by joining me, (Jocelyn Watkin), for eight days/seven nights in the tropical paradise of Vanuatu. You’ll learn easy and flowing tai chi and qigong to help you to:
revitalise your health and spirits
calm your mind
tap into the Chinese 5-Element Qigong to balance and harmonise your mind and body so you get even more amazing health benefits.
learn special techniques and skills that really work to feel more energised, less tired and to make 2023 and beyond your best years ever.
There’ll be plenty of “you time” to re-discover your inner paradise, too. Visualise this – after a short flight from New Zealand (just over three hours) you could be:
soaking up the sun on the powdery white sands
bathing or snorkelling in the turquoise waters of the lagoon
lolling in a shaded hammock, swaying in the fragrant island breeze that gently sighs through the palm trees.
One of the hammocks at Paradise Cove Resort. The perfect place for reading or maybe a somnolent snooze?
And, that’s just the arrival day! You can do more of this on other days. Imagine your first full day:
Wake up to a tropical continental breakfast with yummy cereals, toasted breads, melt-in-your-mouth croissants, fresh juices and a platter of delicious tropical fruits. (Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or lactose free diets can be catered for)
After breakfast, relax and enjoy health-giving, stress-busting tai chi and qigong in a shady, thatched beach fare. You’ll be with a small group of other learners and led by a fully-qualified instructor. Yep, that’s me (Jocelyn Watkin).
The afternoon is free to:
Explore the island.
Chill out in the on-site swimming pool or the lagoon with its private coral beach.
Check out the fantastic snorkelling by wading into the soothing lagoon waters. Or, maybe take an exhilarating leap from the jetty?
Take a relaxing zzzz in your own deluxe villa with its delightful mix of Melanesian architecture and European style. Each villa is set in a lush tropical garden and there are just 10 villas in total to ensure peace and quiet.
Lounge with a good book in a deck chair under the palm trees or maybe while gently swaying in a hammock.
Late afternoon, you can saunter into the on-site bar and restaurant (The Nakamal) for a cool drink of deliciousness and lazily watch the sun go down.
You can choose to be on your own or in the company of like-minded others for the afternoons and evenings.
Delectable and scrumptious lunches, dinners and snacks can be purchased at the on-site Nakamal. Or, you can choose to prepare and cook your own meals in your own villa’s kitchenette. (Please bring or buy your own ingredients).
After gazing at sunsets and later the millions of stars twinkling overhead, you can amble back to your comfy, private villa and sink into a blissful sleep, lulled by the soft whisper of the lagoon waters.
This retreat is for you if you are any of the following:
Working or retired.
Are sick of feeling tired or at the end of your tether and want relief that really works.
Curious about the stress relief and other amazing health and energising benefits of tai chi and qigong that you’ve heard about and want to sample these for yourself.
The Stress Less, Live Best Retreat is ideal for beginners as well as tai chi and/or qigong students who want to grow and develop their knowledge.
You need to be aged 18+ to participate.
Testimonial: “Thank you so much for your lovely tai chi classes. The feeling I get is of empowerment and understanding of how we can use our body to help in our daily life.” (Caroline, January 2020)
What’s happening, when and where?
Saturday 20 to Saturday 27 May 2023, at Vanuatu.
8 days/7 nights at the intimate Paradise Cove Resort, which has just five 1-bedroom and five 2-bedroom villas.
4 sessions of health-giving, energising qigong and tai chi with a qualified instructor. Each session will be for 3 hours and numbers will be limited to a maximum of 14 participants.
All of this is just a short flight from Auckland to Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Prices are all in $NZ (New Zealand dollars):
Those who were registered for the May 2020 retreat at Vanuatu will have received an email with the price of your 2023 retreat package, flights and accommodation.
New registrations (all in $NZ)
1-bedroom villa: $2,900* per person, share twin (note: there is only one queen-sized bed in the 1-bedroom villas so this accommodation is better suited to a solo traveller or a couple). Plus: return airfare and any PayPal and credit card fees.
1-bedroom villa, single occupancy: $2,900 + $590 (single supplement) = $3,490*. Plus: return airfare and any PayPal and credit card fees
2-bedroom villa: $3,200* per person, share twin. Plus: return airfare and any PayPal and credit card fees.
2-bedroom villa, single occupancy: $3,200 + $590 (single supplement) = $3,790*. Plus: return airfare and any PayPal and credit card fees.
A payment plan can be arranged on request.
Payment will be made to Kia Ora Tai Chi, by online banking from a New Zealand bank account (without surcharge) or by PayPal, MasterCard or Visa, which will incur a surcharge of 3.5% to 4%.
Please arrange and pay for your own return airfare to Vanuatu. i.e. through your own travel agent or online with Air Vanuatu. Note: your travel agent or Air Vanuatu could charge credit card fees.
*Until paid in full by the participant, events beyond our control such as currency exchange rate fluctuations, pandemics, changes in airline ticket prices and surcharges, or changes in the costs of services or facilities may result in variations to the estimated price.
Payment instalment plan
All payments, (except for return flights to Vanuatu) will be made to Kia Ora Tai Chi. Please pay:
A deposit of $500 per person ASAP to reserve your place on the retreat until paid in full. This amount is non-refundable.
By 1st February 2023: Payment of the final balance remaining, per person.
80% of all payments (not including the deposit) will be refunded (less any PayPal and/or credit card fees) if you cancel before 1st February 2023.
50% of all payments (not including the deposit) will be refunded (less any PayPal and/or credit card fees) if you cancel between 1st – 28th February 2023.
On or after 1st March 2023, all payments become non-refundable.
In special circumstances a refund or partial refund may be offered after 1st March 2023. Please refer to the 2022/2023 Kia Ora Tai Chi Tours and Retreats Terms and Conditions for the full cancellation policy. This can be requested using the contact form on the Kia Ora Tai Chi website: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/contact-us/.
Flights to/from Vanuatu: Air Vanuatu is the only airline that flies direct from Auckland to Port Vila and ONLY on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you are flying from Auckland, please book these flights with Air Vanuatu:
To Vanuatu: Saturday 20 May, 2023: Leaving Auckland International Airport at 13.10, arriving at Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, at 14.25 (3 hours, 15 minutes flying time)
From Vanuatu: Saturday 27 May, 2023: Leaving Bauerfield International Airport (Port Vila) at 7am, arriving Auckland International Airport at 12.10pm (3 hours, 10 minutes flying time)
What is included in the price (once paid in full)?
Transfers to/from Paradise Cove Resort from/to Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila, if travelling on the same Air Vanuatu flights from and to Auckland as listed above. (To Vanuatu on Saturday 20 May and from Vanuatu on Saturday 27 May).
7 nights’ accommodation in a luxurious villa at Paradise Cove Resort.
7 luscious, tropical breakfasts at Paradise Cove Resort.
Four 3-hour group sessions of in-depth tai chi and qigong with a focus on how to reduce stress and live best. Small group (maximum of 14 participants).
Snorkelling gear, reef shoes, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.
All meals (other than breakfast at Paradise Cove Resort)
Note: Paradise Cove has a bar and restaurant on site (The Nakamal) where you can buy your own delicious lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks. The chefs aim for the best blend of Melanesian and Mediterranean cuisine. They can provide special dietary meals, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or lactose free. Should you want to prepare your own meals, you can bring your own ingredients or buy locally as there is a kitchenette in your villa. This has tea/coffee facilities, fridge, freezer, gas stove and a microwave.
Sunset drinks and all alcohol.
All other drinks (other than the juice that is served with breakfast)
Any additional activities and tours while in Vanuatu, including a possible group outing.
Personal travel insurance (compulsory). Please ensure your travel insurance includes cover if you are diagnosed with Covid-19 before, during travel and during the retreat.
All personal items, such as laundry, souvenirs and shopping, etc
Credit card surcharges when paying the price of the retreat.
Any Visitor Visa fees that apply.
Visa entry requirements
Currently, (since September 2022) Vanuatu Government requirements, citizens from New Zealand, Australia and UK (and many other countries as listed by the government), can obtain a Visitor Visa on arrival providing you meet the conditions on entry for the visitor visa. For more information, please check the Vanuatu Government’s website on their visa requirements: https://immigration.gov.vu/index.php/visa-unit/visitors-visa
Please note that visa requirements may change before May 2023. We will advise up-to-date requirements closer to the departure date, but it is the responsibility of the retreat participant to check and follow visa entry requirements and to ensure your passport is valid. Your passport must have at least six months validity, from your last day in Vanuatu.
The Nakamal restaurant and bar at Paradise Cove Resort
What is Vanuatu like? Vanuatu is a string of island pearls glistening in the South Pacific. It is between three to 3.5 hours flying time from Auckland but years away from the stress of everyday life. The name Vanuatu means “Our Land Forever” in many of the local Melanesian languages. The capital, largest city and commercial centre is Port Vila, which is on the island of Éfaté.
Fantastic snorkelling at Paradise Cove Resort
What sort of paradise will we be staying at? Paradise Cove Resort is a lush tropical paradise on the South shore of Mele Bay, which is about 15 minutes drive from Port Vila. Your accommodation will be a self-contained, gloriously-private and luxurious villa. The beach and fringing reef at the resort has a rich variety of marine life. This means fantastic snorkelling straight from the beach or off the jetty. The resort also has a swimming pool.
Weather in Vanuatu: In May, the average temperatures are balmy and range from 21 to 28°C, which will be a welcome relief from the rain and cold of New Zealand at that time. Should you need it, the villas have air conditioning in the bedrooms and a ceiling fan in main part of the villa.
More about the qigong and tai chi sessions on Vanuatu
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), everything in the universe, including us humans, is made by five elements: earth, metal, water, wood and fire.
You will learn the 5-Element Qigong at this retreat. It appears simple but it is a powerful exercise and breathing programme that harmonises those five elements within you. It is especially effective for increasing energy levels, improving health and managing stress.
“Qi” (pronounced ‘chee’) is the life energy inside a person that circulates throughout the body to provide inner strength and maintain good health. The word can also mean “life force”, “breath” or “oxygen”. According to TCM, the stronger qi you have, the healthier and stronger you are.
“Gong” translates as “method”, “skill of” or “exercise”. Qigong is a skilled exercise which will help you to get more oxygen and life energy.
At the retreat, you will also learn a unique set of tai chi movements that are designed to relax, refresh and revitalise you.
Qigong and tai chi are natural exercises that are in harmony with nature. They are good for your body as well as your mind, and are helpful at reducing stress. There are no pills, no jabs and we don’t tell you what you can or can’t eat or drink.
This is what you’ll learn at the Stress Less and Live Best Retreat:
5-Element Qigong and tai chi for better health and rejuvenation. This will be easy-to-learn and is especially effective for improving overall well-being and to release stress and anxiety.
How to calm and clear your mind so you can learn how to relax and feel refreshed and revitalised.
How to breathe your way to better health.
How to use qigong and tai chi to feel more energised, bust stress and live best once you return home.
Here’s a ‘sneak preview’ of some of the qigong you’ll learn in Vanuatu. This lovely movement is called “Palm tree swaying in the breeze”:
Jocelyn Watkin has helped people of all ages and abilities to reduce stress and improve their overall health, fitness, balance and well-being with qigong and tai chi since 2003.
She is the founder and director of Kia Ora Tai Chi with extensive experience in teaching qigong and tai chi face-to-face or online for regular weekly classes, workshops and retreats, at schools, a medical centre and a retirement village.
Testimonial: “We think you are a great teacher and inspire the people you are working with.” (Ken and Ann, February 2020)
She is registered as a group exercise (with own choreography) contractor with the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), which is the recognised quality mark throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. She is approved as a strength and balance group exercise provider with the Accident Compensation Commission and has numerous tai chi and qigong instructor qualifications. She also has a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching.
Jocelyn invites you to join her in paradise to learn specially-designed, stress-busting tai chi and qigong to help you to live calmer, stronger and healthier.
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)
Covid-19 requirements
All participants will need to abide by Air Vanuatu and the Vanuatu Government’s health advice and regulations as they apply in May 2023. There are also additional requirements, which have been set by Kia Ora Tai Chi, operators of facilities and services for the retreat in Vanuatu. The current requirements (since September 2022) include the following.
If you are Covid-19 positive before you leave your home country, you will not be able to attend this retreat until you test negative.
Any participant who tests positive for COVID-19 while in Vanuatu (or who develops symptoms of COVID-19 and cannot get tested) is required to isolate for seven days or until a negative test. You will not be able to join in with any retreat activities during your isolation period or socialise with other retreat participants.
Isolation can be undertaken in hotels and resorts of your choosing and at your own cost.
Medical care should be sought if there are any danger signs or if symptoms have not improved within 5 days.
You will need to pay all medical expenses in Vanuatu for any ailments and injuries, including COVID-19.
A negative RAT test is required 24 hours before departure from your own country (this can be your own test; it does not need to be supervised).
There is no requirement for international travellers to Vanuatu to quarantine or be tested upon arrival if there are no symptoms and there has been no recent exposure to COVID-19.
Full vaccination against Covid-19 is encouraged but not required.
Wearing of face masks is encouraged on flights, during travel and at Vanuatu airport but not required.
All participants at this retreat may be required to wear a mask for all indoor retreat sessions and also when on shared transport in Vanuatu with other retreat participants, unless an official mask exemption is provided.
Please be aware these requirements could change on or before your arrival in Vanuatu and all travellers and retreat participants must abide by the laws, rules and requirements that apply at that time.
Jocelyn Watkin and any assistant instructors at this retreat have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19, including with a 2nd booster.
Cancellation Policy on payments made by participants:
The deposit of $500 per person is non-refundable.
80% of all payments (not including the deposit) will be refunded (less any PayPal and/or credit card fees) if you cancel before 1st February 2023.
50% of all payments (not including the deposit) will be refunded (less any PayPal and/or credit card fees) if you cancel between 1st – 28th February 2023.
On or after 1st March 2023, all payments become non-refundable
Please refer to the 2022/2023 Kia Ora Tai Chi Tours and Retreats Terms and Conditions for the full cancellation policy. This can be requested using the contact form on the Kia Ora Tai Chi website: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/contact-us/.
This retreat in 2023 will be a rare, in-depth opportunity to experience the healing power of qigong, which is an ancient, restorative art of deep meditative breathing and flowing movements. Please get in touch to register your interest for 2023.
You’ll learn how to nurture yourself with qigong so you can improve your overall health and wellbeing, release tension, calm your mind and stimulate energy flow (qi) throughout your body.
This retreat is for anyone aged 18+ who is seeking to rebalance and rejuvenate their body, soul and strength.
Where: Aotea / Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf, Auckland
When: TBA in 2023. It will be 3 days/2 nights. Places limited to just 10 participants.
The island is one of only 15 International Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the whole world. As well as the healing qigong, you’ll be awed by the universe in a live, stargazing, dark sky experience, navigate a stellar new path with cosmic journaling and be invigorated by the fresh sea air, remote beaches and the remarkable bush and bird life.
Beautiful and enchanting Aotea/Great Barrier Island
If you’ve ever wanted to visit this remote sanctuary, now is your chance.Together, with qigong for health instructor, Jocelyn Watkin, you’ll feel the nurturing flow of qigong, be uplifted by the stars above and the natural beauty around you.
Testimonial:“The retreat was awesome, very informative and helpful. The presentation was carefully thought through on how to achieve the peace and calm needed in our daily lives.” (Participant in the Stardome mini-retreat, March 2022)
What’s included in this retreat:
Several immersive sessions to learn the movements and about the healing power of qigongand tai chi. After the retreat, you’ll be able to do these meditative and nurturing movements at anytime to improve your health and well-being. (Refer further below to learn more about qigong.)
Mindful breathing and meditation to dial down the stress so you can rebalance, restore yourself and look forward to a freer life.
Guided, cosmic journaling to focus on what you want from life and to choose the way you want to experience it, no matter what else happens. (Refer further below to learn more about cosmic journaling.)
A journal that you can take home and keep using after the retreat.
A live, stargazing, dark sky experience with a local guide. For the best viewing, this will take place before the moon rises. You’ll be able to lean back in your comfortable moon chair, have constellations drawn in the sky while you enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea and be wowed with fascinating astronomical facts. You’ll be able to look through a powerful telescope to get up-close and personal with special stars and deep sky objects. After the retreat, you’ll be able to stargaze on any night and feel deeply connected, calm and in harmony with the entire universe.
A Dark Sky Sanctuary viewing experience with a local guide
Tai chi and qigong in the moonlight with the soothing lunar light upon us.
A guided, scenic tour of the island’s remote beaches, bush and bird life, including a short walk up Windy Canyon, with its wind-funnel shaped rock formations and stunning views.
Windy Canyon
Return premium flights with Barrier Air (Auckland – Claris (the airport on Gt Barrier) – Auckland); approx 35 minutes each way and with amazing views of the island and the Hauraki Gulf. Barrier Air operates from the Air New Zealand domestic terminal at Auckland Airport in Mangere. Face masks will need to be worn on the flights.
About to land at Claris Airport, Gt Barrier Island
Airport transfers on Great Barrier Island.
Two nights’ accommodation in modern, fully self-contained studio units and villas at Sunset Waterfront Lodge. Every one of these has its own kitchen as well as bathroom facilities. Private double, twin and single accommodation options are all available.
Meeting new and like-minded friends
Please note: For the health of everyone, face masks may need to be worn during all indoor group sessions on the retreat and on our mini bus while on the island.
Testimonial: “Jocelyn is very well prepared and organised. What she talked about was well explained and easy to understand. She is personable and caring.” (Participant in the Stardome mini-retreat, March 2022)
What’s not included:
Meals: All of the accommodation units are fully self-contained with kitchens to prepare and cook your own meals. You can BYO or buy provisions from the general store next door to our accommodation, which also has fresh coffee and yummy breakfast, lunch and dinners for those who prefer to eat out.
A meal package can be purchased before our retreat for those who’d like meals to be included. Pricing TBA.
Alcohol and drinks. You can BYO or buy from the café/general store next door to our accommodation.
Souvenirs and gifts
Transport to and from Auckland Airport
Parking at Auckland Airport
Personal, medical or trip cancellation insurance
Medical services
Items for personal use
Laundry
Face masks, please bring several.
Hand sanitiser for personal use outside of the group sessions.
How good would it feel to finally be on the right path to the life and health you want? Very liberating! Unleash your power to live well at this restorative retreat on the island sanctuary of Aotea/Great Barrier.
Who is the instructor?
Jocelyn Watkin has helped people of all ages and abilities to reduce stress and improve their overall health, fitness, balance and well-being with qigong and tai chi since 2003.
She is the founder and director of Kia Ora Tai Chi with extensive experience in teaching qigong and tai chi face-to-face or online for regular weekly classes, workshops and retreats, at schools, a medical centre and a retirement village.
She is registered as a group exercise (with own choreography) contractor with the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs), which is the recognised quality mark throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. She is approved as a strength and balance group exercise provider with the Accident Compensation Commission and has numerous tai chi and qigong instructor qualifications. She also has a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching.
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)
More about Aotea / Great Barrier Island
This idyllic island stands at the entrance to the Hauraki Gulf and is just a short 35-minute flight from Auckland Airport.
It protects the inner waters of the gulf from storms in the Pacific Ocean. Hence, Captain Cook gave the island its European name, Great Barrier. It is the perfect place to create your own protective inner barrier against the storms of life.
Māori named the island Aotea, meaning white cloud (ao = cloud, tea = white), as it appears in the distance like a white cloud on the horizon.
The isle has stunning natural beauty. Due to being relatively remote and with a small population, it has remained unspoiled and a haven for native birds and plants.
The entire island was awarded International Dark Sky Sanctuary status in 2017, one of only 15 in the world. It truly is heaven under the stars.
Who is this retreat for?
It is for anyone aged 18+ who is seeking ways to improve their own health, self-healing and well-being with qigong and tai chi and/or wants to de-stress and have a better life/work balance.
Many of us have revised what we now want from life but are not sure where to start or how to make this happen. If you feel a little lost, flat or frustrated with not knowing what steps to take, this retreat will help you to find peace and purpose
Ideal for beginners as well as advanced tai chi and qigong students.
Testimonial: “Jocelyn makes tai chi such an enjoyable experience! She makes everyone feel welcome, no matter what age or level of experience. I love Jocelyn’s humour and her patience too. Tai chi has helped me focus on my breathing and posture. I feel invigorated after each session.” (Cynthia, February 2020)
You’ll be able to relax in your own comfy and private villa or unit, which is fully self-contained with kitchen and bathroom facilities. Loll on your deck or patio listening to bird song and the sound of the sea. Bed linen and towels are all provided.
The lodge is aptly named. You can take a short stroll across the lawn to watch the sun set and breathe in the fresh sea air.
Double, twin share and single accommodation options are all available.
Our qigong, tai chi and journaling sessions will be held in a specially-designed and private marquee on site, which is surrounded by natural bush. If you peep through the ancient pōhutukawa trees you’ll be rewarded with glimpses of the sea.
The next door Mulberry Grove General Store and Café has all you need for groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, wine, souvenirs and other essentials like fresh coffee daily, along with meals to dine in or takeaway.
What is qigong and tai chi?
For thousands of years the Chinese have had a secret. A secret that has allowed them to treat illness in its earliest stages, a secret that enables athletes to perform amazing, seemingly superhuman feats of strength and agility; a secret that promises a long and healthy life to those who understand and regularly practice it. That secret is a deep, meditative breathing exercise called qigong (pronounced ‘chee – gong’).
In Chinese, the word “qigong” is made up of two characters: ‘Qi’ = air, breath and life energy; and ‘gong’ = working hard to develop a high skill level. Therefore, qigong means: ‘the skill of getting more breath, energy and life’.
Qigong is designed to calm your mind, rejuvenate your energy, boost your health and strengthen your body. One of the ways it does this is to increase your oxygen flow right down to your smallest fingers and toes. It will warm you and will help you to feel good all over.
Is qigong the same as tai chi? No, tai chi is a subset of the much older practice of qigong. Often described as “moving meditation”, tai chi is a Chinese martial art and exercise programme that combines mental focus with deliberate, mindful steps and postures. It is very gentle on your joints. It is sometimes referred to as “taiji” or “tai chi chuan”.
How magical would it be to have the key for greater health and wellness? Absolutely, you too can enter this enchanted place. At this retreat, you’ll learn the ancient art of qigong so you can unlock the knowledge on self-healing, nurturing and how to improve your own health, and well-being
What is cosmic journaling?
Writing or drawing in a journal (also known as journaling) can help you to process and understand what is happening in your life and what you want for your future. You don’t need to write in sentences if you don’t want to. You can also draw, mind map or doodle, if you wish.
Cosmic journaling will help you to develop a plan of what you want for your future self. You will reduce frustration and anxiety, free yourself from uncertainty and indecision and take back the control of your thoughts and your life.
It can help you to overcome the overwhelm and create a plan for lasting change and freedom.
Jocelyn learned about the power of journaling when recovering from post traumatic stress nearly 25 years ago. It enabled her to break the power stress had on her and also freed her thoughts to plan for a better and different life.
Testimonial: “Jocelyn was very relatable because quite often what was being taught had been used by her in real life.” (Participant in the Stardome mini-retreat, March 2022)
What is your COVID-19 policy?
We will abide by the NZ Government’s health advice and regulations as they apply in November and also those required by the operators of facilities and services for the retreat on Aotea/Great Barrier Island. Jocelyn has been fully vaccinated for Covid-19, including with a 2nd booster. All participants at this mini-retreat may need to wear a mask for all indoor group sessions and also when on shared transport, including flights. Hand sanitiser will be provided for group sessions.
Places are limited to just 10 participants
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.
Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.
And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.
It matters that you don’t just give up.” – Professor Stephen Hawking
Candlelight tai chi and qigong is back by popular demand in May 2022. It comes with optionalextra sessions of restorative journaling.
Wouldn’t it feel great to have a dimmer switch for stress? Imagine the relief to be able to dial down your stress levels just as you would with a harsh light? Absolutely! With healing, candlelit tai chi and qigong, you’ll learn how to slow down, let go of anxiety and sink into deep relaxation with gentle movements. It will be just like having your very own dimmer switch.
What is restorative journaling?
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a magic wand to re-write how you feel about your past and draw out a future you envision? Definitely, we’d all like a wand like that.
With restorative journaling to relieve and reduce stress, your pen becomes your magic wand to:
reflect on your past, whether years ago or just yesterday and to consider how you respond to stress (this session will be held online on Thursday 12 May at 7.30pm)
contemplate your future and how to reduce stress in the time ahead (this session will be held online on Thursday 19 May at 7.30pm).
At both sessions you can draw or do mind mapping if you prefer that over writing. Any of these or a combination of them can help you to process and understand what is happening in your life. This makes it easier to make the right changes for less stress in the future.
We’ve all been through difficult and challenging times over the last two years. Journaling can help you to let go of all that stress and frustration and consider the future life you now want.
Combined with meditative breathing (qigong) to calm and settle your mind, journaling becomes even more restorative. By releasing tension in both your body and your mind you can focus more easily, which helps you to think more clearly on what you want for the future.
I offer three different guided sessions online on consecutive Thursday nights in May 2022, for this complete restorative and healing experience. All sessions involve gentle and effective movement, tailored breathing exercises, relaxation and mindfulness practices. In addition, the two journaling sessions offer you the chance to ‘wave your magic wand’ with restorative journaling.
Choose one, two or all three sessions, which you attend live and online from your own home. Replays will be available.
Thursday 5 May 2022, evening, 7.30 – 8.30pm: Candlelight tai chi and qigong (This session has now finished. A replay is available at $10. Please contact me to request this)
Let your senses soften in the candlelight so you can slow down and relax your mind and muscles. You’ll feel your stress melt away with the gentle and restorative movements of tai chi and qigong. Your breath will become slower and deeper during this guided session of relaxation and meditation. Wear your pyjamas if you wish. Once we finish, you’ll be tranquil and ready for bed and a rejuvenating night of sleep
Thursday 12 May 2022, evening, 7.30 – 8.30pm: Restorative journaling, part 1 (Please RSVP by 6pm on Wed 11 May)
Release tension and relax from the ‘busy-ness’ of your life with meditative and mindful breathing (qigong), which will help open your heart and mind. I’ll then guide you on a reflective, journaling odyssey that will enhance your understanding of what is happening in your life. You will observe and note your thoughts and reactions by writing, drawing, doodling and/or mind mapping– whatever feels the most comfortable to you. There is no critique or judgement at any time and you will not be required to share what you have noted.
Thursday 19 May 2022, evening, 7.30 – 8.30pm, Restorative journaling, part 2 (Please RSVP by 6pm on Wed 18 May)
Soothe your mind and body with meditative, mindful breathing (qigong) to create an open-hearted space of discovery. You’ll then continue Part 2 of your guided, journaling odyssey with me. You’ll be exploring your thoughts, feelings and sensations of what you want for your future self.
As with Part 1, you will observe and note your thoughts and reactions by writing, drawing, doodling and/or mind mapping – whatever feels the most comfortable to you. There is no critique or judgement at any time and you will not be required to share what you have noted.
Cost per session
Attend one session: $20 per person
Attend two sessions: $17.50 per person, per session (i.e. $35 per person for both sessions)
Request a recorded replay of any session: $10 per person, per session ($30 per person if you request replays for all three sessions)
Online (video) replays for each session will be available at no extra charge to those who attend that session, which you can re-watch as often as you want, whenever you want.
How to RSVP
Please contact meno later than 6pm on the Wednesday before each session to arrange payment (online banking or PayPal) and to receive the Zoom link(s) to attend your selected sessions. You can get in touch using the contact form on my website, email me on kiaorataichi@gmail.com or phone/text me on 027 493 9851
More about me (Jocelyn Watkin)
I am qualified tai chi and qigong instructor. During lockdowns at various times in the last two years, I perfected techniques for teaching online. Participants comment that my lessons have helped them to cope with life and lockdowns as they feel relaxed and calm afterwards, which relieves stress and helps them to sleep.
I learned about the power of journaling when struggling with post traumatic stress some years ago. Fortunately, I was able to get professional help at that time, which included restorative journaling. With that and health-boosting tai chi, I was able to make a full and long-lasting recovery.
Testimonial: “Jocelyn is very relatable because quite often what was being taught had been used by her in real life.”(Participant at a tai chi, qigong and journaling mini-retreat, March 2022)
I am a qualified journalist and also a board-certified and premier instructor for the international Tai Chi for Health Institute. I founded Kia Ora Tai Chi so I could teach others about the healing health benefits of tai chi and qigong.
Click here to find out more about me, my experience and qualifications.
Unable to attend on Thursday evenings? Prefer to learn in-person rather than online? Then, Matariki Magic: New Year, New You is for you.
Join me at Auckland’s awesome Stardome for a fully immersive tai chi, qigong and restorative journaling mini-retreat. If you’re ready to open your heart to the universe and embrace the life you really want then this out-of-this-world mini retreat will be a magical experience.
At this mini-retreat on Friday 17 June 2022 (during Matariki), you’ll learn how to navigate yourself into a new orbit where you have more time to do the things you love with the people you love? Start the countdown to this experience here: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/matatiki-magic/
Watch this short video to discover more about the Matariki Magic mini-retreat on Friday 17 June.
Love your health, love your heart, love life, love tai chi
“This tai chi breathing is like a drug”, one of my students said.
“In what way?” I asked.
“It is fast acting, enjoyable and like taking both an ‘upper’ and ‘downer’ together.”
I didn’t want to delve into his drug taking history at that point. Instead, I asked him to describe the effect tai chi breathing had on him.
“When I’m tired or down, it lifts me. When I’m over-hyped and stressed, it calms me. When I do it, I feel very satisfied.”
Tai chi and tai chi breathing is satisfying. It’s considered a ‘wonder drug’ to manage stress, as it can give you the gift of balance and harmony.
So, how does it work? Firstly, we need to get our heads around what stress is and what it does to us.
Stress can be a good thing
It is a biological necessity. Back in the ‘dawn of time’ survival stress was our saviour – flooding our bodies with hormones and energy so we could fight or take flight. This was great stuff for a chance encounter with a sabre-tooth tiger or when hunting mammoths.
However, most of us can now get our protein on demand at the supermarket. Our need for survival stress has declined but, unlike the mammoths, it has not become extinct. It’s there whenever we need it, which is a good thing as danger still lurks in the 21st Century. We could still have a chance encounter with a Reliant Sabre or other speeding car as we cross a busy street. If so, our ‘flight’ reactions to leap out of the way will be life saving.
When stress goes bad
‘Bad stress’ grips you into a strangle hold when you work too hard and for over-extended periods of time – whether at work, home or school. Examples are: constant long hours on the job, noise, crowding, worry, having to rush, meet impossible deadlines and respond to constant demands, all with not enough time for rest, sleep and relaxation.
This kind of stress fools your body to think it is under attack, so it tries to be helpful by changing to a state of readiness. This is not harmless like switching your mobile phone to ‘flight mode’. Instead, your setting for flight (and fight) causes your body to release a rush of hormones and chemicals, such as adrenaline and cortisol, and divert blood to where it is needed, like your muscles.This is what is called the sympathetic nervous system in action, which makes you breathe faster with a pounding heart. Your body needs this for ‘flight’ or ‘fight’ and a healthy person easily copes with it in occasional bursts.
When stress happens constantly, such as every day and for most of the day, you might not be panting for breath. But, a tsunami of hormones and chemicals are still rampaging through your body, some are raising your sugar and blood pressure levels, so to be ready for flight (or fight). Your other functions, such as digestion and brain activity, suffer as they get less blood to work. If you can’t balance this over-reacting sympathetic nervous system then, even if you have good health, the ‘trolls’ start taking over: indigestion, diabetes, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, migraine, anxiety, exhaustion …etc
Enter the cavalry, the parasympathetic nervous system and it tries to right the imbalance. This is sometimes called the ‘rest and digest system’ or ‘the relaxation response”. It has a calming effect by slowing the heart rate and the breathing. It also increases digestion and relaxes the internal muscles to help stop those anxious ‘butterflies’ in your stomach and that gut-churning feeling in your abdomen.
But due to the over-stimulated sympathetic nervous system, more help is usually needed.
And then a hero comes along… no, not Mariah Carey … but tai chi.
Tai chi is an ancient, Chinese martial art and exercise that involves a series of movements performed in a mindful, focussed manner and accompanied by deep breathing. Some see it as a meditation, some as a good exercise you do in the park, others as an easy way to relax.
The slow, continuous, gentle movements of tai chi, the deep abdominal breathing and the tranquil mind further activate and support the parasympathetic nervous system. This is why tai chi lifts you up when you’re down or tired and calms you when you’re hyper. It helps your body to return to a balanced state, which is sometimes called theYin and Yang effect
Tai chi is not an ‘upper’ or a ‘downer’ and nor is it like taking both together, even if some people interpret it as that. It is suitable for all ages and gentle on your joints.
Dr Paul Lam of the Tai Chi for Health Institute says, “Tai chi is based on nature. Its gentle flowing movements contain an inner power which strengthens the body and mind. Those who practice tai chi become like a tree or river, calm on the outside, but full of internal strength, more capable of withstanding whatever life may throw their way“.
Just 4-6 minutes of tai chi or tai chi breathing per day can make a big difference to your health and fitness. You can do this anywhere, anytime. A regular, daily set-time is good to build your strength (both body and mind) and to help quell the ‘trolls’. More is better, of course. Make a start by doing tai chi or tai chi breathing every day, even if you have limited time or ability.
As well as your daily sessions, you can also do extra tai chi or tai chi breathing whenever you need it. You don’t need to rush to the gym or park and nor do you need to find a quiet, dark space. You can do tai chi right where you happen to be. You don’t need special clothes, fancy shoes or expensive equipment and you can do it indoors or outside. It is ‘like a drug’ but there are ‘no nasty chemicals’ or bad side effects.
Tai chi makes you feel like a hero lives within you
Dr Lam says, “Hour for hour, practising a Tai Chi for Health programme is probably the most effective exercise to improve health and wellbeing. You can start and continue to progress to higher levels no matter what your age or physical condition”.
Tai chi and tai chi breathing will give you a quiet, inner strength that helps you to take back control of your life. It will make you feel that a hero definitely lives within you.
Want to know more about how tai chi can help you to bust stress, get fit and feel better about life, the universe and everything? Say kia ora (hello) to my monthly e-newsletter, which has more tai chi well-being and fitness revelations, plus ideas and inspiration to boost that hero within you.
Contact me to request my e-newsletter or scroll up and look to the upper right of this page to directly sign up for it. I promise not to spam you or sell your email address, even if I’m offered $1,000,000.
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), everything in the universe, including us humans, is made by five elements: earth, metal, water, wood and fire.
“This tai chi breathing is like a drug”, one of my students said.
ad stress’ grips you into a strangle hold when you work too hard and for over-extended periods of time – whether at work, home or school. Examples are: constant long hours on the job, noise, crowding, worry, having to rush, meet impossible deadlines and respond to constant demands, all with not enough time for rest, sleep and relaxation.
n a hero comes along… no, not Mariah Carey … but tai chi.
