by Jocelyn Watkin | Nov 5, 2025 | Information |
Yes, it’s happening and for the 9th year in a row!! The free summer tai chi and qigong sessions with me in Cornwall Park are back for summer 2026. Details below
These FREE sessions are outdoors in Cornwall Park from mid-January to the end of March 2026. All welcome, ideal for beginners and suitable for all ages.
Dates and times:
- Starting Sunday 11 January 2026, 9 – 9.45am and every Sunday morning (except during Waitangi Weekend) until 29th March 2026 (weather permitting)
- Starting Tuesday 13 January 2026, 6 – 6.45pm and every Tuesday evening until 31st March 2026 (weather permitting).
Location in the park: Same as in previous years. If coming into the park from Greenlane Road West, you’ll be on Pōhutukawa Drive (the main road into the park). The tai chi sessions will be under the trees on the left-hand-side about half-way up Pōhutukawa Drive. (If you get to the roundabout, you’ve gone too far.)
Bring your water bottle and a sun hat/sunblock. Wear comfy clothing and footwear. Registrations are not required, just show up 5 – 10 minutes before each session starts.
As all of the sessions are outdoors, the weather needs to be on our side to go ahead. If you are uncertain on whether the session will be held you can:
I can’t wait to see everyone again who attended in previous years and also to meet anyone new, who would love to try tai chi and qigong this summer.
Curious about tai chi and qigong? Find out more here: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/tai-chi/
Please be aware that Cornwall Park is NOT owned by Auckland Council. It is a private park, thanks to the generosity of the founder, Sir John Logan Campbell. He gifted his land, which became known as Cornwall Park, to the people of Auckland. Also, huge thanks to the Cornwall Park Trust Board, which administers his legacy and provides funding for these sessions so you can attend for free.
Contact me or sign up for my free monthly newsletter to get an early ‘heads up’ on when there are even more free sessions of tai chi and qigong.
Tai chi for anyone who is blind or has low vision
Wait, there’s more at Cornwall Park this summer…the Cornwall Park Trust Board are also funding four accessible tai chi sessions for anyone who is blind or has low vision, and who wants to be more active.
The lessons will be held immediately after our general sessions on Sunday mornings and in the same location in the park. The timeslot will be 10.15 – 11am on these four Sundays in March 2026: 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. (Weather permitting)
These free tai chi sessions in the park will be designed and developed by me. I have specialist skills and experience in teaching accessible tai chi to adults and young people, including at the Homai campus of Blind, Low Vision Education Network NZ (BLENNZ) and James Cook High School in Manurewa.
Tai chi is gentle on joints and is designed to improve balance, mobility, strength and fitness.
A big thank you to the Cornwall Park Trust Board for funding these accessible sessions.
If you’d like to know how I got started with teaching tai chi to students who were blind/had low vision, it all began with my successful pilot project in 2017. My work in this specialist area has grown from there. You can read a summary of my pilot project in this link: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/success-with-teaching-tai-chi-to-blind-students/
by Jocelyn Watkin | Jun 15, 2025 | Information
Free tai chi and qigong for Matariki on the Kauri Point Reserve, Wattle Downs, Manurewa
All ages and abilities welcome for FREE tai chi and qigong in the park for the official Matariki holiday.
When: Friday 20 June 2025, 11 – 11.45am
Where: Kauri Point Reserve in Wattle Downs, Manurewa, which is at the end of a street called “Moor Park”. Refer to map: https://goo.gl/maps/MZHeqttC5rBeL6mu9
This is an outdoor event so we need fine weather.
If we have to cancel: If the weather doesn’t co-operate or if the ground is too wet, please look for the cancellation notice by 9am on 20 June on the Kia Ora Tai Chi facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kiaorataichi/
For more information, get in touch with the organiser (Jocelyn) through the Contact Us page on this website: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/contact-us/
If the event goes ahead, wrap up warm, pop on a beanie and join in.
Together, we will flow through the calming and harmonising Tai Chi for Strength and Balance followed by the beautiful Māori Qigong called “Hikitia te Hā” (uplifting breathing), which Jocelyn will teach in both Te Reo as well as English.
Matariki (also known as the Pleiades) is a star cluster that heralds the start of the Māori New Year (in mid-winter in Aotearoa/New Zealand). It is a time to focus on mindfulness, reflection, thankfulness, well-being and health.
The Matariki star cluster (also known as the Pleiades)
The three key principles of Matariki are:
- Matariki Hunga Nui. Remembrance. Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki.
- Matariki Ahunga Nui. Celebrating the Present. Gathering together to give thanks for what we have.
- Matariki Manako Nui. Looking to the Future. Looking forward to the promise of a new year.
The 2025 theme is “Matariki mā Puanga”, which is all about inclusion, embracing diversity and celebrating Matariki together.
More about the theme of Matariki mā Puanga
This phrase means Matariki (the Pleiades) AND Puanga (Rigel), and linking these words together acknowledges the relationship between these stars. Both Matariki and Puanga rise in the eastern sky before sunrise during the winter period. However, due to their geographical location, the Matariki star cluster is not visible at that time to all iwi (Māori tribes) and regions of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Instead, they look to the bright star called Puanga as the harbinger of the New Year.
The phrase Matariki mā Puanga is a reminder that regardless of our different backgrounds, origins, and practices, we use this celebration to come together and share the many unique elements that shape our identity.
For more information, get in touch with Jocelyn through the Contact Us page on this website: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/contact-us/
Discover more about Matariki: https://www.matariki.com/about
Find more Matariki events: https://www.matariki.com/events
by Jocelyn Watkin | Jan 11, 2025 | Information
Yes, it’s happening and for the 8th year in a row!! The free summer tai chi and qigong sessions with me in Cornwall Park are back for summer 2025. Details below
These FREE sessions are outdoors in Cornwall Park from mid-January to the end of March 2025. All welcome, ideal for beginners and suitable for all ages and abilities.
Dates and times:
- Starting Sunday 12 January 2025, 9 – 9.45am: Please note there is no tai chi on Sunday 26 January, which is during Auckland Anniversary Weekend. There will be tai chi on all other Sunday mornings from 12th January until 30th March 2025 (weather permitting)
- Starting Tuesday 14 January 2025, 6 – 6.45pm and every Tuesday evening until 25th March 2025 (weather permitting).
Location in the park: Same as in previous years. If coming into the park from Greenlane Road West, you’ll be on Pōhutukawa Drive (the main road into the park). The tai chi sessions will be under the trees on the left-hand-side about half-way up Pōhutukawa Drive. (If you get to the roundabout, you’ve gone too far.)
Bring your water bottle and a sun hat/sunblock. Wear comfy clothing and footwear. Registrations are not required, just show up 5 – 10 minutes before each session starts.
As all of the sessions are outdoors, the weather needs to be on our side to go ahead. If you are uncertain on whether the session will be held you can:
I can’t wait to see everyone again who attended in previous years and also to meet anyone new, who would love to try tai chi and qigong this summer.
Curious about tai chi and qigong? Find out more here: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/tai-chi/
Please be aware that Cornwall Park is NOT owned by Auckland Council. It is a private park, thanks to the generosity of the founder, Sir John Logan Campbell. He gifted his land, which became known as Cornwall Park, to the people of Auckland. Also, huge thanks to the Cornwall Park Trust Board, which administers his legacy and provides funding for these sessions so you can attend for free.
Contact me or sign up for my free monthly newsletter to get an early ‘heads up’ on when there are even more free sessions of tai chi and qigong.
by Jocelyn Watkin | Sep 24, 2024 | Information
I’ll be teaching three FREE tai chi sessions in Cornwall Park, Greenlane Road West, Auckland, Saturday 28 September, 11am – 2pm for their Heritage Day celebrations. All ages and abilities welcome. Ideal for beginners.
The sessions will be scheduled at approximately 11.15am, 12.15pm and 1.15pm.
Note: These will be outside Huia Lodge and not in my usual summer tai chi spot.
There’ll be heaps of other free activities for Heritage Day in Cornwall Park, including:
- March, jive, groove and bop along to tunes from the last 121 years with the Auckland Big Band
- Step back in time and picnic like it’s 1929 with Art Deco Society Auckland Inc.
- Fly and make your own kite with CLM Community Events.
- Admire how past visitors would get to and from the park in style with the North Island Model A Ford Club Inc.
- PLUS you can pick up your own limited edition Cornwall Park Trading Card on the day.
Find out more about this amazing Heritage Day event in Cornwall Park: https://cornwallpark.co.nz/whats-on/heritage-day-recreation
If postponed on the 28th due to rain, the next scheduled day for this event will be Saturday 5 October, 11am – 2pm. Please check the Cornwall Park webpage or their Facebook page for updates about the weather.
This event is part of Auckland Council’s Auckland Heritage Festival 2024, which runs from 28 September to 13 October. There are lots of other free and low-cost events that will be part of this festival: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/heritage-festival/heritage-festival-events/
by Jocelyn Watkin | Jul 22, 2024 | Information |
Embrace your creativity by making earth art/nature art (This one was created by Jocelyn)
Do you wish you could simply let go and be free to try something creative – just for fun, just for you, even if just for a day? Abracadabra … your wish is granted.
Join me at the picturesque Ōtorohanga Museum for a transformative 1-day workshop where the ancient arts of tai chi and qigong blend seamlessly with making earth art in te taiao (the natural world/the environment) and with other mindfulness-based art practices.
When: Sunday 22 September 2024, 10.30am to 4pm
Where: Ōtorohanga Museum, 15 Kakamutu Street, Ōtorohanga. Refer to map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gTwGn9w4PwijLRpA8
Participants: Adults aged 18+. Ideal for beginners.
This unique workshop is designed to help you to let go of your limits, feel in harmony with nature, and be inspired to embrace your own creative potential.
What past participants are saying: “I loved how easy it was to overcome my self-limiting beliefs about art and creativity.” – Participant in the “Awaken Your Senses” 1-day retreat, May 2024
At the workshop, you’ll:
- Learn the soothing art of tai chi and qigong to harmonize your mind and body so you can feel centred and tuned-in with the natural world.
- Experience the tactile delights of leaf rubbing to connect with nature’s textures.
- Immerse yourself in 5-senses nature journaling to become aware nature’s beauty all around you so you can let go and just be in the present moment.
- Create your own earth art/nature mandala, to feel grounded and at peace in the natural environment to further release your creativity. Weather permitting, we’ll also explore the outdoors to forage for materials to inspire your creation to help you feel more connected with Papatūānuku / the Earth Mother.
Creativity is not a ‘magic gene’ inherited by just a few. You’ll discover that everyone possesses the ability to create art that is both meaningful and delightful.
If you have ever been told you’re ‘not artistic’ or ‘not talented’ then this very special workshop is your chance to reclaim your creativity – just for you, just for fun and without limits, without judgement.
This unique workshop is jointly hosted by the Ōtorohanga Creative Conduit and Jocelyn Watkin of Kia Ora Tai Chi. Jocelyn will guide you through every activity with expert care and tuition.
Tickets: $65 per person (+ booking fees of $2.25 apply). All materials supplied including a nature journal.
Buy your tickets through the following link or cut & paste that link into your browser:
https://events.humanitix.com/adult-workshop-inspire-your-creative-flow-with-the-art-of-tai-chi-workshop-code-jwtai?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR017WznEukVtg4XvNVM_sjZraRGRweUY8BMKkIvMyQk5JXA8ZEHzPdu-00_aem_AUfAfPzA0SxMT90Oxk9toD2ij4SoN-b0upPAvwMMPkie8OLPtpf1ZGOFX55DUT6_QwxUW3Rn_FIw9jz9zlAKv4D-
Come along to shake off the winter gloom and revitalize your spirit as we prepare for the renewal of Spring!
What is earth art (also known as nature mandalas or eco art)?
Symmetrical earth art design, created by Jocelyn
Earth art / eco art / earth altars / nature mandalas are temporary designs or sculptures arranged on the ground.
They are usually entirely organic as they are made out of leaves, flowers, petals, twigs, pine cones, shells, and in fact anything natural that has fallen from the trees or been released by the sea. (i.e. not usually snipped or cut).
The style or the ‘look’ of earth art is entirely up to you. It can be structured, concentric, random or eccentric in its layout.
When you forage for your earth art items/materials, they can be selected purely by chance (i.e. what you find on a particular day). Or, you might deliberately search for something in particular because it is symbolic, maybe because you are remembering someone special or a special moment in your life?
I find both the foraging and making process creative, absorbing and fulfilling. You, too, can feel this when you make your own earth art, including letting the peace and tranquility of reconnecting with nature flow over you.
For our workshop, you will arrange your earth art on tables so you don’t have to bend down or crouch on the ground.
Testimonial: “It was so much fun creating earth art … and such a beautiful & replenishing retreat day.” (Participant in the “Awaken Your Senses” 1-day retreat, May 2024)
Free-flow design for earth art, created by Jocelyn
If you need more information or if you have questions, please text Jocelyn on 027 493 9851 or use the contact form on the website: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/contact-us/
Here are all the details of the workshop
Date and time: Sunday 22 September, 2024, 10.30am – 4pm.
Venue: Ōtorohanga Museum, 15 Kakamutu Street, Ōtorohanga. Refer to map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gTwGn9w4PwijLRpA8
Parking: Plenty of free parking is available on the road outside the museum.
What to wear: Comfortable, loose clothing that is easy to move in, and flat-soled shoes that are comfortable for walking. Please also bring an outdoor jacket (for when you are foraging outdoors) plus a jersey or hoodie to keep warm indoors, especially as we will sit still for some of the time.
Please bring: Your lunch, pen and paper to take notes, filled water bottle and a snack
Places are limited to just 10 people.
Who is the instructor?
Jocelyn Watkin
Jocelyn combines the calming tranquility of tai chi and qigong with mindfulness-based art therapy and sensory, nature journaling to help people to embrace and develop their own creativity, reduce stress and to improve their well-being.
She is a qualified school teacher (now retired), who majored in art and English literature as part of her training. She has been doing tai chi and qigong (the breathing side of tai chi) for over 20 years.
Jocelyn completed her tai chi instructor qualifications eight years ago because she wanted to share the amazing health and well-being benefits of tai chi and qigong with others.
She is the founder and director of Kia Ora Tai Chi and 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)
What is qigong (pronounced chee-gong)?
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.
What is sensory or 5-senses nature journaling?
Sensory journaling
With sensory journaling, you focus on your five senses to tune into and enjoy the world around you. It’s a pleasant adventure in noticing, savouring and to feel truly alive.
It can be done anywhere – on your deck, garden, street, or even near an open window!
Journaling is not just writing. You can draw, doodle, trace around objects, etc, as part of focusing with each of your five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.
This type of journaling helps you to calm your mind and to relax into the present moment, which will help you to reduce worrying, relieve anxiety and to begin to live the life you really want.
Jocelyn learned about the power of journaling when recovering from post-traumatic stress nearly 25 years ago. It enabled her to break the grip that 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)
Cancellation policy
The workshop must be paid for in full to reserve your place.
Refunds are available through Ōtorohanga Creative Conduit up to four days prior to the workshop. Not refundable if less than four days prior to the workshop.
In the unlikely event that Ōtorohanga Creative Conduit cancels the workshop, you will be refunded in full.
If you are unwell on 22 September
Please do not attend if you are sick or have cold or ‘flu-like symptoms.
All participants will need to respect the need for social distancing at all times during the workshop. Anyone is welcome to wear a face mask if they wish. There will not be any paired exercises or touching by others.
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 workshop
Jocelyn (the instructor) has been fully vaccinated for Covid-19.
I would love you to join me for this immersive workshop, which will inspire your creative flow with the art of tai chi.
Earth art, created by Jocelyn
Earth art, created by Jocelyn
