by Jocelyn Watkin | May 26, 2026 | Information |
These free sessions will be on the last Saturday of the months of June and July 2026. They will be fun, family-friendly and ideal for beginners. Anyone can attend, whether you live in Manurewa or not.
When: Saturday 27 June 2026, 1:45 – 2:30pm and also at the same time on the last Saturday in July (25th July)
Where: Community Room, in the Manurewa Library, 7 Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland 2102. Refer to map
Price: FREE
Close to public transport: Manurewa Library is a 1-minute walk from the Gt South Road (a main transport route) and a 5 – 10 minute walk from the Manurewa Train Station and bus inter-change. That inter-change is a major South Auckland public transport hub, which is located off Station Road and next to the SouthMall Shopping Centre
Free parking: There’s plenty of free parking (for two hours) at the back of the library (entrance from Hill Road). Plus there is a 1-hour car park in front of the main library entrance (off Newhook Lane)
Age restriction: Open to all ages, but tamariki (children) under 13 need to be accompanied by an adult.
RSVP: Not required, just come along
What to wear: Warm, comfortable clothes that you can move in. Please wear flat-soled shoes like sneakers and trainers. Please also bring a filled water bottle.
Who is the instructor?
Jocelyn Watkin is a Manurewa local and the founder of Kia Ora Tai Chi. She is a qualified and experienced instructor for tai chi, taiji and qigong. These ancient Chinese arts can help you to:
- improve your health and well-being
- reduce stress and anxiety
- improve your balance and help to prevent falls
- boost your immunity
- get fitter without puffing, and
- live stronger for longer.
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 is donating her time so you can attend these sessions at the Manurewa Library for free.
Testimonial from a participant in the 2026 summer tai chi sessions in Cornwall Park: “Thank you so much. We’ve so enjoyed the classes. You’re an incredibly inclusive, encouraging and knowledgeable teacher. We already feel the benefits in terms of flexibility, balance and calm.”
Find out more about Jocelyn: https://www.kiaorataichi.nz/about-us/
If you’d like to have a kōrero (chat) about these sessions, please text or phone Jocelyn on 027 493 9851 or use the Contact Form on the Kia Ora Tai Chi website.
by Jocelyn Watkin | Feb 6, 2021 | Information
This is a post from February 2021.
Here’s your chance to fall in love with tai chi and qigong. Your heart and health will thank you you for it.
If you want to feel healthier, live stronger for longer and get fitter without puffing, then tai chi and qigong can help you.
The team at Kia Ora Tai Chi are looking for adults of any age and ability, who are keen to make a regular commitment to their health. Come along to learn tai chi and qigong in our new classes for beginners . You can join any time up to (and including) Wednesday 10 March 2021, 6.30 – 7.15pm. Please arrive no later than 6.25pm.
We will be in the Manurewa South School hall, on Totara Road Manurewa, Auckland 2102 (refer to the map further below). Please note that the entrance to the hall and free parking is off Totara Road, which is a different street to the main entrance to the school.
If you’d like to try tai chi, there’ll be a warm welcome at one of the free introductory sessions on Monday 22nd and Wednesday 24th February, 6.30 – 7.15pm.
If you miss the introductory sessions in February, you are still welcome to join the February beginners up until Wednesday 10 March 2021. Your first class is free. After 10 March, anyone who hasn’t already joined the beginners class will need to wait until the next intake. The date is still to be confirmed but is likely to be July 2021 and/or February 2022.
If you’d like to attend, please text or phone Jocelyn Watkin on 027 493 9851 or please use the Contact Form.
After the free classes, you will be encouraged to attend two nights per week on an ongoing basis. However, if you are committed to practicing between classes then it is OK to attend just one class per week. Learning tai chi and qigong takes time but you if keen to gain all of the health, wellbeing and fitness benefits then this investment in your future good health will be worth it.
Here at Kia Ora Tai Chi, we are all constantly amazed at the health improvements that our students tell us about once they attend our classes on a regular basis:
- sleeping better at night
- feeling better all over and less stressed
- improved breathing, with less wheezing or feeling like they’ve ‘run out of breath’
- finding it easier to go up and down stairs
- playing with their children or grandchildren for longer without getting tired
- lowering their high blood pressure
- feeling more flexible and moving better with less aches and pains
- better balance/less falls
- toned muscles.
The map below shows you where to find us. Please note that the entrance to the Manurewa South School hall and the free parking is at 18 Totara Road (please don’t go to the main entrance to the school, which is on another street). Please aim to arrive no later than 6.25pm.
To RSVP or to ask questions about the classes, please use the Contact Form
Cost of classes: Your first class is FREE. After that, prices start from $9.50 per class. A discount is available for those who are referred by ACC and Age Concern for the Community Group Strength and Balance Exercise programme (“Live Stronger for Longer”). You must be aged 65+ to be referred.
What to wear: Please wear loose comfortable clothing and flat-soled shoes (such as sneakers, trainers or tennis shoes). Please also bring a drinking bottle of water.
Learn to de-stress with tai chi and qiqog
There have been hundreds of clinical studies over many years that confirm the health benefits of tai chi, especially for the Tai Chi for Health programmes that we teach at Kia Ora Tai Chi. You can read more about these clinical studies here.
One aspect consistent across all studies and trials is that none of these benefits happen overnight or after just one class. The trials take place over several weeks, sometimes several months, and the people being studied do tai chi at least 2 -3 times per week.
Kia Ora Tai Chi students attend at least one class per week, often two, and several practice between each class. Improving your health, fitness and balance is worth a regular commitment to tai chi.
Find out more about Kia Ora Tai Chi classes, how to get to the venue, and what to expect.
Discover more health benefits from tai chi.
Love your heart and your health with tai chi and qigong
Want to know even more about tai chi? Click here
Please RSVP for a free beginner’s class up until (and including) Wednesday 10th March by using the Contact Form or text or phone Jocelyn Watkin on 027 493 9851.
Come along and say kia ora. We’d love to see you. We’re a friendly bunch at a great venue that has lots of free parking.
