Mindful Tea Ceremony with Taoist Qigong Practices/Ritual in Nature

The Spring season is the time to regenerate and uprise after the restorative months. The Tao 道 (The Way of Nature) and Traditional Chinese Medicine promotes a balanced way of living full of ancient wisdom throughout the past thousands of years, which allows the natural flow of your life force/Qi 气, blood and other substances in your physical and energy body. Natural living helps us feel more balanced, peaceful yet alive and energized. 

You’re invited to rest in the presence of your own senses/body, to learn to balance Yin & Yang and to dive in and move through your Qi with a Tea Ceremony and various Taoist Qigong Practices (guided by Leila and David) in nature. We will meet at a quiet area in Flevopark on Sunday afternoon from 11-13 on May 12. This combination evolved from exploring Eastern ancient practices in harmony with the Tao, with an invitation to observe your own experience, feel in your body, and integrate those experiences into a mindful daily lifestyle. Together, we co-create a safe, connected and rooted resting space for cleansing, healing, emotional release, manifestation and call in our collective wishes for the future.

TEA CEREMONY AND MEDITATION

We will share the Sunday afternoon with an ancient and mindful Tea Ceremony. For this Tea Ceremony (‘Cha Dao’ 茶道, to experience the way of nature through the portal of tea within yourself), your host Leila will present specially selected tea (Da Hong Pao Oolong) for the grounding and guide you through a tea meditation that cultivates the present moments, mindful process and fluid flow in a harmonious atmosphere that brings us together and improves our taste and all the senses, health and soul. You might come home feeling a greater connection within yourself and with nature, and feeling more rested in your body/mind from this sacred ceremony. Tasty, fresh and vegan sweets will be shared to pair with the tea to enhance the senses and the process. 

TAOIST QIGONG PRACTICES & RITUAL
David Pho will share his 20+ years taijiquan and qigong experience and teach a selection of 5 Taoist Qigong and Daoyin exercises aimed at promoting the natural flow of Qi through key meridians in your upper body. This area contains the heart, lungs, kidneys and triple burners which play an essential role in calming our spirit, improving our energy level and immune system, warming our body and clearing our mind. The selected exercises are relatively easy to take home and support you throughout the winter days and beyond. No previous experience is required, it’s for everyone.
– Standing Meditation (zhanzhuang) will nurture more focus and stillness in body & mind allowing you to deeply sense your inner body. Standing quietly and attentively without distraction from physical movement will help you condition yourself to open up and free your body from inner blockages.
– Eight Brocates Daoyin (Baduanjin) is a taoist set of 8 stretching exercises based on daoyin principles, which can be practised both sitting and standing. Literally daoyin means ‘steering Qi and guiding the body’. Every exercise is intended to create more openness, space and flow in specific meridians and body parts. 
–Wudang Qigong is a series of 10 taoist Qigong exercises which teaches you to actively move Qi through your energy body based on taoist principles by applying intention, focus and breathing. The physical and mindfull Qigong movements help guiding the Qi flow in your body resulting in more peace and clarity in your heart, as well as physical and emotional resilience.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
☼ Ticket: 38 euros (limited spots)☼ Entrance time (doors open): 10:45 ☼ Starting time: 11:00 (please arrive earlier); Closing time: 13:00
Looking forward to sharing this special experience with you soon!
With love,Leila and David