Taiji & Qigong Retreat Ireland
17-26 JULY 2023
(Followed by a weekend intensive in Dublin 25-27 August)
10 DAYS Retreat of Taiji, Qigong, and Sitting Meditation
Join us in a beautiful light-filled octagonal practice space with wooden floors, set within a nature reserve, at An Sanctóir, in West Cork, Ireland!
Sessions led by Sarah Tulivu (Fong Yi).
ABOUT THIS SYSTEM OF TAIJI (TAICHI) 太極 and QIGONG 氣功
The “Taichi Tao” approach comes from the mountain monks and is often nicknamed “Temple-Style Taichi”, so it has a very strong meditation base compared to some other methods you may have encountered so far.
ABOUT SARAH TULIVU
Sarah Tulivu, or Fong Yi has trained in meditation for the past 13 years. Six of those years were passed as a monk in a Tao Temple, in the “Taichi Tao System” (also nicknamed Temple Style), by Master Waysun Liao.
You can read more about what we’ll practice in the retreat here, and more about Sarah here.
How much, where, when
Cost:
For 5-6 hours practice per day, and 3 meals:
There is a sliding scale to suit different budgets of €490 (For people with economical issues – volounteer spots are also available), €550 (Regular price), €650 (Supporting price) – if staying in tent, or camper.
If you’d like to stay in a bed in the dorm, then add €15/night to that (x6 beds available at Dan’s). We also have some rooms available for €25/night.
Where:
in An Sanctóir, West Cork, Ireland.
The center is situated in 30 acres of beautiful nature reserve, with many paths for nice walks along the river and into the forest, with a wonderful sunset view from the hill above the main house.
When:
ARRIVAL: 17th July- starting at 16:30, opening circle, small practice, and dinner. (It’s possible to come sooner than the 17th if you like, even the days before!)
DEPARTURE: 27th July – with a morning practice, breakfast, and closing circle. So definitively after 12:00pm. It’s possible to stay extra nights on the land.
Participating for fewer days is a possibility. (If it’s our first time training with us then best to start from the first day)
Schedule
7:15 Waking up bell – with 10 minutes Sitting Meditation
08:00-09:00 Sitting Meditation /Openings
09:15-10:45 Breakfast
10:45-12:45 Taiji&Qigong with some Sitting
12:45-13:15 Self practice
14:30-15:30 Lunch (Silence ends)
16:30-18:30 Taiji & Qigong
20:00 Dinner
22:30 Silence begins
We will also do a 15-minute sitting meditation before sleeping, together or each on their own, to fall asleep in style 😉.
(Schedule may be adjusted as the days go by)
Silence
Except for during weekends, we will be in silence till lunch each day.
One of the days we will be in silence for one and a half day.
Nature Walks
In the nature reserve surrounding the center, there are plenty of nice paths for walks.
Sharing
We will have times for talking in a circle together, where who feels can share about their process and experience, we found these very helpful in past retreats, bringing us all closer.
FAQ
Can I participate for less days?
If you cannot attend the full retreat it is also possible to join for €75 per day. We do ask that you attend from the first day, so we can go through a process together from the start. (If you have participated in retreats before then the start day can be more elastic, but we’d still encourage joining from day one.)
What's the accommodation like?
There are beds in a shared room next door for 15 euro extra a night, and private rooms for 25 a night, and possibilities for camping, and bringing your campervan – those won’t cost you anything extra.
Unless you are staying in the room, bring your own bedding, tent, and whatever else you need to make yourself comfortable.
If coming from outside Ireland, know that even if it’s the end of July, nights can be quite chilly. So bring extra layers!
If you have transport, renting accommodation or Airbnb nearby is possible. If this option appeals to you we recommend you book soon as it is a busy time of the year.
Are meals vegetarian?
3 vegetarian meals a day will be prepared by our wonderful (and hilarious) kitchen team to keep us all well-nourished. And they will also be practicing with us so the food will be infused with Taiji-ness!
(Last year a hunter gifted us some wild pig, so… that could happen 🙂
What shall I bring?
• Flat indoor shoes for practice if you have them (like the barefoot shoes, that leave space for the toes)
• Euro in cash for possible trips to the sea and surroundings (for ice cream for example)
Any Questions?
To book:
+353 860621471
ronopotamus@gmail.com
An Sanctóir, West Cork, Ireland
Less is more
(Except for the scrolling bar below)
Sessions are for all levels, and we will be focusing mostly on foundations. I have found that working with foundations is actually a very advanced practice.
Foundations are what hold up everything, it's where we can work with the core causes of our current condition.
Learning how to listen
We'll be consistently coming back to the quality of one's attention. While applying that work on the forms, body openings, etc.
Through the practice, we will accompany ourselves into a quieter more aware space, learning how to pay attention, how to feel ourselves, and gradually learning how to stay open and present in and with what arises. To ourselves, our hearts, the other, and life around us.
"Taiji Tao System", or "Temple Style Taiji"
For about 11 years I've been training in what is sometimes called the Taichi Tao System, from Master Waysun Liao, also nicknamed "Temple Style Taichi".
But as Master Liao always says, it's just Taichi :).
The Taichi path is a path of going back to the origin, of investigation into the Self, reconnection to one's deeper nature.
Master Waysun Liao studied from an old wandering Taoist monk in a Tao Temple and monastery in his native Taiwan, since he was a child. So the method is focused on meditation.
Amongs other things, he teaches using Single Form style or “Dan Tsou” style practice, which breaks down each movement of the long form into smaller motions that we can practice repetitively in a cyclic manner. Allowing us to relax and focus on Qi Awareness and Qi Flow, and to refine and cultivate the internal dimensions more.
Retreat with:
Sarah Tulivu
Sarah Tulivu / Fong Yi will be leading the sessions. She has been training in Taiji & Qigong and sitting meditation on a daily basis for about 13 years. During that time about 6 years were passed in a Tao Temple and monastery, where she trained as a monk.
She was then advised by her main teacher, Master Waysun Laio and Master Chang to leave the Tao Temple and carry the practice into life in the world – as her Temple, sharing the practice with those interested who cross her path.
Rónan McLoughlin
Rónan McLoughlin (Hao Tong), is our main organizer. He will also be available if in need of an inspirational quote, humor, or practical and unpractical questions.
Ronan is originally from Ireland, he is a movement artist and fire performer, and began his journey into Taiji 10 years ago, also studying in the tradition of Master Waysun Liao.
“In my experience of Taiji, we explore the most basic foundations of ourselves, not through concepts but through our direct experience.
We learn how to engage with that base structure from which we experience and through which we live.
By making adjustments to the foundations we find that things naturally change. We don’t have to force change but we put certain causes into effect and we find that our experience naturally changes.
So rather than getting lost in inner conflict and resistance to how things are, we go towards the root and we “tweak” the underlying structure. These changes ripple through our system and we find that our experience of life is different.”
The cooks
Eadaoin and Richard will be our chefs, fourth time cooking delicious nourishing food for a Taiji retreat together!
They are hilarious, insightful and loving beings, and they will be also participating in the retreat’s Taiji, Qigong and meditation sessions. : )
