Please join us for the 1st Annual Energy Matters Qigong Retreat! Spend a weekend away from the routines and commitments of daily life in a beautiful and serene setting, practicing qigong with like-minded practitioners, enjoying good company, and being nourished by delicious food and the healing power of nature.

Our retreat center - Westerbeke Ranch - is the perfect place to take your practice to a deeper level as we reconnect with the rhythms and universal healing energies that nature provides.

Now more than ever, coming together in community to retreat, rest, and reset is an essential act of self-care. We will be going beyond what we teach in our regular classes, exploring the practice of Wild Goose Qigong in new and different ways.

Details:

Who:
Students of Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong who have taken Part A and Part B at least once each.
NOTE: We can only accommodate 24 total, so sign up ASAP to secure your place.

When:
Fri Nov 7th 4pm - Sun Nov 9th 3pm

Where:
Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma - less than 90 minutes from Oakland!

Teachers:
Gail Whang, Sue Boyle, Kirstin Lindquist

Cost:
$900 Includes workshops and practice sessions, delicious fresh, local and sustainable chef-prepared meals (dietary needs cheerfully accommodated) Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, shared cabins (no singles available), and use of the beautiful facilities, including hot tub, pool (unheated), walking trails, garden, labyrinth, tea and coffee service between meals, fun gift shop, fire ring, and more. Massage sessions can be arranged for additional fee with local practitioners.

Fri Nov 7th

4pm Check in and orientation with Westerbeke Manager

6:30 Dinner

8pm-9pm Opening Circle with Kirstin, Gail, and Sue

Let the magic begin! We will gather with intention, allowing our nervous systems to begin to down-regulate and attune with the rhythms and flows of nature.

10pm Quiet time/lights out

Sat Nov 8th

7am Qigong Practice Group

8am Breakfast

9:30-11:30am Workshop with Gail Whang

Moving In Harmony: A Partnered Qigong Workshop
Step into the current of qi and rediscover the joy of moving with ease, presence, and play. In this two-hour workshop, we'll explore flowing forms and partner-based practices that awaken sensitivity, trust, and connection. Through movement, breath, and gentle interaction, you'll be invited to return to your beginner’s mind — curious, open, and grounded in the present moment. This session is about building community through movement, deepening your awareness of energy in yourself and others, and leaving you refreshed, enlivened, and more connected to yourself and the group.

11:30-12:30pm Free time

12:30 Lunch

2pm-4pm Workshop with Sue Boyle

Freeing the Flow
This workshop takes a deep dive into basic qigong concepts, especially the power of the microcosmic orbit (the energy pathway connecting two meridians that travel up the spine and down the front). Through visualizations and techniques like “floating the arms”, lowering the center of gravity, “the little sit”, “sitting while standing”, and “wading through water”, we’ll practice releasing tension that accumulates in the wrists, hands, shoulders, hips, and back. We will develop ways to apply less effort to the Wild Goose movements. Our ultimate goal is not to move Qi through our qigong practice, but to allow the Qi to move us.

4-6:30pm Free time

6:30 Dinner

8-9pm Workshop with Kirstin

Qi Exploration and Play
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." — The Little Prince
What is qi, really? And how do we experience something so essential — yet invisible — for ourselves? In this gentle, hands-on evening session, we’ll explore the nature of qi through theory, playful sensing exercises, and guided awareness. From partner practices to self-acupressure and visualization, you'll be invited to tune in to what can only be felt, not seen — the quiet intelligence moving within and around you. This session is an invitation to reconnect with the subtle, intelligent life force that moves through everything, including you.

10pm Quiet time/lights out

Sun Nov 9th
7am Practice Group
8am Breakfast
9am Pack up/vacate cabins

10am-noon Workshop with Kirstin, Sue, and Gail

The Meta is in the Micro: Form Refinement
This focused, hands-on workshop is all about the details — and how small adjustments can lead to big energetic shifts. We'll revisit key movements from the 1st Set, using a mix of form review, freeze-frame group work, and flow practice to clarify alignment and intention. Working in small groups, you'll receive supportive feedback and guidance to help smooth out challenging transitions, deepen internal awareness, and enhance ease.

Whether you're looking to refine your movement, strengthen your qi experience, or just reconnect with the subtle beauty of the form, this session invites you to slow down, zoom in, and discover the deeper intelligence within each gesture.

12:30 Lunch

1:30-2:30 Closing Circle with Kirstin, Sue, and Gail

We will honor the sacred and healing space we have created together by sharing, moving together, preparing our energy systems for reentry into the outside world, and saying goodbye (for now).

3pm Leave

Cancellation Policy
We understand that life happens. If you need to cancel your retreat registration, the following policy applies:

• Cancellations before September 1, 2025:
  Full refund minus the $50 administrative fee.
• Cancellations between September 1 and October 6, 2025:
  50% refund of the total retreat fee, unless we are able to fill your spot from the waitlist. If your space is filled, you will receive a full refund minus the $50 administrative fee.
• Cancellations after October 6, 2025:
  No refunds unless we fill your spot from the waitlist. If your space is filled, you will receive a full refund minus the $50 administrative fee.

Retreat Cancellation
If we must cancel the retreat due to unforeseen circumstances, you will receive a full refund of your registration fee. We are not responsible for any other costs incurred, such as travel or lodging.