Qi Medicine: A Silent Qigong and Tea Ceremony Retreat
With Stephanie Nosco and Catherine (Cat) Reynolds
October 11 - 15, 2025
Experience the medicine of qigong, tea, and nature on this transformative inner journey back to yourself.
Join Qigong teacher, author, and psychotherapist Stephanie Nosco, alongside Tea Ceremonialist and Eco-Somatic guide Catherine Reynolds, for this special silent retreat exploring the art of Qigong and the medicine of Tea Ceremony. We will practice in social silence, encouraging the Shen (mind/attention) to drop deeper into the body, allowing us to listen to our intuitive capacities and increase our potential for healing. Nature will be foundational during our time together, acting as both teacher and sacred container as we engage in outdoor Qigong practice and sit in Tea Ceremony honouring the land and the season.
Held over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, this immersive retreat draws from the wisdom of Chinese Medicine, Medical Qigong, Five Element theory, and Buddhism to support this seasonal turning point. It is an invitation to release what no longer serves and to honour the harvest of the year with gratitude. As we transition toward winter, we gather to remember our connection to the land, the body, and the deeper cycles that hold us all. Rooted in the animal forms of Qigong, our movement practice will help awaken the instinctual intelligence of the body. Through the playful and grounded shapes of the bear, deer, crane, and seal, we’ll explore how the body mirrors the natural world – teaching us how to shed, rest, and renew.
Each day will include guided Qigong practices, silent meditation, meridian stretching, and self-acupressure, alongside a daily Tea ceremony featuring intentionally selected wild and living teas. These practices are designed to harmonize the themes of the retreat, offering space for stillness, reflection, and integration.
You will leave our time together with embodied tools for daily practice and a deepened relationship with your own rhythms, the land, and the quiet gifts of the season.
Program Highlights
- Active daily Qigong session, using the Animal frolic forms (outside where possible)
- Daily Tea Ceremony (outside where possible)
- Yin yoga or meridian stretching practice and guided meditation/inquiry
- Both silent and gentle healing sound meditation practices
- Learn the basic Qigong principles of how to incorporate qigong into your daily life
Testimonial
“I was dealing with some grief and stress and doing Qi gong and sharing tea in a beautiful place felt like it would be just what I needed. It turned out even better than I imagined. I was held by silence and the whole program. I couldn’t recommend more highly!”- Doren Day
Daily Schedule
A detailed schedule will be emailed to you about 30 days prior to your program. Click here to view a sample program schedule.
About the Presenters
Stephanie Nosco
Stephanie Nosco is a psychotherapist, somatic educator, and dedicated practitioner and student of Qigong, yoga, Chinese medicine, Buddhism, and depth psychology. Residing on the beautiful Vancouver Island, she draws inspiration from her dreams, nature, and the wisdom of the five elements to explore the complexities of the human experience. Her teaching approach weaves together ancient […]
Learn more about Stephanie Nosco
Catherine (Cat) Reynolds
Catherine (Cat) Reynolds is a Tea Ceremonialist and Nature Mystic. She is an Animist, a follower of the Way, and a daughter of the Mystery. She is a writer, a poet, a storyteller, and often has green-stained fingers and dirt on the soles of her feet from being out in the garden or foraging in […]
Learn more about Catherine (Cat) ReynoldsCategories : Cortes Island, Health & Healing, Mind & Body, Mindfulness, Movement, October