Flow & Steep: A Qigong and Tea Retreat

Flow & Steep is a qigong and tea retreat at Ratna Ling Retreat Center in Cazadero, California, led by Dr. Cynthia Li, Daniela Cubelic and Pavi Mehta. It is a weekend wellness retreat for anyone drawn to slow, gentle practice and who wants a quiet stretch in the Northern California redwoods to move, breathe and rest.

The retreat is rooted in qigong, one of China's oldest contemplative healing traditions. Over the weekend, qigong becomes a living practice that weaves together gentle movement, breath, visualization, sound and stillness. Tea is part of the retreat's name and its character, a companion to the slower pace of the days.

What to Expect

The weekend moves through the elements of qigong practice: gentle movement, breath work, visualization, sound and periods of stillness. The pace is unhurried. The practices are meant to settle the body and quiet the mind rather than to demand effort or performance, and the tea in the title points to the same intention of pausing and being present.

Three teachers share the weekend, so the practices are offered from more than one voice and perspective.

Your Hosts

Dr. Cynthia Li, Daniela Cubelic and Pavi Mehta lead Flow & Steep together. They guide the weekend as a shared offering, bringing qigong, breath, sound and stillness into one practice.

The Setting

Ratna Ling Retreat Center sits in the coastal redwoods near Cazadero in Sonoma County, California. It is run as a volunteer organization, and its retreats are described as an invitation to step away from daily demands and connect with yourself, with Nature and with the community there. The center's Tibetan Book Preservation Project and its scholarships for retreat guests are supported by donations.

Before You Go

The retreat is a weekend stay. Gentle qigong movement is the core of the program, and the practices are described as approachable, so you do not need to arrive with prior experience in qigong or tea. Come ready to slow down, and bring whatever you usually need for a quiet weekend outdoors among the redwoods.