Stop Being Busy. Start Being Infinitely Alive.
A deep immersion into Heart-Life (Xing) with Teacher Xie Chuan. Beyond methods, beyond logic-returning to the original root of your existence.
Casa Santa Elena, Solius, Girona
9th - 17th September 2026
With Teacher Xie Chuan
Returning to the Heart-Life: An Eight-Night Immersion
Most of us spend our lives "standing on our heads"letting the logical brain and the pressure of "busy-ness" exhaust us until the heart feels tired. In the Chinese language, the word for busy describes a heart that is dying; this retreat is an invitation to stop that cycle and become "infinitely alive" once again.
For eight nights in the quiet hills of Catalonia, we will step away from the world of doing, naming, and fixing to return to the original root of our existence. This is not a workshop for learning complex sequences or "achieving" results. It is a journey into the "Formless"—a deep, internal self-enquiry where we use silence, simple Mudras, and gentle movement to merge the heart, brain, and breath into one.
Beyond methods and beyond the ego, you will reconnect with the living Qi field as your natural state. Here, in the stillness of the "Heart-Life," the sunbeam of your true awareness can finally break through
About Xie Chuan
Teacher Xie Chuan’s path began not with a desire to teach, but with a son’s devotion. When conventional medicine failed to help his mother’s Ménière’s disease, Xie took her to the park every day to practice Zhineng Qigong as a last resort. After just 25 days of simple, fundamental practice, her illness was completely gone. This profound recovery sparked a 30-year journey into the mechanics of healing and awareness.
Following his heart, Xie completed a rigorous two-year teacher qualification at the renowned Huaxia Qigong Centre, where he later worked for five years. He went on to serve as the Vice-Chancellor of the Xi’An Zhineng Science Research Center for four years and earned qualification from China’s Ministry of Labor as a Senior Hypnotherapy Health Consultant.
The Venue: Casa Santa Elena
Casa Santa Elena is a retreat centre in the Solius Valley, surrounded by hills, silence, and six hectares of gardens. It is a place made for rest and inner work.
The rooms are comfortable and simple, each with a private bathroom. Meals are seasonal, homemade, and prepared with care. There are quiet chapels, spaces for reflection, and paths in nature.
It is about one hour from Barcelona Airport, or 30 minutes from Girona.
Facilities include:
*Comfortable single rooms with private bathrooms
*2 dining rooms serving wholesome, seasonal meals
*Church and chapel for quiet reflection
*Extensive gardens and a barbecue area
*Free private parking and WiFi
*Transfer services are available upon request from Casa Santa Elena
The centre is committed to providing a space for well-being, rest, silence, and harmony.
Food & Nourishment
All meals at Casa Santa Elena are prepared in-house, focusing on simple, seasonal, and homemade food without artificial preservatives. The centre offers options to accommodate various dietary needs and preferences, ensuring that all guests are well-nourished throughout the retreat.
The retreat is all inclusive and includes three meals a day plus refreshment breaks.
The Practice: Turning the "Upside-Down" Life
During these seven days, we will not simply "learn" Qigong; we will enter a state of entirety practice-where physical sensation and awareness merge into one. We move away from the "logic-brain" that wants to control, and toward the heart that knows how to allow.
Our exploration will center on these core themes:
The Heart-Life vs. The Brain-Life: Moving from a life of "busy-ness" and logic back to our original root.
- The Form and the Formless: Understanding that the body is the "form," but your awareness is the "formless" essence that can never be touched or reach a limit
- Warming the Foundation: Learning the first condition of self-healing—keeping the body warm to protect our precious Yang Qi.
- Beyond the "Busy" Trap: Recognizing that when we are too busy "doing" practice, our heart cannot truly live.
- Grounding the Waves: Using the grounding concept to collect all our sensations into a single "package," leaving us free to discover our true awareness.
- The Function of Qi: Realizing that energy is not a mystery, but simply your "function"—what you can aware, what you can reach, and what you can transform.
“Ego grows when we cling to achievement. Even spiritual practice can become gathering.”
Xie Chuan
Daily Programme
Zhineng Qigong Grounding & Returning to Source
08:00 – 09:00
Breakfast
Nourishment and gentle transition into the day
09:45 – 12:45
Morning session - grounding & pure consciousness.
Teaching, sharing and practice: settling into the lower dantian, rooting through the feet, connecting downward to earth qi. Stillness practice, movement, and group field work.
Online & in person
13:00 – 15:00
Lunch & rest
Time to integrate. Rest, gentle walk, or quiet time.
15:00 – 18:00
Afternoon session — opening & returning
Deeper practice: dissolving tension, melting into the field, returning to original nature. Group consciousness and healing practice. Some days we may go for a group walk.
18:00
Dinner
20:00 – 21:00
Evening session — settling & integration
Guided practice to close the day: Rofu, breathing, sound, or stillness.
In person only
Notes: The morning session (09:45–12:45) is available both online and in person.
All afternoon and evening sessions are in person only. Walking evenings and Rofu sessions will be announced on the day. The programme may be adjusted by Teacher Xie to follow the needs of the group.
Cost
Prices Listed in Euros
Tuition 7 Full Days: €530 per person
Accommodation & meals (full board):
Single room: € 843.92
Double room:€ 1511.84
This Includes: 8 nights, 3 meals a day, tea/coffee breaks
(UK Info: approx total price for single room, full board and tuition 1200 GBP depending on exchange rate. Price doesn't include flights and travel.)
Arrival 9th September 2026: Dinner
Departure 17th September: Breakfast and Lunch (optional)
Check-in: 9th September 2026
Check-out: 17th September 2026 after lunch (latest)
Transport:
30 mins car/taxi from Girona Airport
Bus: approx1 hour 20 minutes from Barcelona Airport to Santa Cristina d'Aro.
Then 3-4 KM taxi ride from Santa Cristina d' Ari to Casa Santa Elena
Bus company contact details (please note bus timetable not available until mid-March 2026):
- SARFA – Moventis
Email:
- Website:
- Tel: +34 900 360 000
- Taxi from Santa Cristina d'Aro to Casa Santa Elena (3- 4KM)
- Santa Cristina Taxi: +34 629161118
To Book
For information or to reserve your place, please contact Sara:
sara@heartsqi.com
More details: casa-santa-elena.org
This retreat is not about achieving something new. It is about remembering what is already here — open lungs, quiet mind, natural awareness.
“Be like a child -simple, pure, and allowing.” Xie Chuan
Map
The surrounding area offers a peaceful environment with nature and silence, ideal for relaxation and reflection.
Casa Santa Elena
Casa Santa Elena is a retreat centre located in the Solius Valley, offering a space for well-being, rest, silence, and harmony. The centre provides comfortable accommodations, adaptable meeting rooms, and a peaceful environment surrounded by nature, ideal for retreats and spiritual gatherings. casa-santa-elena.org
“Any practice that makes you lose wholeness is not correct practice.”
Teacher Xie
Contact
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