Nourishing Life (養生 Yǎng Shēng)

This 5-day "Nourishing Life" program is tailored for therapists, coaches, and individuals aiming to deepen their professional practice or gain personal insights. Set in Cartagena, Spain, the program integrates the Five Elements of Chinese Medicine through exercises, mountain walks, and body-mind dynamics, guiding participants to uncover their unique patterns, pitfalls, and strengths. The experience combines movement practices with herbal and dietary advice for a holistic approach to well-being.

This program is for:

Therapists to gain a deeper understanding of how the Five Elements can enhance your therapeutic approach. Learn tools to help clients identify their emotional patterns and develop healthier ways to manage stress and emotions.
Coaches to use this course to integrate the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine into your coaching practice, helping clients discover their strengths and overcome their pitfalls through a holistic approach.
Individuals for personal development or self-care, this program helps you uncover deep insights into your emotional and physical well-being, empowering you with tools for a more balanced life.

Day 1: Wood Element – Growth, Flexibility, and Movement

Theme: Explore the dynamics of the Wood element, focusing on growth, flexibility, and how this translates into both personal and professional life.
Morning:
- Mountain Walk: Start the day with a gentle walk through the Cartagena mountains, focusing on the renewing energy of the Wood element. As therapists and coaches, this walk symbolizes our growth and flexibility, which mirrors the Wood element’s influence on personal development.
- Stretching and Yoga: Engage in a yoga session aimed at enhancing flexibility, promoting the smooth flow of Qi (energy), and releasing blockages in both body and mind.
Afternoon:
- Workshop on Body-Mind Dynamics: Explore the relationship between the Wood element, the liver, and emotions like anger and frustration. You will also learn techniques to help release emotional stagnation and promote personal growth.
- Herbal & Dietary Advice: Learn about herbs like dandelion and chrysanthemum for liver health, and receive dietary tips on incorporating green, leafy vegetables and sour foods to harmonize the Wood element.
Reflection: Writing in your personal journal to uncover patterns related to growth and flexibility. Reflect on how you might experience pitfalls of stagnation or strengths in adaptability.

Day 2: Fire Element – Passion, Vitality, and Heart Health

Theme: Focus on passion, vitality, and heart-centered practice. This day encourages you to tap into your emotional warmth, both for personal insights and in your work with clients.
Morning:
- Mountain Hike: A more vigorous walk along the Cabo Tinoso hills, designed to raise energy levels and stimulate the heart. This hike reflects the Fire element’s vibrant, high-energy nature.
- Cardiovascular Workout: this session supports cardiovascular health, boost vitality, and channel the Fire element’s energetic dynamism.
Afternoon:
- Workshop on Emotional Dynamics: Understand the connection between the heart (Fire element) and emotions such as joy and anxiety. Engage in group exercises to explore how passion and emotional warmth can be cultivated both personally and in your therapy or coaching practice.
- Herbal & Dietary Advice: Discover heart-nourishing herbs like hawthorn and motherwort, along with dietary advice that includes warming foods and bitters, which support emotional and cardiovascular health.
Reflection: Identify where passion is either overextended (burnout) or underutilized (lack of motivation). Consider how these patterns manifest in your clients or yourself and explore how to rekindle the inner fire.

Day 3: Earth Element – Stability, Core Strength, and Grounding

Theme: Focus on cultivating stability, both in body and mind, through grounding practices. The Earth element fosters a sense of security and balance, essential in therapeutic work.
Morning:
- Mindful Mountain Walk: Engage in a slow, meditative walk through the mountains of Penas Blancas walk, focusing on grounding and stability with each step. This practice symbolizes the need for therapists and coaches to find their own grounding before guiding others.
- Core & digestive system: Engage in Pilates or functional training to build physical strength and stability, particularly in the core. This is not just about physical stability, but emotional and mental resilience.
Afternoon:
- Workshop on Emotional Stability: Explore how the spleen (Earth element) governs the process of thinking and worrying. In your role as a therapist or coach, learn how to help clients move from overthinking to emotional stability, using grounding techniques and mindfulness.
- Herbal & Dietary Advice: Learn about herbs like ginseng and licorice to support the digestive system and nourish the spleen. Discover how whole grains and root vegetables can create emotional balance through dietary choices.
Reflection: Identify your own strengths in grounding and stability, as well as potential pitfalls like over-worrying or overthinking. Consider how you can use these insights to help clients feel more rooted in their lives.

Day 4: Metal Element – Precision, Breath, and Endurance

Theme: Develop focus, precision, and the ability to let go. The Metal element brings clarity and helps you or your clients release what is no longer needed.
Morning:
- Breath-Centered Mountain Walk: A mindful hike with a focus on breathing. As the Metal element is connected with the lungs, this walk will include Qigong breathing exercises to deepen awareness of the breath and strengthen lung function.
- Endurance Training: Long-distance jogging or cycling to build endurance and reflect the Metal element’s ability to push through challenges with precision and clarity.
Afternoon:
- Workshop on Emotional Release: Delve into how the Metal element, through the lungs, deals with emotions like grief and the process of letting go. Learn breathwork techniques that can be used in therapy or coaching to help clients release emotional baggage.
- Herbal & Dietary Advice: Explore herbs such as white peony and astragalus for lung health. Receive dietary advice on foods like pears and white radishes, which support Metal energy and lung function.
Reflection: Discover and write in your journal about personal pitfalls around holding on (to grief, perfectionism, or control) and reflect on how letting go can be incorporated into both your life and professional practice.

Day 5: Water Element – Restoration, Fluidity, and Rejuvenation

Theme: Focus on deep restoration and rejuvenation. The Water element connects you with the depths of your energy reserves and helps you tap into your personal wellspring of vitality.
Morning:
- Gentle Mountain Walk: A slow-paced, restorative walk through the peaceful landscapes of the walk sendero agua del Perin Cartagena, embodying the fluid, introspective nature of the Water element.
- Restorative Yoga: A deeply relaxing Yin Yoga session to support the body’s ability to rejuvenate. The Water element encourages rest and reflection, which is vital for both personal and professional longevity.
Afternoon:
- Workshop on Rejuvenation and Inner Strength: Learn about the kidneys (Water element) as the source of vitality in TCM. Engage in visualization and meditation practices that connect you to your deepest source of energy and wisdom.
- Herbal & Dietary Advice: Explore kidney-supporting herbs like goji berries and rehmannia, as well as the importance of warming, nourishing foods like soups and stews to sustain the Water element.
Reflection: Reflect and write in your hournal on your personal strengths related to resilience and deep rejuvenation. Consider how this wisdom can be applied in your professional practice to help clients reconnect with their vitality and inner resources.

This program wil be personalized after the intake. And,....because it is an indivual program you can check availability for both our rental homes. You can come together or with a small group. Maximum is 4 persons.