Winter Retreat 2023
Darkroom Retreat & Pi Gu Detox
In-Depth Taoist practices
Workshops Series from January to March
Tao Garden classes with legendary Taoist Master Mantak Chia

About Mantak Chia
Grandmaster Mantak Chia is the world’s foremost Taoist Master. He is the only Qigong Master who received The Qigong Master of the Year Award twice. He is the author of 60 books and has 49 years of teaching experience —online and onsite. Students of Master Chia especially like the clarity of the explanations, the many repetitions of practice, and his slow pace.
The classes with Mantak Chia are unique, thanks to his ability to transmit energy to his students, online or in the classroom. Many students practicing with Master Chia not only witness the wisdom of primordial violet light during his Energy Transmissions but also begin their initial healing processes.
Grandmaster Mantak Chia welcomes you to Tao Garden for the Winter Retreat in January – March 2023
It is the most awaited event for anyone willing to try and experience in-depth Taoist practices. Learn to reduce stress and create harmony and balance in all aspects of your life – physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Can’t come to Tao Garden?

During the Retreat, you will get:
- Powerful practices guided by Master Chia from over 50 years of deep practice and teaching,
- The chance to experience the legendary Darkroom and Master Chia’s energy transmission.
- The opportunity to ask Master Chia all your questions during a Q&A session,
- Lifetime access to recordings of the workshop.
This Retreat is for you if you are:
A beginner looking to transform your health, vitality, emotions, and sexual energy under the guidance of a legendary Taoist teacher (Weeks 1-4)
Wishing to become an Associate or Certified Instructor (Weeks 1-4, see certification steps below)
Looking to experience Advanced Taoist meditations and spiritual transformation through higher level practices (Weeks 5-8)
Looking to experience complete stillness in the darkness to reset your biological clock and to access higher states of consciousness and wisdom (Weeks 5-8)
About the Winter Retreat and Darkroom Retreat
Weeks 1-4 are Taoist Fundamentals – the internal work of Taoist practitioners called Inner Alchemy. You will learn how to awaken Healing Energy through the Tao practices: breath work, meditation, and energy cultivation practices. Weeks 1–4 aid the development of a powerful energetic flow for psychological and spiritual health and balance.
Weeks 5-8 are for those who wish to experience Advanced Taoist Practices. It is traditionally taught by Grandmaster Chia as a Darkroom Retreat and Pi Gu Detox.
In the darkness, you can enter a primordial state —accessing spiritual and psychic realms of consciousness and reuniting with your true self. You become a conductor of universal energy as the darkness activates the deepest centers of the brain, the glands in the Crystal Palace.
Pi Gu Fasting Diet includes Qigong practices, energy meditations, and specific ways of chewing food. This Darkroom Pi Gu state gives tremendous healing power.

We will provide LIVE online translation to several languages if there are more than 10 students requesting a translation at the special field during the checkout. To request a translation for a group of students please contact us at [email protected] You will be offered a full refund in case your language group is not complete and canceled. Mantak Chia will teach in English.
Translation confirmed:
Russian: Week 1-3
Spanish: Week 2-3
Chinese: Week 2
Hungarian: Week 3
Program
Week 1. 12-17 January | In-Depth Inner Alchemy Practices | Awakening Healing of the Tao | Beginner-friendly

Schedule
- - Thu 12 January, Tao Garden | Introduction
- - Workshop: Fri 13 – Mon 16 January
- In-Depth Inner Alchemy Basics | Awakening Healing of the Tao
- - Tuesday | Review class with Instructor
Week 2. 19-24 January | Sexual Alchemy, Loving Energy That Heals + Iron Shirt Basics | Beginner-friendly

Schedule
- - Thu 19 January | Introduction.
- - Workshop: Fri 20 – Mon 23 January | Sexual Alchemy
- - Tuesday | Review class with Instructor
Week 3. 26-31 January | Fusion I and Tan Tien Qigong

Schedule
- - Thu 26 January | introduction
- - Workshop Fri 27 – Mon 30 January
- - Fusion I, Tan Tien Qigong
- - Tuesday | Review class with Instructor
Week 4. 2-7 February | Fusion II, III

Schedule
- - Thu 2 February | introduction.
- - Workshop: Fri 3 – Mon 6 February | Fusion II and III
- - Tuesday| Review class with Instructor
Weekly Schedule for weeks 1-4 (Thailand time)
Thursday
- — 19:00-20.00 Evening Introduction
Friday-Monday:
- — 08:00 – 09:00 Morning Qigong
- — 09:00 – 10:00 Breakfast
- — 10:00 – 12:00 Pakua clinic treatments, spa and Thai massage
- — 12:00 – 14:00 Lunch
- — 14:00 – 18:00 Classes with Mantak Chia (4 hours)
- — 18:00 – 20:00 Dinner
- — 20:00 – 21:00 Evening Tao Yin (Taoist Yoga)
Tuesday
- —10:30-12:30 Review class with a Senior Instructor
Wednesday: no workshops
Certification hours: 18 hours
Darkroom retreat: Weeks 5-8
Recommendations for the of Darkroom Retreat: basic knowledge of Fundamental practices such as Cosmic Inner Smile, Six Healing Sounds, Fusion of the Five Elements, Microcosmic Orbit, Iron Shirt Qigong, and Tao Yin, which bring the body into a state of balance and tuning. A physically fit vehicle is the foundation stone from which to launch astral travel into multi-dimensional orbits and higher cortical activity. If you haven’t already taken Fundamental Practices earlier, we recommend doing so at the start of the Winter Retreat.
During the darkness retreat, you will be completely free from any external light source and all types of animal and dairy protein except for egg-whites to cover your body’s protein and calcium needs. Chlorophylle will be provided daily. Juices, sesame, herbal detox teas, vegetable broth and fruits will be provided to you 3 times per day.
We recommend eating less food 1 week before arrival and check-in at the Tao Garden at least 2 days before the retreat (for additional fee, please contact [email protected]) to prepare the body, clean the colon and do the recommended blood tests (optional).
- Out of the Darkroom for those who booked 1 week: check out from Darkroom on Tuesday evening at 19:00
- Guests who continue more weeks can stay in the Dark or out for relaxation, personal work or clinic & spa treatments.

Darkroom retreat Program
Week 5. 9-14 February | Lesser Kan & Li and Pi Gu Energy Fasting

Schedule
- - Thu 9 February | introduction
- - Fri 10 – Monday 13 February | Lesser Kan & Li
- - Tue 14 February | Review class and out of darkness
Week 6. 16-21 February | Greater Kan & Li and Pigu Energy Fasting

Schedule
- - Thu 16 February | Introduction
- - Fri 17 – Monday 20 February | Greater Kan & Li
- - Tue 21 February | Review class and out of darkness
- Prerequisites: Lesser and Greater Kan & Li
Week 7. 23rd — 28th February | Greatest Kan & Li and Pigu Healing

Schedule
- - Thu 23 February | Introduction
- - Fri 24 – Monday 27 February | Greatest Kan & Li and Pigu Healing
- - Tue 28 February | Review class and out of darkness
Week 8. 2-7 March | Sealing of the Five Senses and Pigu Energy Fasting

Schedule
- - Thu 2 March | Introduction
- - Fri 3 – Monday 6 March | Sealing of the Five Senses
- - Monday 6 March | Sealing of the Five Senses ** All have to check-out from Master Chia darkness 12:00
- - Tue 7 March | Review class at Immortal meditation hall
Weekly Schedule for Darkroom Retreat, weeks 5-8 (Thailand time)
Thursday
- ―14:00 – Check in to Darkroom Retreat
- ―17:00 – Introduction by Senior Instructor
- ―18:00 – Dinner in Darkroom according to Pi Gu fasting
- ―19:00 – Introduction by Grandmaster Mantak Chia
- ―22:00 – Turn off the light
Friday – Monday:
- ―7:00 – Wake up
- ―7:15 – Herbal Detox Tea
- ―8:00 – 9:00 Morning Meditation & Review with Master Chia and Instructor
- ―9:00 – 10:00 Breakfast according to Pi Gu fasting
- ―10:00 – 12:00 Massage and treatments
- ―12:00 – 13:30 Lunch according to Pi Gu fasting
- ―14:00 – 18:00 Darkroom Classes by Grandmaster Mantak Chia (4 hours)
- ―18:00 – 20:00 Dinner according to Pi Gu fasting
- ―20:00 – 21:00 Evening Meditation
- ―21:30 – Bedtimes
Tuesday:
―10:00 – 12:00 Review class with Senior Instructor
Class total: 20 hours with Mantak Chia + 6 hrs of classes with Instructors
Meals according to Pi Gu fasting, nutritional supplements (detox sets + Pi Gu pills) and accommodation in a double room per person included.
If you booked 1 week of Darkroom – out of darkness on Tuesday evening at 19:00.
If you follow more weeks, you can stay in darkness or outside (optional) for relaxation, clinic & spa treatments.
We recommend taking your flight NEXT day after the last Darkroom day (you will come out of the Darkroom on Tuesday evening for your eyes to adapt to light).

Tickets for Winter & Darkroom Retreat
Prices for Weeks 1-4 are tuition fees only. Please click here to chose accommodation.
Certification steps to become an Instructor: click here
Prices for Weeks 5-8 (Darkroom retreat) include Tuition fee, meals according to Pigu fasting and accommodation in a double room per person: 1,075 euro.
To book Weeks 5-8 of Darkroom retreat, please contact us by email [email protected]>
Week 1. Awakening Healing of the Tao
Beginner-friendly
$420BOOK NOW
Week 2. Sexual Alchemy
Beginner-friendly
$420BOOK NOW
Week 3. Fusion I
Beginner-friendly
$420BOOK NOW
Week 4. Fusion II, III
$420BOOK NOW
Week 1-2 (bundle €81 off)
$759BOOK NOW
Week 1-3 (bundle €130 off)
$1.130BOOK NOW
Week 1-4 (bundle €250 off)
$1.430BOOK NOW
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