Excellent coaching and excellent functional medicine, all wrapped up holistically! I’m very grateful for the support I have had through Standing Body.

Thank you for leading all of us on a superb retreat. It was informative and enjoyable with excellent course materials.  The food was wonderful and I’ve changed my diet, which is having positive effects. I’m even using the core of my pineapples in my smoothies!

We’re excited to be back at Rivendell Retreat Centre for a mid-week residential retreat combining the benefits of being on retreat with a carefully crafted food plan and detailed learning on how to kick-start your route to health.

Daily programme includes:

• Two seminars with resources and inspiration for effective lifestyle and dietary change, including the latest research from Functional Medicine.
• Qi Gong, meditation and other practical tools for self-care.
• A comprehensive reset food plan designed, by the Institute of Functional Medicine for optimum gut health and detoxification, along with a daily intermittent fast.
• Periods of silence and space to enjoy the countryside and beautiful gardens of Rivendell. 

Seminars include:

• Reflective Awareness and its application to health
• Toxicity and Detoxification
• Nutritional Guidelines & Food Preparation
• The Mind – Gut – Planet Connection
• Active Life versus Chronic Stress
• Sleep and Restoration

Please note: this retreat will not provide diagnosis, cure or medical treatment for any disease. Participants need to be well enough to engage fully with the retreat. This retreat is rooted in Buddhist practice and is open to everyone.

Led by Satyadasa & Joanna NIccalā of Standing Body CIC. Joanna Niccalā is an acupuncturist, Functional Medicine and Qi Gong practitioner, trained in London and China. She has studied with Dr Klinghardt and the Institute of Functional Medicine. She works at Pathways Clinic in East London and lived at Amaravati Buddhist monastery for four years.Satyadasa is a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order and an ADAPT Health Coach in Functional Medicine. Satyadasa is also the Buddhist tutor at Eton College.

Room Availability and Price:

Price all inclusive of food, accommodation and tuition.

• Camping (limited availability) £450.
• Shared Rooms (single sex, max three per room) £550
• Single room/ Shepherds Hut (limited availability) £650

All rooms share bathrooms. Please let us know in advance of booking if you have any special accommodations needs.

Date: Sunday, July 12, 2020 to Friday, July 17, 2020
The retreat runs Sunday 5pm to Friday 11am.

Saturdays 10-11.30am
Starting Oct 12th 2019.

Qi Gong is capable of powerful physical and emotional transformation. This particular form, known as Jin Jing Gong, focuses on strengthening the tendons as the key to invigorating the whole body/mind system. It’s fun, dynamic and simple to get started.

Classes on the following dates: 12/10, 19/10, 2/11, 9/11, 23/11, 30/11. (No class 26/10 or 16/11)

Six weeks £66 or £15 per session drop in.

Venue: The Hall, St. Margaret’s House 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PL 

The course is led by Joanna Niccalā, who studied and practiced the form in China. Her teachers are Prof Wang  – one of the few remaining masters of authentic Daoist practices in the tradition of the Yijin Jing, Tendon and Sinew Changing Classic, and his direct Western disciple of many years Prof Fruehauf.  The full name is Jin Jing Gong Shi Si Shi.

On our retreat in May we’ll be following the ReNew Food Plan.

First up, we hope participants will agree the food is delicious and, at least in the morning and at lunch, you can eat as much as you like!

So what’s it all about?

The Renew Food Plan from the Institute for Functional Medicine is a therapeutic, short-term approach often used as a first step in:

Ridding the body of the most common foods that cause inflammation;
Identifying food allergies, sensitivities, intolerances, and triggers;
Eliminating foods with potentially addictive and harmful components;
Providing nutritional support for the body’s detoxification systems.

From IFM ReNew Food Plan, comprehensive guide 2016

A reset diet gives the gut a chance to calm down, heal and renew itself. We’ll be suggesting participants (and the retreat team) cut down or stop consuming sugar, caffeine and alcohol in the few days leading up to the retreat so that we all get clear of grumpy moods and headaches before the retreat begins!

Answering “yes” to one or more of the questions below indicates a range of possible concerns, such as addiction to sugar or processed foods, exposure to a high level of potential food triggers or allergens, and the likelihood of a high total body burden of toxins.

Do you routinely consume and crave fast food, packaged foods, and processed foods with sugar or flour?
Do you consume fish or shellfish regularly? If so, what kind and where does it come from? 
Do you regularly eat fruits and vegetables that are nonorganic?
Do you eat fewer than five servings of fresh fruits or vegetables per day?
Do you consume lots of animal products every day (e.g., meat, milk, cheese, and eggs)?

That’s pretty much all of us, right?

The ReNew Food Plan focuses on removing processed foods with sugar, grains, and dairy— the main sources of most food allergies and intolerances (also referred to as food sensitivities)—as well as artificial sweeteners and processed chemicals. As a result of eliminating these foods and chemicals from the diet, the body will be better able to repair tissues and eliminate toxins.

As well as the food, there will be meditation, Qi Gong and modular learning. It’s a Buddhist retreat, with periods of silence and time for walks and relaxation in the gardens or countryside around Rivendell.

We really hope you can join us. Full retreat information can be found here. For bookings or queries, please get in touch.