Workshops allow for deeper dives into the ancient practices and philosophy of Qigong and yoga. In the company of other curious souls, we journey on a shared enquiry to sense into the relevance of these practices to our daily lives. I typically include time for personal and group reflection during workshops, giving participants an opportunity to be heard and to listen to and acknowledge others.
I offer workshops both in-person and online via Zoom. If you would like to be notified about upcoming workshops, please subscribe to my newsletter.
I also include below some of the past workshops and special events I offered. If you’re someone who organizes or hosts workshops or retreats and would like me to offer a workshop at your event (online or in-person), please reach out to me at ..
Upcoming workshops and special events:
AT CANTER WITH THE FIRE HORSE (online Qigong workshop via zoom)
“To give the true canter brilliance, cadence, and the proper suspension, you must be patient, leaving your hips open. Allow your horse time to travel through the air. In the canter, the horse does the work for you. Your main job is to let him.” – “Centred Riding” by Sally Swift (1985, Methuen London, pg. 129)
Canter is a fast-moving gait, yet when the rider actively relaxes and attunes to the rhythm of the horse, the canter experience has been described as fluid, easeful, and harmonious. What can this teach us about how to ride the strong, fast-paced energy of the Fire Horse lunisolar year?
This Qigong workshop is not an exploration of Fire Horse energy specifically, but a broader enquiry into our relationship with dynamic, moving energy. We will begin in stillness, listening to what comes up as we contemplate movement. Then, we will prepare the body to allow energy to move freely through it, and work with the polarity of yin and yang to create healthy dynamic movement within us (at a level that feels good to us). As we are meeting the Fire Horse in the spring season – in a phase of naturally rising yang energy – we will tend to the health of the Wood element energy and associated organs and call on the other elements to support us further in receiving the strong current of upwards energy.
You will learn:
- practices to open and clear the central flow (main vertical axis of the body)
- practices that activate the polarity of yin and yang (Taiji practices)
- Qigong Self Healing techniques for balancing the energy in the liver and gallbladder organs and meridians
- gentle 5-element Zhan Zhuang (externally still practice)
Your enquiry can begin at any stage of comfort or discomfort with dynamic, moving energy. You can explore fully from within the comfort of stillness, or explore just the very beginnings of leaning into more dynamic energy. I will offer a range of options throughout the workshop, which can be accessed standing, seated, or as intentional practice (without physical movement). The workshop will be recorded, allowing you to revisit the material for 30 days following the event.
Date and time:
Saturday March 14th, 2025 16:00-18:00 UTC
Investment and registration:
Register for the workshop by emailing . It is offered in the spirit of dana (generosity, reciprocity). To receive the zoom link, I ask for a registration fee of 10 EUR/USD (1500 ISK). Then, I invite you to support me with an amount reflecting what you have received from practicing with me and your financial means. Suggested support amounts are 20-50 EUR (24-60 USD, 2900-7250 ISK). To transfer the registration fee and offer dana, please visit my PayPal page (within Iceland, please contact me for bank transfer information instead). Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Past workshops and special events:
LIGHT WITHIN DARKNESS: RESTORATIVE QIGONG FOR WINTER SOLSTICE
December 2025
Winter Solstice is the most yin point in the yearly cycle of the Earth’s journey around the sun. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, inviting an inward, introspective focus.
In this gathering, we connected with the energy of Winter Solstice through gentle, restorative Qigong practices. Embodying and accepting the dark stillness of yin, we descended into its heart to find there the resting seed of yang. We nurtured, cared for and strengthened this seed, receiving the healing benefits of its warmth and light.
RESET AND RESTORE WITH WUJI QIGONG
October 2025
Wuji is one of the fundamental states of energy. Translating as “no polarity”, it is undifferentiated, without any order or direction. It is also often translated as “emptiness”, yet holds the infinite potential for all things. It is the empty bowl that could be filled with any nourishing food. In our body, it forms a baseline for our energy and contains our full potential. Regularly resetting and restoring our energy to the Wuji state allows us to show up as the best versions of ourselves in our lives.
In this workshop, we explored the felt sense of Wuji energy and practical ways we can reset to it. We learned still and moving Wuji Qigong practices to draw upon quickly throughout our day or take more time with to begin to shift stubborn, long-held patterns.
Main covered practices:
- Shaking
- Stillness Meditation
- Wuji Zhan Zhuang (Standing/Sitting Like a Tree)
- Breathing with the Rhythm of the Universe
- Wuji Moving Set from Long White Cloud Qigong
WUJI AS FOUNDATION FOR QIGONG PRACTICE AND LIFE
February 2025
Wuji is one of the fundamental states of energy. Translating as “no polarity”, it is undifferentiated energy, without any order or direction. It is also often translated as “emptiness”. Yet within this emptiness exists the infinite potential for all things. It is the original energy that holds the blueprint for all life, the primordial soup of the universe out of which all 10,000 things arose.
In this workshop, we explored the felt sense of Wuji energy, accessing it through both stillness (Wuji Zhan Zhuang) and movement (Wuji Moving Set from Long White Cloud Qigong). First, using an enquiry-based approach, I guided us to develop greater interoceptive awareness of postural elements of Wuji Zhan Zhuang. Next, we moved the body through a set of moving practices designed to release habitual holding patterns, thus allowing us to feel the Wuji energy state more clearly. Lastly, we discussed how Wuji can support us in daily life.
FLOWING WITH EASE THROUGH TRANSITIONS
September 2022 and 2023
Steadiness within the groundlessness of life.
For many, August and September are months of transitions. Summer – with its holidays and long days spent outside – gives way to a shift in focus towards work or school. Family members may leave home to pursue careers or studies in faraway places. How do we navigate this transitional time? Can we make room for all our emotions and flow gracefully around challenges? Where do we find support to steady and reorient ourselves towards center?
Daoist Flow looks to nature as our greatest teacher and offers that the experience of the outer and inner are inseparable. To find steadiness amidst groundlessness, we first connected with the Earth beneath our feet and the feeling of Earth’s gravitational pull on our bodies. From here, we enquired into the felt experience of our own inner center. Somatic movement, slow flow yoga, and Qigong were the tools for our shared enquiry. I created space for reflection and optional voicing of experience. Together, we invited the ancient teachings of yogis and Daoist sages to awaken the wisdom already present in our bodies as we seek to bring ease to life’s transitions.
MIDWINTER SANCTUARY
December 2022 and 2024
Cacao, sharing circle, and restorative yoga.
Amidst the busyness of life and holiday preparations, we offered ourselves a moment of stillness. We allowed our bodies to naturally move towards relaxation through the practice of restorative yoga. With a calm, relaxed body and nervous system, we connected with each other in a sharing circle. Sharing cacao, then taking turns to share verbally and hold silent space for the sharing of others. We noticed what it felt like to share our present-moment experience knowing that we will not be interrupted, questioned, or offered advice. We felt the freedom, space, and warmth around our hearts that can arise from mindful communication and allowed the relaxation and warmth cultivated in this midwinter sanctuary to flow into our families and holidays.
RESTORATIVE SAVASANA
November 2022
RECEIVING SUMMER ENERGY AS DEEP NOURISHMENT
June/July 2022 and 2025
Summer is the time of maximum outwardly expression of yang energy. The scent of flowers fills the air. Having unfurled from tight buds during spring, bright green leaves cover the canopies of trees, maximizing the surface area available to harvest life-giving energy from the sun. Transformed into sugars, trees transport sun’s energy into their roots, to nourish the roots and to re-build energetic stores that will sustain the trees through the winter and fuel next spring’s growth.
Being part of nature, we too can come into harmonious relationship with the cycles of the seasons. Sensing the energies of the cycles from within our bodies, we too can transform the energy of summer into deep nourishment that will sustain us.
This workshop was a shared enquiry into nature’s energies and transformations through breath awareness, Qigong, and restorative yoga. I created space for reflection and sharing of experience. I invited the participants to offer themselves this time for self-care: to relax and receive the warmth of summer, allowing it to nourish their deep energies.
Below are some of the kind words students have shared about practicing with me. Thank you for giving me permission to print your words here.
“I would love to share with others the beauty & gentleness of your workshop ” Reset & Restore- Wuji”, incredibly balancing practice to bring you beautifully into your body & calm the mind to hear your spirit of creativity calling you home to this space of peace & harmony. This was my first workshop with Marketa and I am looking forward to joining in Marketa’s 5 Week course Qigong Towards A Balanced Life, as I write this I am still savoring the couple of hours from a few days ago. Grateful to join the transformation of 5 weeks together. Incredible Spirit, Gentle Guidance & Inspiration!!” – Nan Blake
“The directions Marketa provided during the “Light Within Darkness: Restorative Qigong for Winter Solstice” event were easy to understand and follow. She included explanations on the movements and suggestions how we might be feeling them in our body. We ended with a restorative stillness practice where we focused on calming and non-doing. It was a wonderful class that I would do again.” – Donna