Qi Gong Training - Work Study Program

The vision
We want to provide you an experience of self growth to broaden and deepen your own personal view of life, while living in Kientalerhof in community with others who share this inner desire.

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Where is it?
In Kientalerhof ,Kiental , Berner Oberland , Switzerland.

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What is the Program?
It consists of a study and working part .

Spring:  ( Cancelled )

Summer : 01.05.12 - 31.07.12 (3 months)
Autumn: 01.08.12 - 30.11.12 (4 months)

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The lectures and work
The study part will focus on a 140 hours Qi Gong Training with Ron Timm and will be certified in the end for the students that achieve the goals. (read more...)
Further lectures are of healthy cooking.
Introductions on different kinds of bodywork, such as Shiatsu or Cranio Therapie will take place depending of the schedule of course Program of the Kientalerhof.
The working part consists of 4 hours work a day, average, six days a week, in different departments of the house (housekeeping, dishwashing, kitchen, maintenance...)according to the needs.

What is requested?
The age doesn’t matter as long as you have young spirit, open mind and an inner desire of learning . You should know how to speak English as the Program is held in English and the main language spoken in the house is English.

The costs…

The costs are 500,- sFR per month.

There are no extra costs!

Qi Gong Training

Qi Gong is a Chinese term.

In a translation Qi is the energy of life or life force. Gong means work or practise.

Basically Qi Gong means nothing more than to work with energy, to exercise the force of life.

The human body is an energetical system that is run and even created by the Universal life force (Qi). In fact all expressions of life are caused by the various motions of Qi (the life force). The natural flow of Qi through our body makes us alive and feeling healthy.


Just as we care for our physical body we also should take some time to care for our energetical system. Just as we brush our teeth and comb our hair daily our energetical system needs some “hygiene”. In fact to me the Qi Gong practise has to become a habit. I think instead of trying to get rid of “bad” habits we should rather establish some good “habits”. Just by this over the time (and practise – of “good” habits – of course) the “bad” will vanish and will even be forgotten.

In Qi Gong we call this process cultivation, which is one of the achievements in Qi Gong.
Next to the cultivation of energy other aims and fundamental principals of the Qi Gong practise are rooting, stillness, relaxation, openness, strength and natural flow.
All this is not limited only to the physical; instead the Qi connects all levels of the human life and body like physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. By this we can see that a proper Qi Gong training has to embrace all this aspects. Qi Gong is the foundation for any kind of bodywork, work with energies and martial arts.

With this in mind the Qi Gong training inherent in the Work Study Program of Kientalerhof was created.

Also true is that serious Qi Gong practise needs time and regularity. This is granted by the Programs structure. One other aspect within the Qi Gong training taught at Kientalerhof is that we are settled in this pure and beautiful valley of the Swiss Alps. In that way it will be easier to connect with the strength and wisdom of nature and to work with the different energies.

Ron Timm

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Ron Timm was born in Germany, 1970.

Since 1990

Training Martial Arts - Qi Gong, Kung Fu, Taiji - with master Thammavong from Laos

Study of the Healing Dao system by master Mantak Chia
Practise of Daoist Meditation and Zazen
Study of Macrobiotics with Steven Acuff, Françoise Rivière, Renè Levi

Since 1995

Shiatsu practioner, graduated at ISS-Kiental with Saul Goodman

Since 1999

Training Martial Arts as a student of master Peng Wu Chi, Taiwan

Since 2000

Study of Seiki Soho with Akinobu Kishi Sensei

Living in Kiental, Switzerland, and teaching in the Work Study Program, Kientalerhof

The right moment... to live - testimonial

"Surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and beautifull scenery, you get a chance to forget your past and give up on your future... the right moment to see and to listen, to give and to receive, to learn, to change, to feel... to live".

Matus Rencko, Slovakia
Spring Work Study Student 2010

Completely fulfilling experience. - testimonial

To describe what does Work Study Program means for me, is not a easy question. It's not only a Work Study Program included Qi Gong training and cooking classes. It's all the life in Kientalerhof.
I remember for the first moment when I arrived here. I was so grateful for this decision and for the opportunity to be part of living here: to see great mountains, to hear murmur of the river, to smell fresh air, to feel vibrations and to be part all of it.
It means for me a huge gift which I gave to me. To be here is an endless story, to see the powerful nature is amazing, to do Qi Gong every morning is completely fulfilling and to feel the changes on your body and mind is just unbelievable.
But to know what I am talking about you have to feel the experience of living in Kientalerhof. Welcome here!

Pavla Gazdikova, Czech Republic
Spring Work Study Student 2010

It is already happening… - testimonial

The decision to come up here was very easy for me. Four months of intense Qi Gong is probably worth years and years of weekly exercises and since I like to do something right I subscribed within three days after I've had read about it on the Internet.
Despite, my life anyway was a kind of out of line and I had the idea that being away from the fast city-life might could help me to find a new direction for the future.

So far, I'm really happy that I decided this way. Not only that the Qi Gong class, and first of all its teacher, are excellent. Ron has a huge knowledge and an endless patience to share it with the students.
In general I have to say that all the teachers we have (Qi Gong, Shiatsu, Cranio, Cooking Class) are more than just competent in what they teach. They are all experts with a deep and profound understanding on their subjects.

But not only the teachers are teaching me a lot. At the moment we are 11 people in the staff house, 11 individuals with different experiences and ideas of live and how it should be. It's not always easy, but always good because it brings you back to yourself and gives you the opportunity to grow.

To find an end... ("looks like I have to finish. :o))
...come up here and it might change your live from the core. To me it feels like it's already happening.

Cheers

Christoph Pestalozzi, Switzerland
Spring Work Study Student 2010

Life got bigger in me! - testimonial

“I arrived just 5 weeks ago, but I feel home like if I’m here since years! I almost never have to think about what was before, how my life was before – because it does not matter in the moment, I’m totally here and NOW!
There are a lot of reasons why I love to be here - the food, the work, the people, the Nature, the Qi Gong and the meditation… but in the end it’s just a feeling which tells me every day that it’s perfect to be here!
The beauty and the strength of the Mountains around me touch my heart every day. They build a strong circle like I’ve never felt before and I can just be here and breathe in the Energy! And... I have time to enjoy!
The house and the Work Study group build a big group of interesting people, for nice talks, discussions, laughs and just for sharing, what you wanna share! I don’t know exactly what is going on in me or around me…, but I feel my body, my soul, my heart are moving and healing and I have the time to feel. My life seemed to get smaller around me and bigger in me!!”

Eliane Seewer, Switzerland
Spring Work Study Student 2010

Unique opportunity - testimonial

For me, participating in this program, at the Kientalerhof, has been a unique opportunity to experience many of the various courses and classes that are on offer here. I have especially found the Qi Gong program taught by Ron Timm to be very beneficial to my general health and well-being. With his dedicated and well-planned teaching style, he has made it possible for the work/study group to leave here with the ability to continue our practice and build on the basic skills and principles he has taught us.

Adrian Studer, New Zealand
Work Study Student - Summer 2009

Take a break - testimonial

The Kientalerhof Work Study Program is a great and benefiting opportunity to take a break from your usual life, to think over important questions and maybe also create a new beginning for yourself. Some of your questions maybe will remain open, but you definitely will find out what is good for you and what you need to get rid off.
When I look back I only can say that I am very thankful and happy about that wonderful gift "I" gave myself by taking the time off and doing the program.
- so: ENJOY THE RIDE!

Karsten Müller, Germany
Work Study Student - Summer 2009

On-going invitation to practise - testimonial

The Qi Gong training was one of the main reasons which brought me to Kiental. Of course I wanted a break from my usual routine but also I wanted to train and experience the impact of regular daily training over 4 months. I am now back home and I feel that Qi Gong is part of me.

The opportunity to practice in beautiful surroundings, in a group and with an experienced and passionate teacher is rare. There was an on-going invitation for us to take on the practice outside of the classes and this really helped me take on my own practice, with enjoyment, like a precious gift I can give myself again and again.
The practice seems gentle yet it is deep and sometimes strong. As it is regular, it becomes somehow familiar and you can keep building up (from the inside J), integrating over time the coaching provided. I was always so grateful for the classes.

When I practice now back in London, I feel that I am still connected to the group. I don’t have to look at the time, my body remembers what is 30minutes of meditation and 1hr of practice.
I really value the teaching and the opportunity to study. It is much more than learning to do well a set of movements, it is a way of embracing our life and it is very empowering.

Back ‘in my life’, I catch myself becoming stressed/wanting to rush but feel I have now more room to step back. In cooking classes I thought recently, I felt much more centered, more available to others, slower, much less worried than I used to be. Less concerned about ‘being perfect’. I catch myself wanting to rush and stopping on purpose to take time to do whatever it is I am doing…and somehow there is enough time anyway. This was definitely one of the areas I had mentioned at the beginning of the course where I thought Qi Gong and the 4 month programme could impact.

The Work Study Program has given a proper break from my life, I learned to slow down yet still being active through the work, the hikes, the Qi Gong etc. I experienced the richness of living with others for 4 months, slowly opening up and realising how much we could and did care for each other. Also, always catching myself thinking how things/people should be. Of course there were quiet times, sad times, laughs and giggles, focused times, sheer joy, life….

I am now reviewing my career options – of course I could have done this before but somehow I am ready to do this now. I have taken up swimming again and I experience more freedom and less fear in my body.

Thank you,

Françoise Auvray, England
Work Study Student - Spring 2009

Months of intensive learning - testimonial

The four months of Work Study Program in the Kientalerhof have been very intensive and full of learning.
Each single person and the composition of the group made the daily work, in the house, various and exciting.
The dynamic of the group was shown best within the Qi Gong. The daily meditation and the Qi Gong classes are the absolutely high point of the day.
The lectures of Ron Timm are very exciting and interesting.
I can emphasize such a time out to everybody.
You will get to know yourself and you will find peace within your body.
In this way I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that made this possible.
I extended my stay and I am happy for every single day.

Patricia Schönenberger, Switzerland
Work Study Student - Spring 2009

Special personal experience - testimonial

What is there interesting to find, to see and to hear on this Planet?
I was asking myself this question too, as I applied for the Work Study Program in the Spring of 2005.
After I took a ride up to the beautiful Berner Oberland village, I drove deep into this small, but tremendous interesting world.

Some people may say:“ there is nothing special up there!”. But the majority tells from the most interesting time in their lives.
It all depends on what you expect and what you can afford for your expectation to come true. How much of yourself, you can bring into this place. Since this time, my life changed and will never be the same as it was before.

I would suggest this three months Work Study Program to everybody, who want to have a break from daily routine and feel the need for an expansion of the horizon. There are certain conditions and circumstances (say the physical laws) and even the climate is different on this planet Kientalerhof. After a while, being in this unknown, mysterious environment, the sun will rise and the whole surface gets brighter: different impressions, knowledge and wisdom gets collected in the time you stay in Kientalerhof. Every day is a small part of a whole Universe.

Morning meditation and exercises, lectures, cooking workshops, walks to local places and much more will bring your mind in a different state.
The other part of the stay here is the work you have to fullfil every day: dishwashing, housekeeping, gardening and more things to do, offers you the unique feeling of being guest, student and staff in the house at the same time.

During the program you will probably see your limitations and get challenged, but this is also necessary if you want to come further on you personal path. First it was a big thing for me, just to stay here these three months…
…then I saw myself changing and I came back in summer for another two months, because I fell in love with this place. Still nowadays I am frequently here to go on with my Shiatsu education and as staff when there is a need for help.

All students are together every day, some you will love, others you dislike, but you will miss them all after they are gone - back to their original country.
In the end you will have made friends for lifetime.

Take this opportunity in Kientalerhof, for a special personal experience you won’t find on another planet in this Universe.
This time in and within the Work Study Program I will never forget and this specific wisdom I picked up will guide my way in the future.
I hope you all feel curious and inspired enough, to come for the Kientalerhof Work Study experience.

Mike Keller, Switzerland
Work Study Student - Spring 2005

Giving yourself a present - testimonial

Since I’ve been visiting Switzerland from childhood, it was one of my dreams to stay a longer time here. The Work Study Program gave me this opportunity, during the autumn of 2004.
The program gave me much more than fulfilling a dream.

What to say about the Work Study Program in Kiental? Only the environment already takes my breath. So what about the words?
The place itself, where the Kientalerhof is situated, is a very powerful, beautiful place.
Kiental is a very, very little village surrounded by mountains.
Summer and winter the highest tops are white of snow.

The mountains spread out their energy of purity, brightness, beauty, strength, power, following the flow of life, totally present in the moment and in any way exceptive.
Therefore the mountains are a strong mirror, if you want to look: everything the mountains represent, you can find within yourself.
If you open your heart for them and connect, you will open your heart for yourself too and connect deeper with yourself.

Here you can (re) find the joy of live, because joy is everywhere, in the never-ending-story of live and death, the always singing river, the beautiful landscape.

Also in meditation and morning exercises you can find joy and laughter.
I mean, isn’t it a release if you look at yourself and your serious face, trying to make the perfect movement or whatever, realizing how you are doing it and start to laugh?

The morning exercises are really a strong help in connecting you with your body and bringing up more awareness, especially how you move, walk, stand, the position of your back.
This is connected to how you move in your life. More awareness in your body means more awareness in daily life.

The house itself, by the way, is also always "moving".
A lot of people from all over the world come to the Kientalerhof to give and/or join a workshop. This is a big opportunity to speak different languages, meet all kinds of interesting people, to share and make friends. By this you also come in contact with bodywork.

Look, it’s all about you! You can make the choice of opening up for live or not.
If you decide to take that choice, the Kientalerhof is a good place to start, or if you already started, a good place to go on, deepen this experience and take it with you on your journey.

I don’t say it will always be easy to look in the mirror, to find the discipline in the morning to get up and meditate.
And you will have moments that you might think: “What am I doing, I must be nuts”. But then you also know you are giving yourself a big present.
And we all like sometimes to get a present, don’t we?

Manadevi Laansma, Holland
Work Study Student, Autumn 2004

Frozen waterfall

Very close from us...

Work Study Program - Qi Gong Training

The Kientalerhof Work Study Program constitutes one of the very basic and important backgrounds, on which the whole Kientalerhof Project thrives on.

The experience of being a Work Study Student will be different for each person. In principle this should be a time of self growth and learning.
Learning mainly about yourself.
The daily rotine gives the students a structure that are not so easy to achieve alone, without the "help" of a group.
Training Qi Gong on a daily basis, within a group, will provide you for later on with the strengh and balance one can use /need on daily life.

This is not a place or time to escape, it’s rather an opportunity to encounter oneself openly, however easy and/or difficult that might be.

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Some pictures from Kiental

The landscape around Kientalerhof is mostly... green...

Bachfluemontain is one of the mountains that we can see from our windows, and sometimes we have beautiful sunsets like this one...

For those who loves cats this village is for sure the perfect place... They seem to be everywhere, watching you. Most of the times are friendly and love to be your company during the time that they decide...

When the snow comes, everything turns white...

And beautiful...

Student of life - testimonial

Finally at the beginning of December the mountains, surrounding the Kiental are covered with the first snow. Autumn, which has coloured the whole valley in shades of brown, yellow and red had to go. While I’m writing these words, I look back at the three months Work Study Program in Kientalerhof. chi-kung qigong ch'i kung ch'i gong ch'igong cheegong chee kung cheekung chigong chikung

In August this year I had the plan to start a study at university. I had already applied for a place and got a positive answer. So it seemed like I put myself in a well-prepared structure of a three-year study process, could be quite boring. I felt secure but neither inspired nor satisfied or challenged with my decision. chi-kung qigong ch'i kung ch'i gong ch'igong cheegong chee kung cheekung chigong chikung

What do I want from life? What is the intention behind anything I do? When I was asking myself these questions, I heard about the Workstudy in Kientalerhof. I read about a fabulous place, which is supposed to be a Centre for Wellbeing and Creativity. Well that sounded much more like my idea about life. I needed one day to be sure to go for a three months adventure in the mountains of Switzerland. chi-kung qigong ch'i kung ch'i gong ch'igong cheegong chee kung cheekung chigong chikung

It was the third of September, when I arrived in Kiental. We would be just three people, joining the program. I was looking forward to meet my new roommates. There was Ismael, an African looking guy from Geneva and Manuel from Southtirol-Italy and at last me, Marcus from Germany.

It took not even a week to find myself placed in the daily life of the hotel, working with a whole bunch of friendly international people. Meditation and exercises, dishwashing and housekeeping, lectures and beautiful mountaineering filled our days. We learned about Chinese philosophy and did Kung Fu in the mornings, which was crowned by a performance at the years-staff-meeting. There is plenty of free time besides the work in the hotel, morning exercises, the lectures and cooking classes. You find a lot of opportunities to do whatever you think or feel needs to be done.

After the first weeks I felt more and more how my inner rhythm had changed. I started going to bed earlier and getting up at five sometimes at four. After a while I saw myself sitting one hour in meditation every morning. I never did that before. It was hard for me even to stand still just for a few minutes. After more and more mornings of silent sitting I felt myself calming down. Having a close relationship to the natural surrounding was always important for me. But as far as I remember, I never had such strong experience of synchrony between my inner and all the pulses and rhythms in nature. The trees dropped all their leaves, left the summerdress behind. I let go old ways of thinking, concept and ridiculous plans how to live life. I just realized, that most of these ideas in my busy head were even not mine. So how should I be able to live my life in my time, with my sensing, when I’m just running after an artificial plan? Yes, moments of deepest sensing and understanding I had in these silent morning hours.

If I should mention something I got out of three months Work Study and autumn in Kientalerhof, I would say there is not much to say. There is much more to feel. There is to sense and to be aware, at least of what we are saying and what we are doing. It is this fresh early morning, when you don’t miss the moment to get up before the sun is rising. It is the calling of a bird or the smiling face of somebody, who is just happy that you are there. In the end it is just your life not more or less.

I remember a sentence somebody said to me here: “If it should be like you’re saying, than it would be like that. Right?” I found out there is just no would and should in my life. I’m the one who always creates everything happening around me. I’m the one deciding, where to go.

I’m studying life, while living.

Marcus Dittrich, Germany
Work Student in Autumn 2006

Work Study Program – Description

The Work Study Program consists of more than simply working and studying.
Studying, of course, can happen every moment, not only during class. We can learn as we are working, walking, cooking, or watching the clouds drift by. The Work Study Program aims to provide an experience of self growth and to broaden and deepen your own personal view of life. It is the objective of the Kientalerhof to support and to empower its students and guests to discover for themselves their fullest potential.

The Program offers a 140 hours Qi Gong Training with Ron Timm which will be finalized with a test and certification.
By practice we will discover that Qi Gong is more than exercising our body, or a kind of gymnastic, it is about being present in the very moment.
Being present in the moment offers a whole experience in itself. Since the day consists of moments, "classes" can actually happen throughout the whole day. This is the way one truly learns.

Qi Gong is a Chinese term. In a translation Qi is the energy of life or life force. Gong means work or practise. Basically Qi Gong means nothing more than to work with energy, to exercise the force of life. Qi Gong is the foundation for any kind of bodywork, work with energies and martial arts.

(please read more information about the Qi Gong Training down)


During Qi Gong classes we will learn to understand and experience the Eastern energetical view of the world, in comparison to our Western material view. We will come in touch with some concepts like the concept of Wu (Nothingness), Yin and Yang, and The Five Transformations.
Other lectures will be held, over the subjects of healthy cooking with Jean Torné and personal development.

During the day, as part of the program, Work Study students also work 4h / 6 days in a week (average), in different areas of the house such as housekeeping, kitchen, dishwashing and maintenance. The work is organized in a rotation system whereby you change the working area constantly during your staying according to the needs of the house.

The strength of the Work Study Program lies in its being structured around daily life: there is time for work, time for studying and time for leisure - much like in "real" life. The work study does not happen in a "lab" environment, but in a living place. This means that learning and growth become integrated into the self, in a way one can afterwards continue with it also "at home". The duration of the program (3 or 4 months) also supports this, since integration is a process which takes its time.
Such a program requires also an adequate place for it to come into being. The Kientalerhof provides a good supportive environment within which these processes can take place.

I wouldn't hesitate a minute if I were asked if it's the right program to take part in. it's amazing how much you learn and how rewarding is the work you do in the Kientalerhof. Sometimes I feel that for everything I give, I receive two times more.
Lila Dawidziuk, Poland

About the Kientalerhof

The Kientalerhof was founded in 1985. In the beginning days, the center focused on the macrobiotics teachings. In time the center evolved to be one of the most important schools in Europe (and the world) for body work education, continued education for professionals, and also a center for personal development and creativity. Shiatsu, Cranio Sacral Therapy, 5 Rhythm Dancing, Music Improvisation, cooking, and a variety of other courses take place under the roof of the center.

This makes the Kientalerhof a meeting place for teachers and students from different cultures and backgrounds, sharing in common the wish for personal and professional development.

The Kientalerhof is located in Kiental, meaning "the valley of pines and rolling rocks". Kiental is a small village in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by mountains. Nature is always just a step away from the front door of the house. The air and water are pure and fresh. Hiking, walking or simply being outside provides one with a sense of inner peace and joy.

Kientalerhof with all the astounding nature surrounding, the influx of international people, teachers and mentors of various fields of bodywork, philosophy and healthy cuisine, opened to me an infinite plane of self exploration and development.
Caitlin Pramuk (U.S.A)


While living in the Kientalerhof, you will make friends for life. This is just how it happens here (and science has not found the reason for it - yet.) :o)

Students who come to the Kientalerhof are often happy to find someone with whom they can share a treatment. This means "Shiatsu" and "Cranio" will not be just a terminology for you, it will be an experience.

Out of the wish to heal our family, friends and community, we may choose to learn to become a professional body worker.
However, the first step would be to know and to heal your Self. The Work Study provides an excellent foundation for any kind of body therapy education, as well as an opportunity to discover which of the methods appeals to you the most.

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Our kitchen offers delicious, creative, whole food cooking. It is definitely the best whole food restaurant in all of Kiental! :o)

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When people ask me why I came here, I answer truthfully: I am here for the food.

Yael Sivan (Israel)

I didn’t come here with intentions for finding a career or in a conscious search for spiritual guidance. My one intention was to find the truth, to discover the truth for myself.
Caitlin Pramuk (U.S.A.)

All of this makes the Kientalerhof a unique environment for growth. Beyond the daily structure which provides strength, you have a friendly, lively yet peaceful environment to support you on your own journey, whatever it may be.

Some people come because they wish to deepen their learning in a specific field, some come to heal, some are drawn to the program for a reason they may not yet know. But for everyone, the Work Study Program provides space.

You will have a break and a time away from your usual life, while starting out something new.
The Kientalerhof is far from being a perfect place. It will not always be easy, and you are bound to come across many challenges and conflicts. In our view the most important thing to remember is that the time here can be anything you want and will make of it.

There is no place you can come in touch with mirror images - "reflections"- like here. After years of depression, joy of life came back to me. How wonderful that is!!!
Irmi Beck-Hennecke (Germany)

Unexpected… - testimonial

Coming to Kiental and Kientalerhof is the most unexpected thing that happened to me during this year.
This is because I always think a lot before doing something, especially such things as going abroad; live in a different country for a while. And not being a tourist for one or two weeks. But now it took just such a short time to decide that I wanted to come to this small village in the Alps to make the work study program.
I think my fate brought me here.
To the end of the program time "stars" running fast and I can reflect on what happened and what I have learned during these months. It was really a big happening every day – finding out something new about myself, my country, my roots, the way I live or lived before, about persons who are around me this period of three months. People in Kientalerhof showed me all that.
Everyday I was thanking for the force which brought me to this little place of the world. The very first time I made contact with these surroundings of Kiental I wished to bring to my country - Lithuania even a little piece of it. I am talking not only about the beautiful nature, possibly the most beautiful I have ever seen, but about the aura in Kiental as well, which is created with the help of people who are living in this village or coming to the Kientalerhof. It is no difference if you are here for working, for a course or to making a work and study program. I have met many nice people in Kientalerhof, they gave a lot to me and I learned from them how different and at the same moment how the same we are. Every person is a story, reading these stories every day was one of the greatest things I could do here.
Being in Kientalerhof is like living in a family; the very first day I felt myself not to be a stranger, even if I’m amongst a very wide spectrum of different nationalities such as Japanese, German, Polish, Portuguese, Italy or American. You can learn a lot from all these different people. It’s a real gift for me to have met them.
Learning to communicate with your inner-self is another very important thing in Kientalerhof. It can be in silence, talking with yourself in your own language (it can seem crazy, but sometimes I really did it) or singing traditional songs near the river which is flowing in Kiental. When I couldn’t communicate with the people I always could open my soul to the nature so it seems that there is always a possibility how to express myself and how to feel good.
I wish from the heart that people would know about places in the world like this one. One of the last days of being here I will put my feelings and experiences into a box and closed it. I will bring this box to my country and show it to people who are sometimes so dissatisfied. I think this imaginary box will help me too, just not to forget this wonderful corner of the world.

Giedre Bagdonaviciute, Lithuania
Work Study Student, Autumn 2007

Connected to life - testimonial

It is always interesting to rediscover how nice it is to do some spiritual exercises on a body level in the morning. To see connections between micro and macro-cosmos in a practical way. To really feel that there is energy flowing all over in my body. To receive a wave of Qi that will keep you more “awake” during all day.
These moments of clearness during really great Qi Gong exercises also showed me once again how the outer world is just a mirror for my inner world and that everything exists within me.
Also my body was grateful; it is great to be nice to this most wonderful “machine”.
After these three months I can say that morning exercises really helped me to feel more connected to life.

Resu Althaus, Switzerland
Work Study Student - Autumn 2007

Appreciate life - testimonial

I came here with the expectation to learn, grow and relax. These goals drifted through my mind and shaped my days at Kientalerhof. I learned about myself and others and about creating harmony within the space that lies between.
I would have to attribute most of that development to the Qi Gong and Shaolin Kung Fu exercises held in the early morning hours.

I discovered potential in my body that I was not aware existed. I pulled discipline out of my depths – to awake up early, to hold difficult poses, to be open to changes occurring in my mind, heart and body.
Appreciation for life and all of what humans are capable of, if they would only listen to themselves, was revealed to me almost every day. So, when I reflect about my initial goals – I feel proud and grateful.
I am coming away with a bit more knowledge, having grown into more of what I already was and feeling at peace there. And last, nourished and relaxed as I make my way home, carrying these new discoveries into an unknown, free future.

Shenoa Tara, USA

Work Study Student - Autumn 2007

Opening the door of life - testimonial

I came for a few reasons: to change environment, to be in the mountains, to meet new people and maybe to become stronger, since I was quite weak and sick. All these expectations were fulfilled, but besides that I have found much more which became my life now.
I met myself again in meditation. I didn’t realize it, but before I lived far away from me, from my inner world, from my soul.
I learned a lot about holistic food, the macrobiotic way of life, and nutrition. So I changed my diet to more healthy and balanced food. Now my food is really my medicine and I do not take several different medicines, which I used to do before.
I had a possibility to practice different types of martial arts. This made me much stronger, I stopped freezing and catching colds. Martial arts are until today my source of energy and joy in life.
I have met people which became my friends forever…

For all these I will forever be thankful to Kientalerhof. The door of life opened to me.

Birute Vaiksnoraite, Lithuania
Work Study Student, Spring 2003