Catherine Kato, Eltham Acupuncture

31/10/2025

I've been practising Qi Gong on and off since I began studying Chinese Medicine 27 years ago. And at particularly hard times when I was completely depleted (eg. after a miscarriage, and after an emergency C-section having my daughter), Qi Gong was my saving grace.
For those who don't know, Qi Gong is an ancient practice of very gentle movements, deep breathing, and focus on energy flow. Think Tai Chi but simpler and only focussed on health & longevity (cf.Tai Chi, which is actually a martial art, but with health benefits)

I'm very excited to be attending a whole weekend of Qi Gong in the beautiful high country town of Mansfield with the lovely Hickman 29-30 November. Elaine has been practising Qi Gong for decades too, and has put together a fabulous mix of lying down (my favourite!), sitting and standing Qi Gong practices.
The weekend is open to all - beginners and experienced, practitioners and non-practitioners. And she's even opening up her house to staying there or camping in the extensive grounds.

Today's the last day for the early bird special! To register, go here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1727501666989?aff=oddtdtcreator
& click on Agenda / Untitled agenda for the 2 days' schedule)

If you're needing time out for yourself to relax and rejuvenate, I might see you there!

28/09/2025

Day 5 of my 5 Elements Retreat in Bali - Wood Day
After yoga, I decided to do the Wood Element talk & Clearing in the gardens in front of my house, to get closer to nature & away from some of the street sounds. We all blended in with our green clothes, as we cleared themes around procrastinating & not being able to see the future, and intuited what our next steps were to take us forwards, and cleared anything in the way of that.
Some of us went up to a local restaurant Sails for lunch & enjoyed the beautiful food & views.
After a busy last few days and our big morning planning session, in the afternoon we had a relaxed activity of making the Canang or daily offerings, using things from nature like flowers, rice & different leaves. They were harder to make than it looked, but it was very fun & rewarding, and it helped us appreciate their meaning more when we saw them placed wherever we went.

26/09/2025

Day 3 of the Bali Retreat - Water Element
For our Water activity, we all got up before dawn to go on a sunrise boat trip on the fishermans' boats, which did not disappoint.
Then half of us elected to go on a snorkelling trip as well, where we saw so many different tropical fish and turtles, as well as the coral.
Later in the day we had our Kidney-inspired yoga practice, teachings on the Water Element, and Clearing on our fears & where we aren't living our True Purpose.
By then it had already been a full day, but after another delicious dinner, I dragged everyone onto the dance floor for our (modified) full moon dance party, and then a few of us got up (or stayed up!) for the lunar eclipse. In true Water style, we didn't stop!!

25/09/2025

Day 2 of the Retreat - Earth Element (yellow)
We began each day with some Kundalini Yoga by Sam. I heard someone call it "weird yoga" after the 1st session, but by the end I think that everyone appreciated it, even those whom had never done any yoga before!
Then I talked about the Earth Element & its connection to digestion of food but also of life, and our tendency to put other's needs before our own, and to worry & overthink things. Everyone wore something yellow or brown for Earth colours, and we had some of the Carefree drops from the Pro.m.emo range to help with these emotions and support our Spleen & Stomach, generously donated by the beautiful Gabi & Rhett 🙏🙏
We did an Energy Clearing on these themes, and then I sent everyone off for a beautiful massage, to help fill up everyone's empty cups.
There were only enough spaces for the 9 participants, so I checked out the beach massage ladies for myself, and found the most beautiful older lady 'Dani' - best $10 spent ever! (& I went back a few more times over the week - & spent a maximum of $15 each time for the best massages! 💆‍♀️)
Dinner was a delightful mix of Balinese foods, and they managed to weave some yellow for our Earth theme into the menu, including a delicious gluten-free carrot cake for dessert!

25/09/2025

Day 1 of the Energy Clearing Through the 5 Elements Women's Retreat in Bali
I moved to the beautiful Perfumed Garden for the remainder of my stay - a 3BR house, shared with Brooke and Alicia. We had a shared living area and our own pool and garden, which became a meeting area for the group.
My room was upstairs and very princess-like, with my own balcony overlooking the beach.
After lunch we had the official opening - a Blessing Ceremony with the local Holyman, which was so special, followed by an introduction to the Retreat & the 5 Elements, and a Welcome Dinner, including gluten-free chocolate cake, which was very popular!
It was a great start to the Retreat!

17/06/2025

23/04/2025

Energy Clearing Through the 5 Elements
Women’s Retreat in Bali
5-11 September 2025

There are just a couple of spots left for my inaugural Women’s Retreat in Bali!

This retreat might be just what you need if:

- You’ve been giving to everyone else, feel a bit burned out, and need time out to reset and recharge

- You’re curious about the ancient wisdom of the Five Elements and how they apply to your own life

- You’re ready for some gentle yet powerful transformation, as we work together to release blocks through the lens of the Five Elements

- You want to explore the quieter side of Bali - away from the usual tourist spots - and immerse yourself in carefully chosen activities that reflect the essence of each day’s Element, ranging from spiritual to more fun

- You’re craving connection with like-minded women, while also enjoying the space to simply rest, reflect, and be held by the beautiful natural surrounds

✨ If you found yourself nodding to any of these, this retreat is calling you!

✨ Just a $300 deposit secures one of the last remaining places, and from 1 May, you can choose to pay in four monthly instalments:
• $750/month (twin share), or
• $825/month (your own private cottage)

📍 For more details about the Retreat, go here: https://elthamacupuncture.com.au/wellness-retreat-in-bali/

✨ If your heart’s been whispering “yes,” I’d love to welcome you.

You deserve this time!

27/03/2025

So sad to be saying goodbye to this very sweet mare. Thank you to for trusting us with her these last few months, as well as when we half leased her back in 2023. We'll miss her lovely gentle (but cheeky) presence.. 💔🥰