Policies

Qi Tai Chi Programs, Workshops & Community – Terms & Agreements

By participating in any Qi Tai Chi program, class, workshop, or community membership with Sandra Tjoa (“we,” “our,” or “us”), you agree to the following Terms & Agreements. These terms apply to all participants worldwide, including Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

1. General

These Terms & Agreements govern your participation in all Qi Tai Chi offerings, including the Qi Tai Chi Community (formerly The Home Circle), workshops, classes, and events. By registering or joining, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these terms.

2. Educational Purpose

All teachings, guidance, practices, videos, workshops, and materials are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have or suspect a medical condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

3. Liability, Personal Responsibility & Assumption of Risk

Participation in Qi Tai Chi programs, workshops, or community activities is entirely voluntary. By engaging, you acknowledge that:

  1. There is no guarantee of healing, recovery, improved health, or specific outcomes.
  2. You are solely responsible for your well-being, choices, and actions during and after participation.
  3. You accept all risks associated with physical movement, energy practices, and exercises demonstrated, and agree to modify or discontinue any activity that does not feel safe.
  4. Qi Tai Chi & Sandra Tjoa are not liable for any injury, incident, or consequence arising during live events, recorded sessions, workshops, or while applying practices independently.

4. Health Considerations

Participants are encouraged to consult with a healthcare professional before engaging in any new movement, breathwork, or energy practices, particularly if pregnant, elderly, or managing chronic health conditions.

5. Membership & Program Fees

  1. Community Membership / Subscription: Payments for participation in the Qi Tai Chi Community are billed according to your selected plan. Monthly payments are automatically charged; you may unsubscribe at any time, but payments already made are non-refundable and apply to the full month. Annual payments are non-refundable; cancellation takes effect after the current paid year ends.
  2. Workshops / One-Time Programs: Payments for individual workshops or events are non-refundable.

6. Privacy & Use of Content

  1. All videos, recordings, emails, materials, and other content remain the property of Qi Tai Chi & Sandra Tjoa. They may not be shared, reproduced, or distributed without written permission.
  2. Qi Tai Chi & Sandra Tjoa may reference materials created in workshops or community participation for promotional purposes. No personal stories, names, or identifying information will be shared publicly without explicit permission.

7. Intellectual Property

All program materials, including written content, recordings, videos, and practices, are protected by copyright. Participants are granted a personal, non-transferable license for their own use. Sharing, teaching, selling, or distributing these materials is prohibited.

8. Technical & Access Considerations

Qi Tai Chi & Sandra Tjoa are not responsible for interruptions, delays, or technical issues with internet connectivity, software platforms, or devices used to access workshops, community content, or emails.

9. Force Majeure

We are not responsible for failure to deliver content, workshops, or events due to circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, technical failures, or other unforeseen events.

10. Communication & Marketing Consent

By joining the Qi Tai Chi Community or registering for programs, you consent to receive emails, notifications, or communications related to your participation. You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time; community or program content will still be delivered according to your plan.

11. Modification of Terms

Qi Tai Chi & Sandra Tjoa reserve the right to update or modify these Terms & Agreements at any time. Participants will be notified of significant changes. Continued participation constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

12. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms & Agreements are governed by Canadian law, with respect for local laws in participants’ regions. Any disputes arising from these terms will be resolved in Canadian courts unless local law provides otherwise.

13. Agreement

By participating in Qi Tai Chi programs, workshops, or community membership, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms & Agreements.

WHAT IS TAI CHI?

From the Traditional Chinese Arts, Tai Chi is a gentle form of movement and postures that promote proper alignment of the body for improved grounding, strengthening, relaxing and mind-body-soul harmony.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TAI CHI? WHY WOULD I DO IT?

The list of health benefits of moving with Tai Chi is endless. There are so many different resources to look into, trying to list them all here would be futile.

Aside from all the advantages to our health, my favourite things about Tai Chi are:

  • Tai Chi can be done anywhere, anytime. This means it can easily be incorporated into our everyday life. Anytime we find ourselves standing, sitting or lying down, we can do Tai Chi. Before falling asleep at night or getting out of bed in the morning; driving your car; seated at the table for a meal or at or beside our desk for a break; brushing our teeth or cooking in the kitchen; while we wait in line at the grocery store. All throughout our day there are opportunities for us to do our Tai Chi
  • Tai Chi is a way to exercise ALL our bodies. While we are here on this earth, we exist in there different bodies: our physical body, our mental and emotional body and our spiritual body. When we practice Tai Chi, we exercise all three bodies at once. Some of us may be interested in Tai Chi purely for physical health and some of us, only for relaxation and better mental and emotional health – whatever our primary reason for doing Tai Chi is, all three of our bodies get a workout without us realising it. It’s simply the nature and essence of how Tai Chi works.
  • Moving with Tai Chi is a self-empowering and self-strengthening practice. The more we do Tai Chi, the more we take care of ourselves.

HOW LONG IS EACH CLASS?

Each class is one hour in duration. The weekly classes are offered in seasonal sessions – Fall, Winter and Spring with each session typically running for 8-10 weeks.

HOW ARE THE CLASSES STRUCTURED?

During each class we begin and close with the Wu Chi Stance, the Standing Meditation. At first the introduction to the meditation is brief and with each successive class we attend to different aspects that allow us to go deeper into the meditation. For the remainder of the class we move through foundation movements, postures and positions that nurture our breathing, relaxation, strengthening and grounding. Every week we review what we moved through the week before with an emphasis on repetition so that the body becomes comfortable and can therefore relax even more with each passing week.

I’M NOT SURE THAT I WANT TO COMMIT TO A CLASS FOR 8 OR 10 WEEKS. CAN I COME FOR A TRIAL OR DROP-IN CLASS?

Trial or drop-in classes are not accommodated.

As with anything new, when the Wu Chi Stance (the Standing Meditation) and some postures and positions are introduced, at first it is common that some awkwardness and discomfort is felt. It is these very discomforts that bring our awareness to parts of our body that need our healing attention – but when was the last time that we stood in quiet and stillness to listen to what our bodies might have to tell us? Usually by the third class, enough repetition has taken place for the students to feel more comfortable and therefore more relaxed. By the sixth or seventh class, the students have a good taste of what Tai Chi is about and are able to make an informed decision as to whether Tai Chi is for them. Often Tai Chi is associated with the idea of ‘instant nirvana and complete relaxation’ and mistakenly thought to ‘not work’ when only one class is attended.

For some people, the question lies not with committing to the Tai Chi class but with committing to be with the instructor for the entire season. Completely understandable. I strongly encourage you to get in touch with me and interview me; I am more than happy to answer any questions.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN A TYPICAL CLASS?

The classes are kept small – ideally 10 students, 12 at the most depending on the number of returning students there are in the group. This way I am able to get familiar with the bodies in front of me and can provide individual attention and guidance as needed. I feel a dedicated responsibility to make each session the most it can be for each individual student that commits to a full seasonal session. Another reason why the classes are not open for trial or drop-in.

WHERE ARE THE CLASSES HELD?

Qi Tai Chi’s classes are currently conducted in-person at Kootenay Martial Arts, located at 111 Mcdonald Drive, Nelson, BC.

All classes are also available online using the ZOOM platform.