Embracing a New Era of Well-being, A New Journey to Holistic Wellness Begins
Enthusiastic participants meditated, danced and chanted in rhythm to celebrate the closing of the second AT ONE International Festival by OCTAVE Institute on the waterfront of Suzhou’s Yangcheng Lake. With a theme of “New Paradigm, New Era of Well- being”, the three-day event held between 15th – 17th November led participants on a journey through a series of programs featuring Conference, Learning, Performances, Exhibitions, Market and Food to offer an experience of mindful and balanced lifestyle celebrating life towards a common destiny for all humanity.
Immersive Healing: The Interplay of Light and Shadow, Mindfulness and Meditation
The 2019 AT ONE International Festival’s opening ceremony was titled “Heaven, Earth and Life”, connecting the audience with mind-opening chants and Singing Bowl performance that resonated mind, body and soul. Accompanied with the contemporary sound healing music brought by world- renowned electronic musician East Forest, the audience embarked on an “Earth Breathing Meditation” journey led by Frederick Chavalit (Fred) Tsao, the Founder of SANGHA Retreat by OCTAVE Institute. Shaolin Yanze Art Troupe rounded up the show with an incredible performance comprising of martial arts, gongs and drums.
The closing ceremony delivered an integrated experience of East meeting the West with music and dance performances, from Indian vocalist, Brazilian Capoeira dancer, to the “Sound of Heaven and Earth” created by brass gongs and more than ten different sound therapy instruments. Echoing with one another, the opening and closing ceremonies brought the festival to new heights and presented an innovative, contemporary celebration of oneness.
The festival brought together an impressive ensemble of holistic practitioners from around the world to offer over 150 experiential learning workshops and master classes focusing on 6 aspects comprising Body & Movement, Mind & Energy, Art & Music, Optimal Health, Mindful Relationships and Quantum Leadership.
“The Perfect Diet for Wellness” workshop led by Gabrielle Luo, nutritionist of SANGHA Retreat, introduced the concept of mindful eating from a psychological perspective and the idea of a wellbeing diet. The Movement-based Embodiment workshop with Gary Joplin featured Gyrokinesis® to awaken the body with free-flowing movements and breathing exercises and to achieve greater flexibility in body; Introduction to BodyTalk by Sufen Paphassarang showcased a comprehensive system of non-invasive techniques to rebuild a better communication within our internal body based on the latest scientific findings and quantum leadership. Participants were impressed by the transformative experience of the Learning programs and ability to really connect to their inner self after joining the AT ONE International Festival.
New Paradigm, Well-being Forum: Insights into the Future
Over 30 notable doctors, professors and scientists across the globe gathered at the international conference held at SANGHA Retreat by OCTAVE Institute to discuss “oneness” in life sciences, discover new possibilities and the paradigm of well-being in face of the challenges in the 21st century. At the beginning of the conference, Fred’s keynote addressed – “Be the CEO of Your Life, Create the Next Era” and shared his views on quantum thinking as a new driving force for this new era, exploring the idea of oneness and the definition of well-being in the quantum era. Pioneering in human well-being, Fred has been actively promoting the connectedness between traditional Eastern philosophies and Western sciences. The launch of the book Quantum Leadership: New Consciousness in Business, co-authored by Fred and Chris Laszlo was also held on the conference day. The English version which is published by Stanford University Press is now available on international platforms while the Chinese version will be available soon.
In addition to the key subject of quantum physics, a wide range of topics were discussed by panels of experts including the ancient Chinese life sciences classic Huang Di Nei Jing, the Indian wellness system Ayurveda, as well as the future of healthcare and integrated medicine. The AT ONE International Conference was a great success in redefining health, wellness, healthcare and integrated medicine.
Exploration of Lifestyle: Bringing Wellness into Every Day Life
AT ONE International Festival attracted more than 3,000 visitors, serving as a platform to celebrate the joy of life with an array of interactive activities opened to the public. The Market featured creative bazaars, handicrafts, organic produce and healthy gourmet foods, creating a mindful-living community.
SANGHA Retreat by OCTAVE Institute also presented a world of flavours with numerous food stalls sampling gastronomic delights from French, Italian to Thai and Chinese cuisines. The Salad Bar provided a daily rotation of food along with a selection of homemade dressings for culinary
connoisseurs. There were also Grab and Go Food Carts enabling visitors to wander around the market. Super Food Lunch, Dinner Buffet and the Afternoon Tea Bar curated exquisite Asian dishes dedicated for this festival. The thoughtfully prepared nutritious food provided a sensorial experience for all to celebrate mindful dining, the role of food as nourishment and a social connector. After a fun and delicious tour at the food market, participants moved to The Gallery to unwind and immerse in the thought-provoking works of the photo exhibition.
SANGHA Retreat takes a global view towards transformative wellbeing, blending Eastern philosophies with Western science to present the holistic AT ONE philosophy and lifestyle advocated by OCTAVE Institute. The three-day annual festival invited guests to come together to discover, explore, create and connect to the notion of humanity, community, and deep healing, practicing a mindful way of living.
