Running Workshops at Dzamling Gar Jan Golden, Teacher of Tai Chi 

History & Background

My name is Jan Golden, I’m 57, Irish-Canadian, but have been in Ireland since I was 10. I studied Pure English at university (that means everything from Anglo-Saxon Literature to Indo-European philology). It was there that I first saw tai chi and I was intrigued. I got hooked at 24, started teaching at 30 and haven’t looked back since. 

I had to go far and wide to look for genuine information since the quality of tai chi and qi gong in the west is so low that it has become a Hollywood trope as well as “something you do when you can’t do anything else”. The Maoists watered it down, defanged it, and then it trickled west during the receptive 60’s, where it was mangled even more into a pseudo-spiritual “New Age” practice. 

I wanted the real stuff, so I spent years going to China with some detours to California and Crete to train with a very well-known vajra brother who is larger than life, controversial but a peerless practitioner of his art. Another English vajra brother helped me realize many deep insights, he is naturally gifted and a real genius of somatic movement. I am naturally a head person, I was getting side-tracked into Chinese language and culture, but he  brought me down to earth.

I have run Tai Chi Ireland since 1999; it’s been difficult since Covid but I have a loyal cohort, some of whom have been with me since the beginning. I also trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine ( and may go back to my clinic) as well as Plant Science ( I worked for a tropical charity for 10 years in Honduras with a sustainable alternative to slash-and-burn agriculture)  I have performed a dissection, and focus mostly on posture, breathing, meditation, internal power and deep relaxation via body scanning as fundamental prerequisites to the actual movements of tai chi and qi gong. 

I first met Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 2003 in Prague, where he pointed out the nature of my mind with vivid and shocking clarity when he shouted Phat. I followed him for years, very confused by all the new practices, feeling like a gauche teenager in front of all these terribly suave vajra practitioners! I hosted weekly pujas in my studios for about 16 years until Rinpoche died in 2018. Since then, the shock of his death has spurred me to practice more, and I think I am slowly beginning to make incremental progress. 

The body practices prepared me for a lot of the Dzogchen teachings, for Rinpoche always spoke about the meaning of trekchö; being totally relaxed. That is very difficult in today’s world and many of my students have no idea what it means. I was the same. I think childhood trauma is a major factor in people’s inability to deeply relax, and I was lucky in that I had many opportunities to release this via deep and painful massage, as well as all the years of bodily training. Given my family background ( homeless, mentally ill siblings, auto-immune disorders, emotional constipation, incipient alcoholism) I can attest that Dzogchen, plus my bodywork, has saved my life. I feel lucky and blessed beyond words.

Running Programs in Dzamling Gar

I was in Dzamling Gar in December 2022, attending a retreat with Adriano Clemente, when I first thought about running a retreat in the Gar. I was put in touch with Urara Taoka, who has been a most wonderful and highly professional liaison. I have had two retreats in Dzamling Gar already, and three quarters of the students were returning for their second one, and in my most recent one, two new students said they were coming back next ( this) year, they liked it so much. The gardens were a major factor in making the Gar so attractive, an oasis in what is essentially a desert ecosystem. But also the accommodation and food was highly praised, especially given that some of them were seasoned Canarian visitors, used to varying levels of hotels and apartments in highly built-up environments. 

One couple, who went to Las Americas to stay in a five-star hotel, after the retreat sent me pictures of their cramped, tiny room, in a very noisy area, and bemoaned their decision after the peace, spaciousness and tranquillity of the Gar. The birds also make a difference, and as an amateur naturalist and botanist, I can attest to the attraction. Urara, the café staff (the two Julias), the Gakyil; everyone was friendly and accommodating and we had no problems beyond a few hiccups that were quickly sorted. 

 I am going to try to run another two retreats there this year, and I hope I can attract more practitioners, because I think I have identified a niche in the Community; deep physical relaxation is essential for mental relaxation, and that is essential for meditation, and what I can teach can assist that, it can complement Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance, and, indeed, I think I can help practitioners with their posture. I know how to generate maximum power with minimal movement and prevent unnecessary muscular or connective tissue strain. 

A major factor in my decision-making has been the reasonable pricing, I have seen ludicrous prices in many resorts, but they do not offer the same kind of benefits. Being a Community, and having practitioners who actually live there makes for a less cut-throat capitalist environment. Of course, money needs to be made, on both sides, but it was fair and equitable. I didn’t run retreats for years because many resorts were asking for almost 80% of my income. So I am very grateful to the unique vision of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in making Dzamling Gar come true, and the phenomenal amount of work stalwarts like Alix De Fermor (head gardener), the Gakyils, the Gekö, etc have put in to make the vision a reality. Communication was all mostly via the coordinator, who really went the extra mile to make it happen, so I am very grateful to her for her outstanding patience and work ethic. I look forward to coming back this year and for many years to come.

For more information about rentals at Dzamling Gar please contact: rental@dzamlinggar.org