A Journey Back to Self: Qingcheng Mountain Retreat

CdExpat Team

November 3, 2025

No Comments

A Journey Back to Self

Your Invitation to The Sacred Pause Qingcheng Mountain Retreat

Press pause. Plant seeds. Remember who you are.

Imagine this: You wake up to the sound of birdsong, the mist still resting gently on the mountain tops. Nothing is demanding your attention right now. No emails to check. No classes to teach. No notifications to reply to. Just yoga, warm tea, and a circle of kind, open-hearted women. You finally have the space to exhale.

The Sacred Pause is a 3-day women’s retreat designed to help you reset, reconnect, and realign before the year ends. Hosted in a beautiful luxury sanctuary in Qingcheng Mountain just outside Chengdu, this is your opportunity to come back to yourself — in community, in stillness, in joy.

Meet Your Hosts

We’re Emma and Emma — two women with a shared mission: to hold space for growth, reconnection and expansion.

Emma Jane Sandford is a Mindset & Life Coach who has supported over 50 women over the past two years. She’s also a podcast host and founder of an online community that helps women reclaim their power and purpose. Her coaching blends powerful mindset tools, somatic practices, and tools like EFT tapping, breathwork, visualisation, and Human Design. Her mission is to remind you who you are beneath all the conditioning, the limiting beliefs, and the programming. She’s been where many of us have been: stuck in an endless loop of productivity and perfectionism, burnt out, disconnected from joy. Through her own healing from an eating disorder and people-pleasing, she’s now committed to making life an experiment in fun, softness and playful growth.

Emma Johnson is a yoga instructor based in the vibrant metropolis of Shanghai. Her journey began over eight years ago in Chengdu, where she first fell in love with yoga and the practice truly felt like a homecoming. Yoga became her sanctuary, a challenging yet deeply comforting constant during times of need. Believing wholeheartedly in its power, Emma became a qualified instructor to share this gift with others. Having discovered her own inner wisdom on the mat, she now guides others to find theirs. She specializes in Yin Yoga and curates gentle, loving flows that thoughtfully combine meditation, pranayama, and affirmation.

We’re coming together to create this retreat because we believe deeply in the power of intentional space, authentic community, and inner growth. As expats living abroad, we know how hard it can be to find deep connection with people who share your values. You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with. And we’re inviting you to be part of a circle that nourishes, supports, challenges and inspires you.

“We created The Sacred Pause because we know what it feels like to be stuck in your head, going through the motions, and craving something deeper. This retreat is our invitation for you to come home to yourself.”

Why The Sacred Pause?

Because you’ve held it all together all year. Because you’re craving a weekend that actually fills your cup. Because you’re ready to move into 2026 with clarity, confidence and purpose.

This is your reset button.

At The Sacred Pause, you will:

Rediscover clarity and confidence
Uncover and reprogram limiting beliefs with expert mindset support
Plant meaningful intentions for 2026
Realign with what matters most to you
Create soulful connections with like-minded women
Leave feeling grounded, open, and energised
Take home tools to shift your energy, support your nervous system and get you unstuck

The Flow of Our Weekend Together

Friday — Arrival & Softening

Check-in & welcome
Nourishing dinner
Opening circle & intention-setting journaling: what seeds are you ready to plant?
Yin yoga + Connection to Inner Child, and Higher Self meditation: What are you ready to release? What are you ready to step into?

Saturday — Clearing & Reprogramming

Sunrise yoga + breathwork/meditation
Breakfast
Mindset Session 1: Unravel the Old: Releasing Limiting Beliefs
- Includes guided EFT tapping, visualisation & journaling
Long nourishing lunch
Mindset Session 2: Becoming Her – Identity-Based Goal Setting
- Explore inherited beliefs, reconnect with joy, discover your purpose with Ikigai
- Group shares, visualisation, energy audits to identify what lights you up and how to incorporate more of that into your everyday
Family Style Dinner
Ecstatic dance + Integration Circle

Sunday — Visioning & Embodiment

Morning yoga & meditation
Mindset Session 3: Soul-Led Purpose: Clarity for 2026
- Who do you want to be in 2026? What are you being called to step in to?
- Journaling prompts, group sharing, closing circle
Closing lunch
Optional nature walk

Our Location: A Hidden Mountain Sanctuary

Nestled in the heart of Qingcheng Mountain, our venue is a peaceful, luxury hideaway just a short trip from Chengdu – but it feels like a world away.

Surrounded by lush forest, flowing water and mountain views, each room is beautifully designed with comfort and serenity in mind. Many rooms feature private hot spring baths, perfect for unwinding after a day of movement and inner work.

Whether you’re sipping tea on your balcony or dancing under the stars, this space is the perfect backdrop for your personal transformation.

What’s Included

2 nights of beautiful mountain accommodation
Daily yoga, meditation & mindset sessions
Nourishing plant-forward meals (2x dinner, 2x breakfast, 2x lunch)
Mindset workshops with expert guidance
Guided journalling, meditations and breathwork, and EFT tapping
Ecstatic dance & integration circle
Optional nature walks
Goodie bag with candle, journal + other surprises

Room Options & Pricing

We’ve kept this retreat intimate, with just 12 spots available.

Base Retreat Price: ¥3,499
(shared double room without hot spring)

Room Upgrades:

Twin Room (shared, no hot spring): +200元 (3,699元 total)
Twin Room (shared, with hot spring): +350元 (3,849元 total)
Private Room (no hot spring): +500元 (3,999元 total)
Private Room (with hot spring): +650元 (4,149元 total)

All rooms include meals, sessions, and goodie bag. First come, first served.

EARLY BIRD PRICING: first 5 bookings get 10% off

What Past Clients Say

“So powerful… to be sat with another woman that has the knowledge, the skills, the expertise, to ask really amazing insightful questions.. and also seeing yourself for the amazing human you are. I can’t wait to get started now we’ve moved these (internal blocks) out of my way.” – Leah, Empowerment Facilitator, Shamanic Healer and Coach

“I had built a life based on external validation, burnout and overwhelm. Emma taught me to strip everything away and reconnect to who I was before I was taught to be someone else. The negative thoughts still come, but now they do not control me.” – Toran, entrepreneur and business owner turned regenerative farmer

“So often we are seeking answers outside of ourselves when the answers we’re seeking are already within us. We just need to ask ourselves the right questions. Emma does such a good job at individualising her approach to you, and giving you actionable steps to move forward toward your goals.” – Jackie, Yoga Teacher

“I always enjoy Emma’s yoga classes. Going to her class feels like a warm hug for my mind and body. Her relaxing tone and genuine, warm energy make the space so welcoming for everyone. The flow of the class and her guidance is clear and calming, which makes me feel centered and fulfilled as I leave the class. Do yourself a favor and join one of her classes! You’re sure to find a supportive, uplifting environment that helps you stretch, breathe, and reconnect with your body.”- Mikhaila, Early Years Educator and Entrepreneur

“Emma made sure you were comfortable throughout the class and offered simpler or harder variations, depending on what you needed. She really thinks about the students she has and ensures everyone has a great experience, no matter what level you are.” – Becky, Educator