Our Story

✨ Healing through softening, listening, and connection. ✨

Kia ora 👋 We’re Jingjing and Martin, the kaimahi (workers) behind Te Whare Ora – The Healing Hut.

How it all started ✨

In 2022, I (Jingjing) set up Te Whare Ora – The Healing Hut in Nelson. At first, it was a small studio where I offered hands-on bodywork. To support clients with their self-care at home, I began teaching Tai Chi. Before long, students started bringing their neighbours, friends, and families, and within 6 months I had become a full-time Tai Chi teacher.

When I moved to Ōtautahi Christchurch to study Rongoā Māori, Te Whare Ora grew with me. It is now a space where flow, nature, and holistic wellbeing come together.

A little about Jingjing 🌸

I’m Jingjing, from the Zhuang people of Guangxi, China. My Indigenous upbringing shaped my deep connection with the land, rivers, and plants. My name 菁菁 (Jīngjīng) means lush, green vitality of plants—and also carries the meaning of essence.

I began Kungfu at 11, and later trained in Tai Chi and Qi Gong with a Taoist monk, my Sifu, and my aunt. These practices carried me through challenges and illness, teaching me that true health is more than medicine—it’s about balance, resilience, and harmony with nature and community.

My background in law, psychology, and healing traditions now come together in The Healing Hut, where I share knowledge for wellbeing that nurtures both body and mind.

Listen to Jingjing's Bittersweet Stories here.

 

A little about Martin 🌄

Martin is from the Czech Republic. He is an award-winning roofer who came to New Zealand on a working holiday in 2023. Martin loves the open sky, fresh air, and intimacy with nature. He not only has a strong daddy's hand but also a fine heart for creating nature-inspired jewellery, working with stones, shells, ferns, and flowers.

Us together 🌿

We met in Christchurch in 2023 and quickly discovered our shared aroha for nature—long hikes into the ngahere (forest), and the way mountains and lakes make us feel like we are coming home.

At The Healing Hut, we want to pass down our ancestors’ wisdom, share our talents, and carry forward the healing stories of the forest:

-Wellness classes, workshops, retreats & coaching (Tai Chi, Qi Gong, yoga & meditation)

-Handmade self-care gifts like balms, oils, and candles

-Nature-inspired jewellery crafted by Martin

For us, healing is about more than easing pain. It’s about nurturing a vibrant spirit, resilient body, and connected heart—and walking alongside others with softening, listening, and connection. And we are here for you.