About Gillian

Gillian Reid is a Taoist Transformation Coach who didn't plan to dedicate her life to Taoist practices—but over 30 years ago, a chance encounter with Master Franco Mescola in Italy changed everything. What began as curiosity about Tai Chi evolved into a lifelong commitment to mastering and transmitting authentic Taoist internal arts. Meeting and embarking on a learning journey with Master Chia has been deeply transformational & she’s dedicated herself to embodying the Universal Healing Tao (UHT) practices since. 

Today, Gillian holds the distinguished position of Senior 1 Instructor of the UHT System under Grandmaster Mantak Chia, and is licensed to train and certify new UHT instructors—one of the highest credentials in this ancient lineage. As Italian Coordinator for the global Tao Garden community, she ensures these powerful practices are preserved in their authentic form while remaining accessible to sincere modern seekers.

She founded the Biospirals Method Training School UK, and as a Senior Instructor, she is licenced to certify practitioners of the Biospirals Method. Gillian created Junior Tao Chi to bring these practices to children, and co-founded Nuova Tao Italy to build community among Italian practitioners.

Gillian spends her time between Italy & Thailand continuing the lineage of Universal Healing Tao. She teaches through transformational retreats, online courses, private coaching, and instructor certification programmes.

Her teaching specializes in Qigong, Tai Chi 13 Yang Style, Tao Yin, women's Taoist cultivation practices, inner alchemy, and training the next generation of authentic Taoist instructors. She is also a certified Chi Nei Tsang and Tok Sen massage practitioner, helping clients detoxify organs, release fascia restrictions, and clear emotional holding patterns through these time-honored healing modalities. Gillian embodies the vitality these practices promise, and proves they work. 

Mission

“I believe that every human being carries within them an extraordinary capacity for healing, transformation, and joy — and that most of us have simply never been shown how to access it.

My mission is to change that.”

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“For over 30 years I have walked this path — from my first encounter with Master Franco Mescola and the art of Qigong in Venice, to my deep ongoing training with Grand Master Mantak Chia and the Universal Healing Tao community at Tao Garden in Thailand. Every practice I have learned, every teaching I have received, every transformation I have lived through my own body and energy — I bring it all into the space I hold for my students.

I am not here to give you another wellness trend or a set of techniques to add to your collection. I am here to accompany you on a genuine journey of inner evolution — one that is grounded in thousands of years of Taoist wisdom and made accessible for the life you are actually living right now.

Through the Biospirals Method, the Universal Healing Tao system, Internal Martial Arts, and the transformative practices of Female Sexual Alchemy, I offer a complete and integrative path — one that works simultaneously on the physical body, the emotional landscape, the energetic system, and the spirit. These are not separate practices. They are different doors into the same living reality: the intelligent, abundant, infinitely creative force of life that you already are.

My approach is warm, precise, and deeply personal. I meet each student exactly where they are — whether you are a complete beginner taking your first breath of conscious Qi, a seasoned practitioner returning to refine your foundations, or a teacher in the making ready to carry these gifts forward to others.

I teach in English and Italian, from my home in the lagoon of Venice, across Europe to all the way to Tao Garden, Thailand — in workshops, retreats, online courses, and private mentorship. Whatever the format, my intention is always the same: to give you not just the practices, but the genuine understanding to make them your own — for life.

Because this is not about dependence on a teacher. It is about empowerment. It is about the moment you realise that everything you were searching for outside yourself was already here, waiting quietly within — and that you now have the map, the tools, and the community to find your way home.

Welcome. I am glad you are here.”

— Gillian Reid Senior UHT Instructor · Senior Biospirals Method Teacher · Taoist Transformation Coach ·

Ways to work with me

  • What it is

    Created by Master Mantak Chia, the result of over six decades of personal experience, teaching tens of thousands of students from virtually every country in the world.

    Deeply rooted in traditional Taoist practices from the East and complimented with modern science from the West. Master Chia's teaching method develops physical, mental, and spiritual (energetic) bodies that are integrated within human beings.

    Why it exists

    Our goal is the development of human life force (Qi) for self-healing and life transformation. We will accompany you on a journey of personal evolution that enables you to harmonise and raise your own vibration to 'Become the change'.

    What we practice

    We use a methodology of active recursive learning, addressing the theory behind the practices to provide you with the immediate tools to embrace your wellness. The Universal Healing Tao System is divided into five branches of healing arts:

    1)       Tao Energy Cultivation - Basis & Healing Sexual Energy.

    2)       The Practices of Chi Nei Tsang – Internal organ massage.

    3)       The Practices of Cosmic Healing – Energy channelling for Healing

    4)       Internal Martial Arts.

    5)       The Practices of Immortal Tao – Path to Spiritual Enlightenment.

    Universal Healing Tao Workshops

    I facilitate Universal Healing Tao workshops for studios, wellness centers, private groups, and communities seeking to deepen their energy cultivation practice.

    Workshop offerings include:

    Tan Tien Qigong - Awakening your body's energy center through dynamic movement and internal compression

    Microcosmic Orbit - The foundational meditation for circulating Chi through the body's primary energy channels

    Inner Smile & 6 Healing Sounds - Emotional alchemy practices for organ health and inner peace

    Female Sexual Alchemy - Sacred practices for women to cultivate vital essence, pleasure, and power

    Seasonal Qigong - Practices aligned with the Five Elements and nature's cycles

    Iron Shirt Qigong - Grounding, rooting, and structural alignment for internal power

    Workshops can be designed as single sessions (2-4 hours), half-day intensives, full-day immersions, or multi-week series depending on your community's needs. All experience levels welcome.

    Whether you're a yoga studio wanting to offer your students something new, a wellness center expanding your programming, or a private group seeking transformation—let's create a workshop that serves your vision.

    Get in touch to explore possibilities.

    EXPLORE GILLIAN’S Self-paced Universal Healing Tao Courses, or learn more about how to become an UHT instructor.

    ‍ Inquire about getting certified as an instructor.

  • What is it

    Created in Venice in the 1980s by Master Franco Mescola, founder and director of Centro Ricerche Tai Chi Italia, and the help of his collaborators. The system took form after the long and patient work of combining Eastern knowledge and Western science. It is a form of Qigong which draws on the movement of the universe through images and spiral movements, aimed at accessing the wisdom of the body. 

    Why it exists

    The aim is to enhance physical and emotional harmony by loosening and connecting to the body’s connective-fascial system. Once freed, the fascia allows Life Force (Qi) to travel through our body's meridians (energy pathways), connecting us to the abundance of the Earth and Celestial Forces.

    What we practice

    Suitable for all. From standing and walking meditation, to progressively more dynamic sequences, and finally synthesised into a spiralling internal martial form called 'Xuan Chuan'. The aim is to stay connected to the 'Flow'.

    EXPLORE GILLIAN’S Self-paced Biospirals Method Qigong Courses, or Inquire about getting certified as an instructor.

  • What if the key to your vitality, confidence, and creative power has been within you all along—waiting to be awakened?

    For thousands of years, Taoist women cultivated practices that transformed their life force into radiant health, emotional balance, and profound pleasure. These weren't abstract theories—they were embodied practices that allowed women to harmonize with their natural rhythms, preserve their energy, and access states of wellbeing that modern life often disconnects us from.

    This course is your invitation to reclaim these ancient feminine arts.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT GILLIAN’S Self-paced Female Sexual Alchemy COURSE, or Book a Call to Explore Private Coaching options.

  • Private 1-on-1 Coaching

    Sometimes the most powerful transformation happens in the space between you and one trusted guide.

    Private coaching with Gillian is an intimate, fully personalised journey — designed around where you are right now and where you are truly ready to go. Whether you are navigating a period of transition, deepening an existing practice, working through emotional or physical blocks, or seeking clarity on your path, Gillian brings her full 30 years of training and her uniquely warm, precise presence to every session.

    Sessions may draw on any combination of Universal Healing Tao practices, Biospirals Method Qigong, energy cultivation techniques, Taoist coaching tools, and Female Sexual Alchemy — woven together in response to what your body, energy, and life are calling for.

    This is not a one-size-fits-all programme. This is your practice, your pace, your transformation — held in complete confidentiality and with genuine care.

    Available online and in person · English and Italian · Single sessions and ongoing packages available

    BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL

  • Universal Healing Tao Inner Astrology Consultation

    Discover your energetic blueprint through the ancient Taoist system of Inner Alchemy Astrology. Unlike Western astrology, UHT Inner Alchemy Astrology reveals your elemental composition based on your birth date—showing you which organs hold excess energy, which need nourishment, and how your unique constitution shapes your health, emotions, and life path.

    In this personalized 1-on-1 session, we'll explore your elemental profile, identify imbalances, and create a customized practice plan using Qigong, meditation, and inner alchemy techniques specific to YOUR energetic needs. You'll leave with clarity about your constitution and practical tools to bring yourself into balance.

    Perfect for those who want to understand themselves at the deepest energetic level and practice with precision, not guesswork.

    Learn more and book your consultation here.

  • What it is

    Tao Chi Junior is a method of practical games and interactive learning for children and young adults, formulated by amalgamating the foundations of the Universal Healing Tao practices, the Biospirals Method and Taiji.

    Why it exists

    “Children are our future.” After many years of assisting adults in their constant search for health, balance and happiness, I became aware of the need to intervene in the process that had stripped them of their birthright ‘Greatness’.

    We aim to maintain and restore the awareness and 'Inner Peace' children are born with. We give our children the tools to cultivate the desire to live healthier, more balanced lives because they know their unlimited potential.

    What we practice                                                            

    The Six Healing Sounds and Inner Smile meditation allow children to gain awareness of their physical and emotional bodies in relation to the world around them and manage the everyday demands of life.

    Taiji, the Biospirals Method and imitating animals and nature, tone and align a strong, flexible body structure. Thus developing the coordination skills and qualities required for the child's growth in its 'sensitive phase'.

    Inquire here fo more information.

  • Workshops

    Workshops are where theory becomes embodied — where you stop reading about Qi and start feeling it move through you.

    Gillian's workshops offer a rich, immersive experience of the Taoist and Biospirals practices in a focused, community-held space. Whether a single-day deep dive or a multi-day intensive, each workshop is carefully designed to take you through a complete arc — opening the body, working the energy, integrating the experience, and leaving you with practices you can immediately carry into daily life.

    Topics span the full breadth of Gillian's teaching — from Iron Shirt Qigong and the Fusion of the Five Elements to the Biospirals Method, Female Sexual Alchemy, Chi Nei Tsang, and beyond. Workshops are held across Italy, Europe, and Thailand throughout the year, and are open to all levels unless otherwise specified.

    If you are looking for a way to begin, deepen, or reignite your practice in the company of like-minded souls — this is your door in.

    In-person in Venice and across Europe · Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners · Check the workshop calendar for upcoming dates

  • Retreats

    Some transformations need more than a weekend. They need space, silence, nature, and time.

    Gillian's retreats are carefully crafted containers for deep renewal — combining daily Qigong and energy practice with the extraordinary beauty of the settings she chooses to gather in. Away from the noise and demands of ordinary life, the body softens, the mind quiets, and something essential in you remembers what it already knows.

    Each retreat weaves together morning Qigong, breathwork, meditation, evening Tao Yin and Six Healing Sounds practice, and dedicated space for personal reflection and integration. The curriculum is alive — responsive to the group that arrives — and the atmosphere is one of warmth, safety, and genuine connection.

    Current retreat offerings include the Vitalità Women's Retreat in Venice — a dedicated space for women to restore their energy, reconnect with their feminine power, and return home genuinely renewed.

    UP NEXT: VITALITA Women’s Retreat in Cavallino Treporti, Venice, Italy

    Venice and beyond · Tailored retreats available for groups and organisations on request

  • Podcast Guest Appearances

    I welcome invitations to share Taoist wisdom, feminine energy cultivation, and intimate practices on podcasts that serve conscious audiences.

    Topics I explore:

    • Taoist sexuality & Female Sexual Alchemy

    • Cultivating feminine power & multi-orgasmic practices

    • Universal Healing Tao principles for modern life

    • Darkroom retreats & the power of deep rest

    • Inner Alchemy practices for energy cultivation

    • Seasonal Qigong & living aligned with nature

    I bring authenticity, depth, and practical wisdom to conversations—meeting listeners where they are while opening doors to ancient practices that transform modern lives.

    If you're seeking a guest who can speak to the intersection of sexuality, spirituality, and embodied practice, let's connect.

  • I offer guest teaching sessions for wellness retreats, women's circles, and transformational gatherings seeking to incorporate Taoist practices and feminine energy work.

    What I bring to your retreat:

    • Female Sexual Alchemy workshops (Jade Egg, Ovarian Breathing, breast massage)

    • Tan Tien Qigong for grounding and power cultivation

    • Inner Alchemy practices (Microcosmic Orbit, Inner Smile, 6 Healing Sounds)

    • Seasonal Qigong sessions aligned with nature's rhythms

    • Darkroom practice preparation or integration sessions

    • BaZi/Inner Astrology insights for retreat participants

    Sessions can be tailored to your retreat's theme, duration, and participant experience level. Whether you need a 90-minute workshop or multiple sessions throughout your retreat, I'll work with you to create a meaningful experience that integrates seamlessly with your program.

    Let's discuss how Taoist wisdom can enrich your next retreat.

  • Ancient Taoist Abdominal Healing & Thai Energy Percussion

    Experience two profound bodywork modalities that Gillian learned directly from Grandmaster Mantak Chia: Chi Nei Tsang (Taoist abdominal massage) and Tok Sen (traditional Thai energy percussion therapy).

    Chi Nei Tsang is originated in Thai bodywork and Master Chia combined it with ancient Taoist healing practices. It works directly with the organs through deep yet gentle abdominal massage. In Chinese medicine, our organs store not just physical tension but unprocessed emotions—fear in the kidneys, anger in the liver, grief in the lungs. Chi Nei Tsang releases these blockages, detoxifies the organs, improves digestion, and restores the free flow of Chi throughout the body. Many people experience profound emotional release, improved vitality, and a deep sense of coming home to their body through this work.

    Tok Sen is a traditional Northern Thai healing technique using rhythmic tapping with a wooden mallet and stick along the body's energy lines (Sen). The vibrations penetrate deep into fascia, releasing chronic tension, breaking up stagnant energy, and restoring flow where the body has become stuck. It's particularly effective for stubborn patterns that hands-on massage cannot reach.

    How to receive these treatments:

    Private Sessions - Book individual Chi Nei Tsang or Tok Sen sessions for personalized healing work tailored to your specific needs.

    Chi Nei Tsang Workshops in Italy - Join Gillian's hands-on training workshops where you'll learn to practice Chi Nei Tsang for yourself and others. These workshops welcome both practitioners seeking to add this modality to their work and individuals wanting to support their own healing journey.

    Wellness Residencies - Gillian offers temporary wellness residencies at select hotels and retreat centers throughout Europe, bringing these treatments directly to guests seeking transformative bodywork during their stay. If you're a hotel or retreat center interested in hosting Chi Nei Tsang and Tok Sen treatments for your guests, get in touch to explore collaboration.

    Perfect for those seeking deep physical release, emotional healing, and the restoration of vitality through traditional Taoist and Thai healing arts.

    Learn more & book your session here.

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Ready to begin? Contact me to discuss your journey.

LET"S START THE CONVERSATION