Holistic Wellness in the heart of Vietnam
A Journey to Purpose for a Fulfilled Life
Athena Center is proud to offer Mindfulness Meditation training in Vietnam through a structured learning and practice journey, with an international certification pathway upon successful completion of the program requirements.
In Japanese culture, Kokoro (心) is more than simply the heart.
It represents the interconnected nature of the heart, mind, emotions, awareness, and inner being.
KOKORO is an invitation to live with greater presence and sincerity to listen inwardly, understand yourself more deeply, and reconnect with life from within.
Throughout this journey, you are invited into a space of stillness, awareness, and self-discovery.
Because sometimes, what we are searching for is not somewhere outside of us.
It is already within.
心
KOKORO
THE WAY OF THE HEART
KOKORO RETREAT
A Journey Back to Yourself
KOKORO does not simply teach you how to meditate.
It invites you to learn how to be fully present in your own life.
KOKORO (心) is a Japanese concept that embraces the heart, mind, emotions, and inner world.
This is more than a meditation course.
It is a journey of learning – experiencing – practicing – integrating, designed to help Mindfulness move beyond the classroom and become part of your everyday life.
Throughout the program, you will experience meditation and mindfulness practices inspired by traditions and approaches explored across Tibet, Bhutan, India, Japan, and Thailand, thoughtfully integrated with contemporary perspectives from psychology and neuroscience.
The Internationally Certified Mindfulness Meditation Course offers a strong foundation and globally recognized standards to support and guide your practice journey.
WHO IS KOKORO FOR?
KOKORO may be suitable for you if you:
✔ Find yourself constantly overthinking.
✔ Experience difficulty slowing down or finding inner stillness.
✔ Feel disconnected from yourself.
✔ Want to begin meditation but do not know where to start.
✔ Want to develop healthier ways of managing everyday stress.
✔ Want to establish a consistent Mindfulness practice.
✔ Want to slow down and reconnect more deeply with yourself.
✔ Are looking for a structured Mindfulness program combining learning with practical experience.
No previous meditation experience is required.
Nhan Thanh is a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, with more than a decade of study and practice in personal development and inner transformation.
Her journey has included exploring meditation and contemplative practices across different countries and traditions, shaping an approach that brings together Mindfulness Meditation, psychology, and neuroscience.
Drawing inspiration from experiences and practices encountered across India, Tibet, Bhutan, Japan, and Thailand, Thanh guides participants to observe the mind, reconnect with the body, return to the present moment, and cultivate greater inner calm.
For Thanh, meditation is not simply about sitting quietly for a few minutes.
It is about learning how to be present in your own life.
Her intention is to create a supportive environment where each participant can reconnect with themselves, establish a sustainable Mindfulness practice, and bring greater awareness into everyday life.
NhanThanh
2-DAY KOKORO RETREAT JOURNEY
Day 1
MORNING
9:00 AM – WELCOME CIRCLE
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Connection and introduction
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Setting your personal intention for the KOKORO journey
WORKSHOP
KOKORO – MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS
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What is KOKORO? Exploring its meaning and Japanese origins.
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What is Mindfulness?
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Neuroscience and the practice of Mindfulness Meditation.
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Why does the mind find it so difficult to remain in the present moment?
LUNCH
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Nourishing lunch
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Rest & relaxation
AFTERNOON
THE FIVE SENSES OF MINDFULNESS
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SIGHT – SOUND – SMELL – TASTE – TOUCH
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Mindfulness is not limited to sitting meditation.
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Throughout KOKORO, you will learn to use the five senses as gateways back into the present moment.
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SOUND MEDITATION
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Himalayan-inspired Singing Bowl Meditation
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Explore mindful listening and the experience of sound, vibration, and deep attention.
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AROMA MEDITATION
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India-inspired Sensory Meditation
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Explore the connection between scent, emotion, memory, and relaxation through mindful awareness.
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TEA MEDITATION
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Japan-inspired Mindful Tea Practice
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Experience taste, movement, and stillness while cultivating presence in each moment.
EVENING
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Dinner
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VISUAL MEDITATION
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Bhutan-inspired Practice
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Develop focused visual awareness and learn to observe without immediately reacting or judging.
Day 2
MORNING
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
Thailand-inspired Practice
A guided practice of listening inwardly, observing the mind, and returning to a greater sense of inner balance.
WORKSHOP
NATURE CONNECTION MEDITATION
SHINRIN-YOKU MINDFULNESS PRACTICE – JAPAN
Experience a nature-based Mindfulness practice inspired by the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-yoku – Forest Bathing.
Slow down, awaken your senses, and reconnect with the natural environment through intentional presence.
LUNCH
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Nourishing lunch
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Rest & relaxation
AFTERNOON
TOUCH & BODY-AWARENESS MEDITATION
Tibetan-inspired Practice
Explore body awareness and mindful touch as ways of reconnecting with physical sensations, cultivating presence, and supporting deep relaxation.
FIVE-SENSE GROUNDING PRACTICE
Learn a practical grounding technique using Sight – Sound – Smell – Taste – Touch to bring your attention back to the present moment.
CLOSING CIRCLE
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Reflection
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Sharing
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Gratitude
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Integration of the KOKORO journey
CERTIFICATE CEREMONY
International Mindfulness Meditation Certificate presentation for participants who successfully complete all program requirements.
DEPARTURE
Return to the city and begin your 21-day Mindfulness integration journey.
Learn once. Practice for life.
If you have read this far, perhaps it is more than coincidence.
Perhaps it is an invitation coming from within.
“Inner peace is not something we find outside ourselves. It is something we learn to cultivate within.”
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
🌿 Understand the foundations of Mindfulness Meditation and explore how meditation relates to attention and the brain.
🌿 Learn how to bring your attention back to the present moment and reconnect more deeply with yourself.
🌿 Develop the ability to notice thoughts and emotions without immediately reacting to or judging them.
🌿 Apply Mindfulness to eating, walking, communication, work, and everyday activities.
🌿 Build a consistent Mindfulness practice through a 21-day integration journey.
🌿 Learn practical ways to cultivate greater calm, awareness, and inner balance.
Sau 21 ngày thực hành, học viên đáp ứng đầy đủ tiêu chuẩn của chương trình sẽ đủ điều kiện tiếp tục hành trình KOKORO Teacher Training – Level chuyên sâu, hướng đến Chứng chỉ Giáo viên Thiền Quốc tế sau khi hoàn thành các yêu cầu đào tạo và đánh giá.
2-DAY KOKORO RETREAT JOURNEY
Day 1
MORNING
9:00 AM – WELCOME & OPENING CIRCLE
• Connection & intention setting
• Introduction to Energy Meditation
• Principles for safely facilitating a meditation session
🧠 WORKSHOP
5 ENERGY MEDITATION METHODS
1. CRYSTAL ENERGY MEDITATION
• Foundations of crystals and meditation practice
• Selecting and using crystals in meditation
• Crystal Energy Meditation practice
• How to structure a crystal meditation session
LUNCH
• Lunch & rest
AFTERNOON
2. CHAKRA MEDITATION
• Introduction to the seven-chakra system
• Developing awareness of energetic states
• Seven-Chakra Balancing Meditation
• Techniques for guiding a Chakra Meditation session
3. PYRAMID MEDITATION
• Introduction to Pyramid Meditation
• Space, focus, and intention within the practice
• Meditation practice in a pyramid environment
• How to facilitate a Pyramid Meditation session
EVENING
• Campfire
• Journaling & Reflection
Day 2
MORNING
4. EARTH & UNIVERSAL CONNECTION MEDITATION
• Grounding & reconnecting with the body
• Guided visualization for connecting with the Earth
• Expanding awareness into the surrounding space
• Practice facilitating an Earth & Universal Connection Meditation
5. REIKI MEDITATION
• Fundamental Reiki principles within meditation practice
• Self-Reiki Meditation
• Reiki & Mindfulness
• Reiki Meditation practice
• How to guide Reiki Meditation within the appropriate scope of training
LUNCH
• Lunch & rest
AFTERNOON
MEDITATION TEACHER PRACTICUM
• How to structure a Guided Meditation session
• Voice – pacing – silence
• Creating an appropriate meditation environment
• Each participant selects one of the five meditation methods and practices facilitating a guided session
• Instructor feedback & assessment
CLOSING CIRCLE
• Review of the five meditation methods
• Q&A
• Guidance for continued practice after the training
AFTER KOKORO, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:
🌿 Understand the foundational principles of Mindfulness Meditation.
🌿 Use the five senses to intentionally return your attention to the present moment.
🌿 Recognize when the mind becomes caught in worry, overthinking, or automatic patterns.
🌿 Use the breath and body sensations as anchors for present-moment awareness.
🌿 Practice Mindfulness while walking, eating, working, and communicating.
🌿 Observe thoughts and emotions with greater awareness rather than automatically becoming absorbed by them.
🌿 Establish a simple and sustainable Mindfulness routine that can continue long after the retreat.
7-Day All-Inclusive Wellness Retreat
$1,700/person
YOUR PROGRAM INCLUDES
🌿 Full Mindfulness Meditation training & retreat experiences
🏡 Resort accommodation
🥗 Meals throughout the retreat
🚐 Transportation
🎓 International Mindfulness Meditation Certificate
LOCATION
Athena Center Resort:
Suoi Rao – Chau Duc – Ba Ria–Vung Tau, Vietnam