About ASCENSION
A return to what makes us feel alive.
ASCENSION is a curated experience of Vietnamese wellness, movement, sound, food, culture and creativity—built around Diện Chẩn, a needle-free Vietnamese system of reflexology, acupressure, heat, stretching and full-body therapeutic work.
Created by Daniel Stanford, its first edition takes place in Da Nang, Vietnam, January 12–26, 2027, with seven- and fourteen-day ways to attend.
Around this foundation, selected practitioners contribute movement, breathwork, guided meditation, sound baths, bodywork and creative expression.
ASCENSION is not a retreat formula. It is an immersive happening—an invitation to return to the body, awaken the senses and experience Vietnam with greater presence.
Daniel Stanford · Da NangWhy I created ASCENSION
Experienced before it was offered.
I did not build ASCENSION from wellness trends or online research.
It grew from my own search for ways to restore my body, stay creatively alive and keep moving forward through periods of pain and physical limitation.
Over more than two decades—and across travels through 25 countries—I encountered practitioners, traditions and environments that changed how I understood wellbeing.
I stopped seeing it as one treatment or one destination. I began seeing it as a relationship between the body, mind, movement, creativity, place and human connection.
In Da Nang, I experienced Diện Chẩn over several months, including an intensive period of 40 consecutive days.
These images form part of my personal history. My experience shaped the questions behind ASCENSION, but it should not be understood as a promise of what another person will experience.
Personal documentation
I am bringing together the practices, people and places that changed me most—and inviting others to experience them with openness and curiosity.
My role
Host. Curator. Creative director.
I am not a medical practitioner, and I am not presenting myself as one.
My role is to host the experience, shape its creative direction and bring together experienced practitioners around one clear intention.
For more than 25 years, I have worked across art, fashion, photography, film and design—always centred on transformation: how an image, an environment or an encounter can change the way we see and feel.
ASCENSION brings that creative practice into a living experience.
Every element is considered—the place, the people, the visual atmosphere, the rhythm of the days and the space left open for what you discover on your own.
ASCENSION brings these worlds together as a cultural journey and living artwork—something to enter, feel and experience, not simply observe.
Its early development is documented within MODUS SÉANCE. Read the ASCENSION project history on MODUS.
Why Da Nang
City.Sea.Mountain.
I lived in Da Nang for more than a year, and what connected me to it was more than the landscape.
I found openness in the sea, perspective in the mountains and creative energy in the city.
Nearby, Hội An offered lantern-lit streets, craftsmanship, history and a different rhythm of time.
Most of all, I remember the people: smiling faces, genuine hellos and small gestures of generosity that made me feel welcome before I knew the language.
Da Nang is not simply the setting for ASCENSION. It is part of what I want to share.
From personal to collective
A personal beginning. A shared experience.
ASCENSION began with my journey. It will not remain centred on me.
It will be shaped by Vietnamese practitioners, visiting facilitators, local partners and the people who join us.
My role is to hold the vision while leaving room for others to bring their knowledge, presence and perspective.
What we hold
The principles beneath the experience.
- 01
THE BODY IS CONNECTED.
We approach the body as an interconnected whole. Movement, tension, breath, touch, rest and awareness do not exist in isolation.
- 02
EXPERIENCE BEFORE PROMISES.
We do not promise instant transformation or guaranteed results. We create thoughtful conditions for meaningful personal experience.
- 03
PARTICIPATION WITHOUT PRESSURE.
You do not need to be flexible, artistic or experienced in meditation or movement. Join what serves you. Rest or step away when you choose.
- 04
CONSENT BEFORE TOUCH.
Every participant retains control over their body. Therapeutic touch requires clear consent, and practices should be adapted to individual comfort and needs.
- 05
VIETNAM IS NOT DECORATION.
ASCENSION is grounded in respect for Vietnamese knowledge, culture, food, landscapes and people. Vietnam is part of the experience—not an exotic backdrop.
- 06
CREATIVITY BELONGS TO EVERYONE.
Draw, paint, write, photograph, move or create in whatever form calls to you. Nothing needs to be displayed or perfected. The practice is simply to begin.
- 07
CONNECTION AND SOLITUDE.
We make room for shared experiences, genuine human connection and the freedom to be alone when solitude is what you need.
Program foundation
One foundation. Many practices.
Diện Chẩn is the therapeutic foundation of ASCENSION.
Around it, a modular program brings together movement, breath, guided meditation, sound baths, bodywork, food, cultural discovery and creative practice.
Facilitators are selected for experience, integrity, cultural fit and the quality of what they can contribute.
The foundation is clear. The experience remains alive.
Diện Chẩn is presented as a traditional wellness practice and educational experience. Individual responses vary. Participation does not replace medical diagnosis, treatment or professional healthcare.
I created it. We hold it. You experience it.
Da Nang is waiting.
Come for seven days or experience the complete fourteen-day journey. Discover Vietnamese knowledge. Reconnect with your body. Share extraordinary food, sound, movement, culture and creative experience within a small, carefully curated group.