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Detailed List of Retreats

"Doing Your Own Thing" Self Retreats are available throughout the year between the Conducted Retreats (and occasionally on weekends).

This symbol indicates that the retreat is held in Noble Silence throughout, except for periods of instruction, discussion or interviews.

Retreat
29 August 2024
  • Doing Your Own Thing: A Personal Retreat

    Teacher: Krishia Schilz and Nelson Alvares
    Cost: Number of days' accommodation
    Dates: Thursday 29 August 2024 - Tuesday 01 July 2025

    krishia schilznelson alvaresFind meaningful solitude on a Self-Retreat. These Retreats are unstructured: one does as much (or as little) reading, walking, meditation or resting as one chooses. Enjoy walks and bird watching in 300 acres of beautiful rolling hills, parklands, indigenous valleys and forests. Meditate, learn chi kung and yoga, savour our delicious vegetarian food, browse our well-stocked library. Visit the stupa and the raked Zen sand gardens; walk the labyrinth; reflect on the 8 trees associated with the Buddha’s life, enlightenment and death in the beautiful Buddha Boma; spend solitary time in our deer forest, stalk the light, cloud-gaze at the dam and tune into just being in the present moment. Self-Retreats are an ideal opportunity to be in a gentle, sympathetic space where one can be still and get in touch with oneself and reflect on the things that crowd one’s life. Self-Retreats are available on weekdays - between Conducted Retreats - and over structured retreats. Group or Corporate events can be arranged.

    Nelson Alvares is in situ to lead walks and sunrise meditation.

    For those who would like to book for a self retreat midweek, Krishia Schilz, a resident member of staff, is offering daily yoga, pranayama and meditation.

    Krishia Schilz is a qualified Bereavement Counsellor specialising in grief and loss, as well as Trauma Containment. Her spiritual path led her to yoga in which she is certified in various styles. She completed her training in beautiful Bali before travelling to Thailand to teach. Her practice includes yoga, pranayama (breath work), meditation and yoga philosophy.

     

20 December 2024
  • Going With The Flow: Integrating Meditation And Mindfulness Into Our Daily Life

    Teacher: Bruce van Dongen
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 20 December 2024 - Sunday 22 December 2024

    bruce van dongen Join Bruce in exploring the roots of mindful awareness through Kundalini yoga. Immerse yourself in transformative practices that seamlessly blend into the beauty of nature, with outdoor sessions whenever possible. Engage in meditation, chanting and the gentle resonance of the gong and crystal bowls for healing relaxation. Delve into practices that nurture your mind, body and spirit, allowing you to embrace inner peace and vitality while finding harmony in nature. 

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    Bruce van Dongen is a mechanical engineer. He has been practising yoga for many years and is a qualified teacher in the Hatha and Kundalini disciplines. He is a Director of The Waterfall Retreat and Environmental Centre and uses both nature and yoga as his soothing systems to balance the pressures of the corporate world.

     
23 December 2024
  • The Four Immeasurable Gifts at Christmas

    Teacher: Tsunma Tsondru
    Cost: 4 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 23 December 2024 - Friday 27 December 2024

    tsunma tsondruImagine! Imagine all the people, living life in peace - John Lennon

    Christmas is a time of the giving of gifts. All birthdays are honoured with gift-giving. Usually these gifts are of ‘things’. Yet the very best gift we can give is not anything tangible or material. It is to definitively take away the suffering of oneself, and of others. And this, after all, is the reason why we give material gifts in the first place. It’s also the reason why we do the myriad things we do in our lives. It’s because we are constantly in pursuit of this (seemingly unattainable) state of being: peace, happiness, contentment, an absence of ‘niggle’. The unlimited and ultimate gift would be to be happy without end, at peace without end, to give happiness and peace to all, without end. The Four Immeasurable Gifts are the ultimate gift. They are boundless equanimity, loving kindness, compassion, and joy. They define a path and practice leading to all-encompassing peace and happiness. They lead us back to our true nature, which is peace.

    Take time out at the BRC this Christmas to slow down into the moment and unwrap the Four Immeasurable Gifts. We will discover them through meditation, contemplation, journaling, and by just being present.

    The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of introspection and silence with time for journaling, reflection, and fireside talks.

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    Tsunma Tsondru is a nun ordained by Tai Situ Rinpoche in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She met Buddhism through Louis van Loon at the BRC in the 90's. After working as a lawyer and environmental scientist, she left for Spain for a traditional Kagyu three-and-a-half-year retreat, followed by a second retreat of four years. Returning to Cape Town, she served on the Board of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute - a multi-faith NGO - for 6 years and as its Executive Director. She later spent a 10-day intensive retreat with Joanna Macy, engaging with Macy’s “Work That Re-Connects”, which she teaches at the BRC and other places, Her particular interest is deep ecology, eco-philosophy and wilderness work, and the role that spirituality, ethics and connection/interdependence can play in transforming us and our economic and social systems in protection of the Earth.

28 December 2024
  • Three Wise Medicines For Living Your Life In The New Year

    Teacher: Tsunma Tsondru
    Cost: 4 days accommodation +R600 surcharge
    Dates: Saturday 28 December 2024 - Wednesday 01 January 2025

    tsunma tsondruThe spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived - Thomas Merton

    New Year is a good time of the year to take stock and contemplate our moment-to-moment, here-and-now reality in all its fullness. It’s a traditional time for clarifying our motivations, and for starting afresh with new intentions. A time, in other words, to reboot the system. Give yourself the gift of time over this New Year period to collect the Three Wise Medicines of gratitude, ahimsa and contentment, to reflect on the past year, and uncover how you can best live your life in the coming year. During this time together we will let our body, speech and mind fall silent through the practice of meditation and silence. In working with the Three Wise Medicines, there will also be time for writing and contemplation, walking and ceremony especially outside in nature. We will welcome the New Year with a lantern-lit ceremony in the Zendo, chanting, ringing out the old year with an ancient Chinese temple gong. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence and introspection.

    View teacher details
    Tsunma Tsondru is a nun ordained by Tai Situ Rinpoche in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She met Buddhism through Louis van Loon at the BRC in the 90's. After working as a lawyer and environmental scientist, she left for Spain for a traditional Kagyu three-and-a-half-year retreat, followed by a second retreat of four years. Returning to Cape Town, she served on the Board of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute - a multi-faith NGO - for 6 years and as its Executive Director. She later spent a 10-day intensive retreat with Joanna Macy, engaging with Macy’s “Work That Re-Connects”, which she teaches at the BRC and other places, Her particular interest is deep ecology, eco-philosophy and wilderness work, and the role that spirituality, ethics and connection/interdependence can play in transforming us and our economic and social systems in protection of the Earth.

03 January 2025
  • Time To Focus And Tune Into 2025: Gently Kickstart The New Year With Qigong, Yoga, Meditation And Healing Treatments

    Teacher: Brendon Small, Di Franklin Marrion Clarke and Nolwazi Bandezi
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R500 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 03 January 2025 - Sunday 05 January 2025

    brendon smalldi franklinmarrion clarkenolwazi bandeziIt is difficult to make decisions about important issues in your life when you are immersed in them. You need some distance from them, physically and psychologically to see them clearly for what they are. Only then, can you gain a fresh perspective on them. So, if you feel you need a gentle, uncluttered space to tune into what lies ahead for you in 2025, this largely unstructured weekend will prove useful. Experience sunrise qigong, yoga and meditation with Di, Marrion and Brendon while Nolwazi Bandezi, a qualified therapist, will be offering healing therapies by appointment. The BRC provides an ideal opportunity to be in a sympathetic space to experience what it is like to "just be"..

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    Brendon Small has been exposed to various traditions and teachers on the Buddhist path over the last two decades and has attended a number of retreats at the BRC. He led the meditation at last year's "Time to Focus" retreat and returns this year. He is a firm believer in the importance of meditation and mindfulness and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for practice on retreat.

    Dianne Franklin is an Advocate in private practice. She has been studying Buddhism and Qigong for twenty years. She is a student of Max Weier, the Qigong Master from Switzerland. Her teachers include Rob Nairn, Geshe Pende and Ken Holmes.

    Marrion Clarke found yoga at a crossroads in her life. Needing to make urgent lifestyle changes to heal, she completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2014, followed by her 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training 8 years later under the guidance of Cheryl Lancellas of Devahiti Yoga. Yoga engenders an intense responsibility to live in alignment with nature, and its transformative power keeps us grounded, focused and accountable on and off the mat. Marrion is passionate about sharing the asanas and philosophy of yoga and embracing our shared humanity.

    Nolwazi Bandezi, a therapist and owner of Neno, a 100% women-owned business located in Morningside, Durban, will be offering treatments such as tension relief massage using a combination of different therapies (Swedish, Lomi Lomi, Myofascial, deep tissue therapy, lymphatic drainage massage) and incorporated is Thai stretch therapy, Reflexology and Ayurvedic Head massage.

06 January 2025
  • Numerology In 2025 - Receive Clear Insights And Guidance To Plan Your Year Ahead

    Teacher: Christel Andersen
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R300 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 06 January 2025 - Wednesday 08 January 2025

    cristelleChristel has used the ancient Science of Numerology to empower and guide her clients for more than 20 years. It is an incredible personal development tool which brings wisdom, clarity and affirmation, in profound ways. Numerology is also a valuable guidance tool for planning a year ahead, making major life decisions, or simply understanding your current life situation. She uses her hands-on approach and creative skills of music, movement and art to teach Numerology. This makes it very easy to understand and to apply immediately. Come and join Christel for this informative mid-week retreat.

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    Christel Andersen is an experienced Souljourney group facilitator, nature - and tourist guide, musician and GIM-music therapist. Numerology has brought much depth and many insights into her life journey and she loves sharing this wisdom with others. She has facilitated Numerology workshops, and offered one on one consultations for many years. Numerology is affirming and empowering, and sharing it with others fills me with joy and gratitude for this gift.

10 January 2025
  • Recovery To Self

    Teacher: Warren Shaw
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 10 January 2025 - Sunday 12 January 2025

    warren shawWhy do we need to Recover to our true Self - to our Buddha nature? Often we may find ourselves using various substances or strategies addictively which can include everything from food, alcohol, recreational or prescription drugs, social media, or where we are in abusive relationships. When this affects our daily lives and more importantly the relationships that mean the most to us, we have lost our true nature of self.
    In this retreat we will explore the Buddha’s teaching on the cause of suffering (Samudaya), the origin of suffering - our attachment, our craving and ignorance that generate negative karma. We will discover that there is a solution in the Four Noble Truths which results in the end of suffering (Nirhodha) and the possibility of achieving liberation (Nirvana) from the cycle of suffering and the rebirth to our true self (Samsara). Our karma and shortcomings can be removed only by ourselves. We are personally responsible for their creation, and we are responsible for their elimination. This retreat will be helpful to people in need of recovery and speaks to any aspect of ourselves that needs to heal.

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    Warren Shaw holds an Addiction Treatment accreditation from Yale. His journey to recovery started at the BRC. He has had long term sobriety and is passionate about helping others to deal with any addiction that may be causing them suffering. He also runs workshops with his wife Natascha at the BRC exploring the nature of a successful, happy relationship. They live in Johannesburg, with Smokey Joe their Dachshun and travel extensively around our beautiful country and enjoy the gifts of Recovery.

13 January 2025
  • Ten Day Vipassana Retreat

    Teacher: Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg
    Cost: 10 days accommodation + R850 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 13 January 2025 - Thursday 23 January 2025

    jonathan preboyanna scharfenberg 2020Why must we undertake Vipassana meditation retreats? Because we search for happiness and want to liberate our mind from suffering - Ajahn Tong

    The retreat starts with an introduction on Monday evening and follows the original stages of insight meditation for ten days. The aim of insight meditation is to understand reality, to see things as they really are. The main tool of insight meditation is mindfulness: mindfulness of body, feelings and mind. Ajahn Tong states that “attending a meditation retreat is training in the power of mindfulness. With intensive practice the wandering, struggling and chaotic mind can become composed, peaceful, refreshed and purified of negative hindrances.” Retreatants are required to practise approximately ten hours per day (between 5 am and 10 pm), follow the Buddhist precepts and maintain respectful silence throughout the retreat. The BRC staff and teachers will provide their whole-hearted support, which includes daily reporting, loving-kindness meditation (Metta) and Dhamma talks. This retreat will overlap with the weekend retreat (17-19) and the 4 day retreat (19-23) and will be limited to 12 participants.
    Thoughts come and go. Feelings come and go. Find out what it is that remains - Ramana Maharshi

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    Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg trained in Vipassana meditation under the great Thai Vipassana master Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo. Jonathan worked as a clinical psychologist in private practice in Durban and Anna holds a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies. They have taught meditation together at Wat Chom Tong Meditation Centre in Thailand, Mexico, Italy, Spain and for 10 years at the BRC Ixopo. They currently manage and teach at the Tisarana Vipassananusorn Meditation Centre in Prague

17 January 2025
  • Vipassana Meditation: How To Realise Ever-Present Mindfulness

    Teacher: Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R750 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 17 January 2025 - Sunday 19 January 2025

    jonathan preboyanna scharfenberg 2020Vipassana (insight) meditation is based on mindfulness, which is always available, everywhere, without limit or cost. The challenge is how to realise it. The answer was provided by the Buddha. He taught ways to cultivate mindfulness that lead to insight and awakening. This retreat is an invitation for beginners and experienced meditators to practise Vipassana using the traditional Buddhist method of Ajahn Tong. For beginners it is a simple and direct technique to start meditating and for experienced meditators, it is a skillful method to deepen their insight. Mindfulness is developed by regular walking and sitting practice, by maintaining awareness during normal activities, such as eating, showering, dressing and supported by talks and feedback with the teachers. The weekend will be held in silence. Retreatants are welcome to join the subsequent 4-day meditation retreat.
    Sustain awareness at every moment in every posture, whether standing, walking, sitting or lying down. This is the way to establish mindfulness in the heart - Ajahn Chah

    View teacher details
    Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg trained in Vipassana meditation under the great Thai Vipassana master Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo. Jonathan worked as a clinical psychologist in private practice in Durban and Anna holds a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies. They have taught meditation together at Wat Chom Tong Meditation Centre in Thailand, Mexico, Italy, Spain and for 10 years at the BRC Ixopo. They currently manage and teach at the Tisarana Vipassananusorn Meditation Centre in Prague

19 January 2025
  • A Short Vipassana Retreat

    Teacher: Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg
    Cost: 4 days accommodation + R800 surcharge
    Dates: Sunday 19 January 2025 - Thursday 23 January 2025

    jonathan preboyanna scharfenbergWe go on a retreat to cleanse and disentangle our troubled lives and minds. This experience frees our mind - Ajahn Tong

    Vipassana (insight) meditation uses mindfulness to reveal and release the mental and emotional patterns that cause suffering. The aim is not just to overcome suffering but to wake up and be fully alive in the present moment. This four-day retreat is an opportunity to deepen meditation practice using the traditional Buddhist method of Ajahn Tong. Meditators are encouraged to stay for the entire course but may also stay for a shorter time and beginners are welcome to learn how to start Vipassana meditation. Mindfulness is developed by regular walking and sitting practice (both in the meditation hall and outside in the forest), by maintaining awareness during normal activities such as eating, showering, dressing and supported by daily interviews with a teacher. The retreat will be held in silence.
    What is looking is what you are looking for - St. Francis of Assisi

    View teacher details
    Jonathan Preboy and Anna Scharfenberg trained in Vipassana meditation under the great Thai Vipassana master Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo. Jonathan worked as a clinical psychologist in private practice in Durban and Anna holds a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies. They have taught meditation together at Wat Chom Tong Meditation Centre in Thailand, Mexico, Italy, Spain and for 10 years at the BRC Ixopo. They currently manage and teach at the Tisarana Vipassananusorn Meditation Centre in Prague

24 January 2025
  • Quiet Mountain, Clear Sky: Meditating With Calmness And Clarity

    Teacher: Mervyn Croft
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 24 January 2025 - Sunday 26 January 2025

    mervyn croftThis weekend silent retreat will provide an opportunity to explore two aspects of Buddhist meditation practice – the gradual development of calmness and peacefulness in our mind; and the practice of awareness, to live with more clarity and more centredness in the present moment. This foundation of calmness helps us to meet our confused thoughts and emotions with more acceptance and kindness and, leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of our minds. The retreat will create a gentle and relaxed space in which to explore the benefits of spending time quietly with ourselves, to allow the qualities of calmness and clarity to develop in a natural way and to enjoy the nurturing effect of being silent in a beautiful mountain environment.

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    Mervyn Croft has been engaged in Buddhism for over forty years, including a period of thirteen years as a member of the resident community at the Buddhist Retreat Centre, Ixopo. He has participated in retreats in the Theravada, Zen and Tibetan traditions, and for many years was a student of Godwin Samararatne from Sri Lanka. In 2000 he co-founded the Emoyeni Retreat Centre where he teaches and lives in a house of stone.

31 January 2025
  • Mindful Compassion -Transforming Your Life Through The Power Of Compassion

    Teacher: Choden
    Cost: 2 day's accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 31 January 2025 - Sunday 02 February 2025

    chodenChoden, a South African born Buddhist monk, will offer a weekend workshop exploring compassion within the context of mindfulness practice. He currently resides in Edinburgh in Scotland and teaches on the University of Aberdeen Postgraduate Studies in Mindfulness MSc. During the workshop he will offer skills and practices for tapping into the compassionate potential within us. In so doing, we will discover source of inner vitality and well-being that can support us when we are down and help us respond to the inevitable difficulties of life. Choden will draw on the wealth of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, as well as insights from evolutionary psychology and neuroscience. In 2013, he co-authored a book with renowned British psychologist Paul Gilbert called Mindful Compassion (2013) which was a synthesis of psychology, science and Buddhism.

    He will focus on the cultivation of self-compassion as an antidote to self-criticism and the cultivation of compassion for others by drawing on the Buddhist model of the 4 Limitless Contemplations (loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity). This will include the practice of tonglen or taking and sending. The workshop will be experiential and will include a combination of imagination and mindfulness-based practices.

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    Choden: A monk within the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Choden (aka Sean Mc Govern) completed a three-year, three-month retreat in 1997 and has been a practicing Buddhist since 1985. He is originally from South Africa where he trained as a lawyer and learned meditation under the guidance of Rob Nairn, an internationally renowned Buddhist teacher. He is now involved in developing secular mindfulness and compassion programmes drawing upon the wisdom and methods of the Buddhist tradition, as well as contemporary insights from psychology and neuroscience. He is an honorary fellow of the University of Aberdeen and teaches on their Postgraduate Study Programme in Mindfulness (MSc) that is the first of its kind to include compassion in its curriculum. He co-wrote a book with Paul Gilbert in 2013, entitled Mindful Compassion that explores the interface between Buddhist and Evolutionary approaches to compassion training. He is also the co-author of two other books: Mindfulness Based Living Course (2018) and From Mindfulness to Insight (2019). In 2016 he completed a one-year retreat focused on the foundation practices of Tibetan Buddhism.

04 February 2025
  • Blossoming Into Joy: Your Personal Roadmap To Thriving - A Women's Retreat

    Teacher: Patti Good
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R300 surcharge
    Dates: Tuesday 04 February 2025 - Thursday 06 February 2025

    patti goodHuman Design is a sacred system of personal self-discovery combining elements of astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah, the chakra system and quantum physics. In reality, it is like your own personal energy blueprint designed to help you thrive and shine in the world. It is not about "fixing" anything, but more about stripping away the old conditioning holding you back from living your true potential. Join Patti to learn about your own unique, design blueprint - discover how to recognise your innate gifts and traits and how to harness the joy, peace and delight of coming home to YOU.

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    Patti Good is not your typical healer. She is more a "modern-day alchemist" bringing together her own unique blend of spiritual wisdom, deep therapeutic and trauma release tools, cutting-edge energy medicine and shamanic healing to inspire deep and meaningful change that lasts. She is a Senior Accredited Journey Therapist, a BodyTalk Practitioner, Reiki Master and Human Design Coach. She co-founded the Inner Journey Clinic on Harley Street in London where she practised for many years. She is currently based in the Cotswolds in England and over the last 22 years has worked with clients around the world to help them reclaim their power and raise their self-worth.

07 February 2025
  • Sounding The Body To Well-Being: Integrating Mindfulness, Yoga And Therapeutic Sound:A loosely structured retreat with the support of guided daily practices

    Teacher: Despina Forbes
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 07 February 2025 - Sunday 09 February 2025

    despina forbes2022This is an invitation to slow down and retreat with the support of two optional daily practices, a sound journey, time for solitude, silence and individual connection to support you through the weekend. Despina will be offering two yoga classes per day which include meditation, breathwork and therapeutic sound (morning and evening) with plenty of time to retreat at your own pace. Yoga and meditation can be experienced as a practice of cultivating well-being. We will be exploring Yin, gentle hatha and restorative yoga, breathwork, therapeutic sound and mindfulness practices. Intentional sounds like in a sound journey intend to invite us into a deeper state of listening and meditation that transcends the thinking mind. It is a beautiful practice to listen deeply to harmonic sounds such as in nature and give ourselves fully to the experience of embodied listening - full body listening. The truth of all things resides in the vibration and resonance made from one single sound. Combining these practices of movement, stillness and sound creates powerful possibilities for insight, transformation and healing for the body, mind, and heart. Breakfast and dinner will be in silence.

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    Despina Forbes is a mindfulness, trauma and somatic informed psychologist, yoga and mindfulness meditation practitioner and sound therapist whose intention is to hold space for facilitating well-being through the practice of embodiment and sustainable therapeutic practices for the purpose of cultivating awareness, healthy change, compassion, resilience and collective well-being.

13 February 2025
  • A Mindfulness Retreat

    Teacher: Ajahn Jutindharo
    Cost: 5 days accommodation + R700 surcharge
    Dates: Thursday 13 February 2025 - Tuesday 18 February 2025

    ajahn jutindaroAjahn Jutindharo’s approach is grounded in awareness of our own body, with practices based around body awareness and the breath. He emphasises an open attitude of kindness and curiosity, so that we  learn to trust more in that which is already alive, awake and free within us. When we remember how to connect with these wholesome sources, we access a wider range of tools for deepening our understanding, addressing some of the things that we find more challenging, and furthering our exploration.

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    Ajahn Jutindharo has been a monk in the Ajahn Chah lineage for 35 years and the abbot of a small monastery in Devon, England since 2007. Born in Britain, he has been teaching in the UK since the late 1990s and from time-to-time overseas. Trained as a scientist, in parallel universes he might have been an accountant, architect, psychotherapist or dancer, amongst other things.


21 February 2025
  • Getting To Know The Birds At The BRC: 160 Birds Of A Feather

    Teacher: Steve Davis
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 21 February 2025 - Sunday 23 February 2025

    steve davisJoin Steve for an enjoyable weekend of identifying some of the BRC’s 160 species of birds - including the summer residents, the rare Blue Swallow, Knysna Turaco and Emerald Cuckoo. Wake up to birdsong and walk the verdant hills and meadows close to where the Blue Swallows nest. The BRC has been awarded “Private Nature Reserve” status by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for its conservation of the Blue Swallow and its pristine mistbelt grasslands. Included will be talks, slide shows, meditation and some quiet time communing with nature. Bring your binoculars and a sunhat.

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    Steve Davis has been watching birds since moving to South Africa in 1975, and has travelled in most parts of southern Africa and many countries around the world. He has presented numerous talks and courses on birds, is Honorary President of BirdLife eThekwini KZN and has served on the KwaZulu-Natal Rare Birds Committee. He has written two books with his late friend, Roy Cowgill - one on the birds of Durban reserves and one on shorebirds identification. He is a keen wildlife enthusiast, having expanded his interests to butterflies, dragonflies, trees and flowers. He is a Chemical Engineer by profession, having gained a M.Sc.Eng (Chem) at the University of Natal, Durban, and is currently Research and Development Manager at the Sugar Milling Research Institute in Durban.

28 February 2025
  • Healing Qigong For Health And Vitality

    Teacher: Dr Hu Jin-Yun
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 28 February 2025 - Sunday 02 March 2025

    dr hu jinyun smlExplore this ancient Chinese practice that boosts one’s health and vitality. Participants will learn the key techniques of how to master qigong and incorporate it into their daily lives, effortlessly. These techniques are easy to learn, are useful and powerful. The healing power of qigong works on both the physical and spiritual level - if it is done correctly. These techniques include breathing, timing, warm ups, postures, movement and mind projection. Dr Hu will also introduce some Chinese medicine for detoxing, lowering cholesterol, decreasing body fat and relieving water retention. This retreat is designed to suit beginners, as well as those who have practised qigong previously.

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    Dr Hu Jin-Yun is a certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor in China. He is a registered Acupuncture Practitioner at the AHSPCA, as well as the BHF in South Africa. He received his PhD Degree in medicine from the Heilongjiang Chinese Medicine University in China. Apart from his medical and academic studies, Dr Hu has been practising Tai-Chi Quan, and Qigong in Taiwan since 1995. He currently lives in Somerset West in the Cape. He has his own private TCM clinic, the Helderberg Acupuncture And Healing Centre, where he practises this ancient art form of Traditional Chinese healing. He regularly presents seminars to the SAACMA (South African Association of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture) and has been lecturing at the Juniata College in America since 2013.

05 March 2025
  • Speak Your Truth, Listen Deeply

    Teacher: Felicity Joan Hart
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Wednesday 05 March 2025 - Friday 07 March 2025

    felicity joan hart “When you are busy judging people, you have no time to love them.” Marshall Rosenberg
    Learn the life-enhancing practices of mindful awareness and non-violent communication with Felicity Joan Hart.
    When interacting with others, we often find ourselves triggered and then communicate in ways that hurt or harm - ourselves, the other, or the relationship between. Our conditioned ideas of what it means to communicate, especially during times of conflict, frequently results in a loss of connection. Judgement and defence, as well as the strategies of criticism, insults, blame, or put-downs are commonly used in our attempt to be heard or to meet our need to be “right,” “good” or “winning.” Despite our best efforts and intentions, we habitually become “violent” with our words and then feel the pain of disconnection.

    What to expect.

    This retreat explores the principles and practices of mindfulness and non-violent communication (NVC), to foster connection and minimize the suffering of outmoded ways of engaging. You will practise both intra-personal and inter-personal mindfulness to cultivate skills of empathy, compassion, and a better understanding of yourself and others. Together, these practices will help you communicate more consciously so that you learn to be aware of your feelings and needs, make requests to meet these needs and stay open to the feelings and needs of others.

    You can expect daily mindful meditation practice to support the empowering and enriching teachings of NVC and some down time for rest and relaxation.

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     Felicity Joan Hart is a teacher, mindfulness facilitator, wisdom keeper, Anam Ċara and coach whose work focuses on spirituality as it relates to all aspects of our lives and being. A dedicated practitioner of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation for almost 40 years, her work is very much informed by these modalities. She holds an Honours Degree in Psychology, a certification in Mindfulness-Based Interventions from the University of Stellenbosch, as well as international coaching qualifications. Felicity is an enthusiastic student and teacher of Non-Violent communication as developed by Dr Marshall Rosenberg.
    Her teaching style.
    “Felicity facilitates what is needed moment-by-moment, sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce and always with a humorous twinkle that invites the unexpected. She holds space for mindfulness, courageous action and for the disappointments that are inevitable when addressing deeply imprinted patterns of behaviour.” (LDC)
    “As the facilitator, Felicity has the remarkable ability to be both intuitive, gentle, safe and compassionate, and at the same time assertive, forceful, fiercely supportive, and encouraging as needed.”(LB)

07 March 2025
  • Relational Mindfulness Retreat

    Teacher: Annika Nicol
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 07 March 2025 - Sunday 09 March 2025

    annika nicolDo you find it hard to stay present when you relate with others? Do you tend to lose yourself in your relationships? This retreat will provide the opportunity for a depth of enquiry into the practice of Presence, or Mindfulness, in our relationships. We will explore the space that opens, when we are able to give ourselves quality attention in the relating and listening process. We will look at the unconscious patterns and obstacles that hold us back from being fully present in our relationships.

    • We will slow down and allow space to clearly see, feel and sense what is happening in the present moment.
    • We will connect with the direct experience of the feelings, sensations and thoughts in our bodies.
    • We will practise staying connected with ourselves as we relate with others.
    • Through meditation, movement, sharing, and small group enquiry there will be support to stay present as we encounter different layers of our experience.
    • In between sessions the retreat will be held in silence.

    This retreat can open the possibility of a deeper and more intimate way of relating with ourselves, others and the world.

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    Annika Nicol has been practising as a Clinical Psychologist since 1997 and has been deeply involved in Mindfulness practices since 1999. She trained in Mindfulness Psychotherapy (at the Karuna Institute, UK) since 2000 and qualified as a Core Process Psychotherapist in 2009. She is deeply interested in psychotherapy as a psycho-spiritual enquiry - how we embody and embrace our human experience, from a place of stillness and interconnection with everything. This includes working with meditation, awareness of the body, movement and voice. Annika has been leading retreats since 2006 and currently resides in Cape Town.

11 March 2025
  • Money As Spiritual Practice - Learn How Money Can Bridge Your Material And Spiritual Life And Become A Form Of Spiritual Practice

    Teacher: Felicity Joan Hart
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Tuesday 11 March 2025 - Thursday 13 March 2025

    felicity joan hartIn this retreat we will explore four spiritual disciplines, two spiritual laws and a self-directed challenge to change your beliefs about money, to be in right relationship with money and to allow money to become a form of spiritual practice.
    Engaging with money can be stressful. Regardless of how much we have it is often a source of fear and anxiety. Our minds can be preoccupied with thoughts around not having enough, or running out, or losing the money we have. Conditioned thinking patterns direct our focus to what is lacking, and this can lead to habitual judgment of ourselves, others and our circumstances. Over time, stress around money or feeling ruled by it can set up a feeling of dis-ease in our being and impact all aspects of our lives.
    This course is for everyone who longs to feel relaxed about money. It is also for those who are curious about how we can respond to a call from the unlikely source that is money to deepen connection with the Divine, ourselves and others. The intention of this retreat is to transform your relationship with money into a dimension of your spiritual practice. You get to assign money its proper place and perspective in your life while experiencing a deeper intimacy with your higher power. The process involves exploring the spiritual disciplines of Gratitude, Praying, Fasting and the Giving Way of Being. We also consider the spiritual Laws of Abundance and Law of Vibration to support your learning; and we complete the journey with a self-directed spiritual challenge. Each practice has the power to transform your financial and spiritual life but taken together they can become a powerful code of conduct that ushers in a time of inner freedom, outer abundance, and greater intimacy with the Divine.

    This course is inclusive. It is friendly to open-minded people of all religions and wisdom traditions. It is also welcoming if you identify as more spiritual than religious or if your spiritual home bridges more than one religion. Felicity draws on inspiration from multiple religious sources, principles and practices of mindfulness and the wisdom of universal spiritual laws. She shares insights from neuroscience as well as her own lived financial and spiritual experience. Each practice will help you develop qualities that will help you grow spiritually and allow you feel more relaxed about money.

    You can expect daily mindful meditation practice to support the empowering and enriching teachings and down time for rest and relaxation.

    View teacher details
    Felicity Joan Hart  is a teacher, mindfulness facilitator, wisdom keeper, Anam Ċara and coach whose work focuses on spirituality as it relates to all aspects of our lives and being. A dedicated practitioner of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation for almost 40 years, her work is very much informed by these modalities. She holds an Honours Degree in Psychology, a certification in Mindfulness-Based Interventions from the University of Stellenbosch, as well as international coaching qualifications. Felicity is an enthusiastic student and teacher of Non-Violent communication as developed by Dr Marshall Rosenberg.
    Her teaching style.
    “Felicity facilitates what is needed moment-by-moment, sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce and always with a humorous twinkle that invites the unexpected. She holds space for mindfulness, courageous action and for the disappointments that are inevitable when addressing deeply imprinted patterns of behaviour.” (LDC)
    “As the facilitator, Felicity has the remarkable ability to be both intuitive, gentle, safe and compassionate, and at the same time assertive, forceful, fiercely supportive, and encouraging as needed.”(LB)

14 March 2025
  • Tibetan Yantra Yoga And Meditation

    Teacher: Max Weier
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 14 March 2025 - Sunday 16 March 2025

    max weierTibetan yantra yoga (Trul-Khor) includes vigorous movement and powerful breathing exercises, visualisation, meditation, the practice of mudras (ritual gestures) and the chanting of bija mantras (seed-syllables) i.e. OM, AH, HUM to remove blockages in the subtle energy system (chakras and nadis) and to regulate the flow of the so-called lung (prana).

    Most of the body postures are performed either standing or sitting and are interspersed with periods of meditation. Tibetan yantra yoga presents effective means of healing and harmonising body and mind. However, the ultimate goal of Tibetan yantra yoga is to awaken to our natural state and inner wisdom

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    Max Weier was born in Switzerland where he currently resudes. He has been studying and practising various Buddhist traditions, Daoist disciplines such as Qigong, as well as Vedanta and Yoga for forty years. He has been teaching internationally for 25 years. He is an author on Qigong and Daoist mysticism.
    www.max-weier.com

18 March 2025
  • The Way Of Dao Qigong - Meditation - Wisdom

    Teacher: Max Weier
    Cost: 2 days accommodaytion + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Tuesday 18 March 2025 - Thursday 20 March 2025

    max weierThis retreat is based on the ancient tradition of Daoism. It offers a holistic approach that takes equal account of body, energy and mind. It combines breath work and moving qigong exercises to stimulate, free and balance the flow of the inner energy (qi). It includes silent meditation to calm and expand the mind. And it opens us to the inspiration of the profound and liberating wisdom teachings of Daoism and Zen. Ultimately, the Daoist path leads to the realisation of our true nature, the immeasurable Dao (or Tao)

    View teacher details
    Max Weier was born  in Switzerlan where he currently resides. He has been studying and practising various Buddhist traditions, Daoist disciplines such as Qigong, as well as Vedanta and Yoga for forty years. He has been teaching internationally for 25 years. He is an author on Qigong and Daoist mysticism.
    www.max-weier.com

21 March 2025
  • Finding Stillness: A Yoga And Meditation Retreat

    Teacher: Hannelize Robinson
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 21 March 2025 - Sunday 23 March 2025

    hannelize robinsonYoga teaches us the ability to remain present, calm and stable no matter what situation we find ourselves in. It is not about perfecting the shape of the pose or increasing flexibility – it is about knowing what the shapes do and how they impact our physiology, our energy and our mind. When carefully planned and sequenced, yoga helps us to thrive in the external world that is always changing, and simultaneously allows us to disconnect from our daily lives and reconnect to that aspect of being that never changes.

    In yoga, a complete practice includes physical postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation. Postures and breathwork prepare us for meditation. When we regularly practise meditation, we train ourselves to pause before reacting, often based on habitual patterns, and instead respond calmly with more wisdom and compassion.

    This retreat offers a reprieve from the sensory overload and constant stimulation of modern life. Throughout your retreat, you will discover practical tools to manage stress, enhance resilience, avoid burnout and promote overall well-being. From yoga and meditation practices to a guided hike, our experiential approach addresses the mind, body, and spirit, empowering you to thrive amidst life’s challenges.

    View teacher details
    Hannelize Robinson is the founder of Conscious-Collab and is based in Johannesburg. With over a decade of experience as a certified Yoga  and Mindfulness teacher and retreat facilitator, Hannelize offers a holistic approach, prioritising balance in all aspects of life. Drawing from over 25 years of experience working in high-stress corporate environments, she brings first-hand understanding of stress and burnout to her work. She is committed to curating accessible, restorative individual and group experiences, gatherings, and retreats. Driven by a fascination with the science behind ancient yoga practices, Hannelize explores how these age-old techniques can empower individuals in our ever-changing external world. Beyond her role as a wellness guide, she is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in Strategic Operations, Stakeholder Engagement, Project and Events Management and Global Immersive Learning Experiences. While her corporate experience is noteworthy, her passion lies in personal well-being and resilience.

28 March 2025
  • Time To Renew Your Fire - A Weekend Retreat For Burnt-Out Phoenixes In Need Of Soul Rekindling

    Teacher: Elana Bregin
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R300 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 28 March 2025 - Sunday 30 March 2025

    elana bregin2024Take back your life, it’s the only one you’ve got! The past few years seem to have been particularly challenging for many of us. Unsettling changes, prolonged stress, life crises of one kind or another, or simply giving away too much of your vital fire to another can leave you feeling dangerously close to burn-out and struggling to regain your sense of balance, purpose and passion.

    This recalibration workshop is geared at those who feel they have lost the compass. Under the experienced guidance of creative journey guide and author, Elana Bregin, you will be led through the gentle process of rebuilding your inner fire and reclaiming the joie de vivre that may have gone missing in the stresses and traumas of daily life. Amid the quiet beauty and sacred peace of the BRC grounds, well supported by the Centre’s delicious meals, cosy fires and revitalising ambience, we will open our senses and heart chakras and start the conversation with our deeper selves that relaxed attention enables. There will be periods of writing reflection, group sharing, inspirational walks and uplifting talks, to help us get back in touch with who we really are and want to be, and explore useful strategies for infusing more joy and fulfilment into our everyday living - whatever our current challenges and circumstances.

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    Elana Bregin is an award-winning author and creative-writing facilitator who worked for many years as a publishing-house editor. She has given several inspirational retreats at the BRC and has a particular interest in the therapeutic aspects of creativity and its ability to reconnect us with personal meaning and the wider currents of life in which we are embedded.

    "This workshop delivered beyond my expectations! I have new tools & perspectives for my journey forward, thank you. I would most certainly recommend this workshop & the insights shared." Previous workshop participant

04 April 2025
  • The Power of Ancestral Wisdoms Through Storytelling:Celebrating Mother Earth And Father Time

    Teacher: Dr Gcina Mhlophe
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 04 April 2025 - Sunday 06 April 2025

    gcina mhlopeFor as long as there have been people on this earth, there have been stories. As human beings attempted to make sense of natural phenomena, the interpreted mysteries and feelings that led them to creating and inventing cultural norms that would endure for centuries. As the sun set at the end of each day, the evening star heralded a time to take a well deserved rest. Around the fire they enjoyed delicious meals and conversations and as a thanks giving, they composed new songs to embrace each other, young and old. The operative word in Gcina's work is sharing. Just like in those olden days, storytellers are language lovers, we cannot share our stories without a language we are comfortable in, to gift our narratives with one another. In the fast world we now live in, now more than ever before, we need to hear ourselves and each other, in calm, serene spaces. Ukuthula kube nani. “May peace be with you” some bird calls sing to us in the early morning hour. Gcina truly believes that every living person has a story to tell. That is why she is humbled in the knowledge that each time she tells a story, she wakes up stories in other people. Together we will not only embrace the natural beauty of the environment, the colours surrounding us, the undulating hills and valleys, the blue skies above and the fresh air we breathe - we will delve deep into our memory banks. Like the unyielding timeless rhythm of the ocean – so too shall we continue to enjoy the gift of our African Story Magic. In the most quiet hour, we will be reminded of a gentle sound of the cowhide drum honouring our individual and unique heartbeats. May the Spirit of Light, walk ahead of you! 

    View teacher details
    Dr Gcina Mhlophe is a versatile and multi-talented artist who has left an indelible mark on the literary and performance arts in South Africa and beyond. From her early childhood, she was captivated by her grandmother's storytelling, which sparked her love for the spoken and written word. She has since become an award-winning author, poet, playwright, director, and performer, showcasing her talent on some of the world's most prestigious stages.

    In addition to her artistic contributions, Gcina has also been a champion for literacy in South Africa, running the NOZINCWADI Mother of Books Literacy Campaign since 2001. Her efforts have been recognized with numerous honorary doctorates and awards, including the National ICON Award from MZANSI MAGIC TV Channel and the Kennedy Centre International Artists Gold Award.

    Gcina's works have been widely celebrated, and she has released several CDs, including Songs & Stories of Africa, which won a SAMA award. She has also collaborated with other artists to produce projects that promote African culture, such as the IMILOLOZELO CD, which seeks to resuscitate the culture of African children's rhymes and rhythms with jazz music.

    In the theatre world, Gcina has received critical acclaim for her performances, winning an OBIE Award in New York for her role in Born in the RSA. Her autobiographical play, Have You Seen Zandile? has also earned her several awards, including the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival, the Sony Award for Radio Drama from BBC Africa, and the Joseph Jefferson Award in Chicago.

    Gcina has founded and directed various storytelling companies, including the Zanendaba storytelling company in Johannesburg, which has helped to preserve the heritage of African storytelling. Her contributions to literature and the arts have been recognized with honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions such as the London Open University, University of KwaZulu – Natal, Pretoria University, and Fort Hare.

    Overall, Gcina Mhlophe's talent, passion, and dedication to her craft and the promotion of African culture have earned her a well-deserved place among the most celebrated artists in South Africa and the world. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations of artists and performers.

    Her latest accolade is the Inaugural USIBA Cultural Legend Award from the Minister of Arts and Culture in May 2018.

    24 October – Dr Mhlophe’s birthday shall be recognized as NATIONAL STORYTELLING DAY celebrated all over South Africa.

06 April 2025
  • A Men’s Retreat - Master Your Mind, Revitalise Your Soul : The Power Of Shifting Perception

    Teacher: John Homewood
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Sunday 06 April 2025 - Tuesday 08 April 2025

    john homewood nov2019Many men are experiencing a crisis of identityand meaning in their lives right now. Relationship and careers are in transition, and the heart is yearning for a more meaningful and soul-centred vision in life. What is required is a fundamental shift in how we see ourselves, our roles, and our purpose in the world. This Men’s Retreat will facilitate huge shifts in the quality and experience of one’s life. This powerful intervention will assist participants to reduce stress, shift limiting perceptions and attitudes, gain self-knowledge, self-worth  and emotional balance and inculcate mental and emotional resilience in coping with this rapidly changing world.

    View teacher details
    John Homewood, with 25 years of coaching, has the unique ability of teaching deep universal truths in an easy to comprehend and in a practical way , thus enabling profound long-term shifts to take place in participants' lives. He has a gift and passion for sharing the wisdom he has learnt through years of self-reflection, study and life-experience. His greatest joy is in helping others to see life from a higher and deeper perspective, and feel the joy contained within the present moment.

08 April 2025
  • Ageing With Grace And Vitality: A Yoga Retreat

    Teacher: Christine Withiel and Howard Lipschitz
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Tuesday 08 April 2025 - Thursday 10 April 2025

    christine2024howard2024The body begins the ageing process around the age of thirty. It is hardly perceptible in the beginning and speeds up the older we get. How we age is dependent on lifestyle, life experiences, mental health and attitudes, and our genes. Qigong and yoga give us tools to keep the body healthy by mobilizing the joints, strengthening muscles and keeping us flexible. The postures and sequences can be adapted to all conditions and abilities. Yoga gives us pranayama, breathing techniques which strengthen and calm the nervous system as well as infusing our body with prana (life force energy). Meditation quietens the mind and has been shown to alter structures in the brain causing us to become more peaceful and less reactive. Yoga is an inward journey, getting to know ourselves, becoming aware of our habits and finding that place of stillness and joy that is in each of us. Ayurveda offers many ways in which we can nurture the body and manage the effects of menopause, ageing and living in a stressful world.

    On this retreat we will slow down and explore the offerings and take away what resonates and fits into our life.

    View teacher details
    Christine Withiel has been teaching yoga and training yoga teachers for over 20 years. She was the owner of the Jivananda Yoga Centre in Durban until she emigrated to the UK in 2021. She has been a senior teacher with Akhanda Yoga based in Rishikesh, India and Canada since 2015. She still teaches for them on international yoga teacher trainings. She has developed a course Yoga For The Mature Body which she teaches to yoga teachers around the world. She is passionate about all aspects of yoga and yoga philosophy and how it leads to physical and mental health and well-being into the later years of life.

    Howard Lipschitz was the co-owner of the Jivananda Yoga Centre in Durban where he taught yoga and qigong. He has been practising and teaching yoga and qigong for over 30 years. He has taught around the world and still has an online class. He is passionate about keeping the body strong and mobile in later years and at the same time cultivating a calm mind.

11 April 2025
  • THE SHIFT EXPERIENCE: The Art of Being - Part 1

    Teacher: John Homewood and Michelle McClunan
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 11 April 2025 - Sunday 13 April 2025

    john homewood nov2019michelle mcclunanAre you ready for a life shift? John Homewood and Michelle McClunan bring their combined forty years of facilitating experience to this two-part retreat, providing you with a gentle, yet powerful process that will shift, awaken and nourish your whole being. You will leave this retreat greatly refreshed with a new and awakened perspective in life, taking with you practical tools to apply in shifting all areas of your life.

    The retreat will integrate transformational, yet practical spiritual teachings of Presence, Awakening and Creative Art Processes. This integration will help you clear blockages that may have prevented you from living a healthy, peaceful and abundant life. All creative experiences are process-driven, as opposed to being outcome-based, so no artistic experience or skill is required. You will leave with a deeper sense of peace; a more focused sense of life purpose and rekindled joy and with greater emotional and spiritual intelligence to navigate life’s challenges.
    Should you only be able to attend the weekend, Part 1, you will still gain much. However, investing in the whole 4 days will provide you the space to integrate and apply this Shift even deeper and more fully into your awareness.

    For more info on their work see www.journeysofawakening.com

    View teacher details
    John Homewood is an inspirational speaker, teacher and Life Coach, with a passion for sharing the wisdom he has learnt through years of self-reflection, study and life-lessons. He has a gift in conveying complex subjects in a way that is easily understood, integrated and assimilated. His greatest joy is to help others to see their own lives from a higher and broader perspective, and to feel the joy of the present moment. His insightful wisdom teachings will help to clear your mind of its emotional and mental ‘stuckness’ to move into flow. For more than twenty years, John has inspired many with his radio and TV talks, as well as interactive seminars, workshops and retreats in the private and corporate sector.

    Michelle McClunan is an astrologer, Life Coach and Process Art Facilitator and uses a multi-faceted approach to help people to understand themselves, and to navigate their lives and rediscover their true purpose and potential. Using her own non-outcome based creatively experiential methods, she will guide you into a receptive state, where you are able to receive signals and messages from the intuitive intelligence that resides within you. As you engage in this work, you start to shift old patterns of thought or behaviour that may be blocking you from living the rich and fulfilling life you deserve. Michelle counsels and coaches one-on-one and has facilitated workshops and retreats for eighteen years.

13 April 2025
  • THE SHIFT EXPERIENCE: Living In Joy - Part 2

    Teacher: John Homewood and Michelle McClunan
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Sunday 13 April 2025 - Tuesday 15 April 2025

    john homewood nov2019michelle mcclunanAre you ready for a life shift? John Homewood and Michelle McClunan bring their combined forty years of facilitating experience to this two-part retreat, providing you with a gentle, yet powerful process that will shift, awaken and nourish your whole being. You will leave this retreat greatly refreshed with a new and awakened perspective in life, taking with you practical tools to apply in shifting all areas of your life.
    The retreat will integrate transformational, yet practical spiritual teachings of Presence, Awakening and Creative Art Processes. This integration will help you clear blockages that may have prevented you from living a healthy, peaceful and abundant life. All creative experiences are process-driven, as opposed to being outcome-based, so no artistic experience or skill is required.

    Part 2  will provide you the space to integrate and apply this Shift more deeply and more fully into your awareness. You will leave with a deeper sense of peace; a more focused sense of life purpose and rekindled joy and with greater emotional and spiritual intelligence to navigate life’s challenges.

    For more info on their work see www.journeysofawakening.com

    View teacher details
    John Homewood is an inspirational speaker, teacher and Life Coach, with a passion for sharing the wisdom he has learnt through years of self-reflection, study and life-lessons. He has a gift in conveying complex subjects in a way that is easily understood, integrated and assimilated. His greatest joy is to help others to see their own lives from a higher and broader perspective, and to feel the joy of the present moment. His insightful wisdom teachings will help to clear your mind of its emotional and mental ‘stuckness’ to move into flow. For more than twenty years, John has inspired many with his radio and TV talks, as well as interactive seminars, workshops and retreats in the private and corporate sector.

    Michelle McClunan is an astrologer, Life Coach and Process Art Facilitator and uses a multi-faceted approach to help people to understand themselves, and to navigate their lives and rediscover their true purpose and potential. Using her own non-outcome based creatively experiential methods, she will guide you into a receptive state, where you are able to receive signals and messages from the intuitive intelligence that resides within you. As you engage in this work, you start to shift old patterns of thought or behaviour that may be blocking you from living the rich and fulfilling life you deserve. Michelle counsels and coaches one-on-one and has facilitated workshops and retreats for eighteen years.

17 April 2025
  • Open The Heart and Still The Mind: The Joy of Courageous, Heartfelt Presence

    Teacher: Sue Cooper
    Cost: 4 or 7 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Thursday 17 April 2025 - Thursday 24 April 2025

    sue cooper 2021This Easter long-weekend Open the Heart and Still the Mind Compassion Retreat with clinical psychologist Sue Cooper, is held in Noble Silence and is offered either as a 4 night Easter Weekend retreat or as an extended 7 night retreat. Inspired by the wisdom teachings of the Dharma and of Buddhist and western psychology, we will cultivate mindfulness and compassion practices which calm the nervous system and help integrate body, heart and mind. As we learn to listen and connect more compassionately with ourselves, drawing silent support from the sangha (like-minded practitioners finding solace in the shared silence), we will discover that the containment of ennobling silence allows us to find the courage to honour and embody our authentic, heartfelt presence with greater confidence, clarity and joy.

    As we embrace the joys and the sorrows of life with a greater understanding of impermanence, we move beyond fear, shame and crippling self-doubt. After establishing some stillness and calm in the mind and the heart, we will explore the Brahma viharas (the four divine abodes/ immeasurables) to cultivate greater kindness, courage and compassion for ourselves and others. These compassion practices bring more appreciative joy, equanimity and wisdom into our lives, strengthening our capacity for more open-hearted presence and healthier boundaries in our relationships. This silent retreat includes teachings, guided meditations, daily qigong, time to walk, rest and replenish, as well as short, individual sessions with Sue to deepen our insight and sense of well-being. There will be relaxing massages and mindful movement offered as optional extras (the cost of which to be confirmed), to support our embodied experience.

    CPD accreditation for psychologists and other HPCSA (or equivalent) registered professionals will be confirmed, with an annual admin fee tbc.

    Please note: There is a teacher's fee for this retreat, which is offered on a sliding scale, with reductions and payment plans on request. Please contact Sue on for her pre-retreat questionnaire and to discuss a pre-retreat session if needed. More details can be found here: https://stillmindretreats.com/event/retreat-the-joy-of-courageous-heartfelt-presence/

    View teacher details
    Sue Cooper is a Cape Town-based Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, working in private practice since the early 1990's. She has a long-standing interest in the interface between psychological and spiritual approaches to self-discovery and inner healing, and has attended Buddhist meditation retreats, mainly in the Theravada tradition, for 40 years, both in South Africa and at Gaia House in the UK. She has been inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Chah of the Thai Forest tradition, and is deeply grateful to her primary teachers: the late Godwin Samararatne, Kittisaro and Thanissara, Ajahn Sucitto and Stephen and Martine Batchelor. She has a particular interest in exploring how our practice enables us to embrace our humanness, integrating love and loss in our lives, so that we can live and die with compassionate awareness. She offers weekend and longer retreats throughout South Africa at Temenos, Mont Fleur and Somerset Gift in the Western Cape; Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat Centre and the Buddhist Retreat Centre in KwaZulu Natal; and Emoyeni Retreat Centre in the North West Province, as well as "Open the Heart and Still the Mind" courses, on-going weekly groups and monthly half-day/day retreats in Cape Town See: https://stillmindretreats.com and please contact .

25 April 2025
  • Reclaim Your Power: A Journey To Inner Balance

    Teacher: Heike Sym
    Cost: 3 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 25 April 2025 - Monday 28 April 2025

    heike sym2020We all have inner guidance and knowledge, but we don't always know how to access it and use it as the incredible gift it is. We are constantly trying to keep up with the ever-increasing pace and demands of our lives which leaves us with high stress levels and exhausted. On this retreat we will fortify our spirit, embrace our personal power, and allow our light to shine brightly again, the way the universe intended. Through talks, meditation, group work, transformational exercises, relaxation and conversation, we will journey back to our centre - to our most natural and balanced state of being. Deepening our connection with our inner self allows us to stand strong in our own personal power in the here and now. We will learn to listen less to the limiting, fear-based voices of our mind, and start aligning with our intuition, to our core that already knows that we are born as an unstoppable and magnificent force.

    View teacher details
    Heike Sym was born in Bavaria, Germany, and fell in love with South Africa when she arrived in 1993 to volunteer as a Child Care Worker. She specialised in behaviour and learning difficulties and as a Montessori therapist, trainer and counsellor. She taught at St Philomena's Children's home in Durban for over 16 years and was involved in social outreach projects associated with it. She has also taught and counselled at primary schools and has continued to develop her spiritual interests over the years. She is now embracing her calling as a medium, energy healer, numerologist, metaphysical profiler and teacher. She gives regular talks, courses and interviews on radio, and offers individual sessions.

28 April 2025
  • Beginner's Mind, Quiet Mind: Meditation Instruction And Practice For Meaningful Daily Living

    Teacher: Tsunma Tsondru
    Cost: 3 days surcharge + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 28 April 2025 - Thursday 01 May 2025

    tsunma tsondruIt is important for us to take time out from the incessant demands and fast pace of daily life. The BRC gives us a space to step off the wheel and the time to come home to the quiet, strong refuge which lies at our centre. Cultivating the natural state of peace and ease that lies there reveals our true nature - which enables us to not only help ourselves, but to help the world of which we are part. Then daily living becomes meaningful. This 3-day mid-week retreat will bring out our Beginner’s Mind through the practice of meditation. The time will be silent, quiet, and slow. There will be meditation instruction and guidance, formal sitting, and time for walking, writing, or staring into the distance. The retreat is suitable for those with or without meditation experience and will be held in an atmosphere of introspection.

    View teacher details
    Tsunma Tsondru is a nun ordained by Tai Situ Rinpoche in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She met Buddhism through Louis van Loon at the BRC in the 90's. After working as a lawyer and environmental scientist, she left for Spain for a traditional Kagyu three-and-a-half-year retreat, followed by a second retreat of four years. Returning to Cape Town, she served on the Board of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute - a multi-faith NGO - for 6 years and as its Executive Director. She later spent a 10-day intensive retreat with Joanna Macy, engaging with Macy’s “Work That Re-Connects”, which she teaches at the BRC and other places, Her particular interest is deep ecology, eco-philosophy and wilderness work, and the role that spirituality, ethics and connection/interdependence can play in transforming us and our economic and social systems in protection of the Earth.

02 May 2025
  • Active Hope - Practice For Difficult Times

    Teacher: Tsunma Tsondru
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 02 May 2025 - Sunday 04 May 2025

    tsunma tsondruHope does not sit on the threadbare couch clutching a lotto ticket, passively waiting for good luck. Hope wields an axe, actively breaking down the door in a crisis. We can’t escape that Earth is in crisis. It’s also ever-more evident that we feel this crisis within ourselves as personal crisis. There is creeping hopelessness, fatalism, anxiety, denial, and numbness - a disengagement from the natural world which sustains us. The inner crisis even has a name now: eco-anxiety. To hear the daily news is to hear the myriad ways in which humanity is sensing and expressing the eco-anxiety.

    How to respond to these crises?  Within a framing of Active Hope, the weekend will be spent in group and solo practices from The Work That Reconnects, moving through the spiral of gratefulness, grief, and transformation that will unlock your unexpected resilience and creative power. Hope is waking up to the beauty of life, on whose behalf we can act. As Joanna Macy always says: I am so grateful to be alive at this time of great upheaval, because we are made precisely for these times! Mostly we will practise in silence and as much as possible  outdoors, in contact with nature. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence and introspection.

    View teacher details
    Tsunma Tsondru is a nun ordained by Tai Situ Rinpoche in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She met Buddhism through Louis van Loon at the BRC in the 90's. After working as a lawyer and environmental scientist, she left for Spain for a traditional Kagyu three-and-a-half-year retreat, followed by a second retreat of four years. Returning to Cape Town, she  served on the Board of the Southern African Faith Communities Environmental Institute - a multi-faith NGO - for 6 years and as its Executive Director. She later spent a 10-day intensive retreat with Joanna Macy, engaging with Macy’s “Work That Re-Connects”, which she teaches at the BRC and other places, Her particular interest is deep ecology, eco-philosophy and wilderness work, and the role that spirituality, ethics and connection/interdependence can play in transforming us and our economic and social systems in protection of the Earth.

05 May 2025
  • The Way Of Ubuntu: Exploring Traditional South African Healing

    Teacher: John Lockley and Nomusa Mthembu
    Cost: 3 days accommodation + R600 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 05 May 2025 - Thursday 08 May 2025

    john lockleynomsa mthembuParticipants will experience a traditional South African healing ceremony over three days during which they will learn to connect to their Ancestors (bones), Dreams, 'Umoya' (spirit) and one another. 'Ubuntu' means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. It is a circle of interlinking relationships connecting the seen and unseen worlds. The ceremony will involve a plant cleanse, using medicinal plants to cleanse the spirit and open the heart. Included will be an in-depth discussion on 'African cosmology' and the understanding of ancestors, plant medicine and dreaming. Retreatants will learn one of the most ancient and misunderstood cultures in South Africa today - the Sangoma medicine people, the monks and nuns of Southern Africa. The retreat will focus on educating people about South African traditional spirituality and also lead participants on a spiritual journey to rediscover their own ‘soul’ or what is termed ‘umoya’ in Xhosa and Zulu culture. This is a unique opportunity as there are very few places in South Africa today where people can learn from this mystical tradition. 'Ubuntu' in essence represents harmony and is similar to the Zen circle. Linking the past and present, it is an evolving state of co-operation and compassion whereby every human being is linked to their own families and communities as well as the unseen world of ancestors. John will be assisted by his colleague Makhosi Nomusa who is the resident Zulu Sangoma. Please bring a plastic basin which will be used for medicinal foot healing, a dream journal, pen and paper to take notes, a meditation blanket and an open mind. This retreat is suitable for all therapists, healers and those with a desire to heal South Africa. 

    Read the Odyssey magazine article on John Lockley.

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    John Lockley is a traditionally trained sangoma from the Xhosa culture, with over 21 years' experience. He was taught the essence of 'Ubuntu' by his Xhosa elders in the Eastern Cape and has lectured and run retreats all over the world stressing the importance of 'Ubuntu' ('Humanness') and our need to unite as a human race and reconnect to our "blood and bones". The name he was given by his Xhosa teacher MaMngwevu in 1996 was 'Ucingolweendaba' which means "The messenger or bridge between people and cultures". This is an auspicious name and reflects his calling and mission to help bridge African spirituality and western psychology. John also has a background in Zen Buddhism and was a Zen student under the late Zen Master Su Bong from South Korea. His book Leopard's Warrior is an account of his pioneering journey in crossing the 'rubicon' or divide between white and black people in South Africa. This will be John's 6th retreat at the BRC and every year there are amazing stories of healing and transformation.

    Nomusa Mthembu has been a traditional healer and Sangoma since 2001. She lives in the Chibini community where she meets monthly with other traditional healers for traditional ceremonies. She has been a valued BRC staff member for twenty-two years.

09 May 2025
  • Wesak: Doing What The Buddha Did

    Teacher: Stephen Coan
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 09 May 2025 - Sunday 11 May 2025

    stephen coan2024The feast of Wesak is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha 2,500 years ago, and is held annually on the full moon of the lunar month of Vesakha (coincidental with May). We will mark this festival with a programme of sitting and walking meditation plus reflections on the Buddha’s life and teachings and, in union with Buddhists around the world, hold a traditional Wesak ceremony - a lantern-lit circumambulation – on Saturday evening. Apart from a talk or two, and some discussion, the weekend will place an emphasis on meditation, the basic Buddhist practice common to all traditions – simply breathing in and breathing out – doing exactly what the Buddha did. The schedule will include time to enjoy the beautiful grounds of the Buddhist Retreat Centre.

    Please note: This retreat will be held in Noble Silence.

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    Stephen Coan has been teaching and retreating at the Buddhist Retreat Centre for over three decades. Inspired and informed by the Theravada and Zen Buddhist traditions his retreats place emphasis on the centrality of practice in living a skilful and enlightened life while also exploring the interface between poetry and silence and the profound benefits of doing nothing, seriously.

12 May 2025
  • Buddha- Intuitive Awareness. Our intuition Knows What To Do - The Challenge Is To Silence The Mind

    Teacher: Isabelle Light
    Cost: 3 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Monday 12 May 2025 - Thursday 15 May 2025

    isabelle lightIn many instances, we cannot achieve this due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This retreat is to quieten, rest, and connect with your innate knowingness and intuitive sensibility. Unlock the key to heal and understand your true nature. Acquire profound insights through easy and creative ways to express your wisdom. Through holistic methodologies of Forest Bathing, Yoga Nidra, SoulCollage®, Astrology and Meditation under Isabelle's gentle guidance, this journey will leave you feeling rejuvenated and nourished with a renewed clarity and purpose.

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    Isabelle Light brings a unique blend of skills to her retreats. With over three decades of experience and distinctions in Horticulture and Astrology, she integrates holistic methodologies that foster self-understanding and inner peace. Certified in Yoga Nidra, Forest Bathing, and SoulCollage®, Isabelle guides participants through practices that awaken compassion, resilience, and joy.

     
16 May 2025
  • Unveiling The Deeper Layers of Yoga: The Philosophy Of Posture

    Teacher: Sushmitha Shrikanth
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 16 May 2025 - Sunday 18 May 2025

    sushmita shrikanthThrough a merging of concepts from Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy, this retreat explores deepening your understanding of yoga beyond asanas. We will uncover how the practice of yoga postures can be a gateway to understanding the subtle interplay between our physical actions and mental states through a variety of lectures, reflection exercises, group discussions and breathwork sessions. The aim is to view asanas not merely as physical shapes, but as embodiments of our mental states. The weekend is ideal for those interested in bringing ancient wisdom to modern times through a time-tested self-practice method or Sadhana (spiritual training) to serve as an antidote to our distracted lives.

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    Sushmitha Shrikanth is an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher from Chennai, India with over a decade of practice and teaching experience under her belt. She formalised her training in Hatha Yoga at Kaivalyadhama, one of the oldest and most renowned yoga schools in India and spent several summers studying Indian philosophy at Vedanta Academy, alongside a degree in Western Philosophy from the University of London.
    She is a 500HR (RYT) and 200HR (AYI) certified teacher and is one of the youngest Indians to have completed Intermediate Series in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga directly under the late Sharath Jois in Mysore, the lineage holder of the Ashtanga Tradition. At the age of 23, she travelled across East Africa to work for an NGO delivering yoga training to refugee women at UN projects, orphanages, sober houses and the like. She has been featured in national newspapers for her work and has programs on major TV service providers like Tata Sky Fitness and Dish TV.

23 May 2025
  • The Sacred Feminine : Empowering The Feminine With Yoga, Meditation And Your Astrological Moon

    Teacher: Margarita Celeste and Michelle Strybis
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 23 May 2025 - Sunday 25 May 2025

    margarita celestemichelle strybisIn this empowering weekend for women, gentle Yin-style yoga will be offered as an invitation to expand, open and release tightly-held emotions and stress, focusing on the hips and heart. Evening "Moon" themed meditations will help participants to get in touch with this powerful Lunar Body to connect with your inner Feminine. Included will be talks on the Astrological Moon which will help women to navigate their emotional styles, and that of others. Body and Mind will be nourished over a weekend that promises to be nurturing for women - mothers and daughters, sisters and best friends - in a moment by moment openness to each other and to the beautiful, tranquil surroundings of the BRC.

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    Margarita Celeste was intuitively drawn to the starry skies from a young age. In 2013, she enrolled for Rod Suskin's three-year Diploma course, receiving a scholarship for her final year, after which she studied formally with the School of Intuition and Healing. Her passion is to help and guide others towards a more conscious state of being. She has a deep interest in alternative healing such as reiki, crystal therapy, kinesiology, chakra balance, tachyon healing and life alignment.

    Michelle Strybis danced from a very early age and has always been aware of the way movement affects our moods and mental states. Her journey with yoga started on a visit to an ashram in India many years ago where she completed her Yoga Teacher's Training in Bangalore. She has since visited India annually to further her yoga studies. In 2017 she completed a pre-and-post Natal Yoga Teacher's Training and in 2018 she qualified as a Meditation teacher in Dharmsala. She is passionate about sharing how yoga and meditation can help to keep us centered in our everyday lives.

     

30 May 2025
  • Change Your Mind - A Mindfulness Retreat

    Teacher: Mark Joseph
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 30 May 2025 - Sunday 01 June 2025

    mark josephIn the 1980’s Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn brought mindfulness into western medical focus. He was a practitioner of Zen Buddhism at the time and wanted to introduce his eastern learnings into a secular western framework. He was highly successful, and his work spread worldwide from the university of Massachusetts USA in the form of MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). His definition: ‘Mindfulness can be cultivated by paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose and in the present moment, with three attitudes of  non-reactivity, non-judgement and open heartedness’ became the cornerstone of a Mark Joseph's work. He found it wasn’t about converting South Africans to Buddhism but sharing the heart of practices that transformed his mind and heart. Mark became fascinated with the collaboration of HH The 14th Dalai Lama and science, especially with the work of neuroscientist Richard Davidson and author Daniel Goleman. Mark has been running mindfulness workshops for many years incorporating neuroscience and performance psychology. In 2016 he created the ‘Mindfulness teacher training program’ and in 2018 it was introduced into RMB bank to train wellness ambassadors. During the pandemic this program spread to the entire First Rand organisation as well as ABSA and DHL. Mark has pioneered the growth of mindfulness not only in the corporate world but also in training psychologists and individuals in mindful therapy.

    The essence of this program will be shared in this 2-day retreat and combines key points around how mindfulness contributes to:
    - Focus and attention management
    - Stress Management
    - Insight and Innovation
    - Psychological safety
    - Emotional Intelligence
    - Self compassion
    - Empathy
    - Wisdom

    Experience the merging of the eastern and western forms of mindfulness to provide you with an evidence-based approach to cultivating a daily practice and how this will affect your positive mental well-being.

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    Mark Joseph is truly grateful to have been part of the shift in the world of mental health from reactive to pro-active. His training is in mindfulness, neuroscience and positive psychology - which he brings into his teachings. Living in a Buddhist temple for 3 years and backpacking the Himalayas was life-changing and encouraged his love of ancient systems for building resilience and tenacity. His journey with his own struggles with mental health began at a young age, with daily panic attacks - fuelled by the suicide of his father due to ill mental health. By using pro-active techniques of mental wellness and mindfulness, his life stabilised and improved. This approach became his passion and led to his teaching and speaking on the subject as far back as 2001. In 2018 Mark took the leap from Managing Director of an advertising agency to become a full time mental health speaker and facilitator. In a few short years he has been instrumental in the change in culture in large corporations and his role has also expanded to wellness strategist and advisory. Mark truly believes that we can change the world, one liberated mind at a time.

06 June 2025
  • Journey To Self - Explore Your Connection With Your True Self

    Teacher: Sadhna Hamchander and Ravika Ramnath
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 06 June 2025 - Sunday 08 June 2025

    sadhna hamchandarravika ramnath"Journey To Self" is a structured and interactive retreat designed to help you explore and develop your connection with your true self, to enhance self-awareness and cultivate personal growth and well-being. It focuses on various aspects of personal development, self-discovery and inner-child healing. Join Sadhna assisted by Ravika for a weekend in the nurturing atmosphere of the BRC and tap into joy. They will offer guided meditation and self-discovery exercises and help you to transform limiting beliefs. This retreat is your chance to break free from limitations and embrace a life of purpose and fulfilment. Because you are worth it!

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    Sadhna Hamchander is a certified Heal Your Life facilitator, life coach, and Holistic Counsellor dedicated to catalysing positive transformations in people's lives. Her transformative journey began in 2017 when she attended a Heal Your Life workshop, deeply influenced by the wisdom of Louise Hay. Inspired, she joined the Heal Your Life organization to share her passion for healing and empowerment. Her approach involves customized workshops, coaching and consulting designed to meet each individual's unique needs and aspirations. She firmly believes that everyone is deserving of a life filled with happiness, health, and fulfilment. Through the principles she has embraced, she guides others toward unlocking their potential, fostering resilience, and cultivating a renewed sense of purpose by journeying within. Her self discovery Journey began in 2005 at Manav Dharam Meditation Centre.

    Ravika Ramnath is a Facilitator, Counseller and Heal your Life Study Course teacher. She is passionate about teaching the art of self-care by empowering individuals with the skills to learn to love and respect themselves and their emotions. Much of her work is based on the teachings of Lousie Hay and incorporates a Holistic approach to self-care, allowing people a safe space to heal and grow in both corporate and private sessions. She has been living and loving this work since 2017 and believes that sometimes it is just the listening ear or honest feedback given by a Coach, mentor or Counsellor that could transform the tapestry of your life.

     

13 June 2025
  • Traditional Hatha And Raja Yoga

    Teacher: Duncan Rice
    Cost: 3 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 13 June 2025 - Monday 16 June 2025

    duncanrice fullJoin Duncan for a weekend of reflection, rejuvenation, relaxation and restoration. The retreat is based on the ancient practices of hatha and raja yoga and is open to all levels of ability, including beginners, who wish to understand the fundamentals of yoga and develop, or deepen, their own practice. In the tranquil environment of the Buddhist Retreat Centre, we will discover how shatkarmas (cleansing techniques), asanas (postures), pranayama (control of the breath), mudra (gestures to manipulate and stimulate the energies in the body), bandhas (energy locks with the body) bring us into equilibrium. These traditional practices will help us to develop awareness of body, mind and breath. As the body gently opens like a lotus flower, and we start to release our past impressions, so the mind becomes relaxed preparing us for meditation. We will follow traditional guided meditation techniques in the meditation hall and in the labyrinth to quieten the mind, calm anxieties, recover balance in life and enhance creativity, insight and self-reflection.

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    Duncan Rice offers community-based yoga at "Yogam Yoga" in Durban. He has studied and lived in India for many years and has followed the teachings of Patanjali (Ashtanga Yoga), Ayurveda and Hatha Yoga which are laid down in some of the oldest texts of yoga. His yoga is rooted in ancient tradition passed down by the teachers over thousands of years teaching that we are a multi-layered being from our physical body to your subtle body. Yoga is about creating health and equilibrium in our body, calming the mind and allowing us to be in touch and at peace with our true self.

20 June 2025
  • Buddhanalysis: What if Buddha was your psychoanalyst?

    Teacher: Jason Ross
    Cost: 3 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 20 June 2025 - Monday 23 June 2025

    jason ross2024Through a merging of concepts from Existential Psychoanalysis and Secular Buddhism, this retreat explores Buddhism as a form of therapeutic living. The retreat will take us from the concept of inherent “lack” (sunyata), through “longing” (“tanha”), to “love” (metta). Along this journey, we will consider the implications of the Buddhist notion of “non-self” (anatta) for the practice of psychotherapy and its practical application to our everyday lives.

    This retreat involves philosophical discussion, therapeutic engagement, a variety of sitting practices, walking meditation, basic yoga (no experience needed), written reflection and group discussion. It is an ideal retreat for those interested in a practical, therapeutic and atheist (non-soteriological) approach to Buddhism.

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    Dr Jason Ross is a practicing psychologist with a PhD in Philosophy and Psychoanalysis from the Global Centre for Advanced Studies.  He takes a critical stance towards conventional psychology and its ideas of what it means to be supposedly normal.  He proposes a move away from its impoverished language of diagnosing individual experience and a return to a more embodied, socially embedded, poetic, and philosophical engagement with our struggles.  He campaigns for a psychology that is more interested in providing a therapeutic experience than attempting to explain our problems away.  He is particularly sceptical of Psychology’s more recent incorporation of “mindfulness” into its methodology, viewing this as a contradiction of the Buddhist philosophy from which “mindfulness” originally emerged.  His work, therefore, attempts to do justice to the existential philosophical thread that runs through most Buddhist teachings, merging this with an existential psychoanalytic method.  Jason was first introduced to Buddhism through the teachings of Rob Nairn and Louis Van Loon in the 90’s, and his hope is to pay tribute to the legacy of these teachings.  He is currently most influenced by the work of Stephen Batchelor and David Loy.

27 June 2025
  • Ishta Yoga And African Sound

    Teacher: Buhle Mabanga, Zawadi Yamungu, Tinashe
    Cost: 2 or 4 days days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 27 June 2025 - Tuesday 01 July 2025

    buhle mabanga2023zawaditinashe oicJoin Buhle for 2 to 4 days of Ishta Yoga which is a blend of different styles of yoga practices. Ishta is an acronym for Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra and Ayurveda, but also has deeper meaning in its Sanskrit roots that translates as “that which resonates with the individual”. As students, we each have our own path, and it is this very personal journey that Ishta Yoga seeks to encourage. In this full-rounded practice, you will also experience tapping, pranayama (breathwork) and inner child healing meditation. This retreat will also incorporate African indigenous music with Zawadi and Tinashe.

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    Buhle Mabanga is an accredited yoga and mindfulness teacher and founder of Nomvula Well-Being Movement. She began practising mindfulness, yoga and meditation four years ago with teachers Nandiva from Ishta Yoga and Mark Joseph from Mindful Revolution. In addition to her mindfulness and yoga work, Buhle is an artist, a children’s book author, a spoken word writer and a fashion designer.

    Zawadi Yamungu is a South African indigenous musician born in Kwa-Zulu Natal. She started her career with a local church group and was later exposed to acting, dance and composing music which enhanced her career as a professional artist. Umakhweyana, Ugubhu string bow and penny whistle are some of the instruments she plays. Working with Mbuso Khoza's African Heritage Ensemble, she has also collaborated with Gcina Mhlophe, Madala Kunene, Themba Mkhize, Nduduza Makhathini and other legends. 

    Tinashe is an indigenous instrument artist, hailing from Harare, Zimbabwe. His music - influenced by his late teacher - sparked the heart of his talent from a tender age. He plays the instruments mbira, flute, djembe drum and marimba. He has been with the Nomvula Well-Being as a sound healer and is uniquely talented.

04 July 2025
  • Iyengar Yoga: Nudging The Body Into Shape And Health

    Teacher: Judy Farah
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 04 July 2025 - Sunday 06 July 2025

    judy farah2019Get moving again! The upsurge of interest in the ancient practice of yoga attests to its proven physiological and psychological benefits. Our sedentary, western lifestyle has stiffened our limbs and spine to such an extent that many people find the yoga asanas (poses) difficult to perform. Iyengar yoga evolved to deal with this problem - safely, without forcing the body into harmful contortions. Iyengar yoga uses simple, but carefully calibrated props and other supports to achieve postures that would otherwise be unattainable except after years of practice. This retreat is suitable for beginners and for those who may have practised other forms of yoga. It is an introduction to the Iyengar method. For those who wish to consolidate their practice to a deeper level, the additional 5-day retreat is strongly recommended (6-11 July).

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    Judy Farah began her yoga practice at the age of 18 and has been teaching Iyengar yoga for the past 20 years. She has travelled to Pune many times to study and practise under the guidance of Gurus, BKS, Geetaji and Prashantji. She has attended many seminars of visiting Senior Iyengar teachers and travelled extensively to study under various other Iyengar teachers. This included doing a 6-year Medical/Remedial Course with Stephanie Quirk. It is her ongoing devotion to yoga practice that is her driving force in life.

06 July 2025
  • Iyengar Yoga: Deepening Your Practice

    Teacher: Judy Farah
    Cost: 5 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Sunday 06 July 2025 - Friday 11 July 2025

    judy farah2019For those who wish to consolidate and deepen their yoga practice, this 5-day intensive retreat is highly recommended. Apart from increased levels of fitness and vitality, you will reap the benefits of being in the tranquil, natural environment of Ixopo. You will leave feeling stretched, relaxed and fit for life.

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    Judy Farah began her yoga practice at the age of 18 and has been teaching Iyengar yoga for the past 19 years. She has travelled to Pune many times to study and practise under the guidance of Gurus, BKS, Geetaji and Prashantji. She has attended many seminars of visiting Senior Iyengar teachers and travelled extensively to study under various other Iyengar teachers. This included doing a 6-year Medical/Remedial Course with Stephanie Quirk. It is her ongoing devotion to yoga practice that is her driving force in life.

     
11 July 2025
  • The Healing Power Of Music, Movement And Nature

    Teacher: Christel Anderson and Eleen Polson
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 11 July 2025 - Sunday 13 July 2025

    cristelleeleen polsonChristel and Eleen, long-time collaborators, invite you to a transformative weekend dedicated to tuning your body, heart, and soul through sacred music, meditation, and contemplation. Engage in morning attunements with breath, voice, and mantra, alongside gentle body movements such as neigong, kundalini yoga, biodanza, and song circles. We will also immerse ourselves in nature observation and meditation.

    Enjoy ample time to relax in the serene beauty of the Centre and savour delicious meals. Through our shared experiences of sound, we will cultivate peace and healing within ourselves and the world.
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    Christel Andersen is an experienced Souljourney group facilitator, nature and tourist guide, musician and GIM-music therapist. She has facilitated countless song circles, sound meditations and creative processes in a variety of settings. Her most poignant experiences of flow, Divinity and unity have been in these shared creative experiences.

    Eleen Polson is a counselling psychologist specialising in expressive arts therapy and trauma release. Her personal spiritual practices are Neigong and Kundalini Yoga, which she weaves into Embodied Wisdom Group sessions - deeply transformative experiences for health care professionals. She is a very experienced Biodanza facilitator.

18 July 2025
  • From Seeking to Seeing - The Heart Of Meditation

    Teacher: David Gardner
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R450 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 18 July 2025 - Sunday 20 July 2025

    dave gardner 2022In this retreat, participants can expect to be guided gently through the process of becoming mindful through meditation and movement. David will lead sitting meditation  as well as walking and moving meditation in the inspiring and nourishing sanctuary of  the  BRC. He will also facilitate intentional open discussions around the fire to stoke the wholesome sparks of enquiry and deep listening. Whether you are a beginner or committed practitioner, this process will empower you to cultivate presence, clarity, adaptability, creativity and patience. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of noble silence and introspection.

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    David Gardner has been teaching for 13 years and studied meditation, yoga, martial arts, movement, acrobatics and dance with some remarkable teachers across the world. He formed 'Original Condition' - a practice for people to remember the heart of life. He is a preceptee at Poplar Grove and has been practising with Antony  and Margie Osler within the Zen tradition. Dave has also been inspired by Joseph Goldstein, Bhikkhu Anālayo, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.

25 July 2025
  • Reset for The Latter Half Of 2025: Meditation, Qigong, Yoga And Healing Treatments

    Teacher: Brendon Small, Kugan Naidoo, Warren Horsley and Nolwazi Bandezi
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R500 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 25 July 2025 - Sunday 27 July 2025

    brendon smallkugan naidoo lotuswarren horsleyInolwazi bandeziIf you are yearning for a serene environment to explore the possibilities that await you in the second half of 2025, this largely unstructured weekend promises to be enriching and rejuvenating. Immerse yourself in the calming practices of qigong, meditation, and hatha yoga guided by skilled instructors Brendon, Kugan and Warren. Additionally, Nolwazi Bandezi, a qualified therapist, will be available for personalized healing therapies by appointment, enhancing your journey of self-discovery.

    The BRC offers the perfect backdrop for you to embrace the art of simply "being," allowing you to connect deeply with yourself and the world around you. Join us for a transformative experience that invites reflection, healing, and growth.

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    Brendon Small has been exposed to various traditions and teachers on the Buddhist path over the last two decades and has attended a number of retreats at the BRC. He is a firm believer in the importance of meditation and mindfulness and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for practice.

    Kugan Naidoo, a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, began his yoga journey at the tender age of ten, learning and practising at the Divine Life Society Ashram, Durban. His love of yoga led him to complete a 200 hr TTC with Yoga Alliance, followed by a 200 hr TTC in Advanced Yoga in Nasik, Maharashtra, India. In 2017 he completed a 300 hr TTC in Restorative and Therapy Yoga, in Rishikesh, followed by a 3 year Iyengar Level 1 Teacher Training Course. In addition, Kugan completed intensive training at the RIMYI, Iyengar Institute in Pune, India, under the leadership and guidance of Geeta Iyengar, Prashanth Iyengar and Abhijata Iyengar. He has led several programmes at schools, gyms and rehabilitation facilities working closely with several organizations as well as the office of the Consulate General of India in Durban. Apart from recording the ‘Yoga For Wellness’, Series 1 and 2 for SABC TV 3, he has led the International Day Of Yoga celebrations in Durban for several years. In 2018, Kugan was diagnosed with a debilitating Auto Immune Disease and was unable to teach, but he used the power of yoga for his transformation and healing journey.

    Warren Horsely has been deeply fascinated by Eastern philosophy and practices since childhood. His dedication to personal growth and holistic well-being has led him to train extensively in various martial arts disciplines, including Karate, Kung Fu, and Muay Thai. Among these, he has developed a particular passion for Qigong and Taoist meditative practices, notably the Inner Smile and Microcosmic Orbit techniques. In addition to his martial arts pursuits, Warren has a profound appreciation for nature, which is reflected in his professional role as a landscape and environmental manager. He advocates for a balanced approach to life, emphasizing the importance of harmonizing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. His commitment to integrating these principles into his daily life and work serves as an inspiration to those around him.

    Nolwazi Bandezi, a therapist and owner of Neno, a 100% women-owned business located in Morningside, Durban, will be offering treatments such as tension relief massage using a combination of different therapies (Swedish, Lomi Lomi, Myofascial, deep tissue therapy, lymphatic drainage massage) and incorporated is Thai stretch therapy, Reflexology and Ayurvedic Head massage.

05 August 2025
  • Find Your Way Back To Nature For Self-Healing: Breath Work, Forest Bathing, Energy Healing And Mbira Music

    Teacher: Bernard Chatikobo
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Tuesday 05 August 2025 - Thursday 07 August 2025 08:00am - 05:00pm


    Escape to the tranquil and nurturing environment of the BRC for a transformative and personal healing experience with Reiki Master, Bernard Chatikobo. Take your first step to self-healing and explore the benefits of water, food, exercise and most importantly breath in talks infused with the live mbira music. This unique two-day healing retreat is tailored for individuals to take away seven daily breathing exercises, conscious basking in the ambience of forests as tools for self-healing and a one-on-one energy healing session for improved relaxation and well-being. Fill your 'spritual cup' by creating 'spirit cards' to capture the mood and essence of each day. Make every step count when you join Bernard to greet the sunrise on early morning trail walks and find inner serenity to feel "I AM."

    {Toggle}Bernard Chatikobo is a Reiki Master and the founder of "Back2NatureSA". He is devoted to guiding transformative healing journeys, specialising in soul-healing walks, energy healing, and harmonising the core of mind, body and spirit. A voice for nature and a part-time ranger in the Hawaan Forest in Durban, he takes people on guided walks, introducing 'forest bathing' and traditional mbira music for healing and harmony. His passion is trees and birds and encouraging one to immerse oneself in nature to find inner serenity and well-being.{/Toggle}

08 August 2025
  • Going With The Flow: Integrating Meditation And Mindfulness Into Our Daily Life

    Teacher: Bruce van Dongen
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 08 August 2025 - Sunday 10 August 2025

    bruce van dongenJoin Bruce in exploring the roots of mindful awareness through Kundalini yoga. Immerse yourself in transformative practices that seamlessly blend into the beauty of nature, with outdoor sessions whenever possible. Engage in meditation, chanting and the gentle resonance of the gong and crystal bowls for healing relaxation. Delve into practices that nurture your mind, body and spirit, allowing you to embrace inner peace and vitality while finding harmony in nature. 

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    Bruce van Dongen is a mechanical engineer. He has been practising yoga for many years and is a qualified teacher in the Hatha and Kundalini disciplines. He is a Director of The Waterfall Retreat and Environmental Centre and uses both nature and yoga as his soothing systems to balance the pressures of the corporate world.

22 August 2025
  • A Yoga, Breathwork And Mindfulness Retreat

    Teacher: Marrion Clarke and Carey Would
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 22 August 2025 - Sunday 24 August 2025

    marrion clarkecarey wouldNature's classroom will help us land, grounded in the loving arms of Mother Earth where the wise old trees sway gently in the breeze, whispering secrets of patience, perseverance and presence. Through gentle yoga, breathwork, mindfulness practices and communing with nature, we will explore with curiosity how to cultivate peace and be fully immersed in each moment's beauty. When we water our soul's garden, we create fertile ground for grace to flourish within us.

     

     

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    Marrion Clarke found yoga at a crossroads in her life. Needing to make urgent lifesttyle changes to heal,she completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2014, followed by her 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training 8 years later under the guidance of Cheryl Lancellas of Devahiti Yoga. Yoga engenders an intense responsibility to live in alignment with nature, and its transformative power keeps us grounded, focused and accountable on and off the mat. Marrion is passionate about sharing the asanas and philosophy of yoga and embracing our shared humanity. {/Toggle}

    {Toggle}Carey Would has been teaching yoga for over ten years, and is an accredited Mindfulness Facilitator. As her own practice has evolved, so too has her teaching. She teaches inclusively for all levels and at a pace best described as slow, and mindful. Recently, she has also deepened her appreciation of nature by becoming a Nature Facilitator within the Kinship Programme, whose overarching mission is to cultivate a critically conscious community who practise and advocate for sustainable living. Alongside her yoga and mindfulness practice, she is focused on child-led, immersive, inquiry-based learning in nature. Her classes which fuse nature, mindfulness and yogic principles together have been described as ‘a balm for the nervous system’.

     

29 August 2025
  • Working With Polarities - The Mandala Practice

    Teacher: Clémence Kitching-Barres
    Cost: 2 days accommodation + R400 surcharge
    Dates: Friday 29 August 2025 - Sunday 31 August 2025

    clémence kitching barresThis 3-day retreat will focus on the practice of drawing freehand mandalas, and was developed over years of teaching practice. The archetypal form of the mandala helps on a number of levels in education, starting with the innate sense of geometry and harmony we can develop in the young child and in higher grades the practice itself which calls forth concentration. It is a wonderful tool to either centre a child who is lost in the periphery, or widening the horizon of a child who is clinging to their centre. The results are always beautiful and meaningful.

    As a practice for adults, the mandala reveals a "snapshot" of our inner cosmos and allows us to create order and centeredness in place of chaos. Clémence will present her study of the mandala through human experience (religion, psychology, astronomy) and we will then explore the polarities of centre and periphery, curved and straight lines, order and chaos, through movement and drawing. We will follow several methods of structuring a mandala to experience the different results they produce in our inner space. No previous drawing experience is needed. Basic equipment, some colour mediums and papers will be provided. It is advised, however, to bring your favourite art medium and suitable paper (watercolour, acrylics, pencils, ink, charcoal) should you be already practised in artwork.

     

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    Clémence Kitching-Barres is a multidisciplinary Waldorf teacher with an atypical journey. Born in Paris, she pursued her studies in London where she encountered Buddhist philosophy. She worked in theatre and film, engineering and architecture. She then settled in South Africa to start a family and developed her interest in education while teaching at her children’s school. Bringing art and crafts in the maths and science classroom, with meaningful results, is her daily joy.




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Wishlist

If anyone would like to get involved by donating goods to the Centre, please see the much-needed list of items below, or email :  

  • Single and double bed linen (Beige or White)
  • Bath mats (Beige or White)
  • Bath and hand towels (Beige)
  • Indigenous trees
  • Vegetable seedlings
  • Bonemeal
  • Large gardening tools
  • Garden tables and chairs
  • Brush cutters
  • Vaccuum cleaner
  • Small generator
  • Garden furniture

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066 395 4682
082 579 3037

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082 741 7901

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Physical address:  D64, Nirodha Farm, Ixopo, 3276
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