BRC NewsFlash - July 2018
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The Buddhist Retreat Centre |
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Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
For people of all religions |
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Dear Retreatant BRC Newsflash: 29 June to 29 July, 2018
The new BRC calendar of retreats from July 2018 to July 2019 is published on our website. You will find it at www.brcixopo.co.za |
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| Buddha in the mist | Image: Angela Shaw | |
Wesak At The BRCHow Full Was Your Moon? Led by Stephen Coan, thirty-five retreatants celebrated the birth, enlightenment and Paranirvana (“death”) of the Buddha under ideal conditions: the moon shone benevolently down on us; the wind was still; the air was cool and the giant cypress trees stood silently as they witnessed us in our orange robes circumambulating the lantern-lit Buddha statue, chanting the traditional Buddhist Refuge in Pali - a derivative of Maghadi, the language the Buddha spoke. We added yet more light to the occasion as we carried incense, and honoured the Buddha, his teachings and all those who have incorporated this philosophy into their lives (the Sangha) as we placed our incense in a sand-filled brass bowl in front of the Buddha. |
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| Carpet of leaves | Image: Brendon Hatcher | |
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The sunrise the following morning had clearly been inspired by the Wesak celebration. The skyline was ablaze in vivid red. The golden plane and maple trees had laid a carpet of russet leaves on the lawn. The aloes too were a dazzling red; the wild dagga and fuscia ubiquitous in their Buddhist orange outfits. Come and experience the drama of these winter colours whilst you engage in July retreats that encourage introspection and creativity, as outlined below. "Words don't allow the silence to speak". Wesak was held in an introspective atmosphere of Silence which allowed us to tune into the splendour of the natural world unfolding around us and deeply appreciate our interconnectedness with everything. Live kindly. Louis |
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| Images: Angela.Shaw & Beena.Hatcher | ||
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There are still a few spaces left on the following retreats: Make Life Your Guru: An introduction to Buddhism and meditation | Louis van Loon & Tsunma Tsondru | 8-10 June; |
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| Stupa and aloes | Image: Lisa De Venter | |
Forthcoming Retreats: 29 June to 29 July, 2018People often comment that they yearn for an opportunity to recalibrate their lives and to spend some time in quiet reflection among like-minded people. The BRC provides such a refuge: a beautiful natural environment of rolling hills and acres of indigenous forests, where people meet to engage in a range of unusually interesting activities, from talks on Eastern and Western philosophy, psychology and science, to yoga and Buddhist meditation and art. Surely this should set at ease even the most agitated mind? Immerse yourself in the beauty and healing energy of the BRC, and deepen your spiritual practice. Learn how to deal with negative emotions and replace them with their positive equivalent. The BRC goes juvenile with the family retreat and some serious fun. Sketch what you see and draw your aunt, or be creative and learn to shape the clay, knead the dough and mould the mind - when all three are deftly handled, magic happens! Or take the opportunity to restore and replenish on a yoga retreat. Alternatively, drop into stillness on a Self-Retreat where you can wake up to bird song, walk in the mist, rake the sand garden, listen to the wind chimes or meditate in the Zen garden with the mossy Buddha. Negative Emotions Keep Tripping Us Up: Let's Liberate Ourselves From ThemNegative Emotions stand in the way of our happiness. Learn how to work with them creatively and to substitute them with their positive equivalent. Rejuvenating The BRC: A Family Retreat With Children In MindJoin us for some fun and adventure with walks, art, stories, connecting with nature, and toasting marshmallows under the stars. Usually it is the parents who have more serious fun and find their " inner child"! How To Draw What You See: A Sketching RetreatJoin this "Seeing-Drawing" retreat and experience what it is like to be truly present in where you are. All you need is one eye, two fingers and a pen! Rejuvenate and Restore With Yoga For Optimal HealthEnjoy yoga classes comprising dynamic vinyāsa flow, yin yoga, yoga nidra, mantra and more. Feel strong in body, and peace in mind. Suitable for both experienced practitioners and beginners. Shape The Clay, Knead The Dough And Mould The MindIn this hand-on workshop, you will learn to roll and fold (wedge) the clay; knead the dough and watch it rise and emerge aromatic from the oven; and settle the mind with meditation practice. The Profundity Of Solitude - The Enjoyment Of Being Still And AloneEnjoy some “alone” time on a Self-Retreat in the beautiful, indigenous setting of the BRC with chi kung, meditation, communing with nature,and enjoy the delicious vegetarian food for which the BRC is renowned. |
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You are invited to our AGM - 25 July 2018The 38th Annual General Meeting of |
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A walk in the mist
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Image: Angela Shaw | |
Pilgrimage To IndiaOnce again Erika is taking a journey to Incredible India: to Dharamsala and the beautiful Kangra valley nestling against the snowy Himalayas. Explore the meaning of “dharma” with the 12th Tai Situpa for one week of teachings at Sherab Ling (Realm of Wisdom), visit Tenzin Palmo (of “Cave in the Snow” fame), and sacred Lake Tso Pema where Guru Rinpoche transformed fire into water. And - probably - shake the hand of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. October 2018. Please view attachment or contact Erika at 084 604 9931; |
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Chrisi |
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| Winter colours | Image: Beena Hatcher | |
About the BRCPerched on a ridge at the head of a valley in the Umkomaas river system in KwaZulu-Natal, the Buddhist Retreat Centre looks out on a vista of indigenous valleys, forests and rolling hills receding like waves in the blue distance. Here, for thirty-eight years people of all religions and none have come to experience peace and tranquillity. It is 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. The BRC was voted by CNN as one of the ten best meditation centres in the world. CNN Travel awarded another feather in the BRC’s cap by voting it as one of the ten best spiritual centres in South Africa, recently. In 1989, the BRC was awarded Natural Heritage status by President Mandela for turning an eroded farm into the natural paradise it has become with 160 species of birds, including the Blue Swallow, otter, deer, antbear and indigenous forests. The Centre was also given the special status of “Custodian” of the Blue Swallow for its work in preserving the breeding areas of this endangered bird. The BRC facilitated the founding of Woza Moya, the community-based NGO, located in Ufafa Valley, eighteen years ago, on the estate. Their vision is for all people in the community to be healthy and productive, living in a safe and clean environment, with good access to services and social justice. The Centre continues to support the organisation in a variety of ways by contributing Dana, sponsoring their trainers', visitors' and Directors' accommodation, and showcasing and promoting their wonderful crafts in the shop such as the sock monkeys, cushions, bags, scarves, beanies and stationery. The Woza Moya Crafters are local women who receive ongoing training and support to enable them to create these unique and charming best sellers. Recently, as a result of retreatants' Dana (Generosity), the BRC was able to donate R18,000 to Woza Moyà to further enable their good work among the community. Become a friend of the Centre and find out more about the BRC's "Paid-Up-Yogi and Sangha Friends" projects all of which help to ensure the continuity of this non-profit organisation. Ixopo is on the literary map in Lindy Stiebel and Niall McNulty’s “A Literary Guide To KZN” (UKZN Press) in which there are poems written by Stephen Coan about "the spirit of place" that happens to be the Buddhist Retreat Centre. “There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa”. These lines by Alan Paton are a beautiful depiction of the scenic beauty of the landscape that compel so many people to visit Ixopo. sitting at the Rocks Thank you for the abundance that has flowed to the BRC over these last months in the form of “Paid-Up-Yogis” and Sangha Friends’ contributions which have enabled us to refurbish the ladies’ Lodge bathroom, tile the entrance to the dining room and install a tea station in the Lodge for those hot cups of milo on the cooler misty nights. We are grateful for the truck-load of indigenous trees, herbs and plants, a new granite kitchen server, a new canvas parasol for the outside umbrella, kitchen utensils, books for our library, beautiful beige towels, soft new pillows, Woollies duvet covers, a coffee plunger, a marvellous collection of illustrated books on the Sumie tradition, some of which have been long out of print, a beautiful silk scarf for Louis from Sikkhim to use during the Chinese tea ceremony, Elsa Pooley's book on flowers for the library, a generous donation towards installing LED lights to reduce our energy consumption and stunning photographs from Andrew Brown and "Fairlady" magazine featuring the BRC. We welcomed a Bosch power drill, and the high-back oak chairs that now grace our meditation hall. We have been so touched by your appreciative letters, emails, support and friendship towards the BRC - your spiritual home from home. The "Buddha Buzz" is that we now have pure natural honey produced from the estate. The project started when Rob Pooley, an apiarist from Botha’s Hill, was consulted about the influx of bees into the buildings. He suggested placing catcher boxes to entice the bees away from the buildings, and to relocate them to an apiary site above the Deer Park. This worked remarkably well and over 40 hives were relocated to the apiary. However, the drought of 2015/2016 had a devastating effect and with a dearth of food, it led to a reduction of hives to 30. Good rains at the beginning of 2017/18 brought a wonderful resurgence to the flora, especially the Halleria Lucida (Tree Fuschia) which abounds at the Centre, and so far we harvested 450 kg of honey. Without the help of Colin and his staff during the drought in helping to feed the bees with a mixture of glucose and water, the results would not be so positive. May our bees remain happy and busy and may the honey flow. Ray Vogel is back for a short sojourn spicing up our lives in the kitchen and collaborating with our new chef and caterer, Rose Gelderblom, whose interest lies in curating " art on a plate" and sourcing natural organic produce. She is a ceramicist, artist, landscaper and cook, and is thrilled to be cooking alongside Lungi Mbona, Dudu Memela and Lindiwe Ngcobo, the talent in the kitchen. Our sterling team, Lien Duvenage, Jenni Riddell, Colin Kemery and June Atkinson always have the interest of the BRC and our retreatants at heart. Thank you for your dedication and love. Visit our website for further information, directions, image gallery etc. |
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| www.brcixopo.co.za | 039 834 1863 | 087 809 1687 | 082 579 3037 | 031 2095995 |
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