BRC Newsflash - April 2019
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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: 5 to 28 April 2019
The new BRC calendar of retreats from March 2019 to July 2019 is published on our website. You will find it at www.brcixopo.co.za |
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| The crack of dawn |
Image:Tsunma Tsondru | |
"Forestbathing"How to stop living in a daze - and become enlightened….The Buddha was once asked to recommend places that were the most suitable for the practise of meditation. In his day, and for at least 15 decades before him, yogis had already figured them out. Recognising that laziness and tiredness were amongst the primary obstacles to meditation practice, there are some interesting ones amongst them - like sitting or standing on a rocky ledge facing a 10 meter drop below you. That will teach you to stay alert. He drew on his own experiences as a yogi that enabled him to make the final breakthrough that led to his Enlightenment and the formulation of his philosophy. These teachings, the Dharma, and the introspective practices that are enshrined in them would enable others, like ourselves, to similarly achieve this ultimate state of discovering who we truly are and what we are supposed to be doing in the world - whilst interacting with others walking around in a similar daze. |
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| Tune in and see the light | Image: Lisa De Venter | |
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There are many pitfalls along the way in our attempt to realise who we really are, instead of identifying with what we are not. We keep shrinking back into our ego-shell and pretend to be safe and happy there - until external circumstances once more prise our shell open and scoop us out. What can we do to stop this craziness? Well, it is surprisingly simple: we must learn to dis-identify with what we are not. We are not our thoughts, or our emotions, or our memories. We just carry these along with us like pictures in a photo album. So, back to “forestbathing”. The Buddha also recommended meditating at the foot of a tree as the ideal place to get in touch with oneself and the world around us. I guess this is what the Japanese are tuning into when they participate in communal “forestbathing” - recently showcased on CNN, where people are taken into forest sanctuaries to tune into nature. They are encouraged to find a quiet space to be fully present and to allow nature to energise and nourish one’s body and mind. |
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| The grass is greener with Geshe Lobsang | Image: Laura Ackerman | |
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This is what we had in mind some 35 years ago when we began planting thousands of indigenous trees on the property. These trees are now forests with paths threading through them, some so impenetrable except for the birds and porcupines that live there. Andy Goldsworthy reminds us: “We often forget that we are nature; nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost our connection to nature, we have lost our connection to ourselves”. There are many other ways to re-find this connection and become more earth-centred. Indeed, at the BRC we advocate that people practise cloudwatching and stargazing; listen to the wind and birdsong or just feel the grass beneath their feet. So simple and yet so liberating. |
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| Circumambulating the Buddha | Image: Tsunma Tsondru | |
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“When I run after what Rumi The magazine, Holistica: Wellbeing For Everyone is featuring the BRC in their second edition in April entitled “Magical Spaces”. We are looking forward to welcoming some visiting international teachers: Ajahn Sucitto and John Peacock in 2020. We will keep you informed. Live kindly, Louis |
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| Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food | Image: Angela Shaw | |
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There are still a few spaces left on the following retreats in March: Healing chi kung for health and vitality | Andy Hu | March 15-17; |
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| The still centre | Image: Tsunma Tsondru | |
Forthcoming Retreats: 5-28 April 2019People often 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 ease the most agitated mind? The April programme is all about transforming the mind with meditation on the “Meditation for beginners’ retreat; “seeing the light” through your heart and lens on a photographic workshop with Marlene Neumann, and nudging the body into health and resilience with hatha yoga. Celebrate Easter with a difference in the hills of Ixopo. The mid-week unstructured Self-Retreats invite you to take time for restorative rest, to wake up to bird song, walk in the mist, rake the sand garden, listen to the wind chimes, meditate in the Zen garden with the mossy Buddha or to just feel the grass beneath your feet. Meditation For BeginnersThis retreat is designed to help the “beginner” to understand and experience the basics of meditation practice. Using meditation as a tool can transform the mind so that one’s life and experiences become more meaningful. The retreat will be held in atmosphere of contemplation. “Seeing The Light”: A Photography WorkshopTune in and allow nature to flow through your heart and lens. This is not a technical workshop on how to use your camera, but rather an invitation to a new way of seeing. Easter In The Hills Of Ixopo: A Self-RetreatSettle the mind with meditation, radiate the chi with chi kung and relax the body with healing therapies, walks and quiet time in the tranquil environment of the BRC where you will wake up to the sound of the gong and birdsong and allow yourself to rest, relax and reflect in the Easter tradition. Yogis Live Longer: Hatha Yoga For Health And ResilienceNudge your body into health with yoga asanas (postures) and enhance energy levels and stamina, flexibility and agility of the body and mind enabling you to lead a more creative and creative life. 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 enjoying the delicious vegetarian food for which the BRC is justly renowned. |
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| Painted sky | Image: Andrew Brown | |
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-nine years, people of all religions and none have come to experience peace and tranquility. 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. The BRC was awarded Natural Heritage status in 1995 under the auspices of the Department of Environmental affairs and received a certificate to that effect signed by President Nelson Mandela for turning an eroded farm into the natural paradise it has become - thousands of indigenous trees were planted by retreatants under the supervision of Mervyn Croft - 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, nineteen 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. This year as a result of retreatants' Dana (Generosity), the BRC was able to donate R24,000 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" and “Road to Nirvana” projects all of which help to ensure the continuity of this non-profit organisation. Thank you for the abundance that has flowed to the BRC in the form of “Paid-Up-Yogis” and Sangha Friends’ contributions which have enabled us to refurbish the bathrooms in the Lodge, 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, seedlings and plants, a new granite kitchen server, a new canvas parasol for the outside umbrella, kitchen utensils, garden tools, 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, Marc Kornberger, Tsunma Tsondru and Lennart Eriksson and "Fairlady" magazine featuring the BRC. Recently the Centre received a generous donation of tables, crockery, ceramics, pillows, cushions, curtains and lanterns, as well as boxes of seedlings, fruit, cheese and olives, two beautiful stone bird baths, a new fire pit for meditation under the stars and a new noticeboard. We welcomed two new power drills, and the high-back oak chairs that now grace our meditation hall and a number of generous donations towards the re-paving of the entrance road to the BRC. 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. Steve McKean of Conservation Outcomes recently spotted two adult Blue Swallows and confirmed the good news that they have prepared a second nest…We are hoping for another brood in March! Chrisi Visit our website for further information, directions, image gallery etc. |
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| www.brcixopo.co.za | 087 809 1687 | 082 579 3037 | 031 2095995 |
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