BRC Newsflash - July 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: 28 June to 28 July 2019 |
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| Sickle and spire | Image: Rudene Gerber | ||
The new BRC calendar of retreats from May 2019 to April 2020 is published on our website. You will find it at www.brcixopo.co.za |
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| Stupa at dawn | Image: Hugh Bland | |
“Why Watch Your Breath When It Comes And Goes So Naturally?”As some of you know I employed a wonderful Induna, Vikimpi Mbanjwa, who, from the outset, helped me build the centre. I recall affectionately his question when he attended one of Godwin Samaratna’s meditation sessions: “Why are we encouraged to watch our breath when it comes so naturally?” Mbanjwa - as he liked to be called - and I became firm friends over the course of the 25 years he was in my employment - a wise, loyal man - and mentor. What a privilege it was to work side by side with him, building the Centre over those first arduous 10 years. As many of you know, simply watching our breath is what we do in the most fundamental formulation of Anapanasati - Mindfulness Meditation practice - as it was formulated by the Buddha more than 25 centuries ago. It is no exaggeration to say that the entire body of the Buddha’s teachings is rooted in this ability to still the rush of thoughts, projections and imaginations that relentlessly assault us, day and night - even in our dreams. We have become helpless victims of this fake reality. We have come to accept it as normal, because we are all involved in it - all of us contributing to the magic show. We are actors in a collective pantomime performance. This is similar to believing your dream of being chased by a lion while you are safely tucked under your blanket. So what was my response to Mbanjwa? |
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| Breathing space | Image: Angela Shaw | |
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Another memorable occasion when Mbanjwa admonished me as I was about to close up the last opening in the dome of the newly-built Stupa. He was aghast that it would not have a door to let people in and out. When I explained to him that it didn’t need a one, and that the space within was something akin to the space that allowed God to be simultaneously within and without, he understood and happily cemented up the opening. So there the Stupa stands today, with the spire somewhat tilted by a lightning strike. Which reminds me of the story of a guest who mistook the Stupa for the Kuti (our hillside bungalow), and, like Mbanjwa, was puzzled that there was no door.... I have very fond memories of Mbanjwa riding to work on his horse “Garage” - always dapper and proud. He was a good friend and I miss him. I have always been under the impression that he established the old stone kraal at the bottom of the valley along the "Gavin Relly Walk". He owned a large herd of cattle which would be released every morning to graze on the hills below the Centre. Recently, the overgrown bush and masses of lantana which had hidden the kraal for many years, were cleared. To our surprise we found that we may have uncovered something much older than a cattle kraal. An ancient stone circle perhaps? An archaeologist is interested to see it and backdate it. |
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| Valley view | Image: Chantell Flores | |
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Such is the mystery of this Ufafa valley, one of the few traditional rural areas left in Natal. Where here can one hear the heartbeat of drums echoing up the hills at night, windborne? Or the beautiful sound of singing from the Zionist church congregation below, or feel the goodwill of a solid community? This is the valley where Alan Paton situated his Cry The Beloved Country and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo grew up. I feel fortunate to have rooted myself here half a century ago! I am so grateful that I made the decision as a young graduate to leave the safe shores of Holland on a Union Castle ship and sailed for the unpredictable shores of South Africa - some 63 years ago. |
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| Stup(a)endous night sky | Image: Tsunma Tsondru | |
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An extract from Thabo Mbeki’s “I am an African” sums up much of how I still feel about rooting myself here. 'I am an African. I owe my being to the hills and the valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the deserts, the trees, the flowers, the seas and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our native land. My body has frozen in our frosts and in our latter day snows. It has thawed in the warmth of our sunshine and melted in the heat of the midday sun. The crack and the rumble of the summer thunders, lashed by startling lightening, have been a cause both of trembling and of hope. The fragrances of nature have been as pleasant to us as the sight of the wild blooms of the citizens of the veld. The dramatic shapes of the Drakensberg, the soil-coloured waters of the Lekoa, iGqili noThukela, and the sands of the Kgalagadi, have all been panels of the set on the natural stage on which we act out the foolish deeds of the theatre of our day. At times, and in fear, I have wondered whether I should concede equal citizenship of our country to the leopard and the lion, the elephant and the springbok, the hyena, the black mamba and the pestilential mosquito." Live kindly, Louis |
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| Tea time treats from Plentiful: The Big Book of Buddha Food | Images: Angela Shaw | |
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There are still a few spaces left on the following retreats in June: Rejuvenating The BRC: A family retreat with children in mind | 3 days: June17-20 | Sheila Berry, Lilhle Mbokazi and Sipho Msiya; |
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| Louis - watching his breath | Image: Angela Shaw | |
Life Writing - A Workshop On MemoirLife writing is not only about developing technical skills; it is also a way to reflect and grow in awareness. The tools we need to write about what we know best are the tools we need to live more creatively. In this retreat we will find refreshing approaches to put our stories down on the page. Join Dawn Garisch, renowned author, for 5 days of allowing our stories to happen. Change Your Relationship With Your Persistent DifficultiesYou are invited to explore the creative information that is bound up in your persistent difficulties - your chronic illness, relationship problems, habits, addictions, artistic blocks or spiritual difficulties. Instead of trying to get rid of the difficulty out of fear and frustration, we will explore the associated images with curiosity - using the tools of the artist - drawing, writing, movement, clay and collage. Unexpected resolutions are bound to emerge. The approach is based on the work of Arnold Mindell and Robert Bosnak. A Retreat On Mindful Communication: “When we are busy judging others, we have no time to love them” - Marshall RosenbergWhen interacting with others, we find ourselves emotionally triggered and then we communicate in ways that hurt or harm ourselves and others. The principles and practices we will explore on this retreat are drawn from Non- Violent Communication and Insight Dialogue and will be held within a framework of yoga and mindfulness, in order to increase awareness, compassion and ease with ourselves and others. Dharma Circle Mid-week MeditationThe practice of Mindfulness Meditation equips us with the capacity to deal calmly and effectively with many challenging circumstances that inevitably come our way in life. Meditation and chi kung will be offered over this unstructured retreat and an opportunity to simply be present from one moment to the next in a tranquil environment. “Practising The Pause” - Functional Yoga As An Antidote For Our Busy LivesBy “ practising the pause” - on and off the mat - through breathing exercises (pranayama) and yoga, (asana) we will focus on letting life energy flow through the body, which has the effect of vitalising, relaxing and healing. Reincarnation. What Happens During Death And Dying Beyond? Can This Be Known?Facing the inevitability of death generates many unanswered questions and by fearing death, we miss the countless opportunities in our everyday life for working with loss and change as vehicles for opening our hearts and minds. Join Khentral Rinpoche for a Buddhist perspective on death, dying and beyond. Finding And Keeping Your Centre. Taking Care Of Ourselves In order To Be Of Service To OthersWhen we are told to take better care of ourselves we either feel we don’t have the time or don’t know how to do that or where to begin. The secret lies in finding your Centre - because when we are centred in our wholeness we can deal with what life throws at us with more equanimity. 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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| Stupa spire | Image: Lisa de Venter | |
You are invited to our AGM - 14 August 201939th Annual General Meeting of |
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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, to live 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 Directors, trainers and visitors' 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 Moya to further enable their good work among the community and to help support the 50 children who attend the Woza Moya play school. Become a friend of the Buddhist Retreat Centre (a non-profit organisation) and find out more about the BRC's Paid-Up-Yogi and Sangha Friends’ projects which help to ensure the continuity of the Centre. 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 and crockery, 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, garden tools and the high-back oak chairs for our meditation hall and 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. May our bees remain happy and busy and may the honey flow. 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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