The Buddhist Retreat Centre

Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa                                                            For people of all religions

BRC Newsflash: June 2024
Dear Friends,

The fast approaching full moon of May heralds Wesak, the most important day on the Buddhist calendar, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death. This year Wesak falls over the weekend of “Zen - Just Sitting” and will be marked by chanting and a lantern-lit circumambulation around the Buddha Rupa on the Saturday night when we - as Buddhists from all traditions including Zen - will  be paying homage to the Buddha  to bring peace and harmony as we navigate the path to a better future.

Lantern lit Buddha Rupa at Wesak                                                                                                                                  Image: Lisa de Venter

Autumn sunlight at the stupa                                                                                                                                              Image: Lisa de Venter

A Piece of Quiet
Relax and rediscover an alternative way of being by booking for one of our May and June retreats. We are offering a 10% discount on all bookings as an Autumn special.
Our Autumn retreats all offer the opportunity to take a step into the Buddhist concept of living fully in the moment, where the pace is slow and your senses more alert, where the autumn colours take on a richer hue and where calmness, clarity and compassion - the hallmarks of Buddhism - apply. Whether it is through yoga, qigong, breathwork or just sitting, these retreats will explore the many ways through which Mindfulness can be practised - on and off the meditation cushion and in every real-life situations we encounter.
For introspection and silence, try “From Seeking To Seeing” with Dave Gardner. Relearn mindfulness and explore being present in the here and now - however simple and uneventful - a perfect antidote to our compulsive-obsessive lives.
Or “Just Sitting Zen” to cultivate strong energy and quiet awareness that will enable you to face your fears until they disappear into the mist.
Or “Wild about Weeds” with Nikki Brighton to encourage us to celebrate the plants around us that are doing healing work, mining nutrition and generating oxygen.
Or an immersive Sound Journey with Bruce van Dongen.
Please consider joining one of our retreats as a touchstone to entrench Mindfulness in its many facets in your lives.
May you have many Mindful moments as we negotiate the months ahead.

Warmly,
Chrisi

There are still a few spaces left on the following May retreats:

From Seeking To Seeing - Mindfulness Meditation
David Gardner | Weekend | 17 - 19 May
In this retreat, participants can expect to be guided gently through the process of becoming mindful through meditation and movement. Whether you are a beginner or committed practitioner, This retreat will empower you to cultivate presence, clarity and calmness in an atmosphere of  silence and introspection
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An Introduction to Zen Over the Full Moon Of May
Roux Malan | Weekend | 24 - 26 May
During this silent retreat you will be introduced to a style of Zen that combines Just Sitting, Chanting and  Movement to cultivate strong energy and quiet awareness. On the Saturday night in union with Buddhists around the world, we will hold a traditional Wesak ceremony - a lantern-lit circumambulation around the Buddha Rupa -  commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha nearly 2500 years ago.
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Nikki Brighton is Wild About Weeds: A Weekend on Edible Weeds with Walks And Talks On Rewilding

Nikki Brighton | Weekend | 31 May - 2 June
This retreat will focus on finding and tasting weeds found in the garden. You will learn to identify various tasty edibles and surprise your palate while you forage for free food. Nikki’s retreat is intended to stimulate curiosity and encourage foodies to explore the delicious abundance in your area and to lighten your load on our planet.
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Swaying in the mist                                                                                                                                            Image: Fiona Brittain

Qigong - Gently Nurturing Life
Dianne Franklin | 2 days | 2 - 4 June
The gentle movements that you will learn to do on this relaxed course will help to build your immune system and improve your general well-being. The mindful way in which you move will work on your internal organs as you generate energy 'qi'. You will also have time to roam the beautiful grounds of the BRC as you take time out to relax and recharge.
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Qigong - The Mindful Way To Serenity
Dianne Franklin | 3 days | 4 - 7 June
This course will flow from the first qigong course should you wish to stay and enjoy the full 5 days at the BRC. Although qigong predates Traditional Chinese Medicine, the movements we do in qigong today are also related to the energy 'qi' systems of meridians and acupuncture points, and work with the Five Elements and the related body organs. While mindfully practising these movements, you can strengthen your inner reserves and find serenity. Reward yourself by taking some time out to enjoy the BRC during the free time available during this retreat.
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Cultivating Mind-Heart Resonance Through Emotional Intelligence And Mindfulness
Shanil Harricharan | Weekend | 7 - 9 June
"Knowing thyself" is the first step towards enlightenment, according to traditional wisdom. This interactive weekend retreat will take you on an exciting journey of self-discovery, in peeling back the layers of conditioning that have constructed your current identity. Explore the timeless teachings of Rumi, Buddha, Krishnamurti, Jung, and others to learn more about the limitless potential of your unconditioned spirit. During this retreat, we will look into the present state of our mind, heart, body, and spirit, as well as learn about emotional intelligence and mindfulness to help you navigate this ever-changing and complex world in balance and harmony.
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Reclaim Your Power: A journey to inner balance
Heike Sym | 3 days | 14 - 17 June
We all have inner guidance and knowledge, but we don't always know how to access it. 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. Deepening our connection with our inner self allows us to stand strong in our own personal power in the here and now.
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Going With The Flow: Integrating Meditation And Mindfulness Into Our Daily Life
Bruce van Dongen | Weekend | 21 - 23 June
The aim of this workshop is to develop the tools that enable us to arrive gently and lucidly in the present moment, being aware of the ebb and flow of our moods and emotions and learning to be mindful instead of reactive in our interactions with others. Using the techniques presented, we will learn to train our minds to be centered on the present so that we can flow with the river of life instead of fighting against the current of our conditioning. We will explore Kundalini yoga, which is a combination of stationary and dynamic poses, qigong (chi kung), breathwork and experience gong washing and a sound journey with crystal bowls.
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Rejuvenating The BRC: A Family Retreat With Children In Mind
Anisha Maharaj | 3 days | 24 - 27 June
Children's rate at 50% of the cost
Parents and children are invited to join a three-day retreat in the rolling hills of the BRC. Anisha will instil an appreciation of simple pleasures, joy and gratitude. The days will be filled with drumming, art, mandalas and wind-chimes, nature walks, ubuntu story-telling and toasting marshmallows under the stars. Children of school-going age (8 years and up) must be accompanied by an adult.
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Iyengar Yoga: Nudging The Body Into Shape And Health
Judy Farah | 2 days or 7 days | 28 - 30 June or 28 June - 5 July
Get 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. For those who wish to consolidate their practice to a deeper level, the additional 5-day retreat is strongly recommended (30 June to 5 July).
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A Self Retreat
Think peace over pressure and serenity over stress. Enjoy some time at the BRC mid-week, with nourishing vegetarian meals, sunrise meditation and nature's healing embrace to colour the mood of your day. There is no better place than the BRC to rejuvenate the body and mind to guide you into presence and stillness.
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Rejuvenating the BRC                                                                                                                                            Image: Julia Shuttleworth

About the BRC
Perched 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 forty-four 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 centers in the world. CNN Travel awarded another feather in the BRC’s cap by voting it as one of the ten best spiritual centers in South Africa.

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.
Recently, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife granted the BRC “Private Nature Reserve” for the conservation of the rare Blue Swallow and Mistbelt Grassland.

The BRC facilitated the founding of Woza Moya, the community-based NGO, located in Ufafa Valley, twenty-two 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 organization by showcasing their crafts in the shop and sponsoring their trainers and consultants.

We have been very touched by your appreciative letters, emails and friendship towards the BRC - your spiritual home from home.

We are deeply grateful for your generous gifts to the Centre in the form of PUY and Monthly contributions, new beds and bases, office chairs and a desk, a new refrigerator, microwave oven, bathroom towels, indigenous trees and seedlings, books for our library, a generator, garden benches, pillows, towels and linen, geyser insulation blankets, clothing and Dana for our staff, an inverter and beautiful antique scrolls and Imari platters and ceramics, framed prints and Thankas, new tablecloths and serviettes, a brand new Magimix, signage for our forest paths - and so much more. Thank you to all of you who continue to support our work in Ixopo with monthly and Paid Up Yogi contributions and donations, with gifts, or with skills and time. And, of course, to everyone who comes to the Centre - you keep us open and viable - and to our teachers who keep the Dharma wheels turning. We are deeply grateful for your generosity towards us; it encourages us to continue Louis’ beautiful vision and legacy for the future.

Please continue to support the BRC by becoming a friend of the Buddhist Retreat Centre (a registered non-profit organization) and find out more about the BRC's Paid-Up-Yogi and Sangha Friends’ projects.

Chrisi
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