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Teacher: Aldo Berutti
Cost: 2 days accommodation + R350 surcharge
Dates:
Join Aldo 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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Aldo Berruti began birding as a young boy, an interest which evolved into a career in ornithology, attaining a MSc and PhD in ornithology. After 2O years as a publishing scientist, including work on albatrosses at sub-Antarctic Marion Island, waterbirds at sub-tropical Lake St Lucia and the coastal seabirds of the Western Cape, Aldo became the first Director of BirdLife South Africa in 1996. He currently lives in Underberg with his wife Sharron, where his guiding business focussed on the iconic Sani Pass. He turned to running on-line birding courses (Birding with Aldo) as COVID shut down tourism. He retains his amateur enthusiasm for birds 55 years later and loves sharing birds with people.
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Teacher: Shogan Parker
Cost: Number of days' accommodation
15% discount offered for mid-week bookings in August
Dates: 08:00am - 05:00pm
As autumn approaches, we invite you to take a break and join us for an unstructured personal retreat. During your stay, you can enjoy qigong and meditation - to promote relaxation. Alternatively, you may choose to simply enjoy the tranquillity of the space, embracing the art of doing nothing. Imagine cozying up by a warm fire, savouring delicious vegetarian meals, and immersing yourself in silence. This time out offers a slower rhythm, allowing you to step back from the busyness of life and find peace within.
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William (Shogan) has been practising meditation for nearly 20 years, cultivating stillness and inquiry. He took precepts with Dae Chong, Osho at Poplar Grove and now leads morning and evening zazen at the BRC, weaving verses from the Dhammapada into meditation for reflection and insight. With a keen interest in how the Dharma might evolve in an AI-driven, multiplanetary future, William embraces both tradition and possibility. He also guides qigong in the mornings and offers tai chi in the afternoons, integrating movement into mindfulness. His practice is an invitation - to sit, to move, and to explore the ever-expanding nature of awareness.
