As autumn approaches, we invite you to take a break and join us for an unstructured personal retreat. During your stay, you can enjoy gentle yoga, qigong, massage therapy, 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.

We warmly invite you to Return to Presence, a deeply nourishing, African-rooted retreat designed to support your healing, alignment, and reconnection with your true self. Facilitated by Buhle,Tinashe, and Tholinhlanhla this retreat is a portal into presence, embodiment, and ancestral remembering - a homecoming.

Over the course of 2 or 4 rejuvenating days, we will:

Let go of what no longer serves us, individually and collectively, through guided emotional release and inner child healing
Align with your centre through yoga, African sound healing, and the spirit of Ubuntu
Awaken to the present moment, beyond the mind, beyond the ego
Be held in sacred sharing circles for reflection, connection, and integration
Engage with a compassionate psychologist, who will hold space and respond to your questions on healing, life, and transformation
Close with a manifestation circle, affirming your soul-aligned desires
Rooted in nature, community, and tradition, this retreat offers a gentle but powerful return to presence. In a fast-moving world that constantly pulls us into overthinking, distraction, and disconnection, this space offers a sacred pause. Through movement, sound, journaling, breathwork, rest, and meaningful dialogue, we will co-create a space where healing becomes possible, and presence becomes our guide. You will leave feeling more grounded, whole, and alive.

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. It is an introduction to the Iyengar method. For those who wish to consolidate their practice to a deeper level, the additional 5-day retreat is strongly recommended (6-11 July).

For those who wish to consolidate and deepen their yoga practice, this 5-day intensive retreat is highly recommended. Apart from increased levels of fitness and vitality, you will reap the benefits of being in the tranquil, natural environment of Ixopo. You will leave feeling stretched, relaxed and fit for life.

Through breath, sound and movement, our bodies down-regulate the nervous systems, and our hearts, minds and bodies can align and drop into rest and repair.  Join Eleen and Christel, long-time collaborators, in this winter retreat to slow down, turn inward with beautiful music, sounding and movement (based on short music journeys, neigong, TRE - tension release exercises - and biodanza) in a safe, sacred space.

Join Sharon for a unique and meditative ceramics/pottery workshop, where we will explore the ancient art of Raku, a traditional Japanese technique which celebrates the beauty of imperfection and impermanence.

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the basics of Raku, from preparing and shaping the clay to glazing and firing, embracing the unpredictability of the firing process and the beauty of imperfection. Included will be an organic saggar firing where participants will be shaping and burnishing their pots. These will be fired in a drum surrounded by organic materials. As these combustible materials burn, they produce a reduction atmosphere within the saggar which reacts with the clay. This method results in unique, subtle, unpredictable results. These are one-of-a-kind pieces that showcase the beauty of chance and unpredictability in the firing process.

Through this creative journey, we will cultivate mindfulness - letting go of expectation and embracing the present moment. No prior ceramics experience is necessary – just an open heart and mind. We look forward to sharing this transformative experience with you.

For a more immersive and holistic experience:

Bernard Chatikobo will be offering forest walks and introducing 'forest bathing' with traditional Mbira music for healing and harmony

Krishia Schilz will be offering morning yoga

Belinda Best from “White Lotus Oneness” will be offering Reflexology blended with Himalayan Sound Alchemy and Rife Frequency therapy.

In this retreat, participants can expect to be guided gently through the process of becoming mindful through meditation and movement. David will lead sitting meditation as well as walking and moving meditation in the inspiring and nourishing sanctuary of the BRC. He will also facilitate intentional open discussions around the fire to stoke the wholesome sparks of enquiry and deep listening. Whether you are a beginner or committed practitioner, this process will empower you to cultivate presence, clarity, adaptability, creativity and patience. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of noble silence and introspection.

This mid-week retreat will offer a mixed modality intensive workshop including yoga and movement, guided meditations, Reiki healing, chanting, crystal work and energetic activation to cleanse, balance and recalibrate your energetic centers for clarity and alignment to a high vibrational frequency. Delicious vegetarian meals, connection to nature and downtime to rest, reflect and relax will ensure you leave feeling alive and revitalized.

IIf you are yearning for a serene environment to explore the possibilities that await you in the second half of 2025, this largely unstructured weekend promises to be enriching and rejuvenating. Immerse yourself in the calming practices of qigong, meditation, and hatha yoga guided by skilled instructors Brendon, Kugan and Warren. Additionally, Nolwazi Bandezi, a qualified therapist, will be available for personalized healing therapies by appointment, enhancing your journey of self-discovery.

The BRC offers the perfect backdrop for you to embrace the art of simply "being," allowing you to connect deeply with yourself and the world around you. Join us for a transformative experience that invites reflection, healing, and growth.

Nowhere Else To Be is a series of mid-week zazenkai held in Noble Silence at the BRC. Each zazenkai invites us to rest deeply in the present moment and attune to the simplicity and stillness of the unfolding moment. We will return to the basics of practice - stillness, silence, breath. With nowhere else to be and nothing else to do, we settle into what is.

This zazenkai is suitable for those with a regular meditation practice or prior retreat experience who feel ready to spend a day in silence, stillness, and simplicity. It offers a simple, structured, and spacious container in which to reconnect with presence, nature, and the still point within. The emphasis is on returning to what is already here — without distraction, without pressure, without needing to be anywhere else.

Come sit with us - there is nowhere else to be.

For the Zazenkai series, the next dates are:

August 26-28
September 16-18
November 25-27

Albert Osel hosts a mid-winter retreat of inner refuge, connecting us to the ever-present Stillness within movement (body), the ever-present Silence behind the "narrative self" (speech), and the ever-present Spaciousness of awareness (mind).

Escape to the tranquil and nurturing environment of the BRC for a transformative and personal healing experience with Reiki Master, Bernard Chatikobo and explore the benefits of water, food, exercise and breath in talks infused with the live mbira music. This unique two-day healing retreat is tailored for individuals to take away seven daily breathing exercises, conscious basking in the ambience of forests as tools for self-healing and a one-on-one energy healing session for improved relaxation and well-being. Fill your 'spritual cup' by creating 'spirit cards' to capture the mood and essence of each day. Chris Rooke will be offering qigong daily. Make every step count when you greet the sunrise  and find inner serenity to feel "I AM."

Join Bruce in exploring the roots of mindful awareness through Kundalini yoga. Immerse yourself in transformative practices that seamlessly blend into the beauty of nature, with outdoor sessions whenever possible. Engage in meditation, chanting and the gentle resonance of the gong and crystal bowls for healing relaxation. Delve into practices that nurture your mind, body and spirit, allowing you to embrace inner peace and vitality while finding harmony in nature. 

In this retreat, we will explore three fundamental areas of our human experience, the three treasures - a healthy body, a happy heart, and a clear and pleasant mind - to create an awareness of and implement techniques for harmony and balance in everyday life. This  relaxed retreat will  incorporate blended sessions of yoga and qigong. We will practise various breathwork and meditative techniques and explore our creativity with an introduction to Neurographic Drawing, a mindful, automatic style of drawing developed by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev. The premise is that we are able to rewire our neural pathways when practising this style of meditative drawing. It is a simple therapeutic technique which does not require any artistic experience. We will also take an in-depth look at water and its spiritual significance by looking at the studies of people like Masaru Emoto and Veda Austin. There  will be plenty of time to absorb the stillness of the beautiful surroundings of the BRC with meditative walks and sunset qigong. 

When we reflect on how best to support others, we sense a clear and growing need - not only for a beautiful, nourishing space to retreat to, but also for practices that guide us gently back into the fullness of being. In the tranquil embrace of nature, we will explore ways of loosening the grip of habitual busyness and reconnecting with what softens, soothes, and restores us.

This retreat offers a gentle blend of mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, and compassion-based practices - all grounded in present-moment awareness. We will spend time in stillness and in movement, with guided practices to support emotional regulation, embodied presence, and a deeper sense of ease. There will be spacious periods of silence, as well as time for sharing in our human experience. We will have time to immerse in the natural beauty of the surrounding forests and gardens. Whether you are feeling depleted, seeking clarity, or simply longing for deep rest, this retreat is an invitation to return to your own steady centre.

Nowhere Else To Be is a series of mid-week zazenkai held in Noble Silence at the BRC. Each zazenkai invites us to rest deeply in the present moment and attune to the simplicity and stillness of the unfolding moment. We will return to the basics of practice - stillness, silence, breath. With nowhere else to be and nothing else to do, we settle into what is.

This zazenkai is suitable for those with a regular meditation practice or prior retreat experience who feel ready to spend a day in silence, stillness, and simplicity. It offers a simple, structured, and spacious container in which to reconnect with presence, nature, and the still point within. The emphasis is on returning to what is already here — without distraction, without pressure, without needing to be anywhere else.

Come sit with us - there is nowhere else to be.

For the Zazenkai series, the next dates are:

September 16-18
November 25-27

This 3-day retreat will focus on the practice of drawing freehand mandalas, and was developed over years of teaching practice. The archetypal form of the mandala helps on a number of levels in education, starting with the innate sense of geometry and harmony we can develop in the young child and in higher grades the practice itself which calls forth concentration. It is a wonderful tool to either centre a child who is lost in the periphery, or widening the horizon of a child who is clinging to their centre. The results are always beautiful and meaningful.

As a practice for adults, the mandala reveals a "snapshot" of our inner cosmos and allows us to create order and centeredness in place of chaos. Clémence will present her study of the mandala through human experience (religion, psychology, astronomy) and we will then explore the polarities of centre and periphery, curved and straight lines, order and chaos, through movement and drawing. We will follow several methods of structuring a mandala to experience the different results they produce in our inner space. No previous drawing experience is needed. Basic equipment, some colour mediums and papers will be provided. It is advised, however, to bring your favourite art medium and suitable paper (watercolour, acrylics, pencils, ink, charcoal) should you be already practised in artwork.

At the heart of Italian culture is food. Food represents life: from the bounty that nature provides into the hands of the skilful cook to create a masterpiece, a skill that is passed down from generation to generation. The respect for and the appreciation of the natural source of ingredients in Italian cooking allows for the simplicity in the preparation and the unique taste of each dish prepared. Mother and son duo, Rosetta and Mario, have been passionate about Italian cooking their entire lives; a passion instilled in them from spending valuable time with Nonna Maria in her kitchen from young. In this retreat, we will share some more of Nonna Maria’s vegetarian Italian cooking: freshly made basil pesto (or roasted red pepper pesto) will be paired with light, pillowy potato gnocchi. Nonna’s vegetarian spaghetti carbonara will also be shared. Finally, we will end off with two traditional Italian desserts, a classic panna cotta and bigne alla crema (chocolate-topped profiteroles filled with Italian pastry cream), and the torta caprese (Italian hazelnut/almond gluten-free chocolate cake, a decadent tea-time classic).

Join Lisa for a deeply relaxing and nourishing weekend of mindfulness-based Clinical Somatic Movement. Exploring the communication between the brain, nervous system and muscular-fascial systems, we will learn about pandiculation, nature's way of releasing built-up tension from the body. Slow down and learn gentle practices to help release chronic muscle tension that underlie pain and stress in body and mind. Develop your inner awareness and bring comfort and ease to your body. Basic Mindfulness practices and meditations will be woven throughout the retreat. This weekend is suitable for everyone and will meet you where you are. All bodies welcome!

Nowhere Else To Be is a series of mid-week zazenkai held in Noble Silence at the BRC. Each zazenkai invites us to rest deeply in the present moment and attune to the simplicity and stillness of the unfolding moment. We will return to the basics of practice - stillness, silence, breath. With nowhere else to be and nothing else to do, we settle into what is.

This zazenkai is suitable for those with a regular meditation practice or prior retreat experience who feel ready to spend a day in silence, stillness, and simplicity. It offers a simple, structured, and spacious container in which to reconnect with presence, nature, and the still point within. The emphasis is on returning to what is already here — without distraction, without pressure, without needing to be anywhere else.

Come sit with us - there is nowhere else to be.

For the Zazenkai series, the next date is November 25-27

This weekend offers a blend of practices for body, mind and heart: Gentle somatic movement to release muscle tension, dance sessions to cultivate vitality and mindfulness meditation to hold all of our experience in loving awareness. If you need to move, feel more connected and at ease in your body, cultivate vitality, connection and joy, this is the weekend for you. No experience is needed; all bodies are welcome!

The gentle movements that you will learn to do on this relaxed mid-week 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.

Oh, tranquility
Penetrating the very rock,
A cicada’s voice. (Basho)

Writing and Mindfulness are close travelling companions, walking ancient paths. As they step through the natural world of wonders, they communicate sometime is silence, sometimes in words. They offer healing of body, mind and spirit. Come and practise how to release stress onto the page or screen amid the natural spendours of the BRC hills.

The temple bell stops
but the sound keeps on coming
out of the flowers (Basho)

Cultivating the world within, as we age can be a source of blessing to us and others. Come and practise how to turn ageing into sage-ing though the silence and sounds of words. Share the richness of your story down the line to generations living and yet unborn.

We all wish to have happiness and avoid the uncomfortable feelings that seem to dominate our daily life; feelings of dissatisfaction, unease, anxiety that keep us awake at night, our agitation with loved ones and anger towards others. It is times like these that create uncertainty and a feeling of helplessness; we want to be happy, contented and have a sense of peace in our hearts. Khenpo Jamyang Gompo will gently guide participants to a deeper understanding of how these emotions arise and how we can find a sense of meaning and purpose in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Children's senses are deeply enriched by nature.  This precious connection to the natural world needs to be nurtured and protected in childhood.  The gift of storytelling is one of the keys to the imagination of a child.  It is essential for the health development of all children.  A rich imagination will develop into flexible thinking as a young person.  A child's heart is open to receiving through the language of stories - this is how they learn.  They are still completely at one with the environment around them; nature still sings and speaks to them.  In the peaceful surroundings and the reverent mood of the BRC the children's soul life will be deeply nourished.  They will experience mindful storytelling, gentle puppetry, nature crafts and activities, joyful singing and nature trails to explore together and silent moments of wonder.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, finding harmony can feel like an elusive dream. This retreat will unlock the secrets of mindful living and conscious growth. Discover practical tools to cultivate clarity, calmness, and insight.  Through affirmations, meditation, journaling, visualizations, and more, immerse yourself in a soul-nourishing experience filled with enriching discussions and deep rest. Together, let's tap into the power of our minds and forge meaningful connections. Let’s also connect with a growing community dedicated to awakening consciousness and embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and conscious living.

When I am silent, I fall into the place, where everything is melody - Rumi

Jalaluddin Rumi’s poetry (1207–1273) offers a profound source of strength and insight that helps us stay grounded and resilient in daily life. This mid-week retreat invites you to explore Rumi’s timeless wisdom, a guiding thread that fosters stability, joy, and personal growth.

This workshop offers a hands-on, experiential approach to Rumi's teachings. Through reflective exercises, we will explore selected quotes and connect their meaning to real-life situations and personal experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to engage deeply, applying Rumi's wisdom to enrich their own lives and gain tools for navigating daily challenges with grace and insight.

Each session includes reading, discussion, and personal reflection exercises designed to integrate Rumi’s timeless messages into everyday moments

What to expect:

• Meditations on Rumi’s quotes

• Talks and Guided Imagery to deepen your experience

• Reflection on poetry and creative writing

• Talks on applying Rumi’s wisdom in everyday life

The Rumi Workshop is ideal for professionals (therapists, caregivers, social workers) or anyone seeking self-empowerment and personal growth.

'Exploring African Spirituality And Dreaming African Spirituality' offers a profound framework for inner work, creating a sacred space where dreaming becomes a tool for transformation. This retreat emphasizes that dreaming is more than rest; it is an active dialogue with ancestors, spirit, and self. Within African spiritual practices, dreaming serves as a guide, revealing paths to healing, growth, and clarity. Participants will be guided through practices that cultivate inner stillness and self-reflection, learning to facilitate a better life experience by unlocking their dream space. Honoring African spiritual traditions, this retreat helps participants harness their dreams for deeper self-awareness, personal empowerment, and alignment with their life's purpose.
This two-day retreat invites you to explore the profound connection between African spirituality and the ancient practice of dreaming. Participants will delve into the sacredness of dreams as ancestral messages, tools for healing, and pathways to self-awareness.
Day 1: Grounding and Ancestral Connection
Opening Ceremony: Honoring ancestors and setting intentions
Workshop: Understanding dreams in African spirituality
Guided Meditation: Connecting with ancestral wisdom
Group Discussion: Sharing personal experiences with dreams
Evening Ritual: Ancestral dream invocation

Day 2: Dreamwork and Personal Empowerment
Morning Meditation: Grounding through nature
Interactive Session: Techniques for dream recall and interpretation
Healing Circle: Using dreams for emotional and spiritual healing
Closing Ceremony: Affirming dreams as a birthright and tool for personal growth
Join us for a transformative experience that honors African spirituality and reclaims dreaming as an inherent birthright, providing tools to navigate your spiritual journey with clarity and purpose.

Drumming and music-making are ancient ways of transcending our routine lifestyle, opening ourselves to spiritual realms of healing and creativity, which is experienced as liberating and rejuvenating. This is because the universe is a flux of pulsating rhythms and drumming connects us to these rhythms, thus facilitating a change in consciousness and a sense of belonging and well-being, which, in turn, promotes deep relaxation and healing. In this retreat, we will learn basic drumming techniques and explore rhythmic creativity  including a segment on Shamanic, Celtic, and Nordic Viking drum patterns which will be combined with meditation practice and contemplation. A Sound Journey meditation using exotic instruments will also be included. The objective of this retreat is to find a balance between the hands-on experience of drumming and its more profound spiritual effects on the human psyche.

Pa Tuan Chin is a C12th A.D. Qigong Form which was developed by the Chinese general Yueh Fei, who was also well versed in traditional Chinese Medicine, Calligraphy and Martial Arts. This Form is composed of eight different exercises which provide to the practitioner a silken like quality, hence its English name, ‘The Eight Pieces of Brocade.’ It has been suggested by many scholars that it is based on the exercise system that Bodhidharma gave to the Shaolin monks eight centuries earlier. Each of these flowing and gentle exercises has been designed to strengthen and re-energise a specific part or organ of the body. Overall, the combined exercises, known as the Form, also assist in improving the practitioner’s physical structure, breathing and link to universal Chi. Paul will teach this Form using the original sequence that Yueh Fei developed.

Join Nilam, a wellness expert, for a transformative weekend retreat where the harmony of mind, body, and spirit awaits you. Immerse yourself in a holistic journey that blends  traditional hatha yoga,  meditation, and Ayurveda. This retreat includes rejuvenating yoga sessions designed for all levels, guided meditations and talks that will open your heart and elevate your consciousness. Set against a backdrop of natural beauty, the retreat offers you the perfect opportunity to disconnect from the chaos of everyday life and reconnect with your true self. You will leave feeling revitalised, inspired, and equipped with tools for lasting wellness. 

This 5 night Open the Heart And Still the Mind retreat is an immersion into nourishing and ennobling silence and is an opportunity to cultivate and deepen your meditation practice with a heart-based focus. Sue offers an integration of the psychological and spiritual dimensions of this path of compassionate awareness, combining more than 40 years of meditation practice with her extensive experience as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

We will draw on the support of nature and the teachings that are revealed by practising in the exquisite environment of the Buddhist Retreat Centre, where the truths of impermanence and our inter-connectedness with each other and with nature express themselves daily, through the beauty and wisdom of the ever-changing conditions.
We will cultivate a safe and nourishing home within, inspired by the wisdom and practices of the Brahma Viharas (the Four Immeasurables), which deepen our capacity for loving- kindness (metta), spacious inner freedom, appreciative joy and compassionate wisdom and action.
In addition to the silent and guided meditations in all postures, there will be daily qigong, gentle, mindful movement and additional, optional massages offered to enhance our embodied experience. Sue will incude short, individual sessions throughout the retreat, as well as time for reflection, journaling, walks in nature and deeply replenishing rest.
Please note: This retreat carries a teacher's fee for all retreatants, offered on a sliding scale. Please contact Sue directly on for further details, including reductions if needed and to arrange a recommended pre-retreat session. Her website link is
https://stillmindretreats.com/event/retreat-infusing-mindfulness-with-metta/

Looking for an entry point into Buddhism? Then this is the retreat for you! Who was the Buddha? What is Buddhism? Is it a religion or a philosophy? What are its teachings and practices? These questions and others will be addressed in this retreat which will examine the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path while at the same time foregrounding the simple meditation practices - sitting and walking - from which the experience-based teachings emerged. A schedule of talks, discussion, and practice held within the supportive frame of Noble Silence will also include time to enjoy the beautiful grounds of the centre.

Tai Chi, or to give it its full name, Tai Chi Chuan, has often been regarded as a dynamic form of Qigong, or ‘the cultivation of energy’ to help regulate one’s system and prevent disease, thereby leading to the development and maintenance of good health and well-being. Most people associate Tai Chi with flowing, graceful movements. Yet there is much more to the practice of this ancient Chinese art. The great Yang Tai Chi Master T.T. Liang (1900-2002), stated that there are four categories into which the principles of Tai Chi fall, namely health, self-defence, mental accomplishment and the road to immortality. In this retreat, Paul will demystify Tai Chi using the Yang style, which can be traced back to Ch’en Wang Ting (1597-1664). In this 2 or 5-day retreat, Paul’s intention is to inspire retreatants to further investigate Tai Chi and to find a teacher near their home.

This retreat is an invitation to integrate Ayurveda into your daily lives in simple ways that have a profound healing effect on your health and well-being.

There is a concept in Ayurveda called Dinacharya which comes from the root words 'Dina,' meaning 'day' and 'Charya,' which means 'guidelines' or 'to be founded in.' Thus meaning 'to be founded in the day' or as in Sanscrit defined as "the daily routine". According to Ayurveda one should follow Dinacharya in order to lead a healthy and disease free life. Ayurveda gives more emphasis on prevention of diseases than treating a disease. The wisdom of wellness in daily life in Ayurveda really provides a map for health and longevity. The small habits that we cultivate regularly actually have deep long-term benefits for yourselves and your families.

Our daily retreat rhythm will include gentle somatic and therapeutic yoga practices, pranayama, restorative yoga nidra, walking meditation, visualisations, guidelines, notes and talks around Ayurveda and living an Ayurvedic lifestyle. All within a contemplative framework of silence to allow us to deepen our connection with our Prakriti -  essential nature. No previous experience is required and this retreat is suitable for all levels and ages.

Nowhere Else To Be is a series of mid-week zazenkai held in Noble Silence at the BRC. Each zazenkai invites us to rest deeply in the present moment and attune to the simplicity and stillness of the unfolding moment. We will return to the basics of practice - stillness, silence, breath. With nowhere else to be and nothing else to do, we settle into what is.

This zazenkai is suitable for those with a regular meditation practice or prior retreat experience who feel ready to spend a day in silence, stillness, and simplicity. It offers a simple, structured, and spacious container in which to reconnect with presence, nature, and the still point within. The emphasis is on returning to what is already here — without distraction, without pressure, without needing to be anywhere else.

Come sit with us - there is nowhere else to be.

Join Bruce in exploring the roots of mindful awareness through Kundalini yoga. Immerse yourself in transformative practices that seamlessly blend into the beauty of nature, with outdoor sessions whenever possible. Engage in meditation, chanting and the gentle resonance of the gong and crystal bowls for healing relaxation. Delve into practices that nurture your mind, body and spirit, allowing you to embrace inner peace and vitality while finding harmony in nature. 

“The most common form of despair is not being who you are.” - Kierkegaard

As humans we live here amongst the “family of things,” yet somehow separate. This illusion of separation the Tibetan Buddhists term Maha Bekandze – the Great Suffering. Join Charisse at the BRC to dissolve into the bliss that is your true nature. Together we will practise various forms of meditation. All of life is a meditation in that it calls us to pay attention. In curious mindfulness we will find our playful connection to Life itself.

Through guided conscious dance, process art making, free writing, immersion in nature, sitting in silence, walking, eating, talking, singing, listening deeply, practising yoga and qigong, you will gently be led back to your oneness, your emptiness, which is true love. You will surrender into your natural grace and choose joy.

Shibuie is the ancient Japanese concept of Accidental Beauty in which the artist is just one ingredient in a number of dynamic interacting natural processes, the outcome of which is delightfully unpredictable, but strangely beautiful - not ego-driven or deliberate.

Ingrid will teach the classical Japanese brush painting techniques - Sumie - as these are applied to traditional subjects, such as landscape, bamboo and flower studies - as well as contemporary subjects. We will use the genuine, traditional materials: solid pine-soot ink, a hollowed-out slate to liquefy it, a deer-hair bamboo-stemmed brush and absorbent mulberry paper. Tools will be provided. Sharon will offer the Raku and explore various glazing and firing techniques. Each retreatant will receive a bisque-fired tea bowl to sumie-decorate and glaze. The kiln will be fired up, after which we will watch the magic as the bowls emerge triumphantly from the scorching heat! Chris will offer qigong sessions and Bernard will be offering forest walks and introducing 'forest bathing' with traditional Mbira music for healing and harmony. A traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony will be held on the final evening.

Through being and accepting what is happening within us, staying with experience and learning to see more clearly we can taste into a mind and heartfulness that is larger than our habits that keep us stuck.The practice of Mindfulness supports us in discovery of who we are beyond our limiting histories, stories and ideas. Grounding into our bodies through bringing presence to our breath, our flesh and bones, our sensations we come into the shared embodied realm. We may find an aliveness, interconnectedness and sensitivity that is profoundly transformative when we are more embodied. Grounding into our hearts through listening into its natural qualities of depth, kindness, joy, compassion and equanimity we discover the light we can bring in ourselves and in the world. Drawing on tools from the Buddha's teaching in this retreat we will embark on this voyage together, in a shared context, with the inner journey of each of us also finding its own inner way. The retreat will be held in noble silence; there will bedharma teachings and question and answer sessions as well as one to one interviews offered, guided and silent meditations and yoga with Phumla.

Imagine! Imagine all the people, living life in peace - John Lennon

Christmas is a time of the giving of gifts. All birthdays are honoured with gift-giving. Usually these gifts are of ‘things’. Yet the very best gift we can give is not anything tangible or material. It is to definitively take away the suffering of oneself, and of others. And this, after all, is the reason why we give material gifts in the first place. It’s also the reason why we do the myriad things we do in our lives. It’s because we are constantly in pursuit of this (seemingly unattainable) state of being: peace, happiness, contentment, an absence of ‘niggle’. The unlimited and ultimate gift would be to be happy without end, at peace without end, to give happiness and peace to all, without end. The Four Immeasurable Gifts are the ultimate gift. They are boundless equanimity, loving kindness, compassion, and joy. They define a path and practice leading to all-encompassing peace and happiness. They lead us back to our true nature, which is peace.

Take time out at the BRC this Christmas to slow down into the moment and unwrap the Four Immeasurable Gifts. We will discover them through meditation, contemplation, journaling, and by just being present. William (Shogan) will be offering sunrise qigong.

The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of introspection and silence with time for journaling, reflection, and fireside talks.

The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived - Thomas Merton

New Year is a good time of the year to take stock and contemplate our moment-to-moment, here-and-now reality in all its fullness. It’s a traditional time for clarifying our motivations, and for starting afresh with new intentions. A time, in other words, to reboot the system. Give yourself the gift of time over this New Year period to collect the Three Wise Medicines of gratitude, ahimsa and contentment, to reflect on the past year, and uncover how you can best live your life in the coming year. During this time together we will let our body, speech and mind fall silent through the practice of meditation and silence. In working with the Three Wise Medicines, there will also be time for writing and contemplation, walking and ceremony especially outside in nature. We will welcome the New Year with a circumnabulation around the  lantern-lit  Buddha Rupa, ringing out the old year with an ancient Chinese temple gong. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence and introspection.