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The Buddhist Retreat Centre
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Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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For people of all religions
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BRC Newsflash: March 2023
Dear Retreatants,
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- Max Weier will be teaching at the BRC from 28 February to 2 March and from 11 to 23 March 2023. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn qigong and meditation from a great master. His retreats are published on our website www.brcixopo.co.za.
- Venerable Chamtrul Rinpoche will be returning to South Africa and will lead a retreat “Tibetan Dream Yoga: The Practice Of Lucid Dreaming” from 24-26 March 2023
- Venerable Khenpo Jamyang Gompo will offer “Finding Meaning And Purpose: Buddhist Insights Into The Nature Of Mind” from 10-12 November
- Horticulturists, Chris Dalzell, will be leading tours to experience the flowers of Namaqualand in August this year, See the attached leaflet for more information
- Sue Cooper’s 7 day ‘Open The Heart And Still the Mind’ retreat over Easter from 6-13 April is already filling up. Please book early to secure a space on this transformative retreat.
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| Starry starry night |
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Image: Tsunma Tsondru |
The Venerable Old Cabbage Tree
We were so fortunate to have Tsunma Tsondru, an ordained nun in the Tibetan tradition of the Kagyu lineage, teach the “Four Immeasurable Gifts at Christmas” and the “Three Wise Medicines For Living Your Life In The New Year” over December - to packed houses - and what a gift and tonic for all who attended! Retreatants are already booking for Tsondru’s December retreats, so book early if you want a place.
When I envisaged the Centre a half a century ago, I was determined to make it a Buddhist Centre so that the essential and fundamental message of Buddha’s teachings would remain alive and central to our lives in the 21st century. At the same time, I also wanted the Buddhism we offered to be about an engaged and noble life - so that is why I introduced yoga, an appreciation of art and nature, qigong and tai chi to our curriculum as a kaleidoscope of all these aspects which are all part of the Eastern tradition. For me, it was important to make this connection with these ancient cultures from which Buddhism arose.
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| Venerable old cabbage tree |
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Image: Angela Shaw |
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Teachers like Tsondru from the monastic order bring the lived tradition of the Buddha’s teachings to the Centre and encapsulate the original Dhamma teachings.
While there have been the few lone voices who have asked what art has to do with Buddhism, my feeling is if any teachings can bring some joy and inspiration into our lives in these troubled times, then my work at the BRC is done. From the early times, art became a tool to convey and express the message of the Dhamma. All of our retreats introduce an element of meditation practice - even if it is just a taste - as an alternative to secular materialism.
Retreatants who are interested in deepening their meditation practice will have the opportunity to do so by attending retreats with visiting monastic teachers: Sister Candasiri, Ven Chamtrul Rinpoche, Ven Khenpo Jamyang Gompo, Tsunma Tsondru who are all scheduled to teach at the BRC this year. Their retreats are published on our website. Book early. Ajhan Sucitto will also be teaching in South Africa.
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| Misty morning walk |
Image: Angela Shaw |
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Here are some beautiful reflections from Tsunma Tsondu from her December retreats.
“It’s been raining like crazy and quite reliably misty, as always around December. I sometimes think this fog has been transferred from the meditators here. Because meditation helps to clear up our mental fogginess, it gets externalised, to manifest ‘outside’ rather than ‘inside’ the mind. In which case, viva the foggy forests of the BRC and strength to the clearing minds of the practitioners!”
“The venerable old Cabbage Tree that stands beside the Stupa, is in its own right, also a venerable Stupa. I think perhaps we venerate constructed things too readily while the natural miracles of Earth lie all around us, unappreciated. Cabbage trees always strike me as being lofty beings, such that they are not often noticed by most passers-by, busily walking past them to something more important.
May the path through the coming time lead you to light.
May you be a light for others
May we understand ourselves and understand others.
We all hope for happiness, kindness, freedom from fear, and peace.”
With Metta,
Tsunma Tsondru
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Now And Zen: Reboot, Recharge And Retreat
There is no better place than the BRC to rejuvenate the body and mind with nature, meditation and movement to guide you into presence and stillness.
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| Meditation Hall |
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Image: Andrew Brown |
There are still a few spaces left on the following February retreats:
 indicates retreats held in Noble Silence
Steve Davis | Weekend | 10-12 February
Join Steve 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, qigong, meditation and some quiet time communing with nature. Bring your binoculars and a sunhat.
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Despina Forbes | 5 days | 19-24 February
Join Despina for 5 days to cultivate well-being. She will be offering two yoga classes per day which include meditation, breath practice and therapeutic sound (morning and afternoon) - with plenty of time to go at your own pace in between. A daily morning meditation practice will be offered. You are invited to join this retreat in supportive Noble silence.
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Corinna Botoulas and Duncan Rice | Weekend | 24-26 February
During this retreat, Corinna will connect you to your inner light and wisdom, discovering the archetype of your Sun - the masculine, yang, extroverted outward-radiating nature of your being, and the Moon - the feminine yin, receptive, internalized, reflective nature. She will translate the language of Astrology, working with your natal birth chart's Sun and Moon to guide your journey of self-discovery and explore SoulCollage© imageboards. Duncan will balance these two subtle energies with yoga and meditation sessions to create equilibrium in body, mind and soul.
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Max Weier | 2 days | 28 February-02 March
Join Max Weier, Master qigong teacher, for mid-week vitalising qigong. This practice is designed to cleanse, strengthen and expand the energy body with its subtle channels and centres. From a state of heaviness and contraction, we will move to a state of pure vibration, lightness, spaciousness and stillness. Eventually we will get a glimpse of our true nature.Max will be in situ from mid February to 3 March and from 11-23 March for qigong sessions mid-week
Read more
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| Max Weier |
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Image:Joseph Zuber |
Conducted Retreats March 2023
Dr Hu Jin-Yun | Weekend | 3-5 March
Explore this ancient Chinese practice that boosts one’s health and vitality. Participants will learn the key techniques of how to master qigong and incorporate it into their daily lives, effortlessly. These techniques are easy to learn, are useful and powerful. The healing power of qigong works on both the physical and spiritual level - if it is done correctly. These techniques include breathing, timing, warm ups, postures, movement and mind projection. Dr Hu will also introduce some Chinese medicine for detoxing, lowering cholesterol, decreasing body fat and relieving water retention. This retreat is designed to suit beginners, as well as those who have practised qigong previously.
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Georgie Carter | Weekend | 10- 12 March
Yin yoga provides the balance to our hectic Yang lifestyle. In today’s busy world we are inundated with the pressure to do more, take on yet more and push ourselves even further. This retreat provides a balance to our often frenetic, stressful lives and will restore harmony, health and calmness The weekend is centred around releasing, relaxing and restoring our bodies, our minds and our energy and is suitable for everyone. Please bring your own yoga mats.
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Cheryl Lancellas | 5 days | 12 -17 March
We like to think of Devahiti Yoga as an all-encompassing yogic system founded on the traditional disciplines, while simultaneously embracing the exciting, and ever expanding, new developments in yoga. Continued education and a passion for Pranayama, has led to many “aha” moments around breathwork and healthy breathing. Join Cheryl for 5 days of yoga and meditational breathwork to enhance your health. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence.
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Albert Osel (Buhr) | 4 days | 17 -21 March
Albert Osel (Buhr) will offer a relaxation retreat with methods to soothe and balance the nervous system, and heal the mind from excessive negative thought patterns. Counteracting the contractions of chronic stress will help participants access states of bliss, clarity, peace and kindness.
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Max Weier | 2 days | 21-23 March
Qigong exercises alternate with meditation practices from Daoism and Zen. Movement, stillness and the teachings and contemplation of the ancient wisdom traditions of the East flow seamlessly into one another. We taste the boundlessness of our true nature - the Dao. Noble silence will be observed from the last session in the evening until mid-morning the next day.
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Chamtrul Rinpoche / Weekend / 24 -26 March
Most of us spend a third of our life asleep. Taking the average life span into account, this is equivalent to about twenty-five to thirty years. Even though the mental state is more subtle when the body is asleep, it doesn't mean that we can't have an alert, meditative, observing mind. In fact, certain practices prove to be even more effective during this state, as we are less distracted by the five physical senses. In order to access dreams and to turn them towards the Buddhist path, we first have to realise that we are in fact dreaming. Tibetan Dream Yoga is the original form of Lucid Dreaming documented for 1,000 years. Also known as Milam - the yoga of the dream state - it is a collection of advanced tantric techniques. Just like our Western understanding of lucid dreams, the initial aim is to awaken the consciousness in the dream state. In the Tibetan tradition, dream yoga is also used to practise Bodhicitta (the seed of enlightenment) and to develop wisdom.
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David Gardner | Weekend | 31 March - 2 April
This retreat will focus on meditation and mindfulness practices that will help you to realise your inherent wakefulness; to train and retain embodied awareness, and to understand the hindrances and challenges of meditation practice and in living a mindful life. 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.
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People 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 - where silence is a precious commodity. Treat yourself to a personal retreat.
Venessa Muller will be in situ to offer guided meditation.
Read more
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Still labyrinth
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Image: Angela Shaw |
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 two years, people of all religions and none have come to experience peace and tranquillity. 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.
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 organisation 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, bathroom towels, indigenous trees and seedlings, books for our library, a generator, garden benches, clothing and Dana for our staff, an inverter and beautiful antique scrolls and Imari platters and ceramics - 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, everyone who comes to the Centre keeps us open and viable. 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 organisation) and find out more about the BRC's Paid-Up-Yogi and Sangha Friends’ projects.
Chrisi
Visit our website for further information, directions, image gallery etc.
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www.brcixopo.co.za
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087 809 1687 | 082 579 3037 | 031 2095995
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