Updated BRC Newsflash - November 2024
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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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BRC Newsflash: November 2024 Dear Friends, |
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| Buddha rupa | Image: Chantelle Flores | |
Thank You!As we reflect on the past months, we are filled with immense gratitude for the support and kindness that you have all shown during a particularly challenging time for us. Your generosity, both in spirit and in donations, has been a beacon of light during our financial struggles - a testament to the strength and compassion of our Sangha. The teachings of the Buddha remind us of the interconnectedness of all beings, and your actions have embodied this principle in such a profound way. In moments of uncertainty, it is easy to feel isolated and overwhelmed. However, your unwavering support has helped remind us that we are not alone. Each contribution, no matter how small, has made a significant impact and has allowed us to navigate these challenges with a bit more ease and hope. As we move forward, we carry your kindness in our hearts. May your days be filled with peace and joy. With heartfelt gratitude, Chrisi and The BRC Team |
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| The path and the plane tree | Image: Gavin de Kock | |
If Buddha Was Your Psychotherapist?Louis Van Loon once suggested that you could tell a person’s state of mind just by looking at the way they walked. Recalling this leaves me with a clear image of a younger Louis making his way along the well-trodden path between his house and the dining hall, Panama hat covering his purposeful gaze, sure footed without being too rushed, the now giant Plane tree greeting him along the way. The Plane tree still stands cathedral-like, roots crossing the path, branches bowing over passersby - a memorial to those who have come and gone. I think of Junaq and how she might have slowly lost her footing but, stick in hand, the path would have kept her steady, the Plane tree sheltering her from the rising sun on her way back from breakfast. Towards the end of Colin’s stay, we would sometimes find him zig-zagging his way along the same path, frantically looking for his cat, Shadow, insisting that he was definitely missing this time. The “path” is not preordained, it does not precede us, it is made by us. It is made by our coming and going, by the losing and finding of our way. It feels like we are coming to the end of an era of the well-travelled feet along that same path. This leaves me anxious about who I can follow now. How touching, then, it was to encounter Louis’s lifelong friends at his memorial? To hear from Mervin Croft, Antony Osler, Stephen Coan, Ajahn Sucitto and Sue Cooper relate how Louis and his relationship with Buddhism had influenced their lives and practice. There are still feet widening the path. The first time I ever walked that path, I was following Rob Nairn and the last time I spoke with him was on a zoom call organised by the BRC. He was still sprouting well practised wisdom but in less organised and coherent ways. The gait of his mind was less steady, but the path seemed to keep him true. Rob always had a preference for Tibetan Buddhism, but I chuckled to myself at how he had started to sound somewhat accidentally Zen. As Rob came online you could hear Junaq commenting, unceremoniously, “He is looking really old now”. A funny, unselfconscious, moment that I am sure is easily forgiven between two Dharma friends. This is Buddhism: the fact of our aging; the fact of our suffering; the fact of our inevitable death. As Nagarjuna proposed “You dwell among the causes of death like a butter lamp standing in a strong breeze.” And, so, we must accept the great loss of these well-practiced Buddhists in the breeze of time, an ending of an era, and carry on along the paths they have left for us. The Buddhist “path” is a well-trodden and rigorous philosophical practice, but it is also encouraged that we do not follow it blindly. It is a path of curiosity and wonder, in response to the demands of our time. |
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Louis and Rob |
Image: Chrisi van Loon | |
There are still a few spaces left on the following October retreats:We are offering a 10% discount. Buddhanalysis: What If Buddha Was Your Psychoanalyst?Jason Ross | 3 days | 25-28 October This retreat involves philosophical discussion, therapeutic engagement, a variety of sitting practices, walking meditation, basic yoga (no experience needed), written reflection and group discussion. It is an ideal retreat for those interested in a practical, therapeutic and atheist (non-soteriological) approach to Buddhism. |
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| Dudu and Mario | Image: Chrisi van Loon | |
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Conducted Retreats November 2024☸ indicates retreats held in noble silence Discovering And Appreciating Italian Vegetarian CookingRosetta and Mario Giuricich | Weekend | 1-3 November
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| Stupa on the hill | Image: Chantelle Flores | |
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 forty-four 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. 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, 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 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 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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Open The Heart And Still The Mind : Infusing Mindfulness With Metta And Compassionate Wisdom
