BRC Newsletter - May/June 2026

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The Buddhist Retreat Centre
Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa		For people of all religions
BRC Newsletter: May/June 2026 Dear Friends,

Wesak over the full moon of May		Image: Lien Duvenage
On The Full Moon Of May - Celebrating Wesak People from all religious traditions - Muslim, Jewish and Christian - celebrate highly significant events that define their principal articles of faith. It is an opportunity to recognise that in spite of our different forms of worship, the underlying unifying principle at work is that it is centred in some kind of transcendent experience that overarches our mundane existence and that having a spiritual dimension in our lives acknowledges that. On the full moon of May, Buddhists all over the globe will be celebrating the Buddha - this auspicious time being the centre point of recognising the Buddha as a great being and teacher. Wesak honours the Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death, all of which are traditionally associated with the full moon of May and is an opportunity to deepen our own spiritual journey and path. As Antony Osler says so eloquently: “We are all custodians of some kind of spiritual tradition or way of life…. custodians of the Dharma, each of us in our particular way.” We have celebrated Wesak at the BRC for the past forty-six years. The retreat usually consists of traditional teachings, chants, meditation and a lantern-lit circumambulation around the Buddha rupa - a form of "Buddhist Christmas”. Stephen Coan - whose teaching emphasises the centrality of practice in living a skilful and enlightened life while also exploring the interface between poetry and silence - will be leading this retreat from 29-31 May.

That is why the Buddha smiles		Image: Odette Ryan
Why Does The Buddha Smile? The capacity to reflect on our experiences seems to be a uniquely human experience. It leads us to contemplate the meaning of our existence, creates philosophies, art and beliefs and makes us investigate the nature of reality through science. Indeed, unless we reflect in this way we marginalize our humanness and are in danger of missing the point of our existence. The Buddha’s life demonstrates that it is possible to wake up from the slumber of banality and ordinariness in which we can so easily get trapped. The humdrum and the meaningless can become the norm according to which we conduct our lives. Religions do not always manage to lift us out of that and into a truly spiritual awareness of things - often relying more on dogmatic assertions, emotional attachments and distant promises than on urging us to bring about a profound conscious transformation in the way we experience the world. When we trace the principal events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama - later to be called the Buddha - we will see that even a life of luxury, status and power is fundamentally unsatisfactory and deeply flawed if there is no understanding and reflection on the meaning of defining human experiences as sickness, old age and, particularly, death. Indeed, Gautama came to be called a Buddha - ‘budh’ - to be awake because he managed to break through the many diversions, distortions and delusions that cloud our understanding of ourselves. His teachings show us how we too may progress towards such “Enlightenment”. That is why the Buddha smiles……. Buddhism does not attempt to answer the questions usually asked of most other religions This is because Buddhism is an attitude more than a belief - a way of experiencing the world rather than an attempt to explain it. Rather than spend time in useless speculation, for instance, on how the world began, who created it, out of what, and when, and so on, the Buddha felt that it was more important to be fully alive to the much more pressing reality of the fleeting present - in the reality of being here - now - exploring the challenge of knowing ourselves and the meaning of our existence more fully. From the writings of the late Louis Van Loon

Be here now		Image: Odette Ryan
Heartfelt Thanks On behalf of the Committee of the Buddhist Institute of South Africa, who oversees the financial affairs of the Buddhist Retreat Centre and the BRC Family, who manage the daily running of the Centre, we want to express our deepest heartfelt thanks to Donors, Paid Up Yogis and Monthly Sangha Friends who responded to our appeal for help. Over February and March, the BRC faced serious challenges after a series of severe lightning strikes caused extensive damage across the property. These were unexpected, costly disruptions and because of your generosity, we have been able to move forward with courage and continuity. In times like these, it becomes profoundly clear that the strength of the Centre is in its community and friends - and - in your kindness and willingness to stand with us when times are difficult. Your generosity is rare, and we are truly grateful. With Metta, Chrisi

Connect		Image: Odette Ryan
Dr Ian Weinberg Is Offering PNI Online Many of you have asked over the last two years when Dr Ian Weinberg will be offering his memorable retreat “Psychoneuroimmunology: Enhancing The Mind-Body Connection”. As he is completing his doctorate in neuroscience at the moment, he is unable to lead a residential retreat in Ixopo. By popular request Dr Weinberg’s original BRC retreat “Enhancing The Mind-Body Connection” is now comprehensively online. The online program is now available through the BRC at an exclusively reduced price of R3,500.00 (the current selling price online is R14 000.00). The purchase price includes the 5 modules program, online diagnostic, workbook and slides as well as access to the three-monthly Zoom webinar. For a description of the course (similar to the original three day Retreat) see www.neuronostic.com/courses/expanding-consciousness Should you wish to enrol, please contact the office at and we will send you all the information.

Transformation		Image: Odette Ryan
There are still a few spaces left on the following May retreats: The Power of Presence - A Journey to Transformation - Part One John Homewood and Michelle McClunan \| Weekend \| 15-17 May Step into a life‑changing journey of renewal and awakening. This powerful retreat invites you to experience the alchemy of true transformation and fresh beginnings. Through their wisdom, intuitive guidance, and over forty years of combined experience in transformational workshops, John and Michelle will lead you into a space where profound change becomes possible. This retreat is not about chasing life – it is about receiving the keys to live it fully, effectively, and soulfully. Read more The Power Of Presence: Integrate And Deepen What You Began - Part Two John Homewood and Michelle McClunan \| 3 days \| 17-20 May Following the transformative journey of Part One, these 2 days are a continuation, going even deeper. They offer a more intimate and personalised experience where John and Michelle will guide you into the deeper meaning and integration of the teachings in practical ways, helping you to embody presence in everyday ways. This retreat is about moving beyond inspiration into application, integrating the alchemy of presence into your relationships, work, health, and daily choices. Read more Recovery To Self - How Free Do You Want To Be From Your Addictions? Warren Shaw \| Weekend \| 22-24 May Often we may find ourselves using various substances or strategies addictively which can include everything from food, alcohol, recreational or prescription drugs, social media, or where we are in abusive relationships. When this affects our daily lives and more importantly the relationships that mean the most to us, we have lost our true nature of self. This retreat will be helpful to people in need of recovery and speaks to any aspect of ourselves that needs to heal. Read more Baby Steps To Living Your Brilliance: Neuroscience, Gratitude, And The Art of Sustainable Transformation Patti Good \| 2 days \| 26-28 May This two-day gratitude retreat is designed for people who want real change, not through force or fixing, but through gentle, steady, sustainable transformation. Blending contemporary neuroscience with grounded spiritual practice, this retreat focuses on micro-habits that gently rewire the nervous system while deepening your capacity for presence, gratitude, and self-trust. Read more Why Does The Buddha Smile? Stephen Coan \| Weekend \| 29-31 May The feast of Wesak is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha 2,500 years ago, and is held annually on the full moon of May. We will mark this festival with a programme of sitting and walking meditation plus reflections on the Buddha’s life and teachings and, in union with Buddhists around the world, hold a traditional Wesak ceremony - a lantern-lit circumambulation – on Saturday evening. Apart from a talk or two - some thoughts on the Buddha’s smile - the weekend will place an emphasis on meditation - simply breathing in and breathing out – doing exactly what the Buddha did. *Please note this retreat will be held in Noble Silence. Read more

Rest and remembrance		Image: Kim Ward
Conducted Retreats June 2026 Izwi Lika Nomkhubulwane: The Voice Of The Mother Within - A Weekend Of Rest, Sacred Sound And Ancestral Remembrance Buhle Mabanga assisted by Siyabonga Nsizwane and HloniphaniArt Mthethwa \| Weekend \| 5-7 June There comes a time when the silence begins to speak. It sounds like your grandmother's voice. The wind through the trees. The waters you have cried. The child within, asking to be held. This retreat is a listening. Izwi lika Nomkhubulwane — the voice of the Great Mother — is an invitation to return. To your body. To your breath. To the memory your blood has been carrying long before you had words for it. Over this retreat we will slow down enough to hear what has always been trying to reach us. The ancestral wisdom. The inner child. The dream life. The feeling we were never taught to feel. This is not a workshop. It is a remembering. What we will move through together: Ubuntu Ishta Yoga — the body as the first doorway Guided ancestral meditations Dream journaling and storytelling Inner child healing Sacred sound healing rituals Sacred walks in nature Restorative silence Moments of stillness, song and community Read more Traditional Hatha And Raja Yoga Duncan Rice \| Weekend \| 12-14 June Join Duncan for a weekend of reflection, rejuvenation, relaxation and restoration. The retreat is based on the ancient practices of hatha and raja yoga and is open to all levels of ability, including beginners, who wish to understand the fundamentals of yoga and develop, or deepen, their own practice. In the tranquil environment of the Buddhist Retreat Centre, we will discover how shatkarmas (cleansing techniques), asanas (postures), pranayama (control of the breath), mudra (gestures to manipulate and stimulate the energies in the body), bandhas (energy locks with the body) bring us into equilibrium. These traditional practices will help us to develop awareness of body, mind and breath. Read more Wisdom of Wintering - A Yoga Retreat Carey Would and Christie Holt \| Weekend \| 19-21 June Join Carey and Christie as we return home to the essence of our beings. Through meditation, yoga, and talks exploring the themes of rest and ritual, we will remember what it means to live in a rested and rooted state. As the winter solstice draws us into the quiet heart of the year, we invite you to join for a soulful yoga retreat to restore. Held during the longest night and the turning point toward light, this retreat offers a pause, a time to slow down, reconnect with your inner landscape, and honour the wisdom that emerges from stillness. We will offer grounding yoga practices such as fireside yin and mindful slow flows as well as mindful meditation practices and a winter solstice circle, honouring the ritual of being with the season as it is. Read more Mid-year Solstice Immersion Karen Verburgh \| 3 days \| 22-25 June The winter solstice is an ideal time to take stock, reflect, reset, and realign for the rest of the year. This mid-week retreat will help participants find their flow and will focus on connecting with ourselves, our bodies and the dynamics at play in our lives, allowing for rest and rejuvenation. Activities will include nature walks, conscious movement (like Mana moves and qigong), meditation, storytelling, deep listening circles, and Family & Systems Constellations. Karen will be offering Kahuna massage after the retreat by appointment. Read more From Seeking To Seeing - The Heart Of Meditation Dave Gardner \| Weekend \| 26-28 June Over 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. Read more A Personal Retreat : Rest, Reflect, and Restore – 15% discount mid-week Join our qualified resident staff, Keelan, Robyn and Dirk on a personal mid-week retreat for some gentle yoga and meditation. Enjoy the tranquillity of the space and embrace the art of doing nothing – seriously. This time out offers a slower rhythm, allowing you to step back from the busyness of life and find peace within. Read more

Robyn and Bodhi on the mat		Image: Odette Ryan
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-six 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. 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 and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife proclaimed part of the estate as “Nirodha 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 - six 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 deeply touched by the many generous gifts received in the form of linen and towels, furniture, indigenous trees, a Kenwood mixer and food processor, vacuum cleaners and Buddha statues. How you can help to keep the Dharma wheels turning at the BRC and to continue its legacy for the future: Become a Spiritual friend by: Booking for a retreat – we have a broad range of retreats on offer until the end of January 2027 Offering a donation Pledging a monthly contribution of R50 or more Joining our Paid Up Yogi scheme which involves paying a contribution forward whereby your credit can be used at any time in the future towards a retreat, with a 10% discount Gifting a voucher to a friend or family member Supporting our film “Bodhi Is Light” Purchasing our popular recipe books Organising a group visit midweek Supporting our GoodMoodFood take-away prepared meals Booking a mid-week self-retreat with the option of qigong, yoga and meditation The continued existence of the Centre as a sanctuary for healing is dependent on the goodwill and support of our Sangha. Chrisi Visit our website for further information, directions, image gallery etc.
www.brcixopo.co.za \| 066 395 4682 \| 082 579 3037 Share: \| Follow us:
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