Join us for a personal retreat mid-week and some optional 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.

This retreat will help you embed more Joy in your everyday life through the simple practices of Gratitude, Connection and Playfulness. It is based on the brain science of wellness and performance, the Global Joy Summit on the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as incorporating daily practices of The Artist’s Way. The objective is to leave behind a few habits that have really proved to make a difference in the way we experience the work we do, the interactions we have and our response to even the most difficult challenges. It is a genuine opportunity to make a real and lasting shift that puts that bounce back into your step. Jane has applied the tools and practices we will use in this retreat over many years, and found them to be invaluable in her own life and those of the people she has coached and trained through Artist’s Way and Joy courses she has run. Please bring a journal and pen.

For many of us who have been on the path of self-discovery and awakening, the paradox of this process reveals itself sooner or later: on the one hand, the steady, developmental, aspirational path that leads towards liberation at some indefinable future and on the other, the growing realisation that this liberative possibility is always and already available, right where we are. The subtle shift that begins to happen is an increasing curiosity and enquiry into the quality and sense of Awareness itself, rather than what Awareness is aware of i.e. the objects of awareness or contents of consciousness. This transition is a subtle one. It invites momentary glimpses, a non-conceptual recognition, of the sense of Awareness that is always available – the prior condition - irrespective of our present experience. This retreat will be an exploration for those who sense their practice is transitioning at this inflection point. A regular contemplative practice is usually necessary as the ground from which to enquire and explore these glimpses. This foundation allows us to be aware of, and be able to work with the tendency to be identified with the thinking mind. We will explore meditation, softening into effortlessness, alongside enquiry as way to sense our way into this simple, subtle quality of the Awareness that is always already whole, in the spirit of curiosity, communal support and care. This will be less about getting somewhere, going ‘deeper’ or changing our state, but rather seeing what is already available right where we are, however we are. There will also be ample space and time for rest, being in nature, connecting or dropping into silence.

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!

As winter softens into spring, we invite you for three days and two nights of dedicated Zen practice at the Buddhist Retreat Centre. Inspired by the spirit of a traditional Zen sesshin, this midweek zazenkai offers an opportunity to settle deeply into stillness, simplicity, and wholehearted presence. A zazenkai is an informal gathering of practitioners who commit to sitting together with sincerity and quiet resolve. The emphasis is on silent practice rather than instruction, allowing participants to discover the clarity that emerges through sustained sitting. It offers a taste of sesshin without the intensity of a full week, creating a spacious yet disciplined container for meditation, silence, and contemplation. Here in the valley, we honour this tradition by returning, again and again, to the breath, the body, and this very moment. Each moment of practice is unique and complete, asking nothing of us except our willingness to be present. Whether you are new to Zen or have an established meditation practice, you are warmly welcome. Bring your breath, your body, and an open heart as we welcome the arrival of Spring together.

“Whenever your heart space, your mind space, and your body space are all present and accounted for at the same time, you can experience pure presence, a moment of deep inner connection with the pure, gratuitous Being of anything and everything. It will often be experienced as a quiet leap of joy in the heart.” -Richard Rohr

Through somatics, movement, mindfulness, music and poetry, let’s tune and harmonize the instruments of body, mind and heart.

During this retreat we will experience the larger systems that shape and support human life. Through Family and Systems Constellations, we will explore how family patterns, loyalties, and inherited dynamics continue to influence our relationships, choices, and inner life. This allows us to see patterns clearly, and to emerge with a deeper sense of connection to ourselves and our ancestors.

Alongside this, we will draw on nature-based systems and rhythms, the African medicine wheel, cycles, symbol, art, and music. The intelligence of the natural world, reminds us that healing and orientation arise through rhythm, relationship, and attentive presence. Together, these two streams meet in a larger supportive holding field.

In our fast paced lives, we need the time to find quiet and calm. With this quiet we find the resilience to face the world and all that comes our way. Through Asana (posture), pranayama (breath control) and meditation practice as well as periods of silence, we give ourselves time to uncoil and find space mentally and physically. This space gives breath to our emotional well-being. This retreat is suitable for yoga students who would like to experience Iyengar yoga and those who would like to deepen their understanding and practice of Iyengar yoga.

Zhan Zhuang (‘Standing like a Tree’) Chi Kung is unlike most other Chi Kung styles, in that with the exception of changing from one static posture to the next, as well as a few gentle steps to finish off one’s practice, the practitioner remains absolutely still, whilst cultivating a mind like still water. Regarded by many contemporary Masters as the most powerful of all Chi Kung practices, it opens all of the nine energy portals in the body, and encourages one’s Chi (life force) to flow powerfully throughout one’s entire being, to work its magic on the internal organs. In this retreat Paul will teach the Six Posture Zhan Zhuang Set, which assists in developing a strong physical structure as well as creating a greater supply of healing Chi to promote health, vitality and an increase in physical energy. The benefits of Zhan Zhuang also include the cultivation of a better posture as well as reducing tension in one’s muscles, thereby assisting the practitioner to live their life in a more relaxed manner.

This workshop is an invitation to reconnect with your inner strength, clarity, and self-trust. The lioness symbolizes power, intuition and authentic leadership. Through Guided imagery, nature-based rituals and reflective dialogues you will explore what nourishes your strength, what you are ready to release, and how you wish to shape your path forward. The retreat draws on biophilia - our deep connection to the living world - and uses the lioness as a symbol for empowering yourself. By reconnecting with your inner wisdom, you gain access to inner resources such as courage, resilience and inner stability. This workshop is for women who feel the call for change, who sense that more is possible and wish to move toward  a good future with clarity and trust.

I wait for the mountains and rivers to reclaim their shapes.
There is no light in the deepest hours of the night.
Yet, I know you are there in the depth of the night. (Thich Nhat Hanh)
In this writing retreat amid nature, we explore the bond between writing and meditation. We write and meditate on the many changes and transformations we experience as we journey along the river of our lives. We consider how creativity steadies the boat and how writing helps us dip the oars into dark water so we may navigate the river safely.

This Life so short, this craft so long to learn (Chaucer)
This retreat is for those who wish to begin or develop a piece of writing. We listen, observe, attend and allow the text to take us where it wants to go. We get out of the way so we can be spoken and written through. We move between input and silent writing time. Like the potter, we spin, shape and fire our words so they can find their simple beauty.

This 5 -7 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 the heart-based focus of metta and self-compassion, with a particular focus on burnout and healing into well-being. The retreat now offers a 5 to 7 night option and is fully CPD accredited, including 3 ethics points.

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. In response to the prevalence of emotional depletion & burnout which Sue is encountering, she has shifted the focus of this retreat to meet this growing need to understand the role of self-compassion as a protection against burnout, depression and anxiety.

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 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 yoga and additional, optional massages offered to enhance our embodied experience. Sue will include short, individual sessions throughout the retreat, as well as time for reflection, journaling, walks in nature and deeply replenishing rest.

A 30-50 minute pre-retreat individual session via Zoom/Whatsapp is required for newcomers or if you have not attended one of Sue’s residential retreats before. This provides greater containment and enhances and deepens the silent retreat experience for yourself and for the group. The fee for this will be the 30-50 minute medical aid rate and will be reduced if you are not on medical aid. Please contact Sue on to arrange a time.

CPD accreditation for Health, Mental Health and Allied professionals is confirmed (includes ethics) with an annual admin fee of R475.

This retreat is a quiet invitation to slow down and return to yourself. Within the sanctuary of the BRC, Despina will gently guide you on a journey dedicated to the art of deep listening and the cultivation of heart-full presence. Days will be held in the gentle embrace of noble silence, supported by a rhythm of mindful movement, meditation, and intentional sound. Together, we will explore practices such as mindful walking, sitting meditation, movement and the resonance of "full-body listening." By weaving these practices of movement, stillness and sound invites possibilities for insight, clarity and transformation. This retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence.

‘In the quiet of your own presence, may the truth of your heart find its voice’

Qigong means life energy in Chinese. Qi (energy) is considered to be an animated power that flows through all living beings. Gong means work or skill with something.

Qigong is an ancient series of gentle movements working with life energy to control the flow and distribution of qi improving overall health and harmony of body and mind. This is a relaxed retreat with free time allowing you to appreciate the natural energy and beauty of the BRC.

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.

Are you struggling to keep pace with an ever-changing world? This retreat offers an invitation to reconnect with your “secret superpower” and re-discover how truly remarkable you are. Do you feel stretched by constant change, longing for greater inner peace and clarity? Do you sense that you are meant for more, yet feel unable to “crack the code” to lasting transformation? Have you explored many paths, only to find that real change still feels just out of reach? This retreat creates a safe space to awaken your natural ability for conscious living. Through simple, practical tools, you will learn how to work with your thoughts, emotions, and awareness in profound and accessible ways.
We will explore expansive themes such as Universal Consciousness and the meeting point between ancient wisdom and modern quantum insights, while grounding these ideas in everyday practices. Meditation, affirmations, journaling, and visualisation will be woven throughout the weekend to bring clarity, balance, and intention into your daily life. You will leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and empowered, carrying with you tools and insights to support a more conscious, aligned, and fulfilling way of living.

Join us for a heart-opening weekend as we gather to awaken the Sacred Feminine within. Through the powerful practices of astrology, soulful yoga, and feminine embodiment, we will remember what it means to truly listen to our bodies, trust our intuition, and reconnect with our inner rhythm.This intimate offering is open to mothers and daughters, sisters, friends, and solo journeyers—all women ready to soften, deepen, and rise together in sacred sisterhood.

✨ Astrology workshops with Margarita Relationship Astrology Specialist
✨ Gentle, intuitive yoga with heart-led Yoga teacher
✨ Sound Journey, meditation and circle sharing
✨ Time to rest, reflect, and receive in the peaceful, natural surrounds of Ixopo

Whether you are yearning for clarity, connection, or simply a break to come home to yourself, this weekend is an invitation to be held, seen, and nourished.

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 we come into the shared embodied realm. Drawing on tools from the Buddha's teaching 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 with dharma teachings and one to one interviews, meditatios and sunrise qigong.

This 3-day Art of Silence Retreat provides optimal conditions for going deep within, quietening our mental chatter, and experiencing profound rest and inner peace. The course builds upon the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique offered in the Art of Living Happiness Programme. The practice of silence - consciously withdrawing our energy and attention from outer distractions - has been used in different traditions throughout time as a pathway to physical, mental, and spiritual renewal. By participating in various course processes specifically designed to take us beyond our usually active minds, we experience an extraordinary sense of peace and renewed vitality that we carry home with us and into daily lives.

The prerequisite to attending the Art of Silence retreat is the Art of Living Part 1 The Happiness Course.

This retreat offers a unique approach encompassing brushwork painting, pottery, meditation, qigong, a traditional tea ceremony and an ambient atmosphere. 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. The traditional materials and tools - solid pine-soot ink, a ceramic slate to liquefy it, a bamboo-stemmed brush and absorbent mulberry paper - will be provided. Beginners are welcome - according to Ingrid: "some of the best paintings have emerged from students who have not had any art training before". Sharon will offer the ceramics or Raku and explore various glazing and firing techniques. Each retreatant will receive a bisque-fired tea bowl to 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! If you are suffering from stress and anxiety, these modalities will calm and refresh you.

Chris will offer sunrise qigong, while Shogan will be guiding the meditation and holding a traditional Japanese tea ceremony on the final night.

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.

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. 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. 

The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of introspection and silence.

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 circumambulation around the  lantern-lit  Buddha Rupa, gonging out the old year. The retreat will be held in an atmosphere of silence and introspection.