The Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo is a haven of peace and tranquillity, giving visitors a chance to relax and recharge
Story Katrine Anker-Nilssen
As I slowly meander towards inviting forests and green, rolling hills, I can feel stress leaving my body and soul. My destination is perched on a ridge at the head of a valley in the Umkomaas river system, a very special place that has for over 20 years welcomed people of all religions with one common goal: peace and tranquillity.
I’ve been dying to visit the Buddhist Retreat Centre (BRC) outside Ixopo for years, so when news of an upcoming photography retreat reached my inbox, I booked immediately.
Pine-scented paths and breathtaking views in serene surroundings, along with beautiful wildlife, warm people and mouth-watering food are some of the many highlights at the BRC. The centre was awarded Natural Heritage status by President Mandela, recognised as a Custodian of the endangered Blue Swallow and selected as one of the top 10 meditation centres in the world by CNN in 2013.
Owner Chrisi Van Loon tells me her husband Louis bought an eroded timber farm in 1969 and developed it into the natural paradise it is today. “It took him years to build, create and finesse,” she explains. “The BRC and its uniqueness has become a sanctuary for many. It offers a space to be still, to reflect, to meditate, disconnect, realign and to grow.”
What is unique to the centre is that Louis has widened the application of Buddhism beyond the monastic model to make it suitable for secular studies. “We include, among other things, art, ecology, Buddhist philosophy and western psychology,” he explains. “I hope that the BRC will have increasing relevance and adaptation to an ever-evolving world, particularly in the South African context, and continue to have an impact on people’s lives.”
While Chrisi and Louis generally direct the affairs of the BRC, it is the team on the ground who keep it running smoothly. Everyone from housekeepers to cooks and managers collaborate in a beautiful way. Estate » manager Colin Kemery fell madly in love with the centre after attending a retreat here five years ago, and hasn’t left. “Living here gives me an enormous sense of wellbeing,” he says.
Be sure to attend Colin’s calm, yet energising chi kung sessions every morning. They set the tone perfectly for the rest of the day.
Fifty retreatants can be accommodated in single and twin-bedded rooms, en suite cottages and thatched chalets, all a short distance from the dining room, library, studio and meditation hall. In addition to the Conducted Retreats (run mostly over weekends and all year round), participants are welcome to extend their visit by a day or more with a Self Retreat – doing as much (or as little) as they choose. Don’t miss the stupa and the Zen gardens, the labyrinth, the beautiful Buddha Boma, the deer forest and the sunrise.
Chrisi says the intensive silent retreats are very popular, as are the cooking, yoga, chi kung and art retreats, so make sure you book well in advance. “Buddhism is integral to every retreat, in that it raises an awareness as to how we should live our lives with compassion and present-mindedness, and how interconnected we are to all things,” she adds.
The BRC is renowned for its amazing vegetarian cuisine, featured in the best-selling recipe books Quiet Food, The Cake the Buddha Ate and Plentiful. “The stalwarts of the kitchen and the real talent are the cooks, Lindiwe, Lungi and Dudu. They have been with us for almost 20 years,” says Chrisi. “And then there’s our latest chef Ray Vogle, of course.”
Ray’s story and description of the BRC’s allure echoes a growing sentiment in our society today. “My journey to the BRC was a result of reaching saturation within the corporate world and an acceptance that the hurdles life presented were an indication that a new direction needed to be taken,” he explains.
“My leap of faith paid off in that I was welcomed into a kitchen alive and bustling with the most incredible Zulu cooks. A team of women created a haven of nurture, laughter and love that has become my staple food here at the centre.”
Ray has created fond memories to cherish forever. “My mountain view into the valley from my Kuti (cabin) is and always will be a privilege. Midsummer evenings imbued with an air of magic, with the sounds of distant drums from the valley, a hooting owl and a small deer running past you are the kind of experiences that leave their mark,” he says. “I have indulged in the beauty of nature and good food, but the moments that outweigh the rest are those centred around people and the meaningful engagements I have had with them. I have come to appreciate the brevity of life and how precious the moment is.”
Many of us are looking for a bit more from our breaks from everyday life these days – not just somewhere to be pampered. “The Buddhist Retreat Centre provides one with a unique experience to grow spiritually. There is so much on offer, there really is something for everybody,” says Chrisi, and she is absolutely right.
I can’t wait for my next visit!
039 834 1863
