On my first visit to India, after attending teachings by H.E Tai Situpa, I decided to go to McLeod Ganj where H.H. Dalai Lama was giving all-day transmissions at his monastery. Anyone who has visited this monastery will know that approaching and entering it is not straightforward for a first-timer. I arrived when the teachings [...]
Sitting indoors sheltering from a thunderstorm with my petrified dogs wanting reassurance is time for reflections. My so-called retirement time continues to be full of activity both at home, on-site and less so in Rietvaly. The weather has been hugely challenging for the gardens and residents with a period of searing heat followed by heavy [...]
Time goes by so fast especially in the platteland – before you know it it’s Easter! (We have an Easter camp planned at TRC – check out our upcoming retreats). It is also one year since the word “Covid” became part of our daily vocabulary. I do have to say, we don’t experience the full [...]
2021 is here and for those of us living in South Africa the year got off to a rather peculiar start. Like a teenage time-warp, we had a 9 pm curfew on New Year’s Eve! This is neither the first nor the last change that living through a pandemic has brought to our lives. At [...]
Sunset from top of Temple Hill With mid-summer fast approaching, it is hard to believe that a globally challenging year is drawing to a close. Who knows what the future holds for us? We have certainly entered an ever-growing world of electronic communication with so much being offered on Zoom. Wonderful opportunities for [...]
Lunch is served at the Fierce Compassion Retreat One has to come to the platteland to appreciate the absolute beauty and diversity of our country (#I’m Staying). Watching the news, listening to talk radio, and living in the concrete jungle just does not do it. Especially for me - I am an ex-concrete [...]
An educational trip was organised to Johannesburg for the Tikologo and Rietvaly permaculture trainees by Sustainable Community Development NGO. The group of young people, including 3 men and 4 women were selected as they had all been fully involved in an initial 4-day workshop held both on-site at Tikologo and at the Tirisano crèche site [...]
The view outside my back door. The first of the colloquially named ”Piet-my-vrou” (red chested) cuckoos arrived back yesterday. It always heralds spring in my mind. They stay with us, laying their eggs in the host’s nests until the autumn takes them to warmer climes. Their incessant calling can be heard on all [...]
Daily Life Dharma by the lazy Buddhist At the start of 2020, who could have imagined what this year would hold? It has been an extraordinary time. Within my small circle of contacts, some people lost either their lives or family members to Covid-19. Some were sick for two weeks and recovered fully and a [...]
Synopsis: A piece on what is occurring in Rietvaly - a community of people struck by poverty, yet not stuck in their ways. Duration: 10 minutes Reflection Breathe in. Count three exhales. With each exhale think of what makes you grateful. Kagiso, Jackson, Kedifentse and myself were asked, "What challenges are faced by the community [...]
