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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Over the Heritage long weekend, we hosted the awesome Dale de Klerk and his Being Me yogis for a relaxing weekend of laughter, fun, photography, and yoga. This was the first retreat that we hosted after 6 months of lockdown. Nervously we prepped and dusted and shopped, and hoped we remembered how to do this! [...]
Genuine humility has been rare to find in a stranger. Most times people, and myself, opt for the cold shoulder, or the awkward stare when I look up that comes with the occasional nod or smirk that says, ‘Hi, I’m friendly’. It’s almost as if I want to get the greeting out of the way [...]
We continue to enjoy the best summer rains we have had for many years. The rains have led to abundant growth, as well as challenges around maintenance, with leaking buildings, broken lawnmowers, electricity breakdowns on top of load shedding and often impassable dirt roads. But the saturated earth seems to be bursting with thanks. At [...]
Are we held so close to a cacophony A constantly cluttered carry all; finger tight That the truth goes missing? So deafened by the on-screen streaming The strongly selected and over presented - That we are always asking for more - The wild rabbit hole mind – blind Hands full - falling? Even as [...]
I felt a fair amount of trepidation ahead of spending my first Christmas away from family and friends, meditating with a group of strangers - but I have no regrets! Tara Rokpa Centre is situated in a beautiful part of South Africa’s North West Province, in a lush green valley where every day is full [...]
As the year draws to a close, welcome rains for the past 2 weeks have brought abundant growth to the previously parched earth. This will lessen the ever-present risk of destructive fires. A lot of my time and energy, along with a support team steered by Michele Schiess has been devoted to the new chapter [...]
