The Restory Retreat Centre

Contemplative Gathering 2026 Looking Back Early morning at the wetlands (Photo: George Angus) A Smaller, More Intimate Gathering Looking back at our recent Contemplative Gathering over the weekend of August 7–10, one of the first things that stood out was the group size. It was smaller than last year’s gathering, which naturally created a very intimate and warm atmosphere. Last year we considered breaking up into smaller groups, but this year it was not necessary. The intimacy did not diminish the experience in any way; in fact, it was very meaningful and satisfying for everyone present. Morning Meditations and the Rhythm of the Days A special addition this year was our morning meditation walks – something we didn’t quite manage to do the previous year. While last year’s attempt to spot the blue cranes early in the morning didn’t work out, this year we spent balmy mornings at the wetlands and visited the local cemetery. Standing outside with a hot cup of coffee before breakfast gave th...

  Kontemplatiewe Samekoms 2026 'n Terugblik Vroegoggend in die vleiland (Foto: George Angus) 'n Kleiner, Meer Intieme Byeenkoms As ons terugkyk op ons onlangse Kontemplatiewe Byeenkoms oor die naweek van 7–10 Augustus, was een van die eerste dinge wat uitgestaan het die groepgrootte. Dit was kleiner as verlede jaar se byeenkoms, wat natuurlik 'n baie intieme en warm atmosfeer geskep het. Verlede jaar het ons oorweeg of ons in kleiner groepe moes opbreek, maar vanjaar was dit nie nodig nie. Die intimiteit het die ervaring geensins verminder nie; trouens, dit was baie betekenisvol en bevredigend vir almal teenwoordig. Oggendmeditasies en die Ritme van die Dae 'n Spesiale toevoeging vanjaar was ons oggenduitstappies vir meditasie – iets wat ons die vorige jaar nie heeltemal reggekry het nie. Terwyl verlede jaar se poging om die bloukraanvoëls vroegoggend raak te sien nie uitgewerk het nie, het ons vanjaar sagte oggende by die vleilande deurgebring en die plaaslike begraafp...

  Dear friends and supporters, As many of you may have heard, for five days, Monday to Friday, we were completely without power here on Tafelkop after the snowstorm last week. For us, the rain and snowstorms are always a big challenge. We are located at the very tail end of a long, sparsely populated Eskom supply line, and this unfortunately means that we are often at the very back of the queue when repairs are made. This time it made us very aware of how vulnerable we are. For example, we had someone here on a private retreat, and he had to cope with the entire week without electricity with us. By day 3, the goods in the freezer had to be transferred to a freezer on a neighboring farm that has solar power. This made us realize that we can’t just hope that there will be few outages this coming summer, or that the next one will be shorter. There is also another side to our power problem. Our Eskom bill starts at around R3 400 each month (fixed line charges and tariffs), before we ha...

  Liewe vriende en ondersteuners, Soos baie van julle dalk gehoor het was ons die afgelope week hier op Tafelkop van Maandag tot Vrydag vir vyf dae heeltemal sonder krag ná die sneeustorm. Vir ons is die reën- en sneeustorms elke keer ’n groot uitdaging. Ons lê aan die heel stertkant van ’n lang, yl bevolkte Eskom-toevoerlyn, en dit beteken ongelukkig dat ons dikwels heel agter in die ry is wanneer herstelwerk gedoen word. Hierdie keer het dit ons weer baie bewus gemaak van hoe kwesbaar ons is. Ons het byvoorbeeld iemand hier op privaat-retreat gehad, en hy moes die hele week saam met ons sonder elektrisiteit klaarkom. Teen dag 3 moes die goed in die vrieskas oorgevat word na ‘n vrieskas op ‘n buurplaas wat sonkrag het. Dit het ons laat besef dat ons nie net kan hoop dat daar hierdie komende somer min onderbrekings gaan wees, of dat die volgende een korter gaan wees nie. Daar is ook ’n ander kant aan ons kragprobleem. Ons Eskom-rekening begin elke maand by ongeveer R3 400 (vaste l...

  Existential Health Wonder, Self-Acceptance, Purposeful Living The Conversation Elements From The Conversation Creative Piece As a visual expression of this transition to our "second life," an existence stripped of demands and masks, American artist David Best breaks through the usual boundaries of art. His layered, intricate wooden temples are not built to serve as lasting monuments, but to stand as temporary spaces where people can write their deepest losses, guilt, and obsolete roles on the walls. As Best himself notes, it is not about the technical craftsmanship of the structure, but about the space it creates for the human soul to free itself. And even when an installation like this one in the Renwick Gallery is not allowed to be burned on site, the structure is stripped by hand afterward and the written messages taken to the desert to be burned there in silence. Thus the flames and the spaces strip away all the noise of everyday life, leaving us with only the pure wond...

  Eksistensiële Gesondheid Verwondering, Selfaanvaarding, Doelgerigte Lewe Die Gesprek  Elemente Uit Die Gesprek  Kreatiewe Stuk As 'n visuele uitdrukking van hierdie oorgang na ons "tweede lewe", 'n bestaan gestroop van eise en maskers, breek die Amerikaanse kunstenaar David Best deur die gewone grense van kuns. Sy gelaagde, ingewikkelde houttempels word nie gebou om as blywende monumente te dien nie, maar om as tydelike ruimtes te staan waar mense hul diepste verliese, skuldgevoelens en uitgediende rolle teen die mure kan neerskryf.  Soos Best self opmerk, gaan dit nie om die tegniese ambag van die struktuur nie, maar om die ruimte wat dit skep vir die menslike siel om homself te bevry.  En selfs wanneer 'n installasie soos hierdie een in die Renwick-galery nie op die plek verbrand mag word nie, word die struktuur agterna met die hand gestroop en die geskrewe boodskappe na die woestyn geneem om daar in stilte te verbrand. So stroop die vlamme en die ruimtes al...

Existential Health Uncertainty, Mortality, Identity vs Role The Conversation    Elements From The Conversation  Creative Piece Alberto Giacometti - L’Homme qui marche (The Walking Man) 1960 Alberto Giacometti’s famous bronze figure L’Homme qui marche (The Walking Man) depicts a man walking, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. It has been described as a humble image of an ordinary man, yet at the same time a powerful symbol for all of humanity. Giacometti saw the natural balance of the steps as an image of man’s own vitality. The figure has no clothes, no professional features, no facial expression of bravado. He is simply human—fragile, alone, but still moving. It visually expresses that question: Who are you when you no longer “wear” your roles? You are not the armor of your work or efficiency; you are the essence that breaks through when everything is stripped away. There is a deep irony in the fact that Giacometti's ' L'Homme qui marche I' became one of the most...