From The Restory - Conversations On The Journey (227)

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 the event a certain retreat feel. With plenty of “white space” built into the program, the people who were here were able to fall into a very peaceful rhythm.

The Difference Between a Gathering and a Retreat

Although it had the undertones of a silent retreat, a Contemplative Gathering is fundamentally different from a standard retreat. The core focus is intentional social contact: allowing contemplatives from different places to find and connect with each other.

This year brought together a wonderfully diverse group from all over the country – Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, Hogsback, eMalahleni (Witbank) and locals. Some met for the first time, while others unexpectedly reconnected.

Our shared meals felt almost festive. Whether we ate together by candlelight or outside for our last shared meal, there was a rich sense of community. On the last morning – just before the cold front and snow arrived a few hours later – we enjoyed a delicious breakfast together at a local restaurant after our cemetery walk. It felt like a real treat where no one had to work, which provided a beautiful end to the weekend. We also enjoyed unexpected moments, such as gathering at Peet and Irma’s house for our final wrap-up, overlooking the wetlands and winter landscape.

Landscape as a Host

The environment plays such an important role in these gatherings that the landscape itself feels like a character or a silent host. People often assume that the Highveld winter landscape is harsh or dull, but in reality the golden light at sunset and vast silence are breathtaking.

Because the landscape is so quiet – free of traffic, hustle and bustle or alarms, with only the distant sound of a cow or a barking dog – it heightens your senses. The winter landscape is sparse, minimalist, and simple. It doesn’t burst upon you or force itself upon your senses, but has a quiet, living presence that invites you to be fully present.

Theme

Our theme this year was To Be Fully Alive. As our conversations unfolded, we kept coming back to the realization that to live fully means embracing the entire human experience – not just the happy moments, but also the hardships and sorrows.

This realization gave unexpected depth to our visit to the cemetery. We spoke openly about life, death, and mourning. For many, it was a gentle reminder that grief is not something you simply have to “get over” in order to live an abundant life; grief is as much a part of living fully as happiness, and deserves just as much respect.

Looking Ahead

The Contemplative Gathering takes place each year in August, on the weekend closest to Women’s Day (August 9). It remains a restorative blend of contemplative practice, deep reflection, and community building.

• 2025 Theme: Belonging

• 2026 Theme: Fully Alive

• Next Year’s Theme: To be announced early next year

Be sure to mark the weekend closest to August 9th on your calendar for next year!

During Sunday evening's service in St Joseph's, the small Catholic church, one of the songs that Peet Boshoff played was the beautiful Rhapsody of Rest by Sara Thomsen.

With our love and deep gratitude for belonging to this community.

George & Matilda

Whistle while you work

Drawing by Ron Leishman When last did you whistle while working? When last did you hear someone else whistle while working? Somehow it bothers me that whistling has become an almost absent element in our work. The sound of a person whistling a tune while busy somewhere in the house or out in the workshop conveys something of an underlying happiness, satisfaction and contentment. An enjoyment of the work itself. The tune need not be flawless. Applying more air than sound won’t lead to disqualification, as long as the intention is there. Whistling can even be replaced by singing in all that I’ve said up to now. The same principles apply. The absence of any of these two activities bothers me because it says something about us doing the work and the type of work that we do. Can it be that our type of labour in this 21 st century is not conducive to either whistling or singing? What type of work is that then – draining, stressful, pressured? Or are our conclusions ...

A likely Hero: Jara Cimrman

As Matilda has already indicated, one of the most difficult things to do after you’ve visited a country is to return and convey something of what you’ve experienced. How do you show a city’s many faces, introduce its inhabitants? How do you tell of the effects a history has on people and of a stance towards life that can actually not be translated into words? In the case of Prague, it is very helpful to have someone like Jara Cimrman. ~ ~ v ~ ~ Petrin Hill, on the left bank of the river Vltava running through Prague, is in many ways a site worth visiting. Climbing the 299 steps of the Petrin Tower, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, gives you one of the most beautiful views of the city. But by going down into its basement, you enter into the psyche of the Czech people. Here, quite unobtrusively, is the museum for the “ Genius, who has not become famous ”. Matilda and I almost stumbled onto it by chance and as we went through the exhibition, our amazement over this brilliant ...

You never can tell

This morning I was out in the vegetable garden looking for signs of sprouting cabbage and spinach that we had sown a week ago. Among the weeds, I did find the tiny seedlings pushing through bravely, but I had a surprise coming. The young Zulu gardener drew my attention to an abundance of ready food growing in the ruins of the tiny stone cottage only meters away: Umbido, a type of wild spinach, and a staple food in the rural areas. I grew up with much the same in the northern parts of the country, but called Marogo in the Sotho language. Enter my new helper and friend, Winnie Nkosi. She lives on the edge of the Zaaihoekdam in a traditional mud house with no electricity. Twice a week she walks the four odd kilometres to help me with all things domestic. She has also taken it upon herself to teach me the Zulu language and culture with optimistic determination. The planned lunch menu was immediately ditched in favour of a lesson in local cooking and Winnie showed me the differenc...

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