The Restory Retreat Centre

Photos by George Angus    Welsh poet John O'Donohue spoke of the earthern wisdom possessed by the animals we share this earth with.  “The animals are more ancient than us. They enjoy a seamless presence—a lyrical unity with the earth. Animals live outside in the wind, in the waters, in the mountains, and in the clay. The knowing of the earth is in them.”  When we become more sensitive and attuned to them, through presence, awareness, listening and looking, by deflating our self-importance, we enter into their state of knowing. O'Donohue referred to this state of shared awareness and being as “interflow” . What I do know is that we are mostly missing out through the lives we live. George  

The road leading to Barrowfield. Photograph by Ralie du Preez At one stage, while renovating our bathroom, we had no bath, basin or shower. After a day’s work we took our toiletries, went over to Johan and Debbie, our neighbours, and cleaned up. One evening I washed myself in a bucket under the stars. For outsiders it might have looked as if everything was in a shambles with little hope of a decent result or at least a returning order. All we needed was a sign reading, “Under Construction”.  Spiritually I have use for such a sign as well. I am under construction. For years now, I haven’t found nourishment in business as usual where religion was concerned. All the traditional pillars that held that roof in place became stumbling blocks for me instead. I experienced it as being: - sentimental, - fear-based,  - rooted in a sense of merit despite the lip service given to terms like grace and the love of God,  - sepa...