Me in inner child mode, discovering the berries of the cotoneasters. Photograph by Sonja Hindley When Hanna used words like curiosity, openness, an attitude of wonder and humility to unlock the door to contemplative photography, my inner child sat up and took notice. Somehow, even though I've done my bit of reading up on the subject, I didn't make the connection. In anticipating my first hands-on encounter with contemplative photography during our weekend retreat, I imagined myself sitting somewhere very beautiful, keeping very still and being very serious as every now and again I serenely lift my camera to capture a very tranquil scene. Not so. We were invited to play! And so I did. Trying to keep in mind to wait for the image to be given rather than trying to capture or take or shoot one. How aggressive that sounds! I frolicked to my heart's content. Through my camera I witnessed the sun rising and painting everything in shades of red and gold, discovered the ...
The Restory is a Retreat Centre nestled against Tafelkop, a singular mountain head near Wakkerstroom, South Africa. Here we live a simple life as contemplatives. It is a place of re-connection: with ourselves, people, Nature, Silence and Creativity. Our retreats are aimed at this. Our conversations, writing and art centre around the univocity of life. We need a place that reminds us that we are all one. The Restory hopes to be such a place and space.