The Restory Retreat Centre

I Am Not What Happened To Me   The Conversation Elements From The Conversation Music We bow.... before your bravery and before who you are in essence. With our love. George & Matilda  

  Healing In Wounds "The Prodigal Son" Drawing by Charlie Mackesy “I’m going back to my father.  I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you;  I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’  He got right up and went home to his father.  When he was still a long way off,  his father saw him.  His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him.” ‭‭                                                                                                                    Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭(The Message)‬‬ The Conversation Elements From The Conversation The surpris...

Whipping up a batch of lavender hand cream in a  self made mixing bowl. Photo by Matilda I love Herbs. Nearly as much, or most likely just as much as I like Clay. They are after all, each their own person, deserving of my love and attention. For now though, with no dedicated studio space to spend time with Clay, my creative liaison is with Herbs and we enjoy many a pleasant hour together in the kitchen and garden. Even so, clay and herbs are of the same earth that speaks deeply to my soul. Both tactile, versatile, sensuous and alive with sun drenched energy, they lift my spirit in no time. I read that our sense of smell plays an important part in our emotional well being. Fragrance travels via our olfactory nerves directly to the area in our brain that deals with emotions. I just have to think of the nostalgia that surges through me when I smell pancakes with cinnamon to know this is true. I do believe that the fragrance of the rose geranium speaks directly to my creative ce...

Exploring the Enneagram through Art (final) Peacemakers, optimists, reconcilers, comforters are all Signatures of this gentle type, Their basic desire is to maintain inner stability and peace of mind but fear loss and separation and translate their inner harmony to those around them. Nines believe that they are okay when those around them are okay. Because it is impossible to meet everybody’s needs to create perfect harmony, Nines often numb out by denial, creating a fantasy world or adjusting to whatever life and others present to them. They avoid conflict at all costs and may come across as being emotionally distant or lazy. Being out of touch with what it is that they really want they are not self- assertive and may live life vicariously through others. Their essence emerges through engaging with life and experiencing that they have something important to contribute. They become dynamic joyful people, working for peace and healing their world. The laid-back , almos...

We have a beautiful phrase in Afrikaans: om tot verhaal te kom. If you had a very difficult time, or had a crisis or an illness that caught you off guard and disrupted your life and now, gradually, things are returning to normal, that phrase is often used. Someone will ask: “How are you doing?” And you’ll say: “I am not over it yet but at least I’m busy om tot verhaal te kom .(I am busy regaining my strength, I’m busy regaining my balance).” I think that in order to become whole and integrated again, to regain our overall balance in life ( om tot verhaal te kom ) it is important to move in this case from the figure of speech to the literal sense. It is important for us om tot verhaal te kom. It is important to return to stories, to create a space for them and invite them into our lives. Constantly. Stories heal. If there is a people who understand and apply this, it is the Jews. Some of the deepest, most beautiful stories are found in the Jewish tradition. Maybe because they ...