The Restory Retreat Centre

  Love and Sorrow The Restory's program this week largely reflects the larger Easter themes. Over Easter weekend, starting on Thursday, the exceptional Pippa Jarvis from Embrace Village is hosting an Expressions of Loss retreat here with us, with the  focus on mourning. Others' stories of loss and grief unfold our humanity and touch us, precisely because recognition and compassion are part of the process. Over the 5 days that it lasts, we reflect on elements of the grieving process during the prayer times in the morning and evening, which beautifully connect with and give new meaning to the themes of Easter. The opening and closing prayers at the beginning and end of the times of silence, are the lines from a poem or other literature that highlight the theme of that day: Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday Easter Sunday Easter Monday On the last day of the retreat, we return to the prayers of the first day.   Before the start of the retreat, with us being alone here at Ta...

Eylene and Christopher built their wood cabin on an undeveloped piece of land that still have to be tamed. They are pioneering it with no water or electricity  Leon and Deidré converted an old cottage on the farm to suit their needs, while farming full time under harsh conditions. And then, one day, they are grown. With no real need of me. Busy building lives, houses, careers. Working on important relationships which do not include parental ones. I visit in homes where they do things their way. I listen to conversations where I am not included. In their lives they've had more than their piece of my mind, I'm sure. It is hard for me to find my balance on this tightrope they are unaware of. Yet, I look at what they are trying so very hard to do: finding their own feet, doing what they know or love best, following their instincts, as I so hoped they would. And I stand amazed and proud. They are grown and independent of me. Someone once told me tha...

On a glorious spring morning I’m driving on the dirt road down to the creek. On my way to town, I’m in no hurry. All around me are signs of spring – the sprinklers irrigate the crops in a silver spray, tender leaves and shoots can be seen in the trees. It therefore almost seems appropriate, although somewhat strange for this time of day, that the hare appears from nowhere and runs a few metres ahead of me in the road. There isn’t much of a possibility that he can turn left or right from the road because of the fences on either side. It forms a sort of passageway for me and my guide running ahead. Down at the creek though, it opens up and the hare can go into the veldt in all directions. So on this beautiful morning I’m driving to town with a hare ahead of me – a convoy of creation in harmony. There are sheep in the pastures next to the road and down in the creek a herd of cattle is grazing leisurely. And as I am driving down to the creek, the hare a few metres in front of...