THE RISE OF BUDDHISM IN SOUTH AFRICA, RETREAT CENTRE IXOPO AND ITS STUPA.
The goal of my 5-day road trip through South Africa was the Buddhist Retreat Centre in remote location near Ixopo. The plan was to drop my friend there and spend few days in this tranquil place, before I will fly out to Munich. Starting from Cape Town, after trip full of adventures and amazing landscapes we have reached our destination.
The entrance
Ixopo is a village surveyed in 1878. Initially called Stuartstown it is located in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The current name in Zulu resembles the sound of cattle squelching through mud.
Driving on R56 through the town, we have found ourselves in a very unique area, located on a ridge overlooking the Umkomaas River. Rolling hills and indigenous valleys, with the long spiritual tradition.
The valley
The retreat centre belongs to the Van Loon family and it opened its doors in 1980 after four years of development. It was awarded by Nelson Mandela with National Heritage status.
It is a 125 hectares property that accommodates up to thirty-eight participants.
This exquisite scenery allows people to enjoy contemplation and meditation.
Here, the guests are able to choose, in which way they will spend their time. Three main programs are; Day Visits, Self Retreats and being part of Conducted Retreats with regular meditation sessions every day.
way to the stupa
Buddhist retreat centre hosts on its grounds, 5m big Buddha, Zen gardens, labyrinth, Buddhist shrine, Buddhaboma- round outdoor pavilion for meditation, chalets and lodges. But the highlight, is the stupa, one of the oldest structures on the farm.
The Stupa
Buddha statue
Labyrinth
Stupas, the architectural mound like structures.
In the times before Buddha Shakyamuni, tumuli were used as a tombs of rich and important figures, these were usually high mounds put up against tree trunks.
Later the forms changed and so did their function. Their meaning as tombs became secondary, and was superseded by a sophisticated symbolism immanent in every fragment of the building.
Stupas symbolize Buddha's Teachings and His enlightened body, also inscribed into the building's shape- which reflects the energetic map of the body and the mandala. It contains the basic elements of earth, water, fire and air.
Also outside religion they adopt many roles. Some serve as protection for travellers or signposts, though most of them are vote offerings.
I was told that the stupa at the retreat centre is not filled with any relicts.
The Stupa in Ixopo
In
The Buddhist stupa in Zürich
South Africa there are many forms of Buddhist traditions.
The first Buddhist and Hindu groups that occurred in south Africa were the people from Southeast Asia brought to Cape Colony in the 1680s. In the 19th century groups of indentured labourers from India were brought to Natal.
Since 1970s many groups rapidly increased in numbers in the major cities. Since 1980 distinct Buddhist tradition, mainly Theravada, Tibetan schools, Zen, Nichirchen were proliferating.
At the moment, most Buddhists in South Africa are converts.
The shrine in Ixopo
Luis Van Loon described the Centre as a Buddhist "kindergarten" and called it Basic Buddhism, that gently brings the non-Buddhist world into a Buddhist context. It serves as a gateway, caters to people who are just vaguely interested in Buddhism, by incorporating of practices from other religious traditions and bringing in different teachers and has played a major role in popularising Buddhism in South Africa.
It is a great refuge for people who want to take a break from their busy life and refresh.
The gompa
Buddhist robes
One of the Buddhist Retreat Centre activities is also local community care and support. It has founded The Woza Moya community-based non government organisation providing Social upliftment.
The foundation gives employment to about twenty Zulu people in the area, and provides help throughout Kwazulu-Natal Province to most disadvantaged communities. It serves:
Child and Youth Care, Early Childhood Development, Home-based Care, Paralegal Services, Food Security, Youth and Social Media, empowering the women especially during the devastating impact of HIV/Aids.
King protea in Ixopo
*Photographs taken by @highonthehog
*Other sources : linked below photographs.
Ixopo: The Evolution of a South African Buddhist Centre, Michel Clasquin, 2017
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265011951_Ixopo_The_Evolution_of_a_South_African_Buddhist_Centre
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As far as I can see, this is a picture of the Buddha Statue in the Europe Center in Immenstadt, Bavaria, Germany.
Are you a student of this center or do you know the photographer?
There are only a few statues of this kind, distributed on special places. I know the team who build the statue.
What is your connection to this picture?
I made it , pm me if you want to ask more questions ;)
It's amazing, and very calm place. You give us some spiritual experience through this post. I just excited to clear my mind and doing contemplation.
happy to hear this , it's a special place even when one does not feel like meditating, just nice to chill for few days.
Great, thank you for sharing.
thanks for reading :)
Wow, nie wiedziałem że praktykujesz! Cudne miejsce na odosobnienie
ano! nie za dlugo ale to byl intensywny czas, prowadzacy do wielu znaczacych zmian zyciowych :)
Sounds like a great experience to get to know the religion and the culture better. Which program did you do and what is your impression about the program? I imagine it to be really calming.
I actually went there two times ; D Second time , I have dropped my friend off and stayed for 3 days- decided to do my own practice. He was there for over a month and was taking part in some guided meditations apart of his own practice. It's an amazing place whatever you decide to do , they have interesting program, though for me it was a bit too general, in his opinion too.
Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing! It’s the first time I heard about this Buddhist Retreat Centre here in South Africa.
I learned about it from a book of a Danish Lama and just by chance went there , never regret it ;)
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Hiya, just swinging by to let you know that this post made the Honorable mentions list in today's #TravelDigest!
thanks. ;)
Wow, that is super interesting, I had no idea there was Buddhism in South Africa as early as the 17th century!
it was and it is still a cultural boiling pot.