Solitude in South Africa

re·treat  /riˈtrēt/

Verb     (of an army) Withdraw from enemy forces as a result of their superior power or after a defeat

Noun     An act of moving back or withdrawing

After months of numerous life changes, cross-country/cross-continental moves, and excitement-filled adventures, I needed to step back from the whirlwind. I retreated to Ha phororo, a Sotho name meaning "the place of the waterfall" for the weekend, seeking renewal and refreshment in its waters through reflection and prayer.

This youth retreat community sits near the Magaliesberg mountains, overseeing the Hartbeespoort dam. It is an ecumenical center with a foundation rooted in the Catholic Church. What made this community so unique and beautiful was the obvious influences of various religions, cultures and philosophies. For example, take the Izolwana Garden of Tranquility- a Zen garden, traditionally intended to aid meditation about the true meaning of life.

"In the East, the raking of a sand garden is a way of life. Calming and soothing, a pattern between the rick islands emerges and stress and anxiety flee. So rake a while, and take home a little tranquility from this place."

 The garden set against the Magaliesberg Mountains, which are among the oldest mountains in the world. It's almost 100 times older than Everest.

A wooden chair with carved images of elephants and game animals. Beautiful interwoven elements of African and Japanese culture.

Labyrinths are an ancient form of body prayer and can be found on all continents and in all religions. There are three labyrinths here, a Native American, a cosmic walk, and another similar to the most famous labyrinth set into the stone floors in the nave of Chartres Cathedral in France.

It was my first time meditating in this form, and I found it surprisingly calming. There are three things I'm supposed to keep in mind while walking- release, receive and integrate. I found myself letting go of my preoccupations and really stopped thinking. Meditation has always been a challenge in that respect for me, as I have found it hard to just clear my mind of all thoughts. But the rhythm of walking around in circles and hearing the rocks crunch beneath my feet did the trick. As I continued walking, I tried to be aware of the present moment and enjoy the beauty of my surroundings. 

 I finally reached the center, where I reflected on a text. 

Friday evening began with a Jewish ceremony of prayer and blessing over wine to celebrate the opening of Sabbath. Taking part in Kiddush for the first time was very special and helped me better understand what Jesus was probably doing on a Friday evening. We closed the Sabbath on Saturday evening and proceeded on a light meditation through the darkness to the bush chapel. On Sunday, it was amazing to take part in Taize prayer-African style. Taize is a religious community founded in France during the WWII, borne out of the desire to show that members of various churches, nations, and races can live together harmoniously. Taize has spread all over the world through its meditative music, in which shorts songs of a few verses are repeated again and again in prayer. 

We closed the weekend with a truly awesome Mass, where all God's creatures were welcomed (the dogs were very well behaved), and chants and song were in English, French, Zulu, Sotho, Hebrew, and Latin. It was a beautiful way to end the weekend. Ha phororo is definitely one of my favorite places so far in SA.