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This past weekend’s Work Retreat was deeply heartening. Friends of Emoyeni, alongside some new faces, came together with generosity and good spirit to tend the gardens, refresh guest rooms, clean walls and take on the demanding work of removing invasive lantana – much of it under a hot summer sun. A great deal was accomplished, and we feel sincerely grateful for the care, effort and quiet camaraderie that shaped the weekend. Beyond the visible work, there was a shared sense of belonging – a recognition of Emoyeni as a place worth caring for, a place to pause and restore, and to gently marinate in the sights, sounds, scents and sensations of the surrounding bushveld. Thanks to Maren [below] for leading the retreat so effortlessly.
For those who feel drawn to return – or to experience Emoyeni for the first time – our Open Weekends (23–25 Jan & 6–8 Feb) offer a quieter, self-directed way to spend time at the centre. These weekends provide space to slow down, rest in silence, and to follow your own rhythm of meditation, reflection and time outdoors. With the meditation hall open day and night, access to the library and labyrinth, and the surrounding Magaliesberg landscape to explore, Open Weekends invite a gentle return to the simple nourishment of unstructured practice.
Going forward, we are especially looking ahead to our Pema Chödrön–inspired retreat (30 Jan–1 Feb), which offers a gentle and practical invitation to relate more honestly to difficulty, uncertainty and everyday experience. Alongside this, we are pleased to include Biodanza – Dancing with Life, led by Gabriel Mizan, a long-time Biodanza practitioner and facilitator. This retreat offers an embodied, relational exploration of connection, vitality and belonging through music and movement, complementing our contemplative offerings in a different but deeply resonant way. The months ahead also include teacher-led retreats rooted in Tibetan and Theravāda lineages with Khenpo Jamyang Gompo and Ajahn Sucitto. While our retreats draw on Buddhist traditions, the emphasis throughout is on direct, experiential exploration rather than belief or doctrine. Each retreat offers its own doorway into slowing down, reconnecting and returning to simple, grounded presence.
Check out our website for more information. And contact us to check availablity prior to making your booking.
Join our free online meditation sessions on Zoom, which are a great way to keep your practice alive. Join these bi-weekly mediations by clicking on this Zoom link.
Mondays: 19:30–20:00
Wednesdays: 19:30–20:30 (+ extra 30 mins for discussion)
“Start where you are!”
– A Pema Chödrön–inspired retreat
MERVYN CROFT
Weekend: 30 January–1 February
Standard Rate: R2,280 (shared b/room) | R2,740 (en-suite)
Generous Rate: R2,820 (shared b/room) | R3,380 (en-suite)
The New Year often arrives with pressure to resolve, improve or reinvent ourselves. This retreat offers a gentler alternative – starting exactly where you are. Over this weekend, Pema Chödrön’s work will inform guided meditations, mindful walks in nature and shared reflection – simple, grounded practices that will continue to support your daily life long after the retreat ends.
Weekends: 23–25 January, 6–8 February
Standard Rate: R1,820 (shared b/room) | R2,160 (en-suite)
Generous Rate: R2,420 (shared b/room) | R2,760 (en-suite)
Open Weekends are self-directed retreats where you can use the time for quiet reflection and personal practice. Starting on Fridays, with a light supper at 18h30, open weekends end on Sundays, after lunch served at 12h30. The meditation hall is open day and night, and guests are welcome to use the library, walk the labyrinth or explore the surrounding Magaliesberg landscape.
Ven. KHENPO JAMYANG GOMPO
Weekend: 13-15 February
Standard Rate: R2,280 (shared b/room) | R2,740 (en-suite)
Generous Rate: R2,840 (shared b/room) | R3,380 (en-suite)We all wish to have happiness and to avoid the uncomfortable feelings that seem to dominate our daily lives – feelings of dissatisfaction, unease and anxiety, as well as our agitation with loved ones and anger towards others. It is moments like these that create uncertainty and a feeling of helplessness. Khenpo will gently guide participants to a deeper understanding of how these emotions arise and how we can find a sense of meaning and purpose in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
On the move
– Finding a steady centre to our lives
AJAHN SUCITTO
Monday 23 February–Sunday 1 March 1 (6 days)
Standard Rate: R7,340 (shared b/room) | R8,720 (en-suite)
Generous Rate: R9,020 (shared b/room) | R1,0640 (en-suite)
Teacher’s Dāna: R400–R2,000, as per your ability to be generous
Life is passage, whether this refers to the process of ageing, going through life-scenarios, progressing in a career or committing to a spiritual ‘path’. We are in movement and, in some sense, we *are* the movement of our pulses, our breathing and our hearts and minds. How does this fit in with the search for stillness? And how can the desire that gets us going arrive at fulfilment and the freedom from craving? During this retreat, we will attune to balance through entering and exploring movement of body, heart and mind via a blend of meditation, qi gong and chanting. Prior experience of silent meditation retreats and the ability to peacefully coexist in a retreat situation is strongly recommended.
Biodanza
– Dancing with Life
GABRIEL MIZAN
Weekend of 6–8 March 2026
Standard Rate: R2,280 (shared b/room) | R2,840 (en-suite)
Generous Rate: R2,840 (sharedb/room) | R3,380 (en-suite)
Biodanza (commonly translated as ‘dance of life’) is a unique type of conscious dance that involves music, movement and emotion. It was developed in South America by Rolando Toro, who drew on his knowledge of art, poetry, mythology, psychiatry and musical semantics to create this extraordinary art form that is now practised in over 20 countries. There are no steps – but it is not just free dancing: every dance has purpose, with the sequence of dances structured in a particular way. Biodanza can be practised at any age and at any level of fitness.
In this retreat we will have three Vivencias (Biodanza sessions). In the first session (Coming Home), we connect through movement and music with a felt-sense of coming home – to our bodies, our community and our human experience. In the second session (Sacred Earth), we reconnect with Mother Earth, heeding to her silent message. In the third Vivencia (Wonderful World), we explore the various ways in which beauty is present in our lives.
25th Anniversary Fundraiser
& other contributions
We really need to upgrade our geysers systems in our two off-grid houses – Zinya and Aloe House. Our target is to raise R50,000. So far, around R20,000 has been pledged – R30,000 to go! The maintenance of our accommodation facilities is a central priority – and your help would be highly valued. Any financial contributions, however small, would be much appreciated. If you are able to support us financially in this way, please deposit your contribution directly into our bank account. Click here for our banking details, and please include our reference as Fundraiser25 so we can identify and allocate your contribution. We thank you wholeheartedly for your support – and we very much appreciate the contributions we have already received.
Alongside the 25th Anniversary Fundraiser , we are also setting a mid-term intention to upgrade rooms and bathrooms across the centre. These improvements will help us care for the spaces that hold retreat life, while keeping Emoyeni simple and welcoming. This work, too, depends on the support of our community. If you feel able to help in practical or creative ways – for example by ‘adopting a room’, contributing materials such as paint, or getting in touch to discuss how you might assist – we would love to hear from you.
Looking forward to seeing you soon at Emoyeni!
The Emoyeni Team