TWO EXCITING AND VERY DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS AT FYNBOS

We have thoroughly enjoyed the versatility involved in hosting these two workshops over the last weeks

OfferZen

Cape Town based company OfferZen, which is a marketplace for the hiring of software developers, came to Fynbos to do their year’s planning and to team build. It was a delight to see so many young talented people excited and committed to what they are doing.

Of their company OfferZen says: We are changing the way developers find work in South Africa, and working hard to help improve the developer ecosystem along the way.  We flip the normal recruitment model around, so instead of developers applying for jobs, companies send them interview requests with upfront salary.  We find companies are looking for Frontend and Backend developers, Product owners, DevOps Engineers, Mobile Developers and QA/Test Engineers.  If you are interested in learning more, go to https://www.offerzen.com

And how did they like Fynbos for their event?Apart from numerous oohs! and aahs! from individual participants about the food and the wine, the gardens, the houses and the views, Bianca the coordinator of the event had this to say:Fynbos was an ideal place for our planning and teambuilding workshop. It is beautiful and peaceful with lots of space for the group to do what it needed and wanted to do. There was a large venue for us all and many breakaway spaces. The accommodation was comfortable in lovely houses, the food and wine were excellent and the hosts were very friendly and helpful.

ART OF LIVING YOGA RETREAT

Trusha Lakana came here from Durban once again to run yoga and cleansing retreat.  This is the third time this particular retreat has been here and it was great to witness from a distance the mediations and yoga and the lovely clear laughter that grew day by day as participants went through what was, it seemed, quite a challenging process. As always Vena cooked for the group and made good use of Johan’s HUGE pots to make delicious vegetarian food.

Art of Living is a widespread national and international organisation that offers all kinds of holistic events and retreats throughout the country. You can find out more about them on https://www.artofliving.org/za-en

As always people were so gracious and appreciative or our space and commented on the love and authenticity of Fynbos. This is music to our ears. Sabine who coordinated the retreat gave more formal feedback.

This is a special place and we all know it. The pavilion is a fantastic venue for this work and the views and gardens and pool are beautiful. The houses were excellent and the farmhouse kitchen and verandas wonderful for cooking and for eating. Diana and the fynbos team were accommodating and friendly. There is such a sense of peace here.

FOUR SPIRITUAL RETREATS AT FYNBOS ESTATE

Sri Sri Yoga Level 2 Retreat taught by Trusha Lakhani 

Our first `Art of Living’ retreat was held here in February. Meditation and yoga formed the basis of the retreat with talks and music and home-made food by Vena.

Comment from the facilitator Gerlinda Vassen. It was the perfect place for the retreat and we are so happy to have found Fynbos. We will definitely be back.

More on the Art of living

Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living is an educational humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. The organization operates globally in 152 countries so far touching the lives of over 370 million people
The programs are guided by Sri Sri's philosophy of peace: "Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace." To help individuals get rid of stress and experience inner peace, The Art of Living offers stress-elimination programs which include breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. These programs have helped millions around the world to overcome stress, depression and violent tendencies.
The Art of Living movement has spread peace across communities through diverse humanitarian projects, including conflict resolution, disaster relief, sustainable rural development, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all, and environmental sustainability.

For more information

www.artofliving.org.za

Gerlinde Vassen 

gerlinde@artofliving.org.za  

Tel +27 83 301 3976

Posyden Productions

Weekend Retreat using medicinal plants run by Melisa and Armando

Comments

The feedback from our group is that the space was beautiful, calm and in a beautiful setting and the accommodation very comfortable and clean.  Thank you for making this possible.      Melisa

Mad Hatters Gathering

About Mad Hatters

The Mad Hatters is a South African based group which brings ~ Vision Quests and Sacred ceremonies back into our modern culture.”  We gather to hold sacred plant ceremonies, in the spirit of reviving rites of passage and sacred ceremonial practices. We have met up at Fynbos Wine Estate quite a few times

www.madhatterscommunity.co.za   

outofbodyguide@gmail.com

Comments

Fynbos is a purely beautiful and perfect space for our ceremonies. The environment is healing and uplifting, and it is a privilege to wake up and have the views that we do after conducting a ceremony.

Nathan Raaths, Reagan Warner

Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Retreat

For more pics of the retreat see http://bit.ly/2nrPFjj

More about the Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Centre

This is a Mahanyana Buddhist school offering introductory meditation classes suitable for both beginners and those with some knowledge. The hour and half classes included guided meditation, practical advice on how to use meditation in daily life and questions and answer sessions.

Contacts

meditateincapetown.org

rondeboschkadampa@gmail.com

info@meditateincapetown.org

Comments

The Rest & Reflect Meditation Retreat we held at Fynbos was our first event there and we were all really delighted with the outcome. It is conveniently located, only an hour from Cape Town, yet it feels far removed from the busyness of modern life. The chapel proved to be a suitably cool and quiet venue for the meditation sessions. The retreatants also enjoyed the beautiful scenic walks into the nature reserve and the opportunities to take a dip in the lovely pool. We felt really welcomed in the nurturing and caring atmosphere at Fynbos and we are looking forward to hosting another event there soon!

Love, Pagpa

Shambhala Art Retreat

We hosted another wonderful Shambhala retreat – maybe the 8^th or so held here so far. This time it was an art retreat and as such had quite a different feel to the usual retreats. Mary Anne Botha, with assistance from Andras Hajdu, ran the retreat. The week-long program drew from the teachings on the creative process developed by Tibetan meditation teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the founder of Shambhala Buddhism

This is how Mary Anne described the retreat.

To artist or non-artist, the creative process often seems mysterious and magical. As a training Shambhala Art explores making art from the viewpoint of a meditative discipline.

Working with this training as a group on retreat together, we discovered that if we were not too eager to prove something we could welcome the open space of not knowing, of playing.

And when inspiration arose out of that space, we dared to make a stroke, to make a sound, or position an object - with awareness and precision. 

And from Andrew Putter:

 "By giving us the opportunity to work in a wide variety of art forms – including acting, singing, writing, calligraphy and object arranging – and coupling perceptual and expressive exercises with meditation, study and contemplation – teachers Mary Anne Botha and Andras Hajdu skilfully introduced us to artistic expression as a potential path of awakening.

The trick is to use the artmaking process – no matter what you’re making – as a support to bring you back to the vividness and spaciousness of the present moment… in this way, it’s no different to meditation."

Those interested in Shambhala Buddhism the following may be of interest.

SHAMBHALA takes its name from a legendary kingdom famous for being an enlightened society. Today, the global Shambhala network brings together people of all ages and from all walks of life who are interested in exploring our own minds, transforming our experience, and awakening our potential for enlightened society.

Shambhala is based on trust in human dignity. We offer a path of meditation practice and contemplative arts oriented towards modern life. Our communities around the world cultivate kindness, bravery, and genuine dialogue.  Our vision is to inspire compassionate, sustainable, and just human societies.

And to find out about Shambhala South Africa can go to on shambhala.org , and by following the Cape Town group on capetown.shambhala.info

Feedback to Fynbos Estate

Thought I’d share some of the comments that came back from the Shambhala Meditation and Art Retreat evaluation sheet question 

“How suitable was the venue?” . You scored 46 out of a possible 50!

• 5 out of 5! Perfect! Wonderful!
• Wonderful venue and farm environment, super food and great hosts at Fynbos Mountain Estate
• As venues go this is right up there!
• Beautiful Place, wonderful hosts
• Beautiful, generous, unpretentious
• Very conducive, relaxing, connecting to nature, good food, pleasant sleeping arrangements created a good ambience
• The venue is intimate, comfortable, beautiful, and restful and the food is delicious. And it is conveniently close to Cape Town.
• glad we were not in the pavilion given the weather and the flies
• improvements such as better ventilation and lighting can be made in some of the bedrooms

The eagle flies off the grid

  

Black Eagle, our latest house is up and running. Named for the Verreaux Eagle found on this part of the Paardeberg, this house is highest up the valley, has gorgeous views of Joubertskloof in both directions, and has internal spaces that soar skyward.  With 4 large en suite double rooms (some with an extra bed), Eagle is designed for getaways, small retreats and workshops.

Off the grid

A special feature of the house is its energy conservation. With double glazing and insulation of ceilings, floors and external walls, this house stays at a constant mild temperature all year round. And its 36 solar panels and two large solar geysers mean that it is entirely off the grid with energy to spare.

WORKSHOPS, RETREATS AND WINE TASTINGS

Here are some of the many different workshops, retreats and wine-tastings that have happened at Fynbos over the last few months. We are delighted at so many happy, well fed (and on occasion, well-wined) participants.

Shambhala Buddhism 9 day retreat

This was their yearly retreat here. And they are back early next year if anyone is keen to participate (see link below).

 

Comments

Shambhala never fails to attract a beautiful variety of people. This well-attended retreat was no different. The aspirant heart warriors came from all over the country - and beyond - and represented the unique diversity of this land. On this occasion commonly inspired by the prospect of contributing to a borderless Enlightened Society of the Kingdom of Shambhala. And if that sounds like too lofty or esoteric an ideal, we practised it every day, walking through the vineyards together, eating local food, and sipping tea together on the stoep - SA style. 

The week at Fynbos Estate, felt like being home. The magical surroundings under the Dragon Ridge, the wonderful home cooked food, and the warmth of our hosts Diana and Johan, consummated the occasion with abundant grace.  

Shambhala Training Levels I-III 

https://capetown.shambhala.info/

University of Stellenbosch Music Department writing retreat

Comments

The writing retreat at Fynbos Estate with senior graduate students and postdoctoral fellows has been a long time a coming. For many years I have looked to find a place – not too far from Stellenbosch or Cape Town – where a group of us could spend time together writing, reading, discussing, relaxing, cooking and eating together in beautiful and tranquil surroundings. The Farm House and Owl Cottage more than met with our expectations. The house provided ample rooms and tables where we could meet in small groups and discuss work, the beautiful gardens had benches and tables where individuals could withdraw and focus for a morning or an afternoon on completing a section of writing, and the entire group could gather in the evening before dinner around the fire in the lounge to discuss the progress and issues relating to a particular piece of work or study. The space was big enough to allow privacy and alone time, and intimate enough to facilitate good conversations and a spirit of togetherness. The kitchen was very well equipped and we had some memorable meals with some of the left-over tasting wines of the estate, which are excellent. And those gifted bottles of wine from the tasting room speak of something else: the generosity and hospitality of Fynbos Estate that made our stay so unforgettable. A piece of the farm will be in each of the theses and dissertations that were discussed and worked at during our week there. And I know the retreat will be a cherished memory for everyone who attended the retreat. Speaking for myself: I look forward to bringing the next cohort of young academics to Fynbos Estate soon.

Prof. Stephanus Muller, Africa Open – Institute for Music, Research and Innovation, Stellenbosch University.

Biodanza retreat

This was the third Biodanza retreat held at Fynbos, and as always we enjoyed having this lovely bunch of people here on the farm  

Comments

We all give a hearty thumbs up to you guys and to your beautiful place. Thumbs up to the accommodation, thumbs up to the food and wine, and thumbs up to the energy and peace of the farm. We hope that we can organise more Biodanza retreats at Fynbos in the future.

Facilitator (Shumi) and group.

http://www.biodanza.co.za/contact/

Engine Room international workshop Engine Room international workshop

The NGO `Engine Room’ has supported more than 200 organisations all over the globe to accelerate social change through the use of data and Technology

Comments

I think I can speak for the whole group when I say this has been an

exceptional experience for all of us. Your place, your kindness and

your responsiveness have made this workshop a blast for everyone and

our guests all had a wonderful time at Fynbos.

Can't express how thankful we all are, we will most definitely keep

coming back to your place!

Julia Kaseru

Facilitator

Everyone was thrilled with the whole experience.

Your support from start to finish was amazing and hugely appreciated. We will definitely be recommending you and the venue to friends and colleagues :)

Anneke Victoria

Human Resources Director

The Engine Room |

 https://www.theengineroom.org

Lise Marie and friends: food wine-tasting and laughter

Comments

How much we wanted to experience it all over again, and how thankful we are.

Gerda Lise and friends

Norwegian tour

A large group of Norwegians tourists once again enjoyed two nights at Fynbos.

Comments

On behalf of the Norwegian group, I would like to say thanks very much for the wonderful stay at Fynbos Estate last week. We enjoyed it all: the stunning location, the good “vibrations”, the excellent wines and food – and, last but not least, the warm and friendly welcome by you and the entire staff.

It was also very interesting to learn more about the ideas, philosophy and reality behind running such a rewarding and demanding project.

John and I are looking forward to visiting you with yet another group next time, next year, hopefully.

Warm regards to all,

Anne-Marie and John

Nathan’s Vision Quest Retreats

Comments

Thank you for a wonderful stay, beautiful venue and sincere hospitality 

Nathan Raaths.

outofbodyguide@gmail.com

`Unwined’ wine tasting and lunch

Comments

On behalf of our wine club ‘Unwined’, I would like to thank you for the most enjoyable wine tasting and lunch on 11 June 2016. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and we appreciate all the effort you went to, to make it a day to remember!

Thanks to Gail too for all the organizing.

Claire and Clive Lake for Unwined

Wonderful retreats at Fynbos

 For comments & photos of retreats click here

SHAMBHALA MEDITATION RETREAT

SHAMBHALA MEDITATION RETREAT

April 22nd—April 29th

Limited spaces are available for a week-long residential meditation retreat, located a little over an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Our director is Jennifer Woodhull, a veteran meditation teacher who has led retreats for many years under the supervision of her close teacher, Pema Chödrön.

This rich retreat provides beginners with an excellent introduction to the view and practice of meditation, while seasoned meditators will enjoy the opportunity to reinvigorate their practice.  

The retreat venue is the idyllic Fynbos Estate, a lovely wine farm and nature reserve nestled in the Paardeberg Mountains. Accommodation is in a beautiful old farm house, complete with high ceilings, wooden floors and huge sash windows. The food at Fynbos is legendary, and prepared for us fresh each day by chef Johan Simons. Space is limited and room choices tend to go quickly, so please book early.

                                                          

This retreat serves to introduce Shambhala Training (Training Levels I, II and III), a progressive meditation training programme developed in the 1970s and road tested since then at more than 200 centres worldwide. Presented as a series of five weekend levels, the training comprises in-depth meditation instruction, one-on-one meetings with a qualified instructor, plenty of meditation practice, and inspiring teachings designed to bring the practice of mindfulness into every aspect of everyday life. Graduates will be eligible to attend Level IV anywhere in the world.

To find out more, please contact

Michal George 084 900 0237

Please click here for more details and to register