Wake up feeling refreshed. Hear nothing but birdsong while you get dressed. Savour the peace of the morning as the sun gently drapes its warmth over everything it touches, and make your way to the refectory and eat breakfast in silence.
Wake up feeling refreshed. Hear nothing but birdsong while you get dressed. Savour the peace of the morning as the sun gently drapes its warmth over everything it touches, and make your way to the refectory and eat breakfast in silence.
I never thought I’d enjoy meals without conversation, but a recent retreat at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery changed my mind. Besides allowing me to fully appreciate the delicious soups, home-made bread and other offerings from the monastery kitchen, I found eating two meals a day in silence allowed one to focus on why you’re on the retreat, and not feel obliged to make small talk.
In between talks and other sessions over the weekend, people on retreat staying in the Hillandale Guest House (that can sleep up to 24 people in 17 rooms) had free time to relax and explore the 50-hectare property.
One half-hour walking trail led me to find panoramic views of the surrounding valleys, a labyrinth and a pleasant amount of uphill to get plenty of fresh air into my lungs. Every inch of the grounds felt peaceful, the silence interrupted only by bird calls and other sounds of nature.
Brother Daniel Ludik, one of the six Benedictine monks living there, says they receive visits from a pair of resident fish eagles on the neighbouring property, long crested eagles and other raptors. “We have the paradise flycatchers, brown hooded kingfisher, the malachite sunbird, a resident pair of Knysna and purple-crested loeries; too many to name.”
Anyone is welcome to come for a stroll to clear the mind, or talk to one of the brothers if in need, he says. Visitors are also welcome to join in the five daily church services. See www.umaria.co.za for times.
Guest facilities mainly focus on group and individual retreats, “but not necessarily church related”, Brother Daniel pointed out. For example, the retreat I attended was about lucid dreaming. “The short answer is that everyone is welcome… children are certainly welcome to accompany their parents/guardians,” he said.
Besides dedicating much of their lives to prayer, the monks are also passionate about education and officially opened the Holy Cross School last February. The foundation phase school near the monastery caters for farm labourers’ children in the area from grades R to 3.
The standard rate for the Hillandale Guest House – there are in fact three – is R380 per person per night, including all meals, teas and home-made biscuits. “Important is that since this is a retreat centre, there are no TVs, since the emphasis is always on silence. We also discourage the use of cellphones and do not allow them in either the church or the refectory,” Brother Daniel said.
Prospective retreat participants should also keep in mind that the monks have their Sabbath on Mondays. The guest house closes on Sunday afternoons and reopens on Tuesday mornings.
Who to contact
Visit the website, www.umaria.co.za/guesthouse, call the guest house at 046 622 8111 or email guesthouse@umaria.co.za to ask about accommodation and retreat requirements. They also have a little shop where one can buy delicious monk-made jams, preserves, prayer shawls, books, drawings and rosaries.
Directions
From Beaufort Street get on to the N2 towards PE. After about 3.5km turn right on to Rautenbach Road. Instead of driving through the Industrial Area turn left before the railway line and drive through a eucalyptus avenue until you reach a dirt road. Drive about 3.5km. On your left is the Holy Cross school. Beyond it is the road to the monastery.
