Tara Rokpa Centre

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Tara Rokpa Centre

A peaceful healing centre, situated in a wooded Marico valley, bounded by perennial streams, and surrounded by rolling hills, on 280 hectares of land.

A peaceful retreat centre, situated in a wooded valley, bounded by perennial streams, and surrounded by rolling hills, on 280 hectares of land.

11/12/2025

Anton Krueger helps to run a Kagyu Buddhist centre in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown). His passion lies in facilitating creativity, improvisation, and mindfulness workshops. A member of Mindfulness Africa, he has presented internationally on Mindfulness and Creativity, sharing his work in China, the USA, India, Sweden, Scotland, and Italy. Anton is also a creative writer and Head of the Department of Literary Studies in English at Rhodes University.

As a writer and scholar of South African literary and performing arts, Anton is an NRF-rated researcher with 27 scholarly articles and more than 100 reviews to his name, covering topics from indigenous dance to the role of mindfulness in the creative process.

From 23 December to 2 January, Anton will be leading a retreat at Tara Rokpa Centre, with shorter stays warmly welcomed.

During this holiday retreat, we’ll explore practices from the Mindfulness-Based Living Course, designed by Rob Nairn and Mindfulness UK, offering a supportive foundation for daily meditation. Together, we’ll also make space for additional practices such as Green Tara and Chenrezig, guided relaxation with Pippa, gentle walks, enquiry sessions, journaling, painting, and even a 5 Rhythms movement experience. There may also be time for swimming and singing around the campfire.

For more info, contact us by email at retreat@tararokpacentre.co.za, WA +27 76 316 0376, or click here for more info: https://tararokpacentre.co.za/event/christmas-new-year-10-day-mindfulness-and-relaxation-retreatish/

09/12/2025

Yesterday we had our annual party for the 32 children of the Rokpa Tirasano Creche. An enjoyable time for all!

A big thanks to the sponsors.

29/11/2025

"The noble intent of the Buddha is the natural arising of compassion and wisdom."

Dónal Creedon, Returning Home, Tara Rokpa Centre, November 2025.

23/11/2025

Beautiful skies over

Photos from Colleen Lee, who has just returned home radiant, after a week's meditation retreat, guided by Dónal Creedon on the Returning Home Meditation retreat.

19/11/2025

An early morning smoke offering to appease the local spirits and to clear away obstacles on the Returning Home retreat with Dónal Creedon.

11/11/2025

✨ Returning Home on Lha Bab Düchen ✨

Today, about 17 brave retreatants are making their way to Tara Rokpa Centre — ready to take their place on a cushion and begin the Returning Home meditation retreat with Dónal Creedon. In total, 27 people will spend from one to three and a half weeks, exploring their minds.

And what a day to begin! It’s Lha Bab Düchen, the Festival of the Descent from Heaven — one of the four great Buddhist festivals marking the most significant events in the life of the Buddha.

This sacred day commemorates the Buddha’s return to Earth after teaching the Dharma to his mother, Mahāmāyādevī, and the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. It’s said that on this day, the power of our actions — positive or negative — is multiplied one hundred million times! 🌕

What better time to start a retreat of reflection, meditation, and kindness?

Here are the first retreatants who arrived this morning at the airport, beginning their journey “home” to Tara Rokpa Centre on this very special day. 💛

May their time on retreat — and all our actions today — be filled with clarity, compassion, and joy. 🙏

03/11/2025

As we prepare to welcome participants to Returning Home, our annual meditation retreat with Dónal Creedon (11 November – 4 December), we thought we’d share this beautiful poem Dónal wrote in December 2018 — a gentle reminder of the simple power of being present.

On Being Present

What does it mean?

To be present to oneself.

To be present,

To the skies and the hills,

And sunlight and shadow,

To bundles of clouds

And turbulent waters

To birds flying by

And the billowing grasses,

To the girl with the child

And the dogs rushing by

To a smile and a frown

And the wind in your hair

To your voice as you speak

And your breath come and go

To your heart drumming softly

And your thoughts as they surge

To your fear as it grabs you

To sitting in stillness

And silence and sound

To stillness in movement

And movement in stillness.

What does it mean to be present?

Now. Now. Now.

TRC December 28, 2018

08/09/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Retreat: Cultivating Equanimity & Gratitude in a Reactive World 🌿

19 to 21 September

“Between the stimulus and the response there is space… and in that space lies our freedom.” – Viktor Frankl

Join us for a nourishing retreat in the Bushveld where we’ll explore how to step off the wheel of constant reactivity and rediscover inner balance, gratitude, and ease. Through mindfulness practices—relaxation, meditation, reflection, gentle yoga, and nature walks—you’ll reconnect with calm, clarity, and presence.

🧘‍♀️ Facilitated by Vera Hey, experienced mindfulness teacher and counsellor, trained under Rob Nairn.

✨ Step into equanimity. Rediscover gratitude. Return to yourself.

For more information, click here: https://tararokpacentre.co.za/event/cultivating-equanimity-and-gratitude-with-vera-hey/

Or email us at retreat@tararokpacentre.co.za, or WhatsApp: +27 76 316 0376.

17/07/2025

A great man once said;

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead." ~ Nelson Mandela

We are looking forward to welcoming people this weekend for the Compassion in Action weekend, where you bring your tools and work clothes, and we provide accommodation and nourishing vegetarian food.

Our visitors will be helping us clear and mark our footpaths and cut back invasive trees.

https://tararokpacentre.co.za/event/mandela-volunteering-weekend-2/

retreat@tararokpacentre.co.za

05/06/2025

🩷 Some pics of while we are on our winter break. The temperature 🌡 is already at - 6° at the moment at night.

Keep a lookout for our updated programme for the second part of the year!

08/05/2025

❤️

Where in the world is everyone? Tag yourself if you were there.

This was a Chenrezik and Thangka painting retreat in December 2004 with Rob Nairn and Angelika Schnabel (now Ani Semchi).

The setting is the incomplete straw bale house - these days it is known as the manager's house.

07/05/2025

Reason #9 for retreating at :

*Digital Detox* - a chance to disconnect from technology and recharge in a digital-free environment.

Address

Rhenosterfontein JP313, Groot Marico
Ditsobotla
2850

Telephone

+27784999927

Website

http://www.tararokpacentre.co.za/

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