佛 光 山 南 華 寺
Fo Guang Shan - Nan Hua Temple
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All the retreat lasts from Saturday morning to Sunday lunchtime.
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The retreat is a practice for Buddhism in the form of meditation. The teaching of Dharma is to enlighten and improve oneself, therefore; it is something we cannot put a price on. All charges are for accommodation and meals only.
Retreat Costs:
Level 1 and Level 2: Accommodation Option (see below)
Flower & Ch’an, and Fooditation: Accommodation Option + R400 material ingredient fee
Accommodation Options:
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R600 per person (SHARED) – Chalet shared by 4 people of the same gender: 2 rooms, 4 beds &
2 bathrooms -
R800 per person (TWIN) – Chalet shared by 2 people of the same gender: 2 separate rooms,
Room 1 with en-suite bedroom or Room 2 with adjoining shower -
R1000 per person (PRIVATE) – A single chalet for 1 person
Nan Hua Temple's meditation retreat requires male and female participants to stay in separate rooms, even as a couple, to support personal growth and self-development.
Booking Policy
1. All bookings are done on a ‘first come first serve’ basis subject to availability. 2. Please provide the retreat dates that you would like to attend in the email subject (eg. 1-2 March Level 1 Retreat) , we will check if there are available spaces for the retreat before sending you an application form. 3. Booking is only valid when we receive your application form & 50% deposit. Should there be no deposit received 2 weeks prior to the retreat date, your booking will automatically be CANCELED and allocated to others on the waiting list. For more information regarding our Booking Policy, please refer to our Application form.
2025 Upcoming Retreats
Fully Booked
Fully Booked
Fully Booked
Fully Booked
Fully Booked
Fully Booked
Retreat Information
Beginner's Meditation Retreat Level 1
The Level I Beginner’s Meditation Retreat is designed for people who wish to learn meditation. Meditation can be practiced by anyone with a healthy mind and body, regardless of age or belief. Basic Ch’an(Zen) meditation will be taught as well as TaiChi and yoga or stretches to help aid in sitting meditation. This retreat helps to calm one’s mind and benefits a person emotionally and spiritually. We do various forms of meditation: tea-drinking meditation, music meditation as well as lying down meditation. Sitting meditation sessions last between 15 to 20 minutes. We sit with unsupported backs, so one needs to have a healthy back.
Beginner's Meditation Retreat Level 2
Requirements: In order to participate effectively and gain the most benefits from our Level 2 Meditation Retreats, we require participants to meet the following requirements: 1) Have attended at least three of our Level 1 Meditation Retreats; 2) Be able to sit completely still with unsupported back, no change to seating positions for at least 30 minutes per session; 3) Are familiar with and regularly practice all meditation techniques taught in our Level 1 Retreats; and 4) Able to meditate for at least 30 minutes in complete stillness (no movement at all) to not cause disturbance to other participants. Please let us know if you are able to achieve the above before we send you the Level 2 Meditation Retreat application form. The Level II retreat is for people who want to further their meditation practice. We will introduce participants to mindfulness meditation and a silent retreat experience. This retreat assists in finding tranquility and compassion in oneself, as well as enabling participants to see the ways we create difficulties in our lives and to discover freedom of mind in the midst of all things. The retreat includes some activities from the Level 1 retreat, combination of TaiChi and yoga or stretches to aid in sitting meditation; outdoor meditation will be introduced to enhance the mindful experience. A Dharma talk provides some insight into everyday Buddhist practice.
Flower and Ch'an Spiritual Journey Retreat
Flower and Ch’an Retreat is designed to teach everyone to practice mediation whilst attending daily activities. It aims to provide everyone with the opportunity to cultivate inner peace, awareness, and creativity through a meditative interaction with floral arrangement using your senses and ability to achieve a balance through movement. The retreat includes meditative floral arrangements, basic meditation practice, TaiChi, and teachings of life and Ch’an. It is an all-encompassing retreat to allow everyone to find their inner being through another meditation method which is more creative than the traditional sitting mediation.
Fooditation - Cooking, Eating and Meditating Retreat
Fooditation retreat is the retreat where we bring food and meditation together to create a heathy body and mind. Food is not only needed as a sustenance for us to continue to live but it can also be used to find one-self during the preparation process. We will teach participants how to prepare healthy wholesome vegetarian dishes using different ingredients and cooking methods. Which will allow us to open our senses to new things and ultimately find mindfulness in food preparation and consumption. Participants will also take part in meditation and TaiChi to achieve a balance between physical and mental health. There will also be a talk on vegetarianism and life and how mindful cooking and eating may lead to wiser choices about sustainability to protect the earth.