   It was a beautiful spring day for the Ren Xue Farm Riparian planting day. There was a great turn out by locals and members of the Ren Xue community. Over 1200 seedlings were planted by 30 keen volunteers.
The efforts of all volunteers highlighted the importance of the community for the project and the inter-generational nature of the work that is going into this project. The trees planted will continue to benefit both the environment and community for future generations. Steve and Jackie put on their usual wonderful hospitality with afternoon tea, BBQ and Bon Fire. Thanks to all the volunteers for your efforts.
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Please note that due to extremely wet ground the Car Parking will be on the Farm House side of the Road. On the left coming from Tākaka and on the right coming from Collingwood. Just past OK Grow Nursery, drive up to the Farm Sheds.
Great day to plant some trees at the Ren Xue Farm.
See you at 1pm. For more information see the previous Blog. Ren Xue Centre Australasia is having a public planting day this Sunday 15 September from 1 pm. The Ren Xue Centre Australasia project involves the restoration of the Farm at Onekakā into a regenerative Farm. This includes the planting of the Onekakā Stream. We have 2,000 native plants ready to go into the ground to enhance the biodiversity of land around the Onekakā Stream and the surrounding environment. If you would like to be involved, please turn up at 1317 Tākaka - Collingwood Highway (Just past the Mussel Inn on the right-hand side heading towards Collingwood) PARKING: Beside the farm sheds Please bring your own gloves and spades and suitable footwear. We will have the BBQ going with Sausages (Vege options) for all volunteers. You can check this page for details if we need to cancel the event due to rain. If you would like any information please phone Steve Lee on 021 298 9026   (L-R) Steve C, Marie-Laure, Cat, Rosie, Steve L and Jackie pacing out the facilities of the Centre on the Retreat Centre Site July Hui (gathering) As Matariki signifies, both the end and start of the new year RXCAA Steering Group also took this time to honour the past and celebrate the future. For the project, there is so much to honour, the milestone achievements, the beautiful people and their dedicated mahi/work. There is real excitement around the future as we imagine the best possible outcome for the New Year and the Project. This year’s Hui was based in Parapara, the same place as last year. There was a smaller team than usual as illness, overseas commitments and relocating homes meant three of the team members couldn’t make it in person, but there was plenty of zooming and a very inclusive Qifield. Offers to assist the Steering Group in their endeavours have been humbling throughout the project and Hui planning, especially Chris Turton’s treats which kept energy levels high and smiley faces. Our chair, Cat, opened the Hui with a message from Yuan Tze along with a fun creative activity for members to reflect on the year past. The weekend was facilitated by Leslie Van Gelder - our treasured facilitator and one of the founding members of the project. Leslie led us through the Global Strategy, what that means for the project and how to incorporate the strategy into project work. This resulted in adopting a Terms of Reference document that provides a guideline for operating as a sub-committee within RXAA. This alignment reminds us that our very important project is part of the bigger organisation which ultimately helps us all work towards Zi Du Du Ren. The Hui was an opportunity for the operational staff, Steve Lee and Rosie, to share their review of last year's activities and propose an operational plan and associated budget for the Project. We acknowledge the enormous effort, Ollie Clifton, the previous Project Coordinator has put into the project with a forever legacy in the Project and the Steering Group. There is a huge amount of strategic, process development and everyday operational activity to work through. Yuan Tze has provided an analogy for the Project of a tricycle, with the front wheel as the retreat centre, the two back wheels being the Farm and the Community which will ultimately help drive the Centre. This reminds the Steering Group of the priority and to remain focused on the building of the Retreat Centre. Steve Campbell has been engaged to design a concept for the Centre which he shared with the Steering Group over the weekend. This design has incorporated feedback from the various “Dream Catching” workshops and continual feedback from members as the project allows imaginations to be excited by what could be possible. The concept design will be used to inform the design brief for the next stage of engaging an architect which in turn will move the project to the Council building consent stage.  Steve Campbell explaining the concept design at the Steering Group July Hui Name Change You may have noticed a change in the name of the Project! While we used to refer to the project as the Aotearoa Retreat Centre, a new name was decided on at the March Team Building workshop. The project's proud name is now Ren Xue Centre Australasia, abbreviated to RXCAA. An update to the website, email address and branding to reflect the name is underway. Farm The Farm, through the tireless efforts of Steve and Jackie, continues to implement regenerative farming practices as it transitions from a long history of dairy farming. Yuan Tze has provided a fundamental document on Ren Xue Farming. This provides a framework for priorities to help implement this transition, a large focus being on the internal work of the practitioners. The addition of the OK Grow Nursery as a social enterprise on the Farm is a wonderful example of this transition. The native plant nursery is based in the now redundant milking shed, so nikaus and other native seedlings are now growing in this space.  OK Grow Nursery in the converted Milking shed
The Steering Group is fortunate to have Rainer Hoffman, Ren Xue practitioner and Professor in plant science working out of Lincoln University, to advise on regenerative practices, for example, monitoring the soil profile throughout the transitional stages. Rainer is consistently promoting harmony with the land and integrating this thinking into the Retreat Centre design. Retreat Centre developments While the Villa restoration project continues through the efforts of Onekakā Builders, further planning on the Retreat Centre is happening at the same time. Steve Campbell’s designs have progressed significantly with a concept design. Further planning and physical designs are required for the; building, landscaping, roading, power and wastewater system. We hope to have these plans completed by the end of the year so they can be submitted to the Council as part of the Building Consent which will mean the actual building could start in 2025. So many people within the Ren Xue Community have had major influence on the concepts that have enabled the Steering Group to progress to the design stage. The Resource Consent which granted planning permission to the “Dream” provides the project with a lot of prescriptive detail to ensure compliance with planning regulations in Aotearoa New Zealand and ensure the Retreat Centre and associated facilities are sustainable, have minimal impact on or improve the environment and minimise any potential or future impact on the community. Thank you Marie-Laure Darricarrere, a valued member of the Ren Xue Centre Australasia Steering Group has been featured in the Golden Bay Weekly talking about her love for growing food and living a Ren Xue life in Golden Bay.
See Page six The GB Weekly - 14 June 2024 by Golden Bay Weekly - Issuu  After a huge volunteer effort to demolish the parts of the Villa that were not able to be rescued, much planning and decision making from the Villa subcommittee and lots of administration work (thanks Ollie) has meant that Onekakā builders are now working on the renovation of the Villa. The Builders are making great progress to bring the Villa back to a habitable condition.  The Villa has a wonderful local history as was at one stage the local Post Office, and home to the original owners for the Farm the Scaddens Family. It is interesting to note that the front door faces the Onekakā Inlet rather than the road as the Villa was built to be accessed by boat rather than road. This means the front of the house has a great view over the Onekakā Inlet. During the renovation a sample of the original wallpaper has been discovered and will be looked after until it can be displayed in the completed house.    Two members from Golden Bay/Mohua talk about their experiences from the Wonder Valley Retreat Jackie in Golden Bay/Mohua Cat in USA Jackie, Golden Bay/Mohua in person retreat at Rauhītanga A very successful retreat was held at Kiri and Dave's wonderful place (Rauhītanga) in Tukurua which is close by and beautifully unified with the Ren Xue Australasia Centre land. Rauhītanga is lovely and comfortable, modern and spacious and the practice area works beautifully as it accommodates up to 30-40 people practising together easily. People loved being there and could really feel the special Qi field which is part of the whole project, and all the sincere love and support for the project flowing across the globe, especially when it was being shared at Wonder Valley and Alex's documentary was shown, the experience of all being together around the world whether online or in person was palpable! The Qi field for transformation from the live retreat in Wonder Valley was so powerful, and also having live opportunities to share with each other, teach and learn together supported us to go deep in real time and make major shifts. It was a deeply humbling experience feeling everyone's intention together to create a harmonious world and make love and wisdom a lived reality. Here are some comments from retreat participants: - I loved the dedicated time to focus on learning with few distractions. I loved observing and celebrating changes in myself and others over retreat time. - I was able to immerse myself into an integrated programme where I was able to focus on the work of the retreat because I was comfortable and cared for e.g. catering with healthy food, responsive hosting, a peaceful place, beautiful weather, harmonious relationships, healing sessions etc. - I was ready to be a more committed and open learner for a number of reasons and the teachings penetrated more deeply. I was able to settle into a good state more often and integrate theory and practice more smoothly....able to join up the dots and obtain a deeper understanding of some key concepts. Stepping up to lead a practice in a supportive group helped build confidence. - I felt safe and supported as my patterns emerged and I was able to receive support as I untangled them. Teaching Yuan Gong was helpful to continue breaking hiding and avoiding. - I am going well since the retreat, my pattern work is going much deeper and bringing me real joy. The retreat was so worthwhile for making my life much brighter. It gave me the opportunity to really do Jue Cha with others in a setting which is created specifically for growth Cat in person at Wonder Valley USA It was an amazing experience to be at the Wonder Valley retreat in person. The location is beautiful and it was very special to meet up with old friends, meet in person with those I had only connected with in the virtual world and also make new friends. The learning was deep and profound- reminding me why retreats are so special and give us such an amazing opportunity to make those shifts in our lives towards more wisdom and clarity. In fact, the same inspiration that led me to want to begin the retreat centre project 4 years ago. The connection with the land, people and animals in Golden Bay was tangible and we could really feel how they were with us - and all the online participants - amazing to see how we are so truly connected, no matter where we are in the world. It was such a pleasure to share our project vision with the people at Wonder Valley and feel the amazing support that came from them all. It was particularly special to show a short film made by Alex Emmerich which lifted and inspired us all. We hope to show the final version as a premiere in November at the New Zealand retreat in Dunedin. (Ren Xue Retreat Dunedin 2024 - Ren Xue International). Thank you so much to Alex for all you do for the project and to the global Ren Xue family for your loving support    OK Grow Nursery officially opened its operation on the Ren Xue farm on 30th March 2024 with a blessing and tree planting. The Nursery is the farm’s first social enterprise operating out of the old milking shed, a collaboration with local native plant nursery owner, Meret Weiss. As part of the regeneration of the land, the conversion of the milking shed to grow native seedlings is a great example of Ren Xue Farming practices. The conversion funds came from farm budget with an allocation of $10,000, made up from a generous donation. The benefits from this donation will be long term across the project, the land and the community. The Ren Xue Centre Australasia Project Steering group who have put much effort into making this a reality believe it is a perfect collaboration with the farm and wider project. This example allows the Mission of the project to shine “To be a base for realising and modelling the REN XUE mission of uplifting ourselves and others in order to achieve harmony in the world. “ Meret Weiss, the owner of the Nursery has achieved a lot in a short time to relocate her established Nursery operation to the Ren Xue Farm in Onekakā and to work with the Farm Manager Steve Lee to make it a success. The Nursery will provide native plants for the farm’s ecological restoration plans, particularly stream protection. Huge gratitude to all the hard work and effort that has gone into this enterprise and we look forward to working and learning together with Meret (and her plants) into the future.  Last weekend, the steering group gathered together in-person in Golden Bay with Yuan Tze and Melissa for a very special weekend. The purpose was for us to welcome Rosie to the team and to be part of Yuan Tze's very first team building workshop! This was an amazing opportunity for us to connect our hearts with the purpose of building the first Ren Xue Centre and to find further clarity on our way forwards. The wisdom shared here will help us all in our Ren Xue work in the future and was recorded so it can benefit others on this journey too.  Above, the steering group gathered at Kiri and Dave's. Below, Steve Campbell shows Yuan Tze, Melissa and Rosie the map of the planned centre. Steve Lee leads a fantastic farm tour and explains all the changes in the last 18 months and the plan for the future. Being together in person sparked so much creativity and ideas! A welcome to Kiri and Dave and their beautiful new space!We also celebrated the beautiful space which Kiri and Dave have made available for Ren Xue events in their recent purchase of a lodge and accommodation in Tukurua, just round the corner from the Ren Xue Centre! Kiri and Dave worked so hard to make this space ready for us to use and also to host an open community workshop and healing run by Yuan Tze and Melissa as part of the weekend. Thank you so much for your generosity, Kiri and Dave - watch this space everyone - beautiful things will happen here, we feel sure of that! Above- Kiri and Dave's place and the healing workshop, Kiri, Kirsty, Trina and Cat. It's a great view from the deck! The Jue Cha Path!Another celebration was the visit to the new path, bridge and pentacle, a project led by James Alker. This path links the retreat centre site to the coastal land will allow for people to access the beach from the retreat centre and make use of a beautiful outdoor covered area and pizza oven. Thank you James for this huge effort. Yuan Tze led us all in a blessing and the path became the Jue Cha path! May it be a path for realisation and wisdom! Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone who helped make this weekend a success, particularly our generous family member, Chris Turton, who gave her time so generously to make sure we were well fed and cared for. Without those people supporting us in that way, we wouldn't be able to do what we do.
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