Blog Archives

Storms and Rainbows! Celebrations on the farm

17/6/2022

June Celebrations on the farm

It was a heart-warming time celebrating the land and the new beginning for the Ren Xue retreat centre project. We experienced all kinds of weather - storms, sunshine and rainbows!

We took the time to look back and honour what has gone before, everything we have in this moment and to set our intentions for the future. We gave thanks for the privilege to be the kaitiaki of this beautiful land and by planting trees, we showed our hope for a bright future. A simple wish for living in harmony - with ourselves, with others and with nature.

Together, we helped to create a beautiful foundation and Qifield for the project going forward.
It wouldn't have been the same without each of you playing your part so, from our hearts, we thank you for being there and supporting us.

With gratitude and our best wishes,
The retreat centre project team

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Latest update for June events

10/6/2022

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First of all: Weather. It is keeping us on our toes and the forecast looks stormy. There are wind and rain forecasts with a few little gaps in between. We hope those gaps coincide with our gatherings but we have to be prepared for anything. So, come well prepared with your warm wet weather gear and gumboots. We will do our best to provide warmth and shelter but this may take the form of simple barn space for example. Due to the changeable weather, please check our updates on our website HERE before the event to check any last minute changes.

Sunday 12th events will all go ahead as planned: Yuan Tze workshop at Shambhala 9-12.30 followed by the farm warming party at the old villa: 1318 Takaka Collingwood Highway. Find links to the location HERE. on our handy location map! (thanks Ollie!)

Monday 13th events will go ahead as planned. Meet at the farmhouse at 1317 Takaka Collingwood Highway (see map HERE) for the farm rambles - 10am-12pm and 2-4pm

Tuesday 15th events: Dawn Blessing: 7 am meet up at the coastal dwellings car park (1230 Takaka Collingwood highway) followed by a short walk to the retreat centre site. If the weather forecast is very rainy, it will be canceled so check for updates on our home page HERE. Please note, this is totally optional and if you would rather stay and do your morning practice at the Shambhala hall, that is fine!
Tuesday 10.30 -12pm blessing ceremony will take place regardless of weather but we may have to move to a different location so check for latest update HERE on Monday 13th.
Tuesday potluck 12.30-2pm will take place at the old villa: 1318 Takaka Collingwood Highway. Look out for the directions for parking - you may see someone in a high vis outfit !
Tuesday Tree planting 2-4pm will go ahead as planned. Meet at the farm car park: 1317 Takaka-Collingwood Highway. Bring spades and gardening tools.

For those of you staying at Shambhala: Please note that to access Shambhala there is a ford which can be flooded and impassable at times. If you arrive during one of those times, please call Cat (027 4622663) or Ollie (027 333 9252) and we will find a good solution!

Looking forward to being together soon!
With warm wishes for safe travels
the project team!

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1st June: Now we have a farm! It's official!

3/6/2022

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First and foremost, we took possession of the 186ha farm in Onekaka on 1st June. Hooray! This is a big moment for the

project!! We look forward to having Steve Lee and Jackie Blunt move into the main farmhouse. There will be a number of
events happening in June to celebrate this - if you’ve missed the details see the project website
here: https://www.aotearoaretreatcentre.org/blog/june-celebrations-on-the-ren-xue-farm

Check out the videos of the exciting entrance to the farm from the coastal dwellings on the morning of the 1st June. Our ford was flooded and we weren't able to cross it - so we put our 4WD vehicles to the test and went in the back way! A very exciting way for the kids to start their home-schooling day!

We have already begun a research programme of sorts on the farm, with our goal being to regularly gather information

for meaningful comparisons, and shared learning throughout the local and wider farming community. Our initial efforts
are focussed around creating some baseline data - our starting point - in areas such as soil, water, climate and landscape.
We are beginning to explore a working relationship with Lincoln University, led by our farm group member Rainer
Hoffman, which thus far looks very promising. Our first adventures in this research realm came over Anzac weekend,
with honours Lincoln student Lulu Jordan leading a team of keen helpers on a soil sampling expedition - see details on
the project website: https://www.aotearoaretreatcentre.org/blog/soil-sampling-and-other-fun-on-the-farm
Much learning and planning about the farm will take place over our first 6-12 months on the land, so watch this space as we develop our ideas and look for input from the wider community.

Secondly, the moment we take possession of the farm, our planning for an interim Healing Centre will begin. With the likelihood of a Stage One Retreat Centre still being several years away, we are looking to renovate the Old Villa, and the adjacent garage, to function as a “community house” where short term visitors and guests can stay, and a small healing clinic where local Ren Xue teachers can do one on one sessions with clients. If you would like to know more about this aspect of the project, and possibly get involved by contributing your ideas or skills, please get in touch with the Project Coordinator, Ollie Clifton - https://www.aotearoaretreatcentre.org/ollie-clifton.html
If you are coming over to Golden Bay for the June events, or anytime in the next couple of months, we would appreciate donations of household items for the Old Villa. Right now it is pretty much empty! Furniture, curtains, tables, chairs, pots, pans….you name it we need it! Please get in touch if you can help.

Last but not least, our Resource Consent Application was submitted to Tasman District Council (TDC) for their consideration on 27 May. The outcome of this process will determine whether we will be granted permission to build the Retreat Centre, and establish dwellings on the coastal land and farm. Yup, reasonably important! Whilst this application process has taken over a year to complete, with covid induced delays not helping us, our team of consultants have done well. We look forward to being able to provide you with more updates on this process in the near future. Have a look at our Live Zoom send off for the RCA HERE
Keep an eye out for more events on the Ren Xue farm coming soon - plans are already under way for a community working bee in Spring, and of course another Summer Camp will soon be on the horizon. You will find regular updates on our website - www.aotearoaretreatcentre.org.

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