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Here's the crew at Ren Xue Farm wishing you all the most loving warm hearts this Full Moon of unconditional love. The moonrise is from our first June full moon here on the farm and tonight it looks just the same, rising like a bright silver circle of pure universe and love out of the sea. You'll see all the animals full of curiosity and enjoying each other while happily and unconditionally being themselves... on guard, resting up between duties, paddling back from the stream (where mother duck has become a pair of gumboots for lost ducklings), and most importantly herding ducks! We think that herding patterns and clearing conditions we've put on the 5 xin takes the same keen eyed interest and steady work that Taz is giving the ducklings to get them safely home!
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 Welcome to Ren Xue Farm and the start of our seasonal new year in winter! Here in New Zealand we have just last month celebrated Matariki, the rising of the Pleaides on the early morning horizon which marks Māori New Year for many. It's an historic Matariki as for the first time we have a national holiday for the whole of New Zealand, and that feels like a wonderful and inclusive way to start the life of this global Ren Xue home here on the farm where we as a community are kaitiaki/ guardians of and with the land and its creatures large and small. Steve and I are frequently to be found out on the electric "Tuatara" with Taz and Ash our faithful hounds, checking out the state of the farm, the rivers, the mud (and the cows!). First stories from the farmOver the past few weeks, Steve, Jackie and their family have moved out of their house in Greenpark, Christchurch where they have been living for more than 10 years. They have been settling in to life in Onekaka, and getting to know the Ren Xue farm - the weather, the animals, the soil. Here is a little taster of their experiences...we look forward to finding out more as they make their discoveries and the farm shares with us it's teaching and potential. Huge gratitude to their whole family for the skills they bring and the care they are taking for the land. These are lucky, happy cows.
June Celebrations on the farmIt 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
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!
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
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.
Here's a quick overview of everything happening in June, with a few specific details. See this map for locations. Sunday June 12th 9am-12.30pm. Yuan Tze Online workshop: Unconditional Openness All participants need to register individually for this event. You can do that by following this Link You also need to reserve your cushion by contacting Cat Alker by Sunday 5th June From 4pm: A Farm warming party! Bonfires, braziers, shared Kai and warm drinks, music and making memories. Bring your instruments, warm clothing and some kai to share. Hot drinks will be provided. At the old villa. Monday June 13th Farm Rambles: Guided Access to Farm 10am-12pm: Morning session 2pm-4pm: Afternoon session Further information regarding meeting location to be confirmed. Tuesday June 14 : Full Moon Blessing ceremony and events 7.15am Dawn Blessing At the Retreat Centre site. All welcome. Meet at the coastal dwellings car park at 7am if you would like to walk up together. This will be a quiet, meditative start to a special day. A time to set the scene, welcome the new day and new beginnings. Warm clothing and gumboots essential. 10.30am Blessing Ceremony At the Retreat Centre site. All welcome. Meet at the coastal dwellings car park at 10am to walk up together. Limited parking near the site. There will be a short mihi whakatau (welcome) and waiata (song) followed by kōrero (speaking) from Yuan Tze, giving thanks and acknowledging this special place and time. 12.30pm-2pm Shared Kai: Potluck lunch Bring some kai for a shared lunch. Location to be confirmed 2pm-4pm : Tree planting on the farm Activities and Locations to be confirmed. Bring your spades and gardening tools. We would like to take care of everybody's health, safety and wellbeing. At the current Orange setting, there are no restrictions on numbers at gatherings. Face masks are currently advised whenever you are indoors. Most of our events are planned to be outdoors. However, if you wish to wear a mask in any setting, we hope that you will feel comfortable to do so. If you are interested to be part of any of these activities and would like more information, please contact Cat
All details will be updated by June 6th on our Home Page See this map for locations Kia ora koutou, Join us to celebrate our official move to the Ren Xue Retreat Centre site - a blessing ceremony and tree planting with Yuan Tze and Melissa. On 1st June 2022 Ren Xue Australasia takes ownership of the retreat centre farm in Onekaka, Golden Bay. The Bennett family who have farmed this land for 4 generations are handing it over to our care and we would like to honour this amazing time. This is a huge step towards our dream of a Retreat Centre for Ren Xue and we picture the Ren Xue family looking back on photo albums 100 years from now and smiling at the happy faces gathered together. Would you like to be there?! Also, Steve Lee our farm manager, and Jackie Blunt will be making the move to the bay from Christchurch.   So, we would like to do a few things to honour and celebrate this time: -A centre warming party on Sunday June 12th from 2pm onwards - so far we are dreaming of a simple gathering, shared kai, warm drinks, bonfires and merriment. - Monday June 13th : Farm Rambles! Visit, connect and get to know the farm. Gumboots essential! - Blessing Ceremony Tuesday June 14th - Join us and Yuan Tze and Melissa on the Retreat Centre site for a ceremony and tree planting. Accommodation From Sat June 11th - Tue June 14th Shambhala Retreat Centre is available for accommodation in the form of a big house (sleeps around 10 - with this number, the cost will be $35 each), cabins and a beautiful practice hall. We are aware that Yuan Tze's workshop falls on Sunday 12th June. We will be watching it! So if you are keen to watch this together, let us know. What you need to do now!
With gratitude Cat, Jay and the project team
Much fun was had over the ANZAC weekend in Onekaka, with our farm research programme getting underway, and some of our new farm equipment getting a good run for it's money! Part of our planning with the Ren Xue farm is to undertake some extensive baseline data collection of both soils and water, such that as we develop the farm in a different direction (away from dairying) we'll have some good reliable data to refer back to. Rainer Hoffman at Lincoln University has been a huge part of this effort, which has led to our project being able to have the involvement of a Lincoln University honours student to collect this data. So it was that Lulu Jordan and her helpers, ably assisted by our very own Onekaka locals, got stuck into some good honest digging of holes in the name of science. See the video below for an overview on the soil sampling from Lulu  A great day out was had by all as 250 pottles of soil were collected, and shuttled back to the truck via our *brand new* electric Tuatara side by side vehicle. Boggy conditions and steep tracks kept the truck on flat ground, but proved an easy task for the Tuatara. Phew!  The team looking pretty happy to have the Tuatara around :-)
The Ren Xue Family Summer camping event on 15-22nd January 2022, was a special opportunity for us to connect - with ourselves, with each other and with the land. There was time for practice, walks, canoeing, kayaking and swims enjoying the beautiful natural environment of land, sea and estuary. There was also plenty of talking and visualising how it will be when the dream for the Ren Xue retreat centre is realised - how the farm will run and all the amazing opportunities there, the dream for a healing centre and a Ren Xue community where we can all support each other to grow. The land worked it's magic on us all as we took the time to feel into this place and our own connection with it. We joined in a very precious time together while Yuan Tze led us through building a Qifield for the land - we connected our hearts with this place, with each other, with the past and with the future. We hope that this place - the physical home for Ren Xue - will form a solid base for harmony internally and externally- a place that can ripple out it's positive effects into the world.  Many people asked the question - How can I be involved?? You can join a working group - the Community group (contact Cat or Ollie) - the Healing Centre group (contact Jackie - jackie@renxueinternational.org) - the Farming group (contact Steve Lee ) These groups are all report back to the Steering group which oversees the project. The project is held in the cradle of Ren Xue Australasia (RXAA- the charitable trust) and upholds the values and vision of Ren Xue. Or you can just contact Cat or Ollie for a chat. You can consider if you would like to become part of the Ren Xue Community - please contact Cat You can make a donation Here is how www.renxueaustralasia.org/donate.html Add "retreat centre donation' as reference  Also, a big thank you to Kim Knight for the above photo and to Verena Jonker for all the rest on this page :-) |
