Rob’s Home in Africa
The Tara Rokpa Centre
Rob migrates with the swallows: to Scotland during the northern hemisphere summer, and back to Southern Africa from October to March. Although he travels extensively in the region, the place he calls home is his eyrie at the Tara Rokpa Centre.
TRC, as it is often called, is located in a peaceful valley near Groot Marico, in the North West Province of South Africa. It is a spiritual retreat centre established under the guidance of Akong Rinpoche, a meditation master of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. It has been developed to provide a place of peace and refuge to all its visitors. Although its roots are Buddhist, the centre is multi-purpose and offers opportunities for spiritual, emotional, social and environmental healing for all.
This is where Rob offers his long retreats, in November, December and February. He provides teachings on Buddhism as well as mindfulness meditation, insight and wisdom. The annual Christmas and New Year retreat is a further opportunity to learn from Rob and to start each new year with a sense of vision and clarity.
The centre is located on 280 hectares of farmland, surrounded by numerous hills and valleys, fertile woodland, and perennial streams. The environment is pristine, the air unpolluted, and the night sky fantastic. Favourite places to visit are Tara’s waterfall and the Eye (die Oog) – a crystal clear spring, which feeds the Marico river. This haven can be found just 250km west of Johannesburg and 160km south of Gaborone, Botswana.
The Tara Rokpa Centre is said to fly on Four Wings:
• Healing Modalities: hosting and supporting a variety of therapy events including Tara Rokpa Therapy, yoga and life-coaching, and the well-known Easter Camp.
• Spiritual Development: organising Buddhist dharma and meditation retreats with both local and international spiritual teachers.
• Environmental Care: building environmentally-friendly structures, and developing permaculture projects to grow organic food and medicinal plants.
• Humanitarian Aid and Development: supporting the local community through training and employment, and running a small crèche for local children.
When the centre is not in use for courses and retreats, the accommodation is available for individual or group rental. It is an ideal weekend getaway for people seeking a quiet place to recharge and recover from their busy lives in the urban centres. There are opportunities for walking, mountain biking, swimming in the natural water sources, or simply resting, surrounded by the sounds of nature.
Contact Information
For any further information about TRC, please email trc@vodamail.co.za
Join the TRC mailing list, click here: Tara Rokpa Centre Mailing list
Rob Nairn is one of the pioneers in presenting Buddhist philosophy and practice in a way that is accessible to the western mind.
In 1980 he resigned as professor of criminology at the University of Cape Town to commit full-time to his spiritual path. His training in psychology and Buddhism – including a four-year isolation retreat at Samye Ling Tibetan Centre in Scotland – enables him to translate ancient Eastern wisdom into concepts we can understand and apply.