Take a break: Zen and the art of Ubuntu

The meditation hall was a sea of saffron. Two dozen men and women wearing orange ponchos had settled themselves on black cushions, preparing to empty their minds - or anyway, to try.

The gong had been struck, signalling the beginning of the practice, when a couple of tabby cats the size of lion cubs sauntered in, patrolled the ranks of retreatants, then curled up on unoccupied black cushions for meditations of their own.

The resident wildlife joins in at the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal, named last year by CNN as one of the 10 best meditation centres in the world.

It is set in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, with paths winding through a forest of indigenous trees that attract more than 100 species of birds, including the endangered blue swallow - an achievement that has earned the centre National Heritage status.

Vervet monkeys live in the forest; otters occasionally surface at the dam. When the mist lifts, you can see hill after hill until forever. Standing at the stupa at the edge of the forest on Sunday, you hear church bells and dogs barking in the villages that dot the hills on the other side of the valley.

Durban-based Dutch architect Louis van Loon created the forest and built the centre on 140 acres of derelict farmland bought in 1970. Though some people worry that it is not sufficiently "monastic", it is not exactly luxurious either - except for the vegetarian food, which is justly famous.

For the accommodation, however, spartan is the word. Most people stay in a rambling residence, with small, basic private rooms and a bath down the hall. Even the en suite rooms and the top-of-the-range chalets are fairly basic.

What's practised at the BRC is "ubuntu Buddhism".

"In my understanding," says Van Loon, "the most fundamental, intuitive principle at work in religion is that nothing in the universe is autonomous; on its own; separate; self-sufficient. Ubuntu indicates this too: the idea that we find ourselves truly in and through others. It is the central theme in the Buddha's teachings."

Van Loon's weekend course in basic Buddhism - the four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path - is accessible and fascinating, and for those who wish to go more deeply into Buddhist philosophy there are more advanced weekend retreats, offered by Van Loon and eminent visiting lecturers. There are also weekends devoted to dealing with stress, beginnings and endings, tai chi and chi kung, living a Zen life in South Africa - and learning drumming, photography, brush-painting and more.

The variety of retreats is created, says Van Loon, to introduce people to the practical application of mindfulness: "Whether that is in waiting for a red traffic light to change, or in pen and ink sketching. The practice of mindfulness meditation creates more openness, clarity and calmness towards things so we can see and deal with them the way things really are, rather than what we want them to be."

The centre is very laid back, suffused throughout with tolerance. You can attend the weekend programmes, walk in the woods or take a dip in the dam. If you skip a meditation session or a lecture, it's no big deal.

Van Loon's tolerance extends to all creatures, not just the paying guests. If the monkeys want to play soccer on the roof of the studio, or cats join the retreatants for meditation, that's okay.

• You can contact the BRC in Ixopo on 039-834-1863, or 082-579-3037. For more information, see www.brcixopo.co.za