BOHARENG INTEGRATED SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
AGM Report for 2010
MINDING THE GAPS IN OUR SOCIETY
SHALOM
Bohareng’s journey is about our human journey towards wholeness, harmony and balance – SHALOM. The thoughts and prayers in the psalm we have just prayed flow through our year and this report. The work continues to flourish. We have to refuse as many, or more requests than we can accept. We feel greatly blessed to be here and to be able to offer this service. This year we have decided to focus on “Bridging the Gaps in our Society.” We really cannot measure the work we do, but we know we have lessened these gaps a little over the past year. In the light of all that our country and our planet is experiencing, what we offer is minute. It is the best we know how and is given with love.
The gaps in our society that we consciously address are the gaps between:
Hope and despair
Integrity and dishonesty
Human dignity and xenophobia
Spiritual depth and consumerism
The wholeness, harmony and balance we all want and the violence and disorder around us
The inequality between those who have too much and those who have too little
Our wealthy, well run schools and inadequate educational institutes
Honouring the true dignity of women and their abuse in a variety of ways in society and the Churches
The beauty and fragility of our planet earth and our understanding and practice about how we can treat her with reverence
Availing of opportunities for healing and resorting to violent behavior arising from our woundedness
Where there is a sense of hopelessness we help people to discover the hope within themselves, to acknowledge their dreams and to find ways to realize them. One person has said what has been echoed by many who have been here: “Thank you for this time of peace and quiet. It has restored my hope and my belief in myself. Just knowing I can come back here when I need to, gives me joy and courage to face what I need to face in myself and in my life situation.”
Often there is lack of integrity in our world, in our Government and in our Churches. We guide both individuals and groups to treasure their integrity and to preserve it no matter what is happening around them. As we grow in our ability to do this we can bring the unique gift that each of us has to bring to the world. We can sing our song with joy and with vigour. As DeWitt Jones says in one of his inspirational talks; “A bird does not sing because it has an answer, but because it has a song!” Besides all we do here which is part of the song of Bohareng, our openness concerning financial matters and our care in being good stewards of what we have been given, also creates the energy for good stewardship in our land where corruption and misuse of money is prevalent.
In the way foreign nationals are often treated in our country there is lack of respect for human dignity and also lack of gratitude for what the people of other African countries did for us when we were struggling against the apartheid regime. All people are welcome at Bohareng and our very presence in this area where people from all over Africa live and walk daily, creates a space and a climate of peace, harmony and inclusiveness. That we chose Ke Nako as our theme for this year of the World Cup was also one of the ways we emphasized the need to celebrate Africa’s humanity. During the time of the world cup we put up all the flags to express our prayer for world unity and had a day of prayer for true peace and harmony in our world. Not many attended it, but some prayed with us at home and others thanked us for holding the day. It created an awareness and a field of prayer.
Often spiritual depth and values are sacrificed for the sake of material gain. Bohareng is not about material gain, but about deepening the quality of spiritual life in our city and our country and our continent. There is no way to measure the effect of our focus on the life of the spirit within us and within our world. As we know the effect of each flower that blooms in our garden, so we know our presence here also makes a difference. We also know the effect of every advertisement on our consumeristic society. We cannot directly address the inequalities in either the economic sphere, or in the educational opportunities offered to the youngsters, but we can help all who come for retreat, direction and for our reflection days to reflect on the contribution they are called to make towards greater equality of lifestyle and opportunity in our society. Also through our three tier system of payment we make it possible for everyone who wants to come to Bohareng. Recently Ann did give a talk to principals and heads of departments of our Dominican
Schools. She emphasized the need to guide the learners so that each one can take his or her rightful place in society and help to address the injustices and the inequalities according to their gifts and opportunities.
The gap between what we could be doing to preserve and enhance life on our planet and what we are doing is great. We have a small group that meets at Bohareng a few times a year to talk about these issues, to raise our own awareness concerning ecological issues and to help others to do so too. We have recommended the reading of books like Radical Amazement and Field of Compassion by Judy Cannato to many people and know that the repercussions are wider than we can ever assess. Even the way we separate our waste and give it in separate bags to the people who pass by with their trolleys collecting bottles, tins, paper or plastic makes a small contribution to their lives and to our earth. This year two of the people who came for sabbatical asked that Creation spirituality be a special focus of their month. For one of our Saturday reflection mornings we have chosen the theme of how our new understanding of creation needs to affect how we live and how we worship.
The very reason for our existence is to promote feminine spirituality that responds to the needs of both women and men. We do this largely by responding to the needs of the people who come whether it be a group of HIV/AIDS carers who are dealing with the results of poverty and abuse in many cases, or to individuals who carry the wounds of domination or abuse and are unable to assert themselves in the situations where they find themselves. In our monthly reflection days we also provide space for women to share their gifts. This in turn empowers others. Many are simply looking for alternate ways to pray, or to make an annual retreat. This strengthens them on their journey to wholeness that they have already begun. One of the men who made a retreat here this past 12 months said: “Thank you so much for a special week in my life. The music, the prayers, the scriptures, the collages and other materials were all so valuable and helpful. The healing session was an unexpected gift! The centre and the two of you did not only touch my life, but I feel it touches this area and this community – May this place be a lighthouse!”
The healing work we are doing is expanding as Rosella’s knowledge and experience is also growing. She attended a course in Munich this year on how to work with the Emotion Code . The Quantum Touch work continues. Most of you who were here last year can see a tremendous growth in the number of healing sessions that occurred. This speaks its own story. People have been amazed at the healing that has occurred from the rapid healing of a stubbed toe, to a malfunctioning kidney being restored, or a painful back relieved.
In conclusion Rosella and I thank the Board for their continued support and encouragement. We also thank Stichting Porticus for their financial help which provides our salaries. We thank all of you and many others for your prayers and your moral support over the years. We thank God for the abundant blessings and the beauty of this space and all that happens here.
Ann Wigley
16 October 2010
The Board Members: Glynis Harrison; Tshifhiwa Munzhedsi; Therese Sacco; .Bridget Rose
Tiernan, Ann Wigley; Mpumi Zondi
873 People availed of our services this year.
Events that have happened at Bohareng and in other venues
Retreats: (from 2 days to 8 days long) 35
Spiritual Accompaniment Sessions: 85
Quantum Touch Sessions 48
Emotions Code Sessions 29
Workshops 14
Prayer and reflection days 19
PRH Events 12
Interfaith Events 1
Core Team Meetings 3
Preparation for Final Vows 4
Eco-spirituality Meetings 3
Reading Group 4
Sabbaticals 6
Little Eden Staff and Management Workshops 12
Meetings and Discussion Groups 4
Ongoing Formation for Ann and Rosella 3
Talks 1
TOTAL EVENTS 282