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9 top South African spiritual retreats
Taking the Mickey? Zimbabwe proposes Disneyland in Africa
Japan's most sacred site rebuilt, for the 62nd time

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT

From a post-dinner silence to "whale communication," these spiritual getaways run from monastic to mellow

Compared with the collective wisdom of these South African mellow centers, what you know about relaxation couldn't fit into an herbal tea cup.

Get ready to humble.

1. Emoyeni Retreat Center, Magaliesberg

Offering an austere but peaceful-sounding program, Emoyeni is set high on the northern slopes of the Magaliesberg Mountains, 100 kilometers from Johannesburg.

Run on Buddhist principles, Emoyeni ("place of spirit" in Zulu) seeks to foster mindfulness and what it calls "loving kindness" among its guests.

A typical day starts at 7.30 a.m. with a light breakfast followed by meditations and other "mindful" activities (cooking and gardening) throughout the day.

There's a light supper in the evening and then Noble Silence (no speaking) till the following morning.

All meals are vegetarian, the accommodation is basic and there are no TV, games or swimming pool -- the lack of distractions meant encourage a spirit of introspection.

The main building has beds for 14 guests, and tents are also available.

From $40 per person, per night.

Emoyeni Retreat Center, P.O. Box 190 Mooinooi; + 27 0 14 574 3662

2. Blue Butterfly Retreat, Welbedacht Nature Reserve

Blue Butterfly A self-catering cottage at Blue Buttterfly ... chanting meditation, massage and yoga are part of the mix here.In the middle of the 400-acre Welbedacht Nature Reserve, Blue Butterfly adds chanting meditation, massage and yoga to the more conventional mix of hiking, swimming and wildlife tours.

There's a natural labyrinth to explore and you're advised to set aside time simply to sit on the porch and soak up the incredible views -- they're pretty meditative, too.

Accommodation includes spacious loft bedrooms and self-catering cottages.

Two-night retreats, including facilities, food and accommodation, from $145 per person.

The Blue Butterfly Retreat, Welbedacht Nature Reserve, P.O. Box 372, Tulbagh; + 27 0 83 952 5448

3. Bodhi Khaya Retreat, Gansbaai

Yoga overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, meditation in the wilderness, improve your sex life or delve deeper into the secrets of your dreams.

These are offerings at the Bodhi Khaya Retreat in the Western Cape coastal town of Gansbaai.

Other optimistic-sounding courses and activities are Five Steps to Golden Success (how to realize your dreams, in other words), Open the Heart and Still the Mind and Great Sex, Great Love, Great Death.

There's even a "whale communication" workshop -- and plenty of whales in the ocean nearby, although whether they're there because you called them or not presumably remains a moot point.

Bodhi Khaya's name, a blend of Sanskrit and indigenous African, means "Home of Awareness."

Accommodation ranges from rooms in the restored 1820s farmhouse to self-catering cottages.

From $30 per person per night.

Bodhi Khaya Retreat, P.O. Box 1001, Gansbaai 7220, Western Cape, South Africa; +27 0 28 388 0156

4. Satori Farm Eco Retreat, Natal

Satori Satori Farm seeks to enhance your connection to nature ... the pristine setting can't hurt.Set high in the Natal Midlands, Satori Farm is a beautiful place surrounded by mountains, with fresh water streams and a river.

Forging a connection with nature is one of the goals at Satori Farm.

The retreat offers yoga, reiki and Pilates classes, plus meditation and massage.

There are art and drumming workshops and plenty of down-to-earth activities such as helping to prepare meals and bake bread.

From $30 per person, per night for accommodation only and $50 for full board.

Satori Farm Eco Retreat, Impendle/Dargle Road, Natal Midlands; + 27 0 82 551 7402

5. Nalanda Ayurvedic Center, Greyton

Located in the tiny Cape village of Greyton, Nalanda specializes in short courses derived from the traditional Indian Aryurvedic healing system.

At the core of Ayurveda is the idea that we all have a different constitutional type -- a dosha.

To stay healthy, physically and spiritually, means nurturing your dosha in a particular way.

Practitioners at Nalanda first identify your dosha and then teach you to cultivate it through courses such as Conscious Eating, the Art of Living and Ayurveda Detox.

Individual yoga sessions are another specialty.

From $50 per person for a one-day Ayurveda Wellness Retreat.

Nalanda Ayurvedic Center, Greyton, Western Cape; + 27 028 254 9027

6. Little Samadhi Karoo Retreat, Little Karoo

The vibe's homey and relaxed -- and the spiritual regime low-key -- at Little Samadhi.This small yoga retreat high on a hill overlooks the village of Barrydale in Little Karoo.

The vibe is homey and relaxed -- as if you were staying at a friend's house. Bedrooms are clean, cozy and understated.

Beauty treatments sit alongside daily yoga classes, massage and meditation -- hinting at the low-key theme.

From $45 per person, per night.

Little Samadhi Karoo Retreat, Barrydale, Little Karoo; +27 0 28 572 1002

7. Bijlia Cana Wellness Retreat, Prince Albert

In a village at the foot of the spectacular Swartberg Mountain, you'll find this wellness retreat in a Tuscan-style house with a pretty courtyard and gardens.

Retreats range from two to six days and include daily holistic treatments include shiatsu and reiki, reflexology and crystal therapy to balance "electromagnetic energy."

One of the most popular retreats is the marathon, six-day Gateway course run by Valentine Lange, a reiki and meditation teacher.

Using creative visualization and walking, drumming and art therapy, the retreat aims to explode the hidden emotional and spiritual blocks preventing you from realizing your goals.

Sounds like hard work: when you're not transforming yourself you can go walking and swimming or ambling in the countryside.

Prices start from $26 per person, per day.

Bijlia Cana Wellness Retreat, P.O. Box 195, Prince Albert, 6930; + 27 0 23 541 1872

8. Gaia -- Healing Holidays, Montague

Gaia For the hardier soul-seeker ... a teepee at Gaia.Appealing to the hardier variety of spiritual tourist, accommodation here consists of spacious, self-catered teepees.

Each is equipped with a shower, solar cooker, lanterns, deluxe mattresses on a wooden floor and sandstone fire pots outside.

The main lodge hosts sessions devoted to esoteric pursuits such as crystal healing, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Thai yoga massage.

Horseback riding, hiking and golf provide a rest from all that personal transformation.

From $40 per person, per night.

Gaia -- Healing Holidays, Montague, Western Cape; +27 21 910 1780

9. Hearth and Soul Eco Farm, near Stanford

Set in a valley halfway between the villages of Stanford and Napier in the Overberg region, this farm and retreat is so remote it doesn't even have a postal address.

That seclusion is part of the spiritual prescription here -- other ingredients are yoga, walking, reading and meditation.

There are 10 bedrooms (with en suite bathrooms), communal dining areas, a large conference room and a "hearth" room for socializing.

From $20 per person per night.

Hearth and Soul Eco Farm, near Stanford (full directions on website): + 27 021 813 9700

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Taking the Mickey? Zimbabwe proposes Disneyland in Africa

Posted: 29 Aug 2013 11:00 PM PDT

Too many old people coming to country, tourism minister says; $300 million theme park next to Victoria Falls would bring in young crowd

Put a stop to poaching, perhaps?

Maybe revive the safari sector with, who knows, nude or biker safaris?

Even build a Robert Mugabe Experience to educate visitors about the African strongman's visionary three-decade rule, complete with pictorial guide to his experimentation with mustaches.

What almost no one expected Zimbabwe to do to revive its tourism sector, crippled by 10 years of internal strife, was to take on Disney with a proposed $300 million theme park at Victoria Falls.

That's the plan the country's tourism and hospitality minister, Walter Mzembi, revealed to the UN World Tourism Organization, the Daily Mail reports.

Occupying 300 acres of land, "Disneyland in Africa," as Mzembi called it, would house shopping malls, exhibition facilities and casinos.

The problem with Zimbabwe tourism is all the old people in safari suits, the minister explained.

"We need a bit of development [and to] attract the youthful market into this destination. Current visitors are very elderly couples [and] the youth are a bit bored," Zimbabwe state media quoted Mzembi as saying.

"Bizarre, crazy"

"Bizarre" describes the main response from commentators to Zimbabwe's proposed Disneyland-by-Zambezi.

The country has more most pressing needs than a theme park, a political analyst, Clifford Mashiri, told SW Radio Africa.

When much of the Zimbabwean population lacks access to basic amenities, such as water and electricity, the plan is "crazy" and "just [an attempt] to divert attention" from Mugabe's political failings, Mashiri said.

The theme park is spectacularly misguided in another sense, according to one Africa travel expert.

"It would be like building a casino beside the pyramids," Lisa Grainger told the Telegraph.

"The reason people visit the falls is because it's unspoiled and natural; it's a glorious part of the Earth. Not because they want to buy candy-floss and be immersed in an American-style theme park."

Skepticism aside, the money being pumped into Zimbabwe tells another story.

Work began this year on a $150 million upgrade of Victoria Falls airport -- including a new runway, control tower and terminal building -- courtesy of a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.

And why not, on your way to or from Africa's premier new theme park attraction, do a little (more) shopping?

Another huge project in the works is a $70 million Mall of Zimbabwe.

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Japan's most sacred site rebuilt, for the 62nd time

Posted: 29 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT

As Shinto tradition dictates, every 20 years Ise Jingu's Naiku shrine needs a new home

When it comes to Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion, Ise Jingu is the most revered shrine complex of them all.

Established in the 5th century in Japan's Mie prefecture, it was built in honor of Amaterasu-omikami, the sun goddess from whom the Japanese imperial family is said to be descended.

About 120 shrines make up the site, but the main ones are Naiku (inner shrine) and Geku (outer), Naiku being the most revered.

Though the grounds are ancient the actual shrines are never more than a couple of decades old. That's because all the shrines are rebuilt from scratch every 20 years -- a process called "shikinen sengu" -- using all new materials and fittings.

Construction of an identical new shrine is now under way on a site next to Naiku, which enshrines the famed sun goddess, and will be completed this year -- for the 62nd time.

Here's a closer look at the sacred Ise Jingu complex.

More on CNN: World's best unknown site: Japan's Kumano Kodo

Old Shrine The reconstruction of the shrines is said to represent renewal. Once the resident god has been moved into the new shrine, the old one is demolished and all trappings burned. Only descendants of the imperial family can serve at Naiku.

The Ise shrine is surrounded by a sacred forest covering an area of 5,500 hectares (13,600 acres).

About 90 hectares of the area around the shrines has remained untouched since they were founded 16 centuries ago. The rest is used to provide materials for shrine construction. The trees need to grow for hundreds of years before they're big enough to be used as building materials.

Ise Jingu is the most sacred site in Japan, and many Japanese come here to pray. They are not allowed to enter the shrines, which are obscured behind high walls, but can pray at the entrance. This is Geku shrine, the second most sacred at the site. Photography is only allowed from a respectful distance.

Small shrine Some of the smaller shrines are built in a style dating back to the 2nd century. The building techniques have been handed down by families traditionally associated with the shrines.

Tori The entrance to all Shinto shrines is marked by a gate called a tori, which marks the transition into a sacred area. This gate, rebuilt this year, is made of only four pieces of cypress wood. The trees used in its construction were about 400 years old.

Before entering the shrine you have to purify yourself at the temizusha (water house) by washing your hands and rinsing your mouth. First pour some water over your right hand, then your left. Then pour water into the cupped palm of your right hand and take a sip.

To make a prayer, visitors toss a coin into the offering box, clap their hands twice, bow twice and then pray.

Sacred stones There are many gods enshrined at Ise Jingu. Even these stones are believed to be home to a deity. It is said that the sacred rocks give off heat -- many visitors hold out their hands to see if it's true.

Most visitors buy a Omamori charm to bring luck and protect themselves against adversity. The luck lasts for one year but after that the charm needs to be returned to a Shinto shrine for disposal. According to legend, there's a god inside so they should never be opened or disposed of improperly. The charms cost about US$5.

Outside of Naiku, the main shrine, is a street where visitors can buy souvenirs and grab something to eat. It has been restored to look like a town from the pre-modern age.

The Geku portion of Ise Jingu has a museum chronicling the traditions and craftsmanship of the shrines.

Regular trains depart from Osaka to make the 1.5-hour trip to Ise. At Osaka station travelers can buy a pass that includes train fare, access to the museums, free transport on certain busses around Ise and coupons for various shops and restaurants.

There are hotels in Ise to suite every budget. For more info visit the official Ise Jingu website.

More on CNN: Mount Miwa: The holiest hike in Japan

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Ise Shrine