March 2019
Women’s Day Retreat
A day of meditation for women including periods of guided sitting, lying and walking meditation. An opportunity to enter into our own inner silence. Absolute beginners totally welcome. The day will begin at 10am with an introduction. Lunch will be from 12 to 1, and the day will end at 3 o' clock. The day will be held in Noble silence as far as possible. Please bring lunch to share. To book a place please email [email protected]
Find out more »Meditation evening and book discussion with Nick Scott
Our regular Wednesday meditation evening this week will be led by Nick, who will be speaking about, and signing copies of, his recently published book "In The Footsteps of My Teacher: Following Ajahn Sumedho to Mount Kailash."
Find out more »Beginners’ Meditation Workshop
This monthly workshop offers instruction in the theory and practice of sitting and walking meditation, with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion. It is offered on donation basis and there is no need to bring anything. Please email [email protected] to book a place.
Find out more »April 2019
Meitheal – Community Work Day
The meitheal is an old Irish tradition whereby a community gathers to work together on a particular task. This would typically be the harvesting of a crop or the raising of a building frame. At Sunyata we have a monthly meitheal which everyone is welcome to join. Usually we work on a specific job in the forest or the gardens. Lunch and regular cups of tea are provided. We start around 9 o' clock but people are welcome to join…
Find out more »Practice Day
A day of insight meditation practice for all those who would like to support their meditation practice in a group setting. If you have never meditated before it is recommended to attend a beginner's workshop first. Some brief meditation instruction will be given at the beginning of the day. Please bring own lunch. To reserve a place please email [email protected]
Find out more »Meditation for Children
This workshop is a child friendly and creative introduction to meditation for children. Children are encouraged to explore mindfulness, thoughts and emotions through stories, discussion, arts and crafts. The workshop is suitable for children aged 4 to 12 years and is held from 2 to 2.45 pm. Louise Shanagher is a children's and teenagers mindfulness teacher who gives meditation and mindfulness workshops for children and teens nationwide. She is the author of Ireland's first mindfulness series for children the "Mindfully…
Find out more »Meditation for Teenagers
This class introduces teenagers to mindfulness and meditation practices. We will explore thoughts, feelings, practicing mindfulness in everyday life and some guided meditations. The workshop is suitable for teenagers aged 13 to 17 years and is held from 3 to 3.45 pm. Louise Shanagher is a children's and teenagers mindfulness teacher who gives meditation and mindfulness workshops for children and teens nationwide. She is the author of Ireland's first mindfulness series for children the "Mindfully Me" series and lectures in…
Find out more »A weekend Retreat with Ajahn Dhammanando
We are delighted to welcome back Ajahn Dhammanando who has been teaching retreats annually at Sunyata for many years. Start and End Times: Registration for this retreat will be from 4pm on Friday the 19th April with soup served at 6.15. The retreat will begin at 7pm with a short orientation talk and will end at lunchtime on Sunday the 21st April. It is necessary to attend all of the retreat. It is possible to arrive a day or two…
Find out more »May 2019
Waking Up -A Hungry Ghost Retreat
‘Waking Up” is a day-long retreat with Vince Cullen exploring some Buddhist principles and practices for waking up to everyday life; particularly – but not exclusively – for awakening from addictions and compulsions; and some practices for healing the Heart-Mind in everyday life. This retreat will be a day of talks, sitting practice and (weather permitting) walking practice devoted to recovery in the Buddhist sense of ‘Waking Up’. We will practice some silent meditation; and some Loving-kindness and Forgiveness practice. This mindfulness-based…
Find out more »Weekend Retreat with Nick Scott in Clarinbridge
This retreat will be held at Kilcoan Retreat Centre, set amidst mature woodland near Clarinbridge, Co. Galway and will be an introduction to the Buddha's insight, or vipassana, teachings. Vipassana is the quality of enquiry, which, along with mindfulness, Sati, is the basis of Buddhist meditation practice. Neither are techniques, rather they are attitudes we can develop through meditation which will then steadily free us of any burdens we carry and our personal reactivity, so that we are able…
Find out more »Weekend Retreat with Ajahn Karuniko
Ajahn Karuniko was born in Greater Manchester in 1953. After graduating in Electronic Engineering in 1975 he worked for several years before coming to take up residence as a novice at Cittaviveka monastery in 1982. He ordained as a monk in 1984 with Ajahn Sumedho as his preceptor. Ajahn has spent much of his monastic life helping to establish monasteries in England and New Zealand, and spent three years living in monasteries in Thailand. He has recently retired as abbot…
Find out more »June 2019
10 day Retreat with Nick Scott, assisted by Heike Griffin and Donal Quirke
A ten day retreat is an opportunity to deepen one's meditation practice and leads to an understanding of what meditation and the spiritual journey is really about. The period is long enough that we can leave behind the stress caused by our daily interactions while having no need to plan the future. It thus becomes possible to explore the present and in the space and silence that opens up to process our buried memories, traits and other conditioning so that…
Find out more »July 2019
Sunyata Family Camp 2019
Our fourth family camp will take place at Sunyata Buddhist Centre from July 3rd to the 7th. This retreat will be an opportunity to experience the space to spend time with your family in a mindful way and reflect on your practice in a supportive community environment The camp aims to create a supportive environment for parents to practice Dharma and apply mindfulness methods in every day family life. The camp will be an opportunity for families to support and…
Find out more »August 2019
Weekend Retreat with Resident Monks
This meditation retreat will be taught by several of the monks who are spending the vassa, or rains retreat, at Sunyata. The schedule of the retreat will be integrated into the monastic routine, and as such offers a unique opportunity to sample life in an active Buddhist monastery. Start and End Times: Registration for this retreat will be from 4pm on Friday, August 16th. Soup will be served at 6.30pm and the retreat will begin at 7pm with a…
Find out more »October 2019
Nick Scott 10 Day Retreat in Clarinbridge
Please note that this retreat is not being held at Sunyata but at Kilcoan Retreat Centre in Clarinbridge, Galway. A ten day retreat is an opportunity to deepen one's meditation practice and leads to an understanding of what meditation and the spiritual journey is really about. The period is long enough that we can leave behind the stress caused by our daily interactions while having no need to plan the future. It thus becomes possible to explore the present and…
Find out more »