September 2018
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 9:30 with an introduction from one of our resident monks. 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…
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. This month's workshop will be led by Luang Por Sangah, translated by Ajahn Dhammadharo.
Find out more »October 2018
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 »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. They include Luang Por Sangah, Ajahn Sosowan, and Ajahn Dhammadharo (who will be also translating). As Sunyata is currently hosting a vassa, the retreat will be integrated into the monastic routine. On Saturday, many people will be visiting for a ceremony to commemorate the Thai King. As well as offering teachings from several senior monks, this retreat provides a…
Find out more »10 day Retreat with Nick Scott
Please note that this retreat will not be held at Sunyata but in Kilcuan Retreat Centre, in woodland near Clarinbridge, Co Galway. A ten day retreat is an opportunity to deepen ones 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…
Find out more »November 2018
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 »December 2018
New Year Retreat 2018 / 2019
New Year Retreat Friday 28th December 2018 to Tuesday 1st Jan 2019 This retreat will be led by members of the Sunyata Lay sangha and will follow our normal retreat guidelines / schedule with morning and evening chanting, periods of silence, walking and some guided meditation, talks / reflections and some light (optional) yoga. Start and End Times: Registration for this retreat will be from 4pm on Friday 28th December with soup served at 6.15. The retreat will begin at…
Find out more »January 2019
From Seeking Peace to Being Peace -An insight meditation retreat with Pádraig Cotter
Insight meditation involves the exploration of our experience in ways that lead to a deepening of our understanding into what leads to suffering and what leads to peace. On this retreat our exploration will take the shape of various practices such as mindfulness of breathing, formless awareness meditation, walking meditation among others. These practices will serve as gateways through which we can investigate the Buddha’s teachings on realising a peace of heart and mind beyond suffering, what he called Nibbana…
Find out more »A weekend retreat with Metta (formerly Ajahn Metta)
Metta (formerly Ajahn Metta) was born in 1953 in Germany. She came in contact with the Theravada Buddhist Path in 1991, when she practised at Wat Suan Mokkh in Thailand, the monastery of Ajahn Buddhadasa. Later, in 1993, she joined the monastic sangha at Amaravati monastery and was ordained as a siladhara in the Thai Forest tradition from 1996 to July 2017. During her time as a siladhara she has been living and practising mainly at Amaravati and Cittaviveka Monasteries…
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