General Retreat Information

Bookings
Prior booking is essential for all events. Unless a different contact name is given, please book with Sunyata Retreat centre tel 061 367073 or email:info@sunyatacentre.com and send a 50 euro deposit, payable to Sunyata Retreat Centre, for all residential retreats. Please tell the retreat manager in advance if you have any special dietary requirements (food is generally vegetarian). Unless specifically mentioned all retreats are suitable for beginners and more experienced meditators.

Retreat Schedule
Unless otherwise stated all weekend retreats start at 6 p.m. on a Friday, when retreatants arrive for light supper and welcome by retreat manager. All meals are good quality vegetarian food. The first meditation starts about 8 p.m. Accommodation is in shared rooms. We can accommodate between 14-16 people on residential retreats. We rise early with the first sitting about 5 or 6 am. Breakfast is about 7.15 am. The daily routine involves sitting and walking meditation, talks from the teacher, question and answer sessions and sometimes periods of working meditation. Lunch is about 12 noon and there is tea at 5 p.m.. On Theravadan monastic retreats we offer the usual breakfast but either no evening meal or only a very light meal (check the schedule for details). Since retreatants are very well fed at breakfast and lunch this rarely causes any problem. If you need to eat in the evening for medical reasons e.g. diabetes, please inform the retreat manager and it will be organised. On non-monastic retreats there is a light supper at 6 pm. Unless specified differently, weekend retreats usually end at 4 p.m. on the Sunday and longer retreats at lunch time on the last day. Retreats are held in "congenial noble silence" i.e. no talking unless necessary. The freedom from having to engage in social chit-chat gives everyone the space to withdraw inwards and benefit from the meditation practice.

What to bring on retreat:
Please bring your own towel; loose, warm, comfortable clothing; outdoor shoes and coat for walking meditation outside; slippers or thick socks for indoor wear; and a torch/flashlight. If you like, bring ear plugs and/or an umbrella and/or a watch.

Please do NOT bring books, tape-recorder or walkman, mobile phones - your mind will be quite distracting enough without these!

Please also do NOT bring a clock that makes a ticking sound—this will disturb other retreatants. A "silent" clock or a watch may be useful.

All bedding and meditation cushions/chairs are provided.

Dana (Generosity)
Dana is a Pali word meaning 'generosity' or 'free will offering'.

The retreat charge only covers food, accommodation, teacher travel and retreat overheads. No part of your fee is reserved for the teachers. All teachers at Sunyata whom you book through Sunyata offer their services on the principle of Dana (this is typically not true for those whose retreat you need to book by contacting the teacher directly).At the end of retreats there is a Dana bowl for teachers who teach for the centre.