Programme at Sunyata Retreat Centre

SUNYATA RETREAT SCHEDULE
August - December 2008 (We expect to be adding more retreats to this schedule in the coming weeks.)
Aug 24th One Day Retreat “A Holiday for the Heart” Bart Gruzalski, PhD
Give your heart a holiday and take a couple of days to be in the moment and to let go of the cares and worries that keep our minds so busy and our brows furled. We will focus on mindfulness, bringing in Buddhist, Hindu and Christian reflections on letting go. We will hold the retreat in a spirit of congenial noble silence. Enjoy vegetarian meals, mooing cows, the sound of the waterfall, and inner silence. Cost €50 (concessions available)
Sep 5th-7th A Weekend Retreat “Love is Letting Go of Fear” Marion Gruzalski
From childhood on, we are conditioned to build an invisible wall around ourselves to keep ourselves “safe.” This wall separates us and hinders our ability to see things as they are, to live life fully, and to see our true nature. Through mindfulness meditation as well as group discussion, we can begin to dismantle this wall and allow our inner being to blossom. This retreat will be held in a spirit of congenial noble silence. Cost €150 (concessions available)
Sep 13th A Day of Christian Meditation Cait Ni Liongsigh
Instruction will be given on meditation from a Christian perspective, drawing on the teachings of the Early Desert Fathers and especially “the Way of the Pilgrim”. Particular emphasis will be given to the use of a mantra which is a sacred word used in meditation. There will be three periods of silent meditation and some time for questions. Why not treat yourself to this day of renewal and strengthen your meditation practice with other practitioners? A delicious vegetarian meal as well as tea breaks will be part of the day. Cost €50 (concessions available)
Sept 19th-21st A Weekend Retreat Buddhist Insight Meditation Ajhan Anandabodhi
This is a weekend retreat with Sister Anandabodhi from Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England. Since this is a monastic retreat, there will be only cheese and chocolate with the evening tea. During this retreat we will practice insight meditation as it comes through the lineage of Ajahn Chah and Luang Por Sumedho. Breaks will be part of the day. Cost €225 (concessions available)
Sept 26th-28th A Weekend Retreat Where Leaves Touch Calm Waters: Meditations on Nature Richard O’Gorman
We will explore the intuitive heart which draws us to acknowledge the damaging changes to our planet. Drawing on the Buddha’s teachings and reflections of the Dalai Lama, we will call upon our inner compassion to explore these changes and the future that our children will face. On the Sunday morning after breakfast we will take a walk through the countryside, using this time for sharing and appreciation. Through the weekend we will develop foundations of practice and so establish confidence in our intuitive nature, allowing our individual expression to flow in conversation, music, art, or poetry. Cost €150 (concessions available)
Oct 3rd–4th A Weekend Retreat Mindfulness and the End of Suffering Bart Gruzalski, PhD
During this weekend we will practice mindfulness as a crucial step along the path toward the end of suffering. The Four Noble Truths will be our template, as well as reflections from the New Testament, the Katha Upanishad, and the Bhagavad Gita. Congenial Noble Silence will be the backdrop for our practice of sitting, walking, eating, looking, and contemplating. Cost €150 (concessions available)
Oct 10th-12th A Weekend of Yoga June Durkin of Rusheens Yoga Centre
We practice yoga to feel alive and well, to find peace amidst the chaos. This weekend will focus on exploring an approach to Yoga inspired by Vanda Scaravelli, the essence of the practice being in discovering how yoga postures can emerge from within the body in response to gravity and the breath, eliminating the need for tension or effort, inviting a sense of lightness and freedom within our practice that is always possible when we can let go of the effort of “doing” and listen to the natural intelligence of the body. Cost €150 (concessions available)
Oct 24th-27th A Four Day Retreat Vipassana (insight) - Loving Kindness Retreat Marjo Oosterhauf
In this four day emphasis on metta practice, we develop the capacity for friendliness and non-contentiousness towards ourselves and others, planting seeds of happiness and well-being. In insight (or mindfulness) meditation we cultivate moment to moment awareness, looking with honesty into our hearts and minds. Through these two pillars of meditation we begin to relate to life with less fear and hostility, and with more wisdom and equanimity, lessening hatred and increasing joy in our lives. Cost €225 (concessions available)
Nov 8th A Day of Christian Meditation Cait Ni Liongsigh
Instruction will be given on meditation from a Christian perspective, drawing on the teachings of the Early Desert Fathers and especially “the Way of the Pilgrim”. Particular emphasis will be given to the use of a mantra which is a sacred word used in meditation. There will be three periods of silent meditation and some time for questions. Why not treat yourself to this day of renewal and strengthen your meditation practice with other practitioners. A delicious vegetarian meal as well as tea breaks will be part of the day. Cost €50 (concessions available)
Nov 14th-16th A Weekend Retreat Good Grief Marion Gruzalski
Grief is a universal and powerful life experience which we all experience. Grief can be traumatic and can cripple our ability to live, to trust, and to love again. Grief can also open our hearts as no other experience can. Through meditation and sharing we will explore our ability to use grief as a means to open and grow. We will hold the retreat in a spirit of congenial noble silence. Cost €150 (concessions available)
Dec 6th A Day of Christian Meditation Cait Ni Liongsigh
Instruction will be given on meditation from a Christian perspective, drawing on the teachings of the Early Desert Fathers and especially “the Way of the Pilgrim”. Particular emphasis will be given to the use of a mantra which is a sacred word used in meditation. There will be three periods of silent meditation and some time for questions. Why not treat yourself to this day of renewal and strengthen your meditation practice with other practitioners. A delicious vegetarian meal as well as tea breaks will be part of the day. Cost €50 (concessions available)
Dec 12th–14th A Weekend Retreat Presence for Christmas: finding peace in the midst of busyness Catherine Sutton
At this busy time of year the tendency is to be reaching forward – out of the present moment - planning, expecting, anticipating and rushing. The mind becomes restless and the body tense. This weekend of quietness will invite you to become more aware of what is actually happening to you in the present moment- the racing mind, the discomforts in the body, the changing emotions, and the possibility of stillness within each moment. This will be encouraged through silent sitting and walking meditation, mindful movement, and the practice of specific exercises to encourage mindfulness in daily life. Cost €150 (concessions available)

NB: All Retreat prices cover the cost of meals, accommodation, teachers’ expenses and retreat overheads only – no part of that fee goes to the teacher. All teacher’s at Sunyata offer their services on the traditional Buddhist principal of Dana, (meaning generosity, or free-will offering). There will be an opportunity to offer donations for the teachers at the end of each course. For information on retreats and bookings (unless otherwise specified) please contact the retreat managers at Sunyata. Tel: +353+(0)6136 7073; email: info@sunyayacentre.com.
Regular Events
Meditation Classes every Wednesday evening from 8 - 9:30pm at Sunyata. Instruction and guidance is offered by resident teachers. All are welcome. No charge – donations may be offered. Yoga Classes with Camilla O’Callaghan commencing Tuesday 7th of October. Class from 7 – 8:30pm. Please contact Camilla directly to book a place. Ph: 061 376 084 or 087 2888 902. Private Self-catering Accommodation is available for those wishing to do self-retreat or take time out from busy lives. Space available outside of scheduled retreats only.
About the Teachers
Ajahn Ananadabodhi has been an ordained nun in the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho since 1995. She has lived in Chithurst and Hartridge monasteries and now resides at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire, England, where she takes part in the daily running of the monastery and teaching retreats. She particularly enjoys ‘tudong’ - walking on faith and taking the sign of the samana out into the world. Bart Gruzalski taught courses on Eastern Religions at Northeastern University, Boston. He voluntarily left his position to help found a centre for sustainable living, focusing on the ecological, social and psychological needs of people to live more sustainably, in community, and with a shared inner practice. Bart has written a book on Buddhism and a book on the philosophy of Gandhi. He has over 35 years of meditation practice, has focused for the past 25 years on mindfulness mediation, has taught meditation in a number of venues, and currently is a co-manager and resident teacher at Sunyata. Cait Ni Loinsigh was a member of a religious congregation for 29 years. In 1995 she felt a call to return to Ireland to delve into Celtic Spirituality and in 1997 felt a call to India, where she spent a year and a half sitting at the feet of many holy men and women of different religious persuasions. Cait now lives in West Clare where she works with senior citizens while endeavouring to live a contemplative lifestyle and put what she has learnt into practice. Camilla O’Callaghan has been practising yoga for 36 years. For the last 20 years she has studied Viniyoga and Yoga Therapy in Berlin, Bristol and Dublin. Camilla has been teaching for 20 years. Catherine Sutton teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy to groups and individuals. She is completing an MA in Mindfulness Based Approaches to Healthcare and has practiced meditation for over 20 years. June Durkin has been practising and teaching yoga for 25years and is qualified by the British Wheel of yoga. After studying various mind body disciplines, she was introduced to an approach in yoga pioneered by the late Vanda Scaravelli in 1990, which changed her life. June also built Rusheens Yoga Centre in 1990 to promote the benefits of Yoga. For more info visit www.rusheensyogacentre.com. Marion Gruzalski, after losing two daughters and a son, founded the Hospice at the Texas Medical Center. Her work in hospice ended in 2007 when she left the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, where she led weekly meditations and also led one day retreats at Green Gulch, a Zen monastery in Marin County. Marion has practiced meditation for over 25 years, spent many monastic winter retreat periods at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery under the spiritual guidance of Ajahn Sumedho, co-led a weekly group in Boston, and is the co-manager and a resident teacher at Sunyata Retreat Centre. Marjó Oosterhoff has been practicing and teaching insight and loving-kindness meditation for many years. She trained and continues train in monasteries in Burma, where she ordains for the duration of her stays. She works and teaches at a small meditation centre - Passaddhi - in the southwest of Ireland. Richard O’Gorman has been meditating for over twenty years. A lover of nature and wildlife since childhood, he has handled, nurtured and released injured wildlife. He has worked in conservation and currently works in horticulture. He periodically teaches horticulture in Adult and Community Education for the VEC in Ennis.
. 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 up between 15-17 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 a cup of tea at 5 p.m.. On Theravadan monastic retreats we do not have an evening meal. However, retreatants are very well fed at breakfast and lunch so this rarely causes a 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 other retreats there is a light supper at 6 pm. 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 "noble silence" i.e. no talking unless absolutely 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, ear plugs (optional), and if you feel the need, an umbrella. Please do NOT bring books, tape-recorder or walkman , mobile phones - your mind will be quite distracting enough without these! All bedding and meditation cushions are provided. Dana (Generosity) - The price listed for residential retreats includes food, accommodation, administrative costs and the teachers' travelling expenses. The teachers at Sunyata give of their time, energy and understanding. The retreat charge only covers for food, accommodation, teacher travel and retreat overheads. No part of your fee is reserved for the teachers. All teachers at Sunyata offer their services on the principle of Dana. Dana is a Pali word meaning ‘generosity’ or ‘free will offering’. As the first of the ten Paramitas (qualities leading to Buddhahood), it is the foundation of the Path. The offering of Dhamma teachings is considered the highest Dana, such teachings are considered beyond price and therefore we do not charge for such teachings. Rather retreatants are encouraged to respond in the spirit of Dana which in turn helps ensure the continuity of the Dhamma wheel as it turns at Sunyata. At the end of retreats there is a Dana bowl for teachers and also one for the managers of Sunyata. Sunyata managers have a small stipend but rely also on Dana to support their work at Sunyata which is vital for the smooth running of the centre. Also there is a Dana bowl for Sunyata, to ensure financial stability for Sunyata. 15% of further proceeds offered as Dana to Sunyata go to support Outreach Initiatives in the local and global community which focus on spiritual, ecological, political and social upliftment. About Insight Meditation: Many of the retreats at Sunyata teach Insight, also known as "Vipassana", Meditation. This is rooted in the 2500 year-old Buddhist tradition and has a deep and immediate relevance to our lives today. It connects us with our capacity to be present in each moment with a warm and open-hearted attention to every experience. From this quality of being present, our heart and mind can awaken to a depth of peace and clarity which liberates us from the power of craving, negativity and confusion. Wisdom born of seeing deeply into what is true reveals a natural freedom in life and a genuine love and compassion for others, for ourselves and for all of life.