Sunyata Buddhist Centre Clare

What does Sunyata Buddhist Centre offer?

Sunyata Buddhist Centre offers a range of retreats (one-day and residential), classes and workshops, all centred around the Buddhist practice of Vipassana (Insight) / Mindfulness Meditation.

Weekend Retreats

Usually there is one residential retreat offered per month, with either Monastic teachers or lay meditation teachers.

One Day Retreats

There is a monthly Day of Mindfulness Meditation, based on the Buddha’s teachings. This is an opportunity to come and meditate with others for some or all of the day. The day is held mostly in silence. Meditation guidance is given. Held on a Sunday.

Women’s Day Retreat

Every month there is a day of meditation for women, the Women’s Day retreat.

Beginner’s Workshop

Every month there is a meditation workshop especially for beginners, held on a Saturday morning. 10.30am – 12.30am

Weekly events

We hold a weekly group meditation on Wednesday evenings from 8 – 9:30 followed by refreshments, open to all. However we strongly recommend that newcomers to meditation attend one of our monthly Introduction to Meditation workshops, (See our calendar for more details)

Private Groups

The facilities here can also be rented out for private group meetings and events. Please contact us for more information.

What kind of practice will one be engaged in on retreat?

Primarily, retreats at Sunyata consist of periods of sitting and walking meditation, usually between 45 mins to 1 hour in length. Vipassana or Insight meditation is the main practice taught at Sunyata. Insight meditation is concerned with seeing clearly the nature of experience and in so doing we see how suffering is created in our lives and how we can be free from suffering. Insight meditation involves the cultivation of wisdom and compassion.

Sitting meditation takes place in the shrine room while walking meditation usually takes place outdoors. Meditation cushions, mats and chairs are available at the back of the shrine room. One is welcome to bring one’s own meditation cushion.

There are periods of mindful working (usually 30 – 45 mins) in which participants help with the daily chores of the centre. This usually includes tasks such as chopping vegetables, cleaning, weeding etc. and ensures the upkeep of the centre during retreat times. The centre is run entirely by volunteers so the help of retreatants is necessary and appreciated. It allows retreatants to feel part of the community during retreat times and it also provides an opportunity to practice mindfulness in action.The retreat features periods of guided meditation, dharma talks and chanting depending on the teacher.

Most retreats at Sunyata are carried out in Noble Silence. This means that once the retreat begins the retreatants do not engage with each other in any kind of verbal communication until the end of the noble silence period (usually on the last day of the retreat). Retreatants are asked to refrain from all forms of communication with other retreatants and with the outside world, including phone calls, text messages, and internet. To minimise distraction for all, we ask that all mobile phones be switched off for the duration of the retreat. Please give our office number (061-367073) and/or e-mail ([email protected]) to a family member or close friend to use in case of emergency so that you do not have to check your mobile phone. If you have dependant family members that you need to stay in contact with, please notify us so that arrangements can be made.

Coming on retreat affords us an opportunity to enter a more simple way of living. Noble silence supports this simplicity of being. An atmosphere of external noble silence helps us to enter an inner silence on our retreat. People usually appreciate the opportunity to be free from the social obligation of entering chit-chat.