What is a retreat?
A Buddhist retreat gives you a chance to put aside the concerns and demands of your everyday routine. By getting away from the noise and clutter of Cork city or wherever you come from, you can begin to relax and open up. Many people who go on Buddhist retreats feel more grounded, calmer and in touch with themselves. Those who go on retreat regularly find these qualities pervading the rest of their lives, and can live more and more from their full human potential.
Going on retreat gives you the opportunity to share time and inspiration with like-minded people from all walks of life. Many people find that a sense of community develops as a retreat progresses, and lasting friendships are born from their experience. Retreats are not ‘holidays’ – they are an opportunity to deepen your awareness of yourself, other people, and the world around you. They give you space to clarify what is essential in your life. And as such, a retreat can be a challenging, life-changing experience.
Go on Retreat
Do I need to be a Buddhist?
No, you don’t need to be a Buddhist. On our introductory retreats you don’t need any previous experience of meditation either – if you don’t know our two main meditation practices, we will teach them to you from scratch.
What actually happens on retreat?
Retreat life is simple, with a daily programme to follow. There will be periods of meditation, talks on aspects of Buddhism and Buddhist rituals. As the retreat progresses there will be more meditation sessions and longer periods of silence to allow for reflection. On most retreats there will also be small groups led by a team member in which you can discuss your experience of the retreat. In order to keep the retreat running smoothly, we ask everyone to help out with some simple chores.