In this retreat the teacher Bart Gruzalski will emphasize mindfulness (meditation), right conduct (morality), and offer what might be a glimpse of the end of suffering, one of the two main aims of Buddhist practice. The day will be spent in silence. This silence requires that retreatants do not converse during walking meditation or during the meal. Retreatants will be allowed to ask questions or write questions for the retreat teacher in the Meditation Hall. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.

Bart will spend significant time explaining how mindfulness, combined with morality (not some institution's morality but what you really intuit as moral), need to be used in tandem to move along the path toward the cessation of suffering.  Bart  will also offer a glimpse into one level of freedom from suffering which will likely resonate with your own experience. While Bart will intersperse these reflections with sitting and walking meditation, the person who is coming for the typical day of silent retreat would find the talking and Q&A to be extremely distrubing. This is a retreat where the emphasis will be on understanding these aspects of Buddhism in the context of a silent meditative retreat, as well as learning minfulness (for beginners) and practicing mindfulness.

To repeat, this will be a day with talks from Bart on these topics, with times for sitting meditation and walking meditation.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS RETREAT will NOT be your normal day of silence with alternative periods of sittings, a body scan, and walking meditation. 

It is also worth realizing that while Buddhism is the foreground for these topics, in what Bart will teach it will be clear that the essence of this retreat is NOT BUDDHISM but any way of life that combines experience with morality.  Bart will point out clear applications of this theme to Catholicism and to Hinduism. Before the day ends, Bart will offer a glimpse into one level of freedom from suffering which will likely resonate with your own experience.

This is a day to have a heart-holiday away from our usual thoughts, patterns of action, worries, and environment.... while looking at the possibility of the end of suffering.  You will also be able to enjoy the delights of early spring at Sunyata as buds swell, early flowers bloom, and birds sing. 

A vegetarian lunch will be provided.

This day is open to those with a meditation practice, to complete beginners, and to  everyone in between.

The price for this retreat is 40-60 EU with concessions available. This means you can pay 36 Euros without any special request being made. For those who need a more generous concession, please contact the retreat centre manager, Padraig Cotter, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 061367073.