Retreat Facilitator / Teacher

We are looking forward to spending a day of our life experiencing inner empowerment and well being by creating a harmonious relationship with our body and mind. With the power of connection to inner strength, we can promote well being for ourselves and for others.

Coral Sunone is an experienced traveling meditation, body and mind well-being facilitator, who has learned five years intensive meditation from Burmese teachers since 2004. She is a very good friend of ISt and has visited and led retreats many times over the years.

Preparation

There are several preparations that will be extremely helpful to empower the mind and body. Even though it is only for a day, the preparation will make a great difference for our connection of body and mind.

Pre-retreat preparation : A week or two before the retreat day

• Sleeping: Sleep as much as you can, and with good quality (turn off light, no sound disturbance and sleep early). Wake up earlier, go to sleep earlier.
• Food and beverage: Reduce intake of meat (if any) and alcohol a few days before the retreat. Eat lightly at dinner. Prepare medication for the retreat (if any).
• Technology: Reduce the coverage range of mobile, TV or electrical components, which will disturb good sleep and body rest. Turn off the wifi if not in use (during sleep), do not put the mobile phone near the bed while sleeping.

Retreat preparation

Clothing

May wear: Simple and cooling clothes, preferable custom / loose fitting / skirts. Indoor-only shoes or barefoot, which helps contribute to the silence and overall cleanliness of our environment during retreat.

Kindly not wear: Avoid jeans, miniskirts, and exposure, fancy clothes. No need to wear makeup, perfume, jewelers, necklace, or watch. Please do not use scented hygiene products, cell phones, beeper watches, candles, incense or 'noisy', rustling clothing.

*Please consider washing the items you wear with an unscented laundry detergent and softener, and please do not wear any scented products on the day throughout the retreat.

Accommodation (or) Home with seclusion: Well prepared already by ourselves.

For meditation

• A quiet place or room for meditation.
• A simple shawl to cover the body or shoulder or head in the early morning.
• A good and comfortable sitting cushion or bench.

Others

• Settle as many errands as possible before you enter the retreat.
• Inform your loved ones, relatives, friends or colleagues to support you in the retreat by not contacting you or come into your meditation space, unless in the case of an emergency.
• Make sure your responsibilities are at a minimum/zero when you enter the retreat.
• Bring a clock and/or watch for your room (using cell phones for this purpose is not suitable).

Food and Beverage

• While taking breakfast and lunch, choose the least intense food for your body, such as gluten free, less sugary or less salty meals and healthy beverage such as juice or filtered water.
• Avoid intake of alcohol or intoxicants.
• If in need, take your medicines, vitamins, supplements and other necessities as well.
•  

During the retreat

Code of Conduct

The basic foundation for the successful practice of meditation is sīla (moral conduct). This is the basis for the development of samādhi (concentration) and paññā (insight).

We aim to provide an environment which enables the participants to develop and deepen their practice whilst on the retreat, above and beyond what is capable of being achieved in their daily lives. As such, each participant is asked to observe a few simple rules whilst on the retreat at their own space so that they, as well as their fellow meditators, can develop their practice to the best of their abilities and get the most out of their time. These are listed below:

The 5 precepts, traditionally observed as part of Buddhist meditation practice are as follows:

1. to abstain from killing any living being;
2. to abstain from taking what is not given;
3. to abstain from sexual activity;
4. to abstain from lying (noble silence may be observed for this retreat);
5. to abstain from all intoxicants (no smoking, alcohol or other drug use will be permitted unless medically prescribed – please inform us of any prescribed drugs you will be using whilst on the retreat).

Reading/Journal writing

Reading or keeping of journals is not encouraged during the retreat. This serves as a distraction from our practice and we will find that we will not fully develop our practice because of it.

Mobile phones (if you like you can keep these rules, but not compulsory this time)

Participants will be asked to turn off or put mobile phones to flight mode during the start of retreat. If there is a need to be contactable due to special circumstances such as family illness etc. then an emergency phone call is allowed.

Timetable

A day on a retreat consists of discussion sessions, meditation sessions and breaks. There is dhamma sharing, you may prepare a 2 hour lunch break to do some simple yoga and stretches such as 21 times of both arms raise above the head to activate the lymph system.

Insights sharing and discussion being offered along with opportunities to ask questions are also included. Instructions are regularly re-iterated throughout the day.

Below is the schedule of the day on retreat:

Saturday

• 9:30am: Prepare to connect in Zoom
• 10.00 am: Meditation - basic warm up
• 11.30 am: Introduction to retreat
• 12.00 pm: Preparing lunch, eating and resting (for yourself or if you prefer, we can eat on screen together in silence with small chanting of lunch)
• 2.00 pm: Meditation - Opening the gate of body and mind connection
• 2:40 pm: Relax and rest room time
• 3:00 pm: Sharing / Question & Answer
• 4.30 pm: Preparing the daily life approach of practice
• 5:30 pm: Departure to home

Costs/Expenses

We have decided to be able to provide our retreat on a donation basis. The Gift of truth is a wonderful thing to be able to provide, and with the support of the people around us, as well as those who have attended retreat before, we are now in a position to do this with their help. Below are a few guidelines to explain how this will work.

As this is our first venture into providing retreat online on a donation basis, we are not sure how things are going to work out.

In its essence our commitment is to provide the sharing of truth for free, as it has always traditionally done in Asia. Hopefully all of us will be able to do this without much surprising costs.

Teachings from Coral Sunone are also given for free / dana (on donation basis).

Dana is an ancient eastern tradition still used today. You will be invited to give dana to the facilitator / teacher at the end of the retreat (anonymously if you so wish). Dana is a way of expressing our gratitude for the teachings that we have received and a way to support the teacher and the teachings so that they can carry on being given to others. It is an important part of the retreat, as it is upon our own reflections that we attribute a value to what we have learned and so give accordingly. We can do dana from material things to service to mental support and so on. Anything that makes you feel happy after giving is a form of dana, including cooking for your own family members or your loved one!

How can we offer in support of retreat?

You can donate on our website at the beginning and throughout the day of the retreat, as wished.

Details and form filling

You are welcome to fill in this form to tell us more about you. Your response will only be reviewed by the meditation teacher. Your privacy is assured. Click here for the form.

Location / Route Public transport to come here

AppleTree Health and Wellness, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. See map and directions here. At the door press bell marked "Appletree TOP".

Looking forward to having an enjoyable retreat with all of us online! May all of us be well and happy!