When we talk about "Awakening" it means to awaken to the Truth of how things are, in other words, to Reality. This is the goal. Habitually our minds are snared in ignorance and delusion and it is difficult for us to see clearly beyond our personal biases, preferences and character tendencies. Through calming the mind and through investigating our inner world there is a possibility for greater clarity and more wisdom to arise in how we understand both ourselves and others. Such an understanding is the basis for more freedom.

Retreat Information

This weekend retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Venue: Ranelagh, Dublin 6. See map and directions here.

Date: Saturday, April 25th - Sunday, April 26th, 2015

Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm

Fee: donation basis

Lunch: We will share a vegetarian lunch at about 12 noon on both days. Please bring some food to share if you wish to join in. 

Places are limited, early registration is essential.

Registration: please click here (or contact us at info@irishsanghatrust.ie)

• This retreat is offered on a donation basis as the teachings of the Buddha in the Theravadan tradition are available for free. In order to make a secure booking, please complete the online booking form.
• Remember to pre-register before evening on the Friday preceding the retreat. Please do not assume there will be space available at the last minute.

On the day:

• Please be seated in the meditation hall at least 5 minutes before the session. Comfortable clothing is recommended. Dressing in layers is also a good idea.
• Please bring some food for a shared vegetarian lunch, if you wish to join us for the midday meal. 
• Refreshments, CDs and Dharma books are available for free distribution.

Dana

Dana for the teacher. It is Theravadan Buddhist practice that monks and nuns don’t touch/use money. Any donation that we get for teaching will be transferred to the English Sangha Trust.

Dana to Irish Sangha Trust (IST). Any donation made to the IST will be used to cover the cost of the retreat. The organizers of IST are volunteers and do not financially benefit from the IST funds.

Ajahn Dhammanando - Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, UK

Venerable Ajahn Dhammanando grew up in Carshalton, Surrey, a fairly typical suburb of South London. He attended Mitcham Grammar school and went on to study English and History at Keele University in Staffordshire at a time when the curriculum there was broad and multi-disciplinary. He was aware of certain deep questions, barely articulated, on the inside, however he did not pursue a spiritual quest to find answers as the religions which he encountered in the UK appeared to him only marginally relevant. It was after graduation on going to Thailand as a volunteer teacher for VSO that he found some initial signposts, although at that time he had almost no understanding of Buddhism. In 1985 he took a year off work in order to spend time as an Anag?rika in Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries. Four and a half years ensued during which he studied for an MA at Essex University, among other things. The realisation gradually dawned that Going Forth was what he really needed to do and that his more worldly interests were of lesser importance. In 1991 he returned to Amaravati to re-ordain as an Anag?rika.

In July 1993 he took Upasampada with Luang Por Sumedho at Chithurst and trained initially with Ajahn Sucitto as his Acariya. Between 1997 and 2004 he went on to train in Switzerland, then Italy, followed by a return to Amaravati and then to Chithurst again before going overseas to Australia and New Zealand, spending time in different monasteries in Australia before living two years at Bodhinyanarama in Wellington.

He returned to the UK in May 2007 to be nearer his parents and, ever since then, he has been resident at Amaravati but has also made occasional trips abroad to teach in France, Slovenia and Hungary. Currently he makes regular teaching visits to a local prison in Bovingdon and assists in receiving school groups at the monastery.