Retreat Ariya Nani

This summer a vipassana- or insight meditation retreat will take place at Passaddhi Buddhist Retreat Centre in Adrigole, Beara, Co. Cork, Ireland. The retreat is residential, and in silence, under the guidance of Venerable Ariya Ñani, a Swiss nun living in Burma.

The meditation technique taught by Sister Ariya Ñani is in the tradition of the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. There are alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, and mindfulness of daily activities is stressed throughout the retreat.

Vipassana or insight meditation is a technique that originates in the Theravada Buddhist tradition of Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka. Developing mindfulness is the key factor in this practice. It’s a direct way to see who we truly are, by observing without preference or judgement the arising and passing away of all experience. We are witnessing physical feelings, thoughts and emotions. We gain insight into the impermanent, unsatisfactory and uncontrollable aspects of existence.

In this retreat we practise according to a daily schedule, alternating walking meditation (outside on the patio, or in the sunroom) and sitting meditation as a group upstairs in the meditation hall. Every day there is the opportunity for private reflection – called ‘interviews’ in this tradition – with Sister Ariya Ñani on how the practice is going.

Sister Ariya Ñani began practising insight meditation about 18 years ago. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in Burma in 1992 with Sayadaw U Janaka, her teacher, and she has been practising and teaching vipassana meditation ever since. Sister Ariya Ñani has translated several books from Burmese into English and German, including a book on Metta meditation. For more information on Chanmyay Yeiktha, the meditation centre where she lives and works (interpreting for the foreign meditators, and looking after their needs) or Sayadaw U Janaka, see www.chanmyay.net.

Practical Information
Dates:	5 - 14 September.
Start:	6.30 pm on Friday September 5 with a light meal; please arrive at 6 pm.
Finish:	With breakfast on Sunday September 14.
Facilitator:	Venerable Ariya Ñani.
Costs:	The retreat is offered on a donation basis. Please inform yourself what a similar retreat or workshop would cost at other venues, or contact Marjó for guidelines.
Please bring:	Meditation cushion or bench, umbrella, torch, warm clothes, alarm clock.
Transport:	Adrigole can be reached by bus from Cork-city, see www.buseireann.ie (public bus) or ring 027-74003 (private minibus) for details.
More info:	If you need more information, please ring Marjó at 027-60223 or click here for contact by email.
Booking:	To receive a registration form and directions to Passaddhi click here.