Living the Highest Vision:
Transforming Our Lives and the World Through Buddhist Practice
May Sangha Retreat
3 Nights, Friday 1st – Monday 4th May 2026
Led by Maitrikaya and Varabandhu
Lotus flower, Golden Net, Shepherd’s Dance and Garden in the Wilderness – on this long weekend retreat we will enter into the living symbolism of Sangharakshita’s Four Gifts through meditation, talks and shared practice.
We’ll explore how Buddhism offers us a challenging but profoundly positive vision of existence and a unique path of personal development.
We’ll see how, together, we can create a new life of unbounded freedom – and a new world based on awareness and compassion.
When
Friday 1st to Monday 4th May 2026
Where
This retreat will take place in our very own retreat centre Shubha Vihara, in Ballycorrigan, Ballina, Co. Tipperary. It’s approximately 2 hour’s drive from Dublin City. See below for a Google Map.
This retreat is for Sangha regulars and people who have a meditation practice of the Mindfulness of Breathing and Metta Bhavana meditation practices.
Maitrikaya
Varabandhu
The retreat will be led by Maitrikaya and Varabandhu.
We asked previous retreat participants what the highlights were for them. They answered:
All dishes are vegan, but don’t let that put you off. We’ve astounded by many omnivores on our retreats who admitted they had no idea vegan food could be so tasty and filling!
Every meal is cooked from scratch, and there is always enough for second helpings. No one ever goes hungry on our retreats.
Shubha Vihara is an approximately 2 hour and 15 minute drive from Dublin City Centre.
There is usually there an opportunity to car pool, subject to availability. If you can offer lifts, let us know on the booking form.
Buses can be taken to Limerick (UL) and then Ballina where pickups can be arranged. You can also get the train to a nearby town (Birdhill) and a taxi for the rest of the trip.
Cost
We do tiered pricing, depending on the circumstances.
- €340 waged
- €300 low-waged
- €240 unwaged or student
You can pay a deposit of €75 to secure your place.
What to Expect
All bedrooms are shared with fellow participants, typically with three to five retreatants per room. There are no single rooms at this venue.
Sharing a room is a meaningful aspect of the retreat. Many find it enriching to live simply alongside others, fostering a quiet sense of connection, mutual support, and community. This spirit of shared living reflects some key elements of Buddhist practice — simplicity, awareness of others, and compassion.
A €75 deposit per person of this payment is non-refundable under all circumstances.
If you wish to cancel or transfer a booking please notify us as soon as possible at info@dublinbuddhistcentre.org
Cancellation:
- If you wish to cancel your place more than 14 days prior to the retreat starting, a full refund minus the deposit will be offered.
- If cancellation occurs within 14 days of the retreat starting no refund will be available.
Transfers
- At least 14 days before the retreat starts: we will transfer your place to another residential retreat if there are places available on the alternative residential retreat.
- 14 days or less before the retreat starts: we may be able to transfer your place to another residential retreat if there are places available on the alternative residential retreat and we can fill your place on the original retreat.
- If the residential retreat you wish to transfer to costs more than your original booking you will need to pay the difference at the time of transferring in order to secure your place.
- We will refund the difference if the residential retreat you wish to transfer to costs less than the original booking.
- We will only transfer a booking once and no transfer will be possible once a residential retreat has started.