The Golden Light of the Buddha
Winter Sangha Retreat
7 Nights, Sunday 27th December 2026 – Sunday 3rd January 2027
Led by Prajnagita, Sadayasihi and Varabandhu
For decades the Winter Retreat has been the pinnacle of our sangha’s collective practice as we come together during that mysterious time between mid-winter and the New Year’s dawning to dive deep into the Dharma.
Now, for the first time since 2020, it’s back as a week-long retreat. Join us for what will be a magical week of sitting suffused by the Golden Light of the Buddha. We will experience the brilliant light of Bodhi Mind shining on us through the clear teachings and exemplification of the historical Buddha as well as through the mystery and beauty of the Mahayana’s Buddha and Bodhisattvas.
When
Sunday 27th December 2026 to Sunday 3rd January 2027
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.
Prajnagita first encountered Buddhism and meditation in 1995 through the Dublin Buddhist Centre and was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2002, at the age of 28.
She has lived in several women’s communities in Ireland and the UK and has worked in a variety of contexts including Triratna, the arts and third level education. Latterly she was a full-time team member at the Dublin Buddhist Centre as well as Mitra Convenor for women (2013-2020) before moving to Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre in Wales and working in support of women training for ordination (2020-2025).
Since the end of 2025 she has been based in Malvern, England and works as assistant to the Triratna College of Public Preceptors. Frequent visits home to Ireland means she is able to continue her connection with the Irish Sangha which she very much values.
Sadayasihi learned to meditate in 2007 in the Dublin Buddhist Centre while she was training to be a solicitor, having had an interest in Buddhism since she was a teenager.
She was ordained in 2016 and is current chair of the charity that runs the DBC, as well as leading a study group and teaching classes.
Varabandhu first came through the doors of the Dublin Buddhist Centre in March 2012 to learn to meditate as a response to suffering. He soon found that regularly practicing meditation positively transformed his mind and his life and in 2014 he became a committed Buddhist. Seven years later he deepened that commitment by being ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order.
Varabandhu has been leading meditation courses, Buddhist study and retreats since 2021. He worked for two years as a fundraiser for Future Dharma and is now working as a court reporter. He volunteers his time to teach at the Dublin Buddhist Centre so that others can benefit in the same way he has.
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.
For most retreats, we organise a car-sharing list so that people travelling from the same area can connect. If you need a lift or can offer one, simply let us know when you book. While we can’t guarantee a lift, car sharing is often possible and is a lovely way to begin your retreat in the spirit of friendship and community.
Shubha Vihara is also accessible by public transport. The simplest route is to take a coach to Limerick and from there take Bus Éireann Route 323 to Ballina. By prior arrangement, we can usually organise collection from Ballina, making the final part of your journey to the retreat centre straightforward.
Cost
We do tiered pricing, depending on the circumstances.
- €490 waged
- €445 low-waged
- €390 unwaged or student
You can pay a deposit of €75 to secure your place. Please email info@dublinbuddhistcentre.org for the booking link.
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.