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Meditation

Meditation at the DBC

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. It helps us change the way we relate to ourselves and the world around us.

Buddhist meditation techniques offer a way of encouraging and developing positive states of mind, such as calmness, clarity, emotional positivity and a deeper seeing of the true nature of things.

The main thing we learn when we meditate is that we have a choice about how we respond to our thoughts and feelings. Even though much is out of our control in life, we can always take responsibility for our own states of mind and choose to change them for the better. Meditation empowers us to make this choice.

Over thousands of years Buddhist meditation techniques have developed to help people work with their minds, and the foundation of them all is the cultivation of a calm and positive state of mind.

The meditation techniques we teach cultivate this calm and positive state of mind. They consist of two simple but effective practices drawn from the Buddhist tradition and originally taught by the Buddha himself. The pair complement each other and can be learned by anyone, and you don’t have to be a Buddhist to benefit from them!

What kind of meditation do we practice?

Would you like to learn to meditate?

Come and join us in our next introductory course.

12 November

Meditation Essentials – Five Week Course

Time 7:00PM
Cost
Mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation course – learn to meditate with experienced teachers. Learn to be calmer and more energised. Led by Prasannadeva, Prajnamayi and Sadayasihi. An In-Person Event.

Learning to meditate in the DBC

Meditation is something that’s best learned from others and with others. When you come to the DBC, you are part of an active community of like-minded people, all exploring what meditation can offer, in an atmosphere of friendliness and warmth, so you can easily learn our Mindfulness and Loving-Kindness meditation practices.

All our courses take place in our beautiful and custom-built city-centre location, just off Talbot Street, Dublin 1.

Our courses are practical and relevant, distilling the wisdom of the Buddhist meditation tradition into a form that’s easy to learn and at the same time profound in its application.

Many people have found that learning meditation with us has changed their lives (see testimonials below), with the practices of mindfulness and loving-kindness having a deeply transformative effect on their minds and emotions.

All our meditation teachers are ordained members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, men and women who are themselves living a life of meditation and Buddhist practice, and have been for many years.

The DBC is a not-for-profit charity – our desire is to make the wealth of the Buddhist tradition available in a useful form that anyone can take up – regardless of whether they’re a Buddhist or not.

Our Courses and Classes

The best way to learn meditation with us is to do one of our five week courses.

The aim of the course is to help you set up and maintain a meditation practice of your own at home.

Over the five weeks, you’ll learn:

WEEK 1. Meditation & Mindfulness

What is Meditation?

Introduction to Mindfulness

Meditation Posture

The Mindfulness of Breathing

Setting up your daily meditation practice at home

Reviewing how you got on with meditation during the week just past

The foundations of mindfulness

Setting up and finishing your meditation well

Reviewing how you got on with meditation during the week just past

What is Metta? Exploring loving-kindness

The Development of Loving-Kindness Meditation practice

Reviewing how you got on with meditation during the week just past

How to work more deeply with the mind in meditation

Working with distractions in meditation

Working with absorption in meditation

Reviewing how you got on with meditation during the week just past

Mindfulness and loving-kindness off the cushion

Continuing your meditation practice after the course

If you can’t commit to doing a five week course, you can also do one of our weekend day events.

And you’ll have a host of resources available to support your practice, including detailed notes each week and audio downloads (or audio CDs if preferred) to guide you in your meditations.

Testimonials from Meditation Course Participants

Would you like to learn to meditate?

Come and join us in our next introductory course.

12 November

Meditation Essentials – Five Week Course

Time 7:00PM
Cost
Mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation course – learn to meditate with experienced teachers. Learn to be calmer and more energised. Led by Prasannadeva, Prajnamayi and Sadayasihi. An In-Person Event.

Introductory Days

If you can’t commit to doing a five week course, you can also do one of our weekend day events.

Introduction to Meditation Days

We run Introduction to Meditation Days, teaching both the Mindfulness of Breathing and the Development of Loving-Kindness meditation practice.

Each day runs 10am – 4.30pm.

Yoga & Meditation Days

We also run Yoga and Meditation Days, teaching both the Mindfulness of Breathing and the Development of Loving-Kindness meditation practices, as well as having two sessions of yoga. These are a great opportunity to see how meditation and yoga can go hand-in-hand with each other.

Each day runs 10am – 5pm.

Come on one of our day retreats

13 October

Meditation Essentials – Day Retreat

Time 10:00AM
Cost
On this day retreat, we will be learning the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' and the 'Development of Loving-Kindness' meditation practices. Led by Prasannadeva and Satyaprapta. An In-Person Event.
27 October

Yoga and Meditation – Day Retreat

Time 10:00AM
Cost
On this day retreat, we will be learning the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' and the 'Development of Loving-Kindness' meditation practices, and doing two invigorating yoga sessions. Led by Pavara. An In-Person Event.
10 November

Meditation Essentials – Day Retreat

Time 10:00AM
Cost
On this day retreat, we will be learning the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' and the 'Development of Loving-Kindness' meditation practices. Led by Prasannadeva. An In-Person Event.

After the Course

Once you’ve completed a meditation course with us, a whole range of events are available to support you in your meditation practice, and to help you to explore how to take it deeper.

For example, every week, we have a drop-in Sangha Night, where you can meditate with other people and have input on meditation and Buddhism.

We also run Life with Full Attention mindfulness courses, residential retreatsmorning and lunchtime sits each day, and many more events for you to come along to.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to bring to the meditation class?

You will just need to bring yourself and some suitable clothing for yoga to the class. Mats, blocks and all other yoga equipment are provided. Suitable clothing is clothing which is not tight and will not impede your movement. A good example is tracksuit bottoms and a loose t-shirt.

There are also facilities to change your clothes in the centre, especially if you are just coming from work.

Meditation is a tool for positive change. It will help you to move from stressed, uncomfortable states of mind to more open, appreciative and calm states of mind.

It will also help you to deal with situations which would normally lead to stress in a more creative and resourceful way.

The introductory course is suitable for complete beginners who have never meditated before. Some people find it difficult, some find it easy, but all people who do it remark on its usefulness.

The course aims to help you have your own regular practice at home, with enough skills to maintain your practice.

You do not have to be interested in Buddhism to do the course. Most people who attend are simply looking for a way to relax, de-stress, and reinvigorate their lives. Others learn to meditate as a means of personal development and growth.

The main aim of meditation is to bring about positive change in people’s lives, and this is true regardless of personal beliefs.

For those who are interested in Buddhism, the course is a good introduction to the Buddhist approach in working with the mind. You could also try the Buddhism Courses, and once the introductory meditation course is completed other courses and retreats on Buddhism are available.

There are several different types of meditation available today in the West, many involving chanting or the use of mantras. However, we don’t use mantra or chanting in our classes.

For instance, in the ‘Mindfulness of Breathing’, the object of meditation is the breath. This meditation involves sitting quietly observing the flow of the breath in and out of the body.

The ‘Development of Loving-Kindness’ involves quietly cultivating feelings of warmth and friendless towards ourselves and others.

On the first night of the introductory meditation course we show all participants how to sit comfortably in a posture which suits their individual bodies.

This may be cross-legged, but can also include sitting in a chair or on cushions. The main thing is that you are able to sit comfortably, upright and alert.

The centre is fully wheelchair accessible.

Web: www.dublinbuddhistcentre.org | Email: info@dublinbuddhistcentre.org
Unit 5 | Liberty Corner | James Joyce Street | Dublin D01 N5H6 | Ireland | tel. (01) 817 8933
Registered Charity Number 20030698 | CHY Number CHY11311