in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule
Center Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English
One of over 120 international centers where the technique of Vipassana meditation is taught and practiced, Dhamma Mahavana is situated on 109 acres of forested property in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Groves of oak, pine, cedar, and manzanita reinforce the California Vipassana Center's name of Dhamma Mahavana, Great Forest of Dhamma.
- Access the application form by clicking Apply for the desired course. Old students will be given the option to serve.
- Please carefully read the Introduction to the Technique and Code of Discipline which you will be asked to follow during your course.
- Fully and completely fill out all the sections of application form and submit it. An application is required to register for all courses.
- Await notification. All correspondence will be through e-mail if you give an e-mail address in your application. Due to the large volume of applications, it may take up to two weeks before receiving notification.
- If your application is accepted then we require you to confirm you will be attending in order to secure your place in the course.
Address: California Vipassana Center -- Dhamma Mahavana P.O. Box 1167 North Fork, CA 93643 Email: info@mahavana.dhamma.org Phone: (559) 877-4386 Fax: (559) 877-4387 Website: www.mahavana.dhamma.org
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | May 20 | Teens |
 Open
|
South Bay - Santa Clara |
Teen Girls Only: Ages 13-17 |
| Apply | Jul 14 - Jul 15 | Children |
Open
|
Dhamma Manda | Ages 8-12. IMPORTANT: Send completed applications for this course only to children-registration@manda.dhamma.org |
| Apply | Aug 11 - Aug 12 | Teens |
Open
|
North Fork, California |
Ages 13-17 |
| Sep 15 | Children / Teens |
 Applications accepted starting Jun 01
|
South Bay - Santa Clara |
Ages 8-15 |
|
| Nov 10 | Children / Teens |
Applications accepted starting Aug 01
|
South Bay - Santa Clara |
Ages 8-15 |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 09 - May 20 | 10-Day | In Progress | North Fork, California | ||
| May 20 - Jun 05 | Service Period |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students To attend, please send an email to registration@mahavana.dhamma.org. Include your full name and the dates you will be attending. | |
| Apply | Jun 06 - Jun 10 | 3-Day |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students |
| Apply | Jun 15 - Jun 24 | Satipatthana Sutta |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students |
| Apply | Jun 27 - Jul 08 |
10-Day
Vietnamese / English |
Women - Long Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open
|
North Fork, California | Priority is given to students whose native language is Vietnamese. |
| Apply | Jul 11 - Jul 22 | Special 10-Day |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students who meet these requirements. |
| Apply | Jul 25 - Aug 05 |
10-Day
Burmese / English |
Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open
|
North Fork, California | Priority given to Burmese students. Course is now in waitlist status for female English speaking students. |
| Aug 06 - Aug 14 | Service Period |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students To attend, please send an email to registration@mahavana.dhamma.org. Include your full name and the dates you will be attending. | |
| Apply | Aug 15 - Aug 19 | 3-Day |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students |
| Apply | Aug 22 - Sep 02 |
10-Day
Thai / English |
Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open
|
North Fork, California | Priority given to Thai students. The course is now in Waitlist Status for all female students. |
| Apply | Sep 05 - Sep 16 |
10-Day
Chinese / English |
Open
|
North Fork, California |
Priority given to Mandarin speaking students. |
| Apply | Sep 19 - Sep 30 | 10-Day |
Open
|
North Fork, California | |
| Oct 03 - Oct 14 | 10-Day |
Applications accepted starting Jun 01
|
North Fork, California | ||
| Oct 15 - Oct 20 | Service Period |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students To attend, please send an email to registration@mahavana.dhamma.org. Include your full name and the dates you will be attending. | |
| Apply | Oct 21 - Nov 11 | 20-Day |
Open
|
North Fork, California | For old students |
| Nov 14 - Nov 18 | 3-Day |
Applications accepted starting Jul 14
|
North Fork, California | For old students | |
| Nov 21 - Dec 02 | 10-Day |
Applications accepted starting Jul 21
|
North Fork, California | ||
| Dec 05 - Dec 09 | 3-Day |
Applications accepted starting Aug 05
|
North Fork, California | For old students | |
| Dec 14 - Dec 23 | Satipatthana Sutta |
Applications accepted starting Aug 14
|
North Fork, California | For old students | |
| December 26, 2012 - January 06, 2013 | 10-Day |
Applications accepted starting Sep 15
|
North Fork, California |
The online application form encrypts your information before it is sent from your computer to our application server. However, it may not be totally secure even though encryption is used. If you are concerned about the possibility of security risks of your confidential information while it is on the Internet, do not use this form and instead download an application. Print and complete it. Then please send the form to the course organizers. By faxing or posting your application form it may delay the registration process by one to two weeks.
To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/os. A user name and password will be required to access these pages.
Questions may be addressed to Email: info@mahavana.dhamma.org
All courses are run solely on a donation basis. All expenses are met by donations from those who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the same opportunity. Neither the Teacher nor the assistant teachers receive remuneration; they and those who serve the courses volunteer their time. Thus Vipassana is offered free from commercialisation.
Old students are those who have completed a 10-day Vipassana Meditation course with S.N. Goenka or his Assistant Teachers.
Old students have the opportunity to provide Dhamma Service at the courses listed above.
Bilingual courses are courses which are taught in two languages. All students will hear daily meditation instructions in both languages. The evening discourses will be heard separately.
Meditation courses are held at both center and non-center locations. Meditation centers are dedicated facilities where courses are held regularly throughout the year. Before meditation centers were established in this tradition, all courses were held at temporary sites, such as campgrounds, religious retreat centers, churches and the like. Today, in regions where centers have not yet been established by local students of Vipassana who live in the area, 10 Day meditation courses are held at non-center course sites.
10-day Courses are an introductory course to Vipassana Meditation where the technique is taught step-by-step each day. The courses begin after a 2 - 4 pm registration period and orientation, followed by 10 full days of meditation, and end the morning of the 11th day by 7:30 am.
Special 10-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Student who speak neither English or one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.
20-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses , one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Student who speak neither English or one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.
Children's Courses are open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. Their parents/guardians do not have to be meditators.
Children's Courses are open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. Their parents/guardians do not have to be meditators.
Teenagers' Anapana Courses are available for teens in different age ranges from 13-18 years old. Their parents/guardians do not have to be Vipassana meditators.
Satipatthana Sutta Courses have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day course. The difference is that in the taped evening discourses the Satipatthana Sutta is carefully examined. This is the principal text in which the technique of Vipassana is systematically explained. These courses are open to serious old students who have sat (not including courses served) at least three 10-day courses, have not been practising any other meditation techniques since last 10-day course, have been practising this technique of Vipassana for at least one year, and who are trying to maintain their meditation practice and the five precepts in their daily lives, at the very minimum from the time of applying to the course.
Service Periods have been set aside to work on a variety of Centre maintenance, construction, household and gardening projects. All Old Students are welcome to participate. The daily program will include three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. On selected evenings, there will be tapes played of special discourses and talks that S.N. Goenka has given to Old Students.