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.
| California Vipassana Meditation Center P.O. Box 1167, North Fork, CA 93643, USA http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org | General Course Registration Voice Mail: [1] (559) 876-8760 ext.1 Fax: [1] (559) 876-8761 [email protected] | Children / Teenager's Course Registration Voice Mail: [1] (408) 471-7642 Fax: [1] (800) 734-1558 [email protected] Children's Course Registration | Dhamma Service Registration Voice Mail: [1] (559) 876-8760 [email protected] |
Students may apply to sit only one 10 Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL or you may miss important time-sensitive email communication.
CVC Covid-19 Protocol
All Covid-19 entry requirements have been lifted.
Masking is optional. We recommend those immuno-compromised and seniors to wear one, as Covid is still circulating among the population.
Out of consideration for everyone, please do not come if you are feeling sick.
Local meditators who wish to come to the center should contact the Office beforehand.
All ten-day courses begin on the evening of the first day and end on the early morning of the last day.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
Registration opens for all courses around 7:05 a.m. Pacific Time
Students may apply to sit only one 10 Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state or Canada, or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL to ensure you do not miss important time-sensitive email communications.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23 - Nov 03 |
10-Day
English / Mandarin |
In Progress | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Mandarin speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. |
|
| Apply | Nov 03 - Nov 08 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Nov 08 - Nov 17 | Satipatthana Sutta | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Nov 17 - Nov 20 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Nov 20 - Dec 01 | 10-Day | Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 01 - Dec 04 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 04 - Dec 15 | Special 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 15 - Dec 18 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 18 - Dec 29 | 10-Day | Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
| Apply | December 29, 2024 - January 01, 2025 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jan 01 - Jan 12 | 10-Day | Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
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: [email protected]
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.
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.
Satipatthana Sutta Courses have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day courses. 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.
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. Students who speak neither English nor 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.
