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
The Shelburne center, founded in 1982, was the first center in North America. The original facility was merely a roomy, comfortable two-story house and barn on eight acres of meadowland. In 1989, a group of meditators donated an adjoining seventy acres of land. Today the center consists of 108 acres and many new buildings have been added, including a bathhouse, two dining rooms, meditation hall for 200, a 140 cell pagoda, separate residences for men and women and a center manager's house.
- 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.
Vipassana Meditation Center - Dhamma Dharā
386 Colrain-Shelburne Road
Shelburne, Massachusetts 01370-9672 USA
Tel: [1](413) 625-2160
Fax: [1](413) 625-2170
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://dhara.dhamma.org
The courses will open up to accept applications four months before the start of the course. Course registration will start at 6 AM on the listed dates. Students may apply to sit no more than two 10-day courses per year. Any additional applications will not be processed.
Course applicants should read the Disclosure and Acceptance page which informs the student about the demands of the course, as well as the importance of the student providing full and honest answers to all the questions in the application process.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14 - Oct 25 | 10-Day | In Progress | Shelburne Falls |
For new and old students |
|
| Apply | Oct 25 - Oct 28 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 28 - Nov 01 | 3-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 01 - Nov 04 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 04 - Nov 15 | 10-Day | Open | Shelburne Falls |
For new and old students |
| Apply | Nov 15 - Nov 18 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Nov 18 - Nov 29 |
10-Day
English / Spanish |
Open | Shelburne Falls |
Priority will be given to Spanish-speaking students who are not fluent in English. |
| Apply | Nov 29 - Dec 02 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Dec 02 - Dec 13 | Special 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Apply | Dec 02 - Dec 13 | 10-Day | Open | Shelburne Falls | |
| Apply | Dec 13 - Dec 16 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Dec 16 - Dec 27 | 10-Day | Open | Shelburne Falls |
For new and old students |
| Apply | Dec 27 - Dec 30 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | December 30, 2026 - January 10, 2027 | 10-Day | Open | Shelburne Falls |
For new and old students |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jan 10 - Jan 12 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Apply | Jan 12 - Mar 14 | 60-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Shelburne Falls |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Feb 28 - Mar 03 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Oct 31 | Shelburne Falls |
For old students |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Oct 23 |
1-Day
English |
New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | New York, NY |
For old students |
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://dhara.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.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Old Student Short Courses (1-3 days) are for any student who has completed the 10-day course with S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers. All old students are welcome to apply to attend these courses, including those where it has been some time since their last course.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
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 apply. 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.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
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.
60-day Courses are reserved for: 1. Active ATs who have sat at least two 45-day courses and conduct at least four 10-day courses annually. 2. Those who are enrolled in or about to enter AT Training, have sat two 45-day courses, have served at least four 10-day courses in the past 12 months and/or are deeply involved in daily Dhamma service. 3. In some areas, non-ATs may be accepted as rare exceptions if they have completed at least two 45-day courses, served at least four 10-day courses annually and/or are deeply involved in daily Dhamma service.
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.
