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, Canada, or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL, or you may miss important time-sensitive email communication.
Health and Safety Guidelines
https://mahavana.dhamma.org/health-safety-requirements/
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, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 09 - Sep 20 |
10-Day
English / Persian (Farsi) |
In Progress | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Farsi-speaking students |
|
| Apply | Sep 20 - Oct 08 | Service Period | Servers - Women - Wait List Servers - Men - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed:
|
| Sep 28 - Oct 04 |
Annual Teacher's Meeting |
Closed | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed
|
|
| Apply | Oct 08 - Nov 08 | 30-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed This course starts on a Thursday and ends on a Sunday. |
| Apply | Nov 08 - Nov 11 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Nov 11 - Nov 22 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed Registration for the waiting list will open three weeks before the start of the course at 7:05 a.m. |
| Apply | Nov 22 - Nov 25 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Nov 25 - Dec 06 | Special 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 06 - Dec 09 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Dec 09 - Dec 13 | 3-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed Registration for the waiting list will open three weeks before the start of the course at 7:05 a.m.
|
| Apply | Dec 13 - Dec 16 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Dec 16 - Dec 27 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 16 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Dec 27 - Dec 30 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Sep 27 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| December 30, 2026 - January 10, 2027 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 30 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 10 - Jan 13 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Oct 10 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Jan 13 - Jan 24 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 13 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Jan 24 - Jan 27 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Oct 24 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Jan 27 - Feb 07 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 27 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Feb 07 - Feb 10 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Nov 07 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Feb 10 - Feb 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 10 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Feb 21 - Feb 24 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Nov 21 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Feb 24 - Mar 07 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 24 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Mar 07 - Mar 11 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Dec 07 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Mar 11 - Mar 20 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Dec 11 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed This course starts on a Thursday and ends on a Saturday |
|
| Mar 20 - Apr 07 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Dec 20 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Apr 07 - May 08 | 30-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 07 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Apr 07 - May 23 | 45-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 07 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| May 23 - Jun 02 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Feb 23 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| May 26 - May 31 |
Annual Assistant Teacher's Workshop |
Applications accepted starting Feb 26 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed
|
|
| Jun 02 - Jun 13 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Applications accepted starting Mar 02 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Vietnamese-speaking students. |
|
| Jun 16 - Jun 27 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 16 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Jul 01 - Jul 05 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 01 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed This course starts on a Thursday and ends on a Monday. |
|
| Jul 07 - Jul 18 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Applications accepted starting Apr 03 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Khmer-speaking students. |
|
| Jul 21 - Aug 01 |
10-Day
English / Persian (Farsi) |
Applications accepted starting Apr 21 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Farsi-speaking students. |
|
| Aug 04 - Aug 15 |
10-Day
English / Burmese |
Applications accepted starting May 04 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Burmese-speaking students. |
|
| Aug 26 - Sep 06 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting May 26 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 10 - Sep 19 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Jun 10 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 26 - Oct 17 | 20-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 26 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Oct 20 - Oct 24 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 20 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Oct 27 - Nov 07 |
10-Day
English / Mandarin |
Applications accepted starting Jul 27 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Mandarin-speaking students. |
|
| Nov 10 - Nov 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 10 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Nov 24 - Dec 05 | Special 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 24 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Dec 08 - Dec 19 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 08 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| December 22, 2027 - January 02, 2028 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 22 | 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.
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
Old Student Programs are similar to Service Periods where there is time to work on a variety of Centre maintenance, construction, household and gardening projects, but have a more full and structured program, an opportunity to meet with assistant teachers, and possibly committee and trust meetings. All Old Students are welcome to participate. The daily program will include three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods and in the evening there will be tapes played of special discourses and talks that S.N. Goenka has given to Old Students.
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 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.
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.
30-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of six 10-day courses (one since their first 20-day course), one 20-day course, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
45-day Courses are open only to persons involved in Dhamma Service and Assistant Teachers who have completed a minimum of seven 10-day courses (one since their first 30-day course), two 30-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least three 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.
