in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English
Dhamma Torana (Auspicious Gateway of Dhamma) is aptly named. The nearest major city, Toronto has been recognized by the United Nations as the most diverse city in the world, with more cultures and religions represented there than anywhere else. The centre has over 140 acres of beautiful woods, open spaces and ravines. A variety of wildlife shares the land with the meditators. The surrounding countryside is mostly agricultural, but a number of small towns and the city of Barrie are nearby.
- 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.
Ontario Vipassana Centre -- Dhamma Torana
6486 Simcoe County Road 56
Egbert, Ontario, L0L 1N0, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: [1](705) 434-9850
Fax: [1](866) 691-5214 (Toll-Free in North America)
Course Registration Notes:
- Course Registration opening dates are tentative and subject to change. Please check back regularly for the latest opening dates.
- Courses open for applications at approximately 6:00 a.m. EDT. If you do not see the 'Apply' Link at 6:00 am, close your browser and re-open the page.
- Courses may be cancelled or curtailed on short notice.
- All ten-day courses begin on the evening of the first day, continue for ten full days and end on the early morning of the last day.
- If you are accepted into one course, your other ones will be automatically cancelled.
- Please check your spam inbox if you have not received any correspondence from us after you have applied.
- Please include any information regarding serious food allergies or special mealtime considerations in your application so that volunteers can be prepared to serve you properly while you are on course.
- For details on type of accomodations, please visit Accommodations Gallery page.
To ensure the health and safety of everyone, please arrive at the Centre in good health.
We continue to be vigilant for the development of respiratory infectious diseases. If necessary, in case of symptoms, participants will be asked to wear a mask and self-administer the RAT.
Course Registration Notes:
- One-day Teens' courses are for ages 13-17
- One-day Children's courses are for ages 8-12
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep - 26 Sep |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
In Progress | Egbert |
Male servers needed Preference will be given to Vietnamese speaking students and servers. |
|
| Apply | 26 Sep - 02 Oct |
Service Period |
Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students Fall Work Period |
| Apply | 27 Sep | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students One day course at OVC |
| Apply | 03 Oct - 18 Oct | 14-Day Gratitude Course | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Egbert |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements 14-day Gratitude Course Requirements are:
This is a half-way step to help students mature for long courses, and serves to inspire students to work more deeply in Dhamma. |
| Apply | 18 Oct - 21 Oct |
Service Period |
Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students |
| Apply | 21 Oct - 01 Nov | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Women - Short Wait List Servers - Men - Open | Egbert | |
| 01 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 02 Oct | Egbert |
For old students One day course at OVC |
|
| Apply | 01 Nov - 04 Nov |
Service Period |
Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students |
| Apply | 04 Nov - 15 Nov | 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Long Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Long Wait List Servers - Open | Egbert | |
| Apply | 15 Nov - 18 Nov | Work Period | Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students |
| Apply | 18 Nov - 29 Nov | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Long Wait List Servers - Open | Egbert | |
| Apply | 29 Nov - 02 Dec | Work Period | Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students |
| Apply | 02 Dec - 13 Dec |
10-Day
English / Mandarin |
Women - Closed Men - Open Servers - Women - Short Wait List Servers - Men - Open | Egbert |
Preference will be given to Mandarin speaking students and servers |
| 13 Dec | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 13 Nov | Egbert |
For old students One day course at OVC |
|
| Apply | 13 Dec - 16 Dec | Work Period | Servers - Open | Egbert |
For old students |
| 16 Dec - 20 Dec | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting 17 Sep | Egbert |
For old students Teachers speak Mandarin & Cantonese |
|
| 20 Dec - 23 Dec | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 21 Sep | Egbert |
For old students |
|
| 23 December, 2026 - 03 January, 2027 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 24 Sep | Egbert |
Teachers speak Mandarin & Cantonese |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Jan - 17 Jan | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 08 Oct | Egbert | ||
| 20 Jan - 31 Jan | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 22 Oct | Egbert | ||
| 03 Feb - 14 Feb | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 05 Nov | Egbert | ||
| 17 Feb - 28 Feb | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 19 Nov | Egbert | ||
| 03 Mar - 14 Mar | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 03 Dec | Egbert | ||
| 17 Mar - 21 Mar | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting 17 Dec | Egbert |
For old students |
|
| 24 Mar - 04 Apr | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 24 Dec | Egbert | ||
| 04 Apr | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 05 Mar | Egbert |
For old students One day course at OVC |
|
| 10 Apr - 01 May | 20-Day | Applications accepted starting 10 Nov | Egbert |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| 05 May - 14 May | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting 04 Feb | Egbert |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Requirements for the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta Old Student Course
|
|
| 19 May - 30 May | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 18 Feb | Egbert | ||
| 30 May | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 01 Mar | Egbert |
For old students One day course at OVC |
|
| 02 Jun - 13 Jun | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 04 Mar | Egbert | ||
| 30 Sep - 31 Oct | 30-Day | Applications accepted starting 03 May | Egbert |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| 17 Nov - 28 Nov | Special 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 20 Jun | Egbert |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | 19 Sep | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | GTA East (Scarborough) |
For old students |
| Apply | 19 Sep | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Hamilton |
For old students |
| Apply | 26 Sep | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Kitchener |
For old students |
| Apply | 26 Sep | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Women - Closed Servers - Men - Open | Downtown Toronto |
For old students |
| Apply | 10 Oct | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | GTA West (Milton) |
For old students |
| 17 Oct | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 18 Sep | London |
For old students |
|
| 24 Oct | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 24 Sep | Kitchener |
For old students |
|
| 24 Oct | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 24 Sep | Peterborough |
For old students |
|
| 24 Oct | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 24 Sep | Downtown Toronto |
For old students |
|
| 07 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 08 Oct | GTA East (Scarborough) |
For old students |
|
| 07 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 08 Oct | GTA West (Milton) |
For old students |
|
| 14 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 15 Oct | Hamilton |
For old students |
|
| 21 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 21 Oct | Downtown Toronto |
For old students |
|
| 28 Nov | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 29 Oct | Kitchener |
For old students |
|
| 12 Dec | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 12 Nov | GTA West (Milton) |
For old students |
|
| 19 Dec | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 19 Nov | Hamilton |
For old students |
|
| 19 Dec | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting 19 Nov | Downtown Toronto |
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://torana.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
Service Periods fall between courses. They begin on the day one course ends and finish on the day a new course starts. Service includes cleaning the Dhamma Hall and residences, grounds work, cooking and various maintenance tasks. All Old Students are welcome to apply. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon service periods. On selected evenings there may be tapes played of special discourses and talks that S. N. Goenka has given to old students.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
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.
Work 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.
The 14-Day Gratitude Course was previously called the Teacher's Self Course. One of the qualities we develop as we meditate is gratitude - gratitude towards one’s teachers, Goenkaji and Mataji, and towards the long tradition of Vipassana teachers, right back to the Buddha.
The course is open to old students who are active in giving service. Requirements include 3 x 10day courses plus one Satipaṭṭhāna course, being active in Dhamma service, trying to maintain two-hour daily practice since last 10-Day course, and trying to maintain the five precepts to the best of one's ability. Local teacher’s recommendation is required. The course follows the usual format of 3x group sittings with instructions in the day, but students work more independently and the teaching materials are drawn from the 20-day course. This is a half-way step to help students mature for long courses, and serves to inspire students to work more deeply in Dhamma.
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.
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.
