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 Northwest Vipassana Center, also known as Dhamma Kuñja, is situated on 50 acres in rural western Washington, conveniently located approximately two hours drive from both Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. It was established in August 1991 to offer training in Vipassana meditation.
- 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.
Northwest Vipassana Meditation Center | General Course Registration | Child/Teen Course Registration |
Infectious Disease Safety Measures at Dhamma Kuñja
Dhamma Kuñja is making every effort to offer safe Vipassana courses while various infectious diseases continue to circulate in the population. Anyone with symptoms of communicable illness, or recent exposure within the past 10 days, including respiratory or gastro-intestinal are asked to stay home.
Testing:
- Please take a rapid antigen COVID test before arriving at the Center. Take a photograph of the results which you can display at the registration table when you get to the Center. If this is not possible, you will be asked to take the test upon arrival.
- Dhamma Kuñja is gladly accepting donations of rapid-antigen Covid tests.
Masking:
Masking is now optional at the Center.
Vaccine:
A Covid vaccination is not required.
Accommodations:
Dhamma Kuñja is operating at full-capacity and students are housed in double rooms with a shared bath.
For questions, please contact Registration
Courses for young people. Child courses are for ages 8-12; Teen courses are for ages 13-17.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Oct 10 | Children / Teens | Open | Clara Barton Elementary, Redmond, WA |
New Course!! |
Short Courses are not long enough to teach the technique. They are refreshers for those who have already completed a ten-day course, known as "old students". 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day courses are short courses for Old Students only. All new students start with a 10-day course.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Sep 26 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Shoreline, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
| Apply | Sep 27 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Hillsboro |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 11 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Redmond Community Center, Redmond, WA |
For old students |
| Nov 14 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 15 | Redmond, WA |
For old students |
|
| Dec 16 - Dec 20 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 20 | Onalaska |
For old students |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24 - Mar 28 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 27 | Onalaska |
For old students Allergy Information |
|
| Sep 08 - Sep 12 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 13 | Onalaska |
For old students Allergy Information |
|
| Dec 15 - Dec 19 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 19 | Onalaska |
For old students Allergy Information |
HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT REGISTERING
- Waitlisted students may apply for a 2nd course trying to get enrolled. We will keep the best one. They may be waitlisted at another center, for a total of two. Once accepted for a course, all other applications will be cancelled. One-day courses do not count against the total.
- Multiple serving applications are welcome
- Servers need to have sat a 10-day course within 2 years
- First-time students are not yet eligible to serve
All ten day courses begin on the afternoon/evening of the first day on the schedule,
and end on the early morning of the last day on the schedule.
Courses open for applications at 8am PT on the date listed below
When the waitlist is full the course shows as "closed". We reopen the waitlist about 1 month before the course starts.
Space may be available to attend a course at the Intermountain Vipassana Center in Idaho, 2 hours from Salt Lake City, Utah airport
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Sep 13 - Sep 16 |
Between Course Service Period |
In Progress | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Sep 16 - Sep 27 |
10-Day
Hindi / English |
In Progress | Onalaska |
This course will include support for Hindi speakers. Hindi speakers will have priority for the first month of enrollment. Others will be waitlisted. After that the course will be filled from the waitlist. English speakers will be fully able to understand the course. |
| Apply | Sep 27 - Oct 07 |
House & Garden Days |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Oct 07 - Oct 18 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Hawaii Vipassana has availability in October. |
| Apply | Oct 18 - Oct 21 |
Between Course Service Period |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Oct 21 - Nov 01 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Onalaska |
10-day courses are open to new students as well as old. Hawaii Vipassana has availability in October. |
| Apply | Nov 01 - Nov 04 |
Between Course Service Period |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Nov 04 - Nov 15 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open | Onalaska | |
| Apply | Nov 15 - Nov 22 |
House & Garden Days |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Nov 22 - Dec 13 | 20-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Dec 13 - Dec 16 |
Between Course Service Period |
Applications accepted starting Sep 17 | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
|
| Dec 20 - Dec 23 |
Between Course Service Period |
Applications accepted starting Sep 24 | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
|
| December 23, 2026 - January 03, 2027 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 27 | Onalaska |
10-day courses are open to new students as well as old. |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 03 - Jan 06 |
Between Course Service Period |
Applications accepted starting Oct 08 | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
|
| Jan 06 - Jan 17 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 11 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Jan 17 - Jan 20 |
Between Course Service Period |
Applications accepted starting Oct 22 | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
|
| Jan 20 - Jan 31 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 25 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Feb 10 - Feb 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 15 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Feb 24 - Mar 07 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 29 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Mar 10 - Mar 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 13 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Apr 07 - Apr 18 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 10 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Apr 23 - May 02 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Jan 26 | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| May 05 - May 16 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Applications accepted starting Feb 07 | Onalaska | ||
| Jun 02 - Jun 13 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 07 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Jun 16 - Jun 27 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 21 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Jun 30 - Jul 31 | 30-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 04 | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| Jun 30 - Aug 15 | 45-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 04 | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| Aug 25 - Sep 05 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting May 30 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Sep 15 - Sep 26 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 20 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Sep 29 - Oct 10 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 04 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Oct 20 - Oct 31 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 25 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Nov 03 - Nov 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 08 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Nov 21 - Dec 12 | 20-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 26 | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| December 22, 2027 - January 02, 2028 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 26 | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Sep 26 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Shoreline, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
| Apply | Sep 27 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Hillsboro |
For old students |
| Apply | Oct 10 | Children / Teens | Open | Clara Barton Elementary, Redmond, WA |
New Course!! |
| Apply | Oct 11 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Redmond Community Center, Redmond, WA |
For old students |
| Nov 14 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 15 | Redmond, WA |
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://kunja.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.
Children's Anapana Courses are generally open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. However there are local variations in age range, so please check the schedule.
Teenagers' Anapana Courses are generally open for all teenagers aged 13-18 years old who wish to learn to meditate. However, there are local variations in age range. In India and a few other countries there are also 7-day Vipassana courses for older teenagers. Please check the schedule for details.
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
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
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.
