Wheel of Dhamma

Bodhi Leaf

 
Padhana
Dhamma Padhāna, Herefordshire, United Kingdom
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English

Dhamma Padhāna is situated in Herefordshire in the west of England, next to Dhamma Dipa. Dhamma Padhāna means 'Foremost in Dhamma'.
 
It is the first Vipassana centre in the West that has been specially designed for long courses for returning students. The European long-course centre offers ideal facilities for more serious meditation. Each student lives and meditates separately with single en-suite accommodation and a small private meditation room.
 
Between the long courses the centre offers shorter old student courses and also courses for executives.

For regular 10-day courses for both old and new students in the UK, Herefordshire or Suffolk, please see the UK Schedule.

 
Ten Day & Other Courses

Applications are accepted from 8 p.m. in the summer and 7 p.m. in the winter UK time on the day courses open for registration.

Note: The 'apply' link will not be visible until then. Also the actual opening time may be a few minutes or even up to an hour later. This is due to the automated nature of the system. You will need to refresh this page to see the 'apply' link as this page does not auto-refresh.

Changes to entry regulations to the UK from 2nd April onwards for EU and non-EU countries:

Electronic Travel Authorisation required, check the UK government Website for details: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta

2025 Ten Day & Other Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
17 Mar - 17 Apr 30-Day In Progress Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Servers needed
Apply* 17 Apr - 21 Apr General Service Period Open Herefordshire For old students
Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
19 Apr - 20 Apr Trust Meeting Open Herefordshire
Saturday: Sit at 1pm. Committee meetings from 2pm.
Sunday: Sit at 7:45am. Trust meeting from 9am.
All old students are welcome
Apply* 21 Apr - 30 Apr Satipatthana Sutta Wait List Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Applications from students applying for their first Satipatthana course will be prioritised for the first 2 weeks of registration. All other applications will be placed on a waiting list and processed after this 2 week period.
Apply* 30 Apr - 07 May General Service Period Open Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
Apply* 07 May - 18 May Executive Course New Women - Open Old Women - Wait List New Men - Filling Up Old Men - Wait List Servers - Wait List Herefordshire
Apply* 18 May - 21 May General Service Period Open Herefordshire For old students
Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply 21 May - 21 Jun 30-Day Women - Filling Up Men - Wait List Servers - Filling Up Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
21 Jun - 24 Jun General Service Period Applications accepted starting 22 Apr Herefordshire For old students
Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply 24 Jun - 15 Jul 20-Day Wait List Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
15 Jul - 23 Jul General Service Period Applications accepted starting 16 May Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
Apply 23 Jul - 07 Sep 45-Day Wait List Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
07 Sep - 17 Sep General Service Period Applications accepted starting 09 Jul Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
17 Sep - 26 Sep Satipatthana Sutta Applications accepted starting 19 Jun Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Applications from students applying for their first Satipatthana course will be prioritised for the first 2 weeks of registration. All other applications will be placed on a waiting list and processed after this 2 week period.
26 Sep - 01 Oct General Service Period Applications accepted starting 28 Jul Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
27 Sep - 28 Sep Face to Face Trust Meeting Open Herefordshire
Saturday: Sit at 1pm. Committee meetings from 2pm.
Sunday: Sit at 7:45am. Trust meeting from 9am.
All old students are welcome
Apply 01 Oct - 01 Nov 30-Day Women - Filling Up Men - Filling Up Servers - Open Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
01 Nov - 06 Nov General Service Period Applications accepted starting 02 Sep Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
06 Nov - 15 Nov Satipatthana Sutta Applications accepted starting 08 Aug Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Applications from students applying for their first Satipatthana course will be prioritised for the first 2 weeks of registration. All other applications will be placed on a waiting list and processed after this 2 week period.
15 Nov - 19 Nov General Service Period Applications accepted starting 16 Sep Herefordshire For old students
Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply 19 Nov - 30 Nov Special 10-Day Open Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
30 Nov - 03 Dec General Service Period Applications accepted starting 01 Oct Herefordshire For old students
Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
03 Dec - 14 Dec 10-Day for Old Students Applications accepted starting 04 Sep Herefordshire For old students

Applicants must have sat a Satipatthana course and meet these requirements

14 Dec - 19 Dec General Service Period Applications accepted starting 15 Oct Herefordshire For old students
Part-Time welcome.
19 December, 2025 - 19 January, 2026 30-Day Applications accepted starting 19 Apr Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
2026 Ten Day & Other Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
Apply 14 Feb - 16 Apr 60-Day Women - Open Men - Open Servers - Wait List Herefordshire Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
meeting these requirements.
 
 

To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://padhana.dhamma.org/os. A user name and password will be required to access these pages.

Questions may be addressed to Email: info@padhana.dhamma.org

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 Executive Courses are an introductory course to Vipassana Meditation especially for business executives and government officials where the technique is taught step-by-step each day. For more information please visit the Executive course website. 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 7:30am.


Old Student Course Qualification Requirements

10-day Courses for Old Students have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day courses. These courses are open to serious old students who have completed at least three 10-day courses and one Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta course, 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, are trying to maintain the five precepts in their daily lives, and trying to maintain daily practice.

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.

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.

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.

Dhamma service on long courses is open to old students who are committed to this technique of Vipassana meditation, who have successfully completed three 10-day Vipassana courses in this tradition, who have served one 10-day course, who practice two hours a day and maintain the five precepts.

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.