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
Dhamma Santosa, also known as the Bay Area Vipassana Center, means 'Happiness of Dhamma' in Pali. The Bay Area Vipassana Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, organizes ten-day Vipassana meditation courses and meditation sittings as taught by S. N. Goenka throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, the trust has purchased a 50 acre land near Gilroy, CA which is 40 minutes from San Jose. Currently, the center organizes a 10-day course on a rented facility near Occidental, CA.
- 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.
Students may apply to sit only one 10 Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL or you may miss important time-sensitive messages.
2024 Occidental Course Covid-19 Protocols
Last year, approximately 40 of the course participants got Covid during the course and had to leave early. Please review the Covid Protocols’ requirements and recommendations before applying for the course.
If you do not feel safe in this situation or with the requirements and recommendations as explained in the document, please do not apply for the course at this site.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | December 23, 2024 - January 03, 2025 | 10-Day | Women - Short Wait List Men - Short Wait List Servers - Open | Near Occidental, CA |
Servers Needed Please read this before applying:Â https://santosa.dhamma.org/new_beta/occidental/ |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 08 |
Teen Course |
Applications accepted starting Jan 05 | EBVH - Berkeley |
For Boys and Girls ages 13-17 |
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://santosa.dhamma.org/os/welcome/. 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 open for all children aged 8-12 years old who wish to learn to meditate. Their parents/guardians do not have to be meditators.
Teenagers' Anapana Courses are open for all teenagers aged 13-18 years old who wish to learn to meditate. Their parents/guardians do not have to be meditators.
