Vipassana

Wheel of Dhamma

Bodhi Leaf

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Dhamma Toraṇa, Egbert, Ontario, Canada
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.

How to Apply to Attend or Serve a Course

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.

Additional information
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.
Please apply for no more than two 10-day courses at a time. If you are accepted into one course, your other one 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.

Teenagers' and Children's Courses

Course Registration Notes:

One-day Teens' courses are for ages 13-17
One-day Children's courses are for ages 8-12

2025 Teenagers' and Children's Courses

Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
17 May	Children	Applications accepted starting 17 Mar	Egbert
18 May	Teen	Applications accepted starting 18 Mar	Egbert
13 Sep	Children	Applications accepted starting 13 Jul	Egbert	If you want to serve both the days, you can send one application and make a note that 'You would be serving both the days'.
14 Sep	Teen	Applications accepted starting 14 Jul	Egbert	If you want to serve both the days, you can send one application and make a note that 'You would be serving both the days'.

Ten Day & Other Adult Courses

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.
Please apply for no more than two 10-day courses at a time. If you are accepted into one course, your other one 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.

2024 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
	18 Dec - 22 Dec	3-Day	In Progress	Egbert	For old students
Apply	22 Dec - 25 Dec	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	25 December, 2024 - 05 January, 2025	10-Day	Closed	Egbert	Male students may consider applying to Dhamma Suttama, Québec Vipassana Centre.

2025 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
Apply	05 Jan - 08 Jan	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	08 Jan - 19 Jan	10-Day	Women - Closed Men - Closed Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open	Egbert	Male students may consider applying to Dhamma Suttama, Québec Vipassana Centre.
Apply	19 Jan - 22 Jan	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	22 Jan - 02 Feb	10-Day	Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open	Egbert
Apply	02 Feb - 05 Feb	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	05 Feb - 16 Feb	10-Day	Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open	Egbert
Apply	16 Feb - 19 Feb	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	19 Feb - 02 Mar	10-Day	Women - Closed Men - Short Wait List Servers - Open	Egbert	Servers needed!!
Apply	02 Mar - 05 Mar	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	05 Mar - 16 Mar	10-Day	Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open	Egbert
Apply	16 Mar - 19 Mar	Service Period	Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
Apply	19 Mar - 23 Mar	3-Day	New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students
	23 Mar - 26 Mar	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 23 Dec	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	26 Mar - 06 Apr	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 26 Dec	Egbert
	06 Apr	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 06 Jan	Egbert	For old students
	06 Apr - 11 Apr	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 06 Jan	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	11 Apr - 02 May	20-Day	Applications accepted starting 11 Jan	Egbert	Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
	02 May - 06 May	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 01 Feb	Egbert	For old students Spring Work Period
	06 May - 15 May	Satipatthana Sutta	Applications accepted starting 05 Feb	Egbert	Old Student Course Qualification Requirements (Sitting) Satipatthana Sutta Requirements This course is only open to serious old students who: a) have sat a minimum of three 10-day courses (not including courses served). b) have been practicing this technique of Vipassana for at least one year. c) have not practiced any other meditation techniques since their last 10-day course. To benefit from this Satipatthana Sutta course, it is advised that from the day of registration onwards: a) in your daily life you must try to maintain the Five Precepts to the best of your ability, and especially maintain the third precept (to abstain from sexual misconduct) and the fifth precept (to abstain from intoxicants). b) you try to maintain a regular daily practice (two 1-hour sittings daily).
Apply	15 May - 18 May	CCT Training Workshop	New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open	Egbert	For old students To attend: Please coordinate with your Centre Teacher and RCCC (Regional Children's Course Coordinator) to obtain their reference lettter for you to be able to register for this CCT Training Workshop. To serve: Any old student are welcome to serve.
	18 May - 21 May	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 17 Feb	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	21 May - 01 Jun	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 20 Feb	Egbert
	01 Jun	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 03 Mar	Egbert	For old students
	01 Jun - 04 Jun	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 03 Mar	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	04 Jun - 15 Jun	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 06 Mar	Egbert
	15 Jun - 18 Jun	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 17 Mar	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	18 Jun - 29 Jun	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 20 Mar	Egbert
	29 Jun - 02 Jul	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 31 Mar	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	02 Jul - 06 Jul	3-Day	Applications accepted starting 03 Apr	Egbert	For old students
	06 Jul	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 07 Apr	Egbert	For old students
	06 Jul - 09 Jul	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 07 Apr	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	09 Jul - 20 Jul	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 10 Apr	Egbert
	20 Jul - 23 Jul	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 21 Apr	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	23 Jul - 03 Aug	10-Day English / Vietnamese	Applications accepted starting 24 Apr	Egbert	Priority is given to Vietnamese-speaking students & servers.
	03 Aug	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 05 May	Egbert	For old students
	03 Aug - 06 Aug	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 05 May	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	06 Aug - 17 Aug	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 08 May	Egbert
	17 Aug - 20 Aug	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 19 May	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	20 Aug - 31 Aug	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 22 May	Egbert
	31 Aug	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 02 Jun	Egbert	For old students
	31 Aug - 03 Sep	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 02 Jun	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	03 Sep - 12 Sep	Satipatthana Sutta	Applications accepted starting 05 Jun	Egbert	Old Student Course Qualification Requirements (Sitting) Satipatthana Sutta Requirements This course is only open to serious old students who: a) have sat a minimum of three 10-day courses (not including courses served). b) have been practicing this technique of Vipassana for at least one year. c) have not practiced any other meditation techniques since their last 10-day course. To benefit from this Satipatthana Sutta course, it is advised that from the day of registration onwards: a) in your daily life you must try to maintain the Five Precepts to the best of your ability, and especially maintain the third precept (to abstain from sexual misconduct) and the fifth precept (to abstain from intoxicants). b) you try to maintain a regular daily practice (two 1-hour sittings daily).
	14 Sep - 16 Sep	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 16 Jun	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	16 Sep - 27 Sep	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 18 Jun	Egbert
	27 Sep - 01 Oct	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 29 Jun	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	01 Oct - 12 Oct	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 03 Jul	Egbert
	12 Oct	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 14 Jul	Egbert	For old students
	12 Oct - 16 Oct	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 14 Jul	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	16 Oct - 16 Nov	30-Day	Applications accepted starting 18 Jul	Egbert	Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
	16 Nov	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 18 Aug	Egbert	For old students
	16 Nov - 19 Nov	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 18 Aug	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	19 Nov - 30 Nov	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 21 Aug	Egbert
	30 Nov - 03 Dec	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 01 Sep	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	03 Dec - 14 Dec	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 04 Sep	Egbert
	14 Dec	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 15 Sep	Egbert	For old students
	14 Dec - 17 Dec	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 15 Sep	Egbert	For old students Help set up the next course. Part-Time welcome.
	17 Dec - 21 Dec	3-Day	Applications accepted starting 18 Sep	Egbert	For old students
	21 Dec - 24 Dec	Service Period	Applications accepted starting 22 Sep	Egbert	For old students
	24 December, 2025 - 04 January, 2026	10-Day	Applications accepted starting 25 Sep	Egbert

Non-Centre Courses

All old students must register online to attend one day courses in GTA

2025 Dhamma Torana Non Centre Courses

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
Apply	11 Jan	1-Day	New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open	Downtown Toronto	For old students
Apply	18 Jan	1-Day	New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open	Kitchener	New Course!!For old students
	15 Feb	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 17 Jan	Downtown Toronto	For old students
	22 Feb	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 23 Jan	Kitchener	For old students One day course in Kitchener!!
	01 Mar	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 30 Jan	Peterborough	For old students One day course in Peterborough
	15 Mar	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 13 Feb	Downtown Toronto	For old students
	22 Mar	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 20 Feb	Kitchener	For old students One day course in Kitchener!!
	05 Apr	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 06 Mar	Downtown Toronto	For old students
	14 Jun	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 15 May	Peterborough	For old students One day course in Peterborough
	27 Sep	1-Day	Applications accepted starting 28 Aug	Peterborough	For old students One day course in Peterborough

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.

Children's 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 available for teens in different age ranges from 13-18 years old. Their parents/guardians do not have to be Vipassana meditators.

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

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.

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

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.