Wheel of Dhamma

Bodhi Leaf

 
Sarana
Dhamma Saraṇa, Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo, Brazil
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English / Portuguese

Dhamma Sarana is located in Santana de Parnaíba, 45 kilometers (28 miles) from downtown São Paulo. The property covers a total of 196 hectares (484 acres). Environmental legislation protects most of this land from development, leaving around five hectares (12 acres) available for construction. The protected land helps to make the center a true refuge.
All Brazil Courses Minas Gerais Nordeste Parana Planalto Central (Brasilia) Dhamma Santi
(Rio de Janeiro)
Students of 10-Day courses and Satipatthana Sutta courses (excluding servers): A student may only apply to SIT ONE COURSE at a time regardless of the center location in Latin America, course dates or waiting list status. Additional applications will not be processed.

Students of 10-Day courses (non servers): priority granted to new students and old students who haven’t sat recently.

Opening inscriptions schedule: on the stipulated date, approximately at 5 a.m. local time (Brasília Standard Time).

Always check your SPAM folder or you could miss important e-mails.

 

 
Teenagers' and Children's Courses
Courses for young people.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
2025 Teenagers' and Children's Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
Apply 21 Apr Children / Teens Girls - Open Boys - Open Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

Anapana course for teenagers between 13 and 17 years old

24 Aug Children / Teens Applications accepted starting 24 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

Anapana meditation course for children between 8 and 12 years old

16 Nov Children / Teens Applications accepted starting 12 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

Anapana meditation course for teenagers between 13 and 17 years old

 
Ten Day & Other Adult Courses
All ten day courses begin on the evening of the first day and end on the early morning of the last day.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
2025 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
Apply 23 Mar - 09 Apr Work Period In Progress Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 30 Mar 1-Day New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 09 Apr - 20 Apr Executive Course Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

10-day Executive Courses are an introductory course to Vipassana Meditation especially for business executives and government official. 

Apply 20 Apr - 23 Apr Work Period Servers - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 21 Apr 1-Day New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 23 Apr - 04 May 10-Day Women - Closed Men - Closed Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
04 May - 07 May Work Period Applications accepted starting 04 Apr Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 07 May - 18 May 10-Day Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
18 May - 21 May Work Period Applications accepted starting 18 Apr Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
Apply 21 May - 01 Jun 10-Day Women - Closed Men - Open Servers - Open Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
01 Jun - 04 Jun Work Period Applications accepted starting 02 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
04 Jun - 15 Jun 10-Day Applications accepted starting 06 Apr Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
15 Jun 1-Day Applications accepted starting 16 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
15 Jun - 18 Jun Work Period Applications accepted starting 16 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
18 Jun - 29 Jun 10-Day Applications accepted starting 21 Apr Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
29 Jun - 02 Jul Work Period Applications accepted starting 30 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
02 Jul - 13 Jul 10-Day Applications accepted starting 15 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
13 Jul - 16 Jul Work Period Applications accepted starting 13 Jun Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
18 Jul - 26 Jul Satipatthana Sutta Applications accepted starting 03 Jun Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo Old Student Course Qualification Requirements

The course will end around 5 p.m. on the last day

27 Jul 1-Day Applications accepted starting 27 Jun Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
27 Jul - 02 Aug Work Period Applications accepted starting 27 Jun Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
02 Aug - 23 Aug 20-Day Applications accepted starting 02 May Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
23 Aug - 27 Aug Work Period Applications accepted starting 23 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
24 Aug 1-Day Applications accepted starting 23 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
27 Aug - 07 Sep Executive Course Applications accepted starting 10 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

10-day Executive Courses are an introductory course to Vipassana Meditation especially for business executives and government official. 

07 Sep - 10 Sep Work Period Applications accepted starting 08 Aug Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
10 Sep - 21 Sep 10-Day Applications accepted starting 15 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
21 Sep 1-Day Applications accepted starting 22 Aug Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
21 Sep - 24 Sep Work Period Applications accepted starting 22 Aug Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
24 Sep - 05 Oct 10-Day Applications accepted starting 30 Jul Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
05 Oct - 08 Oct Work Period Applications accepted starting 05 Sep Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
08 Oct - 19 Oct 10-Day Applications accepted starting 20 Aug Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
19 Oct 1-Day Applications accepted starting 19 Sep Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
19 Oct - 22 Oct Work Period Applications accepted starting 19 Sep Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
22 Oct - 02 Nov 10-Day Applications accepted starting 23 Aug Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
02 Nov - 05 Nov Work Period Applications accepted starting 03 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
05 Nov - 16 Nov 10-Day Applications accepted starting 10 Sep Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
16 Nov - 19 Nov Work Period Applications accepted starting 17 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
19 Nov - 30 Nov 10-Day Applications accepted starting 27 Sep Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
30 Nov 1-Day Applications accepted starting 31 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
30 Nov - 03 Dec Work Period Applications accepted starting 31 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
03 Dec - 14 Dec 10-Day Applications accepted starting 10 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
14 Dec - 17 Dec Work Period Applications accepted starting 14 Nov Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
17 Dec - 20 Dec 3-Day Applications accepted starting 05 Nov Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students

This course will end around 5p.m. on the last day.

21 Dec - 26 Dec Work Period Applications accepted starting 21 Nov Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
26 December, 2025 - 06 January, 2026 10-Day Applications accepted starting 31 Oct Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo

For this course we will give priority to new students and old students that have not sat any course during 2025.

2026 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
06 Jan - 07 Jan Work Period Applications accepted starting 07 Dec Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo For old students
07 Jan - 18 Jan 10-Day Applications accepted starting 10 Nov Santana de Parnaíba, São Paulo
 
 

To access the Old Student Regional Site please click https://sarana.dhamma.org/pt-BR/old-students/. A user name and password will be required to access these pages.

Questions may be addressed to Email: info@sarana.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 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.

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.


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.


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.

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.

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.