How to Apply to Attend or Serve a Course

  1. Access the application form by clicking Apply for the desired course. Old students will be given the option to serve.
  2. Please carefully read the Introduction to the Technique and Code of Discipline which you will be asked to follow during your course.
  3. Fully and completely fill out all the sections of application form and submit it. An application is required to register for all courses.
  4. 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.
  5. If your application is accepted then we require you to confirm you will be attending in order to secure your place in the course.

Teenagers' and Children's Courses

2012 Course Schedule
Dates Course Type Status Comments Old Student
Servers Needed?
Jul  1 - Jul  2 Teens Course Admissions:Girls — Open
Admissions:Boys — Open		 Please visit our children's/teens' course page for more information and application materials.  Yes
Aug 26 - Aug 28 Children Course Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Mar  1, 2012
 Yes

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.

2012 Course Schedule
Attend
or Serve		 Dates Course Type Status Comments
  Jan  4 - Jan 15 10-Day Completed
  Jan 18 - Jan 29 10-Day Completed
Apply Feb  1 - Feb 12 10-Day In Progress
Apply Feb 15 - Feb 26 10-Day Admissions:Women — Short Wait List
Admissions:Men — Wait List		 At least 3 female servers needed. ** Slots likely to open for Women due to late cancellations.
Apply Feb 29 - Mar 11 10-Day Admissions:Women — Wait List
Admissions:Men — Long Wait List
Apply Mar 12 - Mar 15 Service Period
Servers needed **For old students
Apply Mar 16 - Mar 25 Satipatthana Sutta Admissions:Women — Short Wait List
Admissions:Men — Short Wait List		 Servers needed **For old students who meet these requirements
Apply Mar 28 - Apr  8 10-Day Admissions:Women — Wait List
Admissions:Men — Long Wait List
Apply Apr 11 - Apr 22 10-Day Admissions:Women — Wait List
Admissions:Men — Open
Apply Apr 25 - May  6 10-Day Admissions:Women — Wait List
Admissions:Men — Filling Up
Apply May  8 - May 12 3-Day OSC Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open		 For old students
Apply May 13 - May 21 Service Period
For old students
Apply May 23 - Jun  3 10-Day Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open		 Vietnamese/English bilingual course. ** Non-Vietnamese students will be initially wait-listed.
Apply Jun  6 - Jun 17 10-Day Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open
Apply Jun 20 - Jul  1 10-Day Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open
Apply Jul  4 - Jul 15 10-Day Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open
Apply Jul 18 - Jul 29 10-Day Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open
  Aug  1 - Aug 12 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Mar  1, 2012
  Aug 15 - Aug 26 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Mar  1, 2012
  Aug 29 - Sep  9 Service Period Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Mar  1, 2012
For old students
  Sep 12 - Sep 23 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Apr  1, 2012
  Sep 26 - Oct  7 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Apr  1, 2012
  Oct 10 - Oct 21 10-Day Special OSC Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Apr  1, 2012
For old students who meet these requirements
  Oct 24 - Nov  4 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
May  1, 2012
  Nov  9 - Nov 18 Satipatthana Sutta Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Jun  1, 2012
For old students who meet these requirements
  Nov 21 - Dec  2 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Jun  1, 2012
  Dec  5 - Dec 16 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Jul  1, 2012
  Dec 19 - Dec 30 10-Day Registration
Not Yet Open		 Applications accepted after
Jul  1, 2012

One Day Courses

A 1-Day course is a short course for old students. 1-Day courses begin at 8:30am and finish at 4:30pm, on the same day.

2012 Course Schedule
Dates Location Status Comments Old Student
Servers Needed?
Jan 15 Vancouver, BC Completed    
Feb 26 Vancouver, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
Mar 25 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
Apr  8 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
May 12 Admissions:Women — Open
Admissions:Men — Open		 This 1-Day course is for old students in Dhamma Surabhi Yes
May 27 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
Jun 17 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
Jul  8 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is for old students  
Aug  5 Burnaby, BC
This 1-Day course is 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 shown below. By faxing or posting your application form it may delay the registration process by one to two weeks.

Additional information about the Vipassana Meditation Centre of BC and regional activities may be obtained from the Dhamma Surabhi Website. Nearby courses are also held in Washington State and Alberta.

To access the Old Student Regional Site please click here. A user name and password will be required to access these pages. Questions may be addressed to Email: dhamma-service@surabhi.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 above.
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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.
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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 7:30am.
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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 participate. 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.
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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.
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Satipatthana Sutta courses have the same timetable and discipline as 10-day course. 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.
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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. If you would like a paper copy please contact Tel. [1](604) 707-0950 or E-mail: registration@surabhi.dhamma.org.

Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Student who speak neither English or 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.
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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. For further information and age ranges for teens click here.
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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. For further information and age ranges for children click here.
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