in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule
Center Location: Website | Map
The Northwest Vipassana Center, also known as Dhamma Kuñja, is situated on 50 acres in rural western Washington, conveniently located approximately two hours drive from both Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. It was established in August 1991 to offer training in Vipassana meditation.
- 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.
Northwest Vipassana Meditation Center | General Course Registration | Child/Teen Course Registration |
REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
Infectious Disease Safety Measures at Dhamma Kuñja
Dhamma Kuñja is making every effort to offer safe Vipassana courses while various infectious diseases continue to circulate in the population. Anyone with symptoms of communicable illness, or recent exposure within the past 10 days, including respiratory or gastro-intestinal are asked to stay home.
Testing:
- Please take a rapid antigen COVID test before arriving at the Center. Take a photograph of the results which you can display at the registration table when you get to the Center. If this is not possible, you will be asked to take the test upon arrival.
- On the third day of the course, you will be asked to take another test - please bring two additional tests with you. Anyone with a positive test will be asked to return home.
- Dhamma Kuñja is gladly accepting donations of rapid-antigen Covid tests.
Masking:
Masking is now optional at the Center.
Vaccine:
A Covid vaccination is not required.
Accommodations:
Dhamma Kuñja is operating at full-capacity and students are housed in double rooms with a shared bath.
Anyone with any of the following conditions should not apply at this time:
- Testing positive with Covid-19 virus or direct contact with someone who tested positive within 10 days prior to arrival at the Center
- Experiencing any of the Covid-19 symptoms
- Significant changes that involve higher risk of contracting Covid-19 viruses (traveling, moving residences or others moving into their home, changing jobs, etc.)
Although Dhamma Kuñja is taking all precautions, there still remains a risk of exposure to Covid-19 while at the Center. Please note certain conditions may increase the risk of serious illness from Coronavirus. If you have any of these conditions, you may want to consider applying to a later course.
For questions, please contact Registration
Courses for young people. Child courses are for ages 8-12; Teen courses are for ages 13-17.
See more information| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jun 27 - Jun 29 | Children | Girls - Wait List Boys - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Onalaska |
New Course!! Any adult at the Center during this course will be required to have passed a background check |
No First-time students. 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day courses are short courses for Old Students only.
For Old Students, Virtual Sittings are taking place and in-person group sittings are being held at the Hillsboro Site
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 - May 04 | 3-Day | In Progress | Onalaska |
For old students Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
|
| Apply | May 04 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Eugene, OR |
For old students |
| Apply | May 24 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Redmond, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
| Apply | Jun 01 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Hillsboro |
For old students Please note updated arrival and departure times. Meditation starts at 8:30. |
| Jun 28 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting May 25 | Redmond, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
|
| Aug 10 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 11 | Eugene, OR |
For old students |
APPLICATION RESTRICTIONS
- First-time students may sit, but not serve; they are restricted to one active application at Dhamma Kuñja
- Waitlisted Old Students may apply to sit a second course; two course limit; once accepted for a course, all other applications will be cancelled
- Multiple serving applications are welcome
All ten day courses begin on the evening of the first day on the schedule,
and end on the early morning of the last day on the schedule.
Courses open for applications at 8am PT on the date listed below
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Apr 20 - Apr 30 |
House & Garden Days |
In Progress | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. Any adult at the Center during the children/teen course will be required to have passed a background check. |
| Apply | May 04 - May 07 |
Between Course Service Period |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | May 07 - May 18 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Wait List | Onalaska | |
| Apply | May 18 - May 28 |
House & Garden Days |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | May 28 - Jun 08 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath |
| Apply | Jun 08 - Jun 11 |
Between Course Service Period |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students Between Course Service Period: A time to clean the center, mow the grass, replenish the food, and generally get ready for the next course. The daily program includes three group sittings. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
| Apply | Jun 11 - Jun 22 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Students will be housed in double-rooms with a shared bath
|
| Apply | Jun 22 - Jul 02 |
House & Garden Days |
Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. Any adult at the Center during the child/teen course will be required to have passed a background check. |
| Apply | Jul 02 - Aug 02 | 30-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Apply | Jul 02 - Aug 17 | 45-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Onalaska |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
| Aug 20 - Aug 31 |
10-Day
English / Thai |
Applications accepted starting May 18 | Onalaska | ||
| Sep 03 - Sep 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 01 | Onalaska | ||
| Sep 17 - Sep 28 |
10-Day
Hindi / English |
Applications accepted starting Jun 15 | Onalaska | ||
| Oct 08 - Oct 19 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 06 | Onalaska | ||
| Oct 22 - Nov 02 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 20 | Onalaska | ||
| Nov 05 - Nov 16 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 10 | Onalaska | ||
| Nov 19 - Nov 30 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 24 | Onalaska | ||
| Dec 03 - Dec 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 07 | Onalaska | ||
| Dec 14 - Dec 21 |
House & Garden Days |
Applications accepted starting Sep 18 | Onalaska |
For old students House & Garden Days Service Period: A few times a year we set aside time to work on larger maintenance, construction, household, and gardening projects. The daily program includes three group sittings with morning and afternoon work periods. Full-time and Part-time are welcome. |
|
| December 21, 2025 - January 01, 2026 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 25 | Onalaska |
Courses and Activities conducted at other locations.
Note: Idaho courses are sponsored by the Intermountain Vipassana Association, and Montana courses are sponsored by the Montana Vipassana Association| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | May 04 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Eugene, OR |
For old students |
| Apply | May 24 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Redmond, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
| Apply | Jun 01 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Closed | Hillsboro |
For old students Please note updated arrival and departure times. Meditation starts at 8:30. |
| Jun 28 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting May 25 | Redmond, WA |
New Course!!For old students |
|
| Aug 10 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 11 | Eugene, OR |
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. 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://kunja.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.
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
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 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
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.
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.
