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
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.
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Northwest Vipassana Meditation Center |
General Course Registration |
Child/Teen Course Registration |
OPEN for Old Students: Satipatthana Aug 21-30, Aug 2-12 Service Period, Day Serving Aug 8
PRE-APPLICATION GUIDELINES
In the interest of providing the safest environment possible at Dhamma Kuñja, we have adopted new safety measures based on the CDC and Washington State guidelines. Before applying for a course, whether for sitting or for serving, please consider carefully the information below.
Anyone with any of the following conditions should not apply at this time:
* Testing positive with Covid-19 virus.
* Direct contact with someone who tested positive with Covid-19 virus.
* Not consistently wearing a mask and maintaining 6’ physical distance from others while away from home.
* Close contact with anyone who does not routinely wear a mask and maintain social distancing while outside of their home.
* Experiencing any of the following Covid-19 symptoms:
o new or worsening cough
o mild or moderate difficulty breathing
o fever or chills
o sore throat
o vomiting or diarrhea
o headache
o body/muscle aches
o sustained loss of smell, taste, or appetite
o fatigue
* Significant changes that involve higher risk of contracting Covid-19 viruses (traveling, moving residences or others moving into their home, changing jobs, etc.)
Everyone coming to the Center will be screened for the above conditions at the time of their arrival. Anyone with any symptoms of Covid-19, flu, virus, or other serious communicable illnesses will be asked to return home immediately.
Although the Center is taking all precautions, there still remains risk of exposure to COVID-19 while at the Center. Please note certain conditions may increase the risk of serious illness from Coronavirus. These conditions include:
* Age over 65 years
* Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
* Serious heart conditions
* Immuno-compromise (e.g. from cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplant, immune deficiency, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, or prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications)
* Severely overweight (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
* Diabetes
* Chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
* Liver disease
* Pregnancy
If you have any of the above conditions, it is advised that you not place yourself at risk to Covid-19 by coming to the Center at this time.
Travel
At this time, to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone at the Center, we are unable to accept anyone who will be flying, car-pooling or taking public transportation to the Center.
Diet
Due to the extra demands on servers at this time, we regret that we are unable to accept servers or students who have special dietary requirements.
Additional precautions that are being taken at the Center at this time:
* Everyone will be provided with private accommodations and private bathrooms
* Everyone is required to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others at all times
* Servers are required to wear masks and gloves at all times while preparing food
* Everyone is required to use hand sanitizer prior to and after serving themselves food
* Everyone will be given an assigned seat in the dining hall, separated 6’ from others
* Meditation cushions will be spaced 6’ apart in the Dhamma Hall
* Everyone is required to wear a mask while in the Dhamma Hall
Additionally, to increase the safety of all. various other procedures at the Center may be given. Everyone will need to follow such procedures.
In the case of illness while at the Center
We regret that we do not have the facilities or resources to take care of those who fall ill while at the Center. Therefore, please note that if you fall ill with flu, a virus, or similar symptoms, you will be quarantined and will be asked to leave the Center as soon as possible.
If you fall ill and are unable to independently return home, you will need to ask your emergency contact for assistance in arranging your return home. Please advise them of this possibility prior to coming to the Center.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Registration at: [email protected] .
No First Time students. 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day courses are short courses for Old Students only.
ALL GROUP SITTINGS AND 1DAY COURSES ARE SUSPENDED AS OF MARCH 13, 2020.
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Hillsboro Site when safe will re-open More details here
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Aug 12 - Aug 16 | 3-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Short Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Wait List Female Server - Short Wait List Male Server - Open | Onalaska |
For old students Experienced Servers desired Allergy Information |
First Time and Old Students welcome. First Time students may sit, but not serve.
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.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jun 18 - Sep 30 | Long Term Servers | In Progress | Onalaska |
For old students Special Invitation Only Service Period |
| Jul 29 - Aug 09 | 10-Day | CANCELLED | Onalaska |
Allergy Information |
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| Apply | Aug 02 - Aug 12 | Service Period | In Progress | Onalaska |
For old students Need to have completed sitting a 10Day course within the last 2 years. Social Distancing and Masks in effect. Part-time fine. |
| Apply | Aug 08 | Day Serving | Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students No overnight. Serve during day with social distancing and masks. |
| Apply | Aug 21 - Aug 30 | Satipatthana Sutta | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Onalaska |
For old students For those who have already completed at least Three 10-Day courses. |
| Sep 23 - Oct 04 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska |
Allergy Information |
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| Oct 09 - Oct 11 | Trust Retreat | Closed | Onalaska |
For old students Annual retreat of the Dhamma Kunja Trust. Interested Old Students may serve. |
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| Oct 14 - Oct 25 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska |
Allergy Information |
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| Oct 25 - Oct 28 | Between Course Service Period | Closed | Onalaska |
For old students Old Students Only. Help setup the next course - Part-Time Welcome! Allergy Information |
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| Oct 28 - Nov 08 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska | ||
| Nov 11 - Nov 22 | Special 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska |
For old students Minimum of five 10-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and regular practice at least 2 years. Long Course Application: Submit by October10. |
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| Nov 25 - Dec 06 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska | ||
| Dec 09 - Dec 20 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska | ||
| December 23, 2020 - January 03, 2021 | 10-Day | Closed | Onalaska | No Part-time sitting or serving. |
Note: courses in Oregon are sponsored by the Oregon Vipassana Association (www.or.us.dhamma.org). Idaho courses are sponsored by the Idaho Vipassana Association (www.id.us.dhamma.org), and the Montana courses are sponsored by the Montana Vipassana Association (www.mt.us.dhamma.org)
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19 | Teen | CANCELLED | Hillsboro, OR | ||
| Oct 10 | Teen | CANCELLED | Seattle Vipassana Hall | This course is for Teens ages 12 to 17 years old. Male and Female Server needed. Please advance to allow time for background check processing. |
Courses for young people. Child courses are for ages 8-12; Teen courses are for ages 13-17.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18 - Sep 20 | Children | CANCELLED | Onalaska | This course is for children ages 8 to 12 years old. Male and Female servers are needed. Please apply in advance to allow time for background check. | |
| Sep 19 | Teen | CANCELLED | Hillsboro, OR | ||
| Oct 10 | Teen | CANCELLED | Seattle Vipassana Hall | This course is for Teens ages 12 to 17 years old. Male and Female Server needed. Please advance to allow time for background check processing. |
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://www.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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
