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
Surrounded by trees, grass and spring fed ponds, the center provides a supportive atmosphere where one can learn the practice of Vipassana meditation. This technique, discovered by Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, uses the breath and one's own body as the basis for developing concentration and insight. The courses provide a unique opportunity to direct one's attention inward, and set about a process of inner discovery through direct experience.
- 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.
Address: Illinois Vipassana Meditation Center -- Dhamma Pakasa
10076 Fish Hatchery Road Pecatonica, IL 61063
General email: [email protected]
Children's courses email: [email protected]
Phone: [1] (815) 489-0420
Fax: [1] (360) 283-7068
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Aug 21 - Aug 25 | 3-Day | In Progress | Pecatonica |
For old students |
| Apply | Aug 24 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Ravenswood - Chicago Vipassana Hall |
For old students |
| Apply | Aug 25 | Outdoor work day | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Schedule Change!! Registration Required |
| Apply | Aug 25 - Aug 31 | Work Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Apply | Sep 01 - Sep 04 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Apply | Sep 04 - Sep 15 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Pecatonica | |
| Apply | Sep 15 - Sep 18 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Apply | Sep 18 - Sep 29 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Pecatonica | |
| Apply | Sep 28 | 1-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | Ravenswood - Chicago Vipassana Hall |
For old students |
| Apply | Sep 29 - Oct 02 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Apply | Oct 02 - Oct 13 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Pecatonica | |
| Apply | Oct 13 - Oct 16 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Apply | Oct 16 - Oct 27 | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open | Pecatonica | |
| Oct 26 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 10 | Ravenswood - Chicago Vipassana Hall |
For old students |
|
| Oct 28 - Nov 28 | Construction Period. | Applications accepted starting Oct 27 | Pecatonica |
For old students Construction (service) period. |
|
| Nov 10 | Old Student Program | Applications accepted starting Sep 10 | Pecatonica |
For old students |
|
| Nov 23 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 10 | Ravenswood - Chicago Vipassana Hall |
For old students |
|
| Nov 29 - Dec 08 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Aug 29 | Pecatonica |
For old students |
|
| Apply | Dec 08 - Dec 11 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Dec 11 - Dec 15 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 11 | Pecatonica |
For old students |
|
| Apply | Dec 15 - Dec 18 | Between Course Service Period | Servers - Open | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome!Registration Required |
| Dec 18 - Dec 29 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 18 | Pecatonica | ||
| Dec 28 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 10 | Ravenswood - Chicago Vipassana Hall |
For old students |
|
| December 29, 2019 - January 01, 2020 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Sep 29 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 01 - Jan 12 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 03 | Pecatonica | ||
| Jan 12 - Jan 15 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Oct 12 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Jan 15 - Jan 26 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 15 | Pecatonica | ||
| Jan 26 - Jan 29 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Oct 26 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Jan 29 - Feb 09 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 29 | Pecatonica | ||
| Feb 09 - Feb 12 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Nov 11 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Feb 12 - Feb 23 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 12 | Pecatonica | ||
| Feb 23 - Feb 26 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Nov 23 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Feb 26 - Mar 08 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 26 | Pecatonica | ||
| Mar 08 - Mar 11 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Dec 08 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Mar 11 - Mar 22 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 11 | Pecatonica | ||
| Mar 22 - Mar 25 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Dec 22 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Mar 25 - Apr 05 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Dec 25 | Pecatonica | ||
| Apr 05 - Apr 08 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jan 05 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Apr 08 - Apr 19 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 08 | Pecatonica | ||
| Apr 19 - Apr 22 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jan 20 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| Apr 22 - Apr 26 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jan 22 | Pecatonica |
For old students |
|
| Apr 26 - May 03 | Work Period | Applications accepted starting Jan 26 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| May 03 | OPEN HOUSE | Applications accepted starting Feb 03 | Pecatonica | ||
| May 04 - May 06 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Feb 04 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| May 06 - May 17 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Feb 06 | Pecatonica | ||
| May 17 - May 20 | Between Course Service Period | Applications accepted starting Feb 17 | Pecatonica |
For old students Part Time Welcome! Registration Required |
|
| May 20 - May 31 |
10-Day
English / Thai |
Applications accepted starting Feb 20 | Pecatonica |
For new and old students. Thai speakers will be given priority until April 1th, 2020. Non-Thai speakers will be waitlisted until April 1th, 2020. Servers of any language welcome to apply. |
To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://www.pakasa.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.
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.
Open Houses are held between meditation courses. All are welcome to attend and learn about Vipassana Meditation and the Center.
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.
