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
Dhamma Sela, also known as the Rocky Mountain Vipassana Center, means 'Rock of Dhamma' in Pali. Established in 2017, the center is situated in a secluded rural area near the Front Range town of Elbert, Colorado, surrounded by 156 acres of mature Pondersland pine forests and natural grasslands. It is approximately 60 miles southeast of Denver and approximately 35 miles northeast of Colorado Springs.
- 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.
Rocky Mountains Vipassana Association - Dhamma Sela
Mailing Address: POB 17882 Boulder, CO 80308-0882
Physical Address: 6409 County Road 82, Elbert, CO 80106
Email: [email protected]
Phone: [1](888) 213-8183
For Registration: [email protected]
Website: http://sela.dhamma.org
REGISTRATION GUIDELINES - Updated 11/2/2024
Registration will start at 6am (Mountain time) on the listed opening dates.
Currently, 10-day course priority wil be given to students from the Colorado/New Mexico region. Old students who have already sat within the last 6 months will have lower priority.
COVID INFORMATION – Please read before applying
All Covid-19 entry requirements have been lifted.
- Masking is optional, however we recommend that those who are immuno-compromised and seniors to wear one, as Covid is still circulating among the population.
- During the course, if someone displays symptoms that are concerning we may ask them to leave for the benefit of all attendees.
- Please notify us if you feel sick and cannot attend, so that your place may be given to another student.
- Please wear a mask when traveling via public transport or in public places prior to coming to the course.
Anyone with any of the following conditions just prior to the course should not plan to come to the Center:
- Testing positive with Covid-19 virus, or direct contact with someone who has tested positive, within 5 days prior to arrival at the Center.
- Experiencing any of the Covid-19 symptoms
Accommodations at Dhamma Sela:
Students will be accommodated in shared rooms, with shared bathrooms. Students will be meditating in close proximity with others in the Meditation Hall for several hours daily and can also meditate in their rooms at specified times. Meals are eaten in congregate dining areas.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Jul 10 - Jul 13 | Service Period | Servers - Open | Elbert |
For old students Cooking, Cleaning, Maintenance May apply part-time; meals and accommodations provided |
| Apply | Jul 16 - Jul 27 | 10-Day | Women - Closed New Men - Wait List Old Men - Open Female Server - Closed Male Server - Open | Elbert |
Male Server needed |
| Apply | Aug 06 - Aug 17 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Female Server - Open Male Server - Closed | Elbert |
Female Servers Needed |
| Aug 24 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 30 | Elbert |
For old students |
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| Aug 29 - Aug 31 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jul 25 | Elbert |
For old students Cooking, Cleaning, Maintenance May apply part-time; meals and accommodations provided |
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| Sep 03 - Sep 14 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 03 | Elbert |
For men only |
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| Sep 20 - Sep 27 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 22 | Elbert |
For old students Woodlot Cleanup, Forest Thinning, Wood Chipping, Cooking Meals, Accommodations provided; Part-time Servers are Welcome |
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| Oct 09 - Oct 11 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Sep 17 | Elbert |
For old students Winterizing, cleaning, maintenance. May apply part-time; mels and accommodations provided. |
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| Oct 12 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 17 | Elbert |
For old students |
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| Nov 09 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 15 | Elbert |
For old students |
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| Dec 14 | 1-Day | Applications accepted starting Nov 12 | Elbert |
For old students |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Aug 02 |
Course for children and teens aged 10-17 only |
Open | Elbert |
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://sela.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.
