Vipassana

Wheel of Dhamma

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Dhamma Vaddhana, Twentynine Palms, California, United States
Center Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English

The Center is located just North of Joshua Tree National Park in Twentynine Palms, CA. It is a 2-1/2 hr. drive from the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas. It is possible to reach the Center using public transportation with careful planning in advance, but requires multiple buses that run on a limited schedule and a full day of travel. The ride share board is the recommended option.

How to Apply to Attend or Serve a Course

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.

Additional information

Southern California Vipassana Center
P.O. Box 486 Joshua Tree, CA 92252 USA
Email: [email protected]
Phone: [1](760) 362-4615

Children / Teenager's Course Registration
Phone: [1](760) 362-4615
Email: [email protected]
http://www.vaddhana.dhamma.org/children-teens/children-main.html

Registration opens for all courses at 7:00am Pacific Time.

Students may apply to sit only one 10-Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state or Canada, or is a waitlisted enrollment.

CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL or you may miss important email communications.

Applications submitted via cell phone may not go through. A follow-up email is recommended.

Covid-19 Protocol

SCVC requires everyone to be fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19. Vaccination cards with relevant boosters must be submitted digitally to registration in order to be accepted to the course.
Testing protocols
- A rapid antigen test 48 hours before arriving at the center
- A second rapid antigen test to be taken on the day of the course at home or at the center upon arrival.
Please note that masks may be required during the course and you will be informed by email before the start of your course regarding the mask protocols for that course.
All participants are required to wear a mask whenever out in public or traveling for the 7 days before the course.
All international and domestic travelers taking commercial flights must arrive in California (and have their last flight) 7 days before coming to the center to attend the course.
An emergency contact person must be within driving distance of SCVC

We recognize that getting vaccinated is a personal choice and we respect every individual’s right to make their own choice. We are not here to force individuals to get vaccinated, or even encourage them to get vaccinated. In order to allow a maximum number of students to attend and benefit from each course, SCVC has taken the decision, starting with the June 30^th course, to only allow students/servers that have been fully vaccinated to attend courses. Without this policy we would have to halve the number of attendees. This is a temporary measure, and we hope that in the near future, as Covid gets more under control, that we are able to offer courses to all students regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not.

Teenagers' and Children's Courses

Courses for young people.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.

2022 Teenagers' and Children's Courses

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
Apply	Sep 11	Children Course ages 8-12	Open	Twentynine Palms	Boys & Girls ages 8-12 Location: Redland, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)
	Nov 05	Children Course ages 8-12	Applications accepted starting Oct 01	Twentynine Palms	Boys & Girls ages 8-12 Location: Temecula, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)
	Nov 06	Teenagers Course ages 13-17	Applications accepted starting Oct 01	Twentynine Palms	Teens Boys & Girls ages 13-17 Location: Temecula, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)

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.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.

2022 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
	Aug 10 - Aug 21	10-Day	In Progress	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. All applicants are initially waitlisted pending confirmation of vaccination status.
	Aug 21	Board of Trustees Meeting	Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students In-person & Virtual For more information contact [email protected] Please see top of the page for Covid-19 protocols
Apply	Aug 22 - Aug 24	Service Period	Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Aug 24 - Sep 04	10 day Course Vaccination Not required	Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	Need Servers Priority given to unvaccinated students. A negative PCR test administered no earlier than August 22, i.e. 2 days before the course A negative rapid antigen test -- nasal swab, FDA approved -- administered on August 24 before arriving at the center. A second rapid antigen test will be self-administered on fourth morning of the course between 6:30am and 7:30am. Please bring your own nasal swab FDA approved rapid antigen test for this second test during the course. KN95 or N95 masks will be required in all common areas, including during meditation hours while in the meditation hall.
Apply	Sep 05 - Sep 07	Service Period	Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Sep 07 - Sep 18	10-Day	Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	Need Servers Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Sep 19 - Sep 21	Service Period	Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Sep 21 - Oct 02	10-Day	Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Oct 03 - Oct 05	Service Period	Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Oct 05 - Oct 16	10-Day English / Khmer	Open	Twentynine Palms	This course is offered in English and Khmer. Priority is given to Cambodian students. All other students will be waitlisted. Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
Apply	Oct 17 - Oct 21	Service Period	Servers - Open	Twentynine Palms	For old students Gardens and Grounds Week. Projects include enhancing the overall beauty of the center; extensive weeding, shrubbery pruning and new plantings; and irrigation maintenance and repair. Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Oct 21 - Oct 30	Satipatthana Sutta	Applications accepted starting Aug 21	Twentynine Palms	For old students Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Oct 30	Board of Trustees Meeting	Closed	Twentynine Palms	For old students In-person & Virtual For more information contact [email protected]
	Oct 31 - Nov 02	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Aug 31	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Nov 02 - Nov 13	10-Day	Applications accepted starting Sep 02	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Nov 14 - Nov 16	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Sep 14	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Nov 16 - Nov 27	10-Day	Applications accepted starting Sep 16	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Nov 28 - Nov 30	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Sep 28	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Nov 30 - Dec 11	10-Day	Applications accepted starting Sep 30	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Dec 12 - Dec 14	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Oct 12	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Dec 14 - Dec 18	3-Day	Applications accepted starting Oct 14	Twentynine Palms	For old students Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Dec 19 - Dec 25	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Oct 19	Twentynine Palms	For old students Deep Cleaning Week. Project includes thorough cleaning of accommodations, Dhamma hall, and dining hall/kitchen areas and laundering cushion covers and linens. Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	Dec 26 - Dec 28	Service Period	Applications accepted starting Oct 26	Twentynine Palms	For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.
	December 28, 2022 - January 08, 2023	10-Day	Applications accepted starting Oct 28	Twentynine Palms	Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols.

Non-Center Courses

Courses and Activities conducted at other locations.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.

2022 Dhamma Vaddhana Courses Website | Map

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
Apply	Sep 11	Children Course ages 8-12	Open	Twentynine Palms	Boys & Girls ages 8-12 Location: Redland, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)
	Nov 05	Children Course ages 8-12	Applications accepted starting Oct 01	Twentynine Palms	Boys & Girls ages 8-12 Location: Temecula, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)
	Nov 06	Teenagers Course ages 13-17	Applications accepted starting Oct 01	Twentynine Palms	Teens Boys & Girls ages 13-17 Location: Temecula, CA (Address will be provided in the acceptance letter)

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://vaddhana.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 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.

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.

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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