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 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.
- 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.
| 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.
Applications submitted via cell phone may not go through. A follow-up email is recommended.
Please check your junk/spam email folders to avoid missing important communications from the center.
COVID-19 Protocols
SCVC no longer requires students and servers to be vaccinated.
All students and servers are required to:
- Take a rapid antigen test the same day of arrival, before traveling to the Center. Bring a picture of the negative test result. Bring three additional rapid antigen tests to take during the course.
- N95 or KN95 or KF94 must be worn at all times indoors, including in the Meditation Hall and dining halls. Masks are not required inside your private room, while eating or drinking, or outdoors. Please bring an adequate supply of masks (N95 or KN95 or KF94).
- Provide contact information of someone based in California willing to be responsible for you in case of an emergency, like contracting Covid.
- If you carpool to the Center, we require that everyone in the car wears a mask
Those travelling to the center from longer distances are asked to wear a mask when traveling, and in public places at all times (i.e., airports & including on the airplane) before coming to attend the course.
Because of the evolving pandemic situation, the above guidelines may change at any time.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Apr 02 | Children's Course (Age 8-12) | Girls - Open Boys - Open Female Server - Closed Male Server - Open | Twentynine Palms | Location: Redland, CA |
| Jun 10 | Teenage Girl's Course (Age 11-17) | Applications accepted starting Apr 10 | Orange County VH |
Orange County Vipassana Hall Westminster, CA |
|
| Jun 11 | Teenage Boy's Course (Age 11-17) | Applications accepted starting Apr 11 | Orange County VH |
Orange County Vipassana Hall Westminster, CA |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Mar 19 - Mar 22 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | In Progress | 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 | Mar 22 - Apr 02 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Wait List | Twentynine Palms |
|
| Apply | Apr 02 - Apr 05 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | 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 | Apr 05 - Apr 16 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Wait List | Twentynine Palms |
The course is offered in both English & Vietnamese. Priority is given to Vietnamese-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
| Apply | Apr 16 - Apr 19 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | 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 | Apr 19 - Apr 30 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
| Apply | Apr 30 - May 03 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | 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 | May 03 - May 14 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Female Server - Open Male Server - Wait List | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
| Apply | May 14 - May 17 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | 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 | May 17 - May 28 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
| May 28 - May 31 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | Applications accepted starting Mar 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. |
|
| May 31 - Jun 11 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Mar 31 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Jun 11 - Jun 14 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | Applications accepted starting Apr 11 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Jun 14 - Jun 25 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 14 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Jun 25 - Jun 28 | Please Note: This Service Period starts on Sunday. | Applications accepted starting Apr 25 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Jun 28 - Jul 09 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Apr 28 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Jul 10 - Jul 12 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting May 10 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Jul 12 - Jul 23 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting May 12 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Jul 24 - Jul 26 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting May 24 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Jul 26 - Aug 06 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting May 26 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Aug 07 - Aug 09 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 07 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students To help prepare the Center for the next course Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Aug 09 - Aug 20 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 09 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Aug 23 - Sep 03 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 23 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Sep 06 - Sep 17 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 06 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Sep 20 - Oct 01 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 20 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Oct 06 - Oct 15 | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting Aug 06 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Oct 18 - Oct 29 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 18 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Nov 01 - Nov 12 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 01 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Nov 15 - Nov 26 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 15 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Nov 29 - Dec 10 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Applications accepted starting Sep 29 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. | |
| Dec 13 - Dec 17 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 13 | Twentynine Palms |
For old students Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
|
| Dec 20 - Dec 31 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Oct 20 | Twentynine Palms | Please see top of the page for COVID-19 protocols. |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | Apr 02 | Children's Course (Age 8-12) | Girls - Open Boys - Open Female Server - Closed Male Server - Open | Twentynine Palms | Location: Redland, CA |
| Jun 10 | Teenage Girl's Course (Age 11-17) | Applications accepted starting Apr 10 | Orange County VH |
Orange County Vipassana Hall Westminster, CA |
|
| Jun 11 | Teenage Boy's Course (Age 11-17) | Applications accepted starting Apr 11 | Orange County VH |
Orange County Vipassana Hall Westminster, CA |
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.
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.
