in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English
Dhamma Karuṇā means "Compassion of Dhamma" in Pali. The centre is located on 8.5 acres on the outskirts of Youngstown, Alberta – a small farming village in the Canadian Badlands. This area is noted for its wildlife including waterfowl, deer, antelope and moose. It is also famous for some of the most important fossil deposits in the world, including the Bearpaw Shale. Youngstown is three to five hours by car from four major cities: Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, and Regina and Saskatoon in the neighboring province of Saskatchewan.
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.
Alberta Vipassana Meditation Centre Dhamma Karuṇā Tel: [1](403) 282-3413 Fax: [1](877) 230-9484 Email: [email protected] | Mailing address: Alberta Vipassana FoundationPO Box 84124 Market Mall Calgary, AB, T3A 5C4 |
Covid-19 protocols have changed as of Feb. 27, 2023:
- Everyone (students and servers) will do a Rapid Antigen Test before leaving home and come only if the test is negative. There will be more testing during the course. Anyone testing positive will leave the centre immediately.
- Please bring 3 Rapid Antigen Tests.
- Masking is optional during the course. To limit your possible exposure to Covid before the course, please take these extra precautions:
- Wear a mask as much as possible for 3 days prior to coming to the centre, including while traveling (unless driving alone).
- Avoid interior spaces with people outside your usual circle.
- Wear a mask, even among friends and family, because anyone—including children—can have been exposed to Covid.
- Ride-sharing is available. We are accepting applications from students:
- Who are within one day's driving distance and will drive themselves to Youngstown, or
- Who will fly into Alberta and will rent a car for the duration of the course, or
- Who will accept a ride from another student AND have someone local who can pick them up if needed, in case of illness or other emergency.
- Servers: if you are serving the course and do not have a ride, please let us know; it may be possible to arrange transportation. Contact: [email protected] (NOTE: Volunteer drivers are needed.)
- If the course needs to be cancelled for any reason, we will provide 5 days’ notice before the course start day.
- Please consider applying later if you have any conditions that put you at greater risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
Please note that the above guidelines may change at any time if COVID-19 conditions change.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
- Courses open for applications at approximately 8:00 AM Mountain Time (MT) . If you do not see the 'Apply' Link at 8:00 am, close your browser and re-open the page.
- Courses may be cancelled with limited notice should the Governament of Alberta public health measures require cancellation or if within 5 days before start of a course, a sufficient number of servers or Assistant teachers are unavailable to support the course.
- All ten-day courses begin on the evening of the first day, continue for ten full days and end on the early morning of the last day.
- During the registration process, you will be receiving a number of e-mails from us. If you don't receive these emails, please check your Spam/Junk Mail box.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply | 26 Mar - 05 Apr | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | In Progress | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
| Apply | 05 Apr - 16 Apr | 10-Day | Women - Wait List Men - Wait List Servers - Open | Youngstown |
Men and women servers urgently needed. Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
| Apply | 16 Apr - 26 Apr | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Servers - Open | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
| Apply | 07 May - 17 May | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Servers - Open | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
| Apply | 17 May - 28 May | 10-Day | Open | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
| Apply | 28 May - 07 Jun | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Servers - Open | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
| 07 Jun - 18 Jun | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 08 Apr | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 18 Jun - 28 Jun | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 19 Apr | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 28 Jun - 09 Jul | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 29 Apr | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 09 Jul - 19 Jul | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 10 May | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 19 Jul - 23 Jul | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting 20 May | Youngstown |
For old students |
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| 23 Jul - 02 Aug | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 24 May | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 02 Aug - 13 Aug | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 03 Jun | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 13 Aug - 16 Aug | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 14 Jun | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 16 Aug - 27 Aug | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 17 Jun | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 27 Aug - 30 Aug | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 28 Jun | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 30 Aug - 10 Sep | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 01 Jul | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 10 Sep - 20 Sep | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 12 Jul | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 20 Sep - 01 Oct | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 22 Jul | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 01 Oct - 04 Oct | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 02 Aug | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 04 Oct - 15 Oct | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 05 Aug | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 15 Oct - 18 Oct | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 16 Aug | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 18 Oct - 29 Oct | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 19 Aug | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 29 Oct - 08 Nov | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 30 Aug | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 08 Nov - 19 Nov | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 09 Sep | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 19 Nov - 24 Nov | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 20 Sep | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 24 Nov - 03 Dec | Satipatthana Sutta | Applications accepted starting 25 Sep | Youngstown |
Note: New Dates!For old students
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| 03 Dec - 06 Dec | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 04 Oct | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 06 Dec - 17 Dec | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 07 Oct | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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| 17 Dec - 20 Dec | Service Period - Part Time Welcome | Applications accepted starting 18 Oct | Youngstown |
For old students To reduce the time spent on cooking, servers are asked to bring some eggless vegetarian meals. |
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| 20 Dec - 31 Dec | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 21 Oct | Youngstown |
Servers are asked to arrive a day before the start of the course (Day -1) Please see top of the page for COVID protocols being implemented. |
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://karuna.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.
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.
Work 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.
