Wheel of Dhamma

Bodhi Leaf

 
Sobhana
Dhamma Sobhana, Ödeshög, Östergötlands län [SE-05], Sweden
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English / Swedish

Dhamma Sobhana means "Beauty of Dhamma" in Pali language and is the first Vipassana centre to be established in the Nordic area. It's located in central Sweden, near Ödeshög, Vadstena and Linköping. By car it's about two and a half hours from Stockholm and Gothenburg (Göteborg), and about three and a half hours from Malmö. The centre was established in 2007 to serve mainly the Nordic area but students come from all over the world. Dhamma Sobhana offers 20-25 courses a year, with about 1 800 students.
How to Apply to Attend or Serve a Course
  1. Access the application form by clicking Apply for the desired course. Old students will be given the option to serve.
  2. Please carefully read the Introduction to the Technique and Code of Discipline which you will be asked to follow during your course.
  3. Fully and completely fill out all the sections of application form and submit it. An application is required to register for all courses.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Address: Dhamma Sobhana, Holmen 1, S-599 93 Ödeshög, Sweden

Email: [email protected]

Phone: [46](0) 143 - 211 36

Due to the Covid-19 situation, no courses are running at present.

When courses open again, it may happen with a short notice of 3-4 weeks. Courses may however be cancelled on short notice if the situation changes.

Registration procedure for students on English/Swedish 10 day courses at Dhamma Sobhana:

- Three months before the start of the course, registration will open at 8 pm (9 pm when daylight saving time). Registration will stay open for 24 hours. 
- An electronic random selection will then be made to allocate available places for the course and to establish a waiting list. 
- Within two weeks, students who were not allocated a place on the course or on the waiting list will be notified. 
- Please note that it’s essential to send only one registration form per person and per course. Otherwise none of the applications will be taken into account. 
This procedure has been adopted since courses otherwise would fill up within minutes after registration opens.

 

Sweden 1-day courses

Norway

Denmark

Finland

 
 
Teenagers' and Children's Courses
Courses for young people.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
2020 Teenagers' and Children's Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
01 May - 03 May Children 8-12 years
Swedish 		CANCELLED Ödeshög The course is held in Swedish only.
16 Jun - 18 Jun Children 8-12 years
Swedish 		CANCELLED Ödeshög The course is held in Swedish only.
 
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.
2020 Ten Day & Other Adult Courses
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
Apply* 15 Mar - 24 Jun Service Period In Progress Ödeshög For old students

This service period is prolonged until courses start again.
06 May - 17 May 10-Day CANCELLED Ödeshög
20 May - 31 May 10-Day CANCELLED Ödeshög
02 Jun - 13 Jun 10-Day
English / Finnish 		CANCELLED Ödeshög Students with Finnish as first language will be given priority until April 4.
13 Jun - 14 Jun Trust Meeting Weekend Open Ödeshög For old students
Saturday: Committee meetings
Sunday 9.15-12.30: Trust meeting
All old students welcome!
Apply* 24 Jun - 05 Jul 10 Day Course for Old Students New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Wait List Servers - Open Ödeshög

For old students

Number of students limited to 40.
Only applicants who are residents in the Nordic countries, are below 70 and don’t have any health conditions that mean a higher risk in case of Covid-19 infection can be accepted.
All must arrive by car and in case of symptoms must leave/be picked up by car by a relative or friend.
All must agree to follow the centre’s Covid-19 guidelines to minimize the risk of transmission.
Apply* 05 Jul - 08 Jul Service Period Servers - Open Ödeshög For old students
08 Jul - 19 Jul 10-Day Applications accepted starting 08 Jun Ödeshög
Apply* 19 Jul - 22 Jul Service Period Servers - Open Ödeshög For old students
22 Jul - 02 Aug 10-Day Applications accepted starting 22 Jun Ödeshög
Apply* 02 Aug - 05 Aug Service Period Servers - Open Ödeshög For old students
05 Aug - 16 Aug 10-Day Applications accepted starting 05 Jul Ödeshög
Apply* 16 Aug - 18 Aug Service Period Servers - Open Ödeshög For old students
18 Aug - 29 Aug 10-Day Applications accepted starting 18 Jul Ödeshög
Apply* 29 Aug - 30 Aug Trust Meeting Weekend Open Ödeshög For old students
Saturday: Committee meetings
Sunday 9.15-12.30: Trust meeting
All old students welcome!
Apply* 29 Aug - 04 Sep Service Period Servers - Open Ödeshög For old students
04 Sep - 13 Sep Satipatthana Sutta Applications accepted starting 20 Jul Ödeshög For old students
13 Sep - 23 Sep Service Period Applications accepted starting 15 Jun Ödeshög For old students
23 Sep - 27 Sep 3 Day Course for Old Students Applications accepted starting 25 Jun Ödeshög For old students
27 Sep - 29 Sep Service Period Applications accepted starting 29 Jun Ödeshög For old students
29 Sep - 10 Oct 10-Day
English / Norwegian 		Applications accepted starting 01 Jul Ödeshög Students with Norwegian as first language will be given priority until August 1.
10 Oct - 11 Oct Trust Meeting Weekend Applications accepted starting 12 Jul Ödeshög For old students
Saturday: Committee meetings
Sunday 9.15-12.30: Trust meeting
All old students welcome!
10 Oct - 14 Oct Service Period Applications accepted starting 12 Jul Ödeshög For old students
14 Oct - 25 Oct 10-Day
English / Finnish 		Applications accepted starting 16 Jul Ödeshög Students with Finnish as first language will be given priority until August 16.
25 Oct - 28 Oct Service Period Applications accepted starting 27 Jul Ödeshög For old students
28 Oct - 08 Nov 10-Day
English / Danish 		Applications accepted starting 30 Jul Ödeshög Students with Danish as first language are given priority until August 30.
08 Nov - 11 Nov Service Period Applications accepted starting 10 Aug Ödeshög For old students
11 Nov - 22 Nov 10-Day Applications accepted starting 13 Aug Ödeshög
22 Nov - 25 Nov Service Period Applications accepted starting 24 Aug Ödeshög For old students
25 Nov - 29 Nov 3 Day Course for Old Students Applications accepted starting 27 Aug Ödeshög For old students
29 Nov - 01 Dec Service Period Applications accepted starting 31 Aug Ödeshög For old students
01 Dec - 12 Dec 10-Day Applications accepted starting 02 Sep Ödeshög
12 Dec - 13 Dec Trust Meeting Weekend Applications accepted starting 13 Sep Ödeshög For old students
Saturday: Committee meetings
Sunday 9.15-12.30: Trust meeting
All old students welcome!
12 Dec - 16 Dec Service Period Applications accepted starting 13 Sep Ödeshög For old students
16 Dec - 27 Dec 10-Day Applications accepted starting 17 Sep Ödeshög
27 Dec - 30 Dec Service Period Applications accepted starting 28 Sep Ödeshög For old students
30 December, 2020 - 10 January, 2021 10-Day Applications accepted starting 01 Oct Ödeshög
 
Non-Centre Courses
Courses and Activities conducted at other locations.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
2020 Denmark Courses    Website | Map
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
17 May 1-Day
English / Danish 		Completed Copenhagen For old students
24 May 1-Day
English / Danish 		CANCELLED Aarhus For old students
Apply* 21 Jun 1-Day
English / Danish 		Women - Filling Up Men - Filling Up Servers - Closed Copenhagen For old students
07 Jul - 18 Jul 10-Day
English / Danish 		CANCELLED Aabybro Course temporarily closed for applications, due to considerations about Covid-19
2020 Finland Courses    Website | Map
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
02 Jun - 13 Jun 10-Day CANCELLED Ödeshög, Sweden The course will be held at the Nordic Vipassana center in Sweden. Please apply through the Dhamma Sobhana schedule: https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schsobhana
14 Oct - 25 Oct 10-Day Applications accepted starting 16 Jul Ödeshög, Sweden The course will be held at the Nordic Vipassana center in Sweden. Please apply through the Dhamma Sobhana schedule: https://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schsobhana
2020 Norway Courses    Website | Map
Attend / Serve Dates Course Type Status Location Comments
03 May 1-Day
English 		CANCELLED Larvik For old students
10 May 1-Day
English 		CANCELLED Oslo For old students
26 May - 06 Jun 10-Day. Norwegian/English CANCELLED Hornsjø Mountain Hotel Students with Norwegian as first language are given priority until 26th March.
14 Jun 1-Day
English 		CANCELLED Oslo For old students
 
 

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://www.sobhana.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.

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.

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.