Vipassana

Wheel of Dhamma

Swiss Vipassana Meditation Centre

Offering courses in Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka
in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Course Schedule

Bodhi Leaf

About
How To Apply
Contact Us

Dhamma Sumeru, Mont Soleil, Switzerland
Centre Location: Website | Map
** Unless noted otherwise, course instructions are given in the following language(s): English / German / French / Italian

The Swiss Vipassana Centre, also called in Pali, Dhamma Sumeru, meaning “the heavenly mountain of the Dhamma” is located on the Mont-Soleil ("Mount Sun") in a village of the Swiss Jura mountains on an altitude of 3600 feet surrounded by pastures and forests. Mont-Soleil means in English "Mount Sun" as it is one of the sunniest places in Switzerland and is situated near St.Imier, between Biel and La Chaux-de-Fonds. It was founded in November 1999.

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.

Note: Courses are also available throughout the World.

Additional information

Vipassana Meditation Centre - Dhamma Sumeru

Office for informations:
Tel +41 32 941 16 70 (answering machine)
Fax +41 32 941 16 50

Centre’s address:
Vipassana Meditation Centre
No. 140
2610 Mont-Soleil
Switzerland

Registrar to sit a course : [email protected]
Registrar to serve a course: [email protected]
General Information: [email protected]
Website: http://www.sumeru.dhamma.org

Important message regarding Coronavirus
Due to the small size of the Swiss Vipassana centre, we cannot offer self-quarantine facilities if there is a corona-emergency. Therefore only those from Switzerland can currently be accepted on courses providing that they can guarantee being able to leave the center on their own immediately after showing symptoms.

Please keep an interval of 12 months between two courses (10-day courses or Satipatthana courses).

Course registration opens on Sundays at 10am (9am during winter time).
Please refresh your web browser from time to time (use F5) while waiting for registration to open so that the apply link will appear.

Notes for new students:
When sitting a course for the first time, it is important that it is in your native language. Courses are offered in English, French, German and Italian.
If you have already successfully applied for another course. please understand that we won't accept multiple applications.
If you're just waitlisted for other courses so far, please feel free to apply again.

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
Apply*	03 Jan - 31 Dec	Service in-between courses English	In Progress	Mont Soleil	Only for service in-between courses. Please provide exact dates for your arrival and departure. Do NOT apply here if you are coming to serve on a course or if you are attending a sit&serve/work period. Only for those residing in Switzerland.
	19 Jan - 30 Jan	10-Day English / French	CANCELLED	Mont Soleil	CANCELLED
	02 Feb - 06 Feb	3-Day English / French	CANCELLED	Mont Soleil	For old students CANCELLED
	08 Feb - 19 Feb	10-Day English / German	CANCELLED	Mont Soleil	Cancelled
	19 Feb - 20 Feb	meeting of the association English	Open	Mont Soleil	For old students All old students are warmly welcome to attend the meeting of the association. Please inform the centre about your attendance by calling 032 941 16 70
Apply*	23 Feb - 06 Mar	10-Day English / French	Women - Closed Men - Closed Female Server - Closed Male Server - Open	Mont Soleil	Only for those residing in Switzerland
	09 Mar - 20 Mar	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 06 Feb	Mont Soleil	Only for those residing in Switzerland
	25 Mar - 03 Apr	Satipatthana Sutta English / French	Applications accepted starting 06 Feb	Mont Soleil	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland
	07 Apr - 18 Apr	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 06 Feb	Mont Soleil	Only for those residing in Switzerland
	25 Apr - 28 Apr	Sit & Serve Garden	Applications accepted starting 27 Feb	Mont Soleil	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland.
	02 May - 13 May	Sit & Serve Garden	Applications accepted starting 06 Mar	Mont Soleil	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland
	14 May - 15 May	meeting of the association English	Open	Mont Soleil	For old students All old students are warmly welcome to attend the meeting of the association. Please inform the centre about your attendance by calling 032 941 16 70
	26 May - 06 Jun	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 27 Mar	Mont Soleil
	08 Jun - 19 Jun	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 10 Apr	Mont Soleil
	22 Jun - 03 Jul	10-Day English / Italian	Applications accepted starting 24 Apr	Mont Soleil	This course gives priority to Italian native speaking students. One week before the beginning of the course, participants on the waiting list will be admitted, as long as there are places available.
	05 Jul - 16 Jul	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 08 May	Mont Soleil
	20 Jul - 31 Jul	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 22 May	Mont Soleil
	02 Aug - 13 Aug	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 05 Jun	Mont Soleil
	13 Aug - 14 Aug	meeting of the association English	Open	Mont Soleil	For old students All old students are warmly welcome to attend the meeting of the association. Please inform the centre about your attendance by calling 032 941 16 70
	17 Aug - 28 Aug	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 19 Jun	Mont Soleil
	31 Aug - 11 Sep	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 03 Jul	Mont Soleil
	14 Sep - 25 Sep	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 17 Jul	Mont Soleil
	28 Sep - 09 Oct	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 31 Jul	Mont Soleil	Only for those residing in Switzerland
	12 Oct - 23 Oct	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 14 Aug	Mont Soleil
	24 Oct - 27 Oct	Sit & Serve Garden	Applications accepted starting 28 Aug	Mont Soleil	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland
	03 Nov - 12 Nov	Satipatthana Sutta English / German	Applications accepted starting 04 Sep	Mont Soleil	For old students
	12 Nov - 13 Nov	meeting of the association English	Open	Mont Soleil	For old students All old students are warmly welcome to attend the meeting of the association. Please inform the centre about your attendance by calling 032 941 16 70
	16 Nov - 27 Nov	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 18 Sep	Mont Soleil
	30 Nov - 04 Dec	3-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 02 Oct	Mont Soleil	For old students
	07 Dec - 18 Dec	10-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 09 Oct	Mont Soleil
	22 December, 2022 - 02 January, 2023	10-Day English / German	Applications accepted starting 23 Oct	Mont Soleil

Non-Centre Courses

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

2022 Dhamma Sumeru Courses Website | Map

Attend / Serve	Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
	23 Jan	1-Day English / French	In Progress	La Chaux-de-Fonds	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland As for the sanitary measures, you'd be informed if other regulations will be put in place.
	13 Mar	1-Day English / French	Applications accepted starting 13 Feb	La Chaux-de-Fonds	For old students Only for those residing in Switzerland As for the sanitary measures, you'd be informed if other regulations will be put in place.

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

Dates	Course Type	Status	Location	Comments
22 Apr - 24 Apr	Children French	Applications accepted starting 20 Feb	Mont Soleil	Girls from 8 to 18 years. Boys from 8 to 13 years.
29 Apr - 01 May	Children German	Applications accepted starting 27 Feb	Mont Soleil	Girls from 8 to 18 years. Boys from 8 to 13 years. Only for those residing in Switzerland
20 May - 22 May	Children French	Applications accepted starting 20 Mar	Mont Soleil	Boys from 8 to 18 years. Girls from 8 to 13 years.
28 Oct - 30 Oct	Children German	Applications accepted starting 28 Aug	Mont Soleil	Girls from 8 to 18 years. Boys from 8 to 13 years.

As a privacy measurement, the online application form encrypts the information you provide us with before it is sent from your computer to our application server.

To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://sumeru.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.