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 / Dutch
Vipassana Meditation Center Dhamma Taḷāka (Lake of Dhamma) is located in Almere's rural area, close to Amsterdam. The 6-hectare site is surrounded by forest and farmland and has spacious walking areas. Currently, accommodation is offered for 45 students, with plans to expand in the near future.
- 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.
Vipassana Meditation Centre - Dhamma Taḷāka
Adress: Michauxpad 14 1358AE Almere
For urgent matters, EXCLUSIVELY concerning the CURRENT COURSE, you may reach the center at the mobile number: +316 33 69 30 10
For any OTHER QUESTIONS and GENERAL INFORMATION, call the number: +31 848 312 839. You will get a voicemail.
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://talaka.dhamma.org/en/
GENERAL INFORMATION
Registration will open at 8 pm winter time or 9 pm summer time.
For a 10-day or 3-day course you can apply until midnight to attend (sit) the course. Places for attending the are allocated by electronic random selection. If the course is not full you can also apply later.
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply* | 16 Jul - 27 Jul |
10-Day
English / Thai |
In Progress | Almere |
Course languages are English and Thai.
Priority for Thai speakers until 16 May.
|
| Apply* | 27 Jul - 06 Aug | Work Period | Servers - Open | Almere |
For old students |
| Apply* | 06 Aug - 17 Aug | 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Long Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Long Wait List Servers - Women - Long Wait List Servers - Men - Short Wait List | Almere | |
| Apply* | 17 Aug - 16 Sep | Work Period | Servers - Open | Almere |
For old students |
| 14 Sep | Open Day | Open | Almere |
Open Day is held between meditation courses. All are welcome to attend and learn about Vipassana Meditation and the Centre
|
|
| Apply* | 16 Sep - 27 Sep | 10-Day | New Women - Closed Old Women - Long Wait List Men - Short Wait List Servers - Open | Almere | |
| 27 Sep - 28 Sep | TRUST MEETING | Open | Almere |
Saturday committee meetings. Sunday morning trust meeting. Old students are welcome. Contact [email protected].
|
|
| 27 Sep - 15 Oct | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 28 Jul | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 15 Oct - 26 Oct | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 15 Aug | Almere | ||
| 26 Oct - 29 Oct | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 26 Aug | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 29 Oct - 09 Nov | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 12 Sep | Almere |
This course will only take place if a teacher is available.
|
|
| 09 Nov - 13 Nov | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 09 Sep | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 13 Nov - 22 Nov |
Sati
English |
Applications accepted starting 13 Sep | Almere |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
|
| 22 Nov - 23 Nov | TRUST MEETING | Open | Almere |
Saturday committee meetings. Sunday morning trust meeting. Old students are welcome. Contact [email protected].
|
|
| 22 Nov - 26 Nov | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 22 Sep | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 26 Nov - 07 Dec | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 15 Oct | Almere |
This course will only take place if a teacher is available.
|
|
| 07 Dec - 11 Dec | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 07 Oct | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 11 Dec - 14 Dec | 3 Day | Applications accepted starting 11 Oct | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 14 Dec - 21 Dec | Work Period | Applications accepted starting 14 Oct | Almere |
For old students |
|
| 21 December, 2025 - 01 January, 2026 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting 21 Oct | Almere |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply* | 02 Aug | Children | Girls - Open New Boys - Filling Up Old Boys - Open Servers - Open | Suriname |
For children aged 8 to 18
|
| Apply* | 03 Aug | 1-Day | Women - Open Men - Filling Up Servers - Short Wait List | Suriname |
For old students |
| Apply* | 04 Aug - 15 Aug |
10 day course
English |
New Women - Filling Up Old Women - Open New Men - Filling Up Old Men - Open Servers - Women - Filling Up Servers - Men - Open | Suriname |
Course location is Suriname
Residents of Suriname get priority
|
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply* | 02 Aug | Children | Girls - Open New Boys - Filling Up Old Boys - Open Servers - Open | Suriname |
For children aged 8 to 18
|
As a privacy measure, the online application form encrypts the information you provide us with before it is sent from your device to our application server.
To access the Old Student Regional Site please click http://nl.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.
Open Days are held between meditation courses. All are welcome to attend and learn about Vipassana Meditation and the Centre.
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 Course Qualification Requirements
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.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
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 apply. 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.
