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
One of over 120 international centers where the technique of Vipassana meditation is taught and practiced, Dhamma Mahavana is situated on 109 acres of forested property in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Groves of oak, pine, cedar, and manzanita reinforce the California Vipassana Center's name of Dhamma Mahavana, Great Forest of Dhamma.
- 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.
| California Vipassana Meditation Center P.O. Box 1167, North Fork, CA 93643, USA http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org | General Course Registration Voice Mail: [1] (559) 876-8760 ext.1 Fax: [1] (559) 876-8761 [email protected] | Children / Teenager's Course Registration Voice Mail: [1] (408) 471-7642 Fax: [1] (800) 734-1558 [email protected] Children's Course Registration | Dhamma Service Registration Voice Mail: [1] (559) 876-8760 [email protected] |
Students may apply to sit only ONE 10 Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state, Canada, or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL or you may miss important time-sensitive email communication.
Due to a rise in Covid cases, the California Vipassana Center requires all incoming students and servers to take an antigen self-test within 24 hs prior arriving at CVC. If the result is positive or if you are feeling sick, please cancel your attendance.
Please bring a second antigen test to take when you are asked to during the course.
Masking is optional. We recommend those immuno-compromised and seniors to wear one.
Out of consideration for everyone, please do not come if you are feeling sick.
Local meditators who wish to come to the center should contact the Office beforehand.
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.
Registration opens for all courses around 7:05 a.m. Pacific Time
Students may apply to sit only ONE 10 Day course at a time, even if the other course is in another state, Canada, or is a waitlisted enrollment.
CHECK SPAM/JUNK MAIL to ensure you do not miss important time-sensitive email communications.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 02 - May 18 | 45-Day | In Progress | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements |
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| Apply | May 18 - May 28 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed This service period coincides with the Annual Assistant Teacher workshop from 5/21 to 5/26. Part time service is welcome. |
| May 21 - May 26 |
Assistant Teacher Workshop |
New Women - Closed Old Women - Open New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed Assistant Teachers: To register, please send an email to [email protected] |
|
| Apply | May 28 - Jun 08 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Closed Servers - Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jun 08 - Jun 11 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jun 11 - Jun 22 |
10-Day
English / Vietnamese |
Women - Long Wait List Men - Wait List Female Server - Wait List Male Server - Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Vietnamese-speaking students
|
| Apply | Jun 22 - Jun 27 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jun 27 - Jul 06 | Satipatthana Sutta | New Women - Closed Old Women - Wait List New Men - Closed Old Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jul 06 - Jul 09 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jul 09 - Jul 20 |
10-Day
English / Khmer |
Women - Wait List Men - Open Servers - Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Khmer speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. |
| Apply | Jul 20 - Jul 23 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Jul 23 - Aug 03 | 10-Day | Women - Closed Men - Wait List Servers - Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
| Apply | Aug 03 - Aug 06 | Service Period | Servers - Open | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
| Apply | Aug 06 - Aug 17 |
10-Day
English / Punjabi |
Open | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Punjabi-speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. |
| Aug 17 - Aug 21 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting May 17 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Aug 21 - Sep 01 |
10-Day
English / Burmese |
Applications accepted starting May 21 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Burmese speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. IMPORTANT: This course begins on THURSDAY, Aug. 21 and ends on MONDAY, Sept. 1 (Labor Day). |
|
| Sep 01 - Sep 10 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 01 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 10 - Sep 21 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 10 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 21 - Sep 24 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 21 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 24 - Sep 28 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Jun 24 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Sep 28 - Oct 02 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Jun 28 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Oct 02 - Nov 02 | 30-Day | Applications accepted starting Jul 02 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Nov 02 - Nov 05 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 02 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Nov 05 - Nov 16 |
10-Day
English / Persian (Farsi) |
Applications accepted starting Aug 05 | North Fork |
Servers Needed Priority is given to Farsi speaking students. All other students will be waitlisted. |
|
| Nov 16 - Nov 19 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 16 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Nov 19 - Nov 30 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Aug 19 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
|
| Nov 30 - Dec 03 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Aug 30 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Dec 03 - Dec 14 | Special 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 03 | North Fork |
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements Servers Needed |
|
| Dec 14 - Dec 17 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Sep 14 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| Dec 17 - Dec 21 | 3-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 17 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
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| Dec 21 - Dec 24 | Service Period | Applications accepted starting Sep 21 | North Fork |
For old students Servers Needed |
|
| December 24, 2025 - January 04, 2026 | 10-Day | Applications accepted starting Sep 24 | North Fork |
Servers Needed |
See Comments for any special instructions for events in this section.
| Attend / Serve | Dates | Course Type | Status | Location | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 06 - Sep 07 |
Childrens course |
Applications accepted starting Jun 25 | North Fork |
For Boys and Girls ages 9-12 |
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.mahavana.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 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
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.
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 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.
Old Student Course Qualification Requirements
Special 10-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
30-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of six 10-day courses (one since their first 20-day course), one 20-day course, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years.
45-day Courses are open only to persons involved in Dhamma Service and Assistant Teachers who have completed a minimum of seven 10-day courses (one since their first 30-day course), two 30-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least three years.
Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. Students who speak neither English nor one of the other announced course languages may apply for the course, however acceptance into the course will depend on the availability of required course materials, suitable translators and permission of the teacher conducting the course.
