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California Vipassana Newsletter

News & Events

Issue 39 • July & August 2013

Dear Old Student,

We are happy to let you know about the latest Vipassana events and news in California, as well as a few other important events and service opportunities.

International Vipassana Newsletter

The June 2013 issue of the International Vipassana Newsletter
is now available online at: www.news.dhamma.org »
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password = behappy

The June issue is a printable PDF file containing some of the material that has appeared on our website since last April.

In this PDF issue:

Features

• First children’s course in Newark, USA - a landmark initiative of the local African American community of meditators
• Teachers’ Self-Course, 2013 - dates, locations, eligibility, how to apply
• Argentina’s center officially opens - a look at a long journey and what lies ahead
• Assistant teachers past and present - Alain Lepine of Quebec describes what being an assistant means to him

International News

• Vipassana in Hawaii – new developments in the islands
• News briefs – initiatives around the world

Northern California Vipassana Center, Kelseyville

Dhamma Manda

Upcoming Ten-Day Courses

July 10-July 21
July 31-August 11
August 14-August 25
August 29-Sept. 2

Courses at Dhamma Manda (Northern California Vipassana Center) fill up quickly, but old student servers are needed for all upcoming courses. Servers are especially needed for the July 10-21 course. Old students are welcome to serve full or part-time. Register at http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmanda »

Three-Day Course - August 29-September 2

Servers are needed. Register online: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmanda »

Satipatthana Sutta Course - November 8- 17

Register online: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmanda

Occidental Course - December 22, 2013 - January 2, 2014
The 10-day course in Occidental, CA will be held December 22, 2013-January 2, 2014. Registration will begin September 15 for this non-center course that will be held approximately 90 minutes from San Francisco in Sonoma County at a quiet and beautiful rented site surrounded by redwood trees. To register, visit http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmanda .

Large off-site courses require an abundance of servers to help with facility set up and break down. Unlike Vipassana meditation centers, off-site locations have to be adapted to meet the needs of the course. Supporting large, non-center courses provides old students with a wonderful opportunity to work hard and truly benefit themselves by selflessly serving the students.

You can help in various ways before and after the course, including setting up the meditation hall, cooking in the kitchen and preparing the accommodations. There will be accommodations available for those helping with set-up to stay overnight.

Upcoming Service Period - September 3-24, 2013
Open to all old students. During this time Dhamma Manda completes a number of upgrades, new construction and more. It’s a great time to work with other old students and get to know about the center. To register please send an email with your full name and dates you plan on attending to [email protected].

Dhamma Manda Board of Trustee meeting (trust meetings)
The next two meetings will take place:
Sunday, July 21st, 9am-12pm
Sunday, September 22nd, 9am-12pm

Trust meetings are a wonderful opportunity to meditate with serious old students and assistant teachers and to find out more about how the center operates. If you are interested in serving on committees they often work and meet remotely. Attending a trust meeting is a good way to find out what the different committees are working on. All old students are welcome to attend.

The meeting at Dhamma Manda begins with a group sitting at 9 am. Lunch follows the meeting at 12 noon. There are often center projects one can participate in for a few hours after the trust meeting is over.

To let us know you’re coming, write to [email protected].

California Vipassana Center, North Fork

Dhamma Mahavana

Upcoming 10-Day Courses at CVC

August 7 - 18
September 18 - 29

Course fill up quickly and waitlists are long, so please apply early to sit or serve.
Please register here: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmahavana » login: oldstudent
password: behappy

Upcoming Bilingual and Special Courses at CVC
10-Day Farsi / English: July 10 - 21
10-Day Burmese / English: July 23 - August 3
10-Day Thai/English: August 21 - September 1

Upcoming Service Period - September 30 - October 5
All Old Students are welcome to stay at CVC during the service period and help out with a variety of maintenance, construction, household and gardening/landscaping projects. The program includes three daily group sittings between work periods and special evening recorded discourses by S.N. Goenka. Serving at the center during a service period can help to strengthen your daily meditation practice, and serving together with fellow old students gives an opportunity to develop friendships with others walking on the path.

To apply, please send an email to [email protected]. Include your full name and the dates you will be attending.

Full-time Kitchen Coordinator Position at CVC
CVC is looking for someone to act as full-time Kitchen Coordinator. Responsibilities include, kitchen health and safety, server support, food ordering, kitchen equipment and design recommendations. The ideal candidate is an established old student who has long-term service experience at any of the Vipassana centers, has successfully sat at least one long course, and has professional food service experience. For more details, please email: [email protected].

Invitation to Serve on Trust Committees
Trust committees are organized by the trust and comprised of trust members and old students, who support the center by overseeing various aspects of operations. Many committee tasks can be done off-site. CVC trust committees include Accommodations, Administration, Development, Finance, Kitchen, Land Stewardship, Maintenance, Dhamma Service, Outreach, Safety and Technology.

Learn more about specific committee responsibilities at:
http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/os/service/staying_informed_of_service.htm »
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If you would like to join a committee or for more information, please email:
[email protected].

Extended Sitting & Service Opportunities
Old students who are interested in developing their practice may stay at the center on a course-by-course basis to sit and serve. Students should be trying to establish their daily practice and keep the five precepts. For more information, please email [email protected] .

To view a list of service projects that you can help out on, please visit:
http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/maintenance/Maintenance%20Projects.html »

Southern California Vipassana Center,
Twentynine Palms

Dhamma Vaddhana

Upcoming Bilingual and Special Courses at SCVC

Satipatthana Sutta Burmese/English (qualified old students only): July 12 - 21
10-Day Khmer/English: September 25 - October 6
Satipatthana Sutta (qualified old students only): October 11 - 20

Dhamma Vaddhana Board of Trustees Meeting
Sundays - July 7, August 18
9:00 – 10:00 Group Sitting
10:15 – 12:15 Trust meeting
12:15 - Lunch and Clean-Up
The monthly meeting of the Southern California Vipassana Center Trust is the forum where continuing operations and development of Dhamma Vaddhana are discussed. It is an excellent opportunity to learn about the center and also to become involved in serving in whatever way you are available. Many tasks can be done off-site. Committees are the key to keeping the center running smoothly and participants are needed in the areas of Accommodations, Administration, Finance, Kitchen, Landscape, Maintenance, Dhamma Service, and Technology.

Dhamma Service Contact List
SCVC is in the process of updating our Dhamma Service contact list. If you would like to let us know about your Dhamma Service interests, skills, and availability, please take a moment to fill out this online form ».

Ongoing Service Opportunities Regionally and in 29 Palms
- Serve a course
- Serve between courses
- Join a committee
- Come to a Trust meeting
- Serve a children's course
- Attend a service period
- Become a Long Term Server
- Serve a One-day course in your area

Learn more on SCVC's old students page. Check back regularly for new content.
http://www.vaddhana.dhamma.org/os/osindex.htm »

Also on our website: Words of Dhamma, Dhamma story (with audio), Q&A (with audio), photo slide shows, and more

The online International Newsletter site is updated every few weeks as we have new material to post. Every three to four months, we publish some of that material in a printable PDF issue. Please check regularly for updates, or subscribe to our RSS feed to receive notification automatically whenever we post something. You can also subscribe to receive email notification when a PDF issue is published.
Please also consider contributing material for posting. It could be a news story, photos, your own reminiscences or more. Write to [email protected].

Best wishes,

California Vipassana eNewsletter Coordinators.

Northern California Vipassana Center
P.O.Box 265
Cobb, CA 95426-0265
Ph: 707-928-9981
Email

California Vipassana Center
P.O. Box 1167
North Fork, CA 93643
Ph: 559-877-4386
Email

Southern California Vipassana Center
P.O. Box 486
Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Ph: 760-362-4615
Email

This notice is sent to old students of Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka in the North American Old Student Contact Database. You may also receive occasional messages from centers and newsletters via this database. If you don't wish to be contacted by us please click here.