Old
students are
warmly invited to
participate in
Dhamma
Pakasa's final
work week of
the year.
Various center
projects are
currently
underway.
Renovation,
insulation and
plumbing
continue in
the Dhamma
hall break
areas. Autumn
grounds
activities
include
re-planting
trees,
removing
poison ivy,
reorganizing
the wood shop
and
beautifying
the side
through
general
clean-up.
Although all
skill levels
are welcome,
especially
needed are
carpenters and
trades people
with expertise
in
deconstruction,
sheet rock,
plumbing
design, sound
insulation,
and mold
remediation.
Servers will
have the
opportunity to
meditate three
times daily,
enjoy hearty
meals, meet
with a senior
teacher, watch
dhamma videos,
and accumulate
merits in the
company of
other old
students.
Students who
attend October
12th
- 14th
will have the
choice of
continuing
with service
projects or
participating
in the Annual
Trust Retreat.
If interested
in serving
this upcoming
work week
either full-
or part-time,
please register
on-line.
Annual
Trust
Retreat
- Oct.
11-13
This
is a wonderful
opportunity to
become aware
of happenings
at YOUR Center
and to explore
opportunities
for becoming
part of its
growth and
development.
Dhamma Pakasa
is run by the
Trust through
its various
committees and
with the
necessary and
dedicated
assistance of
its old
students; here
is your chance
to be a part
of it all. A
summary of the
weekend agenda
and schedule
is included at
the end of
this series of
announcements.*
You will be
welcome for
all or part of
the weekend. Please
RSVP
by
sending an
email to Lucia
Meijer at [email protected]no
later than
October 7th.
Please
include:
1.
Your name and
contact
information;
2.
Your
anticipated
arrival date
and time;
3.
Your
anticipated
departure date
and time; and
4.
Any
medically-required
dietary
restrictions
(if you plan
to take your
meals at the
Center).
If
you will need
overnight
accommodations
at the Center,
please registeron-line
as part of the
Work Week.
Friday
October 11
3:00
- 5:00 pm:
Dining Hall -
Registration
Check-in,
information,
and work
project
sign-up (for
non-Trust
members)
5:00
- 6:30 pm:
Dinner and
cleanup
6:30
- 7:30 pm:
Group sit
7:45
- 9:00 pm:
Open -
Committee
meetings or
rest
Saturday
October
12
5:50
- 6:30 am
Sitting and
Chanting
(optional)
6:30
- 7:30 am
Dining Hall -
Breakfast /
Registration
8:00
- 9:00 am:
Dhamma Hall -
Group
Sitting
9:00
- 9:20 am:
Dhamma Hall -
Teachers -
greetings and
opening
remarks
Welcome
and
Introductions
- Announce new
officers and
Trust members,
Introduce new
staff and
others present
Brief
Orientation,
Overview and
review of
weekend
schedule
(introduce
- critical
needs - and
sign up
sheets)
Session
attendance
requirements
and options
for trust
members/
non-trust
members
Brief Housekeeping discussion -
use of phones, computer, management requests etc.
Summary
of past year
Group
warm-up
10:30-11:30
am: Dining
Hall - Center
Development
Update: Trust
options,
decisions, and
the challenges
those will
represent. A
joint
presentation
and tour by
Center
Development
and Finance
Committees
regarding the
future of
center growth
and
development.
Master
Planning
report on 2014
agenda -
septic and
capability for
expansion
Finance
Committee
report on
financial
parameters,
center
development
funding -
options (e.g.
loans debt,
donations,
etc.), and the
choices that
must be made
Trust
response,
involvement of
old students
via Committee
process
11:30
- 1:00 pm:
Dining Hall
Lunch
/ Free time /
Clean up
Teacher
Interviews
(sign-up sheet
available)
1:00
- 2:00 pm:
Dining Hall -
Center
Development
Update &
Tour
A
joint
presentation
and tour by
Center
Development
and Finance
Committees
regarding the
future of
center growth
and
development.
Objective:
Visualize what
we are talking
about.
2:15
- 3:15 pm:
Dhamma Hall -
Group
Sitting
3:30
- 5:00 pm:
Dining Hall
/Tea - Critical
Center Needs
Review
- critical
needs list -
Solutions
and work to be
done
5:00
- 6:00 pm:
Dining Hall -
Dinner and
cleanup
6:00
- 7:00 pm:
Dhamma Hall -
Group
Sitting
7:15
- 8:15 pm:
Dining Hall -
Inspirational
Video
Sunday,
October 13
5:30
to 6:30 am:
Dhamma Hall -
Group
Sitting with
Morning
Chanting
(optional)
6:30
- 7:30 am: Breakfast
7:30-8:45
am: Dhamma
Hall - for
Trust members
and AT - s -
Trust
Fundamentals
(Work
Tasks for all
others during
this time.)
Trustees
Code of
Conduct
What
it means to be
a Trust member
- our roles
IVA
bylaws review
and Q & A
9:00
- 10:00 am:
Dhamma Hall -
Group
Sitting
10:30
- 12:00 pm:
Dining Hall -
October
Trust Meeting
12:00
- 1:00 pm: Lunch
& Retreat
Evaluation
Retreat
evaluation
& closing
comments
1:00
- 2:00 pm: Retreat
Evaluation and
Wrap-Up
2:00
pm: Cleanup /
housekeeping
New
Center
in the Upper
Midwest -
Dhamma
Visuddhi
After
27
years and over
40 non-center
courses, we are
happy to
announce that
the Minnesota
Vipassana
Association
(MVA) has become
the owner of a
site for a
permanent center
in our area.
Goenkaji has
named the center
Dhamma Visuddhi
- - Purity of
Dhamma - .
The
site
is located in
Menomonie,
Wisconsin, which
is just 60 miles
east of St.
Paul/Minneapolis,
Minnesota.
Menomonie, voted
one of the best
small towns in
the US by
Smithsonian
Magazine, has a
population of
16,000 people
and is home to
the University
of Wisconsin -
Stout. Dhamma
Visuddhi is
easily
accessible;
regularly
scheduled,
inexpensive
shuttle service
is available to
and from the
Minneapolis-St
Paul airport as
well as bus
service from the
Twin Cities.
Dhamma
Visuddhi
is situated on
15 acres of
wooded land on
the bluffs above
the Red Cedar
River. The site
is within the
city limits and
yet very quiet
and secluded.
The buildings
include a large
mansion with
kitchen and
dining rooms, a
meditation hall,
men - s and
women - s dorms,
as well as a
small house for
the Assistant
Teachers.
Currently we can
accommodate 45
students and 8
servers.
MVA closed on the
property on
Friday, July 12,
2013. The next 12
days were spent
cleaning and
reorganizing the
site. We held our
first course from
July 24th to
August 4th
and the second
course from August
14th to 25th.
The
cost
of the property
is $450,000. The
terms of the
mortgage include
a 30-year fixed
rate with a
$50,000 down
payment.
Old
students
are welcome to
join in
supporting this
meritorious
initiative. To
help support the
center
financially, we
accept donations
and monthly
pledges on our
old student
website at: www.mn.us.dhamma.org/os.
Monthly pledges
will help us
cover the fixed
cost to maintain
the center. If
you are
interested in
making an old
student loan,
please contact [email protected].
To help support
the center by
giving service,
and for
information on
old student
programs, please
go to the course
schedule page
at: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/noncenter/mn.us,
or contact [email protected].
While
we
were able to
hold courses
immediately
following the
purchase, there
are many
improvements
planned for the
short term.
These include:
Reroof
and add
gutters to the
Dhamma Hall
and AT's
residence,
Create a paved parking area for cars
Improve energy efficiency through
added
insulation and
weatherstripping
existing
buildings
Develop master plan for future buildings
Develop and implement master plan for
landscaping
Develop master plan for energy efficiency
Kitchen improvements
Cost
estimate for
these projects:
$150,000
The
Minnesota
Vipassana
Association is
excited to have
a permanent home
after so many
years of
non-center
courses. We all
look forward to
serving many
students and we
invite everyone
to visit Dhamma
Visuddhi!
Dhamma
Visuddhi
Course
Schedule
Work
period October
7-12
10-Day
October 16 -
October 27
2-Day
November 1 - 3
(old students
only)
10-Day
November 20 -
December 1
1-Day
December 7 (old
students only)
10-Day
December 27 -
January 7
For
more
information,
contact the
Minnesota
Vipassana
Association [email protected]
or register
on-line.
Dhamma
Pakasa
Teacher's
Self Course
November
13
-
24
Each
year Goenkaji
sits his own
course in
India,
traditionally
called the
Teacher's Self
Course (TSC).
Centers around
the world hold
courses
simultaneous
to Goenkaji's
sitting, and
students who
qualify are
allowed to
participate in
these
worldwide TSC
courses.
Dhamma Pakasa
has been named
the host of
the U.S.
Teacher's Self
Course for
2014. To
qualify for
sitting this
course,
applicants
must be
serious old
students who
have been
involved in
Dhamma
Service, must
be keeping
sila from time
of application
and must not
have been
involved in
any other
techniques
since their
last course.
As a serious
course, the
TSC provides
local old
students with
a unique
opportunity to
strengthen
their
practice. If
interested,
please register
on-line.
The
Grounds Committee
has a serious need
for volunteers to
assist with the
beautification and
upkeep of
Dhamma Pakasa - s 20
acre campus.
It is not necessary
to have previous
experience working
with plants and
tools as other
volunteers will be
present to offer
instruction and
oversight.
This is a
challenging and
fulfilling
opportunity to see
the seeds of your
service bear fruit
as one develops
paramis and learns
new skills
throughout the
different
seasons. Some
of the Grounds areas
of responsibility
include the
following:
-
Cleaning and
clearing the land:
mowing, raking of
leaves, weed
whacking, etc
-
Flower beds: weed,
prune, cultivate,
feed, thin
-
Walking paths: weed,
repair
-
Driveways: weed,
repair, clean,
resurface
-
Parking lot: weed,
repair, clean,
resurface
-
Seasonal tasks:
Including
winterizing and snow
removal
-
Grounds equipment
and tools: Cleaning,
maintaining and
storing
Please email
us at [email protected]
to find out more
information.
We look forward to
serving with you.
Lucky ducks! Ten
(one day old)
ducklings were found
trapped in a sewer
in Rockford and hand
raised off-center
for two months.
Seven ducks are
shown here fully
grown and were
released on Dhamma
Pakasa grounds on
July 28th 2013.
MAY
ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY! Illinois Vipassana
Meditation Center, Dhamma Pakasa
10076 Fish Hatchery Road,
Pecatonica, IL 61063
Phone: 1-815 489-0420 Fax
1-360-283-7068
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pakasa.dhamma.org
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: [email protected]?subject=remove