Where?

The Southeast Vipassana Center, Dhamma Patāpa, meaning the “Majesty of Dhamma” is one of about 100 centers worldwide and the ninth center in North America offering courses in Vipassana Meditation, taught by S.N.Goenka and his Assistant Teachers in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
Dhamma Patāpa is located in Jesup, GA which is in the South East part of Georgia in Wayne County. It is approximately 70 miles southwest of Savannah, GA 90 miles north of Jacksonville, FL and 250 miles southeast from Atlanta. It is located on a remote property with beautiful old pine trees, oaks, and other varieties of trees and vegetation. The beauty and seclusion of this property makes for an ideal meditation environment which will serve students in the Southeast for years to come.

The first Vipassana course in the Southeast area was held in Stark, FL in May of 1993 with a second course in December of 1993. From 1994 to 2007, Camp Marywood in Switzerland, FL was rented twice a year, to hold ten-day courses. Courses at rented facilities have also been held in Atlanta, GA and Chapel Hill, NC. During this time Vipassana students in this tradition always looked to a time when a permanent center could be built to offer courses throughout the year.

In 2004 the Southeast Vipassana Association was founded and a Center Search committee was subsequently formed to locate land suitable for a meditation center. Initially the search began in North and Central Florida but was later expanded into Georgia as well. After considering many sites land was purchased in Jesup, GA in December 2005. The Center is being constructed in phases, the first of which is to be completed in January 2008. The first phase will allow us to offer ten-day courses with a capacity of approximately 30 students plus staff and teachers. Throughout the calendar year 10-day courses and Children/Teenager courses will be offered. Future expansion plans will eventually bring the Center to a capacity of over 100 students.