Dhamma Pabha Vipassana Meditation Centre

I had an amazing experience doing my first vipassana retreat here. Facilities and organisation are top notch. The setting it’s beautiful. Everyone is doing their utmost to make participants comfortable. Food was lovely and they were very considerate of some dietary requirements I had. I will definitely be back for another vipassana. I’m very grateful to everyone involved. That being said, be aware that it’s challenging. Note on some of the bad reviews... I hope you can understand that they don’t have a psychologist or similar available and they decline people because they are simply not equipped to deal with mental health issues.

I had high hopes of attending their 10day course. I filled out the online forms and sent them back. Imn these forms I disclosed that I had a medical condition but that it is controlled.Well that became a field day. Once this information was in their hands it became a case of disability discrimination! The treatment I received was appalling. The centre received a letter from my GP as requested. This letter stated that I was suitable to attend.The centre completely ignored this letter and began to go deeper and deeper into my personal medical information. After much back and forth and release of my personal information, they then told me that it still wasn't enough.I am concerned that they feel they have the right to disregard the knowledge and expertise of a medical professional, continue to ask for further information about my condition when clearly they had no intentions of allowing me to attend regardless of physician clearence.Disability discrimination - these are your people.

Registration process is inconsiderate of individual circumstances. If you are honest about mental health issues they apply a standard yardstick without exception. Do not waste your time applying if you are taking prescribed medication for mental health and have changed your daily dose, or have come off medication altogether, for six months prior to a retreat. I am very glad that I was not accepted as I suspect the treatment would be similar throughout the course, where kindness and compassion would be - ironically - lacking. Think hard before you sign up, you deserve better than this!

No words can describe my experience and I highly recommend everyone to come and try

My second vipassana course in this centre has added more to my practice. Full of postive energy, supportive and caring managers, great assistant teachers and friendly volunteers. It has a great walking trail where various species of birds, wombats, possums, wallabies can be spotted during walking times. Had a great experience in this centre. Very grateful towards everyone who made it possible for us to practice and get established in vipassana technique.

As a retreat from modern living, it is the perfect place to meditate and reflect on self. If you want to do a Vipassana 10day course, then this retreat is as good as it gets!

I completed the 10 day vipassana course at dhamma pabha during january 2023 and so glad I did. It was the most challenging but worth while experience of my life.I had so much doubt and fear going into it. Specially since there was not a lot of pictures or information available. I was very nervous and had many sleepless nights contemplating everything. Really glad i took the plunge and went through with it.I vowed to add more photos and try shed more light. This course has nothing to do with religion or sects. Everyone at the centre is very Supportive and friendly. The facilities are excellent and the setting is very tranquil, surrounded by nature.Keep an open mind and take the plunge because no amount of information can prepare you for this experience. Trust me it will be worth while.Dhavatu Sabba Mangalam.

I am leaving this comment in response to the two 1-star reviews below having recently completed my first Vipassana retreat in December, 2019. I feel that those two reviews are unfair and written from places of pain inappropriately directed towards the centre, rather than actually considering WHY the centre advised against the reviewers' attendance.(1) Andrea T: when I first applied for a retreat in Nov 2018 I was coming on to antidepressant medications (escitalopram), dealing with grief, struggling with substance misuse. I was very honest about this mental health issues and the centre advised me to reapply 6-12 months later after processing the grief, stabilising the medications, and getting my substance use under control. I did exactly that and reapplied for a July 2019 when I was cycling off the SSRIs, but again they asked me to wait another 6 months. I applied for December 2019 once my withdrawals from the SSRI cessation had subsided, and finally they let me go on the retreat. 10-day Vipassana retreats are a notoriously difficult. I am very happy they advised me to wait because I don't think I would have been able to complete the course in my physical and mental states earlier in 2019 and 2018. They are strict with these guidelines out of compassion for new meditators because it is so difficult. You don't need to make your life any harder than it will already be on a 10-day sit with, for example, having brain zaps" while withdrawing from SSRIs. If your application has been rejected for similar reasons please do not take it personally. Go to counselling or substance support groups or whatever is relevant for your situation

I just finished my 10 day vipassana course today. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my whole life. The food was AMAZING, and the staff and service of the volunteers was incredible. I am looking forward to continuing my practice and would reccomend to anyone.