Question 1

Are live sessions recorded?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The live calls during the courses are recorded and shared via after the calls finish.

Question 2

Do I have to maintain silence during the 10 days?

Accepted Answer

No, the course aims at integrating Vipassana meditation into your everyday life. As such you may talk to continue staying engage with work and life during the 10 days.

However, it is helpful to not engage as much in idle, senseless chatter during the course period.

Question 3

Can I do this course while in a full-time job?

Accepted Answer

Yes the course is designed so that you are able to participate.

Guided meditations are shared the day before and you can fit them into your morning and evening, whenever suits you best.

Question 4

I want to meditate more intensively then two hours per day. Can you guide me?

Accepted Answer

Depending on your experience level and situation, we can work together to create a 'retreat' for you. I do not recommend meditating intensively without a guide or if you have a lot of experience.

Question 5

I am worried I am not capable of meditating for two hours everyday. Should I still join?

Accepted Answer

If you are in reasonable physical and mental health and are sincerely and genuinely interested in trying out this practice it will be possible.

It all depends on the commitment you bring to the 10 days and if you are open and willing to apply yourself patiently and diligently, you will surely see tangible benefits.

If you cannot sit cross-legged, we can adjust your posture to sit on a chair or use cushions as help.

Question 6

What time are meditation sittings?

Accepted Answer

There is no set time. You are sent the recordings each day and are free to complete the guided meditations whenever fits within your schedule.

The recommendation is to meditate an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. When exactly is up to you.

Question 7

How are live sessions conducted?

Accepted Answer

via Zoom. Dial-in details will be shared every day. These are also recorded for later viewing.

Question 8

How will I receive information during this course?

Accepted Answer

Primarily via Email.

Reminders and Q&A will be shared in a Whatsapp GRoup.

Question 9

Do I need meditation or movement experience to join?

Accepted Answer

No prior experience in either is required. This isn't a movement course, nor a traditional meditation course — it works with subtle, intuitive movement rather than any prescribed technique or posture, so it's accessible whether you're coming from a meditation background, a movement background, or neither.

Question 10

What does it actually cost?

Accepted Answer

€250 for the full three months, €125 on the low-income rate, or a scholarship rate of around €62.50 (50% off low-income). If you'd rather try it before committing, you can join for the first month alone for €90.

Question 11

Is it online or in person?

Accepted Answer

Yes the course is designed so that you are able to participate.Entirely online and live — 13 sessions in total, running from October 3rd across the three months.

Question 12

What if I can't make a live session?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are recorded, so you won't miss the material — though attending live is recommended, since a lot of the value comes from practising and discussing together in real time.

Question 13

What's the weekly time commitment?

Accepted Answer

A minimum of 30 minutes of daily personal practice, the two-hour live session on Saturdays (4–6pm London/Lisbon time — see "A Week in the Course" above for other timezones), and up to an hour of additional optional material each week.

If you opt-in to the practice pod (highly recommended) this will also be an additional one hour meeting that you agree upon with your pod.

Question 14

What are Practice Pods?

Accepted Answer

An optional small group — 3 to 4 people in a similar timezone — that meets weekly for an hour to reflect together and support each other's practice alongside the main course.

We have found this to be a highly beneficial and motivating support for your learning.

Question 15

If I start with the first-month trial, how do I continue into the full course?

Accepted Answer

After the first five sessions, you'll be asked whether you'd like to continue. If so, you simply pay the remaining balance and carry on with the group for the rest of the three months.

Question 16

Is there a limit on how many people can join?

Accepted Answer

Yes, live participation is limited to 25, to keep the group small enough for real contact with the practice and with each other.

Question 17

Do I need meditation experience?

Accepted Answer

This retreat is meant to be open to everyone, whatever your background — that's intentional. That said, if you already have some basic meditation practice of your own, you'll likely settle into the days a little faster.

Question 18

Do I need any dance or movement experience?

Accepted Answer

No. Authentic Movement doesn't require dance training or physical skill — it's about attention and presence in the body, not performance.

Question 19

What does a day look like?

Accepted Answer

Days run from 6AM group meditation through rest at 9PM, with guided movement around 7AM, meals, rest periods, group and partner Authentic Movement sessions, and evening talks. There's also an optional 3-day silent period within the retreat for anyone who wants to go deeper into stillness.

Question 20

Where exactly is the retreat, and how do I get there?

Accepted Answer

Fools' Valley, near Sobral de Monte Agraço, about 30 minutes north of Lisbon. You'll arrange your own transport to the venue; we'll share directions and set up a WhatsApp group closer to the date so people can coordinate shared transport from Lisbon airport.

Question 21

What's included in the price?

Accepted Answer

5 nights' accommodation, 4 full days plus 2 half-days of program, and 3 vegetarian meals a day. Accommodation ranges from a private room to a shared dorm to bringing your own tent — see the pricing above.

Question 22

What's the deposit and cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

A 30% deposit secures your spot. €100 of that is non-refundable from the start. If you cancel within two weeks of the retreat, the full deposit is forfeited.

Question 23

What should I bring?

Accepted Answer

We'll send a full packing list and preparation guide in the month before the retreat. In the meantime, the best preparation is simply continuing whatever meditation or embodied movement practice you already have.

Question 24

Can I book time with Sandra one-on-one?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Sandra offers individual osteopathy/meditation sessions during the retreat as a paid add-on, €80 per session, on top of your ticket price.

Question 25

I am completely new to meditation.

Accepted Answer

The course starts with the basics. You are free to adjust and change your posture and find what works for you. The guided meditations teach you the technique from the ground up.

Question 26

Is Vipassana At Home associated with Dhamma.org?

Accepted Answer

No, we are not associated with Dhamma.org. The technique taught is very similar to the one taught in S.N. Goenka Vipassana centers but our teaching approach is informed by the facilitators experience in other Vipassana traditions as well.

The course is by no means a substitute to a full 10-day Dhamma.org course. We highly recommend any practitioners to attend a full in-person retreat to really experience the technique.

Question 27

Is there a registration fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as a non-monastic teacher, the fee supports the running of the organisation and supports the teacher and his family.

The registration fee also helps you commit to your registration. In the past, we did not have such a fee and we found that the majority never showed up for the course.

In a world of countless free online courses, we want you to commit to your registration.

If you wish to pull out, cancel your registration we will give you a full refund.

We also offer partial and full scholarships to those who cannot afford the registration fee, you are welcome to apply for these when registering.

Question 28

Are courses available in other languages?

Accepted Answer

Not by Vipassana at Home but I can recommend: vipassanadacasa.it for teachings in Italian.

Question 29

I have already sat a 10-day residential Vipassana retreat. Is this course still useful?

Accepted Answer

If you wish to reinvigorate your daily practice or get a new perspective and a long-term practitioner's take on the technique, feel free to join.

Question 30

Why do courses have a price?

Accepted Answer

Vipassanā has a long tradition of teachings offered freely through dāna. I want Vipassana at Home to remain accessible, so our weekly community practice is freely offered and supported by donations. Structured courses and trainings have fixed fees, with free resources and reduced-cost options available for those who need them.

Question 31

Will I receive any support during the courses?

Accepted Answer

We organise a Whatsapp group for you to share and connect with other participants. In these, you can ask questions and receive guidance. During live sessions, you will also have time for Q&A. If your subject is a more private matter, you can reach out to the instructor directly.

Question 32

What tradition or technique does Vipassanā at Home follow?

Accepted Answer

Vipassanā at Home is rooted primarily in the Theravāda Vipassanā traditions in which I trained, particularly the Mahāsi tradition, as well as my earlier practice in the Goenka tradition. Over the years I have also practised and studied other approaches to insight meditation, including open awareness, non-dual practice and somatic approaches. Rather than teaching one technique exclusively, I draw on different methods where they are useful while keeping the underlying principles of Vipassanā practice at the centre.

Question 33

Why do you teach more than one meditation technique?

Accepted Answer

Different techniques emphasise different aspects of practice and can help us investigate experience from different directions. Some develop stability, others perceptual clarity or equanimity; some are more active and precise, while others are more receptive. I don’t think practising many techniques is necessary, and there is enormous value in staying deeply with one method. At Vipassanā at Home, we use different techniques as complementary ways of developing the same underlying capacities and deepening insight.

Satipatthana Long Course (March 23)

Overview of Course

Weekly Topics

Course Requirements

FAQs