Zona Centro coordinates the activities of the Vipassana Foundation in the regions (Comunidades Autónomas) of Castilla La Mancha (except Albacete), Castilla León, Madrid y La Rioja.

At present there are two centers used for meditation courses in Zona Centro; both are rented for the duration of the courses. One is in Chueca (Toledo, Castilla La Mancha) and the other is in Dueñas (Palencia, Castilla León), which together offer six ten day courses throughout the year.

In the Toledo center, which belongs to Las Hermanas de la Caridad (see picture to the left) and has capacity for 115 students, courses have been offered since Christmas 2007-2008 and at present four courses are conducted there every year.

Castilla León begun offering courses in 2004 and there are currently two courses held every year, conducted at the Misioneras de Verbo Divino center (see picture to the right), in Dueñas (Palencia), which can accommodate up to 70 students.

More than 1,400 students have attended courses in Zona Centro up to 2010. However, the increasing demand for courses, the higher number of volunteers and the fact that the only owned center in the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. Spain and Portugal), the one in Barcelona, is not only quite distant from several provinces but has also difficulties in obtaining permissions to enlarge, make the creation of a second center a priority. For this reason, the Vipassana Foundation has put in motion the process to identify an appropriate location for the second center in Spain, in the surroundings of Madrid (in the provinces of Ávila, Toledo or Segovia preferably). If you know of a good place or if you want more information about what we are looking for, click here.

A Committee has been established in Zona Centro with the double purpose of facilitating the organizational aspects of the courses in the region and of establishing the second center. It meets in Madrid approximately every 3 months. In these meetings, after morning meditation, all aspects regarding the organization of meditation Zona Centro are discussed. Any old student (i.e. anyone who has completed a ten day course) is encouraged to participate, whether or not they want and have the time to help out beyond the meetings.

There are also sporadic 1, 2 or 3 day courses for old students in Valladolid, Palencia and Toledo. In Madrid there are 4-hour self-courses on the last Sunday of every month. You can find out more and register for them clicking on the calendar at the top right of this page and then on the date you are interested in. Additionally, being an old student, you can also attend the weekly meditation sessions that are held in Madrid and Valladolid. You don’t need to register in advance for these. For more information, just click on the “Old students” section above in this very webpage and then on the “Meditation groups” heading.

We welcome you, delighted that more and more people are getting the benefits of this non-sectarian technique of self-observation, consciousness heightening and insight.