The first Nordic Vipassana centre was established in February, 2007. S.N. Goenka has given the centre the name Dhamma Sobhana, which means ”Beauty of Dhamma”.

The centre is situated in central Sweden, approximately halfway between Stockholm and Göteborg (Gothenburg). The nearest towns are Ödeshög, Vadstena, Mjölby and Linköping. Close to the centre lie two lakes: Lake Vättern, Sweden’s second largest, and Lake Tåkern, a bird sanctuary. Mount Omberg, a small mountain known for its many varieties of flowers, is nearby, and so is the ruin of a medieval monastery.

This is the eighth centre in Europe. Globally there are over 140 centres in this tradition. Dhamma Sobhana has been established to serve not only Sweden but also the other Nordic countries, and beyond.

The centre is in the countryside, in a peaceful location. It is surrounded by forest and farm land. The property was originally a village school. For many years, it was used as a rehabilitation centre.

Courses at the centre are conducted bilingually, in English and Swedish. Dhamma Sobhana has a capacity of about 70 students per course.

Dhamma Sobhana is administrated by The Swedish Vipassana Association, a non-profit organization.