Last updated: 08/08/2025
Introduction
At vipassana.ca, we are committed to protecting your privacy as you explore mindfulness and meditation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information following Canadian privacy laws (PIPEDA) and international standards.
Information we collect
Information you provide voluntarily:
- Contact information: name, email address, phone number
- Profile data: meditation experience level, interests, practice preferences
- Content: comments, testimonials, meditation experiences shared
- Subscriptions: email for our mindfulness newsletter and meditation updates
- Course enrollment: information for meditation courses or workshops
Information collected automatically:
- Technical information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device information
- Usage data: pages viewed, time spent on meditation content, traffic sources
- Cookies and similar technologies: detailed in our Cookie Policy
How we use your information
Primary purposes:
- Service delivery: website functionality, meditation resource access, course enrollment
- Communication: responding to inquiries, sending meditation newsletters, and updates
- Content improvement: analyzing user engagement to enhance meditation resources
- Community building: facilitating connections within our meditation community
- Security: protecting against fraud and ensuring safe online meditation practice
Legal basis for processing:
- Consent: voluntarily provided consent for newsletters and communications
- Contract: fulfilling obligations for courses or services
- Legitimate interest: improving meditation resources, website security
- Legal requirements: compliance with Canadian and international law
Who do we share data with
Third parties that may receive data:
- Hosting providers: Canadian-based servers for data storage
- Email services: for sending meditation newsletters (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit)
- Analytics services: Google Analytics for website improvement
- Payment processors: for course enrollments and donations (Stripe, PayPal)
- Course platforms: if offering online meditation courses
Conditions for sharing:
- Third parties are contractually bound to protect your data
- Data is shared only for specified meditation-related purposes
- Appropriate data processing agreements are in place
International data transfers
Some of our partners may be located outside Canada. In such cases, we ensure:
- Adequate safeguards: Standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions
- Privacy certifications: appropriate privacy framework compliance
- Direct guarantees: from partners regarding data protection standards
Data retention
Retention periods:
- User accounts: until account deletion + 1 year for legal requirements
- Comments and content: until deletion request or account closure
- Analytics data: up to 26 months (Google Analytics standard)
- Newsletter subscriptions: until unsubscribe + 3 months for processing
- Course data: 7 years for educational record requirements
Retention principles:
- Data stored no longer than necessary for the meditation community’s purposes
- Regular deletion of outdated information
- Secure destruction when data is deleted
Your rights
Under Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA) and international standards, you have the right to:
Right to access
- Request information about what personal data we process
- Receive a copy of your personal data
Right to correction
- Correct inaccurate personal information
- Complete incomplete data
Right to deletion
- Request deletion of personal data under certain circumstances
- Withdraw consent for processing
Right to restrict processing
- Limit how we use your personal information
- Object to certain types of data processing
Right to data portability
- Receive your data in a structured format
- Transfer data to another meditation service provider
Right to object
- Opt out of marketing communications
- Object to automated decision-making processes
Data security
Technical measures:
- Encryption: SSL/TLS for all data transmission
- Secure servers: regularly updated Canadian hosting infrastructure
- Access controls: limited access to personal meditation data
- Regular backups: secure backup procedures for continuity
Organizational measures:
- Staff training: regular privacy and security training
- Privacy policies: internal data handling procedures
- Regular audits: security system assessments
- Incident response: procedures for addressing potential breaches
Data breach notification
In case of a personal data breach affecting our meditation community:
- Regulatory notification: within 72 hours to the relevant authorities
- User notification: when there’s a high risk to privacy rights
- Remedial measures: immediate steps to minimize impact
Policy changes
- Significant changes will be communicated in advance
- Updated versions published on vipassana.ca
- Continued use indicates acceptance of updates
- Major changes may require explicit consent
Children’s privacy
Vipassana.ca is intended for adults interested in meditation practice. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without parental consent.
Contact and complaints
Contact information:
- Email: life@vipassana.ca
- Website: vipassana.ca
- Phone: +1 (647) 614-0707
Filing complaints:
- Contact us directly first for resolution
- Right to complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Right to seek judicial remedy under Canadian law
Canadian privacy compliance
This policy complies with:
- PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)
- Provincial privacy legislation, where applicable
- International best practices for meditation and wellness websites
This policy is effective as of its publication date and applies to all users of vipassana.ca committed to mindful living.