It was Gautama Buddha who, 2500 years ago, re-discovered and promoted this ancient form. He offered it to all who were interested as a universal remedy to cut through the illusion that is perceived as life.
It need not be considered a "Buddhist meditation". Moreover, it is a non denominational technique for clearing and cleansing the impurities of the mind and the subsequent suffering (dukka) that ensues.
It allows the practitioner to become aware of the anicca (impermanence) of all things and to move beyond anatta (the egoic identification of the self).
Our first experience of Vipassana meditation.
"...the course turned out to be a very difficult but very rewarding experience ....read more
Vipassana offers self transformation through self-observation. It uses focus and diligent awareness of the moment to moment present state of being that becomes a study of the flux and constant change in all things. This observation allows sharpened and incisive awareness to be built up around the process of thoughts, habits, judgements and sensations. That in turn allows experiential knowledge to enlighten and bring understanding to the suffering and injury that one inflicts on the self and thus cultivate equanimity.
From this flowers a profound love and compassion for oneself and others, as the recognition of why we deal this hand to ourselves becomes apparent and the tools to handle these state serve to overcome them.
The Tradition of Vipassana
From the time the Buddha imparted the technique to all who came to him, Vipassana has been handed down from generation to generation by an continual chain of teachers. In Myanmar, where the chain has never been broken, this meditation of direct experience survived upsets of change, war and time. Today the leading teacher of this original lineage, S.N. Goenka, travels the world spreading the technique to an eager audience of meditators and would be meditators.
See the movie - Broadband
See the movie - Modem
(QuickTime needed - get it here!)
The meditation is usually run as a 10 day course, where students are invited to immerse themselves in the practice and allow the commitment to silent sitting reveal its own extraordinary benefits. The entire practice is a mental exercise and helps not only to harness the wild mental gymnastics that we so often put ourselves through but to calm and create a healthy mind that can release itself from turbulent excesses and the stresses of life.
Where is Vipassana practiced?
There are centres all over the world where one can practice Vipassana and they all offer introductory 1, 3 or 10 day courses days for beginners - 20, 30 and longer courses are for those that have done it before for varying degrees of time.
The courses are offered totally without charge for anyone wishing to participate and that includes full board and food. For anyone seriously interested in meditation it is possibly one of the most useful and revealing experiences to undertake. A challenge to commitment but with rewards that can be lifelong - it is certainly one practice that we can highly recommend.
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