Have you heard of Vipassana Meditation?

Given the reader interest in meditation (ha, ha…) thought of extending on this theme.

Many of you may have heard of Vipassana meditation. I’d heard of the technique and the courses from a friend many years ago, never did get around to attending and finding out more. I did put in active effort once and signed up, but then circumstances decided otherwise and couldn’t attend. And more years rolled by.

I did finally attend a course, about 3-years ago now, during the monsoons of 2001. And some observations from then, blurred by the years in between! :o)

I’d heard and read much about the course over the years. And a few of things that I felt extremely uneasy about were:
a) no smoking for the 11-days on the campus,
b) the last meal of the day comprised of ‘kurmura’ with peanuts and tea, at 5.30 PM!!
c) of sitting, with minimum movement for over 8-hours in a day, for 10-days
d) of not talking at all for 10-days

The sitting was a cause for concern, because of my back-problem. If I developed a slippage, I’d get immobilized - certainly can’t sit, difficult to walk, can only be flat on my back. So this was the monkey-on-the-back, literally and figuratively.

Drove there, got registered and entered the campus minus cigarettes or smuggled munchies or any reading material - they did provide a wholesome dinner that evening. The course was to start the next morning, at 4.30 AM!

Up at 4 AM next morning, in the meditation hall till 6.30. Breakfast and break for 2-hours, then back into meditation hall for 2-hours. Break for lunch and rest. Then back into meditation for 2-hours. Break for dinner and relaxing, then back for meditation and evening lecture on what the day was supposed to teach. Shutdown at 9 PM, asleep by 9.30 PM.

I do not know how 10 days passed, I still can’t! I’d heard many stories of people getting stressed out and leaving mid-way. I had no such desire at all, but I can’t remember anything specific about the days themselves!

Had no cigarette withdrawal cravings at all, did not feel particularly hungry in the evening or night and took to the silence like a duck to water. It was so amazingly relaxing to not have to talk! On the last day, when talking was allowed, it felt terrible and noisy and took me time to get used to the chaos! :o)

My back gave me problems though, around the third day. Perhaps because of the monsoon and the fact of that place being prone to fogs and thus damp and cold, all of which were not good for my back. Spineless fellow, what? Had to get onto medication for the next 3-days, had to be flat on my back on the day my back slipped, but went back into the hall the next day and sat on a chair for 2-days. Then back onto the floor and the meditation cushions.

Came out of the course carrying 3-kilos less on me, and also having shed some very strong preconceived notions. There was a lot more, but those are personal experiences and may not make sense without a context and so won’t put them down here.

All in all, it was a very educative and enlightening experience. And from what I’ve heard and read, its very personal and different for different people. Apart from the common areas of course. It does seem to demand or create the ability to introspect, which I suspect is not easy. But I’m not going to influence you any further, if you’re curious you need to experience it yourself.

There’s an informative site you could check out - Vipassana International Academy of the organization, the course and so on.

And the first thing that I did on getting back into the car at the end of the course, was to drive out of the campus and immediately light up a cigarette! :o)

Cheerz