Vipassana
In August 2022 I sat on my bum for 10 days and did nothing. I did nothing, except breathe and observe myself for hundreds of hours. It flipped my lid, in a good way. That’s Vipassanā for ya…
I had been wanting to attend a 10-day sit for close to 30 years and now that I’ve done it I’m actually a wee bit baffled and can’t work out what stopped me. I’m sure I had a list of very important excuses; I was busy, couldn’t afford the annual leave, there were the kids, parties to go to, essential projects, house renovation. Fripperies really.
There’s a word that I’m fond of ‘ineffable’. It means a thought or experience that can’t be captured by words and is often used to describe deep altered states of consciousness, beatific visions, or something truly profound. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the ineffable a few times in my life and I guess I wasn’t really surprised when the word came to mind when trying to think how I could explain the experience of Vipassanā.
It’s probably easier to describe the process than the outcome. First up you stop speaking. Then you follow instructions that lead you step by step, deeper and deeper into the meditation practice. To begin with begin you are taught a simple breathing exercise to sharpen the mind, then to observe top-level sensations, followed by more subtle sensations. Repeat. Observe self. Find equanimity. Lose equanimity. Observe self. Find equanimity. Repeat. Did you forget to breathe?
There are no distractions. You don’t have a phone, journal or a book to read. It’s just you watching your drunken monkey mind while you try to sit still. I quickly saw how infrequently I am in the present moment. I was either remembering regrets from the past, projecting myself into the future, imagining new ambitious projects, or having arguments with people that I often lost (WTF is that about?).
The experience of undertaking a ten-day silent meditation retreat was very challenging in a number of ways, but also ultimately very rewarding. The biggest challenge was probably the mental one, as sitting in silence for hours every day left a lot of time for the mind to wander and to start doubting the process. However, every night the teacher S.N. Goenka would address my doubts head-on, which happened so frequently that I sometimes had to stifle a laugh at the hubris of my mind thinking I was special. Of course, Goenka knew just what to say because hundreds of thousands of humans had been going through the same experience, thinking similar thoughts and having similar questions for 2,500 years. At the end of the process on day 10, when we were finally allowed to talk again, it was interesting to compare experiences with other people and realise that although we all had our own unique journeys, we often shared similar experiences. The kinship I felt during those discussions was remarkable.
“Not the ones speaking the same language, but the ones sharing the same feeling understand each other” Rumi.
Vipassanā is a non-sectarian and non-religious meditation technique based on self-observation and breath work. It doesn't involve chanting or visualisation, and it is said to be the oldest ongoing Buddhist meditation practice. Studies show that the benefits of meditation include improved health, happiness, compassion, emotional intelligence, self-control, and productivity. The list goes on and on.
With no doubt, I can say that attending the 10-day sitting was hugely rewarding and I expect it will continue to be. I have a technique and new tools at my disposal that will be used throughout my life.
“There is only one place to find real peace, real harmony. That place is within.” – S.N. Goenka
The Vipassanā Meditation Centre I attended is about an hour north of Auckland. The 10-day course is open to anyone and is donation-based. My advice for what it’s worth is:
Get used to sitting on a cushion, cross-legged or kneeling
Load up on magnesium before going
Work on strengthening your core muscles
Take a comfortable mask during these times of Covid
Get someone to drop you off and pick you up
Book your spot now