Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam

AFTER the 10-day Vipassana Course!
" No sensation can measure your progress in Vipassana,
 the only yardstick is your equanimity."- Goenka

*VIPASSANA MEDITATION- UNIVERSAL,  AND NON-SECTARIAN, FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS OR RELIGIONS.*

Dear blog and blog readers, it is next to prettinear impossible to tell you what happened to me at this intense VIPASSANA course! It was both the most cleansing, perception shattering, rejuvenating and most difficult thing that I have ever tried to undertake. If you are thinking of doing it, absolutely do not wait. Unless you need to, then mai pen rai. But I say, absolutely DO IT, I feel like its never to early to understand life on a deeper level. Theres really no way to prepare yourself for this either, just throw yourself into it, thats all I can say.(Just kidding- cause I have SO MUCH to say!!) ..Of course something of this magnitude, or this subject could never be experienced, unless experienced, but I will try to share what I can explain. The rest I encourage you to find out on your own. 

I will start by saying that I have meditated before, but never like this. 10 days of complete renunciation, (minus shaving my head), noble silence and 12 hours of meditation a day. But YES, we DID IT! Scott and I studied (separately) the Vipassana meditation technique at the Dhamma Simanta Center, under our teacher Robyn Russ, guided by S.N. Goenka.  Basically what we did at the center was gave up all material things for 10 days and followed strict guidelines and lessons. We learned a series of breathing and awareness techniques along with activities that solidify the connection of your conscious mind--> to your "un" conscious mind (which is actually conscious). This is what we spent day in and day out doing, connecting with our unconscious mind and gross and subtle body sensations. By simply recognizing that thoughts can alter your breath, and cause physiological changes in the body, before emotions are created, you can identify these moments of change within your breathing patterns and in your bodys cells and use it as a tool. This is meant to allow you to recognize and understand the root of your thoughts and choose a reaction free from craving and aversion which are the causes of misery and suffering.

The course progresses a little each day, adding more to the breathing techniques, challenging the mind and body more every day, and different subjects of "enlightenment" are discussed in the evening discourses.

Some big topics at Dhamma Simanta Vipassana Center:

Anicce (Impermanence)
This is one of the biggest points in Vipassana.
Since our minds will always have thoughts (which generate emotions), it is normal to feel all ranges of emotions, they are destined to occur at one time or another. So if we know this is true, why must we suffer from them always?  All things are "Anicce", all things are in constant change. All things, you, me.. we too will rise and then pass away. Impermanence infact it is the only certain thing in our existence, so we must be mindful of this and all things in our life. The Vipassana technique of meditation teaches people how to live a life free from emotions that bind us. How?  Well, by using the techniques we were taught, with time and effort, you can get to the root of your emotional complexes through awareness and mindful living to purify your mind and to be free from all pain and suffering.

Ten Parami, (The 10 Virtues) These include;

• Nekkhamma(Renunciation);The act or an instance of renouncing: the renunciation of all earthly pleasures-This meant no cell phones, no bodily decorations, no music, no books, nothing! 
• Sila (Morality); The quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. -This includes the 5 precepts, such as refraining from taking what is not given, not speaking lies, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from killing any living creature and not taking any intoxicants including smoking cigarettes.
• Panna(Wisdom); The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.-Wisdom is supported by Sila.

"Importance must be given to morality.

Which is good for everyone."

• Adhittana (Strong Determination)- As the course progressed we were asked to endure "Sittings of Strong Determination" where, for 1 or 2 hours you were to do sitting mediation without moving at all, even to scratch your nose! If you were experiencing extreme pain, you were allowed to move freely, but for the meditations sake you were encouraged to  reduce your movement a little more each session. For example if you moved your posture 3 times during the last sitting, try to only move twice the next time. Eventually, when pain arises you will easily be able to perceive it as "Anicce"(impermanent) and to let it go easier, choosing neither a reaction of aversion or pleasure, and reducing your suffering. After several sittings of Strong Determination I was able to  recognize the temperature difference between the air entering my nostrils and exiting, every tingling itch on my nose or my neck, every vibration withing my skill, the air around my eyes, the cloth on my skin. I could feel my heart beating in my wrists, my neck, my legs, I was able to recognize gross senstations of pain, and subtle sensations of cells vibrating. The sittings are meant to train your mind to Anicce, and to teach that we are not our egos, we are simply a band of vibrations like everything else in the galaxies and that we are impermanent.
• Upekkha (Equanimity); The quality of being calm and even-tempered; composure.- Vipassana teaches to accept all emotions, good or bad, without reacting in aversion or pleasure. React in equanimity and reduce your suffering. Once you are completely equanimous and there is no suffering being created anymore, the  Songkharas (sufferings from your reactions in the past) will be alleviated.
• Metta (Loving Kindness); Practicing Metta is encouraged at the end of each meditators session. This is the time where the student takes a few minutes to wish happiness to all beings, to wish happiness to all those who have hurt them, and to all who they have hurt. This is designed to create good will, healing and compassion.
• Viriya (Effort)
• Khanti (Patience, Tolerance)
• Sacca (Truth)
• Dana (Generosity)(1)

(1) TheFreeDictionary.com

Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam ! May All Beings Be Happy! :) Thnx for reading!!

Check out my other blogs about Vipassana:
Challenging Myself to 10 days of Vipassana
A Forgotten Post: Self Transformation Through Self-Observation

Challenging Myself to 10 days of Vipassana

Well, we did it! We travelled to Parsang, Lampoon, Thailand to take the 10-day Vipassana course! As I mentioned in one of my previous Goats Do Roam blogs,
 Self-transformation Through Self-observation, I expected it to be no walk in the park. I thought it would test my endurance of meditation and  silent living in general- and it did. It really, really, did! In fact I would go as far to say that it was definitely one of the most challenging things I have done in my life, no contest!

We took a bus from Chiang Mai to Lampoon and ended up in a town whose named I cant remember. I do however remember that the Meditiation Center was a 30 minute drive from where we were, in this town where finding a driver who spoke English was like finding a 2$ Canadian bill in Bangkok.

After struggling in broken English for 20 minutes with some Thai Song Teaw drivers, and enduring their laughter over us lost tourists who dont speak Thai, we were back on the road to our destination in a private Song Taew. At this point we were feeling privelaged that we DID find a ride at all, so we sat back and enjoyed the noon-hour drive through the dusty backside country of Thailand in the dry season. We finally found ourselves at Dhamma Simanta, where we would be living in silent meditation for the next 10 days.

We were enclosed by mountains on 3 sides, a lake on the other

 and there was nothing but silence all around.

The Dhamma Simanta Center in Parsang was among one of the newer centers.  It was much larger then I thought initially, and very clean, AND had Western toilets! I was impressed. It was divided into two sections, one side for men, one for women. Each side was in an "8" shape, with rooms all around the outside, each with their own balcony facing the mountains. Immediately upon arriving to the huge Center-complex we were separated into men and women. The course had officially begun. We were given our instructions.

 It went something like this:

-Noble Silence must be maintained until the 10th day. (This means no talking, no singing, no humming. You must be silent when around others and when alone There should be no form of communication between meditators, avoid eye contact, physical contact and body language with others- keep to yourself at all times.)

-Men and Women should remain segregated at all times.
-Smoking tobacco is not permitted.
-No cell phones, reading, writing, no radio, no camera etc.
-Dress modest.

-During the Vipassana course one must conscientiously follow the 5 Precepts:

1. Abstain from killing any being;
2. Abstain from taking what is not given;
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct;
4. Abstain from telling lies;
5. Abstain from all intoxicants.

The list went on and on. I had a slight feeling of "Oh shit, what have I gotten myself into? I want to do what I want, when I want, and noone can get in my way. Except now Im trapped. I need to devise an escape plan!! "

As I was having these thoughts, we were being given our daily time-table which we were expected to follow routinely for the next week and a half. The teacher, Goenka, a former student of Vipassana, recommends to follow this schedule properly for the best results. In order to give the technique a fair trial we were asked to do our best, waking up with the roosters before dawn cracked over the horizon! I thought this was only fair since we did come such a long way to give it a try, so I decided I would cooperatively follow through.

Here is a look at what we did for the first 9 days!

4:00 am		Wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 am		Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30-8:00 am		Breakfast
8:00-9:00 am		Group meditation in the hall
9:00-11:00 am		Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00-12:00		Lunch break
12:00-1:00 pm		Rest/ or question hour to the teacher (This is the only time you are permitted to talk)
1:00-2:30 pm		Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30-3:30 pm		Group meditation in the hall
3:30-5:00 pm		Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00-6:00 pm		Tea break
6:00-7:00 pm		Group meditation in the hall
7:00-8:15 pm		Teacher's Discussion in the hall
8:15-9:00 pm		Group meditation in the hall
9:00-9:30 pm		Question time in the hall or rest
9:30 pm		Retire to your own room--Lights out   .

So how well do you think we did? How do you think you would do?
 Would you ever try this course? Do you know anyone else who has?
 *More info on our experience coming soon. Thanks for reading!