The Experience of Insight

While farming in Thailand I had many opportunities to learn about meditation from many practiced-meditators and teachers, and was even able to work on a few farms where meditation was a part of the daily structure. I found the experience extremely eye-opening, humbling, and even spiritual. While living on one particular "Meditation Farm", I had some time to read a book during one of our mid-day Siestas. I chose "The Experience of Insight", by Joseph Goldstein.

The following is a short excerpt from the book that I enjoyed because it reminded me of the purpose and the destiny of the human life (death), and how we take advantage of life so often, just to find that time has slipped by. Living in the awareness of the presence of death could be viewed morbid, but it actually allows us to live in the moment mindfully. It teaches us to be grateful for each moment, and to live humbly, in harmonious meaning:

"Often in forgetfulness of our destiny, we become over-involved in collecting things, in attachments and possessions, in wanting to become someone special. We get involved in many of the activities of the LITTLE MIND, taking our ambitions, our desires, ourselves very seriously. We lost the perspective of BIG MIND, we lose the perspective of death."

You Can Lend A Helping Hand

Dedicated to all the volunteers I worked with this spring.

Great work everybody! Happy travels to you all XO

Volunteering on a Thai Farm

Representin the Graviti

Our first night on the farm, there were so many volunteers that all of the accomodations were taken, so we opted to pitch our new Graviti tent (weighs only 1.3 kg!) in the garden. Its a temporary solution..the garden that is. The upside being that it is a flat area with a clear path, the downsides being that its a little far from things and its in the direct sunlight, plus there are suspicious snake-hole looking things around the tent that make me a little nervous, especially since we were told stories abour snakes roaming through the garden on our first night! But really what can you expect right? Its Thailand. So mai pen rai..

Wakin up! Layered like no tomorrow,
 it gets cold in the mountains at night!

The farm is 100% organic.

The farm produces lettuces, mizuna, mustard, onions, tomatoes, kale, coriander, sweet potatoes, bananas, cabbage, peanuts and more. The irrigation water is supplied from a well with a pump and is hooked up to manual sprinklers. The rest of the crops are hand-watered with well-water and a mixture of liquid compost made from cabbage, water and sugar.  Thai-whisky diluted with water is the farmers #1 organic pesticide option. He suggests that 1 cup whisky, 20 Liters of water will do the trick.

Scott in front of the (outdoor) kitchen

 After pouring ourselves some fresh ginger tea into our bamboo cups, we all walk down the dirt road towards a hill facing the sunrise. We practice walking meditation, and sometimes meditate on the hill. When we return back to the farm we make breakfast together before starting work. Then we split up into different jobs, like building mud bricks, cooking, building bamboo huts, farming, hunting for food, etc.

Walking Meditation and Stretches

Sitting around the table @ Breakfast, under the PawPaw tree!
 From left to right: Me (Canada), Natalie (Germany), Daniello (Holland), Jim (Sweden)

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

An Ancient Meditation Technique Rediscovered: Vipassana

What is Vipassana?

The Vipassana Technique

"Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art Of Living.

This non-sectarian technique aims for the total eradication of mental impurities and the resultant highest happiness of full liberation. Healing, not merely the curing of diseases, but the essential healing of human suffering, is its purpose. Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. "
 Read more of this article @: dhamma.org/en/vipassana.shtml

The Tradition

"Since the time of Buddha, Vipassana has been handed down, to the present day, by an unbroken chain of teachers. Although Indian by descent, the current teacher in this chain, Mr. S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma (Myanmar). While living there he had the good fortune to learn Vipassana from his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin who was at the time a high Government official. After receiving training from his teacher for fourteen years, Mr. Goenka settled in India and began teaching Vipassana in 1969. Since then he has taught tens of thousands of people of all races and all religions in both the East and West. In 1982 he began to appoint assistant teachers to help him meet the growing demand for Vipassana courses." -From dhamma.org/en/vipassana.shtml

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If you would like to learn more about this ancient technique of meditation, watch this video. Enjoy!
http://video.server.dhamma.org/video/intro/vintro.htm

Big Hill Retreat & Shambala Meditation

Through learning about things outside of ourselves, we learn about things inside of ourselves.


A few years ago I became more familiar with the practice of yoga- which means "Union". Yoga is definitely that- a union of body and mind.  As I read different books on this art I also came across books about meditation as well as Buddha and his teachings. What I find most interesting about the Buddhism belief, is that it urges you to question things, and it does not condemn doubt. Buddhism does not right or wrong any emotion, but only encourages you to accept what is and to use emotions as tools to discover your path to enlightenment.




Working at Big Hill Retreat
 

The main cabin at Big Hill Retreat, tucked away, just off the Cabot Trail a few km from Baddeck. This cabin is gorgeous and hand-crafted by Terry himself, just like the other 3 cabins which are available for meditation and vacations! The Pottery Barn to the right is where Linda, a very talented and long-time potter makes her creations and holds seminars! 


http://bighillpottery.wordpress.com/ 
www.bighillretreat.com  

 Working at Big Hill Retreat

The first time I went to Nova Scotia, in the Fall of 2009, I had the privelage of working at this beautiful getaway on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

I spent my time there:

• Enjoying the island life! Hiking, fishing
• Listening to Michael Gabriel (a beautiful singer) for the first time, and hours spent listening to Sting!
• Learning more about meditation, and meditating
• Learning some Indian and Indonesian cooking, including Gado Gado! Yum.
• Harvesting, preserving and packaging vegetables
• Winterizing the organic garden
• Maitaining the meditation/vacation cabins
• Stacking wood
• Digging a loooooong trench with 2 workers from France who were part of the wwoofing network. (Willing working on organic farms). This turned out to be a lot of fun! Jokes in broken english can be a riot. I have remained friends with the boys from France and I think overall it was a great experience in life. Together, we managed to dig a 60 ft. long (or so) trench which would eventually connect the electrical wire from the main cabin to the new pottery barn which was previously an old goat barn!

For some photos on that, check out Lindas photo "blip" blog at:
http://www.blipfoto.com/view.php?id=389746&month=10&year=2009




Photo by: Jamie Boland. From the driveway at the retreat, you have I great views of the vast landscapes and the Bra-D'ors Lakes (which are very cool because the lake is part salt water and part fresh, creating a unique eco-system. The salt water comes in the inlet from the North of the island from the Atlantic!)

Shambala Meditation with Monks
Big Hill Retreat was named after the large hill the settlement it sits on- it's a 3km walk just up the driveway to the cabins! It is the perfect place to relax away from the noise of the city and your mind. Previous to visiting the retreat, I had attempted meditation but found it very, very hard, and I had no idea how to begin. At Big Hill Retreat, I was in a positive and calming atmosphere where I could learn about Buddhas teachings and get tips for meditation from Terry and Linda. They also asked me to join them in a Shambala Meditation Workshop in Margaree Harbour, another beautiful place with stunning landscapes.


The drive there in the morning was gorgeous, I was in my element! The winding roads led us past lakes and rivers and streams, and through the gorgeous fall colors up to the coast. The experience I had that day I can never forget, because I learned how to meditate from very experienced people- who better but Buddhist monks themselves?! The monks came from The Gampo Abbey Monastery, in Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton, now the home of famous Buddhist teacher and author, Pema Chodron. I was really honored to speak with monks who were mentored by Pema Chodron, who is very "interested in helping to establish Tibetan Buddhist monasticism in the West" You can read more about Pema Chodron at this link(www.gampoabbey.org/home/index.htmlhome/index.html )

This is Gampo Abbey Monastery in Pleasant Bay, N.S, A breath-taking coastal region.

 I had been reading a lot of Pema Chodrons work during my stay at the retreat so I thought this was an exciting opportunity. The monks were completely open, answering any and all of my questions, and they were exceptionally accepting of every individuals journey, regardless of differences- a key part of Buddhism. It was a long day, because meditation can be very draining in the beginning, since our minds have been conditioned by society to go, go, go! But when you leave, after meditating (essentially the skill of being aware) for the first time virtually ever you literally have had life breathed back inside of you and you have a clear state of mind.  Now I have the tools and understanding to continue meditation on my own.

Thank you monks from Gampo Abbey Monastery for welcoming me and treating me sokindly. Thank you for helping me better understand Buddhism, and the  art of meditation.


 I would like to give a special thanks to Terry and Linda who welcomed me into their home and offered me opportunities for learning and enlightenment. I can never forget the experiences I had during those few weeks. THANK YOU!