| Vipassana is taught as a silent 10 day live-in | | | | the practice, but it is up to each person to |
| course initially and has a very strict schedule of | | | | implement these guidelines: one has to fight one's |
| meditation, eating and sleeping. Once you have | | | | own battle, work out what is right for |
| completed a 10 day course you are then able to | | | | themselves. |
| do further 3 day courses and it is recommended | | | | This is the reason 10 day Vipassana courses are |
| you repeat the 10 day course at least once a | | | | conducted in silence and no reading or writing |
| year. For more dedicated meditators the course | | | | materials are allowed. The purpose is to go |
| is also run as 30 days in some centres. | | | | deeper inside yourself and this happens |
| There are no charges for the course, food or | | | | automatically when you have no outside stimulus |
| accommodation but each centre is run solely by | | | | to distract your thoughts. |
| volunteers and by donations. Once you have | | | | The first few days are the hardest, physically as |
| completed a 10 day course you are able to | | | | your body has to learn to adapt to sitting still, |
| donate to the centres and you are then also able | | | | however it will learn to adapt if you persevere. As |
| to volunteer your time and indeed it is | | | | you continue to sit you will start to clean out |
| recommended that you give back in this way so | | | | areas of your mind that you would normally |
| that other people can receive the benefits that | | | | ignore. You will just accept any thoughts as simply |
| you have received. | | | | thoughts and let them go. The effort, although |
| The Vipassana meditator uses his concentration | | | | difficult, is definitely worthwhile. |
| as a tool by which his awareness can chip away | | | | Vipassana mindfulness meditation, and indeed |
| at his thoughts and his beliefs about what is true | | | | other forms of meditation, will help you move |
| in life. It is a gradual process of ever-increasing | | | | past the constant thoughts of "If only"; if only I |
| awareness into the inner workings of your own | | | | had more money, if only I had a better |
| mind. As you become more and more proficient | | | | relationship, if only I weighed less etc. It will help |
| in your meditative practice you will also become | | | | you move to a place of acceptance which is what |
| calmer and more focused in your everyday life. | | | | brings a sense of peace and happiness. |
| A course in Vipassana mindfulness meditation is an | | | | One of the teachings in Vipassana is that change |
| opportunity to take concrete steps toward | | | | is constant and change is inevitable. Many people |
| liberating your mind. In these courses the | | | | fight against this premise of constant change and |
| participant learns how to free their mind from the | | | | fight to keep things in their life constant. When we |
| tensions and prejudices that disturb the flow of | | | | can accept that life is constantly changing, there |
| daily life. In doing this the participant begins to | | | | will always be new things to want and new |
| discover how to live each moment peacefully, | | | | situations to aim for, then you will begin to find |
| productively and happily. At the same time the | | | | the peace in life that we all strive for. |
| participant starts progressing toward the highest | | | | "Mindfulness is the process of bringing one's mind |
| goal to which mankind can aspire: purity of mind, | | | | to the present moment. When we try to bring |
| freedom from all suffering, full enlightenment. | | | | our mind to the present moment, we observe its |
| None of this can be attained just by thinking | | | | true nature - how it habitually wanders around, |
| about it or wishing for it. One must take steps to | | | | day-dreams and fantasizes. We are always |
| reach the goal. For this reason, in a Vipassana | | | | preoccupied with the past and the future. The |
| course the emphasis is always on actual practice. | | | | mind is rarely in the present. It is like a mad |
| No philosophical debates are permitted, no | | | | monkey that jumps from one branch to another. |
| theoretical arguments, no questions that are | | | | It is swift and jumps around. It is always in a |
| unrelated to one's own experience. As far as | | | | state of flux. It is impossible to observe the |
| possible, meditators are encouraged to find the | | | | mind's true nature, unless we pause with |
| answers to their questions within themselves. The | | | | mindfulness." - Ven. |
| teacher provides whatever guidance is needed in | | | | |