Vipashyana Course 2008
Vipashyana Course - December 2008
I attended my third 10 day Vipashyana course at Igatpuri from 24 December 2008 through 4 Jan 2009.
Unlike the first two courses, I had gone with huge determination and serious mindset this time around. I think I have come out very peaceful, calm and satisfied. Vipashyana means seeing the things as they are without reacting to them.
Through the process of just observing your breath and the sensations around your nose and slowly graduating to observing the sensations all over your body, you try to learnthe nature of them as being so very changing every moment. Like the sensations on your body, everything around us is changing every moment. (I think I have given a very simplistic definition here but you can find out more at http://www.dhamma.org/). The technique was devised by Gautam Buddha and was passed down to his disciples formultiple centuries until it spread everywhere in India, Brahmadesh, Nepal, China, Tibet etc. Thereafter it vanished from most parts of India but was still kept alive in othercountries in the same "Guru-Shishya" tradition.
Mr. S.N. Goenka, a resident of Brahmadesh (Myanmar) learnt it from his Guru and brought this technique back to India in early 70s. Since then he has dedicated his life tospread the technique in India as well as all over the world. He setup the Vipashyana Research Institute at Dhammagiri, Igatpuri in 90s.
The 10-day courses are guided by him and are conducted by his assitant teachers using recorded instructions and discourses.
I reached Igatpuri on Wednesday Dec. 24 at around 1pm.
As soon as I entered the main gate, I could sense the difference between other Vipashyana centres and Dhammagiri. The place is huge, spread out on (may be) around 100 acres, very well designed and well maintained.
There is an occupancy of 300 female and 300 male students at the facility. There are single, double occupancy rooms and dormitaries constructed between the meditation hall and dining hall/office area.
After going through registration and other formalities, I was alloted a single occupancy room. Old students normally get single occupancy rooms at Dhammagiri. The room was self sufficient with a hard "Kadappa" bed with mattress and attached bathroom.
Day zero started with evening snacks and recorded instructions of the course. Thereafter the "noble silence" (Arya Moun in Hindi) started. From there on none of the students is supposed to talk to each other by any means (no talking, gestures, eye contact or body touch!). The first session on that evening in Dhamma(meditation) hall involves taking oath to follow the precepts for next 10 days.
Thereafter Day 1 through 10 were packed with meditation sessions from 4.30 am through 9 pm.
The first 3.5 days of the course are spent on just observing your breath and sensations in the triangular area around your nose. On the 4th day at 2 pm, Vipashyana is taught. That's where Mr. Goenka explains how to start taking your mind over to each part of your body from top of the head upto tips oftoes and observe the sensations at each stage.
All along, your mind plays a lot of games with you.
Pain is the first and foremost thing I have to start dealing with when I am sitting there for hours together. My body is just not used to sitting in one position for that long.
Concentration is another huge monster you have to deal with everyday. I had all the time to think about so many things in future and past that my day dreaming never stopped! Fortunately, the daily discourses talk about all kinds of games that your mind plays with you. The examples, stories and anecdotes touch exactly upon what must have happenedduring the day! E.g. Once the Vipashyana is taught, there are 3 rigorous sessions per day called Adhitthanas in which you are not supposed to move any of your body part for one whole hour. Goenkaji talks about how difficult it must be for each of us. You start the adhitthan session by taking a comfortable position. Half an hour passes into bringing your mind back to observe sensations on your body. Every 3-5 minutes, it again drifts away! Then you have to remember where exactly you were! By the time you really start getting some sensations and a "free flow" from head to toes, your legs slowly start paining, feeling numb or heavy. So, you decide to stay more on the legs while observing. But, the mind is not an easy beast. Your pain/numbness/heaviness increases minute by minute and all you are waiting for is the cue that the one hour is ending. After 45 minutes you start thinking, oh, the clock in front of the instrcutor must be slow or totally stopped!Or, is she asleep? :) By 50th minute, you are sure it's already 1 hour and have the strong urge to open your eyes and look at your own watch. In fact, you do it at least once in a way that no one notices! :) And then, you hear those magic words "Anichha vata sanghaya....."! Aha!Now, it's just 5 more minutes! Believe me, everyone goes through this in more or less similar fashion.
Goenkaji's examples about different organized sects (he never calls them as religions), stories, shlokas etc. are more apt in Hindi discourse. All the people who can understand Hindi will enjoy his Hindi discourses better than English ones I believe. I found the Hindi words like "Samata", "Dhara Pravah", "Samavedana", "Arya Moun" quite entertaining but more apt than their English translations like "Equanimity", "free flow of sensations", "sensations", "noble silence" etc. He uses Shlokas from Bhagvad Gita, Richas from Vedas,stories of Rama, Vishnu, Kali Mata etc. I found his style of explanation and use of words in Hindi more convincing than in English.
The discourses act as a big motivating factor for you to get up the next morning and start afresh!
For me, the breakfast and evening discourses were 2 big motivations this time around! I stayed on "Nimbu Paani" and "Gud(Jaggery) ka Pani" for 9 out of 10 days in the evenings. So, by 5.30 every morning, my stomach used to start demanding for food! So, I used to really look forward to the breakfast!
The Igatpuri facility is quite spread out. So, after lunch, I used to walk for about 35-40 minutes everyday. There is also a walking track developed in one corner. But there was some construction work going around it. So, one side of it was closed. But, some of us used to manage to walk in the available space everyday.
Goenkaji talks about 2 "milestone" days during the 10-day course. People who cannot concentrate on the very first day in their first course, may want to leave the course on the 2nd day.Once you get past that, again, on the 6th day, you may have propblems in understanding the sensations throughout the body and may want to leave. It is quite frustrating to not be able to concentrate and observe the sensations. So, by 6th day you may give up! Once you get past that also, then you will definitely complete the course. And believe me, you will not regret after 10 days that you stayed!
As I mentioned earlier, I have done my first course in pregnancy when I was on insulin for 4 times a day because of gestational diabetes! But I completed the course! I saw somany pregnant women attending the course in Igatpuri also! Those babies are called "Dhamma babies" :) They turn out to be happier. I can certainly claim that with my baby.
Some take aways from the course for me:
1. Dealing with physical pain - I could achieve it with determination and by following the instructions of the teacher. I think I've become stronger now.
2. Reaction to any conflict, disagreement or action of others - I think before I react to many day to day situations now. This has been helping me since the first course.
3. Talking (Or rather not talking) - I have a long way to go in this case. But, I'm trying. I am slowly understanding the importance of pause, a smile instead of actual words or just walking away without losing my cool in certain situations! This is related to #2.
Where do I go from here?
As with any other technique, Practice is the key to get the most benefit out of Vipashyana. I have not been able to maintain it. But, I am trying to fit at least 15 minutesof sitting every night in my schedule. I'm involving the kids also in this activity.
One 10-day course a year is another recommendation. I've been able to manage 2 courses within last 2 years. But, I'll see if I can really make it once a year!
There are a bunch of small groups doing regular practice at their private residences, attending 1-day courses at nearby centers, serving the courses or part of courses as and when they get time. I would like to start getting involved in such manner, but that may take couple of more years.
As with any other technique, each of us can take what we like from this technique and leave aside what we don't like. But, we should start the process by attending at leastone 10-day course!
I attended my third 10 day Vipashyana course at Igatpuri from 24 December 2008 through 4 Jan 2009.
Unlike the first two courses, I had gone with huge determination and serious mindset this time around. I think I have come out very peaceful, calm and satisfied. Vipashyana means seeing the things as they are without reacting to them.
Through the process of just observing your breath and the sensations around your nose and slowly graduating to observing the sensations all over your body, you try to learnthe nature of them as being so very changing every moment. Like the sensations on your body, everything around us is changing every moment. (I think I have given a very simplistic definition here but you can find out more at http://www.dhamma.org/). The technique was devised by Gautam Buddha and was passed down to his disciples formultiple centuries until it spread everywhere in India, Brahmadesh, Nepal, China, Tibet etc. Thereafter it vanished from most parts of India but was still kept alive in othercountries in the same "Guru-Shishya" tradition.
Mr. S.N. Goenka, a resident of Brahmadesh (Myanmar) learnt it from his Guru and brought this technique back to India in early 70s. Since then he has dedicated his life tospread the technique in India as well as all over the world. He setup the Vipashyana Research Institute at Dhammagiri, Igatpuri in 90s.
The 10-day courses are guided by him and are conducted by his assitant teachers using recorded instructions and discourses.
I reached Igatpuri on Wednesday Dec. 24 at around 1pm.
As soon as I entered the main gate, I could sense the difference between other Vipashyana centres and Dhammagiri. The place is huge, spread out on (may be) around 100 acres, very well designed and well maintained.
There is an occupancy of 300 female and 300 male students at the facility. There are single, double occupancy rooms and dormitaries constructed between the meditation hall and dining hall/office area.
After going through registration and other formalities, I was alloted a single occupancy room. Old students normally get single occupancy rooms at Dhammagiri. The room was self sufficient with a hard "Kadappa" bed with mattress and attached bathroom.
Day zero started with evening snacks and recorded instructions of the course. Thereafter the "noble silence" (Arya Moun in Hindi) started. From there on none of the students is supposed to talk to each other by any means (no talking, gestures, eye contact or body touch!). The first session on that evening in Dhamma(meditation) hall involves taking oath to follow the precepts for next 10 days.
Thereafter Day 1 through 10 were packed with meditation sessions from 4.30 am through 9 pm.
The first 3.5 days of the course are spent on just observing your breath and sensations in the triangular area around your nose. On the 4th day at 2 pm, Vipashyana is taught. That's where Mr. Goenka explains how to start taking your mind over to each part of your body from top of the head upto tips oftoes and observe the sensations at each stage.
All along, your mind plays a lot of games with you.
Pain is the first and foremost thing I have to start dealing with when I am sitting there for hours together. My body is just not used to sitting in one position for that long.
Concentration is another huge monster you have to deal with everyday. I had all the time to think about so many things in future and past that my day dreaming never stopped! Fortunately, the daily discourses talk about all kinds of games that your mind plays with you. The examples, stories and anecdotes touch exactly upon what must have happenedduring the day! E.g. Once the Vipashyana is taught, there are 3 rigorous sessions per day called Adhitthanas in which you are not supposed to move any of your body part for one whole hour. Goenkaji talks about how difficult it must be for each of us. You start the adhitthan session by taking a comfortable position. Half an hour passes into bringing your mind back to observe sensations on your body. Every 3-5 minutes, it again drifts away! Then you have to remember where exactly you were! By the time you really start getting some sensations and a "free flow" from head to toes, your legs slowly start paining, feeling numb or heavy. So, you decide to stay more on the legs while observing. But, the mind is not an easy beast. Your pain/numbness/heaviness increases minute by minute and all you are waiting for is the cue that the one hour is ending. After 45 minutes you start thinking, oh, the clock in front of the instrcutor must be slow or totally stopped!Or, is she asleep? :) By 50th minute, you are sure it's already 1 hour and have the strong urge to open your eyes and look at your own watch. In fact, you do it at least once in a way that no one notices! :) And then, you hear those magic words "Anichha vata sanghaya....."! Aha!Now, it's just 5 more minutes! Believe me, everyone goes through this in more or less similar fashion.
Goenkaji's examples about different organized sects (he never calls them as religions), stories, shlokas etc. are more apt in Hindi discourse. All the people who can understand Hindi will enjoy his Hindi discourses better than English ones I believe. I found the Hindi words like "Samata", "Dhara Pravah", "Samavedana", "Arya Moun" quite entertaining but more apt than their English translations like "Equanimity", "free flow of sensations", "sensations", "noble silence" etc. He uses Shlokas from Bhagvad Gita, Richas from Vedas,stories of Rama, Vishnu, Kali Mata etc. I found his style of explanation and use of words in Hindi more convincing than in English.
The discourses act as a big motivating factor for you to get up the next morning and start afresh!
For me, the breakfast and evening discourses were 2 big motivations this time around! I stayed on "Nimbu Paani" and "Gud(Jaggery) ka Pani" for 9 out of 10 days in the evenings. So, by 5.30 every morning, my stomach used to start demanding for food! So, I used to really look forward to the breakfast!
The Igatpuri facility is quite spread out. So, after lunch, I used to walk for about 35-40 minutes everyday. There is also a walking track developed in one corner. But there was some construction work going around it. So, one side of it was closed. But, some of us used to manage to walk in the available space everyday.
Goenkaji talks about 2 "milestone" days during the 10-day course. People who cannot concentrate on the very first day in their first course, may want to leave the course on the 2nd day.Once you get past that, again, on the 6th day, you may have propblems in understanding the sensations throughout the body and may want to leave. It is quite frustrating to not be able to concentrate and observe the sensations. So, by 6th day you may give up! Once you get past that also, then you will definitely complete the course. And believe me, you will not regret after 10 days that you stayed!
As I mentioned earlier, I have done my first course in pregnancy when I was on insulin for 4 times a day because of gestational diabetes! But I completed the course! I saw somany pregnant women attending the course in Igatpuri also! Those babies are called "Dhamma babies" :) They turn out to be happier. I can certainly claim that with my baby.
Some take aways from the course for me:
1. Dealing with physical pain - I could achieve it with determination and by following the instructions of the teacher. I think I've become stronger now.
2. Reaction to any conflict, disagreement or action of others - I think before I react to many day to day situations now. This has been helping me since the first course.
3. Talking (Or rather not talking) - I have a long way to go in this case. But, I'm trying. I am slowly understanding the importance of pause, a smile instead of actual words or just walking away without losing my cool in certain situations! This is related to #2.
Where do I go from here?
As with any other technique, Practice is the key to get the most benefit out of Vipashyana. I have not been able to maintain it. But, I am trying to fit at least 15 minutesof sitting every night in my schedule. I'm involving the kids also in this activity.
One 10-day course a year is another recommendation. I've been able to manage 2 courses within last 2 years. But, I'll see if I can really make it once a year!
There are a bunch of small groups doing regular practice at their private residences, attending 1-day courses at nearby centers, serving the courses or part of courses as and when they get time. I would like to start getting involved in such manner, but that may take couple of more years.
As with any other technique, each of us can take what we like from this technique and leave aside what we don't like. But, we should start the process by attending at leastone 10-day course!
posted by Pratima | 9:17 PM
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