A few weeks ago, I returned from a 10-day Vipassana course. And I am finally ready to reflect on how that experience influenced my existence.
For those who are not familiar with Vipassana, it is a 10-day meditation course where you get entirely disconnected from the outside world – no phone, no reading, no writing, no talking, no eye contact, no physical contact, no distractions – just you, your mind, your body, and your breath for 10+ hours a day.
On the one side, it was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever had. Not so much mentally, but mostly physically. I have not had so much pain in my back since an injury I had 20+ years ago. The reason for the pain was that you are supposed to sit still for hours every day. And while you are going through that, you still need to keep your mind focused on your breath and the sensations in your body. So, definitely not easy.
On the other side, it’s been one of the most valuable experiences in my life. There are multiple meditation techniques, each with its own goal. Vipassana aims not only to calm your mind but also to teach you to see things as they really are. Spending so much time focusing all your attention on your body leads to interesting results. You start noticing what happens inside your body much better, different sensations, including the most subtle, the ones you would not even notice in regular life, and how your body responds to them. Your mind becomes so much clearer, so much sharper, and so much more focused. Eventually, you stop reacting to thoughts, emotions, or sensations and start deeply feeling the impermanent nature of everything. Quite an interesting experience overall.
It’s certainly not for everyone. But if you are looking for a way to clear up your mind and find your balance, it is very efficient. If you are interested in experiencing Vipassana yourself, take a look here:
https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index
Keep your mind focused, and stay strong!