Getaway from hustle bustle, email and text messages and reach the peace, I was trying to unwind myself and getaway from all stress in the city and in my workplace.
There are about 120 of us, and I know no one. First, we were taught how to practice Vipassana meditation.
I decided I came here to improvement so you stay days here. I have lost the ability to love myself, praise myself, be independent and confident, I am very much affected by other people, always depending on another person for my happiness and most of the time I am feeling miserable about the my life. Maybe you can relate?
The schedule at Vipassana is intense, meditating for about 10 hours daily, with breaks for meals and the like.
Soon I had made it.
You can journal.
Much more popular than I thought.
Hey Nils, thanks for your detailed article.
The cool thing I realized was that I had much more self-discipline, vigor, and strength than I expected. Being unable to speak, or make eye contact, five men rush around this fire-filled toaster, trying to unplug it, pour water on it.
Good job! They hadnt read countless books on the topic, visited India, or meditated for years.
Concentration was somewhat effortless and I felt emerged in the practice.
Im not 100% sure, but I think people used it on my retreat. Hey Nills thank you for the very in-depth article, I enjoyed reading it very much. No big deal. You wouldnt happen to know at what time of day the registration to apply would open. Would sure have been nice to ask Goenka about it.. but thats, of course, no longer possible. 5th or 6th course sounds great. And why would anyone do it? Before we get to my detailed experience of the ten-day retreat, I want to give you an understanding of why I chose to go through this in the first place. Vipassana, which means seeing things as they really are, is one of the worlds most popular meditation techniques. And to leave my awful apartment, finding instead a new place thats more me. I suppose thats my biggest Vipassana takeaway connecting more deeply with my intuition, and developing the courage to trust it, despite it sometimes not making logical sense.
If the technique comes straight from the Buddhas teachings I find it difficult to believe he would not have spelled it out in detail in one of the suttas. I was incredibly proud because I just made it through ten days of struggle, pain, and hard work.
Our fully free and flexible cancellation policies protect you in case your plans change.
One roommate after the other arrived and we had a great chat before heading for the dining hall for our last dinner in ten days. Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions. No more aggression. I kept telling myself, this, too, will pass. No matter how excruciating the pain felt, I just kept bringing my attention back to the meditation. You have captured the essence of the course about equanimity and awareness, beautifully well. Its very benefits for health, bheviar, graspping power And Decisin makeing.. Nils, follow up question, do you now use a bench or pillows? But you might find more there. Breakfast break. OMG! This retreat offers free cancellation up to 42 days before the retreat start date. Then he asked you if you understood the new instructions (there were some new instructions and refinements of the technique on a daily basis) and asked you to meditate in front of him for a few minutes. On my first retreat, it was usually 4-6 pillows; on the second usually 1-3.
My IG is @vickyt nice to digitally meet/come across your page!
Days 5-9 were kind of like the heart of the practice.
And by the way, there were quite a few people who didnt follow the rules strictly. The talks were fun, interesting, and inspiring.
I think in our life atlist one time attntend this course. Did you meditate with your back supported prior to Vipassana?
In the aftermath, I turned out to be wrong.
That said, I wouldnt worry about it too much. I dont think watching Mooji or Eckhart Tolle or Osho or whoever is your spiritual teacher of choice will be that beneficial. I was much better at dealing with pain, discomfort, and restlessness. You can do gratitude exercises.
Self and the City will be headlined by Jessa Chargois on a bi-weekly basis.
Even worse, the longer I sat through the pain, the more agitated and angry and pissed off my mind got: What is this nonsense?! Upon my return to NYC after my 10-day silent meditation experience, friends and family asked about my top takeaways. He spent years meeting with the best doctors in the world, only to be told there was no cure or root cause for his headaches. I enjoyed learning about the actual Vipassana technique and was looking forward to practicing. After getting accepted to the course, it was time for preparation. And yes, sometimes they allow chairs.
Thanks for the kind words, Isabelle!
My 10-Day Vipassana Experience (Silent Meditation Retreat). Intellectually, I get it, the importance of living mindfully, of feeling grateful for being healthy, and for being alive, every day. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Sometimes its hot, sometimes its cold. I used the ones they provided there are lots to choose from and I used 4-6 different cushions at the same time.
It might be for the better in the end, if you know what I mean.
Okay, maybe things werent as bad as I make it sound.
Yes, I was glad I made it through and Im sure it was incredibly beneficial to my growth as a person.
Equanimity is the art of non-reactivity, of non-resistance, of staying calm and optimistic in the face of painful and difficult situations.
I got to know about Vipassana through one of my friends recently.
And Goenka!! After that, I made my way to the room I got assigned for the next ten days. I will be starting my first ever vipassana meditation, exactly 10 days from now.
I am wanting to go on a retreat myself for the first time and reading your words about registering early, I want to make sure I register as close to being first as possible since the time of the 10 day retreat at a center closest to me couldnt be more perfect. Oh, wow, sounds like youve had some incredible experiences!
If everything goes well, that will be sooner rather than later.
Submissions and guest columnists are welcomed to send work to hannah@chillhouse.com.
It definitely doesnt need to be a ten-day retreat.
Unsure if a Vipassana meditation retreat is for you? I have found a lot of testimonies about vipassana retreats, but almost none comments about how it was after that.
Its well worth checking it out if you want to find a course near you.
So excited and terrified all at once!
Thanks a lot for your inspiring words.
Much like the changing seasons, everything in our lives is constantly changing. In the beginning, I had no idea how to sit and had to change my seat every five minutes or so.
Yes, but While I think a Vipassana retreat would be beneficial for anyone, I believe that timing is important. The evenings become a favorite time of day for me, where we gather for a discourse, taught via video by a man known as S.N Goenka.
Since then, Ive again started a daily practice. No talking.
I usually started off in the hall and then switched to the room after 40-80 minutes.
On top of that, I met some great people, some of which I am still in contact to this day.
Let us slide into your inbox with things that'll make you feel good. Today, the technique of Vipassana is taught in 10-day courses all over the world. To my surprise, he was a completely normal guy no long beard, no hippie glasses, no sandals, no flower necklace, no peace tattoo. I just couldnt sit still for longer than that, constantly giving in to the pain of my body and the restless nature of my mind.
Vivid and symbolic dreams, psychedelic experience, reorganization of past memories as well as ideas for future However it seems I was far weaker in pain handling than you. I have been asking a few (including a couple of my mentors) who had already done this, but I did not get much information from them.
I had no trouble following the rules, though I did do some pushups and other bodyweight exercises from time to time. Meditate in the hall or in your room.
It was a constant battle between temporarily giving up (I cant do this anymore.
And then there it was: The chanting of S N Goenka, our meditation teacher, signaling that the end of the meditation was near.
The courses are completely free of charge. Thats very likely an illusion and youre simply fooling yourself (we all do). I have one question to you since you seem to have done a lot of reading / research on the topic have you found a direct link of the technique to the original scriptures?
Hope that makes sense and clears things up!
Even just meditating for one hour at home (let alone ten hours.. for ten consecutive days!)
We aren't just a business, we are family. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and making me laugh!!
Cant imagine how that changes your perception and experiencing of life, but it must be quite profound. You can find it here.
I was just sitting there, paying attention to my breath as time flew by until the gong went off, signaling the end of the meditation.
In this article, Ill share my detailed experiences with you. There's just something about warm ocean breeze, a fresh coconut, and sand between your toes.
And the structure and the organisation he has created his pure genius.
After lunch, I followed the same routine on most days: napping for 40-60 minutes and then walking until the gong signaled the next meditation.
Im Buddhist so none of the theory discussed was new to me.
I dont know if the pain actually got weaker or if I was just less bothered by it. The experience , if you stay put for complete course ,is very enlightening, unique and transforming to individuals.
And you dont need to sit cross-legged, either.
This was a great summation, appreciate it.
Vivi. I think, now is a great time to give this a try.
In Feb 2019 At markal pune center.. At first 2-3 days gone very difficult no talking, no reading, no wrtting .i missing my family. Lunch break (+ rest and interviews with teachers).
Now I am finally finding my concentration back and being able to meditate 2 times per day, but still not the same as in the retreat, what I guess it is normal.
Thats when I hit your website.
After about ten minutes, my early enthusiasm started fading and the madness began. Awesome!
For example, writing articles was easier because I could get absorbed in the process and wasnt so easily distracted. Im excited - lets get back to the real world!. Your advice on adjusting the circadian rhythm, resting between sessions, experimenting with postures was extremely helpful.
Better read Eckhart Tolles book or watch Mooji on youtube, do some self-inquiry, IMO.
Green salad was always available, too.
Many of them were self-employed, business owners, entrepreneurs, students, or retired. Heya there, JK. You can start meditation at home, but I dont think you can do anything similar to what you do on a retreat. Thank you so much dear Nils, for an excellent and insightful experience of the Vipassana course. It is a way to separate ourselves enough that we are not tainted by prejudice, weakness, or ignorance.
Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC is a New York City-based therapist, committed to improving global public health.
Heya Shikha, Im sorry to hear about your struggles.
PLUS it's great for those with a tiny budget.
I roll over in my twin bed, pulling the covers that I brought from home over my face to rest a little longer.
Thank you for sharing, Shashi.
It is a silent retreat of sorts, concerned with being wholly present and awakening the senses to what is happening both internally and externally. From helping you find the perfect retreat to taking care of you when things go wrong, we treat you like family. Goenka explaining some of the theory and benefits of the technique. Not necessarily, Goenka explains in one evenings discourse.
I have shared this post with many friends it is a very encouraging read for fence sitters. I just accepted the fact that I was bored and kept doing my best anyway.
In the beggining, I even had a lil panic feeling before sitting to meditate, as if it was going to be hard or I wouldnt be able to concentrate. But then I wonder: What would life be like if I start following my intuitive pings? In an effort to connect further with my intuition, I research Vipassana Meditation and find it could be especially good for people in transitions.
I crave a good NYC latte. Second, we got introduced to the practice of adhitthana or strong determination sittings: sitting for one hour with strong determination not to change posture or open the eyes.
Can you use a hair dryer after a shower or does that interrupt the quiet atmosphere?
Even the food was surprisingly good.
Ive been meditating on and off (~once a week) for over 2 years now. I truly relived my first course days. In the beginning, it was all about sharing ones experiences and struggles before the topics changed to real life matters such as entrepreneurship, politics, spirituality, and so on. I used certain references for my write-up here: https://parentingincovid.com/vipassana-meditation/.
I would certainly encourage you to serve and reap the benefits.
Oh, and napping for as long as possible during the 2-hour lunch break.
A baker of classic, vegan, and gluten free challah, and interested in all things intuition, follow along as Kate begins documenting her journey towards reconnecting with her intuition @KateLRosenblatt or KateRosenblatt.com. After breakfast, I took a shower, did some yoga stretches, and went for a walk until the gong signaled the beginning of the next meditation. After reading about meditation, mindfulness, and spirituality for the previous two years, I felt like I was prepared well enough. In fact, its essentially what you do during vipassana meditation.
Feeling unhappy overall, and at a turning point in my life, I begin to take a collective look at where I am and how I got here. Vipassana in the context of the Buddhas teachings means very specific introspective insight into the true nature of self in relation to the world. Thank you for writing this balanced review. You see, during the first three and a half days, we only practiced Anapana, a breath awareness meditation to prepare our minds and bodies for the real deal.
If you decide to go this upcoming week, my best piece of advice would be: lots of self-compassion and dont take your mind too seriously.
This meditation center requires your complete surrender from your chaotic daily life, at least during your stay with Wat Suan Mokkh. Instead of fighting with myself, resisting the pain, and getting angry at whatever thoughts my mind was producing, I just kept reminding myself to stay detached and non-reactive to whatever was happening. The space I found that lies beyond reactivity, was, and is, well hard to describe in words.
No killing (even spiders!).
I last only seconds before my monkey mind kicks in, as they call it at Vipassana, distracting me from my meditation practice. Instead of beating myself up or drowning myself in shame or guilt, I chose to treat myself with warmth, understanding, and compassion. Can you use a hair dryer? On the first day of my first retreat, I remember having to adjust and change posture every couple of minutes. When I had the energy/motivation then I did without back support.
The first step in Vipassana is always cautious and shaky. Vipassana meditation is a sitting meditation exercise that helps students move through pain, discomfort, and basically, any living moment experienced during life. I was always wondering, How long is this going to take?! I am going on my 5th or 6th(?)
I dont need much, but don care to have wet hair. And just in case I didnt make it clear in the article: I think attending a retreat is highly beneficial. Apparently, this was so that he could send you and the three other students love, kindness, and strength for the upcoming days.
Europe not only offers old-world charm mixed with modern amenities but it also offers a variety of landscapes and weather patterns.
No need to question everything. In the aftermath, I have to say I was very well prepared.
On days 2-4, things slowly improved. It was almost like a kind of flow experience.
We woke up at 4am one last time. Hey Ilyas, let me answer those questions for you. Again, whatever works for you.
This experience boosted my mood and optimism dramatically. With that said, she looks at me and says, I will tell you, though, that the silence is the easiest part..
And its not like these courses take place 3x per month. Youll learn different things for each experience and they will all be beneficial.
Again, you can rotate through different variations of this posture.
Through Vipassana, you learn a meditation technique that aspires to alleviate suffering and elevate the peace, love, and compassion you feel. I managed to reach the location by driving in a mountain about six kilometres from Kandy.
To really cut it down to the absolute basics, Vipassana meditation is a form of silent meditation. Even if life goes seemingly perfectly, sooner or later youll experience the death of a loved one, health issues, old age, or death.
Literally translated as 'to see things as they really are', the journey of Vipassana (or insight meditation) is a way to purify the mind with teachings that rely purely on oneself rather than an external force. As I catch my breath, I think to myself, maybe I just havent heard a joke in 10 days, or maybe Im actually feeling happier.
Im planning to attain it in mid-Jan 2022 in Igatpur M.S.
I need to check on the news and Instagram. One of my roommates seemed to be tired all the time and often slept during meditation time. (You find many of his discourses on YouTube.).
This site offers your choice of meditation center from all over the world that host vipassana retreats. I certainly agree with you , good story until this Dont be a pussy., Where is this retreat please send me details as Id love to go to a 10day retreat Are you also doing one n Switzerland, This is where I went: https://www.sumeru.dhamma.org/en/. Unfortunately, I do not know the answer to your question.
I would request a reading of http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/noble8path6.pdf till end to understand the underlying science behind the Vipassana technique. I just discovered what Vipassana is, I read your 10 days experience and the 4 lessons your learnt, and I was wondering: do you think we actually need 10 full days to get the benefices of the experience?
This was helpful because it made me realize that they were struggling just as much as I was.
Sorry to hear about losing your mother and mother in law wish you all the strengths you need to get through this.
Or maybe lush, green mountain vibes are more your thing? Im so glad I did this.
They suggested that I dont expect anything meaning dont go with a specific expectation.
I expected to have more and more of these pleasant meditations as time went on.
I will come back again once I finish my course and share my experience and hoping that it would be as challenging and fulfilling as you have described. The takeaway as a Dhamma Sewak is manifold and the immense gratification has made me more humble.
The rest of the time I used for taking a shower and then walking until the gong signaled the next meditation. Thats what a typical day looked like.
I am still grieving and dealing with all sort of emotions However, reading about your experience is very helpful. One hundred hours of meditation in ten days?
I dont have a cushion yet, but have always had an issue with sitting cross legged inherited problem.
And I say that with much love and respect for him.
Thank you for a great article.
By Day 6, I have had enough. To my relief, most of them werent very well prepared at all.
To say goodbye to the lovely man I was dating, since I know he is not my forever man.
The nagging voice in my head had subsided and I was so fully in the moment that the perception of time somehow escaped my consciousness. Im going to my first retreat in december in Canada. By the way: Which center did you go to?
The madness just didnt seem to come to an end.
No working out.
Hi Nils, thanks for your feedback thats so interesting! After day four, these meditations become sittings of strong determination (more on that later).
This means no God, spirits or otherworldly power.
Ill check out Zen Sesshins. I read Eckhart Tolle, Osho, David R. Hawkins, and other spiritual teachers for years before going to my first meditation retreat. Since the retreat is ten days of meditation it will definitely help you in battling procrastination.
Not only would I do it again, I probably will continue to go on retreats in the future. Afterwards, breakfast was served and the cleaning of the house got organized (you can decide whether you want to stay for another thirty to sixty minutes to help clean everything).
The evening of day 4 gave me the first taste of adhitthana. According to books and articles Ive read on the topic, some of those benefits include: Meditation has been shown in multiple studies to physically alter the structures of your brain, increasing grey matter, growing cortical thickness, and increasing volume in areas related to self-control, emotion regulation, positive emotions, and paying attention. As Richard Feynman said, The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.. I also rarely struggled with fatigue, but more on that later. Did you feel the retreat was beneficial in that regard of fighting procrastination and having some mastery over your habits ? Not to mention that I had been meditating on a regular basis for over a year.
This is impossible.
The retreat is in a week so I am not sure if I am ready and strong enough for it at this moment. Thank you for sharing, and best of luck on your next retreat Im going on a 3-day retreat in a couple of weeks. A nap.
thank you, with metta. vipassana 10 day course next month in Shelburne, MA.
3 Tips for *Better* Posture Sitting At Your Desk || Stop Slouching At Your Desk!! Yogurt with cinnamon (and sometimes some apple slices) and a piece of bread with butter and peanut butter. Excited to hear about your experience .
Lunch break was two hours long.
All free of charge. Some of my fellow meditators used this time to shower or for general hygiene while others just continued to sleep. I will decide if I will do this session or maybe wait a little and prepare myself for December. I would say I was one of the most prepared in my cohort. Speaking for myself, I really need the external rules and boundaries provided by the course. Also, are chairs allowed if youre unable to sit on cushions the entire day? It may be worth bearing in mind that some courses have a pretty extensive waiting list so if you have a specific date in mind, make an inquiry early.
BookRetreats offers free cancellation for up to 72 hours after booking.
I am silencing my innate beliefs and primary truths. What a relief. I would simply say that these are all different experiences at home meditation, 1-2 day retreat, or 10-day retreats.
Im super proud of myself. Thanks for the informative well written article. Everything you mention in your article I anticipate will also be quite a huge challenge for me. There were about twenty five participants for the program from every corner of the world. Nils Salzgeber is an Amazon #1 bestselling author and co-founder of NJlifehacks.
He quit university at the age of 21 after successfully making the leap to entrepreneurship.
Theres no way two hours arent over yet.
On my way to the meditation center, I met my first co-meditator. Doing my first one in October. Also the vipassana meditation (observing and scanning the body) is a bit different of the one Id like to master which is passive observation of thoughts, holding a single train of thought in mind and not being distracted away from it and finally achieving quietness of the mind, a state where no thought arises (or lets say you successfully ignore them and do not let them reach consciousness). Just start somewhere.
After the 2-hour morning meditation, it was time for breakfast.
This was unfortunate and somewhat annoying, but what can be done? Thats either through lots and lots of practice you work diligently until the process becomes effortless because youre so good.
The organization is nonsectarian and welcomes people from all faiths and backgrounds.
As I reached the location, I found that its an ideal location to unwind and forget all my connection with the outside world, it was cool and quiet.
Submissions and guest columnists are welcomed to send work to hannah@chillhouse.com I believe that New, Self and the City is a column intended to increase visibility and dialogue surrounding mental health, relationships, harmful stereotypes, and the necessity for self-care and vulnerability.
One thing I definitely noticed directly after the retreat was that my concentration was way sharper.
Where are all the nice, Jewish gentlemen in a city as large as New York? It sounds very interesting and challenging.
A course or Vipassana meditation retreat will generally last around 10 days in which time you will be asked to refrain from contacting anyone outside the retreat or speaking to anyone inside the retreat unless it is a teacher in designated 'question times'.
You say youre a recovering procrastinator, and I relate to that very much.
Here is a link you may find helpful: Vipassana Introspective Insight https://becoming-buddha.com/vipassana-introspective-insight/ Here is a link to the mediation method the Buddha taught: Right Meditation Samadhi Jhanas https://becoming-buddha.com/right-meditation-samadhi-jhana/ Here is a link for retreats that are based sole on what the Buddha actually taught: https://becoming-buddha.com/becoming-buddha-retreat/ Peace.
All expenses are met by donations from old students people who went through a course before, experienced the benefits, and wish to give others the opportunity to benefit as well. Can we Live our Best Life in our Emotional Home.
Teacher's Discourse in the hall. Its very beneficial, too. Would I recommend it to others? You will naturally observe thoughts and feelings during vipassana, and you will get better at that over the course of the ten days and beyond. The discussions were incredibly interesting and animated. During lunch break, there was also the possibility to schedule interviews with the meditation teachers. Even better, he had very little previous experience with meditation and was simply there because a friend had recommended it to him. Copyright 2019 by NJlifehacks.
They just want to torture us!
I am just not judging that anymore.
The greater spiritual masters of the 20th century (Nisargadatta, Papaji) claimed no practice nor effort in needed to realize what you already are.
Long story short, those were two of the longest hours of my entire life. My upper back and neck were just killing me.
Its just too easy for the mind to come up with excuses. I came here without knowing what to expect from this course but thanks to you, I have a fair bit of understanding now .
Then, I made a great discovery.
When I ask for the intel about what to expect in these 10 days, she wont tell me much, fearing that her first-hand knowledge will negatively impact my experience. Any practice is just unnecessary stress for the body and mind.
But then I wonder: What would life be like if I start following my intuitive pings? In an effort to connect further with my intuition, I research Vipassana Meditation and find it could be especially good for people in transitions.
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