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Vipassana

doo's picture
Submitted by doo on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 16:46.
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Average: 4.8 (8 votes)

Anyone did the Vipassana meditation a la Goenka? I heard the man and he sounds profound... Is it hard?

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solomon's picture

10-day Vipassana Course

The 10-day Goenka retreat is most recommended. I did it several times, it's much easier than it seems and so so effective, and it is free of charge (you can give a donation at the end only if you did the whole 10 days).

Goenka's tapes are wonderful and amusing but hardly effective without actually doing the Vipassana course. It is the same case as with many of us that read a lot of spiritual stuff which is partially a candy for the mind but when it comes to meditation and practice they refrain. This is a barrier a true seeker should be aware of and pass. The mind wants the intellectual amusement but not to meditate because meditation weakens it and it fights for its survival...

solomon | Thu, 04/24/2008 - 12:50
hugo's picture

information about the vipassana course

See here under locations at S.N. Goenka's guru profile:

http://www.gurusfeet.com/guru/s-n-goenka

They have centers in every corner of the world.

hugo | Fri, 04/25/2008 - 12:55
Gaston's picture

Thanks Hugo, I just

Thanks Hugo,
I just registered for a 10 days course this coming March. Not sure if I'm accepted or how that works but whatever happens is what is supposed to be!

Cheers!

Gaston | Thu, 01/07/2010 - 05:49
avi's picture

Criticism about Goenka's Vipassana

Goenka's Vipassana is not the only Vipassana and is not necessarily the Vipassana instructed by the Buddha as claimed.

It is yet another, though very popular nowadays, interpretation of the Buddhist Satipatthana Sutra, and an extremely narrow interpretation.

Goenka (following his master and the Burmese tradition) took the Vipassana to a too narrow interpretation of only observing body sensations.

The Satipatthana Sutra speaks about 4 types of objects to observe, only one of them is the body sensations. If you are vigilant, you will notice that Goenka disregards the other types of objects in an elegant way (maybe in order to keep the technique as simple as possible for the masses).

For beginners, this radical interpretation serves well as the mind is focused on one type of object and has no escape to invent bypasses and personal versions.

But for old students who practice Vipassana for a long time at some point the narrowed interpretation is not enough, they feel that something is missing, that the mind has found another back route of reacting. This is the time for such people to check on the other 3 objects: to ask who is that meditate, to observe the body as a whole, and to observe emotions as they apear directly as the sutra instructs to do.

avi | Fri, 04/25/2008 - 13:16
shira's picture

Narrowing of the technique

The narrowing of the technique is not only the focus on body sensations but also the systematic scanning from head to toe and back only. And also the prohibition to associate sensations with the counterpart feelings and emotions they represent.

This is indeed in order to make the the technique as simple as possible otherwise the cunning mind will do the usual stuff of spoiling the effectiveness of the meditation by introducing concepts and bypasses.

For advanced students, it is problematic. Goenka had to broaden the scopes and loosen the rules for those who are into it for several years. Consequently, the unfortunate senior students abandon the technique after sometime (most of them), the few luckier ones loosen it by themselves, they continue doing it in the more broader way and assimilate it into their daily life, not limiting it to formal meditation sitting only.

If you feel you are about to abandon the technique because of its strictness then abandon the strictness.

It is better to stay with the original strict rules of Goenka. But if you feel you are about to abandon the technique because of its strictness then abandon the strictness. But make sure you do not do it out of boredom or desire for excitements. And if you broaden it, make sure this is not your mind deceiving you in order to eliminate the effectiveness of this meditation.

shira | Mon, 08/18/2008 - 10:00
Tania's picture

Daily life vipassana

Great observations, both of you. I agree.

You feel some emotion in daily life, observe it a bit and then observe the corresponding body sensations. With time you will find it easier to track the corresponding body sensations.

Always make sure you do not skip the area of the head when you look for the sensations associated with the emotion. There is somewhat a tendency to do this.

With time the practice will convert into sensation of free flows of energies in the body: all the body is vibrating, you sense the body as a whole vibrating energy. Eckhart Tolle called this the "Inner body", Goenka calls it "Bhanga". It has enormous qualities of unity with whatever is. Just be this vibration and observe it without attachement. If it is then fine, if it is gone then it is also fine.

Tania | Wed, 06/24/2009 - 20:50
NIDHI PARKASH's picture

Inner body

'Inner body' and 'Bhanga' are the same have been stated by you; please have you really experienced it as the same one.

NIDHI PARKASH | Thu, 01/07/2010 - 18:53
dhyan's picture

Osho Vipassana Meditation

I have not done Goneka Vipassana Meditation but i have practised Vipassana meditation myself.
and i feel for some people it will suit and for some it will not.

Osho has advised to go for Vipassana meditation after doing 3 months Dynamic meditation.
http://www.messagefrommasters.com/Meditation/Awareness/Awareness.htm

some people have very good experience from Vipassana meditation but some simply run away. so it varies.

i suggest find out for urself which meditation suits u.
as per Osho there is always one meditation which will suit u and will click immediatedly

www.messagefrommasters.com
http://messagefrommasters.blogspot.com

dhyan | Sat, 08/23/2008 - 13:51
Shankara's picture

Vipassana and cittanupassana (observation of the mind)

Please take a look at these clear instructions on cittanupassana (observation of mind).
Sayadaw U Tejaniya will surely be one of the greatest meditation teacher of this decade. Clear, fresh and understandable with a twist of true realism. He's been a householder until 10 years ago when he decided to become a monk.
Here's a link to some of his teachings (audio and text):
http://sayadawutejaniya.org/teachings/

Shankara | Mon, 12/29/2008 - 16:31