Vipassana: a most wonderful experience in Auckland
The ten day Vipassana courses were known to me for a long time in India. However, I actually did it recently in Kaukapakapa, near Auckland.
It is a 10 days residential course. The code of conduct is to be strictly followed during this course. One of the major ones is not to speak a single word to any one for ten days. No reading, no writing, not to follow any religious rites, eat only vegetarian food, no eating after 5.30 pm.
The restriction of not speaking really sounds quite hard to follow. The day starts at 4 am with a gong, to get ready for meditation at 4.30 am, which goes till 6.30 am. At 6.30 am breakfast is served and then there is some free time to get shower etc. From 9 am till 11 am is meditation session. At 11 am is lunch break followed by free time till 1 pm to do washing of clothes etc. From 1 pm till 5 pm next meditation session. At 5 pm fruits and tea/coffee is served. That is the last meal of the day. Again there is meditation from 6 to 7 pm, followed by discourse by Shri. S N Goenka for 1.5 hours. From 8.30 pm to 9 pm is the last session of meditation and the day is over by 9 pm to take rest.
My experience of this course has been wonderful. Initially one does not know what to expect and how one can meditate for 10.5 hours a day, as normally we are not used to meditate at all. But the course teaches various techniques to concentrate our mind. Initially one has to struggle for concentration, but after a couple of days, the techniques taught in the course help one to concentrate. Mind becomes sharper and sharper. Old memories start surfacing the mind. The struggle to bring back the wandering mind to observe breathing and the sensations, which appear on your body becomes less strenuous. With the constant encouraging messages given by Shri Goenka on the cassette motivate you to sit through the meditation. One starts experiencing and searching one’s own mind. The “noble silence” makes one introvert.
As per Buddha’s teaching the main reason for our misery is created by our own mind. Aversion and attachment to anything is the reason of misery. The more we create aversions and attachments, the more miseries get created. So Vipassana teaches us to look objectively and with equanimity at any sensations one experiences during the meditation. No aversion to bad sensations, no attachment to pleasant sensations. No reaction…. Just observe the sensations as you feel. They are “impermanent”… they come and go.
These teachings go deep in your subconscious mind, when you are in meditation. They go deep in your receptive mind in that mode and one really understands the truth of “impermanence” of this life to the core. The only truth of our life is the “breathing”. The constant message of “impermanence” of life, changes your attitude to look at what happens in real life and the urge to “react” weakens. Anger lessens.
I found that the restriction of ten days silence is not at all difficult. The course and the total experience are intense. After a couple of days, one feels like running away. I was extremely eager to come back to the normal life. But the discourses of Shri S N Goekna motivate participants to continue. And at the end, one realizes that this course is really very pleasant. The deep journey of one’s mind reveals our own faults, wrong doings. The knots of unpleasant experiences start opening. The experience of quiet, peaceful mind makes one really fresh and one starts looking forward to going to meditation and re-experience that peace. No wonder there are “old students” who come there every year… for over 12 to 15 years!
Vipassana courses including accommodation and food are free of charge. Donations are welcome. Their web address is www.medini.dhamma.org. The centre phone number is 09-4205319. The address is Vipassana Meditation Centre, Dhamma Medini, RD3 Burnside Rd, Kaukapakapa, New Zealand.
The ten day Vipassana courses were known to me for a long time in India. However, I actually did it recently in Kaukapakapa, near Auckland. It is a 10 days residential course. The code of conduct is to be strictly followed during this course. One of the major ones is not to speak a single word...
The ten day Vipassana courses were known to me for a long time in India. However, I actually did it recently in Kaukapakapa, near Auckland.
It is a 10 days residential course. The code of conduct is to be strictly followed during this course. One of the major ones is not to speak a single word to any one for ten days. No reading, no writing, not to follow any religious rites, eat only vegetarian food, no eating after 5.30 pm.
The restriction of not speaking really sounds quite hard to follow. The day starts at 4 am with a gong, to get ready for meditation at 4.30 am, which goes till 6.30 am. At 6.30 am breakfast is served and then there is some free time to get shower etc. From 9 am till 11 am is meditation session. At 11 am is lunch break followed by free time till 1 pm to do washing of clothes etc. From 1 pm till 5 pm next meditation session. At 5 pm fruits and tea/coffee is served. That is the last meal of the day. Again there is meditation from 6 to 7 pm, followed by discourse by Shri. S N Goenka for 1.5 hours. From 8.30 pm to 9 pm is the last session of meditation and the day is over by 9 pm to take rest.
My experience of this course has been wonderful. Initially one does not know what to expect and how one can meditate for 10.5 hours a day, as normally we are not used to meditate at all. But the course teaches various techniques to concentrate our mind. Initially one has to struggle for concentration, but after a couple of days, the techniques taught in the course help one to concentrate. Mind becomes sharper and sharper. Old memories start surfacing the mind. The struggle to bring back the wandering mind to observe breathing and the sensations, which appear on your body becomes less strenuous. With the constant encouraging messages given by Shri Goenka on the cassette motivate you to sit through the meditation. One starts experiencing and searching one’s own mind. The “noble silence” makes one introvert.
As per Buddha’s teaching the main reason for our misery is created by our own mind. Aversion and attachment to anything is the reason of misery. The more we create aversions and attachments, the more miseries get created. So Vipassana teaches us to look objectively and with equanimity at any sensations one experiences during the meditation. No aversion to bad sensations, no attachment to pleasant sensations. No reaction…. Just observe the sensations as you feel. They are “impermanent”… they come and go.
These teachings go deep in your subconscious mind, when you are in meditation. They go deep in your receptive mind in that mode and one really understands the truth of “impermanence” of this life to the core. The only truth of our life is the “breathing”. The constant message of “impermanence” of life, changes your attitude to look at what happens in real life and the urge to “react” weakens. Anger lessens.
I found that the restriction of ten days silence is not at all difficult. The course and the total experience are intense. After a couple of days, one feels like running away. I was extremely eager to come back to the normal life. But the discourses of Shri S N Goekna motivate participants to continue. And at the end, one realizes that this course is really very pleasant. The deep journey of one’s mind reveals our own faults, wrong doings. The knots of unpleasant experiences start opening. The experience of quiet, peaceful mind makes one really fresh and one starts looking forward to going to meditation and re-experience that peace. No wonder there are “old students” who come there every year… for over 12 to 15 years!
Vipassana courses including accommodation and food are free of charge. Donations are welcome. Their web address is www.medini.dhamma.org. The centre phone number is 09-4205319. The address is Vipassana Meditation Centre, Dhamma Medini, RD3 Burnside Rd, Kaukapakapa, New Zealand.
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