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Meditation Miscellany

July 5th, 2006

I’ve had a number of requests asking what type of meditation I practiced to gaze at my navel… well, I went for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course, the basis of which is the original experiential meditation taught by the Buddha 2500 years ago.   Ten days of no reading, no writing, no speaking, and with 10 hourly segments of sitting meditation per day (starting at 4.30am – ouch).   Not easy by any means, but hugely cleansing and very, very peaceful and beautiful.   Coming back to everyday life is quite a jolt – you realize the thousands of external stimuli we take in every day without ever getting a break.

This is the second time I’ve done this particular course, the previous time being ten years ago.   That time was much harder as I couldn’t cross my legs easily and the sittings became quite painful.   The second day of these courses is the most difficult.   The first is sort of interesting and new; early into the second day you think “my god, I have nine more days of this?   - get me outta here!”   The last few days were amazing, with all sorts of powerful sensations coursing through and old stiffness literally melting away.   I’ve come out of it a thousand times less stressed (and less sickly) than when I went in.

The most interesting aspect of the course, however, is that it’s free.   They consider it a gift from the universe and the organization is run entirely by unsolicited donations from alumni.    It’s a very beautiful structure.   The course has shown that it can purge negativity of all types and really transform people.   After a fascinating trial in India’s worst prison, it’s now being taught to convicts all over the world.    When they run the course in a prison, they first insist that all the guards take it.    Interesting!

[After all this time away, I have a lot of pent up blogging in me so you’ll see a plethora of posts in the next few days… ten days of silence means I've had a lot of ideas!].

ADDITION: While in Ireland I sat on the extreme western point and thought about life a fair bit… it was a bit difficult because these were the views on left and right….

Entry Filed under: Emotional development