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Challenging and Transformational.

The two words I have been using to describe my experience when people ask having just returned from a 10 day silent meditation retreat in Eastern Colorado.  The practice of Vipassana is an ancient technique taught by the Buddha about 2500 years ago to help alleviate the suffering/unsatisfactoriness we experience because of our habit to crave pleasurable feelings and have aversion to unpleasurable feelings that arise. Because the pleasurable experiences always arise and pass away, and unpleasant experiences continue to arise in our lives, we continue to experience dukkha.

The Dalai Lama says, “the purpose of life is to be happy.”  One can only achieve lasting happiness when we can truly let go of our desire for our experience to be something other than what it is.  Throughout the retreat Mr. Goenka kept reminding us to experience our sensations, “as they are, not as we want them to be.”  Experiencing the present moment “as it is” including the pain of your kneecaps feeling like they are going to pop off, itches on your face that don’t seem to leave, and the feeling like you are on a 45 degree slope trying to hold yourself up while keeping your hands folded WITHOUT developing any aversion to the sensations or craving for alternate sensations turns out to be the challenging part of Vipassana practice.

The idea is that if we can develop equanimity in our meditation practice it will radiate out into other areas of our lives.  Having a regular practice of equanimity (experiencing life without craving or aversion), the old sankharas (mental formations or habit patterns of the mind) begin to be released from our unconscious mind which continually reacts to objects and experiences.  This is Vipassana on a theoretical level.

On the practical level one must first develop samadhi, or right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.  In the Theravada tradition samadhi is cultivated through the practice of anapanasati, where one develops mindfulness of breathing in order to sharpen the mind.  Concentration is necessary for a successful and productive meditation practice.  In the context of a traditional 10 day Vipassana course, the first three days are devoted to developing samadhi through the practice of anapanasati.  Does this mean on day four when practicing Vipassana that I had perfect concentration? Far from it!  My mind mostly wandered into the future….what was the first meal I was going to cook when I got home, planning a dinner party for my mom, making truffles, how I was going to work on bruised relationships in my life, future travel plans, how many cups of coffee I would drink the afternoon I got home, and on, and on…. Developing samadhi is a lifelong practice (if you are a lay practitioner, meaning you don’t spend all day every day in meditation). And this is where I recommend you start if you are looking for a little more calm, relaxation, understanding, and happiness in your life.  Start with the breath.

Start cultivating concentration by taking whatever amount of time you have in your day: 30 minutes when you wake up, 10 minutes on your lunchbreak, 5 minutes before bed, and focus your awareness on the breath.  In traditional Vipassana you utilize the nose and the area above the upper lip for focusing on the breath. Don’t count; don’t use words; just notice. This is step one.  After your 5, 10, or 30 minutes are done, take stock of your body and mind.  How do you feel?

Keep this practice and if you are interested in diving deeper where the real results are, find a teacher.  If you have already began to cultivate samadhi through your practice of anapanasati, you will have taken the first step on a journey that may lead you to more peace, more happiness, and more love in your life.

May all beings be happy.

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