I’d like to emphasize that everyone will have a different experience with this meditation… what I am going to write is purely subjective… the feeling I got is only mine & if one day, you have the chance to participate in this meditation… the sensations you’ll get will be your own. Never try to reproduce what someone else felt without feeling yourself & understanding why you are doing it…
I’ve never meditated before…
The secret…? Comprehension, rigor, determination, concentration, Love…
The “Noble Silence”… you should not communicate during 10 days, no contact, just be with yourself… only you & your inner self…
If I took 10 days of my Life to experience this meditation & understand what it is, I have to do it wholeheartedly! Since the first day, I wanted to be strict with myself & listened carefully to what was said & done…
It’s only this way that I understood the meaning of Meditation & learnt about myself… deep inside of me…
Meditate, experience, feel…
This technique is not magic, it only relies on the “true” & “real” sensations that you feel all along this adventure… The Vipassana meditation simply focuses on the observation of your breath (inhalation/exhalation) & body sensations…what is really true is that you experience & you feel all that is said by yourself…it’s not only words but also the practical application…then you are convinced… because you lived it…
The use of this technique enables you to understand your everyday acts. “I act like this mechanically, everyday” is totally different from “I understand why I act like this everyday”…
We often say : “yes, I know, I have to do this or that…” & you repeat it to yourself so much that you persuade yourself & finally, you have the impression that what you’re doing is right… without really observing, analysing your reactions, your feelings…
This is what you learn here at Vipassana… to observe & act according to it… you “become aware” of your acts, you feel all sensations on your body & stay neutral towards these sensations…
You learn to react with your inner being & not anymore with the external… You will understand that you don’t have the control on all the external things but the only control you have is towards your “inner You”… For example, when you feel angry, most of the time, you lose control… you are not able to observe yourself because the anger is here… Your heart beats faster, you boil from inside, you’re in rage against this person, this situation… & you act without control… External situations take the control over you, you react straight away… Thanks to this technique, you learn to observe yourself before reacting… You feel, you are aware that the anger is coming, that you begin to tremble, to feel hot… but you learn to analyse then you have the ability to step back & not to fight back immediately… Yes, this is it… To be “You” but to have the ability to observe yourself as if you were another person who was watching “you”…
WHAT I'VE LEARNT
During my different meditations there, I felt sensations from the worst to the best… I won’t dwell upon those sensations because they’re one’s own… & I think that the most important is what you get from them, the effects…
I understood that all things appear & disappear… the path of Life is nothing but appearing and disappearing… pain becomes pleasure, pleasure becomes pain, hate becomes love, love becomes hate, sorrow becomes happiness, happiness becomes sorrow… you live, you die, you have your ups and your downs, you’re on the top, you’re weak… Of course, you know all these things… but the hardest part is “to understand” them… To know without understanding, without feeling is useless… as soon as you understand that everything appears and disappears then you become aware & you can DO it (without any efforts)…& you feel lighter… you free yourself…
Equanimity… ! Stay equal towards a feeling, good or bad… always remind yourself that this sensation will disappear… it can be a delicious sensation or a strong pain… never desire for this great sensation to remain… & at the same time, don’t feel aversion against this physical or mental suffering, don’t want it to disappear… Only observe & stay neutral… You can’t control the sensations you will feel & when they will appear… but when it occurs, you have the control… & it’s only this way that you understand & the sensations will become stronger… & at the end, you will become one with all the things around you… you’re not anymore… & you are everything at the same time… the energy of your own being is in perfect harmony with your environment… & you feel… good… simply good…
I learnt to « drink », to « eat »… to feel any act… I learnt how to drink a hot tea… Close your eyes, put your lips on the cup, feel the glass touch your lips, feel the warm & soft steam air going from your lips to your nose… & slowly the warm water penetrates in your mouth… & slowly swallow the water & feel this warmth going down from your throat to your stomach…yes… indeed… I learnt to drink a tea… & it was the same for eating… taste, feel, inhale and thrill when the food touches your tongue… a taste you never pay attention to… a tasting pleasure unknown for a tomato, a courgette, a sauce, an orange… Have you ever peeled an orange…? This pretty sound of the skin when you peel it… lit’ crack crack… a lit’ bit of juice squirting sometimes… & this unique smelling… which soaks into your hands…
I also got the answers of my questions… You don’t ask anything… but they all come by themselves… Questions that go through your mind, questions that seem innocent but which finally tell apart… What I found amazing in Life is when you engage a process, the rest appears naturally, simply… it’s like a plant that burgeons, then blossoms & wilts… it’s the wheel of Life… There, you meditate, you think, you feel, you listen… Answers were just here, in front of you…but you just didn’t want to see them… & like an indubitable truth…answers appears…because they were always here…
Finally, according to me, what is meditation ?
Meditate is to know how to listen to your body & spirit… To become aware of not only what you are but also of your environment… To know how to meditate is to be able to put yourself on the same frequency with all that are around you… to be such in harmony with yourself that you will become one with Nature, with any creatures, any things… to feel good… anytime…& to feel serene anywhere…
Perfect conditions to meditate
What is awesome is that all the conditions are put together so that you can meditate without thinking of anything else than meditate. The lessons are free & you have nothing to do, volunteers are here to cook, to sweep, to clean, to wake you up in the morning etc… Isn’t that great to engage yourself wholeheartedly when all the conditions are brought together? How could you not appreciate?
& then, when you have yourself experienced this, you can give of your own time to help in return so that other persons will have the chance to meditate in as good conditions as you got…
Daily schedule 04h00 Wake up time 04h30-06h30 Meditation alone in your room or in group 06h30-08h00 Breakfast & rest 08h00-09h00 Meditation in group 09h00-11h00 Meditation alone in your room or in group 11h00-13h00 Lunch & rest 13h00-14h30 Meditation alone in your room or in group 14h30-15h30 Meditation in group 15h30-17h00 Meditation alone in your room or in group 17h00-18h00 Snack & rest 18h00-19h15 Meditation in group 19h15-21h/21h30 Speech
To be ready… to discover your true self…
Many persons whom I discussed with told me that they are not patient enough, that they cannot do it… Que nenni ! Everybody can do it ! It’s just a question of being ready or not… I heard about this meditation last year… but it was not the good time… you only need to feel it… otherwise you won’t take great care & it doesn’t worth it…
But the sooner the best…!
Of course, what I learnt & understood, I would probably understood them one day or another… but when…? There, I spent 10 days of my Life & I walked a huge step towards the Dhamma path (the Liberation path)… the path of Love…
In 10 days, you drive yourself away & you re-discover your own person…you don’t do it for someone else but for yourself… & you feel better…
You are able to detach yourself from things & you learn to Love even more…
You become aware of your own deeps… a lot of things happen & you don’t even have a clue of that… & this meditation gives you the opportunity to bring your “secrets” to light… your own secrets… that are hidden… & you will see clearer… you will purify & clarify your thoughts…!
I wish you’ll have the chance to participate to this meditation… because finally, what is most important that knowing yourself & thanks to this, being able of not suffering, to be happy, live Life when it comes out, Live simply & to make all the people around you profit of the serenity you have…! When you give a smile to someone or when you receive one… what a great sensation…! & even if a person would upset you, understand that this person is ignorant & never feel any hate against him or her… Good vibrations, positive energy, Compassion, & Love…! I do adore !!!
Information
Vipassana meditation was born in India & Buddha (the enlighten one) has found this way to meditate…
This meditation is open to anyone, of all nationalities, of all religions…
10 days of meditation are free & donations from the students (if you already have finished 10 days-meditation) allow the association to keep on going. Or else, if you are an old student, you could also give of your time by being a volunteer & help new students to meditate in good conditions.
Website : http://www.dhamma.org/en/ Code of discipline : http://www.dhamma.org/en/code.shtml The Art of Living : http://www.dhamma.org/en/art.shtml Where in the world : http://www.dhamma.org/en/alphalist.shtml
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