Time to say a few words about that vipassana course... It's actually one of the most difficult things I've done in my life. With a few dozens of other students, we remain during 10 full days in the same place, meditating more than 10 hours a day. The first three days, we just remain aware of the touch of the breath in the nostrils, and afterwards in the space above the upper lip and under the nose. Without thinking about anything, and if possible without moving. At the beginning, the brain gets bored. And slowly, hour after hour, it learns to be timeless and thoughtless. This is only the preparing. Then, the actual technique begins. In comparison, it's way more difficult, at least at the beginning. I can't explain exactly what it is, because this would be against the philosophy of this kind of vipassana : one is supposed to do practice first, and then only talk about it. Let's say that there are two purposes : develop awareness and equanimity. Awareness brings attention and concentration, which improves one's faculties in all situations of life, especially at work. Equanimity brings peace of mind, in all situations, even the worst ones (because sometimes one feels like being in a very difficult situation while meditating). The person who created these centers (SN Goenka) pretends that this technique is the original one, the one that the Buddha used to teach, the one who would have transformed Asoka "the cruel" in the most famous Indian emperor in history for the peace he brought in his own empire and even in the neighbor empires. I don't know whether it's true, but I can tell that this technique is very clever, and very powerful. I specially like it because even if there is a whole philosophy explaining how it works, we doesn't have to believe in it at all. We only have to understand the technique properly, and then apply it. Everything is a matter of discovering our own body, our own mind, our own heart, our own consciousness. No need of books to improve our wisdom : everything already is in our body-mind system. We just have to understand who we are. No need of beliefs, no need of priests, no need of gurus, no need of religion. Every one creates his own philosophy. Students are supposed to learn the technique during these 10 days, so that they can apply it on their own, at home. This is a pure gift, no need to pay more to have more. And at the end of the course, every one whatever he feels like giving. It is exactly the kind of teaching and practice I was looking for : something totally free of any preconception and universal. Since I took the course, I've done it every day, as recommended. And hopefully, I'll do so until the end of my life. My relations with others, especially Indian people with whom the communication can be very difficult have amazingly improved. My own mental capacities, and my ability to subdue my mind by controlling processes that used to be automatic, ahev also amazingly improved. I am so grateful to Goenka Ji for having spread this technique ! During the whole course, we are asked not to communicate with any other student, even by eye contact, nor read nor write anything. On the last day though we can talk and share our experiences. The other students were from Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Spain, UK, Slovenia, Russia, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Japan... On the 1st of January, I'll be back in the same center for another 10 days course.
I shouldn't post that one since it's the talks we listen to during the course, and it's against the philosophy of the course to talk about the technique before experiencing it. But it may be useful anyway.
Biography of Goenka, the man who spread this technique from Myanmar, where it had remained for centuries, back in India and then in the entire world. There are vipassana centers everywhere now, due to the global success of the technique.
Another interview of Goenka.
