Recently I stepped away from a 15-year career in the corporate matrix in order to teach more yoga, create more space and hold more grace for deeper exploration of Self.
The first stop on this journey was immersion into a 10-day meditation course at the Northern California Vipassana Center, Dhamma Manda.
Prior to this course, over the last decade I have read many Eastern and Western philosophical texts, countless 'self-help' books and scrolled through thousands of one-line Instagram-able dharmas. But these 10-days of deep meditation took me far beyond intellectual and emotional theory and into the realm of an experiential understanding for what it means to truly bring my mind into presence through the body.
The Vipassana meditation technique was taught by Gautama Buddha…The Enlightened One, and the tradition has been passed down through a lineage of teachers for thousands of years. This particular course I attended was developed by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin and is moderated by certified assistant teachers. There are over 160 of these centers all over the world.
Essentially, the practice guides one beyond just the intellectual understanding of impermanence. By steadying the mind to a highly aware state of equanimous observation, we are able to tap into the most subtle sensations of the body and understand the 'Law of Nature' as anicca (change) at an experiential level.
In other words, Vipassana meditation calms the mind and teaches us to simply observe everything AS IT IS so we can stop reacting out of old toxic patterns of craving and aversion.
Foundational to the course (and ultimately practice in its purest form) is in following a code of discipline which includes noble silence, no phones, no books, and adherence to a set of precepts - no killing, no stealing, no sexual activity, no lies, no intoxicants. This practice of moral conduct is called sīla, which helps to develop samādhi - concentration of the mind, which enables paññā - the wisdom of insight. Students wake up at 4am and sit in mediation for about 11 hours each day.
It was fascinating to witness my thoughts and emotions fluctuate throughout each of the 10 days. Normally these swings get covered up or off-loaded through outlets like conversation, digital distractions, or various other intoxicants. Having to just sit with all my own stuff, become an observer of my mind and watch all these cravings for creature comforts rise and fall was liberating in a whole new way.
Going into the course I tried not to hold any expectations, but I did anticipate being 'hangry' a lot since the only two proper meals were at 6:30am and 11am each day. I was surprised to find that hunger was not much of an issue, and I actually found that my body did quite well with this eating schedule. I've even started to make some adjustments to my daily eating habits since the course.
Physically, the most challenging part of the course was the strain that 11 hours of seated mediation places onto the body. Luckily, I brought a foam roller and hook massager, but I underestimated how sore my body would get especially in those first 3-4 days. And I felt so grateful for my asana practice! Just 15-30 minutes in my room each day was a total game changer. After all, the original purpose of asana practice was effectively to prepare the body for meditation!
To whatever extent it is appropriate for me to 'recommend' a Vipassana course to someone, for those considering a course I would encourage you to answer the call. Since attending Dhamma Manda I have found myself to be more accepting to change and less reactionary; I have been able to feel more present in my body; and my mediation practice has become much more consistent and structured.
Paradox is…that by EMPTYING out all the stuff, I am starting to feel the FULLNESS of my being.