Vipassana: how it works. Vipassana Self Meditation

Hello dear readers!

There are many in the world various kinds meditation. All of them in one way or another contribute to improving the quality of life of the practitioner.

One of these methods is vipassana (vipashyana). 2500 years ago it originated in India. Today you will learn what is the technique of performing vipassana , and what benefits it can bring to a person.

Vipassana in Buddhism

In the collection of Buddhist texts Tripitaka (otherwise it is called the Pali Canon, because all the texts in it are in the Pali language), the Buddha gave the concept of meditation.

The ability to meditate developed in two directions:
to see things as they are - vipassana,
develop calmness, concentration, composure - samatha.

Myanmar in the 19th century was the place where Buddhist monks complemented the existing vipassana methodology with their approach. At present, this technique is associated with the names of the Burmese S.N. Goenka and Mahasi-Sayado.

The first one is the layman. Illness prompted him to turn to his compatriot U Ba Khin, who taught the basics of meditation in his spare time.

The relief this method brought to Goenka was so impressive that he devoted fourteen years to the study of the theory and practice of Vipassana.

Then the teacher empowered him to pass on the basics of vipassana to other people. To do this, Goenka returned to the homeland of this type of practice, to India, and began teaching.

Teaching meditation has always been the lot of monks in Burma. But S.N. Goenka was able to explain the basics of Vipassana very clearly and the results were really significant.

Therefore, some monks of Sri Lanka, India and Burma studied under his guidance. And there are thousands of ordinary people who have passed through his training centers, created in many countries of the world.

Their education is free of charge. Voluntary donations are accepted only from students who, after a ten-day Vipassana course, have experienced real changes in their lives and want to make it possible for others in need.

Followers of Goenka now work in the centers

India,
Russia,
Ukraine,
Belarus,
America,
australia,
Israel
new zealand,
Mongolia,
Taiwan,
thailand,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
Canada,
Africa.

Special meditation courses are offered to those serving sentences in prisons. There are also courses for leaders.

A feature of teaching in the Goenka centers is that religiosity is not put at the forefront here, the student may be an unbeliever.

The second Burmese, Mahasi Sayadaw, was educated in a monastery from the age of twelve. At the age of 37, he became a dhamma teacher. At the same time, Mingun Jetavan Sayadaw taught him to meditate.

Having mastered this practice, Mahasi Sayadaw began to independently teach the basics of Vipassana in his village, then at the Burmese meditation center in Yangon. Later he opened a network of centers in

Burma,
sri lanka,
indonesia,
thailand,

Over 700,000 people have mastered the Vipassana method in them.

The essence of the method

Let's look at what the secret of this practice is. In the time of the Buddha, "passana" meant to look and see in the ordinary way, and "vipassana" meant to see things as they really are, and not as they appear to us.

First of all, the course of study obliges the practitioner to allow his mind to settle down. To do this, you need to make a vow during the practice to refrain from actions and statements that can harm both the student and other people:

killing living beings
theft,
sexual contact,
deceit,
taking substances that cloud the mind,
sensual entertainment and wearing jewelry,
eating in the afternoon,
sleep on a luxurious bed with soft pillows.

After intensive practice, it is enough to adhere to the first five rules, with the third changed to "illegal sexual intercourse", which implies, say, rape or adultery.

The second step is to develop the ability to concentrate on the breath. In this technique, it does not need to be changed in any way: neither delay nor make it deeper.

All you need to do is calmly observe your natural breathing. Focusing on the breath is also good for calming the mind.

The first two steps - to live without transgressing the moral line, and to master your restless mind - are good preparation for the third, main step of this technique.

It consists in developing awareness in oneself through self-observation. You need to watch for:

with your body
emotions and feelings
mind objects

It is necessary to constantly and detachedly ascertain the changes taking place in the body and mind, penetrating deeper and deeper into one's own nature and thus being cleansed of mental pollution.

A person cannot directly purify the mind, however, the ancient sages noticed one feature. Every time any negativity arises in the mind, be it anger, envy, jealousy or some other negative feeling, a corresponding reaction appears on the physical level.

Breathing quickens, pressure rises, hands sweat, examples can be given again and again. Therefore, the mind and the material body are interconnected.

Without being able to observe anger and similar manifestations in the mind, a person with sufficiently developed awareness can notice and prevent their development by bodily manifestations.

The vipassana technique offers a wonderful middle way out of such a situation, as is customary in Buddhism. For example, one should not fall into a rage and not suppress rage in oneself, which will also sooner or later have sad consequences, but simply observe it.

How does the practice work

Using the example of a class in the center of Goenka, we will show how everything happens. For nine days, the practitioner is out of touch with the outside world, he also does not communicate with other participants.

You can only talk with a teacher about meditation. For the first three days, calming the mind is practiced by contemplating one's breath.

Sitting in a comfortable position with eyes closed and with a straight back, listeners observe how the inhalation and exhalation takes place.

According to practitioners' description, it is very difficult to keep the mind in this activity at first. But gradually he learns to go to a single object and not be distracted.

From the fourth day until the end of the class, all the elements of vipassana are gradually introduced, so that the student gets a holistic idea of how to perform it.

Participants impartially observe all the processes taking place in their body, and learn not to react to them, but only to contemplate, without giving judgments.

During meditation, practitioners realize that

it's pretty hard to do,
their true face may differ from what they used to think of themselves,
with immersion in practice, the difficulties disappear, and the method works.

By diligently observing themselves all this time, practitioners stop reacting blindly to situations that arise.

This helps them a lot in their later life after the courses, because the habit of reacting automatically to stimuli leads to suffering. However, this does not mean that Vipassana teaches them inactivity and passivity.

On the contrary, a person acquires the ability in a balanced state to make a reasonable choice in any situation and perform positive actions.

During the course, participants eat vegetarian food.

Benefits of Observation

Observation of certain negative manifestations leads to their gradual weakening, and over time, with regular exercises, to complete disappearance.

Cleansing from mental defilements, in turn, relieves a person from suffering. Buddhists, and Christians, and believers of other religious denominations, and atheists are also subject to suffering, because three roots common to all lead to them:

ignorance,
passionate desire,
hatred.

Vipassana is a universal remedy for this trouble, which suits everyone. It also makes no distinction according to gender or class of society.

Having acquired a calm, pure mind as a result of practice, a person becomes happy and is filled with a desire to help others, while maintaining equanimity and balance.

Along the way, many diseases disappear on the physical level, which are the result of the constant presence of the mind in unhealthy excitement.

Conclusion

If a person has a desire to practice Vipassana at home, it is better to first master it at least in general terms under the guidance of an experienced teacher. And then a safe regular practice at home will really be possible. .

All the best, friends! Let this knowledge help you become happier.

Vipassana, which means "seeing things as they really are" - one of the oldest meditation techniques originated in India. It was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha over 2500 years ago and taught by him as a universal cure for diseases common to all - as the Art of Living.

This non-sectarian technique aims at the complete eradication of the defilements of the mind and, as a result, the highest happiness - complete liberation. Her mission is to save people from suffering. Not just the treatment of diseases, but real healing, the result of addressing the essence of problems.

Vipassana - it is a way of transforming personality through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnectedness of mind and body experienced on personal experience by focusing on the physical sensations that make up the life of the body, constantly interacting with the mind and conditioning its condition. It is this observational self-exploration, the journey to the common origins of mind and body, that removes mental defilements. The result is a balanced mind, full of love and compassion.

The scientific laws that govern his thoughts, feelings, judgments and sensations become clear to a person. Through direct experience comes an understanding of the nature of development and degradation of man, the mechanisms of multiplication of suffering and liberation from them. A person becomes more conscious, gets rid of delusions, gains peace and self-control.

Vipassana is a meditation technique that has made enlightened more people than any other, for vipassana is the essence itself. In all other techniques there is the same essence, but in different forms; they also include something insignificant. But vipassana is pure essence. You cannot take anything away from it and nothing can be added to it.

Vipassana is so simple that even a child can do it. Moreover, the child will succeed better than you, because he is still pure and innocent and not filled with the dregs of the mind.

Three Ways to Do Vipassana

Vipassana can be done in three ways - you can choose the one that suits you best.

The first way: awareness of your actions, your body, mind, heart. When walking, you must walk with awareness. Moving the hand, move it with awareness, firmly knowing that you move your hand. Because you can do it quite unconsciously, like a mechanical device... you are on a morning walk - you can walk without being aware of your legs.

Be alert to your body movements. When you eat, be alert to the movements required to eat. When you take a shower, be alert to the coolness, to the water falling on you, to the great joy that flows out of it - just be alert. This should not happen in an unconscious state.

The same is true for the mind. Whatever thought crosses the screen of your mind, remain a watcher. Whatever emotion passes over the screen of your heart, remain a witness - don't get involved, don't identify, don't judge what is good and what is bad; it should not be part of your meditation.

The second way: breathing, awareness of the breath. When you inhale, your belly rises, and when you exhale, it falls. Therefore, the second way to do vipassana is to be aware of the abdomen: its rise and fall. Just be aware of the belly rising and falling, and the belly is very close to the life sources, because the child is connected to the life of the mother through the navel. Behind the navel is the source of his life. Therefore, as the belly rises and falls, with each inhalation and exhalation, the vital energy, the source of life, rises and falls. This is also not difficult, and perhaps even easier, since it is a separate technique.

In the first way, you have to be aware of the body, be aware of the mind, be aware of your emotions, your mood. Therefore, the first method includes three steps. In the second method, there is only one step: only the stomach - rising and falling, and the result is the same. As you become aware of your belly, the mind becomes silent, the heart calms down, emotions disappear.

The third way: is to be aware of the breath where it enters the body.. Feel it at this point - at the polar point of the abdomen - feel it as it passes through the nostrils. The breath as it enters cools your nostrils. Then it goes out... goes in, goes out.

This is also possible. This is easier for men than for women. A woman is more aware of her belly. Most men do not know how to breathe with their stomachs. Their chest rises and falls because the wrong kind of sport has taken over the world. Of course, if your chest is high and your stomach is almost flat, it gives your body a more beautiful shape.

The man switched to chest breathing, so his chest is getting bigger, and his stomach is shrinking. He thinks it's more athletic.

Everywhere in the world, with the exception of Japan, athletes and their coaches emphasize the need to breathe by expanding the chest and drawing in the stomach. Their ideal is a lion with a large chest and a small belly. "Be like a lion!" - for athletes, gymnasts and everyone who works with the body, it has become the rule.

The only exception is Japan, where they do not care about wide chest and a retracted abdomen. Pulling in the abdomen requires a certain amount of discipline; retraction of the abdomen is unnatural. Japan has chosen the natural way, so the Japanese Buddha statue may surprise you. Thus, you can easily determine whether the statue in front of you is Indian or Japanese. The Indian statues of Gautama Buddha have a quite athletic body: the stomach is very small, and the chest is wide. The Japanese Buddha is completely different: his chest is almost inactive, because he breathes with his stomach, but his stomach is big. It doesn't look very pretty -- because the world's prevailing ideal of a big belly is very old; and yet belly breathing is more natural and more relaxing.

At night, when you sleep, you breathe not with your chest, but with your stomach. That's why you manage to relax at night. In the morning, after sleeping, you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, because all night you breathed naturally ... you were in Japan!

These are two points: if you are afraid that breathing into your belly and carefully watching how it rises and falls will ruin your athletic form… and men can be very preoccupied with their athletic form, then you better focus your attention on the nostrils. The breath comes in, watch; the breath goes out, watch.

Remember: what is simpler is more correct.

When meditation takes root and the mind becomes silent, your ego will disappear. You will remain, but there will be no sense of "I". So the doors are open.

Now with love thirst, with open heart wait for that great moment -- the greatest moment in anyone's life: wait for enlightenment.

It will come... it will certainly come. It never lingers for a single moment. As soon as you tune in to the right wave, it will suddenly burst into you and transform you.

The old man has died, the new has come.

How to sit properly while doing Vipassana

The main thing while sitting is to observe how, at a point just above the navel, inhalation and exhalation raises and lowers the stomach. This is not a concentration technique, so while observing your breath, your attention will be distracted by various extraneous things. But in vipassana nothing can be a hindrance, so when there is any hindrance, stop watching the breath and pay attention to it, and then return to the breath again. A hindrance can be a thought, a feeling, a judgment, a bodily sensation, an impression from the outside world, etc.

The very process of observing is important, but what you observe is no longer so important, and therefore remember: do not identify yourself with everything that comes to you; in questions and problems you can see the sacraments that bring you pleasure!

Vipassana walking

This is the usual slow walking, based on the awareness of the feet touching the ground.

You can walk in a circle or in a straight line, 10-15 steps back and forth, indoors or outdoors. Eyes should be lowered, look at the ground a few steps ahead. While walking, attention should be directed to how each foot in turn touches the ground. If there is any obstruction, switch your attention from your feet to the obstruction and then back to your feet.

The same technique as when sitting, only the object of observation is different. Walk should be 20-30 minutes.

Questions and answers

Why does one want to go to Vipassana?

One of the points related to personal development is that in Vipassana you will encounter your problems, those that you stubbornly tried to turn a blind eye to. The ability to look at yourself from the side helps to get away from certain illusions.

But this is not the main aspect of the practice. Often people cannot believe (at the inner level) that this is not the first time they live on this planet. And that it’s not the first time they live.

But the desire to participate in Vipassana appears for a reason. One way or another, you were drawn and drawn to things related to practice, related to spiritual development. And this attraction did not form in a vacuum. For some reason, your peers were interested in completely different things. And for you - it was practice that was a beacon in this foggy world.

Your task is to get in touch with your deepest essence, with the memories of your own past lives, through immersion inside. Immersion can help you remember yourself when you were a practitioner, remember that you have been on this path for more than one lifetime.

Why is it so important to have a subtle experience?

One of the goals of vipassana is to gain subtle experience, such as the experience of remembering past lives. Why is it so important? Everything you think about now and even what you are doing now, you will forget in a few years or even earlier.

Take a look at your life. And honestly answer the question: what do you remember from what happened five, seven, ten years ago? Most likely, almost nothing.

If you manage to get to the level of subtle experiences, that is, to the level of existence that is not connected with the life of this particular body, to a deeper level, then you will remember this all your life. And at fifty, and at seventy, and at a hundred, if you live to see them, you will remember this experience. And this is extremely important.

This experience will help you determine your life goals, do right choice, find motivation to develop further when it is difficult.

How to find the purpose of your life?

Your yoga goal will become big when you realize that your yoga path is not only about this life. You accumulate experience for thousands and thousands of lifetimes. Vipassana gives you the opportunity to see a certain perspective of your incarnations, and then it will become easier for you to navigate in this current life. You will realize that some of the goals that you pursued, and which seemed important to you, are actually not so significant. And others - those that you considered minor, will turn out to be the very thing for which you came here.

How to leave your loved ones for ten whole days?

When deciding to go to Vipassana, many people worry about their relatives and friends. After all, you need to leave them for ten whole days, and there will not even be an opportunity to call.

Believe me, the best thing you can do for your loved ones is to deal with your karma, because as long as a person has negative karma, he will bring suffering to the world around him, and, first of all, to those who are nearby.

If you deal with your energies, with your problems, it will be a blessing for your loved ones, you will remove from them that karmic burden that you yourself created. Let the opportunity to help those who are dear to you become one of the motives in Vipassana that will help you practice.

Due to what does the mind calm down in Vipassana?

The practice of immersion is based primarily on removing unnecessary stimuli. All things that can disturb or excite you are unacceptable for this event. Five to ten minutes of some "liberties" (for example, viewing several pages in in social networks) will cross out the efforts of several hours, or even days. You will have to climb up again.

In general, it is better to hide all gadgets somewhere far away or put them into airplane mode. For reading, take "paper" books with you, and for determining the time - a watch. They will distract your attention much less. It is better to tune in to the fact that during the "Immersion" you will live the most even and monotonous life, without splashes.

How to relate to the techniques offered at the "Immersion in Silence"?

It is better to practice exactly as the teacher recommends, even if you know other, more powerful and, in your opinion, effective techniques.

You can finish the full eleven classes of the school, or you can finish the first eleven classes, each time running away to a new school, finishing only the first one again and again.

Within ten days you have the opportunity to master a certain technique. Whether it suits you or you don't like it, whether it will bear fruit or not - conclusions about this can only be made at the end of ten days, and provided that you have made efforts to master this particular practice.

When you are going to Vipassana, think about the fact that you yourself have now chosen the “Immersion in Silence” technique for yourself. List the reasons why you did it. This will help you do exactly what the teacher says.

Why is it important to sit with a straight back?

For the first few vipassanas, an important task is to learn to sit with a straight back and dive inward, turning off those thoughts that are. These two aspects are closely related.

A straight back is the key to your progress in practice. Do not slouch, you will very quickly begin to ache under the shoulder blades. Try to open your shoulders and lower them slightly down.

Pay attention to the angle of inclination of the body - if you lean strongly forward, you will be very sleepy; if you lean back, there will be internal excitement, you will be immersed in your thoughts, peace will not be achieved.

Try to find an option when the crown is exactly above the ischial bones. At first, when the hip joints are not yet open, feel free to put props, pillows. It is much more important to plunge into practice, austerities will manifest themselves on their own, come in due measure.

Why do you need to be silent?

There is such a thing as tapas of speech. When you apply austerity to yourself at the level of speech, your speech becomes meaningful and important. Those who have tried to remain silent for a period notice the following effect: they begin to tell something to someone, and they are listened to.

After the end of vipassana, people who have just completed a ten-day practice sometimes start talking a lot at once. But when they have survived this stage, and they no longer want to blurt out, everything that they have accumulated, the next one begins. People start coming to them and asking a lot of questions.

Tapas of speech gives very beautiful and melodious speech. And it can be developed. If you make an effort and take on the austerity of speech, you will simply be listened to.

Listen to the audio recording from the first day of meditation vipassana

Now "circumcised" systems of hatha yoga such as "fit yoga", "yoga fitness", etc. have become popular. Their introduction is justified by the fact that, they say, hatha yoga is very complicated and cumbersome - with all the cleansing practices, pits, niyamas there ... We, they say, will take exercises for health and prevention, and the rest is useless to us. Moreover, the exercises "take" a fitness instructor, aerobics and other similar disciplines, under the onslaught of yoga advancing from Hollywood, who have somewhat lost their positions in the lists of services of fashionable fitness centers and clubs.

The next obligatory "gymnastic" element that should be present in any training program is the so-called twist. a. It is worth noting that in addition to the general developmental effect, this exercise also has a good therapeutic potential.

Asana normalizes blood circulation in hip joints and eliminates minor deformities in the pelvis and hips. It also relieves stiffness in the sacroiliac joints.

Introduction to technology.

Vipassana is one of the oldest meditation methods in India. Lost in antiquity, it was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha over 2500 years ago. Vipassana means "seeing things as they really are": it is a process of self-purification through self-observation. First, we observe natural breathing in order to achieve concentration of the mind. With this heightened awareness, we continue to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experience the universal truth of impermanence, suffering, and egolessness. This attainment of truth through direct experience is the process of purification. This path (Dhamma) is the universal cure for all problems, it has nothing to do with any religion or sect. Therefore, it can be practiced by all - freely, without conflict with race, caste or religion, in any place, at any time, this method will prove equally beneficial for everyone.

What Vipassana is not:
“This is not a ceremony or ritual based on blind faith.
- This is not intellectual or philosophical entertainment.
- This is not a social club or a place of fun.
- This is not an escape from the problems of everyday life.
What is Vipassana:
“This is a technique that can destroy suffering.
- This is the art of life, which allows each person to work effectively for the benefit of society.
- This is a method of cleansing the mind, which makes it possible to calmly and balancedly solve complex life problems.
Vipassana meditation aims at the highest spiritual goal of universal liberation and full enlightenment. The goal is not just to heal physical illness, although, as a by-product of spiritual cleansing, many psychosomatic illnesses can go away. In fact, Vipassana eliminates the three [basic] causes of all misfortunes - craving, aversion and ignorance. Through continuous practice, meditation releases the tensions of everyday life and loosens the knots associated with the old habit of reacting unbalancedly to pleasant and unpleasant events.
Although Vipassana as a technique was developed by the Buddha, not only Buddhists can practice it. People of many religions have experienced the benefits of Vipassana meditation without finding any conflict with their creed. There is no need to adapt anything: the technique is based on the fact that all people have the same problems, and therefore the very technique that can solve these problems is also applicable to everyone.
Vipassana is a meditation technique that has made more people enlightened than any other, for vipassana is the essence itself. In all other techniques there is the same essence, but in different forms; they also include something insignificant. But vipassana is pure essence. You cannot take anything away from it and nothing can be added to it.
Vipassana can be done in three ways - you can choose the one that suits you best.
First way: awareness of your actions, your body, mind, heart. When walking, you must walk with awareness. As you move your hand, move it with awareness, firmly knowing that you are moving your hand. Because you can do it quite unconsciously, like a mechanical device... you are on a morning walk - you can walk without being aware of your legs.
Be alert to your body movements. When you eat, be alert to the movements required to eat. When you take a shower, be alert to the coolness, to the water falling on you, to the great joy that flows out of it - just be alert. This should not happen in an unconscious state.
The same is true for the mind. Whatever thought crosses the screen of your mind, remain a watcher. Whatever emotion passes over the screen of your heart, remain a witness - don't get involved, don't identify, don't judge what is good and what is bad; it should not be part of your meditation.
Second way: breath, breath awareness. When you inhale, your belly rises, and when you exhale, it falls. Therefore, the second way to do vipassana is to be aware of the abdomen: its rise and fall. Just be aware of the belly rising and falling, and the belly is very close to the life sources, because the child is connected to the life of the mother through the navel. Behind the navel is the source of his life. Therefore, as the belly rises and falls, with each inhalation and exhalation, the vital energy, the source of life, rises and falls. This is also not difficult, and perhaps even easier, since it is a separate technique.
In the first way, you have to be aware of the body, be aware of the mind, be aware of your emotions, your mood. Therefore, the first method includes three steps. In the second method, there is only one step: only the stomach - rising and falling, and the result is the same. As you become aware of your belly, the mind becomes silent, the heart calms down, emotions disappear.
Third way: is to be aware of the breath as it enters the body. Feel it at this point - at the polar point of the abdomen - feel it as it passes through the nostrils. The breath as it enters cools your nostrils. Then it goes out... goes in, goes out.
This is also possible. This is easier for men than for women. A woman is more aware of her belly. Most men do not know how to breathe with their stomachs. Their chest rises and falls because the wrong kind of sport has taken over the world. Of course, if your chest is high and your stomach is almost flat, it gives your body a more beautiful shape.
The man switched to chest breathing, so his chest is getting bigger, and his stomach is shrinking. He thinks it's more athletic.
Everywhere in the world, with the exception of Japan, athletes and their coaches emphasize the need to breathe by expanding the chest and drawing in the stomach. Their ideal is a lion with a large chest and a small belly. "Be like a lion!" - for athletes, gymnasts and everyone who works with the body, it has become the rule.
The only exception is Japan, where they don't care about a wide chest and a retracted belly. Pulling in the abdomen requires a certain amount of discipline; retraction of the abdomen is unnatural. Japan has chosen the natural way, so the Japanese Buddha statue may surprise you. Thus, you can easily determine whether the statue in front of you is Indian or Japanese. The Indian statues of Gautama Buddha have a quite athletic body: the stomach is very small, and the chest is wide. The Japanese Buddha is completely different: his chest is almost inactive, because he breathes with his stomach, but his stomach is big. It doesn't look very pretty -- because the world's prevailing ideal of a big belly is very old; and yet belly breathing is more natural and more relaxing.
At night, when you sleep, you breathe not with your chest, but with your stomach. That's why you manage to relax at night. In the morning, after sleeping, you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, because all night you breathed naturally ... you were in Japan!
These are two points: if you are afraid that breathing into your belly and carefully watching how it rises and falls will ruin your athletic form… and men can be very preoccupied with their athletic form, then you better focus your attention on the nostrils. The breath comes in, watch; the breath goes out, watch.

Those are the three ways, any of them will do. If you want to do two ways at once, you can do it, your effort will become more intense. If you want to perform three methods at once, you can do this too, in which case the probability of success will increase even more. It's up to you which way you choose; choose the one that is easier for you.
Remember: what is simpler is more correct.
When meditation takes root and the mind becomes silent, your ego will disappear. You will remain, but there will be no sense of "I". So the doors are open.
Now, with love, with an open heart, wait for this great moment - the greatest moment in anyone's life: wait for enlightenment.
It will come... it will certainly come. It never lingers for a single moment. As soon as you tune in to the right wave, it will suddenly burst into you and transform you.
The old man has died, the new has come.

seat

Find a comfortable position in which you can remain vigilant for 40-60 minutes. The back and head are straightened, the eyes are closed, breathing is normal. Try not to move, change position only if it is really necessary.
The main thing while sitting is to observe how, at a point just above the navel, inhalation and exhalation raises and lowers the stomach. This is not a concentration technique, so while observing your breath, your attention will be distracted by various extraneous things. But in vipassana nothing can be a hindrance, so when there is any hindrance, stop watching the breath and pay attention to it, and then return to the breath again. A hindrance can be a thought, a feeling, a judgment, a bodily sensation, an impression from the outside world, etc.
The very process of observing is important, but what you observe is no longer so important, and therefore remember: do not identify yourself with everything that comes to you; in questions and problems you can see the sacraments that bring you pleasure!

Vipassana walking

This is a normal slow walk based on the awareness of the feet touching the ground. You can walk in a circle or in a straight line, 10-15 steps back and forth, indoors or outdoors. Eyes should be lowered, look at the ground a few steps ahead. While walking, attention should be directed to how each foot in turn touches the ground. If there is any obstruction, switch your attention from your feet to the obstruction and then back to your feet.

The same technique as when sitting, only the object of observation is different. Walk should be 20-30 minutes.

standing. Column of energy.

If you stand still, immediately a certain silence comes to you. Try standing in the corner of your room. Just stand quietly in the corner, doing nothing. Suddenly, the energy within you also stops. When you sit, this is the posture of the thinker; when you stand, the energy flows like a column and is distributed evenly throughout the body, standing is beautiful. Try this, maybe someone will be fine. You can stand for an hour, it's just wonderful. Just standing and doing nothing, not moving, you will find that something has settled in you, quieted down, centered, and you will feel like a column of energy. The body disappears.

Osho talks about the upsurge of energy that people often feel when they start doing Vipassana. In Vipassana it can sometimes happen that the person feels very sensitive because you are so quiet and the energy doesn't dissipate. Usually the main part of the energy is dissipated and you are depleted. When you just sit and do nothing, you become a silent lake of energy, the lake is increasing all the time. It almost comes to the point where it overflows - and then you become sensitive. You feel sensitive, even sexual - as if all the senses have become fresh, rejuvenated, alive; as if the dust was falling off you, you took a bath and cleansed yourself with a shower. That happens. That's why people - especially Buddhist monks who have been doing Vipassana for years - don't eat much. They don't need it. They eat only once a day - and then very meager food and in small quantities; you would call it breakfast at best... and only once a day. They don't sleep much, but they are full of energy. And they are not hermits - they work hard. It's not like they don't work. They chop wood and work in the garden, in the field, on the farm, they work all day long. But something happened to them, and now the energy is not dissipated. And the sitting posture is very good for conserving energy. The lotus position in which Buddhists sit is such that all the limbs of the body meet - a foot on a foot, a hand on a hand. These are the points where energy comes out and flows out, because in order for a leak to occur, something pointed is needed. That is why the male sexual organ is pointed, since it must lose a lot of energy. It's almost like a safety valve. When you have too much energy inside you and you can't do anything with it, you release it sexually. In the sexual act, the woman never releases any energy. So a woman can make love to many people in one night, but a man cannot. A woman can even store energy, if she knows how to do it, she can even receive it. No energy is released from within your head. It was made round by nature. Because the brain never loses any energy, it saves because it is the most important central controller of your body. He must be protected - and he is protected by a round skull. Energy cannot drain from any round object. That's why all the planets - the Earth and the Sun and the Moon and the stars - are all round. Otherwise, they would lose energy and die. When you sit, you become rounded: the hand touches the other hand. Therefore, if one hand releases energy, it gives it to the other hand. The leg touches the other leg, and sitting in this way, you become almost round. Energy moves within you. She doesn't go outside. You keep it, you gradually become a lake. Gradually you will feel that fullness in the abdomen. You may be empty, you may not have eaten, but you may feel a certain fullness. And increased sensitivity. But this is a good sign, a very good sign. Enjoy it.
Vipassana is a Buddhist meditation technique that is now actively spreading all over the world thanks to the activities of S.N. Goenka and his assistants. It is known that the enlightened Buddha personally passed this technique on to his disciples. The technique is simple. We must first follow the breath, and then the sensations in the body. It is easy to explain and even understand what needs to be done.

Vipassana meditation is a Buddhist practice that helps to focus and calm the mind and restore the balance of energies in the body. This is the art of conscious living! Read and watch videos about the techniques, practices and experience of independent Vipassana meditation.

Every person in this world strives to know harmony, happiness and love. Those negative emotions that we experience every day not only affect our mood and events, they also cause various diseases of the body.

It has long been known that in order to meet love, find what you want and attract good luck, you need to raise the vibrations of your soul to the level of love and joy.

When our heart is filled with love, we attract light events, as well as people of the corresponding high vibrations.

It is not difficult to understand this law of correspondence, the most difficult thing is to get rid of the constantly arising negativity and irritation, to fill the heart with love and kindness. Nevertheless, if we feel our negative emotions, understand the reasons for their occurrence, then they will gradually disappear, and the soul will begin to be filled with harmony.

With a meditation course Vipassana many people achieved purification and harmony, and pleasant changes began to occur in life. Vipassana, - which in translation means "to see reality as it is", is one of the most ancient Indian meditation techniques.

Vipassana Teachings Buddha Gautama discovered it more than 2500 thousand years ago and defined it as a universal remedy for all misfortunes and illnesses. Now there are Vipassana meditation centers all over the world.

The Purpose of the Vipassana Technique- complete cleansing of negativity, resulting in a feeling of absolute happiness and freedom. Its goal is not only the treatment of diseases of the body, but also diseases of the soul, getting rid of human suffering.

Vipassana It is a way of changing oneself through self-observation. Meditation is based on exploring the deep connections between body and mind. These connections are revealed by directing attention to sensations. physical body that constantly affect the activity of the mind, and vice versa.

Such self-observation of the root causes of diseases of the mind and body leads to harmony, the soul is filled with love and sympathy.

Whenever negative emotions arise, two things begin to happen on the physical level. First - breathing loses its normal rhythm, and the second, on a more subtle level, a certain biochemical reaction takes place in the body, certain sensations I. Each negative emotion evokes a feeling within. The cause of suffering lies within, in our own reaction-habits.

Vipassana practice techniques and teachers film

Vipassana practice techniques and teachersfilm

With practice, we will be able to be aware of the breath and at the same time our inner sensations without losing the balance of the mind. Then we will stop reacting to irritation out of habit, thereby ending our suffering. The more we practice this technique, the more we will notice how quickly we release negative emotions.

Gradually, the mind is freed from negativity and becomes pure. A pure mind is always filled with love - selfless love for all beings; full of compassion for the failures and sufferings of others; full of joy from their successes and good fortune; full of equanimity in the face of any situation.

The meditation technique is taught continuously. 10 day course, during which the participants, following certain rules, learn the basic methods and practice Vipassana.

There are 3 levels of education.

First step is a period of learning when you abstain from violence, theft, sexual activity, cheating, and liquor. These simple abstinences serve to calm the mind, preparing it for self-observation.

The next step- this is the development of control over thoughts, the study of breathing practices.

By the fourth day the mind becomes calmer, the concentration of attention increases, the person is ready for meditation itself: to observe the sensations in the body, comprehend their causes and develop calmness, the ability not to respond to stimuli.

Finally, on the last day when all participants of the course gather, there is usually a meditation on love and kindness for all people.

Doing vipassana at home

Of course, results come gradually with continuous practice. It is unrealistic to expect all problems to disappear in 10 days. During those 10 days, only the basics of meditation are studied, which can then be applied in everyday life.

Vipassana is when you are silent, meditate

and that makes you healthier.

I shared this delusion until I passed

did not learn to meditate, but did the main thing

discovery in your life.

I came here mainly to satisfy my curiosity. After a course of vipassana, a friend of mine had severe psoriasis. Another friend was cured of ulcerative gastritis. In a word, I knew that miracles happen here. In addition, I have long been seriously interested in Buddhism.

Every morning we sit on the gym floor and do what the teacher's voice says over the speakers. And he says one thing: watch the breath.

On the second day, I realized that I was hopeless. I have never been given meditation: thoughts creep, repeating mantras and drawing deities in the mind does not allow common sense. But here it is impossible! "Just watch the breath, nothing else, it will sharpen your mind."

My mind was just dull and seething. On the third day, I firmly decided to leave. Moreover, the epidemic began. In the morning I noticed that everyone around was coughing and sniffing. “Naturally,” I panicked, “there is almost no heating, common dishes. Yesterday two were ill, today twenty, tomorrow all two hundred.

How to Practice Vipassana

“I think you have started the process.

- But we eat from common dishes and wash them in the same basin! This is unsanitary, not a process!

“The process starts differently for everyone. Someone coughs, another has back pain or gas. But if you continue to work, everything passes. And the employees wash the dishes after you, don't worry.

My panic turned into a monstrous, indomitable runny nose, which cut off the last hope of success. What kind of breath is there when you are shaking and your nose is stuffed up! I started to collect things.

But leaving here is not easy: on the first day we handed over phones and valuables for safekeeping, and you can get them only if Yorgan, the teacher, lets go. And he doesn't let go. Says just keep trying.

I sabotaged and stayed in bed - they came for me and politely asked me to go into the hall. When in the evening I tried to stupidly sit in the toilet, the manager offered to come for the last meditation: a quarter of an hour - and tomorrow I can go. With the ease of a free man, I returned to the hall, calmly and joyfully spent fifteen minutes in ringing silence. And when I got up, I clearly understood that I would regret it if I left.

The next day, a new technique began. With the mind's eye, move through the body from head to toe, observing the sensations that come and go.

This “appear and disappear” is the key. First, it hurts here and there, the legs numb like hell and the back gets tired. But if you do not react emotionally and observe this pain, it dulls and melts. “Watch the sensations objectively,” says the voice from the speakers, “do not judge them, just notice and mentally move on.”

Feedback on the practice of vipasana at home

Turning over my body over and over again, I noticed, firstly, that during practice, the runny nose subsides. Secondly, that I am an ass: there is no epidemic, I am sick alone. But most importantly, at some point it turned out that “subtle vibrations” is not a worn out expression from esoteric brochures, but a real process in my body.

Moreover, over time, a blissful feeling, excuse me, of subtle vibrations covers you entirely and intensifies so that you completely dissolve in them. Like some Pelevin hero, you understand that now you almost do not exist.

And then you need to take the next impossible step - do not get hooked on this sugar sensation. Learning to equally impartially observe unpleasant and pleasant sensations is the main goal of the visit, the idea of Buddhism in general and Vipassana in particular.

From the evening lectures it follows that vipassana is a meditation taught by the Buddha himself. Life is suffering due to the defilements of the mind - attractions and aversions, therefore, in order to be free and happy, one must stop the habitual process of their generation.

“When you stop creating new attachments while experiencing sensations, old complexes rise from the depths of the subconscious,” Yorgan explained to me. - It can manifest itself in the form of pain and heaviness in the body. But if you do not react, they disappear. In this way, you will gradually be freed from everyone.”

By the middle of the course, all this comes to you, as if a puzzle of fantastic simplicity and genius is being put together. One's own body turns out to be not only a complex system of needs and an instrument for satisfying them. Sitting still in silence, observing the changing pain and pleasure, you physically experience the notorious principle of impermanence and emptiness, which you have read about a thousand times, but did not realize.

The essence and harm of yoga vipassana India

Vipassana Yoga Essence India

The bad news is that complete liberation from complexes takes a lifetime, and, as the Buddhists say, more than one. The good thing is that it is easier to breathe already on the fourth day of practice. And not only breathe. A sixty-year-old man who, after three years of vipassana, gave up crutches. A man who has overcome a painful stutter.

The practice helped the Indian millionaire Goenka get rid of a severe migraine and dependence on morphine, with which doctors treated this migraine. Impressed, he began to open centers throughout India and the world, including 15 years ago, Vipassana according to Goenka appeared in Russia.

All these examples of healing, told by the organizers, do not seem to me something supernatural. On the contrary, I understand that the connection between the psyche and "physics", as well as the body's ability to self-heal, can be much deeper than we think. But this is not the main thing.

Yes, there are amazing cases. But we do not focus on them, because vipassana is not for curing diseases,” Yorgan replied sternly when I asked for a couple more stories of miraculous healing.

Indeed, not for this. You understand this when you return to normal life. In which you now get enough sleep in six hours, do twice as much per unit of time, become sensitive at all levels: you get unprecedented pleasure from talking, cycling and sex.

But most importantly, you discover in yourself such an immense calmness, which was never born. And the desire to practice, as expected, every day: an hour in the morning, an hour in the evening.

One evening at a lecture, we were told: "The true method is easy to distinguish: it is so simple that it is easy to explain, and so effective that they want to share with everyone." Here I want to say with all responsibility: the pure truth.

Vipassana meditation is a simple, practical way to achieve true peace of mind. The word "vipassana" means "to see things as they really are." This is a rational method of purifying the mind.

From time to time we all feel disappointment and inner disharmony. Feeling suffering, we do not limit ourselves, but spread it to others, although we understand that this is not very good way behave. We all want to live in harmony with ourselves and with others. After all, humans are social beings, we need to interact with other humans. How to learn to live in the world? How to stay harmonious and maintain peace and harmony around us?

Vipassana allows you to experience and understand what inner harmony is. It purifies the mind, frees it from suffering and removes the deep rooted causes of suffering. Practice leads step by step to the highest spiritual goal - complete liberation from the negative influence of the mind.

History of Vipassana

Vipassana is one of the most ancient forms of meditation. It was rediscovered for a large number of people 2500 years ago by Gautama Buddha. The Buddha discovered that the cause of suffering can actually be erased by knowing one's true nature. This is a radical understanding. This means that our happiness does not depend on the outside world. Vipassana meditation is the essence of what the Buddha practiced and taught during his 45 years of ministry. At the time of the Buddha a large number of people in northern India have been freed from the bondage of suffering by practicing Vipassana. Over time, technology, due to its simplicity and efficiency, spread to neighboring countries: Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand.

Over the next 500 years, Vipassana gradually disappeared from India. The pure teaching of Vipassana has been lost in other countries as well. However, in Myanmar the practice of Vipassana has been preserved by a chain of dedicated teachers. From generation to generation, for two and a half thousand years, this dedicated line has passed on the technique in pristine purity to the present day.

Today, Vipassana meditation is once again popular in India and more than 80 countries thanks to S. N. Goenka. He was commissioned to teach Vipassana by the famous Burmese teacher Sayaji U Ba Khin. Until his death in 1971, Sayagyi was able to see his dream come true. He wanted Vipassana to return to India, the country of origin of this practice, to help the Indian people get out of their many problems.

S.N. Goenka began teaching Vipassana courses in India in 1969. Ten years later, he began teaching meditation in other countries. In his 35 years of teaching, Goenka has taught a large number of ten-day Vipassana courses and trained more than 800 teachers worldwide. Centers for retreats and courses have also been established around the world. The priceless Vipassana diamond, which has been kept for a long time in the small country of Myanmar, can now be found in many places around the Earth. Today, more and more people have the opportunity to learn this art of living, which brings enduring peace and happiness.

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Vipassana technique at home

There is nothing complicated in this meditation, in fact the essence of Vipassana is very simple. Practicing Vipassana means observing and being aware of what is happening in the present moment.

When practicing the Vipassana technique, you simply sit comfortably and breathe normally for a few minutes, without any extra effort. Then you focus on the back and forth movement of your belly as you breathe. This is all that is in your attention. Nothing else is happening in the present moment. Thoughts should be completely focused on the rise and fall of the abdomen, as if you were silently repeating the mantra "inhale - exhale."

When the mind wanders, and this will certainly happen, you silently name the object on which the mind is distracted, in simple words. For example, if you're distracted by a sound, you mentally say "sound." If the thoughts are in the past or in the future, note: "remembering" or "planning." The idea is not to punish yourself for this distraction, but to simply become aware of it and return to watching your belly rise and fall.

You can practice Vipassana on your own, for example, for an hour a day. But it is desirable to bring such awareness into all your actions during the day, as is done in a ten-day training retreat. Be aware of and label each action. “I open the door”, “My dishes” - attention is always present.

The essence of technique is to be fully present in everything you do. We often get distracted and so disconnected from the present moment that we don't see things as they really are.

For example, we usually see washing dishes as an annoying household task. Thus, we put a negative label on dirty dishes and get annoyed at the same time. Instead, Vipassana meditation encourages us to think that this task is not good or bad, it's just "washing the dishes."

No things and events, in fact, are not bad or good. Only our thoughts about them make them good or bad for us. By being aware of these thoughts, you can change your mood and attitude towards happiness and contentment.

What Vipassana Gives: Awareness

To be aware of the present moment, one must be supremely here and now, aware of what is happening in the body and mind at the present moment. At such a moment, you do not remember the past and do not look forward to the future. The previous breath is in the past, the next breath has not happened yet, only the present breath (sound, movement) is real.

But how can we survive in the world by being in the present to this extent? To function in daily life, of course, we must remember and plan. We must evaluate and analyze information. We need to use language and imagination. In this case, we may not be fully aware of the present moment, but we can still increase our awareness of actions and thoughts.

But every day we can set aside a special hour for the development of awareness. During this time, we can let go of all mental processes of any kind. During this period, there is no need to think about yesterday's incident or future business, even about the next breath.

What is often misunderstood is the degree of mindfulness during Vipassana practice. It's much more extreme and accurate than many people think. And this is very different from the awareness that we are capable of in everyday life.

People refer to different things with the words "now" or "now." In a practical sense, we can think of "now" as having degrees.

Imagine that you are looking through a telephoto lens at a forest in the distance. When you zoom in, you can see every leaf on the trees; when you zoom out, the trees become less distinct.

Here we use distance as a metaphor for time. For those who are far from the trees, living in the present can mean living for today without worrying about retirement. For a person who is closer to the trees, living in the present means being aware of every action in the present moment, without even thinking about the next breath. But is this the limit? Not really.

This seems like a limit to us because we haven't systematically trained mindfulness. With developed attention, we can come much closer and find that the "now" opens up to many other levels.

Gradually, it becomes clear to us that previously the lack of attention distorted our perception of external and inner world. As awareness becomes sharper, we can perceive many more details and subtleties that were not noticed before. Until we can clearly recognize the moment when the mind comes into initial contact with reality.

Vipassana: how to practice correctly

To learn Vipassana, you need to complete a ten-day course under the guidance of a qualified teacher. Such a course is often referred to as a retreat. Courses are held in special Vipassana centers and in other places. Throughout the retreat, students must remain on the territory of the center without any connection with the outside world. They refrain from reading and writing and from any other religious and spiritual practices. Also, a mandatory condition for the retreat is to maintain complete silence for all ten days. It is not possible to communicate with other course participants with gestures or glances. You can only ask questions to the teacher or discuss material problems with administrators. During the entire period of study, students live according to a rigid schedule, including up to 10 hours of sitting meditation per day.

The training consists of three steps. First, students practice refraining from activities that cause harm. They follow the five moral precepts, refraining from killing, stealing, lying, losing sexual energy, and using intoxicants. Observance of these precepts allows the mind to calm down enough to proceed with the task at hand.

Secondly, for the first three and a half days, students practice Anapana, breathing meditation. This practice allows you to develop control over the rebellious mind.

These first two stages of sound morality and the development of mind control are necessary and beneficial. But they are not sufficient unless the third step is taken: clearing the mind of negative factors. The third stage lasts the remaining six and a half days and represents the practice of Vipassana - each student penetrates his physical and mental structure with all clarity of awareness.

Students receive systematic instruction in meditation several times a day, and each evening the progress of the day is explained. Complete silence is observed for nine days. On the tenth day, the students begin to talk in order to gradually return to ordinary life. The course ends on the morning of the eleventh day. The retreat closes with the practice of benevolence. It is a meditation technique in which the purity developed during the course is given to all living beings.

Vipassana courses

Vipassana courses are constantly held in specially created centers or other rented places.

In addition to the regular ten-day courses, longer retreats of 20, 30, 45 and 60 days are sometimes offered to experienced practitioners.

According to Vipassana etiquette, this practice should be taught freely to everyone, without any financial restrictions.

Non-sectarian approach

Although Vipassana is part of the Buddha's teachings, it does not contain any religious or sectarian overtones and can be practiced by people of all backgrounds. This simple technique does not call for the help of god, spirit or any other external force, but relies on our own efforts. The Buddha himself taught to follow the dharma, that is, to go your own way, he did not call his followers "Buddhists".

The Vipassana technique works on the basis that all people have the same problems and presents a pragmatic method that can eradicate these problems.

Vipassana courses are open to anyone who sincerely wants to learn the technique, regardless of race, nationality, creed or caste. Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, Christians have successfully practiced Vipassana. The disease is universal, so the cure must also be universal. For example, when we experience anger, it is not Hindu or Christian anger, not Chinese or American anger. In the same way, love and compassion are not the privilege of any one people, they are universal human qualities that are the result of purity of mind.

Modern world environment

Discoveries in the field of science and technology, medicine, transport, communications and agriculture have radically changed human life on a material level. But in fact, this progress is only superficial. Modern people live in conditions of strong emotional and mental stress, even in developed countries.

Problems and conflicts arising from national, racial, religious, ethnic prejudices affect the citizens of any country. Poverty, war, weapons of mass destruction, disease, drug addiction, threat of terrorism, epidemics, destruction environment and the general decline of oral values all cast a shadow over the future of our civilization.

Is there a way out of this situation? Definitely yes. All over the world, changes are evident today. People all over the world are trying to find a method that can bring peace and harmony, restore confidence in the effectiveness of human moral qualities and create freedom from religious, social and economic restrictions. Meditation can be such a method.

Vipassana and social change

The Vipassana technique is the path leading to freedom from all suffering. It eradicates the ignorance that underlies suffering. Those who practice the Vipassana technique gradually reduce the root causes of their suffering and steadily emerge from the darkness of their former tensions to lead happy, healthy, productive lives. There are many examples showing this.

Ongoing research emphasizes that social change must begin with the individual. Social change cannot be brought about by mere preaching. Discipline and virtuous behavior cannot be instilled simply through textbooks. Criminals will not become good citizens for fear of punishment. Neither religious nor ethnic differences can be eliminated by punitive measures. History is replete with such failed attempts.

Key to the solution social problems- every single person. It must be treated with love and compassion. A person must be trained to improve himself through a genuine desire to change, and not through propaganda and exhortations to follow moral principles. He must be taught to explore himself, to initiate a process that can lead to inner change and purification of the mind. This is the only change that will be sustainable.

Vipassana is capable of transforming the human mind and character. This is an opportunity that awaits all who are sincerely willing to make an effort.

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There I show you the fastest and safest way to learn how to meditate from scratch and bring mindfulness into your daily life.

See you later!

Rinat Zinatullin