IS LEARNING TO MEDITATE FOR YOU?
People want to learn to meditate for a variety of reasons so it is useful to have some ideas about what you want to get out of it. There are several types of meditation to choose from and like anything, one size does not fit all.
(If you are only experiencing your first thoughts on meditation, you may want to read some books on meditation before committing to a particular type). Or Google something like "Meditation classes near me" to expand your local knowledge).
The point I am trying to make is that if the first style of meditation you try doesn't suit you, try something else. Release any expectations of the way it 'should' feel or the results you 'should' get. You can learn to meditate if you accept your own unique experience, without worrying about "how to become a buddhist". Or comparing your experiences to others - this is your journey and not anyone else's.
HOW I (AND SEVERAL OTHERS!) LEARNED TO MEDITATE
I had long been aware of the potential benefits that I could gain from meditation. However, for me it was one of those things I always seemed to find ways to put off! I knew I could start with just a minute or two each day but I still never prioritised it.
The fact that I chose to go 'all out' in a ten day silent Vipassana meditation course (with a bunch of people I didn't know) was an interesting new concept to me. My approach to staying fit and healthy is usually about gradual habit change, and is anything but extreme. However I love challenging myself and opening my eyes to new things so here I was!
When I told people that I had been on a ten day silent retreat, the most common comment I heard was "It must have been so hard not to talk for that long!" This was also what I perceived would be the most challenging part before I began.
It turns out the silence was the easy part. Despite all the well-meaning warnings beforehand about no forms of communication being so hard, I found it was quite pleasant! I confess I was slightly anxious when packing away my laptop, phone, journal and books knowing that I couldn't even sneakily pull them out for ten days. But, as with the talking, it turned out these were also things that were easy to give up.
WHY CHOOSE VIPASSANA?
Sitting on my backside hour after hour, day after day - more on this soon, is not my idea of fun. But knowing I would not do a lot more than eat, sleep and meditate for ten days, made me feel I would learn more about myself.
I had a few personal reasons for choosing the Vipassana meditation approach. The most significant one being I was looking for a way to manage the chronic headaches I was experiencing. I knew that some form of meditation could be a missing link in my quest to lead a healthy, balanced life. And most of all... I just love a challenge - physical, mental or otherwise.
The meditation centre near me (well it was at the opposite end of the country, but a good excuse to get away and go somewhere different), was located in Kaukapakapa, north of Auckland, New Zealand. In the final shuttle bus, I spoke to others about what they were hoping to get from the course. One lady had attended before and had previously rid herself of cravings for chocolate. This time she sighed and said she would like to get rid of her attachment to beautiful clothes!
The guy next to me did not know what he wanted - he was just 'curious'. Another girl wanted to transform herself completely - turn into a 'new person' she told me. Another person told me he wanted to learn how to become a Buddhist. So here I was, with an interesting mix of people, all headed to the same place for their own reasons.
VIPASSANA MEDITATION CENTRE, KAUKAPAKAPA, AUCKLAND, NZ
We arrived at the centre, and I immediately appreciated how full of life it was. Over the next ten days I would meet some of the friendliest birds and insects ever. (With the peace and tranquillity in such a place I guess they had no reason to run from us!) I registered my name and confirmed that I had no severe psychological disorders. I was then directed to my room, which I would share with three other women. It's very interesting to live in such close quarters with others but to ignore them completely for ten days! After a group briefing and some final chit chat, the meditation began.
Every day was the same in structure. The 'gong' woke us at 4am. We would meditate from 4:30am-6:30am. Breakfast was from 6:30am-8am - which for me generally meant sleeping from 7-8am. We then meditated from 8-11am with a five minute break at 9am. Lunch was 11am-1pm. This was delicious, natural vegetarian food prepared from scratch, and was my favourite part of the day.
After lunch, we would meditate from 1pm-5pm, with five minute breaks at 2:30pm and 3:30pm. Dinner (this was just a couple of pieces of fruit) was from 5pm-6pm after which we meditated from 6pm-7pm. There was an evening discourse (video lecture - second favourite part of the day) on what we were doing from 7-8pm (we still had to sit on the floor for this). Finally, we meditated one more time from 8-9pm. Lights were out at 9:30pm and this continued for ten days. Oh, and I didn't mention that I was starving from about 7pm-10pm and 4am-6:30am every day!
OBSERVATION NOT VISUALISATION
You might be thinking that meditation is all about going to your 'happy place'. You sit down, or maybe even lie down, close your eyes and visualise a wonderful white light, and then you feel like you're floating on a soft fluffy cloud... or something like that? Not so much with a Vipassana meditation course! It was definitely a far cry from the five minutes of relaxation I enjoy at the end of my Wednesday Pilates class.
Vipassana meditation is all about observation. There is no visualisation. You simply sit, close your eyes, and observe sensations in your body. For the first two or three days you focus only on the breath. Not on breathing a certain way, but just on observing the natural breath, as it is. You observe sensations, good and bad, and train your mind not to react to them. After day three, you move on from focusing only on the nose, to noticing sensations all over the body.
Everyone will feel different sensations. Itching, tingling, tickling, hot, cold, numbness, burning, pain. Pain was the sensation I felt 95% of the time. Pain in my neck, shoulders, back, hips, knees and ankles. I'm a fitness instructor and I should be strong you say. But I'm a fitness instructor with some tight joints that are not used to sitting cross legged on the floor for twelve hours a day. I'm also a fitness instructor who drives a car, and sits in a seat with a back rest every day. Which means my spinal extensors were in no way conditioned to sit and maintain good posture for a few minutes.
DID I MENTION THE PAIN?
There were plenty of cushions available and I made the most of them but they provided little comfort for me after a while. So again, I reiterate that PAIN is what I felt all day every day (minus breaks) for ten days. But the type of sensation felt was irrelevant. The goal was to view these sensations objectively, like they didn't belong to me. I was to remain with an 'equanimous' mind at all times - calm and balanced.
My mind drifted into 'lala land' numerous times over the ten days, and often stayed 'on task' for less than ten seconds at a time. But my attempts to meditate got progressively better. I sat through the 'hour of determination' three times a day without going too crazy. By day three I realized I could sit up straight for more than a few minutes at a time, and on day seven I sat up straight for an entire hour without any major postural adjustments.
By merely observing the sensations in my body I was beginning to sharpen my mind and to free myself from craving and aversion. All the cravings experienced in life arise from the sensations we feel and enjoy. So by maintaining an equanimous mind when the good sensations arose (although there weren't many of them), I was delving deep into my unconscious mind (the part of the mind responsible for feeling sensations) to rid myself of craving. Similarly, by maintaining equanimity when bad sensations arose (because there were so many of them, I like to believe I was going through accelerated training in this area), I was starting to free myself from aversion, or hatred.
ACCEPT THE LAWS OF NATURE
The Vipassana philosophy is centred on the law of impermanence, or the law of nature. This law states that everything is constantly changing. Everything rises, stays for some time, and then passes. The sensations I felt in my body would not be there forever, and I should merely observe them and understand this. Understand that I shouldn't become attached to the good sensations or hate the bad ones - they are all impermanent.
The other central concept to this technique is the recognition that there will always be misery in the world (not in a pessimistic way, but instead a realistic way) and that there are three things that cause all the misery: craving, aversion and ignorance. The first two have been mentioned, and the third I was beginning to combat by bringing awareness to my body. In turn, this would transfer to the real world, where I would be able to deal with life's ups and downs in a more balanced way. Selflessness, giving without expecting something in return, compassion for others, and intrinsic happiness also form an integral part of this philosophy.
IN SUMMARY
This is probably about the time I should stop. I could keep writing... learning to meditate in ten days has that effect. My understanding of the Vipassana technique and the benefits it brings developed throughout the course has only just started. I realise I've had only a small taster and I must continue to practice... as I am a long way from total purification of the mind and the ultimate goal of full enlightenment (note: a fully enlightened person is also known as a "Buddha").
I'm a step in the right direction though. I know that Vipassana can benefit everyone (regardless of their religion or belief systems), when they are ready to take that step, and I certainly got a lot more out of it than I would ever have expected. This technique has even had huge success when implemented in Indian prisons - Vipassana rules are stricter than prison rules, and the inmates come out with a lot less hatred and blame for the outside world.
If Vipassana is not for you but you still want to learn to meditate and figure out how to incorporate it into your lifestyle on a regular basis, then please feel free to reach out to me via elly@naturalbalance.co.nz or one of the social media links on this website. I'd love to help you with your goals.
By Elly McGuinness
Article Source: Learn to Meditate in 10 Days
People want to learn to meditate for a variety of reasons so it is useful to have some ideas about what you want to get out of it. There are several types of meditation to choose from and like anything, one size does not fit all.
(If you are only experiencing your first thoughts on meditation, you may want to read some books on meditation before committing to a particular type). Or Google something like "Meditation classes near me" to expand your local knowledge).
The point I am trying to make is that if the first style of meditation you try doesn't suit you, try something else. Release any expectations of the way it 'should' feel or the results you 'should' get. You can learn to meditate if you accept your own unique experience, without worrying about "how to become a buddhist". Or comparing your experiences to others - this is your journey and not anyone else's.
HOW I (AND SEVERAL OTHERS!) LEARNED TO MEDITATE
I had long been aware of the potential benefits that I could gain from meditation. However, for me it was one of those things I always seemed to find ways to put off! I knew I could start with just a minute or two each day but I still never prioritised it.
The fact that I chose to go 'all out' in a ten day silent Vipassana meditation course (with a bunch of people I didn't know) was an interesting new concept to me. My approach to staying fit and healthy is usually about gradual habit change, and is anything but extreme. However I love challenging myself and opening my eyes to new things so here I was!
When I told people that I had been on a ten day silent retreat, the most common comment I heard was "It must have been so hard not to talk for that long!" This was also what I perceived would be the most challenging part before I began.
It turns out the silence was the easy part. Despite all the well-meaning warnings beforehand about no forms of communication being so hard, I found it was quite pleasant! I confess I was slightly anxious when packing away my laptop, phone, journal and books knowing that I couldn't even sneakily pull them out for ten days. But, as with the talking, it turned out these were also things that were easy to give up.
WHY CHOOSE VIPASSANA?
Sitting on my backside hour after hour, day after day - more on this soon, is not my idea of fun. But knowing I would not do a lot more than eat, sleep and meditate for ten days, made me feel I would learn more about myself.
I had a few personal reasons for choosing the Vipassana meditation approach. The most significant one being I was looking for a way to manage the chronic headaches I was experiencing. I knew that some form of meditation could be a missing link in my quest to lead a healthy, balanced life. And most of all... I just love a challenge - physical, mental or otherwise.
The meditation centre near me (well it was at the opposite end of the country, but a good excuse to get away and go somewhere different), was located in Kaukapakapa, north of Auckland, New Zealand. In the final shuttle bus, I spoke to others about what they were hoping to get from the course. One lady had attended before and had previously rid herself of cravings for chocolate. This time she sighed and said she would like to get rid of her attachment to beautiful clothes!
The guy next to me did not know what he wanted - he was just 'curious'. Another girl wanted to transform herself completely - turn into a 'new person' she told me. Another person told me he wanted to learn how to become a Buddhist. So here I was, with an interesting mix of people, all headed to the same place for their own reasons.
VIPASSANA MEDITATION CENTRE, KAUKAPAKAPA, AUCKLAND, NZ
We arrived at the centre, and I immediately appreciated how full of life it was. Over the next ten days I would meet some of the friendliest birds and insects ever. (With the peace and tranquillity in such a place I guess they had no reason to run from us!) I registered my name and confirmed that I had no severe psychological disorders. I was then directed to my room, which I would share with three other women. It's very interesting to live in such close quarters with others but to ignore them completely for ten days! After a group briefing and some final chit chat, the meditation began.
Every day was the same in structure. The 'gong' woke us at 4am. We would meditate from 4:30am-6:30am. Breakfast was from 6:30am-8am - which for me generally meant sleeping from 7-8am. We then meditated from 8-11am with a five minute break at 9am. Lunch was 11am-1pm. This was delicious, natural vegetarian food prepared from scratch, and was my favourite part of the day.
After lunch, we would meditate from 1pm-5pm, with five minute breaks at 2:30pm and 3:30pm. Dinner (this was just a couple of pieces of fruit) was from 5pm-6pm after which we meditated from 6pm-7pm. There was an evening discourse (video lecture - second favourite part of the day) on what we were doing from 7-8pm (we still had to sit on the floor for this). Finally, we meditated one more time from 8-9pm. Lights were out at 9:30pm and this continued for ten days. Oh, and I didn't mention that I was starving from about 7pm-10pm and 4am-6:30am every day!
OBSERVATION NOT VISUALISATION
You might be thinking that meditation is all about going to your 'happy place'. You sit down, or maybe even lie down, close your eyes and visualise a wonderful white light, and then you feel like you're floating on a soft fluffy cloud... or something like that? Not so much with a Vipassana meditation course! It was definitely a far cry from the five minutes of relaxation I enjoy at the end of my Wednesday Pilates class.
Vipassana meditation is all about observation. There is no visualisation. You simply sit, close your eyes, and observe sensations in your body. For the first two or three days you focus only on the breath. Not on breathing a certain way, but just on observing the natural breath, as it is. You observe sensations, good and bad, and train your mind not to react to them. After day three, you move on from focusing only on the nose, to noticing sensations all over the body.
Everyone will feel different sensations. Itching, tingling, tickling, hot, cold, numbness, burning, pain. Pain was the sensation I felt 95% of the time. Pain in my neck, shoulders, back, hips, knees and ankles. I'm a fitness instructor and I should be strong you say. But I'm a fitness instructor with some tight joints that are not used to sitting cross legged on the floor for twelve hours a day. I'm also a fitness instructor who drives a car, and sits in a seat with a back rest every day. Which means my spinal extensors were in no way conditioned to sit and maintain good posture for a few minutes.
DID I MENTION THE PAIN?
There were plenty of cushions available and I made the most of them but they provided little comfort for me after a while. So again, I reiterate that PAIN is what I felt all day every day (minus breaks) for ten days. But the type of sensation felt was irrelevant. The goal was to view these sensations objectively, like they didn't belong to me. I was to remain with an 'equanimous' mind at all times - calm and balanced.
My mind drifted into 'lala land' numerous times over the ten days, and often stayed 'on task' for less than ten seconds at a time. But my attempts to meditate got progressively better. I sat through the 'hour of determination' three times a day without going too crazy. By day three I realized I could sit up straight for more than a few minutes at a time, and on day seven I sat up straight for an entire hour without any major postural adjustments.
By merely observing the sensations in my body I was beginning to sharpen my mind and to free myself from craving and aversion. All the cravings experienced in life arise from the sensations we feel and enjoy. So by maintaining an equanimous mind when the good sensations arose (although there weren't many of them), I was delving deep into my unconscious mind (the part of the mind responsible for feeling sensations) to rid myself of craving. Similarly, by maintaining equanimity when bad sensations arose (because there were so many of them, I like to believe I was going through accelerated training in this area), I was starting to free myself from aversion, or hatred.
ACCEPT THE LAWS OF NATURE
The Vipassana philosophy is centred on the law of impermanence, or the law of nature. This law states that everything is constantly changing. Everything rises, stays for some time, and then passes. The sensations I felt in my body would not be there forever, and I should merely observe them and understand this. Understand that I shouldn't become attached to the good sensations or hate the bad ones - they are all impermanent.
The other central concept to this technique is the recognition that there will always be misery in the world (not in a pessimistic way, but instead a realistic way) and that there are three things that cause all the misery: craving, aversion and ignorance. The first two have been mentioned, and the third I was beginning to combat by bringing awareness to my body. In turn, this would transfer to the real world, where I would be able to deal with life's ups and downs in a more balanced way. Selflessness, giving without expecting something in return, compassion for others, and intrinsic happiness also form an integral part of this philosophy.
IN SUMMARY
This is probably about the time I should stop. I could keep writing... learning to meditate in ten days has that effect. My understanding of the Vipassana technique and the benefits it brings developed throughout the course has only just started. I realise I've had only a small taster and I must continue to practice... as I am a long way from total purification of the mind and the ultimate goal of full enlightenment (note: a fully enlightened person is also known as a "Buddha").
I'm a step in the right direction though. I know that Vipassana can benefit everyone (regardless of their religion or belief systems), when they are ready to take that step, and I certainly got a lot more out of it than I would ever have expected. This technique has even had huge success when implemented in Indian prisons - Vipassana rules are stricter than prison rules, and the inmates come out with a lot less hatred and blame for the outside world.
If Vipassana is not for you but you still want to learn to meditate and figure out how to incorporate it into your lifestyle on a regular basis, then please feel free to reach out to me via elly@naturalbalance.co.nz or one of the social media links on this website. I'd love to help you with your goals.
By Elly McGuinness
Article Source: Learn to Meditate in 10 Days
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