Vipassana- a journey inwards
From the day a human being is born and opens his eyes, his focus is outwards. The cause for all human miseries and limitations in life is because one is always looking outwards and blames the environment or people around and hence lose their peace of mind. One hopes and expects that the situation outside should change to reduce ones agitation within and move towards peace. But this is an impossible task. If one situation changes another situation may arrive. If one person who has been causing agitation in my mind goes away, another person may arrive.
Only by developing an inward vision can one realize that no one else, but one’s own mind is responsible for all the miseries and limitations in his/her life. Every time we react, we not only develop negativity within us but also create an atmosphere of negativity around us, which in turn causes misery for others. The more we react, the more deep rooted our negativity becomes. Even when one realizes this, it becomes very difficult to come out of some of the habit patterns that the mind has created over time.
Our thoughts, emotions and impressions are like colored glasses. For example, if one looks at the world through a red colored glass, without realizing that one is wearing the glass, one will believe that everything around is red. No matter what anybody else says, one will not believe them. Only when the glass is removed will one be able to see the truth, the reality. If one has a lot of anger, insecurity, fear in them because of various experiences in their lives, even the smallest disturbance outside can cause agitation within. The only way to get out of this habit pattern that the mind has got into is to stop being a slave to our mind, get control over it and remove these impurities within.There have been many methods professed by great sages in the past to help mankind come out of the habit patterns of the mind.
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha more than 2500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy to overcome miseries and impurities to reach higher happiness. The Vipassana technique was revived in India by S.N. Goenka (a gujrati by birth but brought up in Burma), in 1969 and since then there are about 96 centres in India and about 100 centres around the world providing relief to thousands of people.
The technique helps one to get control over one’s mind and remove the impurities of the mind to be able to see the truth and reality. It is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants have to follow some code of discipline, learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results.
There are three steps to the training.
The first step is, for the period of the course, to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual activity, speaking falsely, and intoxicants. This simple code of moral conduct serves to calm the mind, which otherwise would be too agitated to perform the task of self-observation. The next step is to develop some mastery over the mind by learning to fix one's attention on the natural reality of the ever changing flow of breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils.
By the fourth day the mind is calmer and more focused, better able to undertake the practice of Vipassana itself: observing sensations throughout the body, understanding their nature, and developing a neutral and equanimous mind by learning not to react to them. Finally, on the last full day participants learn the meditation of loving kindness or goodwill towards all, in which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings.
The results are gradual through continuous and sincere practice even after the course. The entire practice is actually a mental training. Just as we use physical exercises to improve our bodily health, Vipassana can be used to develop a healthy mind.
During the entire period of the course one is expected to practice noble silence. Clean rooms are provided on a twin sharing basis and vegetarian food is provided for breakfast and lunch and some light snacks in the evening.
Having experienced this course myself, the scientific approach, the discourse and the environment definitely brings about the beginning of change within, which when practiced in our day to day world is sure to show benefits of better control over one’s mind, reduced stress resulting in increased productivity, sharpness and increased focus and last but not the least a path towards true happiness and liberation.
- by Arthi Krishna
Arthi works as an teacher at Prakriya Green wisdom school. She also conducts Balavihar classes for children to live consciously and sensitively to the the world oustide and within them. A nature lover, she believes that every small difference made within each one will pave the path to bring about change. It is her constant endeavor to find ways to live in accordance with the law of nature.