Vipassana

Vipassana is a type of Buddhist meditation that aims to strengthen mental focus and ultimately develop perfect equanimity to everything. Since nothing lasts, getting attached to something – whether it’s a person, an object or a thought – can only bring suffering, because sooner or later it will pass.

I attended a Vipassana retreat in Sutton from July 2 to 11. It was soooo tough! We sat for 12 hours a day on cushions, with legs crossed, and tried to practise the Vipassana technique. What a ride. First there is a lot of physical pain from having no back rest and from sitting with legs crossed for so long. And then there is the constant mental activity, the noise of thoughts that makes it so difficult to focus on a mental exercise for more than a few seconds…

These retreats are silent and designed to put us face to face with ourselves. All distractions are forbidden: exercise, reading, writing, talking (and all forms of communication with others), listening to music, email, etc. There is no escape from ourselves, we have to sit with our minds, and it’s not easy! My mind was constantly resisting, telling me this is too hard, too painful, not a good technique, etc.

So what did I get out of the experience, other than the pride of making it out with both legs intact? A few things, but maybe most importantly a way of dealing with my thoughts, emotions and desires. In meditation, you become aware that nothing lasts, each breath and thought comes and goes. Thoughts come and go, painful and pleasant sensations come and go. It’s good to just sit back and observe. Take an itch, for example. Instead of scratching, watch the itch increase in intensity and then diminish and finally vanish. I've been observing my thoughts and emotions more. If you’re angry, you can express it or suppress it, but the Buddhist way is to observe your anger like you’d watch a wave: it rises and subsides and then it’s gone. The problem with suppressing anger is that it eventually boils over and makes a mess, not to mention the disconnection with ourselves that happens when we don't acknowledge our own emotions; the problem with expression is it feeds immediate gratification and ultimately cuts into us, although it’s aimed outwardly. Observing is a full acknowledgement of emotion and of its temporary nature. It brings you closer to yourself.

I’ll probably have more to add later, but this is what I’m thinking right now.