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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 41

hallucinations, or even a process continues to guide the rules to anything else or over-analyze
complete break from reality and regulations. anything. I maintained my Noble
for the meditators. How do we Silence strictly and always looked
ensure such a situation would not What are your suggestions for down when walking. I never
arise in a Vipassanā retreat? someone new who is interested stopped to see the beautiful nature
to embark on a Vipassanā around me. My singular focus was
Vipassanā, as taught by Shri S N meditation course? Perhaps you within, even if it was my struggle
Goenka, in the tradition of Sayagyi can provide a link to your center through the days of hard work.
U Ba Khin is given in courses of providing Vipassana meditation. There were high and low moments,
varying length. One starts with a 10- but I did my best to simply stick to
days course. Then there is 8-days To a new comer, I will share my the instructions of Shri S N Goenka.
Satipatthāna Sutta course for those own approach when I did my first After 10 days, when I was allowed
who have done at least three 10- Vipassanā Meditation course in June to speak to other meditators on
days courses and served in at least 2006. I had heard about vipassanā the Mettā Day, when we practice
one 10-days course. in the year 2002 when a relative loving-kindness, I noticed the
attended his first course. Later, at stillness within me. I learned that it
Then there are long-courses of my workplace I had colleagues who was difficult for me to be impulsive,
20-days, 30-days, 45-days and 60 attended vipassanā meditation whether in anger or in craving or
days. Each such course requires course and I saw drastic change in any other reaction. I realized that
a strict evaluation of meditators their behaviour. I never asked them peace is simply a by-product gained
before they are allowed to sit in the what they do in the course, but when mind is free from impurities
long course. This involves certain simply noted that each time they like cravings and aversions.
number of 10-days & Satipatthāna went for the course, they came back
Sutta courses, strict observation of as better persons and gradually their So whatever you do, follow the
ethical conduct & daily practice of personality was developing into a instructions of Shri S N Goenka, and
2 hours (one hour in the morning skillful one. It developed a faith in the rest will just fall in place.
and one hour in the evening) for 1-2 me that whatever the meditators do
years etc. A hierarchy of Teachers in the Vipassanā Meditation, they New comers can attend their first
approve a meditator’s admission definitely became better persons. course at any of the 250 Centers
to the long course, where they also So when time came, and I felt like of Vipassanā worldwide. They can
check how recently did a meditator reorienting my own personality, I checkout a suitable center and
attend a vipassanā course or served was singularly motivated to join a register here:
one. Declarations with respect to vipassanā course at a center 4 hours
mental and physical health are away from my home. https://www.dhamma.org/en/
also required to be provided in locations/directory
the application form. All these It is when I entered the meditation
conditions are established with hall and sat down to meditate on May all beings be happy & peaceful,
many years of experience to ensure the zero day, that I learned that healthy and liberated.
that a meditator is able to sit in the vipassanā was discovered, practiced
long course successfully. and taught by Lord Buddha. I simply Piyush would like to mention that the
followed the instructions given answers given here are his own and
In addition to this, the almost by Shri S N Goenka and the rest do not represent the views of VRI. EH
2500 strong Teachers’ community followed automatically. During the
meets annually to discuss, amongst 10-days, I struggled through the
other things, the experiences while practice as instructed and never
conducting courses, so the learning for a moment tried to compare