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One of the best ways to learn advanced level meditation is to travel to a vipassana meditation camp. They usually hold sessions lasting over 10 days where you a

One of the best ways to learn advanced level meditation is to travel to a vipassana meditation camp. They usually hold sessions lasting over 10 days where you are not allowed to have any outside contact with the world. It is also conducted by trained Buddhist monks. You'll easily find multiple reviews for this course on the internet ( just google 'vipassana meditation' ) and it's one of the best crash courses that you can attend. They charge no fees and you are free to leave at any point in time. I've been meditating since I was 14. My father used to forcibly take me to a vihar(a Buddhist temple) every weekend for meditation sessions back then. Meditation is great for when you want to calm your mind. Just the act of observing your thoughts for a small period of time gives you a lot of insight on how your mind is working. EDIT: This is probably not for meditation beginners based on comments but for people who want to explore advanced meditation techniques. They accept pretty much everyone though.

hedgew 8y ago
No. This is dangerous advice. An intensive, torturous retreat away from friends and familiar places is one of the worst ways to start meditating. https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+psychosis https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+psychosis
- me551ah 8y ago
  And it's not torturous at all, I and multiple friends have attended it. My 60 year old parents have attended it. They charge no fees, in fact you can only donate(optional and they won't even ask) if you have completed the entire course. You are free to leave at any point of time, no questions asked. Vipassana meditation is a powerful technique though. They clearly mention on their website asking people to stay away in case they have any latent mental illnesses. Though the number of positive experiences does outnumber the negative ones ( https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+positive https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+positive ). I've seen people cry after a meditation session because it helped them release energy inside them which they didn't know was stored.
  - ak39 8y ago
    Allow me please to ingratiate myself with pity. I know exactly what sort of (negative) energy I have pent up in me. Resentment. I get triggered for being short-changed a penny just as much as being robbed of of hundreds. I boil to illogic, stammering incoherence when I see injustice against my fellow helpless. I foam at the mouth with silent trembling rage when after borrowing money to put food on the table I see the corrupt fat cats get away without paying for crimes of fraud, of tax evasion and unfair commerce. I spin in dizzying bitterness when my honest work, my products, my services are overlooked for incompetent, more expensive and even non-existent alternative deals done with buddies and the small-time mafia-wannabe (rigged tenders). I am maddened with incipient indignation when I find out that my seemingly legitimate medical insurance claim was denied on a technicality in the small print. I jump at the chance to chastise anyone over zealously, anyone who's nursing the erroneous thought we live in a meritocracy. I am resentful. That's my pent up energy, right there. I have tried meditation. Believe me. I've read over the years through a calm eye and an at-ease mind the Buddhist teachings of compassion. And I think it is all a lie. You cannot sell compassion to the poor. To the strugglers. To the down-trodden. To the have-nots. That would be Jesus and his religion all over again.
    - visarga 8y ago
      I agree with you. Maybe what you need is to accept that other people will often be jerks when they can. It's like bad weather - you suffer the consequences but you can't change it. So why be resentful at something that is like the weather? That's what I am telling myself, to keep calm.
- Mo3 8y ago
  Can confirm from personal experience. Even a lot of vipassana meditation by itself can send you into psychotic states when you're not ready for all the insight yet. I came very close to psychosis once, experienced ego death, broke down mentally and had to spend 2 months in a depression ward. Cannot recommend.
  - gf263 8y ago
    Dark night of the soul? How long had you been meditating? Was it with a teacher?
  - me551ah 8y ago
    'ego death' can be really scary at first. There is an entire article in wikipedia about it ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ) and how to integrate such experiences.
    - hi5eyes 8y ago
      ego death and the resulting occurrences of depersonalization and lack of training/experienced people to help deal with the trauma is dangerous
- cloistered 8y ago
  I attended a 10 day course earlier this year. Before I went, I had read these stories, and admittedly, I was afraid I'd, at the very least, be terrified by what came up in my mind. But that's not what happened. Following their simple instructions, my mind became quieter, calmer, and sharper. I had more control over my fear response. It ended up being a great experience, and I'd recommend anyone interested in one of these courses to go for it. I was also concerned about the environment. I was thousands of miles away from anyone I knew in a strange place and different country. We were asked to hand over our phones, reading material, journals. We were asked not to speak to anyone and to avoid any form of communication. But this was all to benefit our meditation. We were given a space for several days to really focus on ourselves without external distractions. The day our silence was lifted, you really got to experience just how much talking to another person can disturb/distract your mind.
- hi5eyes 8y ago
  looking through the links and experience from forum posters is scary, vipassana and similarly intense experiences like high dose psychedelic induced ego death can have similar results. the minds of mindfulness beginners when in next level introspection are scary
- taysic 8y ago
  There are also 1 day / 2 day / 5 day meditation retreats for those who are looking for something less intense. Still can be great experiences. I once did a 4 day retreat but left after the 3rd day because I felt good and like I got my dose of whatever I needed. I would say aim for consistency rather than intensity. Another thing to note is you might need to account for integration time after the retreat.
enraged_camel 8y ago
Um, a 10 day retreat where you are cut off from the outside world is definitely not a good way to begin meditation. I mean you're basically advising a beginner hiker to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It's grossly irresponsible advice.
- me551ah 8y ago
  I've had multiple friends who were first-timers who have taken this course and all of them have given me positive reviews. Unlike the mount analogy, you can leave the meditation camp at any point of time. It's completely free, so you pay nothing and they only accept donations ( completely optional) from people who finish the full 10 day course.
  - kashyapc 8y ago
    Still. Your friends are not a representative audience, when speaking on a global internet forum. Even though "you can leave at any point", Vipassana, for all its benefits, is absolutely not recommended for first timers! Please refrain from generalising irresponsibly.
    - me551ah 8y ago
      I agree :). I've already changed my first post to say that it is meant for advanced meditators.
      - kashyapc 8y ago
        Consider putting the "edit" at the top of your first comment---noting it upfront is important, IMHO.
        me551ah 8y ago
        This is what the first line says 'One of the best ways to learn advanced level meditation' btw
- 8y ago
abyssin 8y ago
Vipassana is advertised as a scientific method but I discovered it has more to do with a sect. I left after five days. I'm sure there's a lot to be gained from meditation, but I don't trust this organisation.
- checker659 8y ago
  > has more to do with a sect Could you elaborate?
  - burke 8y ago
    Probably talking about the Goenka retreats. For what it’s worth, despite their implication, they don’t really have a monopoly on the technique.
  - ak39 8y ago
    I took it to mean that it’s more akin to organized religion than it is to the isolated idea of meditation and its benefits. I could be wrong.
blondin 8y ago
my curiosity in college led me to discover vipassana meditation. (which btw is just a technique of meditation, my understanding is that there are many of them...) it was a series of audio, 5 to 10 mins each. mediation did a great deal for me back in college. and no one was supposed to go anywhere for 10 days. curious how vipassana has turned out today so that people are comparing them to a sect... the audio i listened to was by a guy called Jack Kornfield. pretty sure youtube would have them.
- collyw 8y ago
  Sounds like a strong ego fearing its own loss of importance.

hedgew 8y ago

No. This is dangerous advice. An intensive, torturous retreat away from friends and familiar places is one of the worst ways to start meditating. https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+psychosis https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+psychosis

me551ah 8y ago
And it's not torturous at all, I and multiple friends have attended it. My 60 year old parents have attended it. They charge no fees, in fact you can only donate(optional and they won't even ask) if you have completed the entire course. You are free to leave at any point of time, no questions asked. Vipassana meditation is a powerful technique though. They clearly mention on their website asking people to stay away in case they have any latent mental illnesses. Though the number of positive experiences does outnumber the negative ones ( https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+positive https://www.google.com/search?q=vipassana+positive ). I've seen people cry after a meditation session because it helped them release energy inside them which they didn't know was stored.
- ak39 8y ago
  Allow me please to ingratiate myself with pity. I know exactly what sort of (negative) energy I have pent up in me. Resentment. I get triggered for being short-changed a penny just as much as being robbed of of hundreds. I boil to illogic, stammering incoherence when I see injustice against my fellow helpless. I foam at the mouth with silent trembling rage when after borrowing money to put food on the table I see the corrupt fat cats get away without paying for crimes of fraud, of tax evasion and unfair commerce. I spin in dizzying bitterness when my honest work, my products, my services are overlooked for incompetent, more expensive and even non-existent alternative deals done with buddies and the small-time mafia-wannabe (rigged tenders). I am maddened with incipient indignation when I find out that my seemingly legitimate medical insurance claim was denied on a technicality in the small print. I jump at the chance to chastise anyone over zealously, anyone who's nursing the erroneous thought we live in a meritocracy. I am resentful. That's my pent up energy, right there. I have tried meditation. Believe me. I've read over the years through a calm eye and an at-ease mind the Buddhist teachings of compassion. And I think it is all a lie. You cannot sell compassion to the poor. To the strugglers. To the down-trodden. To the have-nots. That would be Jesus and his religion all over again.
  - visarga 8y ago
    I agree with you. Maybe what you need is to accept that other people will often be jerks when they can. It's like bad weather - you suffer the consequences but you can't change it. So why be resentful at something that is like the weather? That's what I am telling myself, to keep calm.
Mo3 8y ago
Can confirm from personal experience. Even a lot of vipassana meditation by itself can send you into psychotic states when you're not ready for all the insight yet. I came very close to psychosis once, experienced ego death, broke down mentally and had to spend 2 months in a depression ward. Cannot recommend.
- gf263 8y ago
  Dark night of the soul? How long had you been meditating? Was it with a teacher?
- me551ah 8y ago
  'ego death' can be really scary at first. There is an entire article in wikipedia about it ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ) and how to integrate such experiences.
  - hi5eyes 8y ago
    ego death and the resulting occurrences of depersonalization and lack of training/experienced people to help deal with the trauma is dangerous
cloistered 8y ago
I attended a 10 day course earlier this year. Before I went, I had read these stories, and admittedly, I was afraid I'd, at the very least, be terrified by what came up in my mind. But that's not what happened. Following their simple instructions, my mind became quieter, calmer, and sharper. I had more control over my fear response. It ended up being a great experience, and I'd recommend anyone interested in one of these courses to go for it. I was also concerned about the environment. I was thousands of miles away from anyone I knew in a strange place and different country. We were asked to hand over our phones, reading material, journals. We were asked not to speak to anyone and to avoid any form of communication. But this was all to benefit our meditation. We were given a space for several days to really focus on ourselves without external distractions. The day our silence was lifted, you really got to experience just how much talking to another person can disturb/distract your mind.
hi5eyes 8y ago
looking through the links and experience from forum posters is scary, vipassana and similarly intense experiences like high dose psychedelic induced ego death can have similar results. the minds of mindfulness beginners when in next level introspection are scary
taysic 8y ago
There are also 1 day / 2 day / 5 day meditation retreats for those who are looking for something less intense. Still can be great experiences. I once did a 4 day retreat but left after the 3rd day because I felt good and like I got my dose of whatever I needed. I would say aim for consistency rather than intensity. Another thing to note is you might need to account for integration time after the retreat.

enraged_camel 8y ago

Um, a 10 day retreat where you are cut off from the outside world is definitely not a good way to begin meditation. I mean you're basically advising a beginner hiker to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It's grossly irresponsible advice.

me551ah 8y ago
I've had multiple friends who were first-timers who have taken this course and all of them have given me positive reviews. Unlike the mount analogy, you can leave the meditation camp at any point of time. It's completely free, so you pay nothing and they only accept donations ( completely optional) from people who finish the full 10 day course.
- kashyapc 8y ago
  Still. Your friends are not a representative audience, when speaking on a global internet forum. Even though "you can leave at any point", Vipassana, for all its benefits, is absolutely not recommended for first timers! Please refrain from generalising irresponsibly.
  - me551ah 8y ago
    I agree :). I've already changed my first post to say that it is meant for advanced meditators.
    - kashyapc 8y ago
      Consider putting the "edit" at the top of your first comment---noting it upfront is important, IMHO.
      - me551ah 8y ago
        This is what the first line says 'One of the best ways to learn advanced level meditation' btw
8y ago

abyssin 8y ago

Vipassana is advertised as a scientific method but I discovered it has more to do with a sect. I left after five days. I'm sure there's a lot to be gained from meditation, but I don't trust this organisation.

checker659 8y ago
> has more to do with a sect Could you elaborate?
- burke 8y ago
  Probably talking about the Goenka retreats. For what it’s worth, despite their implication, they don’t really have a monopoly on the technique.
- ak39 8y ago
  I took it to mean that it’s more akin to organized religion than it is to the isolated idea of meditation and its benefits. I could be wrong.

blondin 8y ago

my curiosity in college led me to discover vipassana meditation. (which btw is just a technique of meditation, my understanding is that there are many of them...) it was a series of audio, 5 to 10 mins each. mediation did a great deal for me back in college. and no one was supposed to go anywhere for 10 days. curious how vipassana has turned out today so that people are comparing them to a sect... the audio i listened to was by a guy called Jack Kornfield. pretty sure youtube would have them.

collyw 8y ago
Sounds like a strong ego fearing its own loss of importance.