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Vipassana: 10 days of solitude and insights gained from it

131 points by ca98am79 14y ago

uberuberuber 14y ago
I completed my first 10 day Vipassana course recently, and genuinely believe that a slightly modified version of the course should be an essential component of any person’s psychological maturation/development. The course I did was the ‘Goenka course’ (dhamma.org), and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about meditation. It is free of charge to attend, and you can actually only donate to the organization if you complete the full 10 days. The course is almost entirely rational and in the spirit of honest scientific inquiry. The rules seem arbitrary and silly but they are very helpful in quieting your mind, and enabling you to focus entirely on the practice at hand. It took me until Day 3 to let myself relax and enjoy the absence of tweets, posts and text notifications rather than feel anxiety about being disconnected. Assuming one is there for 240 hours, I only have an issue with ~5 of those hours being a bit ‘woo-woo’ as The Amazing Randi would say. I think of Goenka (the videos used in the evening lectures are available on youtube) as a kindly grandparent who just wants the best for you but occasionally tangents into bullshit. Despite his continual admonishments to only believe what is rational, he seems to genuinely believe the magical stories surrounding the Buddha, and it was distracting to have to segue from ‘this is a genuine insight into how the mind generates its own suffering’ to ‘oh wait he is talking BS’. If one replaces some of his more magical terms that are almost Freudian (ie Sakarnas) with 'Maladaptive neuronal connections' they actually make sense. The sheer number of hours one is able to practice in this setting really accelerates the development of concentration/mindfulness. I think of the ~110 hours spent meditating during the course as equivalent to 220 days worth of 30minutes/day practice, and feel like I have ‘time traveled’ past 60% of a year of training. Happy to answer specific questions if anyone is considering attending a course.
- ca98am79 14y ago
  I agree with you 100% - I think it should be an essential component of any person’s psychological maturation/development, and I felt the same way in regards to the "woo-woo." One way I describe it to my friends is a "meditation boot camp." They break you down so that you can build yourself up. It's not that they break you down, but the environment (no speaking, reading, writing, etc...) is one where you are stuck in your own head for 10 days without distraction - so a lot of your "issues" come out. And you then learn to deal with them through mindfulness. I had panic disorder before going and nothing really helped. During my 10-day course I had really bad panic attacks often. But meditation has pretty much "cured" me of them, because I now know how to observe them without reaction.
  - uberuberuber 14y ago
    It's obviously very hard to convey how much one advances in their practice in an objective manner without having an fMRI. The only real 'data point' I have in support of my experience was how radically my ability to watch my breath and maintain my posture changed after the course. Before the course I was more or less haphazardly trying a breathing meditation where you count your breaths (say 5 or 10), and with a bead necklace I would count how many cycles of 10 I would manage in an hour. If my mind wandered during the 10 seconds then I would start again from 1. I averaged perhaps 20 successful cycles in an hour. I know this sounds, and probably is, atrocious. It was a sobering insight into how distracted I was by the rush of thoughts despite my own deliberate efforts at modulating those thoughts. Additionally, I would feel compelled to re-position my body every few minutes. The slightest pain or itch was enough to break my will and force me to readjust the pile of pillows I relied upon, again despite my own conscious desire to not move or scratch. After the course, I can now sit comfortably on a simple Zafu cushion for an entire hour without losing awareness of my breath more than a handful of times, and certainly without having to move a muscle. I don't expect my own anecdotes to convince anyone of the efficacy of these courses. I can only strongly encourage anyone interested to 'walk the path' by attending a formal course to give it a try. I have already signed up for another course to further my own practice.
- sushimako 14y ago
  I completed my (first and only, but definitely not last) 10 day vipassana retreat few years ago and i can completely support everything uberuberuber said. Definitely one of the most transforming and interesting experiences in the last years. To anyone interested in the practice, i can recommend reading [0]. Personally, i started by reading this book and doing some practice at home. After about half a year i attended the retreat (same as uberuberuber). Those retreats are offered worldwide, follow the same rules and are all donation based. List of centers in north-america at [1]. [0] http://vipassana.org/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php http://vipassana.org/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english... [1] http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/na/ http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/na/
- DenisM 14y ago
  >'Maladaptive neuronal connections' That's a mouthful, and just as obscure for most people. Might as well go with "Sarkana" - it's easier to pronounce. Besides, the script worked well for a few thousand years now, there is hardly a reason to change it now. But yeah, if you're scientifically inclined and the ancient Indian mythology is rubbing you the wrong way, you can safely skip it, and it still makes perfect sense in the end.
  - uberuberuber 14y ago
    I should have fleshed out that thought more fully. I agree it's a mouthful, but I was trying to convey that we no longer have to believe in such strange (bad) ideas because we have a new set of strange (better) ideas (connectomes and such) that actually have evidence underlying them. The way the course described Sakarnas was as 'bad non-physical spirits/objects/states' that were generated by the body, and that meditation would enable one to "release" them, and prevent their development in the future. Obviously the more evidence-based interpretation of meditation is that it in some way re-wires certain neural connections in a manner that seems to be generally positive. I'm not in favor of change for the sake of change, but when better reasons are available to describe a phenomenon, I think we should adopt those reasons. Surviving for thousands of years is not a virtue when it comes to the validity of ancient texts or the actions of (historical?) individuals (Buddha, Jesus, Big-Mo, etc.).
    - initself 14y ago
      If you think sankharas are non-physical, you missed the point. They are entirely physical and experienced as "vedana", bodily sensations. Nothing woo-woo. You just feel your body objectively.
    - hosh 14y ago
      I wouldn't be in a hurry to be so dismissive. Attachment to bad ideas is the same as attachment to better ideas: they arise, they pass. Sit long enough, and you will encounter all the interesting attachment surrounding the notion of rationality.
  - initself 14y ago
- Florin_Andrei 14y ago
  (I also practice meditation, although a different system.) To me, it seems like 10 days can barely begin cracking the ice, so to speak. I think even more powerful results would be achieved by removing yourself from your normal environment for 10 days (just go somewhere else and do something unusual), and then go and do the 10 day meditation boot camp. But of course, very few people can afford the luxury of spending so much time away from work, family, etc. That's just an unfortunate fact of life.
  - danieldk 14y ago
    To me, it seems like 10 days can barely begin cracking the ice, so to speak. [...] But of course, very few people can afford the luxury of spending so much time away from work, family, etc. I have an acquaintance who meditated in the East for some years. He told me that one of the biggest disappointments was that monks who spent years of their life meditating, could be very arrogant and selfish. I also know of persons who meditate regularly, but never or rarely attended retreats, who seemed very enlightened. Daily life and retreat may be a false dichotomy, I think the latter group of people were able to see every single moment of life as practice.
b_emery 14y ago
I once read a book called adrift [1], a true story about a man adrift at sea, alone, for 76 days. The main takeaway that I recall was the profound loneliness and the desire for human contact that he experienced. I sometimes think of this I'm with friends and family, to try to really appreciate the moments that I'm with them. Luckily, I don't feel the need to impose 10 days of solitude on myself to obtain this realization (nor the other realizations the gained by the author of the post). [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrift:_76_Days_Lost_At_Sea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrift:_76_Days_Lost_At_Sea and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan
- dpnewman 14y ago
  that the author and so many others here are describing fantastic learning experiences suggest to me the word "impose" might be a little off. even though you don't talk to or engage with people, the experience does not ring of aloneness actually. i felt incredibly connected to other participants and at the end when you begin talking again, there's a wonderful sense of camaraderie. made a bunch of new friends.
programnature 14y ago
While I'm glad the author got useful insights into conventional reality, the article sets a counterproductive tone about the point of the practice. Vipassana is about directly seeing impermanence, dissatisfaction, and lack of self in all sensations. The point of practice is to elevate your skill in seeing those. Because direct comprehension of the so-called three characteristics can reboot the mind in a way that is very analogous to how we reboot the computer and remove malware. Vipassana is not about helping you deal with your psychological issues at the level of content. Its not a therapist-substitute. In fact it will often make matters (temporarily) worse, if you actually follow the instructions and do the practice. Spending your meditation time pondering your "issues" is the biggest rookie mistake you can make. People can do this for years, and never get anywhere in their practice. If you want to spend some time alone and contemplate your life, thats great and quite possibly useful, but don't call it Vipassana.
- javajosh 14y ago
  >Spending your meditation time pondering your "issues" is the biggest rookie mistake you can make This is worth repeating. This is a silent practice, and while thoughts may arise (and very interesting ones, too!) learning to let them go, and remain (mentally) silent was perhaps the biggest obstacle to progress for me personally. Not sure if mental silence is a cause or effect of meditation, but it's the closest thing to real happiness I've experienced.
webwanderings 14y ago
Nice, very nice. I have them bookmarked for a long time but I have yet to fulfill this desire to one day just get to it.
gesman 14y ago
I loved about the course: - Amazing food - Donation/karma-driven sustainability. Sort of Open Source Meditation :) - Silence (no bullshit talking and no bullshit listening for 10 days) - Heightened sense of creativity achieved - Heightened sense of humor achieved - Great attention to needs to everyone from organizers. - It's funny - I always gave funny nicknames to everyone. I didn't mind: - Goenka parables. I didn't like: - After suddenly switching to raw/vegetarian food - you'll be running to the bathroom for an explosive, nasty dragon fart breaks day and night. - No clear plan to maintain gains. They suggest 1-2 hours daily meditation afterwards which is impossible to maintain. Overall: five stars (Quebec mountains location)
- laglad 14y ago
  Re: maintaining gains. Isn't the point to live free of the very measure of gain/loss this present moment?
  - initself 14y ago
    Continuity of practice is the secret of success. http://www.dhamma.org/en/qanda.shtml http://www.dhamma.org/en/qanda.shtml
    - pdog 14y ago
      I read this as Qanda, thinking it was some ancient teachings on the principles of consistency, but then saw it was Questions and Answers.
- ca98am79 14y ago
  1-2 hours daily meditation is definitely not impossible, especially if you think it is important. How many people spend 1-2 hours daily at the gym?
  - enraged_camel 14y ago
    That's the point though. I have around 2 hours of free time on the evenings, and I spend that time in the gym. I definitely do not have an additional 1-2 hours for meditation. That said, gym is a very therapeutic experience for me. It helps me empty my mind of all stress-causing stuff in my life (e.g. work) and I get to focus on just one thing: lifting weights. I also gain additional benefits such as being strong as hell and looking great. ;)
DenisM 14y ago
My take on Vipassana, in a nutshell (having gone through one 10-day course): An experience gets memorized based on its emotional strength, so, for example, a strong negative experience (a trauma) will get memorized quite well. Later on, in a sort-of realed situation one gets to recall and relive such stored experience - the brain sort of "believes" it's important to remember. If the re-living is also strongly emotional, the memory gets "hardened", but if the reliving is less emotional the memory gets "softened". As you go through life, most negative experiences gets softer and softer with each recall until each one disappears altogether for lack of emotional response, and thus subjective importance. However a small number of such memories become immortal - each re-living of one such memory is as emotionally strong as the previous one, and so the memory of the pain never weakens. Such stored memory is called "Sarkana". The problem with carrying around too many Sarkanas is that eventually any event in your life brings back a negative memory from the past, so you spend your life reacting to something that happened long time ago and bears only superficial resemblance to the present situation. The immediate purpose of the Viapssana meditation is to learn the ability to direct your attention where you want it to go, not where the pain pulls you, to learn dispassionate observation of your own suffering. Bi learning to ignore an itch on your nose, you also learn to ignore an itch in your soul. The less emotional response you generate, the softer the memory becomes, until it evaporates altogether. When completely through (a multi-year process), you only react to the present situation, not to any ghosts of the past. You can make a surprising amount of progress in 10 days, but you have to keep at it to maintain the gains. I found it impossibly hard to keep meditating on my own.
- up_and_up 14y ago
  12 year meditator here. You describe well the process of cleansing/polishing the memory. > I found it impossibly hard to keep meditating on my own Couple things to keep in mind: 1. Daily practice in some form is the real key. Just get up and do it. 2. There will be ups and downs, high and lows in meditation. 3. Vipassana is a pretty austere form of meditation. You are directly confronting the mind with little outside aid or warmup. Other forms of meditation leverage breathing techniques, concentration techniques and other practices that gradually bring the mind into submission, making the no-thought part somewhat more easy to achieve. Search around or shoot me an email if you want to know some other approaches.
dpnewman 14y ago
i have recently done the 10 day course and it was one of the best things i have ever experienced. have continued meditating (near) every day because it keeps me returning to a sense of deep calm and focus and enjoyment – feelings prior far more rare even tho i would have described myself as happy and digging life. the new digging is at a deeper level and much of what i used to perseverate upon seems reduced in import by orders of magnitude. practically the whole notion of "intellect figuring out and resolving issues", seems now completely a misguided process. returning to the state of calm fertilizes better thought which crowds out the worries. worry process becomes reduced and unmasked when it arises. the whole physical reaction cycle different. awareness that how we feel (and happiness) is in our bodies – we know the value of physical exercise. this is similar. a rigorous training that just starts doing what it's advertised to do. veritably mind blowing, yep.
- initself 14y ago
  I'm happy for you! >> practically the whole notion of "intellect figuring out and resolving issues", seems now completely a misguided process" Makes me feel like all the book learning I ever did was all for naught (aside from technical learning that helps me do my job).
  - dpnewman 14y ago
    thanks! ...but let me clarify. book learning is utterly awesome!! when i say "resolving issues"... i mean purely the personal, subjective, 'worrisome' kind... the endless spinning narratives we struggle within. the attachment to solving issues these through out-thinking the anxiety: this process got deprecated ;)
    - initself 14y ago
      Well, as you keep meditating, it becomes more and more clear that all the answers you are burning to understand are found within.
initself 14y ago
Guys, what you are calling "Sarkanas", the Goenka tradition is calling "Sankhara". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra Nothing woo-woo about "conditioned phenomena". And it's not really a "Vipassana" term as much as a philosophical term in general. That's just the Pali name for it.
- javajosh 14y ago
  Well, to be fair Goenka uses some rather charged terms as synonyms for sankharas, such as "defilements", "impurities", etc.
initself 14y ago
I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We just have to be willing to sit and do nothing and watch as the "law of nature" (Dhamma) takes over and we act perfectly in accordance with it from moment to moment, as it is, not as we want it to be. In every retreat, I experience the most mind-numbing boredom, severe burning fiery pain, full body bliss the likes of which I cannot even recollect properly and a huge gamut of sensations in between all of these extremes. I've misinterpreted the extreme experiences at given times and each retreat learn a little bit more about their true nature. I can then apply what I learn to my life when I experience boredom, pain and extreme joy and learn to experience each "properly". The trick is finding the ardent awareness that allows you to stay there, on the path, without distraction. And then to learn how to stay that ardently aware as you go through life. Hopefully the retreat doesn't stay an isolated 10 day experience but its import, particular the technique itself, is something you can cultivate throughout your life, while sitting, walking, standing and lying down.
- sraj 14y ago
  Where can I take this course? I live in the Bay Area.
  - dschobel 14y ago
    http://www.quora.com/Where-can-I-do-a-weekend-Vipassana-retreat-in-the-Bay-Area http://www.quora.com/Where-can-I-do-a-weekend-Vipassana-retr... 5th result on google for "vipassana retreat, bay area"...
  - antoncohen 14y ago
    In the Goenka tradition Dhamma Manda[1] in Lake County is the closest to the Bay Area, the center in North Fork[2] is the largest. Here is map of locations worldwide: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/maps/ca.us http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/maps/ca.us [1] http://www.manda.dhamma.org/ http://www.manda.dhamma.org/ [2] http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/ http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/
vellum 14y ago
I came across this article on Longreads. The author had a more irreverent take on his 10 day course in India, but in the end, he said it helped him deal with stress better. http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/the-quiet-hell-of-extreme-meditation-20120821?src=longreads http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/the-quiet-hel...
milkman 14y ago
As an adjunct to this article, I should mention an experimental project I launched just yesterday called VOW of NOW. It's a 30 day program that tries to instill meditation as a daily habit by leveraging powerful incentives: http://vowofnow.com http://vowofnow.com A bunch of people are taking the vow already, and I'm excited and hoping it works for them and is the beginning of a more zen life. We'll see. I welcome everyone to try.
ZenoArrow 14y ago
I've been to a 10 day Vipassana retreat. I appreciate people say it gave them great benefits, but it did not sit well with me, so I share my story in the interests of balance. At first, things were fine. I adjusted to the silence quickly enough, the food was simple but nutritious, and didn't mind the meditation (other than the pain in my legs and back, but my request to sit on the back wall was granted). However, mid way through (I think the 5th day), I went to sleep and experienced a sensation I had never (to my memory) had before... as I closed my eyes, I'd experience bursts of not too pleasant images (some of a sexual nature, some more grotesque, etc...). Each image would last roughly a couple of seconds, before moving onto the next. When I opened my eyes, the images were gone, when I closed my eyes the images reappeared straight away. At this point, I freaked out. I was worried that I'd done damage to my brain. Unable to sleep, and feeling like I had to make conscious effort to breathe, I contemplated what I could do. I didn't want to turn on the light (I had a roommate), nor did I want to spoil the course for anyone else by making too much noise, so I just stayed in bed, awake, for as long as I could (I calmed down a little in this period). I eventually struck up the courage to get up and speak to one of the course supervisors. Speaking to him helped, he advised me to try to rest and he'd arrange for me to speak to the course teacher in the morning... eventually I did get some sleep. I spoke to the course teacher. He reassured me this was all part of the process (such visions are not unheard of, but of course I can't say for sure if you'll get them too), the way its sold is that its part of your body letting go of these thoughts. I was not convinced. Furthermore, whilst I saw the people running the course (including Goenka) were kind hearted people, I felt isolated, unable to talk to those with a more neutral perspective. Later on, I also took unkindly to the late night teachings, which again were well intentioned and in some ways comforting, but occasionally said subtly hurtful things. For example, love between couples was described as a business arrangement (I'll love you if you love me). If you weren't paying attention such comments would slip by, but at this point I was trying to fend for my own sanity so I was paying more attention to such things. That being said, I do believe meditation can be beneficial, just not in the way the course was led (this is just my experience, other people found the course beneficial). If they had taught the technique alone, and asked you to practice it (without trying to tell you what it all means, about your ego slipping away, etc...), then I think I would've taken to it more kindly. Buddha was supposed to have emphasised experience over verbal teaching, so I personally believe teaching the technique with simpler guidance would be appropriate. I also believe meditation is a good way to come to terms with the eventuality of death. Again, I cannot tell you what you'll experience, and as you can see from comments here it worked for others, but just in case you try it and it doesn't work for you, please know you are not alone.
lambtron 14y ago
My take on vipassana: http://andyjiang.posterous.com/vipassana-meditation-ten-long-days-and-a-few http://andyjiang.posterous.com/vipassana-meditation-ten-long... Humorous account of the ten days.
orasis 14y ago
I am building a hardcore vipassana app based on the noting technique. You can sign up for the beta at http://mindblownapp.com/ http://mindblownapp.com/
novalis78 14y ago
Here is an interesting blog post on the principle behind vipassana: "He sees the impermanent form thus “impermanent”.This is his right view.Seeing correctly he becomes disenchanted.With the waning of delight wanes passion. With the waning of passion wanes delight. With the destruction of delight and passion the mind is de-tached. “Fully de-tached” thus it is said. (Nandikkhayasuttaṃ, Samyutta Nikaya) http://tinyurl.com/vipassana-quote http://tinyurl.com/vipassana-quote
hosh 14y ago
If you have that secret smile from your vipassana practice, I want to share another practice that complements it. It is written in a book called, "Feeding Your Demons", authored by Tsultrim Allione. In some ways, this method works well to prepare people for vipassana. Yes, yes, I know, you can always note any experience out; but some people are so habituated to their trauma and were never put into a situation where they dedicate themselves to doing nothing and observing everything. They will stare at you incredulously as we babble on how awesome vipassana is.
eof 14y ago
I went to one of these with a decade of moderate meditation under my belt and just over a year of 'wanting to'. I got extremely sick from a combination of rhinovirus and detox (I had been smoking regularly); and left on the 5th full day. My experiences with meditation had been primarily pleasant. I learned accidentally following rote instructions at 18; and meditated regularly on and off (mostly off as years went by) until I heard about this course (which is free, including room and board), and it took just over a year until I sorted out the opportunity to go. I honestly feel/felt scared/respectful of the whole endeavor. Meditation is what it would be like to learn to breathe underwater, if it were possible. Our bodies know intrinsically we can't breathe water in; so when you are under water you don't breathe. When oxygen levels are high its not really a thought, but even with oxygen levels are low there is an inherent aversion to sucking/breathing in the water. Meditation is like that, in the sense our commitment to sit for ~60 minus (or 10 hours a day) is akin to committing to keep our heads under water. The difference is with meditation, the only thing limiting how long you can sit is your will. By sitting and not reacting to our thoughts we are eventually shown this "layer" where we are unconsciously "holding our breath" in the same way we do when we are under water with high levels of oxygen. Meditation effectively "reduces the oxygen" thereby increasing the signal on the "i need oxygen" circuit, so in the same way that being under water when oxygen is running low, what was previously so subtle as to not be noticed consciously there is now this new, apparent phenomena we can't help but be made aware of. This is the mechanism, in my estimation, that meditation gives its benefit. Essentially the 'secret' learned while meditation is that "you can breathe underwater" and all this aversion you were feeling was a total waste of energy; energy you didn't even now you were expending.
broabprobe 14y ago
Oh wow, funny to see this on here as I just an hour ago applied to attend a session. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!
particular_ 14y ago
DISCLAIMER: This post focuses more on the Goenka courses than Vipassana meditation per se. I'm quite surprised that no dissenting opinion has yet surfaced on the topic of Goenka's courses. Most of the commentor's opinions here seem over-enthusiastic, describing the Goenka retreat as 'the best thing in [their] lives'. To me, this is a serious warning sign. I have attended a 10-day retreat, which ended prematurely (on the evening of the 8th day) because of my refusal to watch the evening lectures. While I must agree with the commentors' positive opinions on the meditative experience, I feel compelled to inform any potential attendees that despite claims of 'scientific rationality', the Goenka group is a regular religious sect. When the course begins, the Vipassana technique is presented as an objective tool to achieve insight into the workings of one's own mind and emotions. Mr. Goenka presents himself as someone who merely happened to learn of the technique and is now passing it on. As the days progress, the scarce sleep and food schedule begins to take its toll on the participants' bullshit detectors, and subtle religious notions are slipped into the agenda. These include: * The primacy of Vipassana over other religions * The unreasonableness of other religions * The unquestioned truth of reincarnation * The fact that our bodies are made up of some kind of vibrations I remember finally 'snapping out of it' when Goenka started talking about bubble chambers( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_chamber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_chamber ) and the depressed scientist who made them. My bullshit detector went on overdrive and I thought about all the things that had been said up to that point during Goenka's video lectures and his taped talks. I realized that I had been subtly manipulated into accepting certain ontological truths, such as the above. These were not things I would have readily accepted coming to the retreat. I also realized I had been planning to continue with Vipassana practice and make it part of my life. Maybe help organize retreats in my home country. Become part of this 'wonderful' movement headed by Mr. Goenka. This was definitely not something I had in mind when I signed up for the course. I know I will not convince anyone who is already engaged with the Goenka group to rethink how they got involved, but I would like to sincerely warn anyone who is considering attending: You will not be alone with your thoughts and emotions during these ten days. You will be accompanied by THE RECORDED VOICE OF GOENKA, for 2-3 hours of each and every day. Every meditation will start with his talks and chants, every meditation will end with his talks and chants. From what I understand, but have obviously not experienced firsthand, the grueling 9-day course ends with a Love-bomb (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bombing). I believe these 'free' courses are set up to lure susceptible people into the organization. Please look into some critical views on any religious group before engaging with one. On the internet, smears abound, but you may also find some grounded critique that may shine light on the structure and purpose of the organization.
gearoidoc 14y ago
If anyone's looking to find a similar course, I run a website called Connectedtrips thats geared towards just that. Here's a link to a list of our Meditation courses in the USA: http://tinyurl.com/b6zumq2 http://tinyurl.com/b6zumq2

131 points by ca98am79 14y ago

I completed my first 10 day Vipassana course recently, and genuinely believe that a slightly modified version of the course should be an essential component of any person’s psychological maturation/development. The course I did was the ‘Goenka course’ (dhamma.org), and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about meditation. It is free of charge to attend, and you can actually only donate to the organization if you complete the full 10 days. The course is almost entirely rational and in the spirit of honest scientific inquiry. The rules seem arbitrary and silly but they are very helpful in quieting your mind, and enabling you to focus entirely on the practice at hand. It took me until Day 3 to let myself relax and enjoy the absence of tweets, posts and text notifications rather than feel anxiety about being disconnected. Assuming one is there for 240 hours, I only have an issue with ~5 of those hours being a bit ‘woo-woo’ as The Amazing Randi would say. I think of Goenka (the videos used in the evening lectures are available on youtube) as a kindly grandparent who just wants the best for you but occasionally tangents into bullshit. Despite his continual admonishments to only believe what is rational, he seems to genuinely believe the magical stories surrounding the Buddha, and it was distracting to have to segue from ‘this is a genuine insight into how the mind generates its own suffering’ to ‘oh wait he is talking BS’. If one replaces some of his more magical terms that are almost Freudian (ie Sakarnas) with 'Maladaptive neuronal connections' they actually make sense. The sheer number of hours one is able to practice in this setting really accelerates the development of concentration/mindfulness. I think of the ~110 hours spent meditating during the course as equivalent to 220 days worth of 30minutes/day practice, and feel like I have ‘time traveled’ past 60% of a year of training. Happy to answer specific questions if anyone is considering attending a course.

ca98am79 14y ago
I agree with you 100% - I think it should be an essential component of any person’s psychological maturation/development, and I felt the same way in regards to the "woo-woo." One way I describe it to my friends is a "meditation boot camp." They break you down so that you can build yourself up. It's not that they break you down, but the environment (no speaking, reading, writing, etc...) is one where you are stuck in your own head for 10 days without distraction - so a lot of your "issues" come out. And you then learn to deal with them through mindfulness. I had panic disorder before going and nothing really helped. During my 10-day course I had really bad panic attacks often. But meditation has pretty much "cured" me of them, because I now know how to observe them without reaction.
- uberuberuber 14y ago
  It's obviously very hard to convey how much one advances in their practice in an objective manner without having an fMRI. The only real 'data point' I have in support of my experience was how radically my ability to watch my breath and maintain my posture changed after the course. Before the course I was more or less haphazardly trying a breathing meditation where you count your breaths (say 5 or 10), and with a bead necklace I would count how many cycles of 10 I would manage in an hour. If my mind wandered during the 10 seconds then I would start again from 1. I averaged perhaps 20 successful cycles in an hour. I know this sounds, and probably is, atrocious. It was a sobering insight into how distracted I was by the rush of thoughts despite my own deliberate efforts at modulating those thoughts. Additionally, I would feel compelled to re-position my body every few minutes. The slightest pain or itch was enough to break my will and force me to readjust the pile of pillows I relied upon, again despite my own conscious desire to not move or scratch. After the course, I can now sit comfortably on a simple Zafu cushion for an entire hour without losing awareness of my breath more than a handful of times, and certainly without having to move a muscle. I don't expect my own anecdotes to convince anyone of the efficacy of these courses. I can only strongly encourage anyone interested to 'walk the path' by attending a formal course to give it a try. I have already signed up for another course to further my own practice.
sushimako 14y ago
I completed my (first and only, but definitely not last) 10 day vipassana retreat few years ago and i can completely support everything uberuberuber said. Definitely one of the most transforming and interesting experiences in the last years. To anyone interested in the practice, i can recommend reading [0]. Personally, i started by reading this book and doing some practice at home. After about half a year i attended the retreat (same as uberuberuber). Those retreats are offered worldwide, follow the same rules and are all donation based. List of centers in north-america at [1]. [0] http://vipassana.org/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php http://vipassana.org/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english... [1] http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/na/ http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/na/
DenisM 14y ago
>'Maladaptive neuronal connections' That's a mouthful, and just as obscure for most people. Might as well go with "Sarkana" - it's easier to pronounce. Besides, the script worked well for a few thousand years now, there is hardly a reason to change it now. But yeah, if you're scientifically inclined and the ancient Indian mythology is rubbing you the wrong way, you can safely skip it, and it still makes perfect sense in the end.
- uberuberuber 14y ago
  I should have fleshed out that thought more fully. I agree it's a mouthful, but I was trying to convey that we no longer have to believe in such strange (bad) ideas because we have a new set of strange (better) ideas (connectomes and such) that actually have evidence underlying them. The way the course described Sakarnas was as 'bad non-physical spirits/objects/states' that were generated by the body, and that meditation would enable one to "release" them, and prevent their development in the future. Obviously the more evidence-based interpretation of meditation is that it in some way re-wires certain neural connections in a manner that seems to be generally positive. I'm not in favor of change for the sake of change, but when better reasons are available to describe a phenomenon, I think we should adopt those reasons. Surviving for thousands of years is not a virtue when it comes to the validity of ancient texts or the actions of (historical?) individuals (Buddha, Jesus, Big-Mo, etc.).
  - initself 14y ago
    If you think sankharas are non-physical, you missed the point. They are entirely physical and experienced as "vedana", bodily sensations. Nothing woo-woo. You just feel your body objectively.
  - hosh 14y ago
    I wouldn't be in a hurry to be so dismissive. Attachment to bad ideas is the same as attachment to better ideas: they arise, they pass. Sit long enough, and you will encounter all the interesting attachment surrounding the notion of rationality.
- initself 14y ago
Florin_Andrei 14y ago
(I also practice meditation, although a different system.) To me, it seems like 10 days can barely begin cracking the ice, so to speak. I think even more powerful results would be achieved by removing yourself from your normal environment for 10 days (just go somewhere else and do something unusual), and then go and do the 10 day meditation boot camp. But of course, very few people can afford the luxury of spending so much time away from work, family, etc. That's just an unfortunate fact of life.
- danieldk 14y ago
  To me, it seems like 10 days can barely begin cracking the ice, so to speak. [...] But of course, very few people can afford the luxury of spending so much time away from work, family, etc. I have an acquaintance who meditated in the East for some years. He told me that one of the biggest disappointments was that monks who spent years of their life meditating, could be very arrogant and selfish. I also know of persons who meditate regularly, but never or rarely attended retreats, who seemed very enlightened. Daily life and retreat may be a false dichotomy, I think the latter group of people were able to see every single moment of life as practice.

b_emery 14y ago

I once read a book called adrift [1], a true story about a man adrift at sea, alone, for 76 days. The main takeaway that I recall was the profound loneliness and the desire for human contact that he experienced. I sometimes think of this I'm with friends and family, to try to really appreciate the moments that I'm with them. Luckily, I don't feel the need to impose 10 days of solitude on myself to obtain this realization (nor the other realizations the gained by the author of the post). [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrift:_76_Days_Lost_At_Sea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrift:_76_Days_Lost_At_Sea and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Callahan

dpnewman 14y ago
that the author and so many others here are describing fantastic learning experiences suggest to me the word "impose" might be a little off. even though you don't talk to or engage with people, the experience does not ring of aloneness actually. i felt incredibly connected to other participants and at the end when you begin talking again, there's a wonderful sense of camaraderie. made a bunch of new friends.

programnature 14y ago

While I'm glad the author got useful insights into conventional reality, the article sets a counterproductive tone about the point of the practice. Vipassana is about directly seeing impermanence, dissatisfaction, and lack of self in all sensations. The point of practice is to elevate your skill in seeing those. Because direct comprehension of the so-called three characteristics can reboot the mind in a way that is very analogous to how we reboot the computer and remove malware. Vipassana is not about helping you deal with your psychological issues at the level of content. Its not a therapist-substitute. In fact it will often make matters (temporarily) worse, if you actually follow the instructions and do the practice. Spending your meditation time pondering your "issues" is the biggest rookie mistake you can make. People can do this for years, and never get anywhere in their practice. If you want to spend some time alone and contemplate your life, thats great and quite possibly useful, but don't call it Vipassana.

javajosh 14y ago
>Spending your meditation time pondering your "issues" is the biggest rookie mistake you can make This is worth repeating. This is a silent practice, and while thoughts may arise (and very interesting ones, too!) learning to let them go, and remain (mentally) silent was perhaps the biggest obstacle to progress for me personally. Not sure if mental silence is a cause or effect of meditation, but it's the closest thing to real happiness I've experienced.

webwanderings 14y ago

Nice, very nice. I have them bookmarked for a long time but I have yet to fulfill this desire to one day just get to it.

gesman 14y ago

I loved about the course: - Amazing food - Donation/karma-driven sustainability. Sort of Open Source Meditation :) - Silence (no bullshit talking and no bullshit listening for 10 days) - Heightened sense of creativity achieved - Heightened sense of humor achieved - Great attention to needs to everyone from organizers. - It's funny - I always gave funny nicknames to everyone. I didn't mind: - Goenka parables. I didn't like: - After suddenly switching to raw/vegetarian food - you'll be running to the bathroom for an explosive, nasty dragon fart breaks day and night. - No clear plan to maintain gains. They suggest 1-2 hours daily meditation afterwards which is impossible to maintain. Overall: five stars (Quebec mountains location)

laglad 14y ago
Re: maintaining gains. Isn't the point to live free of the very measure of gain/loss this present moment?
- initself 14y ago
  Continuity of practice is the secret of success. http://www.dhamma.org/en/qanda.shtml http://www.dhamma.org/en/qanda.shtml
  - pdog 14y ago
    I read this as Qanda, thinking it was some ancient teachings on the principles of consistency, but then saw it was Questions and Answers.
ca98am79 14y ago
1-2 hours daily meditation is definitely not impossible, especially if you think it is important. How many people spend 1-2 hours daily at the gym?
- enraged_camel 14y ago
  That's the point though. I have around 2 hours of free time on the evenings, and I spend that time in the gym. I definitely do not have an additional 1-2 hours for meditation. That said, gym is a very therapeutic experience for me. It helps me empty my mind of all stress-causing stuff in my life (e.g. work) and I get to focus on just one thing: lifting weights. I also gain additional benefits such as being strong as hell and looking great. ;)

DenisM 14y ago

My take on Vipassana, in a nutshell (having gone through one 10-day course): An experience gets memorized based on its emotional strength, so, for example, a strong negative experience (a trauma) will get memorized quite well. Later on, in a sort-of realed situation one gets to recall and relive such stored experience - the brain sort of "believes" it's important to remember. If the re-living is also strongly emotional, the memory gets "hardened", but if the reliving is less emotional the memory gets "softened". As you go through life, most negative experiences gets softer and softer with each recall until each one disappears altogether for lack of emotional response, and thus subjective importance. However a small number of such memories become immortal - each re-living of one such memory is as emotionally strong as the previous one, and so the memory of the pain never weakens. Such stored memory is called "Sarkana". The problem with carrying around too many Sarkanas is that eventually any event in your life brings back a negative memory from the past, so you spend your life reacting to something that happened long time ago and bears only superficial resemblance to the present situation. The immediate purpose of the Viapssana meditation is to learn the ability to direct your attention where you want it to go, not where the pain pulls you, to learn dispassionate observation of your own suffering. Bi learning to ignore an itch on your nose, you also learn to ignore an itch in your soul. The less emotional response you generate, the softer the memory becomes, until it evaporates altogether. When completely through (a multi-year process), you only react to the present situation, not to any ghosts of the past. You can make a surprising amount of progress in 10 days, but you have to keep at it to maintain the gains. I found it impossibly hard to keep meditating on my own.

up_and_up 14y ago
12 year meditator here. You describe well the process of cleansing/polishing the memory. > I found it impossibly hard to keep meditating on my own Couple things to keep in mind: 1. Daily practice in some form is the real key. Just get up and do it. 2. There will be ups and downs, high and lows in meditation. 3. Vipassana is a pretty austere form of meditation. You are directly confronting the mind with little outside aid or warmup. Other forms of meditation leverage breathing techniques, concentration techniques and other practices that gradually bring the mind into submission, making the no-thought part somewhat more easy to achieve. Search around or shoot me an email if you want to know some other approaches.

dpnewman 14y ago

i have recently done the 10 day course and it was one of the best things i have ever experienced. have continued meditating (near) every day because it keeps me returning to a sense of deep calm and focus and enjoyment – feelings prior far more rare even tho i would have described myself as happy and digging life. the new digging is at a deeper level and much of what i used to perseverate upon seems reduced in import by orders of magnitude. practically the whole notion of "intellect figuring out and resolving issues", seems now completely a misguided process. returning to the state of calm fertilizes better thought which crowds out the worries. worry process becomes reduced and unmasked when it arises. the whole physical reaction cycle different. awareness that how we feel (and happiness) is in our bodies – we know the value of physical exercise. this is similar. a rigorous training that just starts doing what it's advertised to do. veritably mind blowing, yep.

initself 14y ago
I'm happy for you! >> practically the whole notion of "intellect figuring out and resolving issues", seems now completely a misguided process" Makes me feel like all the book learning I ever did was all for naught (aside from technical learning that helps me do my job).
- dpnewman 14y ago
  thanks! ...but let me clarify. book learning is utterly awesome!! when i say "resolving issues"... i mean purely the personal, subjective, 'worrisome' kind... the endless spinning narratives we struggle within. the attachment to solving issues these through out-thinking the anxiety: this process got deprecated ;)
  - initself 14y ago
    Well, as you keep meditating, it becomes more and more clear that all the answers you are burning to understand are found within.

initself 14y ago

Guys, what you are calling "Sarkanas", the Goenka tradition is calling "Sankhara". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra Nothing woo-woo about "conditioned phenomena". And it's not really a "Vipassana" term as much as a philosophical term in general. That's just the Pali name for it.

javajosh 14y ago
Well, to be fair Goenka uses some rather charged terms as synonyms for sankharas, such as "defilements", "impurities", etc.

initself 14y ago

I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We just have to be willing to sit and do nothing and watch as the "law of nature" (Dhamma) takes over and we act perfectly in accordance with it from moment to moment, as it is, not as we want it to be. In every retreat, I experience the most mind-numbing boredom, severe burning fiery pain, full body bliss the likes of which I cannot even recollect properly and a huge gamut of sensations in between all of these extremes. I've misinterpreted the extreme experiences at given times and each retreat learn a little bit more about their true nature. I can then apply what I learn to my life when I experience boredom, pain and extreme joy and learn to experience each "properly". The trick is finding the ardent awareness that allows you to stay there, on the path, without distraction. And then to learn how to stay that ardently aware as you go through life. Hopefully the retreat doesn't stay an isolated 10 day experience but its import, particular the technique itself, is something you can cultivate throughout your life, while sitting, walking, standing and lying down.

sraj 14y ago
Where can I take this course? I live in the Bay Area.
- dschobel 14y ago
  http://www.quora.com/Where-can-I-do-a-weekend-Vipassana-retreat-in-the-Bay-Area http://www.quora.com/Where-can-I-do-a-weekend-Vipassana-retr... 5th result on google for "vipassana retreat, bay area"...
- antoncohen 14y ago
  In the Goenka tradition Dhamma Manda[1] in Lake County is the closest to the Bay Area, the center in North Fork[2] is the largest. Here is map of locations worldwide: http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/maps/ca.us http://courses.dhamma.org/en-US/maps/ca.us [1] http://www.manda.dhamma.org/ http://www.manda.dhamma.org/ [2] http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/ http://www.mahavana.dhamma.org/

vellum 14y ago

I came across this article on Longreads. The author had a more irreverent take on his 10 day course in India, but in the end, he said it helped him deal with stress better. http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/the-quiet-hell-of-extreme-meditation-20120821?src=longreads http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/print-view/the-quiet-hel...

milkman 14y ago

As an adjunct to this article, I should mention an experimental project I launched just yesterday called VOW of NOW. It's a 30 day program that tries to instill meditation as a daily habit by leveraging powerful incentives: http://vowofnow.com http://vowofnow.com A bunch of people are taking the vow already, and I'm excited and hoping it works for them and is the beginning of a more zen life. We'll see. I welcome everyone to try.

ZenoArrow 14y ago

I've been to a 10 day Vipassana retreat. I appreciate people say it gave them great benefits, but it did not sit well with me, so I share my story in the interests of balance. At first, things were fine. I adjusted to the silence quickly enough, the food was simple but nutritious, and didn't mind the meditation (other than the pain in my legs and back, but my request to sit on the back wall was granted). However, mid way through (I think the 5th day), I went to sleep and experienced a sensation I had never (to my memory) had before... as I closed my eyes, I'd experience bursts of not too pleasant images (some of a sexual nature, some more grotesque, etc...). Each image would last roughly a couple of seconds, before moving onto the next. When I opened my eyes, the images were gone, when I closed my eyes the images reappeared straight away. At this point, I freaked out. I was worried that I'd done damage to my brain. Unable to sleep, and feeling like I had to make conscious effort to breathe, I contemplated what I could do. I didn't want to turn on the light (I had a roommate), nor did I want to spoil the course for anyone else by making too much noise, so I just stayed in bed, awake, for as long as I could (I calmed down a little in this period). I eventually struck up the courage to get up and speak to one of the course supervisors. Speaking to him helped, he advised me to try to rest and he'd arrange for me to speak to the course teacher in the morning... eventually I did get some sleep. I spoke to the course teacher. He reassured me this was all part of the process (such visions are not unheard of, but of course I can't say for sure if you'll get them too), the way its sold is that its part of your body letting go of these thoughts. I was not convinced. Furthermore, whilst I saw the people running the course (including Goenka) were kind hearted people, I felt isolated, unable to talk to those with a more neutral perspective. Later on, I also took unkindly to the late night teachings, which again were well intentioned and in some ways comforting, but occasionally said subtly hurtful things. For example, love between couples was described as a business arrangement (I'll love you if you love me). If you weren't paying attention such comments would slip by, but at this point I was trying to fend for my own sanity so I was paying more attention to such things. That being said, I do believe meditation can be beneficial, just not in the way the course was led (this is just my experience, other people found the course beneficial). If they had taught the technique alone, and asked you to practice it (without trying to tell you what it all means, about your ego slipping away, etc...), then I think I would've taken to it more kindly. Buddha was supposed to have emphasised experience over verbal teaching, so I personally believe teaching the technique with simpler guidance would be appropriate. I also believe meditation is a good way to come to terms with the eventuality of death. Again, I cannot tell you what you'll experience, and as you can see from comments here it worked for others, but just in case you try it and it doesn't work for you, please know you are not alone.

lambtron 14y ago

My take on vipassana: http://andyjiang.posterous.com/vipassana-meditation-ten-long-days-and-a-few http://andyjiang.posterous.com/vipassana-meditation-ten-long... Humorous account of the ten days.

orasis 14y ago

I am building a hardcore vipassana app based on the noting technique. You can sign up for the beta at http://mindblownapp.com/ http://mindblownapp.com/

novalis78 14y ago

Here is an interesting blog post on the principle behind vipassana: "He sees the impermanent form thus “impermanent”.This is his right view.Seeing correctly he becomes disenchanted.With the waning of delight wanes passion. With the waning of passion wanes delight. With the destruction of delight and passion the mind is de-tached. “Fully de-tached” thus it is said. (Nandikkhayasuttaṃ, Samyutta Nikaya) http://tinyurl.com/vipassana-quote http://tinyurl.com/vipassana-quote

hosh 14y ago

If you have that secret smile from your vipassana practice, I want to share another practice that complements it. It is written in a book called, "Feeding Your Demons", authored by Tsultrim Allione. In some ways, this method works well to prepare people for vipassana. Yes, yes, I know, you can always note any experience out; but some people are so habituated to their trauma and were never put into a situation where they dedicate themselves to doing nothing and observing everything. They will stare at you incredulously as we babble on how awesome vipassana is.

eof 14y ago

I went to one of these with a decade of moderate meditation under my belt and just over a year of 'wanting to'. I got extremely sick from a combination of rhinovirus and detox (I had been smoking regularly); and left on the 5th full day. My experiences with meditation had been primarily pleasant. I learned accidentally following rote instructions at 18; and meditated regularly on and off (mostly off as years went by) until I heard about this course (which is free, including room and board), and it took just over a year until I sorted out the opportunity to go. I honestly feel/felt scared/respectful of the whole endeavor. Meditation is what it would be like to learn to breathe underwater, if it were possible. Our bodies know intrinsically we can't breathe water in; so when you are under water you don't breathe. When oxygen levels are high its not really a thought, but even with oxygen levels are low there is an inherent aversion to sucking/breathing in the water. Meditation is like that, in the sense our commitment to sit for ~60 minus (or 10 hours a day) is akin to committing to keep our heads under water. The difference is with meditation, the only thing limiting how long you can sit is your will. By sitting and not reacting to our thoughts we are eventually shown this "layer" where we are unconsciously "holding our breath" in the same way we do when we are under water with high levels of oxygen. Meditation effectively "reduces the oxygen" thereby increasing the signal on the "i need oxygen" circuit, so in the same way that being under water when oxygen is running low, what was previously so subtle as to not be noticed consciously there is now this new, apparent phenomena we can't help but be made aware of. This is the mechanism, in my estimation, that meditation gives its benefit. Essentially the 'secret' learned while meditation is that "you can breathe underwater" and all this aversion you were feeling was a total waste of energy; energy you didn't even now you were expending.

broabprobe 14y ago

Oh wow, funny to see this on here as I just an hour ago applied to attend a session. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!

particular_ 14y ago

DISCLAIMER: This post focuses more on the Goenka courses than Vipassana meditation per se. I'm quite surprised that no dissenting opinion has yet surfaced on the topic of Goenka's courses. Most of the commentor's opinions here seem over-enthusiastic, describing the Goenka retreat as 'the best thing in [their] lives'. To me, this is a serious warning sign. I have attended a 10-day retreat, which ended prematurely (on the evening of the 8th day) because of my refusal to watch the evening lectures. While I must agree with the commentors' positive opinions on the meditative experience, I feel compelled to inform any potential attendees that despite claims of 'scientific rationality', the Goenka group is a regular religious sect. When the course begins, the Vipassana technique is presented as an objective tool to achieve insight into the workings of one's own mind and emotions. Mr. Goenka presents himself as someone who merely happened to learn of the technique and is now passing it on. As the days progress, the scarce sleep and food schedule begins to take its toll on the participants' bullshit detectors, and subtle religious notions are slipped into the agenda. These include: * The primacy of Vipassana over other religions * The unreasonableness of other religions * The unquestioned truth of reincarnation * The fact that our bodies are made up of some kind of vibrations I remember finally 'snapping out of it' when Goenka started talking about bubble chambers( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_chamber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_chamber ) and the depressed scientist who made them. My bullshit detector went on overdrive and I thought about all the things that had been said up to that point during Goenka's video lectures and his taped talks. I realized that I had been subtly manipulated into accepting certain ontological truths, such as the above. These were not things I would have readily accepted coming to the retreat. I also realized I had been planning to continue with Vipassana practice and make it part of my life. Maybe help organize retreats in my home country. Become part of this 'wonderful' movement headed by Mr. Goenka. This was definitely not something I had in mind when I signed up for the course. I know I will not convince anyone who is already engaged with the Goenka group to rethink how they got involved, but I would like to sincerely warn anyone who is considering attending: You will not be alone with your thoughts and emotions during these ten days. You will be accompanied by THE RECORDED VOICE OF GOENKA, for 2-3 hours of each and every day. Every meditation will start with his talks and chants, every meditation will end with his talks and chants. From what I understand, but have obviously not experienced firsthand, the grueling 9-day course ends with a Love-bomb (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bombing). I believe these 'free' courses are set up to lure susceptible people into the organization. Please look into some critical views on any religious group before engaging with one. On the internet, smears abound, but you may also find some grounded critique that may shine light on the structure and purpose of the organization.

gearoidoc 14y ago

If anyone's looking to find a similar course, I run a website called Connectedtrips thats geared towards just that. Here's a link to a list of our Meditation courses in the USA: http://tinyurl.com/b6zumq2 http://tinyurl.com/b6zumq2