My Vipassana experience

A month after Vipassana:

 A month has now passed away since I returned from the Vipassana Meditation Centre at Amersfoort, in the Netherlands. Since lot of my friends were asking me where I was during the Christmas and new year and the one who knew that I was gone to find myself were asking how the meditation went, I thought write it so that you have an idea what it was all about. 

Since I was called at the last moment to join the course, I myself had very little idea about Vipassana. What I knew for sure was that I would be gone for 10 days. I packed my clothes for 10 days and got my train to Amersfoort. After a ride for about 3 hours, I arrived at the meditation centre at De Glind.

The registration, the evening meal and the orientation about the courses kept me excited and the 8 pm on that very day, the course and the noble silence was started.

With a short meditation, we went to sleep at 9 pm and there I was with mere curiosity of 10 more days which were due to come.

 You are awaken with a trilling sound of a gong every morning at 4 am and you try to start your day half asleep. I was there at the meditation hall by 4.30 every morning which I was proud of. We followed the instructions and kept on meditating from 4am till 9 pm except during the breakfast and lunch time. There wasn’t any dinner!

First 3 days were mostly the concentration of your respiration and then from 4 till 10^th day, it was all about the sensation and equanimity.  What I felt during those 10 days where the biggest learning of my life. I believe that I had never maintained such a strong discipline in my whole life and the willingness to achieve something had never been so sharp.

 Even though being born in a Hindu/ Buddhist community, I realised that I know so less about my own beliefs.  It was an eye opener on so many aspects of my own life for me. I regret now why I didn’t do this course earlier.

 I had an ocean of time to think, Even though the whole meditation was about getting out of your thoughts.  But I thought, thought and kept on thinking even though i didnt want those thoughts….there were this immensity of thoughts which would sometimes keep me awake at night.  A regret of the past or a fear of the future; the journeys and the difficulties of life I have been through and also the merriest events, the wonderful people I met in last years…..  the thoughts came and passed away.

Coming back home, I feel like I have regained a new life.  I’m trying to practicing it in day to day life where I cope my stress with my meditative thoughts. Nothing is permanent. Whatever happens, it all has the same characteristics of coming and passing away.  I do try to meditate even though the evening hours are very difficult coz of the tiredness. I’m holding to my morning sessions even though I'm mostly half asleep.

I learned to forgive. I think, I now can distance myself when an event occurs so that I wouldn’t let come upto my heart try to maintain my equanimity.   I believe that I would now react differently than I used to do it before. Separating me from day to happiness or miseries is not always evident but I do try to apply it! I think it helps you to concentrate in several aspects of life and try to teach you a meaning of life. I feel more relaxed and I understand why I'm meditating; not for the sake of someone's wishes but my own choice.

I’m glad that I’ve already registered for one day courses for coming months and I’m dedicated to do the 10 days course in dec 2014.

I am joining the one day courses too. The last one was at 26 of January in Brussels.

The practical arrangement and more info about Vipassana can be found here.

Peace,

Raj