Vipassana: What is it? A short guide for beginners
- Noa
The word Vipassana means to see things as they really are. It is a silent retreat where one learns to practice mindfulness according to Buddhism. The purpose of the method is to teach us how to find deep and stable inner peace, by clearing the mind of the external world and looking inward.
Vipassana is a method of mindfulness practice that has been taught for about 2600 years. It is based on the Dhamma – the teachings of the Buddha or what the Buddha taught. The Buddha’s goal was to eradicate suffering from the world. In Vipassana we learn to observe ourselves and thereby see things as they really are, which removes much suffering from our life experience and makes room for happiness.
The process lasts from 7 days to several months, usually in complete silence. The daily routine is about the same. Every day you practice about ten hours of meditation (sitting and walking), there is time for rest, some food and sleep, and in some places also learning classes. In the post you can read what is learned in Vipassana, what the daily routine looks like, what is the goal of the process, why in silence and how to practice daily. In addition, I will recommend the place where I did Vipassana and a few other places.
Table of Contents
A little about what you learn in Vipassana
As mentioned, Vipassana means seeing things as they really are. What does it mean? In its simplest form – not taking things personally but seeing them in their neutral form. Everything is part of nature and we observe it. We are not our emotions, feelings, thoughts, desires and passions. They are part of nature and they are not who we really are. The more we practice mindfulness and observe them, the more we manage to create a separation between them and ourselves and not take them personally, but let them come to us and pass by us. The sense of self begins to fade and we begin to understand and even feel that we are part of something bigger. So if we are not our body, thoughts and desires, who are we? Stop for a moment and think: when you were 7 years old, for example, your desires, thoughts, aspirations, ideologies, the things you achieved and the way you looked at life were probably very different from today. However, are you still you? What is the common denominator you have with yourself throughout your life?
10 qualities for daily practice to free the sense of self, according to Buddhism
Generosity, giving: whether it's money, advice, a meal, or anything you can give.
Morality: guarding language, polite behavior, sometimes adopting some of the eight precepts of Buddhism.
Flow: To let go of things whose time has come.
Wisdom: For example by learning the Dhamma and passing on knowledge to others.
Energy: Putting energy into what we do and doing it right.
Patience: According to the Buddha, the highest level of practice. Accepting what is happening in the moment with patience.
Truth: Be true to yourself and your intentions.
Decisiveness: If you decide to do something, do it right to the end.
Love and compassion: towards yourself and towards the world.
Balance: Maintain balance in the mind. Do not indulge in pleasant feelings and avoid unpleasant ones. Mental stability even in difficult times.
2 important points in Vipassana
Releasing expectations
It is very important to pay attention to our expectations from the practice. Watching comes at the expense of our ability to observe what is really happening inside us. There may be times when you reach a significant breakthrough during meditation and naturally expect it to happen again in the next practice. It is important to pay attention to this and understand that what you experienced will not necessarily happen again. We come to each practice open and ready to receive what comes. Expectations and intentions can also arise in the middle of the practice. Our job is to identify them and also note them. Let them pass, and continue to observe whatever arises.
To accept things as they are
We feel happiness when we are satisfied. That is, whatever is happening at that moment is good enough for us. On the other hand, resisting what is happening and wanting things to be different from how they are creates suffering and frustration in us. Especially in cases where we cannot change them. Buddhism teaches us to accept things as they are. Not to resist and not to take them personally. If we are hot, notice that all emotions and sensations come and go like waves. At times we focus on them and at times on other things. Nothing happens and is felt 100 percent of the time. When you cannot change something, try saying "it's just the way it is." This sentence can help you release a lot of the energy you invest in trying to change things that you cannot change right now.
A little about the Vipassana technique
Sitting meditation
Sit in a comfortable position and concentrate on this moment. You can literally say in your head, "Now... now...". Then check the state of your body and concentrate on the feeling of the encounter between your body and the surface you are sitting on. Then concentrate on each part of your body, moving your awareness from limb to limb, and finally try to be aware of your entire body at once. After all these steps, you simply concentrate on the rise and fall of your abdomen while breathing. You can literally say in your head, "Rise... fall...". We don't try to change the rate of breathing, we simply breathe naturally while being aware of our breaths.
Walking meditation
To connect with the moment, we walk slowly while being aware of every action of the legs, similar to practicing mindfulness while hiking . In order to focus on the present, we mentally note “rising… moving… descending” as the leg rises, moves, and returns to the floor. At a more advanced stage, we can also be aware of the intention to lift the leg, just before it happens, and mentally note “intention.”
The central and secondary object in practice
The rise and fall of our breath or of our foot is the main object during meditation. The secondary object is anything else that happens. For example, when a thought arises, we mentally note "thought..." while being aware that we are now focused on the secondary object. When we feel an itch, a prick, a pain, or any other sensation in the body, we simply mentally note what is happening. If sadness arises, we mentally note "sadness." Or, for example, if impatience arises, we mentally note "impatience." When numbness begins in the legs or pain in the back or shoulders, we note them in our heads and concentrate on the sensation, without taking it personally. In other words, we continue to say in our heads "pain, pain..." while observing it, as if you are now exploring something external, not yours. You will know the limit when you can no longer and must change your position and when you can 'use' the discomfort and pain to be more deeply present in the moment.
During Vipassana, mindfulness practice continues even when we are not meditating. Concentration and thought are invested in every action we do. Whether it is eating, showering, going to the bathroom or going to sleep. We continue to practice our awareness for a moment and mentally note the actions we are doing. This helps us maintain awareness throughout the process and make the most of our stay on retreat. This awareness should also be taken into our daily routine and try to occasionally perform actions while observing and noting them.
Why in silence?
We are used to a lot of distractions during our daily lives. Interactions with people, noises, sensations, emotions… It is difficult to stop everything and look only inward. However, by looking inward we discover a whole and infinite world. The fewer distractions we have from the outside, the easier it will be for us to concentrate on what is happening inside. The process we go through is very personal, everyone experiences it a little differently. Conversations and interactions with people invite criticism of them, of ourselves, of the process we are going through. Many questions can arise. For example, am I doing this right at all? Why don't I feel this way too? Therefore, Vipassana allows for a quiet, comfortable and relaxed environment, with a minimum of distractions. This is so that all we can focus on is practicing mindfulness. When you break the silence, magic happens. You discover that everyone has been through pretty similar things together even though everything was very 'alone'. Complete strangers feel like very good friends of yours, even if you don't remember their names. In short, silence is very significant to the process.
Agenda during Vipassana
It is important to note that not all retreats also have learning classes. But I think learning greatly adds to the understanding of the practice, especially for those who come from Western countries and were not raised under the values of Buddhism. In any case, during the retreat insights come to you on their own. So you also don't feel that you are knowledgeable or understand the material, that is perfectly fine. Just give yourself time and space to learn and progress at your own pace.
So as mentioned, every day has the same schedule. In most places, at 4 am a bell rings. After half an hour everyone gathers in the meditation hall and begins to practice. There are about ten hours of meditation throughout the day and two meals. Breakfast around 7 and lunch around 11. After lunch you don't eat anymore, but some places serve fruit or drinks at sunset. I didn't feel hungry in the evening and most people say they don't either. Sometimes you have cravings to eat, which also helps us stay aware of the moment.
Vipassana Retreat in Koh Phangan, Thailand
I would like to recommend a very special place on Koh Phangan called Indriya. The place was opened a few years ago by a former monk who comes from Iceland. On the first day of every month, a 9-day retreat opens. They teach Vipassana in the ancient and traditional way, plus English classes that take place twice a day. The complex contains a meditation hall, small rooms for two people, a tent complex (for those who prefer to be in a tent alone), a dining room (open), toilets and showers. It is located in a beautiful coconut forest in the middle of the island. As usual, the conditions are as simple as possible but comfortable for practice. Therefore, there is no air conditioning and, as is the case in Thailand, it is hot all the time. There are volunteers and supporters there who can be constantly helped. As of now, the registration cost is 4,000 baht. You can read more about them on their website .
More places to practice Vipassana
The Vipassana Meditation Center as taught by S.N. Goenka is the world's largest center for practicing Vipassana. There are centers all over the world, including in Israel. They conduct authentic ten-day retreats and provide everything you need for Vipassana. You can read more about them on their website.
Below is a world map of the centers .
There are lots of places to practice in Thailand . Some recommended ones are:
Dipabhavan Foundation – in Ko Samoi. The retreats are 7 days long and there is also a 3-day retreat. There are classes on the Dhamma. You can read and register on the website .
Suan Mook (Suan Mokkh) – near the city of Surat Thani. A very authentic center that runs ten-day retreats every month. Their website .
In Myanmar, there is the Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, which you can visit for as long as you want. There is a schedule there, like a retreat, but there are no classes. Also, there are not many English speakers there, only brochures explaining the practice.
Practice in daily life
Of course, our daily lives cannot exist exactly as they appear in Vipassana. That's why I've collected some recommendations that can help maintain the practice. First of all, pay attention to your priorities and if possible arrange them a little differently in favor of practicing mindfulness. Start your morning with 10-20 minutes of sitting meditation. If possible, then also in the evening and/or fifteen minutes of walking meditation. You can create a permanent meditation corner for yourself, with pillows, incense and whatever you like. Try to practice 3 minutes of awareness every hour, even just noting in your head what you are doing at that moment. Practice taking responsibility for negative emotions that you experience. Take advantage of moments when you can practice, such as when you are waiting for something, standing in traffic, etc. Pay attention to how you eat, how it feels, what the pace is. Eating mindfully can contribute to both the digestive system and prevent overeating.
