Thanks for being the only person far that has actually explained the mediation process. Everyone else is just, "oooh, it was so gooooood, doooo it". It's important to know though that, not all body sensations, feelings and thoughts are based on things from the distant past. Meditation in of itself can make those 3 arise. Indeed, the deeper more advanced meditation straight up focuses on the joy that arises from meditation. (then you go deeper and that shifts to bliss and deeper and it shifts again). The states are called the jhanas. I've been hearing people say that the Goenka version of Vipassana pretty much says that the early stages of mediation(jhanas, there are 8) are really actually bad and pretty much calls them evil. The reality though, is that they are extremely important. They are the really what get you hooked on the path to enlightenment. They are not the end of the path of course. I'm signed up for a retreat the end of the the month and am waffling about going because of how looked down on the early stages seem to be.
Om! Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhi Tata! May all beings be happy! The Dhammapada says, " Perceive the world as a bubble,Perceive the world as a mirage. If you see the world in this way, You render the Lord of Death powerless." Thank you for this discourse on Right mindfulness and Right meditation. Peace and Joy.
Also, a little tidbit another teacher I've watched on UA-cam gave. (I can't remember who sadly). (this is in my own words) The distracting thoughts shouldn't be looked at as evil. They should be looking at as gifts that remind you to go back to your desired focus. Look at them as a gift that you don't really want that you got from someone who you care about. The important thing isn't the gift, the important thing is the relationship with the person. Set the gift aside and enjoy that the person cares about you enough to give you a gift. Eventually, with enough time and love in the friendship/relationship, you can learn to skilfully tell the person who gave it to you that the gift wasn't great but, it doesn't matter. You can also learn how to tell them in a loving way what kind of gifts you would like to receive. In mediation, the same process happens. You look at the "undesirable" thoughts as gifts from your subconscious, but by not focusing on them, you eventually train it to give you useful and desired things ----I'm a fan of saying "thank you, more please" to my sub conscious for the cool things that it gives me. But yes, not attaching to them. The undesirable things just get a thank you. Both are positives, but the thank you, more please is more of a positive and trains the subconscious that those are better. Mediation should NEVER involve self punishment, ever. Doing so just makes you feel like s*it and make the road harder and longer.
It's important to remember as the teacher says, this is the Kindergarten course, as you your awareness evolves you are able to deepen the practice to limitless possibilities & unimaginable merits. Be Happy 🙂
Really enjoyed your honest, insightful and truthful experience. I am heading to my first one next week at Joshua Tree in SoCal. Hoping I can do this at 60!!
Thanks for your thorough and clear explanation. However, I do think you've understand two parts of the technique wrong. I've been doing a 10 day course less then 1 week ago. First of all, it's about remaining equanimous towards the physical sensations, not towards thoughts that come up during the meditation. The whole idea of Vipassana is the mind-matter connection, meaning that thoughts and emotions are stored in the body and manifest itself throughout the body in the form of gross or subtle physical sensations. Therefor, focusing one's attention on any sensation that comes up, while remaining equanimous, meaning not reacting to this sensation, releases the sankara that is assigned to this sensation which results in old sankaras automatically coming from the subconsciousness to the surface where they can also be relinquished. Second, experiencing 'Bangha' (or total dissolution) means that you are able to feel physical sensations everywhere both on the surface and inside of the body while doing a 'free-flow sweeping' bodyscan outside and throughout the whole body, including your spinal cord. Only when physical sensations on all parts both outside and inside the body (including the spinal cord) can be examined using a free flow swipe Bangha can occur.
Great explanation. Sounds like you were able to get pretty far into it, to the point where you began to feel energetic shifts. Thanks for sharing. I guess the question I have now is, how is this relevant or helpful to your daily life, after having done the practice?
Just posted another video of 3rd course. Similar explanation of the experience. Short answer is that the first course changed my life significantly. After 3rd course I can already see a manifestation of patience with family. Both to/ for my family members and from my family to me. Life is more harmonious 🤌🏻
Have the assistant teachers themselves had the 1st or 2nd shift in the awakening process or do they become ATs after completing x number of courses without any significant insight and what is the track record of students in this tradition with a 1st stage of awakening.
Hans, the concentration comes with practice. Further into the week your concentration grows stronger and the subtle sensations “come” easier/ you can feel them more.
Will Magner Thanks for the response man. I actually meant did you have to contract/tighten to focus or was it more natural after a few days of practising? How you’re doing now :)?
@@ImLehwz It is a constant challenge to 'turn away' from the Monkey Mind and keep your focus on the Body Scan and Body sensations.I just got back this morning from my first 10 day sitting. I'm assuming it is going to take some time for any of this process to become 'natural'. It is training the Mind to behave. It is like wrangling a wild animal. Hope this helps.
I love these in the car Vipassana reviews
Thanks for being the only person far that has actually explained the mediation process. Everyone else is just, "oooh, it was so gooooood, doooo it".
It's important to know though that, not all body sensations, feelings and thoughts are based on things from the distant past. Meditation in of itself can make those 3 arise.
Indeed, the deeper more advanced meditation straight up focuses on the joy that arises from meditation. (then you go deeper and that shifts to bliss and deeper and it shifts again). The states are called the jhanas.
I've been hearing people say that the Goenka version of Vipassana pretty much says that the early stages of mediation(jhanas, there are 8) are really actually bad and pretty much calls them evil.
The reality though, is that they are extremely important. They are the really what get you hooked on the path to enlightenment. They are not the end of the path of course.
I'm signed up for a retreat the end of the the month and am waffling about going because of how looked down on the early stages seem to be.
I love the way you explain the process and your experience. Thank you for sharing :)
Om! Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhi Tata! May all beings be happy! The Dhammapada says, " Perceive the world as a bubble,Perceive the world as a mirage. If you see the world in this way, You render the Lord of Death powerless." Thank you for this discourse on Right mindfulness and Right meditation. Peace and Joy.
Also, a little tidbit another teacher I've watched on UA-cam gave. (I can't remember who sadly).
(this is in my own words)
The distracting thoughts shouldn't be looked at as evil. They should be looking at as gifts that remind you to go back to your desired focus. Look at them as a gift that you don't really want that you got from someone who you care about. The important thing isn't the gift, the important thing is the relationship with the person. Set the gift aside and enjoy that the person cares about you enough to give you a gift.
Eventually, with enough time and love in the friendship/relationship, you can learn to skilfully tell the person who gave it to you that the gift wasn't great but, it doesn't matter. You can also learn how to tell them in a loving way what kind of gifts you would like to receive.
In mediation, the same process happens. You look at the "undesirable" thoughts as gifts from your subconscious, but by not focusing on them, you eventually train it to give you useful and desired things
----I'm a fan of saying "thank you, more please" to my sub conscious for the cool things that it gives me. But yes, not attaching to them.
The undesirable things just get a thank you.
Both are positives, but the thank you, more please is more of a positive and trains the subconscious that those are better.
Mediation should NEVER involve self punishment, ever. Doing so just makes you feel like s*it and make the road harder and longer.
It's important to remember as the teacher says, this is the Kindergarten course, as you your awareness evolves you are able to deepen the practice to limitless possibilities & unimaginable merits.
Be Happy 🙂
There is no such thing as a kindergarten course.The teacher is misguided .Do not sell yourself short.
Really enjoyed your honest, insightful and truthful experience. I am heading to my first one next week at Joshua Tree in SoCal. Hoping I can do this at 60!!
How was it for you at 60? I am 65 so wondering too:-)
I turn 61 next month with my first retreat end August. How did it go?
Very informative, its sounds brilliant. I will do this course. Thank you very much for this.
Thanks for your thorough and clear explanation. However, I do think you've understand two parts of the technique wrong. I've been doing a 10 day course less then 1 week ago. First of all, it's about remaining equanimous towards the physical sensations, not towards thoughts that come up during the meditation. The whole idea of Vipassana is the mind-matter connection, meaning that thoughts and emotions are stored in the body and manifest itself throughout the body in the form of gross or subtle physical sensations. Therefor, focusing one's attention on any sensation that comes up, while remaining equanimous, meaning not reacting to this sensation, releases the sankara that is assigned to this sensation which results in old sankaras automatically coming from the subconsciousness to the surface where they can also be relinquished. Second, experiencing 'Bangha' (or total dissolution) means that you are able to feel physical sensations everywhere both on the surface and inside of the body while doing a 'free-flow sweeping' bodyscan outside and throughout the whole body, including your spinal cord. Only when physical sensations on all parts both outside and inside the body (including the spinal cord) can be examined using a free flow swipe Bangha can occur.
Thank you sooo much for sharing, very clear and transparent!
Gee. I so get this now. You did an excellent job at explaining what happens on the inside.
What was it that made you sign up?
Than you!! My brother took the course a long time ago.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks for sharing - helped me decide to do Vipassana :-)
Great explanation. Sounds like you were able to get pretty far into it, to the point where you began to feel energetic shifts. Thanks for sharing. I guess the question I have now is, how is this relevant or helpful to your daily life, after having done the practice?
Just posted another video of 3rd course. Similar explanation of the experience. Short answer is that the first course changed my life significantly. After 3rd course I can already see a manifestation of patience with family. Both to/ for my family members and from my family to me. Life is more harmonious 🤌🏻
Very interesting about that mystery pain.
This is really incredible, are you still practicing?
Thank you!...great narration!
Have the assistant teachers themselves had the 1st or 2nd shift in the awakening process or do they become ATs after completing x number of courses without any significant insight and what is the track record of students in this tradition with a 1st stage of awakening.
Very understandable, informative and helpful. Thank you
Thanks for the clear explanation man :)!
A great video. Do you still practice vipassana
yes a few times a week.
謝謝分享你的經驗和體會。謝謝你。
Great explanation 👍👌♥️♥️
Awesome video :)
Did you have to concentrate hard or more effortless observation during Vipassana?
Hans, the concentration comes with practice. Further into the week your concentration grows stronger and the subtle sensations “come” easier/ you can feel them more.
Will Magner Thanks for the response man. I actually meant did you have to contract/tighten to focus or was it more natural after a few days of practising?
How you’re doing now :)?
@@ImLehwz It is a constant challenge to 'turn away' from the Monkey Mind and keep your focus on the Body Scan and Body sensations.I just got back this morning from my first 10 day sitting. I'm assuming it is going to take some time for any of this process to become 'natural'. It is training the Mind to behave. It is like wrangling a wild animal. Hope this helps.
@@florencefallon5990 Thank you!