What Is Meditation, Really?

“In meditation, every form of search must come to an end.”

—J Krishnamurti

Meditation—the authentic kind that ancient Indian rishis (sages) were known for—isn’t about techniques or mantras. It is not a “discipline” or a “practice”. You don’t cultivate it. You don’t need anything special — a quiet room, a scented candle, or to sit cross-legged like a yogi. It doesn’t require effort. There are no instructions to follow.

You could meditate while sitting in a subway or near a water front—or you could be walking on a busy street. When you meditate, there’s no checklist, no end goal, and definitely no “right way” to do it.

That’s because meditation is about abiding in awareness—a kind of relaxed alertness that is free of methods, motives, and agendas. In meditation, you notice what’s happening, both within you and around you, without trying to control or change it. Thoughts come and go but you neither offer any resistance nor be swept away by them. There are no distractions because you’re not trying to focus or concentrate on anything in particular.

Related » Osho on Mantra Japa (Chanting)

Why Trance Is Not Meditation

Meditation is an unaltered state. Trance, on the other hand, is an altered state. Most popular meditation techniques put you into an altered state. For instance, when you follow a guided audio, you might be asked to picture a serene beach or focus intently on a soothing voice. This narrows your attention and helps you relax, often deeply. While this is wonderful for unwinding, or for a feeling peace, it’s only a kind of trance and not meditation. In trance, our awareness shrinks; we shut out the world around us, and our senses too.

Meditation, on the other hand, expands your awareness. It doesn’t aim to transport you elsewhere; it doesn’t help you numb your emotions or forget your problems. On the contrary, it’s about staying right here, fully aware of whatever is happening. In this sense, meditation is an inclusive phenomenon where you don’t block anything from your awareness: you are highly alert of everything and all your perceptions are heightened. You let go of your need to control or manipulate the present moment in any way.

Such awareness, such attention is expansive; it holds everything, from the noise in your head, your thoughts and feelings, to the sensations in your body, or even the sounds of life happening around you.

You Can’t Enforce Stillness or Silence

Many people erroneously belief that meditation is about “achieving” stillness or silence or even—and this is a big misconception—forcing your mind into a thoughtless state. Stillness can’t be enforced, but it arises spontaneously when you observe the movement of your thoughts without clinging to, or rejecting, them. The very awareness of the chattering mind begins to quieten it. Hence, silence is not a prerequisite for meditation; in fact, it is its flowering.

And when you’re aware, time seems to disappear. You’re left with a quiet spaciousness—the kind that makes all sounds, sensations, and experiences possible. At some point, you may realize that the mind-made identity, which you think of as your “self” takes a backseat. You are not this or that or the other—you simply are. There’s no center from which you see the world; there is simply spacious, inclusive awareness.

Related » Zazen: The art of just sitting

Why Meditate

According to J. Krishnamurti, we don’t meditate to achieve a specific state or to gain something—we meditate to understand the nature of the mind and to free ourselves from the limitations of thought.

As I said earlier, when you meditate, you observe without judgment or effort, allowing the movement of thoughts, emotions, and sensations to unfold without interference. This observation reveals the conditioning that drives our actions and reactions. You see, directly, how your mind is limited in its understanding and therefore forms only a contorted and fragmented view of the world instead of seeing the whole picture as it is. Such direct perception is the beginning of true freedom.

An Invitation to Meditate Without an Agenda

So, here’s an idea: try meditating without turning it into a project. Don’t approach it as a chore, or as a way to achieve some goal. Instead, let it be what it is—a chance to just be aware.

Sit in your room or on a park bench or even in a train; or walk around the block—it doesn’t matter. And then become alert, and observe the movement of your thoughts. Let go of the need to “do it right” because there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply give your full attention to the flow of life. Approach meditation not as a means to an end but as an the end in itself—an exploration of life in total awareness.

The post Meditation vs. Trance: Is There a Difference? appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Despite this, most participants find that the stringent requirements for silence and solitude are not as challenging as they appear from the outside. However, a little planning and preparation is highly recommended for first-timers, as I discovered myself.

The following tips will go a long way in preparing you physically and mentally before you begin your 10-day silent Vipassana retreat.

10-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat: 4 tips for First-Timers

Tip 1: Prepare to sit for long hours

Right from the first day, you’re required to sit cross-legged on the floor. Although you can use a meditation cushion or folded blanket for support, this can still be quite challenging if you’re not used to the practice. On most days, you will be seated for up to 10 – 11 hours [with breaks in between], and certain meditation sessions also restrict any bodily movement until the session concludes.

But don’t let this put you off or give you second thoughts. If your concerns stem from an underlying ailment, simply make sure to mention your health condition in the application form. At the Markal centre, Pune, where I did my Vipassana course, chairs were made available to all participants who had done so. The rest of us had to sit on the floor, no matter how much we griped about the pain to our teachers.

The human body is more resilient than we realise and you will adapt fairly quickly to the practice. Yes, some aches and pains may surface if you have no prior practise, but Vipassana retreats wouldn’t be popular if they were as easy as checking into a Holiday Inn. Aside from having to stay in that seated position, you won’t be sleeping on a soft comfy bed, but on a thin mattress on a hard surface. This can be a hard shift for most of us, but the challenge can still be rewarding if you prepare mentally and physically for it.

So, how exactly do you prepare to sit for long hours?

Practice—that’s the long and the short of it. In order to prepare your body for all the sitting, start practising cross-legged sitting at least a month before your course begins. Use cushions and blankets and try different sitting positions like vajrasana or sukhasana to figure which one works best for you—in terms of both comfort and duration. If you have a meditation chair or cushions, check with the centre whether it’s okay for you to carry them along to use during your course.

Related » Tools and props to facilitate meditation

Tip 2: Start having lighter dinners

From personal experience, this one’s harder to endure than any physical challenge—but only if you don’t prepare for it. During the course, you are served breakfast at 6.30am, lunch at 11am and tea at 5pm, along with a light snack [rice puffs in my case]. Here’s the shocker—there’s no dinner.

If you’re used to having heavy dinners, it’s imperative that you start eating light at least a week before your course, if not earlier. As someone who has always enjoyed a hearty dinner, this could have been a challenge. Fortunately for me, I had already made the transition to eating lighter dinners a couple of months before the course. If not for that preparation, I would have struggled to adapt to the ‘no dinner’ schedule.

If you simply can’t skip dinner or are on medications that require you to have dinner, make it clear in the application form and the centre will make special provisions for your meals.

You will be expected to go to bed by about 9.30-10pm, which again can be tough if you’re not used to it. If you don’t make an effort to sleep early, you’ll regret it later as those hunger pangs invariably start to surface.

These timings are actually part of a healthy daily routine and the disciplined structure also extends to other practices in the day.

Tip 3: Read the rules and stick to them

The 10-day course is well-structured and practical. Although some rules may seem extreme to you, they’re all there for good reason. If you can accept and respect the rules, you’ll reap plenty of rewards. As the course progresses, you will gradually settle into the routine, making each successive day easier than the last. With approachable instructors, you don’t just learn more, but can also get help in addressing any concerns or doubts that you might have.

Mind you, the retreat is not at Guantanamo Bay, so don’t expect enforcement authorities to coerce you into complying with the rules. You need to do so out of your own discretion because it’s for your good.

During my course I noticed some people talking to each other, slipping fruit into their pockets to snack on later, and keeping cell phones with them to use in private. If you’re already planning on breaking the rules, perhaps a 10-day silent vipassana retreat is not for you.

Tip 4: What to pack and bring to the Vipassana retreat

As with any travel, clothing is your most essential requirement. Carry comfortable and modest clothing, as most vipassana centres have restrictions on shorts or sleeveless attire. The Markal centre that I visited had a laundry service, but that’s not necessarily the case everywhere. Find out before you head to the retreat and if necessary be prepared to do your own laundry or make sure to carry enough clothing for the 10 days.

Footwear isn’t really a big concern, but for your convenience carry slip-ons to make it easier to remove footwear before entering the dhamma hall and dining areas.

In addition to clothing, remember to carry a water bottle or flask, as drinking water may not be available in all accommodations and you’ll have to walk back to the dining hall [which is usually located at some distance from the residence quarters] every time you need water.

Medications and toiletries may not be available in the vicinity of the retreat, so make sure to carry them too. It would be a good idea to pack a pillow or pillow covers and some bed sheets or blankets if required. As you will have to deposit your phone at the registration office of the centre, it would be wise to carry a small alarm clock with you.

Summing Up — It’s Challenging, But It’s Worth It

The 10-day Vipassana retreat may seem demanding but it’s all a matter of giving up on a few habitual conveniences and enduring the silence. Staying with your thoughts for hours together and observing your body’s reactions can be tough. But such heightened awareness brings with it the wonderful reward of connecting you with your “self”. Take my word for it: the challenge is worth it!

This is an updated version of the article. It was first published on 10^th September 2019.

The post First Time on the 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Retreat? These Tips Will Help appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Breathing consciously is like drinking a glass of cool water. As we breathe in, we really feel the air filling our lungs. We don’t need to control our breath. We feel the breath as it actually is. It may be long or short, deep or shallow. In the light of our awareness it will naturally become slower and deeper. Conscious breathing is the key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness into each moment of our life.

Regardless of our internal weather—our thoughts, emotions, and perceptions—our breathing is always with us like a faithful friend. Whenever we feel carried away, sunk in a deep emotion, or caught in thoughts about the past or the future, we can return to our breathing to collect and anchor our mind.

How to Practice Conscious Breathing

Light and natural, calm and peaceful

While you breathe in and out, feel the flow of air coming in and going out of your nose. At first your breathing may not be relaxed.

But after practicing conscious breathing for awhile, you will feel how light and natural, how calm and peaceful your breathing has become. Any time you’re walking, gardening, typing, or doing anything at all, you can return to this peaceful source of life.

You can say to yourself:

Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I’m breathing out 

When the mind is no longer thinking

After a few breaths, you may want to shorten this to “In, Out”. If you follow your in-breath and out-breath all the way through, your mind is no longer thinking. Now your mind has a chance to rest. In our daily life we think too much. Giving our mind a chance to stop thinking is wonderful.

“Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in…” isn’t a thought. It’s a simple awareness that something is happening, that you are breathing in and out. When you breathe in and bring your attention to your in-breath you bring your mind back to a reunion with your body. Just one in-breath can help the mind come back to the body. When body and mind come together, you can be truly in the present moment.

“Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in…” is another way of saying “Breathing in, I feel alive.” Life is in you and life is around you—life with all its wonders: the sunshine, the blue sky, the autumn leaves. It’s very important to go home to the present moment to get in touch with the healing, refreshing, and nourishing elements of life inside and around you. A light smile can relax all the muscles of your face.

Breathing in, I recognize the blue sky.
Breathing out, I smile to the blue sky, 

Breathing in, I am aware of the beautiful autumn leaves.
Breathing out, I smile to the beautiful autumn leaves. 

You can shorten this to “blue sky” on the in-breath, and “healing” on the out-breath. Then “autumn leaves” on the in-breath, and “smiling” on the out-breath. When you practice breathing like this, it puts you in touch with all these wonders of life.

Just one in-breath can help the mind come back to the body

With conscious breathing, you are in touch with life

The beauty of life is nourishing you. You are free from your worries and fears. You get in touch with your breath and with your body. Your body is a wonder. Your eyes are a wonder, you need only to open your eyes to be able to touch the paradise of forms and colors that are available. Your ears are a wonder. Thanks to your ears you can hear all kinds of sounds: music, birdsong, and the wind blowing through the pine trees. When you pay attention to your in-breath and out-breath, you bring yourself home to the present moment, to the here and the now, and you are in touch with life. If you were to continue to be lost in the past, or to run to the future, you’d miss all of that.

Breathing in, I follow my in-breath all the way through.
Breathing out, I follow my out-breath all the way through. 

In the beginning, you may notice that your breathing may feel labored or awkward. Your breath is a result of your body and feelings. If your body has tension or pain, if your feelings are painful, then your breath is affected. Bring your attention to your breath and breathe mindfully.

Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I’m breathing out. 

Breathing in, I smile to my in-breath.
Breathing out, I smile to my out-breath. 

Let the quality of your breathing improve naturally

Never force your breath. If your in-breath is short, let it be short. If it’s not very peaceful, let it be like that. We don’t intervene, force, or “work on” our breath. We just become aware of it, and after some time, the quality of our breathing improves naturally. Mindfulness of breathing identifies and embraces our in-breath and out-breath, like a mother going home to her child and embracing her child tenderly in her arms. You’ll be surprised to see that after one or two minutes, the quality of your breathing begins improving. Your in-breath becomes deeper, your out-breath becomes slower. Your breathing becomes more peaceful and harmonious.

Breathing in, I notice that my in-breath has become deeper.
Breathing out, I notice that my out-breath has become slower.

When you notice that your in-breath and out-breath have become more peaceful, deeper, and slower, you can offer that peace, calm, and harmony to your body. In your daily life, you may be neglecting and ignoring your body. Now is your chance to come home to your body, recognize its existence, get reacquainted, and make friends with it.

Breathing in, I’m aware of my body.
Breathing out, I release all the tension in my body. 

Rising, falling

These breathing exercises come from the Buddha himself*. They’re very easy, like child’s play. If it’s helpful, put your hand on your belly. You’ll notice that when you breathe in, your stomach is rising, and when you breathe out, your stomach is falling. Rising, falling. Especially in the lying position, it’s easy to feel your abdomen rising and falling. You’re aware of your in-breath and out-breath from the beginning to the end. Breathing like this is enjoyable. You aren’t thinking anymore—of the past, of the future, of your projects, of your suffering. Breathing becomes a pleasure, a reminder of life itself.

Breathing in, I enjoy my in-breath.
Breathing out, I enjoy my out breath

*See Thich Nhat Hanh Breathe! You Are Alive (Berkeley, CA Parallax Press, 2008)

Later on, after you’ve been able to offer that peace and to your body, helping it to release the tension, then you can identify your feelings and emotions.

Breathing in, I’m aware of the painful feeling in me.
Breathing out, I smile to the painful feeling in me.

There’s a painful feeling, but there’s also mindfulness. Mindfulness is like a mother, embracing the feeling tenderly. Mindfulness is always mindfulness of something. When you breathe mindfully, that is mindfulness of breathing. When you walk mindfully, that is mindfulness of walking. When you drink mindfully, that is mindfulness of drinking. When you’re mindful of your feelings, that’s mindfulness of feeling. Mindfulness can be brought to intervene in every physical and mental event, bringing recognition and relief.

The present moment is the only moment

I’d like to offer you a practice poem you can recite from time to time, while breathing and smiling:

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

As my in-breath grows deep,
My out-breath grows slow.

Breathing in, I calm my body,
Breathing out, I feel at ease.

Breathing in, I smile,
Breathing out, I release.

Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.

You can shorten this to the words below, one word or phrase per breath:

In, Out.
Deep, Slow.
Calm, Ease.
Smile, Release.
Present Moment, Wonderful Moment.

The present moment is the only moment that is real. Your most important task is to be here and now and enjoy the present moment.

Complementary content

Here’s a meditation that teaches you to breathe consciously — guided by the venerable Thich Nhat Hahn himself. You might find it immensely useful. (Audio only)

The post Thich Nhat Hanh Teaches How to Practice Conscious Breathing appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Meditation is a powerful method of coping with life’s challenges and difficult people. Although some perceive it as a daunting or boring practice that only religious people do, because of its effects on mental and physical health, brain processing, and athletic performance it has garnered keen interest in the sports, medical, and personal development fields.

How meditation improves physical health

There are many health benefits of meditation. Studies have shown that meditation lowers our heart rates, reduces blood pressure, and lowers the metabolism. These results have been found to provide anxiety sufferers with a sense of peace without medication, to reduce the incidence of migraine headaches, and to soothe chronic pain. The meditative state can counteract the flight-fight response to bring calm and focus during stressful situations.

Another health benefit of meditation is that it also appears to boost our immunity. The findings of one study show that “women who meditate and use guided imagery have higher levels of the immune cells known to combat tumours in the breast.” And researcher and neuroscientist Richard Davidson tested meditation’s effect on the immune system by giving flu shots to a group of volunteers from a high-tech company. A control group received eight weeks of meditation training. By the study’s completion, the meditators showed a healthier immune response to the flu than those who received only the immunisation shot.

We can acquire the health benefits of meditation as soon as we begin to practise it. We continue to grow new neurons throughout our adult lives; our brains possess a kind of neuroplasticity. At the E. M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior in Madison, Wisconsin, Davidson is working to prove that we can reprogramme our minds through meditation to overcome anger, anxiety, and depression and to alleviate the need for pharmacological solutions. Meditation appears to develop the left prefrontal lobe, which regulates positive emotion.

To meditate, all you need is to sit quietly somewhere for a set period of time, say 10 to 40 minutes daily, and let your mind rest. It sounds simple, but it can actually be a tough daily discipline. To help you start, I offer the following suggestions derived from both expert advice and my own efforts to integrate meditation into daily life.

Practical meditation tips for beginners

Create a meditation routine

1. Create a meditation space. It can be as simple as a cushion in the corner of your bedroom or a full meditation room with a pleasing, peaceful decor
2. Make a commitment to try the practice for a set period of time and tell someone you respect about this commitment. “I will practice 20 minutes of seated meditation daily for the next three months,” might be a declaration. My teachers have suggested 60 to one hundred days as a minimum commitment to make a habit stick
3. If you miss a day, go back to the cushion the next
4. Create a ritual that your body will become as accustomed to as your morning cup of coffee. An example would be to turn off the lights, light a candle, sit in the same spot, or wrap yourself in a blanket. The ritual settles us into the practice and into the desired mental state more quickly.

Make it comfortable

1. Buy yourself a meditation cushion or use a chair on which you can easily sit upright
2. Stretch or exercise a little before sitting
3. Find a quiet place free of distractions, and turn off the phone
4. Each day will be different. If you are tired or agitated before beginning, create bridges to the cushion, like taking a cool shower or reading a favourite poet.

Learn to sit

1. Keep your spine straight, with your chin tucked in slightly and your jaw relaxed
2. Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap
3. Close your eyes or leave your eyes half-closed gazing toward the floor
4. Listen to your breathing, clearing your mind of all thoughts
5. As thoughts and emotions arise, acknowledge them: “That is a thought” or “That is anger,” and let them move through
6. When thoughts and emotions do carry you away, return to your breath.

Helpful tools for the beginning meditator

1. When breathing, repeat a positive phrase, like “Thank you,” “I am well,” or “all is well”
2. Count your breaths
3. Set a timer so you don’t keep looking at the clock
4. Use beads to count your breaths and measure time. Move from bead to bead with each in-out breath. A rosary, found at most Christian supply stores, and Buddhist mala beads serve well. With 108 beads and a few “oops, I’m off in thoughtland” deviations, one trip around helps keep you on the cushion for a good 15 minutes.

Meditation not only strengthens but softens

Meditation not only strengthens but softens us as well. It has often helped me win the game I call my “internal hide-and-seek.” For example, I might wake up feeling lousy. When I started meditating seriously, I couldn’t name the feeling, it was just this edgy state that I hated. If I observed my actions, I found that it caused me to want to control my children’s every movement. Since I had committed to a teacher that I highly respect to do seated meditation for a year, when those edgy mornings came, I still went to my cushion, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

As I sat, first fighting the feeling, I would make lists of what I wanted to do that day or think about the dream I had the night before. Then my thoughts would clear, and I would settle in. Soon I would notice the emotion and say to myself, “I’m miserable.” If I could just let myself feel the sadness or even the depression that appeared, it would transform. Day after day, I became more comfortable with letting myself be miserable, afraid, or depressed, and I got better at letting everyone in the house be just as they were. I felt much better about my interactions with others when I was able to be gentler with myself.

There are still days when I want to run and hide and I am not interested in meditating. Yet when I do meditate, I am constantly amazed at how it helps me locate myself on both my inner and external battlefields. I gain not only some peace of mind but also new perspective on my challenges.

The post Health benefits of meditation + meditation tips for beginners appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

If we look up the dictionary, it defines peace as “freedom from disturbance” or, “quiet and tranquillity”. If we look at our life, there are so many things that disturb us. If we attempt to draw up a list, we are likely to run out of paper in no time, because life is filled with so many disturbances.

Many people think of peace as the absence of war. That is also a valid definition. But war or armed conflict is only one type of grave disturbance.

We can think of disturbance in relation to other issues as well, one example would be economic calamities, just as we experienced in 2008. The world economy took a massive nose dive and it still has not fully recovered. It created a great deal of disturbance within society; it became much more difficult for people to find work. People’s asset bases, their homes, their bank accounts, all eroded, and this was very disturbing for them, particularly for those approaching retirement.

But this lack of peace also manifests in a myriad of other ways. For instance, on a more personal level, with the idea of personal friends and betrayals. It’s tremendously disturbing when someone we thought of as a close friend, someone who was trusted and relied upon, and after some turn of events, that person betrays us. Even being “unfriended” freaks us out or causes huge disturbance for some of us.

Body Image

Studies show that the use of social media tends to result in a greater lack of peace than of peacefulness. People are searching for something, but they don’t realise that what they’re searching for is peace and happiness. They’ve got their phones and they’re swiping and swiping away. What is it that they are looking for? People say, “I’m trying to see what my friends are doing.” But they’ve been constantly following what their friends are doing for the past four or five years and it hasn’t stopped. Because they’re actually searching for something else, something deeper.

Today, body image reigns supreme. It’s the age of selfies. Selfie is pretence. You have to get the right look on and the right angle, and get the selfie stick out, take a picture of yourself enjoying the moment—it’s all so fake. Nobody wants real video or real pictures. They don’t want a picture of themselves brushing their teeth, using the toilet, eating and dropping food on their clothes. They don’t want to be caught asleep on the sofa with saliva coming out of their mouth.

It’s not just youngsters, older people are into it too. Some people have had so many facelifts and so much body modification that they look stunningly youthful. “Oh, you look so great!” — but then they have to stand up and start walking and you suddenly become aware that “wow this person is actually 80 years old!”

How we want people to see us and relate to us, leads to becoming troubled by thoughts of how acceptable we are. This also leads to self-doubt, about whether others can actually accept us, and whether we are truly lovable. People end up in so much self-doubt and pain.

Unfulfilled Desires

Another thing that brings disturbance into people’s life is the thought of not having something that they desire, or not having enough of it. They become agitated and disturbed: “I’m not getting enough of this sort of activity. I’m not getting enough out of that relationship. I’m not able to afford a certain new toy. I’m not able to afford something else. I’m just not getting enough stuff.” They’re feeling both distracted and disturbed, and looking for more. But no matter how much stuff, money or anything else you get, it will never satisfy you. You will continue be disturbed.

So, with unfulfilled desires, the things that we desire or want and are just wishing and hoping for, there is this false idea that the disturbance I’m feeling within my heart will be erased if I can get these things—if I could just get the perfect body, if I could get more possessions. I think that if I could just get these things, then everything is going to be great and I’m going to exist in a peaceful and happy condition. But that is the opposite of truth. If you lead a life of material pursuits, it’s absolutely not true that by getting all these different things you will find relief from your emptiness and suffering, that you will come to a state of happiness, fulfilment and peace.

What does the Bhagavad-Gita say?

The Bhagavad-Gita is probably the best known of all the Hindu or Vedic scriptures and is used as a reference or a guide for any serious practitioner of yoga. It teaches us many life lessons including the subject of peace and peacefulness.

The Bhagavad-Gita literally means the ‘Song of God’ and it was a dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and a very great warrior prince named Arjuna about 5,000 years ago on a battlefield. It is quite different, in many ways, from other scriptures and it contains profound knowledge about the nature and purpose of life. It examines the basic question of identity: who am I? what is my life’s purpose? where can I find happiness and perfection in life?

There is a beautiful verse in the Bhagavad-Gita:

One who is not connected with the Supreme can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?  [Bhagavad-Gita 2:66]

If we reflect upon this verse, it is saying that material life, chasing all these material things and experiences, instead of providing peace, leads to more agitation, more painful experiences. And this results in a dimming of whatever intelligence we have. If we are to actually come to the position of being fulfilled and peaceful, to have a spiritual life, and if we are to see things with clarity, then it’s necessary for us to have transcendental intelligence.

In another two verses, the Bhagavad-Gita describes this situation:

As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.

Therefore, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence. [Bhagavad-Gita 2.67-68]

If we want to be able to achieve happiness, fulfilment, and peace, having steady intelligence is necessary. It’s also necessary to curb this endless chasing of the demands of the senses and of our minds.

A couple of verses later, the Bhagavad-Gita it states:

A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires. [Bhagavad-Gita 2.70]

If we are going to dedicate our life to simply following our minds and our senses, focusing our minds on all the different desires of the senses, we will not be able to come to the position of experiencing peace, to be free from disturbance. The chasing of desire is the same as putting gasoline on a fire. If I want to put a fire out and I add gasoline, although it’s a liquid it doesn’t put the fire out. It makes the fire burn brighter.

So, if my life is spent trying to fulfil the desires that manifest in my senses and mind, without any consideration of whether this will actually bring me happiness, and whether this is a wise choice, then I will simply be experiencing an ever-increasing agitation instead of going the other way. In order to experience happiness, one must cultivate spiritual intelligence.

A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace. [Bhagavad-Gita 4.39]

What is the Solution?

We are embodied—we have a material body. We are living in this world. The important thing for us to do is come to understand and appreciate what is the actual goal and purpose of our life. And that is to find this fulfilment we hope for, to experience the actual happiness that we desire in our heart of hearts, to awaken the natural condition of spiritual love and to have this very extraordinary and completely fulfilling experience of spiritual love and happiness.

If we follow the path of materialism, founded on the idea that I am the material body and that I will experience fulfilment by constantly bombarding my body and mind with sensual experiences, then this is actually a display of a lack of transcendental intelligence.

The intelligent path, as it is pointed out in the Bhagavad-Gita, is when we engage in the activities of life, but focus them as an offering to the Supreme Soul, to dovetail our life in the service of the Supreme Soul and of other living beings. If we live our life in this way instead of greedily trying to grab things and suck the juice out of all this fruit that we get, hoping it will fulfil us; if we instead redirect our life and make it one of being connected with the Supreme Soul and with others in a mood of humility and service, then we will have another experience. We will actually find that condition of unlimited peacefulness, of tremendous spiritual happiness and love.

The principle spiritual process to bring about this change is to engage in meditation, and particularly kirtan meditation, under the guidance of a genuine spiritual teacher, which brings about a purification of the heart and the mind.

The post Peace: Life Lessons From the Bhagavad-Gita appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

To Begin Your Meditation Practice, Start Where You Are

You might feel that you are the single most stressed-out person on Planet Earth; you might be hopelessly in love; you might have six children and a full-time job; you might be going through a depression or a dark night of the soul. Wherever you are, you can begin there. You don’t need to change a thing in order to start a meditation practice.

When you decide to become a regular practitioner of meditation, it’s wise to settle on a schedule ahead of time. The fruits of meditation are manifold, and you really begin to see them and feel them when you practise regularly. So first and foremost, choose a schedule that is realistic for you—and then keep it. For example, decide what time of the day you are going to practise. Perhaps it works best for you to practise in the early morning, before you have breakfast and get ready for work. Perhaps it works best for you to practise after your kids are in bed at night. Decide when you are going to get into a regular habit of meditation—and commit.

Next, Consider How Long You Will Practice

How long will you sit for? You can sit for 20 minutes or two hours; this is up to you. But set yourself up for success. When you commit to a meditation practice, you don’t want to put yourself in a position where you will easily feel defeated. For beginning meditators, I suggest starting with 20 minutes. Then, after a month or several months of practice, you can lengthen your time by another 20 minutes. If you are a seasoned meditator or if you are returning to a meditation practice, you might commit to an hour a day.

Perhaps you have an hour for your meditation practice, but sitting for more than 20 minutes feels daunting to you. If this is the case, I suggest sitting for 20 minutes, then perhaps taking 10 minutes to slowly walk in a quiet, contemplative fashion, or to practise slow yoga, or to simply stretch, re-energize yourself and give yourself a break through movement. Shifting your focus to something body oriented might help you to sit again for another 20 minutes.

Ideally, the Environment for Meditation Is As Simple As Possible

It is simple in the sense that it does not require a great deal of setup. As you will discover, meditation is about letting the world in and awakening to your life, which means you can even meditate on a bus! But for the purposes of creating a regular practice, find a space in your home that feels sacred or relaxing for you. You might decide to create a little altar, a display of reminders that you feel supports your practice. You might want to place a picture of a teacher whom you connect with on your altar, or a candle, or perhaps some incense.

Then Consider Your Meditation “Seat”

You want to sit in a way that allows you to feel lifted—and this can be done on a cushion or a chair. Some choose to use what is called a gomden, which is a hard, square seat that lifts you up so your knees are below your sacrum. You can also use a zafu, a circular cushion, which is a bit softer and lower. Find the cushion or seat that works for you. If you have a bad back or a lot of knee pain, you can sit in a chair.

Lastly, Find a Timer

This can be a wristwatch, an alarm clock, or anything you can set that will alert you when the time you decided on is up. In meditation halls and on retreats, a gong [or bell] is often used, which is an extraordinarily gorgeous and peaceful sound.

You might practice alone, or you might decide to begin a meditation practice with a partner or a group. If you are a beginning meditator, I often recommend practising with one or more people, because this will provide you with a great deal of support. You’ll find that if you go at it alone, it is much more difficult to keep the schedule. The time-honored way of doing meditation is very often to practise alone, and in that case the commitment and devotion to a schedule can be more difficult, but I’ve found it gets easier as time passes.

Begin Your Meditation Practice With Just 10 Minutes Day

Once a college student who came to me asking for instruction on how to meditate said that he experienced a lot of anxiety. He also had ADD [attention deficit disorder]. This young student was longing for relief from all the stress in his life. He was also concerned about how he was going to integrate meditation into his busy life, with all his studies and obligations. I suggested that he meditate just 10 minutes a day first thing in the morning, before even getting out of bed. I told him he could sit up in bed or on the side of the bed, cross-legged or legs extended, however he felt comfortable.

He came back after one week and said that this had really been helpful. He said that one morning he woke up really early, around 2.30am, and he was having a panic attack because he had so much to do. His instinct was to jump out of bed and get to it, work on his huge list of to-dos. And then he remembered his commitment to start his day with 10 minutes of meditation. So at 2.30 in the morning, he sat up and entered his meditation practice. In that experience, he said everything slowed down, and he was able to look at his wild, intense mind and his energized body.

By being present with himself for those 10 minutes, he had clarity about how to mindfully work through his list and see what needed to be done and in what order. The meditation allowed him to settle down and organize what he needed to do with clarity. It occurred to him that many of the things he felt he had to do actually didn’t need to be done that particular day—and this settledness allowed him to return to sleep and feel much more refreshed when he awoke again at a more reasonable hour.

Related » Tools to facilitate meditation

So perhaps you only have 10 minutes that you can commit to meditation. Just 10 minutes can help you come to your senses or slow down enough that your natural intelligence, or what I call basic goodness—the part of you that knows what the right action at any given time might be—can click in.

This excerpt first appeared in the March 2016 issue of Complete Wellbeing magazine.

The post Pema Chödrön Explains How to Begin Your Meditation Practice appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

“A mind too active is no mind at all”
– Theodore Roethke

The positive effects of regular meditation are well-documented: heart and respiration rate slow down, blood pressure drops, and symptoms of stress decrease as your body relaxes. It has been said that in order to meditate, we need three things: great faith, great perseverance and great questions. There are some practical considerations as well. It is helpful to get ready—physically and mentally. Meditating without preparing your body and mind is like stopping a car with the engine racing.

How to prepare yourself for meditation

Hatha yoga began as a way for yogis to prepare themselves for the demands of meditation. Before you begin, take some slow, deep breaths, followed by a few simple yoga postures [asanas] or stretches. Some people like to meditate to the sounds of soft music, chimes or a table fountain; others prefer quiet. Try both ways to see what works best for you.

As for positions, you have options there, too. Most people sit during meditation. If you are seated on a blanket or mat on the floor, sitting on a cushion helps keep your spine extended. If you are seated in a chair, make sure your knees are in level with your hips [you may wish to try putting your feet on a cushion]. Shoulders are relaxed and down away from your ears. Eyes may be closed or cast downward. Rest the back of your hands on your knees or in your lap, fingers slightly curled. You may wish to gently touch the tips of the thumbs and index fingers in jnana mudra, or “knowledge gesture”. This hand gesticulation represents the union of human and divine consciousness, a classic gesture that completes an energy circuit in the body and can enhance concentration. If you lie down, use a folded blanket or bolster under your knees and under your neck. Arms are by your sides, palms turned up, fingers slightly curled or in jnana mudra.

Begin with the basics

A basic meditation [dhyana] practice is to simply follow your breath. Repeat silently, “Breathing in, breathing out.” When thoughts arise—and they will, again and again—return to the breath or word. Shift position if you feel uncomfortable; don’t “tough it out”. You want your practice to be pleasant, not punishing. If you move, do so slowly and with awareness. Or instead, try focussing on an object [a rock or shell], a sound [bell or chime], counting [“one, two, three…”], a mantra [such as “peace,” “amen”] or an image [lotus flower, sunset, gemstone].

If you are new to meditation, practise for a few minutes at first; gradually, increase the time by five-minute increments.

1. Heart meditation

• Bring thumbs and forefingers together to form a triangle over your heart centre. [Hands can rest in your lap if that is more comfortable.]
• Exhale. Inhale through the nose. Exhale fully through the mouth.
• Repeat this breath for several rounds and allow your breath to return to normal.
• Lower your hands to your sides and ask yourself the question: If my heart were planted, what would it grow?”
• Let the question sit for a while. Then, breathe deeply as you envision an answer or an image.
• Keep your focus on the visualisation.
• Breathe.

2. Meditation of intent

This meditation focusses on combining three intentions: to nurture a strong and supple body; to develop a clear mind; and to cultivate a spirit filled equally with power, love, and wisdom.

• Inhale and repeat silently: “My body is strong and supple.”
• Exhale and repeat silently: “My mind is clear.”
• Inhale and repeat silently: “My spirit is filled with power, love and wisdom.”
• Exhale and repeat silently: “All in equal measure.”
• Breathe and feel the intention fill your entire being.

3. Lotus flower meditation

The lotus flower has long been a symbol of perfection, purity and simplicity. While the lotus blossom represents perfection and purity, its roots remain firmly grounded in the mud. The lotus flower reminds us that while we may strive for higher awareness from above, we can’t forget our vital physical connection to the earth below.

• Breathe deeply as you envision the glorious thousand-petal lotus blossom.
• Inhale and imagine the lotus blossom growing in your heart centre, the bridge between the three lower physical energy chakras and the three higher spiritual chakras.
• Exhale and acknowledge the connection between your physical body and cosmic consciousness.
• Breathe deeply and with each exhalation allow the lotus flower to continue unfolding.
• Go deeply within and gaze at the beautiful open flower. Note that a gift—an image, an insight, a message or a vision—awaits you.
• Ask yourself: “What gift does the lotus flower hold for me?”
• Continue breathing, focusing on the precious gift that the lotus flower of your heart has brought you. What use will you make of this gift?
• Put the gift in a safe place within, aware that it will remain there for whenever you need its special qualities.

4. Om meditation

If you have never chanted before and feel self-conscious, start by repeating “Om” silently at first; as you feel more comfortable, begin chanting aloud, gradually increasing the volume. The sound of Om is composed of four parts: ah [corresponds to the waking state]; oh [corresponds to the dreaming state]; mmm [corresponds to the deep sleeping state]; and silence [represents ultimate reality].

• Inhale deeply. On an exhalation begin chanting the sound of Om. Remember the four parts: ah/oh/mmm/silence
• Pause. Inhale deeply.
• Chant for two more rounds. Increase the volume with each round.
• When you have completed chanting, return your breath to normal and repeat silently: “My spirit overflows with luminous energy.”

5. Resting meditation

• Breathe deeply a few times.
• Allow who you truly are to be revealed by silently saying: “I am.”
• Allow these words to help you focus your awareness.
• Repeat as often as you wish.

6. Walking meditation

You may wish to do this meditation outdoors or in a spacious room. Stand with your spine comfortably extended. Your gaze is focussed on a spot in front of you. Arms may be by your sides or in front of the heart centre in prayer position. In addition to all the other benefits of meditation, walking meditation also increases circulation in the legs and feet and counteracts the effects of too much sitting.

• Breathe deeply.
• Begin walking by raising your right foot as you inhale. Exhale as you place the foot down in front of you.
• Inhale and raise your left foot. Exhale and place it down in front of you.
• Take each step slowly and deliberately. Be aware of how you raise your leg. Pay attention to any sensations as you lift and lower each leg.
• Maintain your focus and awareness. Nothing else matters, only lifting your foot and placing it back onto the ground.
• Concentrate on each step and the rhythm of your breath.
• Take a step and repeat silently: “I have no destination.”
• Take the next step and repeat silently: “This is all about the journey.”
• Continue until your journey feels complete.

The post How to ease into a daily routine of meditation appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

The roots of rhythm healing lie in the shamanic cultures of ancient Siberia. The single-headed frame drum originated in Siberia along with shamanism itself thousands of years ago, and then spread in successive waves to the rest of the world. Shamanism is based on the principle that the spiritual world may be contacted through the inner senses in ecstatic trance. The drum, sometimes called the shaman’s horse, provides the shaman a relatively easy means of controlled transcendence. Researchers have found that if a drum beat frequency of around three to four beats per second is sustained for at least 15 minutes, it will induce significant trance states in most people, even on their first attempt.

The drum provides the shaman a relatively easy means of controlled transcendence

Active Meditation With a Drum

The first thing you might ask is how does drum induced trance differ from traditional meditation? The two forms differ absolutely in their approach, because Eastern sitting meditation empties one of thought, while shamanic drumming is very active and filled with content. Just like a yogi or a monk who exists in a spiritual state most of the time because of constant devotional practices, we can readily induce those profound states of deep meditation and heightened awareness. This ease of induction contrasts significantly with the long periods of isolation and practice required by most meditative disciplines.

The capacity to enter a range of trance states is a natural manifestation of human consciousness. It is this ability that makes us humans different from shamans. What makes shamans unique is their mastery over an otherwise normal human trait. The shaman is described as a hollow bone who can enter an altered state, clearing out his or her personal ego space. This makes way for spirit to use them as a healing tool. In this way, the shaman is a channel for higher consciousness.

The capacity to enter a range of trance states is a natural manifestation of human consciousness

The Hollow Bone Teaching

The hollow bone teaching is an ancient practice in Zen Buddhism, shamanism, and Native American spirituality. It is another way to shift your consciousness to become an empty vessel for spirit. The idea is to become like a conduit for spirit. When we can move our ego and rational mind out of the way to channel the divine power of the universe through us, all healing is possible.

Frank Fools Crow was a venerated Native American Holy Man who taught that you must become like a hollow bone to be a great healer. According to Fools Crow, “We are called to become hollow bones for our people, and anyone else we can help, and we are not supposed to seek power for our personal use and honour. What we bones really become is the pipeline that connects Wakan Tanka [whom we could call Brahman or Tao], the Helpers and the community together.”

The four stages of becoming a hollow bone

In his becoming a hollow bone, Fools Crow believed that he went through four stages:

First, he called in Wakan Tanka to rid himself of anything that would impede him in any way, such as doubt, questions or reluctance.

Then he recognised himself as a clean tube, ready to be filled with hope, possibilities, and anxious to be filled with power.

He experienced the power as it comes surging into him.

Finally, giving the power away to others, knowing that as he is emptied out, the Higher Powers will keep filling him with even greater power to be given away.

Benefits of Being a Hollow Bone

The hollow bone teaching has been with us for thousands of years. In traditional teaching, techniques include ways to clear away anything that could possibly clog the bone of our spirit and mind. Meditative practice is an important part of the ongoing task of keeping our insides clean. This form of meditation also facilitates a transcendent state of unity consciousness. True enlightenment means feeling and recognising our true oneness with everything else.

Ecstasy doesn’t necessarily mean joy or bliss. It’s the feeling of oneness

The benefits of attaining this state of unity consciousness include relaxation, healing, more energy, better memory, greater mental clarity, and enhanced creativity. Feelings of peacefulness, timelessness, and spiritual wellbeing are common, along with a oneness of feeling and purpose with the totality of a dynamic, interrelated universe. When we feel that deep oneness we are ecstatic. Ecstasy doesn’t necessarily mean joy or bliss. It’s the feeling of oneness.

Becoming a hollow bone is a simple and effective way to induce this profound state of consciousness.

How to Become a Hollow Bone

To become a hollow bone, try the exercise outlined below. To perform the exercise, you will need a drum or a shamanic drumming recording. A digital shamanic drumming recording can be downloaded from any online music store. Audio recordings allow complete freedom to meditate without the necessity of placing part of the conscious mind on the physical aspects of playing a drum. If you do not have a drum, simply improvise one from available materials. Try tapping on an overturned plastic container with a spoon. The larger the container: the deeper the sound. A five-gallon bucket, for example, makes an excellent improvised drum.

The 6 steps for becoming a hollow bone

Read through the exercise first to familiarise yourself with the process:

1. Dim the lights and sit comfortably erect in a chair or on the floor. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply seven times. Let your abdomen rise and fall as you breathe. Focus on the breath as it enters the nose and fills your lungs, and then gently exhale any tension you might feel, clearing the energy channels of your body.
2. When you are fully relaxed, ask the ‘Higher Powers’ to remove any blockages that prevent you from functioning as a hollow bone. Repeat the affirmation, “I choose to be a clean, hollow bone.” Visualize yourself as a hollow bone or tube that is all shiny on the inside and empty. The cleaner the bone, the more energy you can channel through it, and the faster it will flow.
3. The next step is to enter a trance state. Either listen to a shamanic drumming recording or begin drumming a steady, metronome-like pattern at a tempo of about three to four beats per second. Focus your attention on the sound of the drum, thereby stilling the chatter in your mind. Allow the drum to empty you. Become one with the drum.
4. As you drum, imagine the unifying spirit of the divine source flowing through you. Visualise a spiral of energy descending from the heavens above, entering your hollow bone and travelling down into the earth. You may feel it, see it, sense it, or simply imagine it. As you focus on it, it will occur, for energy and life force follow thought. Allow spirit to flow into and embody you so that the speed and rhythm of your playing come under its control.
5. As the drum journey evolves, you will become more ecstatic and spirit will perhaps create new rhythms. You are now moving into a higher state of universal consciousness and developing a new shamanic skill. At the higher levels, a healer becomes adept at detaching all sense of self, fully present in the moment, as a hollow bone or living conduit for healing energy to move through.
6. When it feels appropriate, gradually slow the tempo of your drumming to draw your consciousness back into your body. Do not rush the transformation. Visualise yourself fully grounded in your body, and then slowly open your eyes. Once you have returned to ordinary reality, end your drum journey with four strong beats to signal that the sacred time of focus is ended. If listening to a shamanic drumming recording, you will hear a similar call back signal near the end of the track, followed by a short period of rapid drumming to assist you in refocusing your awareness back to your physical body. Sit quietly for a few moments, and then open your eyes.

Becoming a hollow bone is a simple and effective way to induce this profound state of consciousness

Binaural Beats for Meditation

In addition to drumming recordings, there is a new technology called binaural beats that can easily induce transcendent states of awareness. German researcher H.W. Dove discovered that when two pure tones close in frequency are presented, one to each ear, the brain detects the difference between them as a third frequency. The two hemispheres of the brain entrain to this binaural beat rather than the audible tones. For example, a 90 Hz tone and 95 Hz tone will induce a 5 Hz theta brainwave cycle.

Theta activity reflects the dreamlike state between wakefulness and sleep. Theta rhythms are associated with meditation and shamanic states of consciousness. Theta increases creativity, enhances learning, reduces stress, and awakens intuition. Binaural beats can induce profoundly deep altered states within minutes. All you need is a pair of stereo headphones and a comfortable chair. The sound technology does the rest. Rhythmic stimulation continues to offer today what it has offered for thousands of years: namely, a simple and effective technique of ecstasy.

Adapted with permission from the book Shamanic Drumming: Calling The Spirits by Michael Drake.

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What happens in the 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat

Vipassana meditation retreats are offered worldwide by a non-profit organisation. They are open to all and are strictly supported by voluntary donations. The teachings come from the Buddhist Theravada tradition, more specifically by the tradition of S N Goenka, a Burmese-Indian meditation teacher, but are presented in a universal manner, making them accessible to everyone. In these 10-day retreats, we are not allowed to communicate with the outside world in any way nor speak to the other participants. We can’t even bring anything to read, watch, listen to or write with. We are woken up every morning at 4am and,  apart from brief interruptions to eat and listen to instructions, we meditate all day long until sleep time, at 9.30pm. The schedule is strict, but it enables you to experience the retreat with minimal distractions. If you can do this without the need for a rigid schedule you probably don’t need to come to a vipassana retreat.

My first experience at the 10-day silent Vipassana retreat

Arriving there in the late afternoon, I was assigned a room, and shortly, we—a group of about 30 people—entered the meditation hall. There, we received the first instructions: “focus on the breath, at the entrance of the nostrils”. That was all for the first evening. Day 1 of the 10-day retreat actually begins the next morning.

Next morning, we were woken up by a gong at 4am for the 4.30am meditation, which would last two hours. I got into the meditation hall at about 4.20am, sat down and began meditating. I had brought my watch to the meditation hall, which was a terrible idea. After what I thought had been an hour, I looked at it: 4.38am! I couldn’t wait to get further instructions. However, as the day progressed, the same indications were given again and again, until the evening discourse: to focus on the breath. Admittedly the technique seemed boring to me then.

The evening discourse was great though and it clarified my doubts and motivated me to keep practising. I learned that this technique was designed to sharpen our concentration so that eventually we are able to practise the meditation as precisely and efficiently as possible.

For the next two days, we kept focussing on the breath, and I felt the mind getting much more malleable and aware of subtleties. At the end of the 3^rd day, we were told that the next day, we would learn Vipassana—which means “seeing things as they really are”. On the 4^th day, after more than 35 hours of watching the breath, we now directed our attention to our sensations, scanning our body from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. The technique consists of watching these sensations with equanimity—without craving or aversion—to develop insights concerning the ultimate nature of reality and ourselves.

All the subtle sensations I felt amazed me. So much was happening, yet I was never aware of it! At the end of the 5^th day, I felt great; I felt like my awareness and equanimity were solid. But this was put to test the next day…

Sick on the 6^th day

On day six, I woke up sick. My nose was clogged, my head pounding and my throat burning. I couldn’t divert my attention, I had to watch these sensations patiently, hour after hour. Although I didn’t consider leaving at all, I was annoyed by my condition. I saw it as a burden. This mental annoyance lasted until the end of the 7^th day, when my mindset totally changed.

I realised that the sickness was there, whether I wanted it or not. The only constructive thing to do was to observe the sensations fully, with acceptance. I now saw my condition as an opportunity, and approached my last evening meditation with strong determination.

Ardently watching the sensations arising and passing away without reacting to them, I perceived them with unprecedented clarity. Suddenly, they melted down completely into tiny vibrations. When it was time to sleep, I had no interest in doing so, and meditated for the most part of the night. The peace of mind and joy that was arising was nothing like I had ever experienced before. Even the ‘unpleasantness’ of the symptoms was seen with humour and happiness.

Ironically, waking up on the 8^th day, the symptoms were gone.

Day 10 – The last day of my Vipassana experience

For the last few days of the retreat, meditation was mostly effortless for me. On the 10th day, the schedule is loosened and you are allowed to talk to each other. Day 10 was my last chance at completing a meditation of staying absolutely still for a full hour. In the previous such meditations, I failed around the 30 to 40 minutes mark. It was my mind that, at some point, became too agitated. It’s hard to explain, but it wasn’t a physical sensation. The best comparison I can come up with is being highly anxious and stressed.

The beginning of the meditation actually went pretty well. About 45 minutes into the meditation, though, I started getting those weird anxious feelings again. I did my best to continue practising, trying to acknowledge the feelings without being ‘disturbed’ by them. It was like every cell of my body was actively trying to throw me off track.

Very surprisingly, after enduring those horrible feelings for a few minutes, I sort of ‘forgot about them’ and kept on meditating. When the recorded chanting began, I knew there were only five minutes left and at this point, I definitely wasn’t going to move.

When the meditation ended, the prohibition to talk was waived. Although I hadn’t said a word in the whole retreat, I still feel like I developed a strong sense of friendship with other meditators. I learnt that human connections are much more than words!

I talked with a handful of interesting people. We enjoyed a great meal and spent the rest of our day chatting. We also had two other mandatory meditations, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening. The afternoon one went well. The evening meditation was… a different story.

After the afternoon meditation, I talked to one of the guys who had been sitting next to me in the meditation hall. We discussed about our experience and he told me he noticed that while meditating, our swallowing was way noisier than others [on my part, that was probably due to me having a cold]. For the whole retreat, he said he thought of us as the “frog brothers” [The mind can be very creative when trying to distract you from meditating].

Next, I spoke with a guy who had been, for the last 10 days, trying his best not to laugh during the meditations. Since he was sitting close to me in the meditation hall, I had already noticed him trying to hold himself from laughing out loud. He’s a guy who, in daily life, loves to tell jokes, laugh and talk to people. The ‘silent’ part of the retreat was highly challenging to him.

The last meditation

Finally, as we sat for our last meditation, I started to meditate normally, but soon I heard my ‘frog brother’ being pretty noisy. I thought it would be funny to try to beat him in a ‘frog contest’ by being noisier than him. Stupid idea!

Although I expected him to laugh, he didn’t flinch and remained still. Reflecting on what I had thought and sort of ‘visualising’ it, I found it funnier and funnier and eventually felt laughter come to my cheeks and tongue. I managed to hold it back for a while, but at some point I couldn’t help it and burst out laughing. Guess what happened next?

The guy who had been holding his laugh for the past week burst out laughing as well, and did so louder than me. A few seconds after, my roommate started laughing too. In order not to annoy everyone, I left the room. The two other guys joined me outside quickly afterwards. Our laughter was unstoppable!

I went for a walk in the woods alone and eventually, my laughter did diminish. In order to stop laughing, I tried to ‘force myself to laugh’, which ironically, made it stop. After what had been about 10 minutes, I went back into the meditation hall and resumed my meditation. 20 minutes later, my roommate came back to meditate but the other guy never came back. When we got outside, he was lying in the grass, still laughing his head off.

We spent the rest of the evening having great discussions about life purpose, meditation and relationships. We were strongly encouraged to meditate at least two hours a day [which sounded like a lot to me] and to keep a healthy lifestyle.

I went back home—after more than 120 hours of meditation—with happiness, joy and enthusiasm.

My first Vipassana retreat was a turning point

It’s been a while now since my first Vipassana retreat and I can say that it represents a turning point in my life. I’m more grounded, less judgmental, more ‘in the present moment’ and, most importantly, I have the absolute certainty that I can deal with whatever may happen in life.

The technique is so simple that one may wonder how it can produce such incredible results. But year after year, hundreds of thousands of people attend them, and no one leaves unchanged. Suspending daily routines and habits for a while and undertaking this practice is something I recommend to everyone.

Tips and encouragements for newbies to a Vipassana retreat

If you go on a retreat, be sure to follow the rules and instructions to the letter. People who twist the rules and do it ‘their own way’ end up either not receiving the benefits, or leaving early, rationalising that the technique doesn’t work for them. Also, I would recommend setting some time off after the experience. Your return to routine life will be much less uncomfortable if you allow yourself to progressively come back to your obligations.

Such intense retreats shouldn’t be taken lightly, and leaving halfway could prove to be quite stressful for the mind. Making a firm resolution to stay in the retreat until the end is very helpful in staying focussed in your practice; if you leave the door open, the mind may convince you to simply leave because it’s hard. If possible, I would recommend starting to follow the retreat’s sleeping schedule and to eat lighter evening meals a few days before going. That will get your body to gradually adjust, and will make your retreat less uncomfortable.

Also read » First time on the 10-day Vipassana retreat? These tips will help

Lots of people wonder whether they should practise meditation before the retreat, and are scared of the ‘meditations of strong determination’. Although it is definitely beneficial to practise meditation and to get used to sitting on a cushion, there is a level of discomfort that is inherent in such practices, and that can’t be avoided. The goal is not really to minimise the physical discomfort, but to learn to deal with it. Also, in the retreats I’ve been to, a variety of cushions, benches and chairs were available for practitioners. The goal definitely isn’t to torture yourself but to take the opportunity to look at various sensations, including pain, and develop understanding and wisdom.

Don’t be scared; millions of people have been through these retreats before, and returned home with immense benefits. You’re not less able than them, and you can certainly do this; it could even change your life.

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