41–50 of 93 posts
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Re: maintaining gains. Isn't the point to live free of the very measure of gain/loss this present moment?
Continuity of practice is the secret of success. http://www.dhamma.org/en/qanda.shtml
http://andyjiang.posterous.com/vipassana-meditation-ten-long...
Humorous account of the ten days.
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>'Maladaptive neuronal connections' That's a mouthful, and just as obscure for most people. Might as well go with "Sarkana" - it's easier to pronounce. Besides, the script worked well for a few thousand years now, there is hardly a reason to change it now. But yeah, if you're scientifically inclined and the ancient Indian mythology is rubbing you the wrong way, you can safely skip it, and it still makes perfect sense…
(following up on uberuberuber's reply) > Besides, the script worked well for a few thousand years now, there is hardly a reason to change it now. Imo, that is a big fallacy. I believe religious beliefs can no longer provide sound ground for adjustment in today's world. It is harmful to have within your semantic environment both "spiritual" factors such as the notion of "aetheric body", and scientific factors such as…
I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We jus…
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1-2 hours daily meditation is definitely not impossible, especially if you think it is important. How many people spend 1-2 hours daily at the gym?
That's the point though. I have around 2 hours of free time on the evenings, and I spend that time in the gym. I definitely do not have an additional 1-2 hours for meditation. That said, gym is a very therapeutic experience for me. It helps me empty my mind of all stress-causing stuff in my life (e.g. work) and I get to focus on just one thing: lifting weights. I also gain additional benefits such as being strong as…
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(following up on uberuberuber's reply) > Besides, the script worked well for a few thousand years now, there is hardly a reason to change it now. Imo, that is a big fallacy. I believe religious beliefs can no longer provide sound ground for adjustment in today's world. It is harmful to have within your semantic environment both "spiritual" factors such as the notion of "aetheric body", and scientific factors such as…
Your point of view is certainly not unique, but neither is it anything close to universal. Many people myself included comfortably reconcile belief in a "soul" and a "higher power" with the demonstrated accomplishments of scientific research and study.
I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We jus…
Where can I take this course? I live in the Bay Area.
5th result on google for "vipassana retreat, bay area"...
I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We jus…
Where can I take this course? I live in the Bay Area.
I completed my 4th course in December. Vipassana meditation is the single greatest human experience that I know of. The experience of "wisdom arising by objectively observing sensations without reaction" is easily the most profound experience I have ever had and feels like a miracle every time it happens. The answers we are all looking for to fulfill ourselves and become truly happy certainly are inside of us. We jus…
Where can I take this course? I live in the Bay Area.
My take on Vipassana, in a nutshell (having gone through one 10-day course): An experience gets memorized based on its emotional strength, so, for example, a strong negative experience (a trauma) will get memorized quite well. Later on, in a sort-of realed situation one gets to recall and relive such stored experience - the brain sort of "believes" it's important to remember. If the re-living is also strongly emotion…
12 year meditator here. You describe well the process of cleansing/polishing the memory. > I found it impossibly hard to keep meditating on my own Couple things to keep in mind: 1. Daily practice in some form is the real key. Just get up and do it. 2. There will be ups and downs, high and lows in meditation. 3. Vipassana is a pretty austere form of meditation. You are directly confronting the mind with little outside…
Regarding the austerity of breathing: I've found that not forcing the eyes closed does the trick. It is far easier for my mind to wander, at first, with my eyes closed. With eyes open, but relaxed enough to close on their own (and they usually do) I get a constant reminder that I'm meditating not just day dreaming.
(And, if you read the Satipatanasutta you'll notice that the Buddha never instructs the meditator to close their eyes. :)