Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ten Days of Silence

vice.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 81 posts

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#21

Post by futuravenir »

Neurocynic wrote: post #3
futuravenir wrote: post #2

Vipassana is an absolutely wonderful experience. A 'brain washing' where it can rid your mind of all the crud that has accumulated from our culture and society. It puts you in touch with your body in a way that nothing my life ever has. I'd be happy to answer some questions if anybody has any.

Same here. It was difficult at first but became a very beautiful experience.

Personally, I found it easy. I live mostly in my head anyhow, so not talking wasn't a big deal to me. And before I went into it, I told myself that solitary confinement would be much worse and that this is a vacation where I get fed and just have to be quiet and try something new. Also, it was recommended by someone I respect very highly, so I was convinced it was worthwhile before ever going.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#22

Post by Neurocynic »

futuravenir wrote: post #5
BlackJack wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've signed up for a 10-day course in mid August and am stoked about what I'll gain and also about the sheer difficulty. Could you talk more about the long-term effects of Vipassana on your body/life?

I did it first in 2011. I've only done one session. I've tried to go back a few times but have created barriers in myself to doing so. It will do me more to go back to Vipassana than any single thing I can do for myself. It puts you at the center and you just follow along, being true. As far as long-term effects, I came out of the experience glowing. Heat didn't bother me. I saw clearly. The afterglow lasted for abou…

I loved the clarity of thought that experience gave me. It is interesting how we both went thorough the same phases. The immense calm, the slow agitation and then excuses.

I even went back for a short 4 day course but the 10 day one was the best.

I hope you can go back once more and then continue the practice afterwards.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#23

Post by Neurocynic »

futuravenir wrote: post #21
Neurocynic wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here. It was difficult at first but became a very beautiful experience.

Personally, I found it easy. I live mostly in my head anyhow, so not talking wasn't a big deal to me. And before I went into it, I told myself that solitary confinement would be much worse and that this is a vacation where I get fed and just have to be quiet and try something new. Also, it was recommended by someone I respect very highly, so I was convinced it was worthwhile before ever going.

It was difficult the first 5 days and then suddenly something clicked. It was all sunshine after that :)

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#25

Post by devnonymous »

savage_platypus wrote: post #6

This sounds like more feel-good pseudoscientific hogwash. Is there any evidence that "not talking" can actually lead to an improved life, or is this yet another fad that makes people feel good about themselves?

Umm, it is pseudoscience inasmuch no real study has been conducted (it isn't 'exciting' enough ...yet). So, yeah this is anecdotal but that doesn't make it false. A number of people I know have been through the vipasanna course and express the same sentiment. I wonder why it is popular now to expect ^someone^ to do the research and present ^evidence^ before they can even begin to become curious about something.

Does scientific curiosity these days hinge on someone else having done the tests ?

Does it automatically qualify as hogwash because there isn't and evidence yet ? or because we have a tendency to doubt things not deeply rooted in numbers and double blind tests, /even if/ the reason for that is a simple -- nobody has bothered to do this yet.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#26

Post by pattttttt »

Masturbation was not prohibited in the course, although they ask not to perform any spiritual practices (stretching doesn't count) as it'd disturb others and might produce mixed results.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#27

Post by pizza234 »

savage_platypus wrote: post #6

This sounds like more feel-good pseudoscientific hogwash. Is there any evidence that "not talking" can actually lead to an improved life, or is this yet another fad that makes people feel good about themselves?

Meditation is not rocket science.

The western lifestyle, simply put, is messy, and you get pulled in many directions, with the most important side effect of losing attention to yourself.

Meditation simply restores (quite forcefully, in this case) at least part of that attention.

If you find hard to grasp the concept, you can imagine it as being the analogue of being "in the zone" when programming (or anything else).

I don't think it would actually be too far-fetched to think "the zone" as a form of meditation.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#28

Post by pizza234 »

savage_platypus wrote: post #17
mayayo3 wrote: post #14

Sometimes, you meet a new person and the first thing that you notice is the immense calm on their faces. You get good vibes from them. And even without talking, you can tell they are nice people. It happened with me recently a few times. As I got to know those people better, I learnt that they've all done Vipassana at some point in their lives. It might sound mumbo jumbo but these are the facts. I haven't done Vipass…

Reads like a scientology ad

And yet again, it's not rocket science.

There are simple psychological reasons for having pains. If a person has a very tense lifestyle, no wonder he/she will get pains due to induced muscle stiffness.

In such cases, even a cup of tea a day (just to say) can "miraculously" cure a back pain, if the latter is caused by induced stiffness, and the first causes a daily relaxation.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#29

Post by sb057 »

mtinkerhess wrote: post #11
savage_platypus wrote: post #6

This sounds like more feel-good pseudoscientific hogwash. Is there any evidence that "not talking" can actually lead to an improved life, or is this yet another fad that makes people feel good about themselves?

People have been meditating for at least 3,500 years, I wouldn't call it a fad. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_meditation

People have been practicing tribal medicine for just as long. Not a fad either.

Re: Ten Days of Silence

#30

Post by rosser »

sb057 wrote: post #29
mtinkerhess wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People have been meditating for at least 3,500 years, I wouldn't call it a fad. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_meditation

People have been practicing tribal medicine for just as long. Not a fad either.

And, it turns out, some of those things even work. I know, right?
Post reply on HN