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How to do Vipassana/Insight Meditation?
TheEccentric
Hampshire, UK Veteran
I have heard of this practice a lot before but still am unsure of how to do it exactly, I have read about it a lot on the internet but so far each method described on each page I have read all seem to be different, I have no idea what is the actual method for it.
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Honestly, it's not very different from what most other meditation teachers, regardless of tradition, teach. The main difference is that people sometimes differentiate insight meditation from Buddhism -- that is, it's become a secular practice tradition in its own right, distinct from the Buddhist path. Both Goldstein and Salzberg have written books on insight meditation, which are very good. My teacher, Tara Brach, has a very good introduction to insight meditation here. Also, you can read one of Mahasi Sayadaw's books here: Practical Vipassana Exercises (.pdf)
In terms of how this fits in with what the Buddha taught, the Buddha's anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) meditation has traditionally been described as samatha-vipassana (peaceful presence and insight). These two are quite closely joined at the hip. The Buddha put a more explicit emphasis on calming the mind and body, and being sensitive to bliss and rapture. This would constitute the samatha aspect. He also emphasize insight into the nature of experience (vipassana), but the insight meditation practitioners usually emphasize the latter more, although they DO practice samatha to a certain extent.
The basic idea is: you choose an object of focus (usually the breath), notice when your mind wanders, then return it to the object of meditation. Very simple, but very different from our usual way of letting the mind have a field day and jump around all over the place.
In my own experience: I found the insight-oriented meditation styles a bit hard-going, without first focusing on enjoying meditation and focusing on bliss, rapture, and relaxation as described in the Anapanasati Sutta. I believe the insight meditation folks are very insightful, compassionate, and wonderful teachers, however, and have learned (and continue to learn) quite a lot from their focus on insight.
Morpheus: Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place? Do you think that's air you're breathing now?
Bringing the attentive awareness to aspects of the breath will deepen it, whether done formally or continually. Takes time, takes practice.
A yogic practice, alternate nostril breathing can be done to start a formal sit. You can bring the attention to the breath whilst walking or exercising.
This free course, very much starts with breath meditation . . .
http://aromeditation.org/
Find your local centre where you can be taught hands on.
With Vipassana ( which differs from Anapanasati ) there are no ifs or buts..that instruction is ESSENTIAL.
Otherwise the result at best will be that you will just go in circles...at best. Frankly it would be like following d.i.y instructions for self dentistry. It will end in tears.
* From my understanding, anapanasati is traditionally thought of as the method/practice, while vipassana and samatha are aspects that arise out of this practice. Ajahn Chah and others in the Thai forest tradition would often make the point that the two are inseparable. Someone on another forum posted this except from Ajahn Brahm's Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond:
My assumption rightly or wrongly was that this was the subject of the OP.
The vipassana taught in the Forest Tradition centres is a much more informal process..and can perhaps be learned without formal instruction, although I would not recommend even that.
" In theory you should develop insight and tranquility at the same time " said he.
Well, he had forgotten what a crap student I was... :eek:
“In what respect, bhante, is a lay-follower accomplished in wisdom?”
“Here, Mahānāma, a lay-follower is wise; he possesses the wisdom that is directed towards rise and passing-away, which is noble and penetrative, which leads to the utter destruction of suffering. In this respect, Mahānāma, a lay-follower is accomplished in wisdom.”
~ Saṃyutta-Nikāya, Sotāpattisaṃyutta, Sutta 37
“Nāgita, when one dwells contemplating impermanence in the six bases of contact, revulsion towards contact is established; this is the outcome for him. When one dwell contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging, revulsion towards clinging is established; this is the outcome for him.”
~ Aṅguttara-Nikāya, Book of the Fives, Sutta 30
“The monk who has retired to a solitary abode and calmed his mind, who comprehends the Dhamma with insight, in him there arise a delight that transcends all human delights.
“Whenever he sees with insight the rise and fall of the aggregates, he is full of joy and happiness. To the discerning one this reflects the Deathless.”
~ Dhammapada 373-374
Against that it is highly effective. It gets results. A large proportion of those who do the courses if they stick to it, get a degree of insight. But the method is often criticised for producing cult-like behaviour in those who do it. They can become closed to all other approaches.
As to instruction...I am a hard-core believer that no form of meditation should be attempted without hands-on instruction.
I have seen too many people become deluded and/or alienated, who attempt a d.i.y. approach.
This need becomes acute with a highly organised system like " Burmese School" Vipassana.
What is 'Insight 'in this context ?
To give a personal example, when I had been practising Vipassana for some months I had a powerful experience.
I was standing at the window watching trees blowing in the wind when suddenly I KNEW the absolute reality of Anicca. Not just as a theory that made sense, but I knew its truth to my marrow, to the core of my being. And far from being a source of joy and wonder I was extremely scared and drew back from the experience.
A few days later I was talking to Ajahn Amaro about this experience..this was just before his extended stay in the US ..and he fetched a book and showed me what he and the other monks had been learning the day before, including a long compound word in Pali which described
" the fear that arises with the first glimpses of the reality of the three signs " or something like that.
Now I was able to check that out with an experienced monk..without that I think its possible that I would have found the whole thing highly disturbing and/or stopped practicing.
http://www.meditationexpert.com/
- Ay Caramba
. . . most general purpose meditation techniques are safe, if you are mentally stable and free of chicken obsessions - just saying . . . . .
There are many ways to become aware of the breath and any technique will get you started. I have been taught a variety of things to focuss on regarding the breath. Sitting still and breathing gently should lead to a greater sense of calm. That is somewhere to start from. When you next go to the temple with your mother, you can ask for specific instruction and describe what you are doing . . .
A good tip is to keep a diary and try all the techniques you have read. Focus on the stomach, the sensation on the upper lip, whatever and write down what happens.
In a strange way you have to play at meditation before you can practice, later on it becomes almost playful again . . .
Of course most people are not taken away in a straight-jacket.
They just become engaged in papanca and become scattered and unfocused.
Some even start to entertain delusions in the absence of the kind of checks and balances a straight talking teacher brings to the table.
Life is short. It speeds by. Don't spend it endless circling the landing strip while cracking wise.
vipassana is insight.
vipassana leads to panna, which is wisdom.
from accesstoinsight;
vipassanā:
Clear intuitive insight into physical and mental phenomena as they arise and disappear, seeing them for what they actually are — in and of themselves — in terms of the three characteristics (see ti-lakkhaṇa) and in terms of stress, its origin, its disbanding, and the way leading to its disbanding (see ariya-sacca).
This discussion will continue to go in circles until that is acknowledged.
It may be objected that " Vipassana " does not lead to sutric " vipassana " but that is another discussion.
the term 'vipassana meditation'.
it has caused great confusion.
every buddhist meditation's ultimate goal is insight n wisdom
ie vipassana n panna.
wishful thinking on my part, sigh.
The Mahasi-style vipassana, from what I've read, is more about picking an "anchor" and then using that as a vantage point from which to acknowledge the nature of whatever comes up in experience. You pick a very specific place to focus (usually the tip of the nostrils) and then stay there. Then, you note any distractions from that point of focus, and label it. For example, labeling thoughts "thinking", or labeling different feelings states as "pleasant", "unpleasant", or "neutral." This "note whatever arises in an equanimous manner" is also part of Goenka-style vipassana. In both Mahasi-style and Goenka-style meditation, there is a very specific progression of which aspects of experience to pay attention to. You can find a more elaborate description here.