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My 10 days vippassana meditation course experience

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by ALPA, Apr 15, 2009.

  1. ALPA

    ALPA Platinum IL'ite

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    This is my first write up, so please pardon my grammer and my mistakes.

    Last year in June my elder sister who is practising buddhist went for the Vipasana mediation course, after she came back she gave a detaield experience about her course and i was mesmerised.in a month i saw a great change in her so much of positiviy, so much of calmeness and so much of love in her, she is a person who cannot express in public her emotions.
    so i told her that i want to go for one, i enrolled in the April intake. i was sent a whole list of items o should carry with me, as those 10days i was going to live like a monk or a nun. i had to take the following:-
    clothes for 10days decent ones, mediation shawl, sleeping bag, pilow cases, bedsheet, toilettries,mosquito coil, torch, candle, matches, landry soap, alarm clock, towels bathing and hand towel,socks, slippers for the bathroom, slippers to walk outside, umbrella, warm sweaters, medication and spectacles.

    The mediation was taking place in a Church place which is like a hostel with self contained rooms
    The course was starting from 1st April to 12th April, We were to register on the 1st April afternoon from 2pm to 5pm, so i arrived all excited with my big bag and carry my big smile, my elder sister and brother came to drop me, i registered, then my sister came to settle me in the room and helped me do my bed and everything.
    she did not want to leave me so i told her go so we hugged each other and then i started to get aquainted to the other ladies and gents. i made friends.
    THwn at 5pm we were called for dinner we were served wtih light meal and then we were given instructions, that once we enter the meditation hall we start to observe our NOBLE SILENCE for 11days, the ladeis and hte gets are kept apart, no looking at each other.
    In the mediation hall we were given our places to sit we were given a small sponge mat with a hard cushion, god my butt was hurting sincei sat on that cushion.
    We were then introduced to our teacher who was from UK and our Dhamma servers who will be serve us for those days. we were only allwoed to talk to the teacher or the dhamma servers.
    Before starting hte mediation we were to take 5 percepts and they were
    1) ABSTAIN FROM STEALING
    2) ABSTAIN FROM VIOLENCE
    3) ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL MISCONDUCTS
    4) ABSTAIN FROM TELLING LIES
    5) ABSTAIN FROM INTOXICANTS
    We started our first step, we were shown a video tape a discourse of S.N.Goenka who is the founder if Vipassana.He taught us the first breathing exercise and once i started to do that i felt so much of calmness in my mind.
    THe next 3 days were a experience where by we were taught how to aware of our breathing and we were just concetration on our breathing, for those three days i was struggling how to sit comfortably.
    our timetable was as follows
    4am - wake up call
    4.30am - 6am - MEDIATITAION IN THE HALL
    6am to 8am - BREAKFAST, REST OR LANDRY
    8am -9am - MEDITATION IN THE HALL
    9am to 11am - MEDIATION WITH TEACHER IN THE HALL THE ALONE
    11am - LUNCH
    11am - 1pm - LUNCH, REST OR LANDRY OR CLEANING
    1pm - 2.30pm - MEDITAION IN THE HALL
    2.30PM - 3.30PM - MEDITATION IN THE HALL
    3.30pm - 5pm - MEDITATION IN THE HALL
    5pm - 6pm - DINNER
    6pm to 7pm - MEDITATION IN THE HALL
    7pm - 8.15pm - VIDEO DISCOURSE
    8.15- 9pm - MEDITATION IN THE HALL
    9pm - 9.30pm - RETIRE OR QUESITON TIME WITH TEACHER

    This was our timetable, the 4th day was the VIPASSANA day and the afternno timetalbe had changed for that day, from 3pm to 5pm, Goenka taught us how to feel our sensations on the entire body and we were taught this from audio discourses.
    That day was so bad for me as my entire back was hurting, my butt was huting, i could sit cross legged and i had started my periods so double pain for the back, then the teacher gave me extra cushions to sit and we werethen instructed that the 1hr sitting of everyday we have to sit in one position and meditate the 2 days were a bit difficult but then became easeir when i started to feel my mind calm and body calm, so the next days became easier and easier, i could feel hot and cold sensations at one time while meditating i cried and the teacher said it was all the surpressed emotions coming out nad after that i was smiling and it was from within my heart.We had to feel our entire body with sensations and it was not a must not to feel sensation in your body and Goenka was explaining everything to us what we were experiencing.
    At the end of the course i felt a totally new person, my eczema on the hand had gone and my face had cleared and i was glowing. i did lose weight. The changing in the body and mind was called ANICHA - IMPERMANANCE
    I would recommend this course to everyone and everyday at the discourses we were shown on videos we were taught on dhamma and how to show compassion to others
    OUr silence was broken on the 11th day and we could not stop talking and i made so many new friends the meditaion hall was full of positive vibes and one would always feel so tranquil there.

    This is what we were given for our meals

    BREAKFAST - PORRIDGE, HOT WATER OR BLACK TEA, BROWN TOAST, JAM AND MARGARINE AND BANANA
    LUNCH - RICE, DAL, DIFFERENT CURRY EVERYDAY, BOILED MAIZE OR SWEET POTATOES AND HOT WATER OT BLACK TEA (OUR MEALS WERE WITHOUT SALT AND CHILLI PD)
    DINNER - HERBAL TEA, HOT WATER OR BLACK TEA AND ONE FRUIT - BANANA

    One has to experience this as only then you will know what i am talking about.
    Now i have to start meditating everyday for one hour daily.

    With lots of hugs, kisses and metta (love)
    alpa:cheers





     
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  2. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Alpa

    Enjoyed reading your post. Though it would have been difficult keeping silent and going through the course but in the end you must have felt good. Good course. Thank you for sharing with us.

    Here my hugs and kisses for you.

    love
    viji
     
  3. rajiravi

    rajiravi Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Alpa,

    Very nice post. enjoyed reading it. When I was in india, i have attended Ramachandra Mission meditation courses. As you have mentioned, in the beginning stage, we will find it difficult sit continously and do meditation. But once you get used it, you will have a different experience. Nice that you could complete the full course.
     
  4. Mindian

    Mindian IL Hall of Fame

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    dear Alps,

    So nice to see u back and a very good write up..

    like u say one has to really experience it to believe in it..what u say sounds very very tough..insipid food,waking up at 4,meditation and silence for 11 days? sounds impossible to me but i have always admired your will power,sweetie.:thumbsup.

    glad to know it worked wonders for you..and very nice of you to share the experience with all of us here..
     
  5. ALPA

    ALPA Platinum IL'ite

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    my dearest Vijiji,
    thank you for your first feed back and i loved you hugs and kisses.
    you know it comes automatically when you enter the place you just become silent and you go in your own world and you feel so good not talking to anyone, just be in your own space get to spend time with yourself away from all the hussle and bustle and that entire place had postive vibes you just feel so great.
    you should try it you will see the difference my freinds told me my skin is glowing and i look so happy
    love
    alpa:cheers


     
  6. ALPA

    ALPA Platinum IL'ite

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    my dear Rajiravi,
    great to know you did a meditation course as well, do you practise your mediation course, in the discourse shown on the videos Goenkaji said that if you pass the 4th day you are strongand if you pass the 8th day the battle is won.
    I totally agree with you you feel different, i feel so great, happy and calm
    love
    alpa:cheers


     
  7. ALPA

    ALPA Platinum IL'ite

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    My dearest Mindi,

    nothing is impossible, if you put your mind to it you can do it, just do it and you will do it. nothing is tough just take it slowly and adjust to everything slowly, you in life we pass through rough times and how we feel that we want that time to get over fast butwe learn to adjust to that situation and accept it, it is called accepting reality.
    give it a try nothing is tough and impossible.
    thanks for you lovely comments loved it
    here a big hug to you
    love
    alpa:cheers


     
  8. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    ALPA,
    Nice write-up, with detailed explanations about the course.
    happy to see the changes you had mentioned about you..

    At first all the new ways seem difficult..but day after day...you will feel comfortable...rightly pointed out by you..
    All the best..

    sriniketan
     
  9. ALPA

    ALPA Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Sri,
    thanks for the FB, it means a lot to me. yes at first everything was difficult but i got adjusted in a day it was onlythe sitting on the hard cushion that made my butt so sore.
    i will continue to meditate as i feel it calms me down and i feel great and energized
    love
    alpa:cheers


     
  10. happywoman

    happywoman Silver IL'ite

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    Hi ALPA,

    Very interesting to know about your 10-day camp. I have heard about such camps earlier but not so closely. Im glad you could gather peace and calmness at the end of the course.
    Also congrats on losing weight.
    vani
     

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