Vipassana 4.0. - The benefits of a 10-day journey of discovery within (part 2)
How does one feel going off the grid for 10 days, completely disconnecting with the outside world, meditating most of the time? And why would you consider doing something like this? What benefits can you expect?
I’ve just finished my 4th Vipassana meditation course and like to take you with me on this journey of discovery within.
Read all about what Vipassana is and why I recommend doing it in the first part of this series. To explore more of the benefits, continue reading here.
What benefits or outcomes can you expect?
Understand the fundamental elements of unhappiness to come out of it
As discussed in the first part of this series.
Get the tools to become happier
You also get the tools to deal with craving and aversion, meaning a tool to stop generating new cravings and aversions and at the same time a tool to get rid of unconscious habit patterns of our mind related to these craving- and aversion-mechanics.
Awareness
The first tool is awareness, intensely trained throughout the 10 days.
It’s incredible to experience how you can sharpen your mind and increase your awareness when meditating. Practically, you become much more aware of your own body, its breath and its sensations. Sharpening this foundation is needed because it’s the gateway to the unconscious part of our brain where most of our cravings and aversions live. Mastering your reaction to these bodily sensations means you are starting to master the unconscious habit patterns of your mind, which brings me to the next tool: equanimity.
Equanimity
The second tool is equanimity: the observation of what is without judgement (objective observation). This is the most difficult part of the course but also the one that you get to practice all the time. It teaches you how you can be OK with what is, from moment to moment. Being equanimous means you remain balanced, having peace of mind in any situation.
Most people know these two combined (awareness & equanimity) as mindfulness: the awareness of the present moment without judgement.
The power of Vipassana lays in the fact that you train yourself for 10-11 hours per day not to react to pleasant or unpleasant sensations on your body (the bridge to your unconscious). So you use the framework of your body (universal) to get to the unconscious part of your brain (sensation -> reaction) and start rewiring your old habit patterns.
Let’s say someone calls you an idiot. Through your conscious brain (via your senses, in this case your hearing), you register the words. This leads to a perception based on knowledge, memories, context, etc. which is an evaluation or judgement of what you hear: is it good or bad? If it’s bad (likely in this example) this will lead to an unpleasant sensation in your body (of which you might not be aware). The key insights or discovery from the Buddha was that the reactive part of our brain only responds to this sensation (not to the words or perception of the words). Hence the better you become in being aware of your sensations and remaining equanimous with those sensations, the better you become in breaking the automatic reaction pattern of your mind, allowing you to remain more balanced in the moment AND to rewire your mind step by step towards less craving and aversion, hence more happiness. In this example, the automatic reaction pattern based on the aversion generated for those words might be that you feel sad, that you insult back, that you freeze, etc. Becoming well-trained in Vipassana will help you to be less impacted (or not impacted at all) by such an insult. You observe and remain equanimous.
Shown in a graph, this process looks as follows:
Understand the fundamental law of nature to support your equanimity
A supporting tool for equanimity is impermanence. This universal law dictates that everything comes and goes. Everything rises and passes away. It’s the fundamental law of nature. Realizing this to the core will help you to not generate cravings or aversions. Craving something that you don’t have becomes less persistent when you realize that getting that thing or feeling will not be permanent and fleeting. Having an aversion for something you don’t want also becomes less overpowering when you fully understand that this situation or feeling will also pass.
Some more practical and “earthly” benefits of Vipassana
Disconnect for real
You really get a chance to fully disconnect for a longer period of time. Our brain craves this (pun intended). Being away in nature for 10 days without any distractions is a rare experience, confronting but liberating. You realize to the core how many small addictions (like the addiction to distraction) you have and are forced to be confronted with it. And you cannot be tempted to break this full deconnection as you simply don’t have the possibility.
Focus
You train your focus for 10 days, intensely. I’ve written extensively about it in this article: Olympicsche Breintraining (in Dutch). With the distracted and always on society we live in, I think it has become one of the most important competences. If we cannot focus, we cannot have deep learning, we cannot be as productive or creative as we could be (deep work) and we cannot keep up with the accelerating pace of change that requires us to learn new things and let go of old things, continuously.
I have to painfully accept that my focus is crap. These 10 days for sure helped and I’m putting new rules in place now to further support and increase my focus.
Compassion and kindness
Knowingly or unknowingly, working on yourself like this will make your more compassionate and kind towards yourself. You’re getting to know yourself better ánd are learning to be more ok with what is, hence also with who you are. This is the foundation to generate more compassion and kindness towards others: the better you feel about yourself, the easier it becomes to be compassionate and kind towards others.
Working on yourself can have a profound positive ripple effect for the people in your environment.
To summarize
Vipassana is a 10-day course that allows you to really disconnect from the outside world in order to fully connect with your inside world.
It teaches you the most fundamental happiness habit of all: becoming better in managing your cravings and aversions, with at the core a heightened awareness and a stronger equanimity muscle, helping you to detach from elements that could cause unhappiness.
It sets in motion the process of getting rid of piled up emotions (cravings & aversions) and in this way providing you a technique of personal transformation.
And personal transformation undeniably leads to a positive ripple effect, for you ánd others.
I hope you found this helpful.
If you’d like to understand more about meditation or Vipassana, feel free to reach out. I’ve consolidated some more resources here: articles on meditation and mindfulness (the first 7 are related to Vipassana). And as always I’m happy to hear your thoughts on this article in the comment section.
To a life in which we experience more peace of mind. To a life fully lived 🥂.
#becurious #becourageous #beyourbest
PS: this is what AI gave as a summary of pros & cons of Vipassana meditation.
Pros and Cons of Vipassana Meditation
Pros:
1. Self-discovery: Vipassana meditation gives individuals the opportunity to explore their own minds and gain deeper insights into their thought patterns, emotions, and beliefs. By observing the sensations in their body and mind, practitioners can develop self-awareness and gain a greater understanding of themselves.
2. Stress reduction: Vipassana meditation is known for its calming effects on the mind and body. By focusing on the present moment and observing sensations without judgment, practitioners can reduce stress, anxiety, and even physical pain. It provides a valuable tool for managing and coping with daily life challenges.
3. Improved concentration: Through regular practice, vipassana meditation enhances concentration and focus. By training the mind to stay present, practitioners can overcome distractions and improve their ability to focus on tasks in their daily lives. This improved concentration can lead to increased productivity and better decision-making.
4. Greater emotional balance: Vipassana meditation helps individuals develop equanimity and emotional balance. By becoming aware of their emotions without getting caught up in them, practitioners can respond more skillfully to challenging situations, reduce impulsiveness, and cultivate a sense of inner peace and resilience.
5. Enhanced compassion: Vipassana meditation fosters the development of compassion and empathy towards ourselves and others. By recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings, practitioners can cultivate kindness, understanding, and a deep sense of empathy, leading to improved relationships and a more compassionate society.
Cons:
1. Time commitment: Vipassana meditation requires a significant time commitment, especially for those attending retreats. Retreats often last for ten days or more, which may be challenging for individuals with busy schedules or other personal commitments. Regular daily practice also demands a considerable time investment.
2. Physical discomfort: During meditation, practitioners are encouraged to maintain a still and upright posture for extended periods. This can lead to physical discomfort, including back pain, stiffness, and restlessness, particularly for individuals who are not used to sitting for long periods. It may take time to develop the physical endurance needed for extended meditation sessions.
3. Initial mental resistance: When first starting vipassana meditation, many individuals may experience resistance from their minds. Sitting with one's thoughts can bring up uncomfortable emotions and thoughts that they may have been unconsciously avoiding. This initial discomfort can deter some individuals from persisting with the practice.
