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NJL
31 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 12 2013 : 1:45:02 PM
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Hello all,
I have a friend that's interested in trying the Vipassana Meditation retreat. They asked me for advice on the matter, and I am not all that familiar with their teachings and practices.
This friend does not practice yoga asana or meditation. They've talked about doing it for years, but been unable to will themselves to get down to business. In this respect, I think the hammer approach (as opposed to the chisel) that Vipassana seems to teach may be beneficial.
I would appreciate any feedback or criticism that AYPers have on this method so that I can help my friend decide if this practice is for them.
Thanks :) |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2013 : 9:40:49 PM
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Hi NJL,
Welcome to the AYP forums!
In one of the posts you wrote you "If your experience is anything like my own, I would suggest ceasing all practices until you feel more equilibrium"... If you are prone to overloading, I would say vipassana may not be a good idea. I know of someone who attended one and overloaded real bad and took him months to ground and he still experiences anxiety when he meditates.
But there are many who have had real good results with it. So it would be a personal choice.
Do a forum search on "vipassana" to see what others have to say. Here is one topic on it, there are many more and I can post a few more links tomorrow if you haven't found what you are looking for. http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=7020
Wish you all the best! |
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NJL
31 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2013 : 11:22:57 PM
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Thanks Shanti :)
I've checked out some of the threads, but none of them satisfied my curiosity.
I myself will not be trying the Vipassana stuff, would not be good for me! This is, however, for a friend who's been interested in meditation for a while, but hasn't been able to get into it on their own. |
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jamuna
Australia
104 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2013 : 01:28:02 AM
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Hi NJL,
I don't think attending a vipasana course is going to help your friend develop a meditation routine, also the vipasana course recommends two hours of daily practice and this is hard for most to squeeze into their life.
I can think of nine friends who have gone and there is a mix a feedback on their experience, three of my friends had mixed feelings, whilst the meditation was good the experience wasn't very pleasant and one of them even tried to run away mid way through. I can think of two friends who really enjoyed it one returning several more times, saying things like, 'you have a whole new fresh view of the world after you go'.
I have had two friends who have a regular meditation practice and who did their own practice there and really enjoy it. I also have a friend who believes she healed her back by doing vipasana and has done quite a few since then. Also have a friend who went and suffered anxiety, she feels mistreated by the leaders there and still suffers ongoing anxiety a year later. None of the people I know who have gone to vipasana even though some enjoyed it have been able to maintain a daily meditation routine using the techniques.
My experience is similar to the last and I would not recommend vipasana to anyone else.
My primary grips with my experience there are as follows.
The way the reatreat is setup it is very difficult to leave- you have to give your phone, car keys and sign a declaration saying you will stay.
I believe the entry process strengthens the tendency for role conformity, ie, I'm the student, Im the teacher. (see standford prison experiment). I felt that even though I knew what was best for me I was still being submissive to the teacher, and then when it become clear the teacher was out of there depth he still would not listen to me and was trying to teach some "lesson".
The concept of grounding was foreign to my teacher. It was even recommended that I stop the grounding activity I was trying to do and return to the practice.
I suffered panic attacks there after warning my teacher i felt I was overloading and being asked to continue practice. The teachers were ill prepared or trained to help someone in that situation both from a medical and spiritual perspective.
I have heard from the teacher the time I went and also my yoga teacher who has done many vipasanas that there is a high rate of attrition, people frequently suffer and sometimes require hospitalization.
Overall I found the experience very distressing. There are no overnight transformations in yoga, even at vipasana and I think it has the potential to be a very negative experience. I wonder if there is some other strain of buddhism that runs a less aggressive retreat in your friends area, they are very common here, maybe three days, talking and grounding activity allowed.
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Edited by - jamuna on Jan 14 2013 01:31:48 AM |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2013 : 01:55:10 AM
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quote:
This friend does not practice yoga asana or meditation.
i have done a vipaasana retreat few years back...it was excellent
yet i did not continue the technique because i was used to my mantra...so after the course finsihed i returned to using my mantra...yet lots of benefits were reaped
but if your friend has never done daily regualr meditation better not to go to such a retreat cause it is not easy for beginners |
Edited by - maheswari on Jan 14 2013 05:04:45 AM |
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NJL
31 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2013 : 5:20:19 PM
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Thanks for the input Jamuna and Mahewsari :)
Funny, today I met up unexpectedly with an acquaintance from my field of business and he mentioned out of the blue that he'd done a Vipassana retreat! |
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Ruben
Netherlands
38 Posts |
Posted - Jan 22 2013 : 12:59:06 PM
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Hi NJL,
If your friend shows interest in the retreat, let them have the proof in the pudding. :) It seems your friend is not the type who is going to overdo, so a little encouraged discipline may do them good.
There are many Vipassana Meditation retreats. Are you referring to the Goenka ones (dhamma.org)?
I did 2 Goenka vipassana meditation retreats and another more general Buddhist retreat (including walking and standing meditation). It brought my practice to a new level. It was a very positive experience for me (my bhakti for doing the retreat was very high). I'm very grateful for having had the opportunity to do these retreats.
Quite a few of my friends, both experienced and inexperienced, did the Goenka retreats. None is unhappy about having done it. Some are still practicing, but typically those who go to a Goenka retreat for a first introduction to meditation have a hard time finding regularity after the retreat. This said, they did not have a practice to start with and have had a wonderful opportunity to watch their mind at work as well as gaining a better understanding of and even appreciation for meditation.
As your friend is positive on doing a meditation retreat it would seem encouragement is more in place than an overly "careful" attitude keeping them away from trying something that may be a beautiful life transforming experience. You may tell them in the long run it is especially important to be consistent, and the retreat can help to make this happen in the short run.
If your friend finds it hard after the retreat to keep up with the recommended practice, you may suggest that Vipassana and the recommended timing as taught in the retreat is not the only or "best" way to practice (as Goenka sometimes suggests because he loves the technique he teaches) so that they may find an approach that works for them in daily life.
Best!
Ruben
quote:
Originally posted by NJL
Hello all,
I have a friend that's interested in trying the Vipassana Meditation retreat. They asked me for advice on the matter, and I am not all that familiar with their teachings and practices.
This friend does not practice yoga asana or meditation. They've talked about doing it for years, but been unable to will themselves to get down to business. In this respect, I think the hammer approach (as opposed to the chisel) that Vipassana seems to teach may be beneficial.
I would appreciate any feedback or criticism that AYPers have on this method so that I can help my friend decide if this practice is for them.
Thanks :)
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Edited by - Ruben on Jan 22 2013 1:07:52 PM |
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NJL
31 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2013 : 12:22:09 PM
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Hi Ruben,
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and thoughts on Vipassana. I'll relay your thoughts to my friend. It sounds like these retreats can be a very beneficial experience for some and I hope that this person is able to derive benefits from it as well.
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Ruben
Netherlands
38 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2013 : 7:16:15 PM
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Most welcome!
Will be happy to hear how things evolved..
quote:
Originally posted by NJL
Hi Ruben,
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and thoughts on Vipassana. I'll relay your thoughts to my friend. It sounds like these retreats can be a very beneficial experience for some and I hope that this person is able to derive benefits from it as well.
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Vipassana Question
