Vipassana

I have been meaning to write about this for some time now. The practice of Vipassana has been a unique experience for me. I am not a Vipassana veteran. Far from it. But after recently attending a ten day camp, I have benefitted from it. The course was amazingly detoxifying. And, regular, disciplined practice ensures that things keep improving.

I cannot compare Vipassana to any other form of meditation because I have never tried any other form before. What I will say though is that this is something worth trying. Being away from the daily humdrum of life, far away from the city, in silence in a peaceful environment, close to nature, and with yourself . . . it does have a therapeutic, detoxifying effect. The meditation makes you focus on the sensations inside your body, non-judgementally observe every sensation as it occurs and fades away. As you do this, you look inside yourself, and you discover a lot about yourself.

The regular and disciplined practice of Vipassana has been known to break down the barriers between the conscious, sub-conscious and unconscious mind. The practice of Vipassana has helped in the cure of psychosomatic illnesses. However, Vipassana teachers are very clear in informing that Vipassana is not a substitute of psychotherapy, or, for that matter, any kind of therapy. It is an art of living, that helps you live life better. Patients should not go into the course expecting that they’d be cured of all ailments. Most important, like any other form of specialized education, you have to learn Vipassana from a teacher who is authorized to conduct the course.

Vipassana is not a one time detoxifying procedure. To experience the benefits of Vipassana, one has to practise it regularly. The teachers recommend two sittings of one hour daily, one in the morning, and one in the evening. I have not been that disciplined, as the evening one hour has been considerably difficult to follow through. But even with what I have been able to do, I have felt positive differences in my thinking, my reactions, my interactions. . . in short, in a lot of things.

I have been reading essays on Vipassana by Dr. Paul Flieschman, as well as a study published by Prof. P.L. Dhar of IIT Delhi, that tries to find a scientific explanation behind the proven efficacy of Vipassana meditation; both very interesting. The Vipassana website has relevant information about course schedules, requirements and locations. The Vipassana Research Institute website also has a wealth of information about the technique as well as the various projects going on at the institute.

It has been so long

Lot of changes. A few milestones. Took a few interesting decisions.
I needed to disconnect for a while, and so I did. Now, I'm back, and with my real name this time, so that is another change.

I have recently said no to an offer to work in Sierra Leone, and a part of me is still craving for the adventure that would have been. I have also recently said yes to take up an assignment in a field in which I have no hands-on experience, and I am patting myself on the back for taking that step. In any case, my expectation going into my new job is to immerse myself in an unfamiliar situation, do some meanigful work and learn something new, so hopefully those would be met.

Strangely, kissing the big bucks goodbye wasn't such a tough thing to do. Zeroing on my next assignment from a few very different choices, was.

I want to sign off with a few lines from 'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost. It is a favorite of my sister (whose course work in English included this poem) and me (who was introduced to this poem by her). It is a tricky poem, and while many people believe it encourages you to move away from the herd and be different, more discerning readers have felt (and I agree with them) that it does not judge the choice you have made, it just tells you that you always have to make choices, and ironically, you never understand your choice in its entirety unless you have made it, and lived through it.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.