The 10-day course developed by U Ba Kin and Goenka has successfully travelled around the world teaching the fundamentals of dhamma to all walks of life. It's amazing that the combinations of rules, instructions, and discourses that Geonka put together has been translated into so many different languages to conduct successful courses. I understand the …
Author: Ryan Shelton
While my job description is to lead the science department and teach physics at Padua Academy in Wilmington, DE, my calling is to prepare teenagers to lead their communities towards a vibrant and healthy future. This purpose has lead to the creation of Loving Lives Delaware.
Before becoming a teacher, I explored many careers and had many adventures in search of the best way to make a difference in the world. I hiked over 1700 miles, traveled to 5 continents, managed a bakery, started a meditation center, counseled troubled teens, attended Duke, UNC, and Harvard, protected forests as a wildland firefighter, volunteered thousands of hours with Americorps, rafted the Grand Canyon, and SCUBA dived on the Great Barrier Reef.
My next adventure is starting a family with my beautiful wife in our Wilmington home. I'm sure there will be many mistakes along the way, but I hope we're able to create a loving household that's a beacon of support and clarity for others in our community. Thank you for all of your support throughout our journey.
In response to “treat it like a black stone” or “just observe”
Written by Dan Kaminsky There are, at this point, a few very predictable responses to certain types of concerns being raised. And those responses are valid. There is a ton of wisdom in observing your own baggage and working to not be consumed by it. Yet, I think those responses aren’t always appropriate. Often, when …
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Is Old Student Dialogue Helpful?
Open discussions are rare in the Goenka tradition for good reason. The tradition's focus is on encouraging people to meditate, and intellectual discussions can lead to confusion and doubt that detract from the personal journey experienced on the cushion. There's also the problem of determining who is advanced enough in their development to share their …
The Importance of “Why”
Written by Dan Kaminsky This tradition is very clear in its views of blind faith. Goenka repeatedly instructs people to never operate out of blind faith, and it seems that he feels strongly that operating out of a place of experiential wisdom is crucial in safeguarding a non-sectarian tradition. I think increasing transparency about the …
Is Goenka Vipassana Universal?
Goenka seems to present two different paths. First, he shares that sila (morality), samadhi (concentration through breath awareness), and panna (wisdom through body sensation awareness) are the three universal components of the path towards ultimate truth. Second, he shares that the ultimate goal is to liberate the mind from the cycle of birth and death. …
3 Challenges I’ve Faced in Goenka’s Vipassana
Written by Dan Kaminsky Hello! My goal with this blog post is to lay out some of the challenges I have faced after ten years in the Goenka tradition. I would like to preface these challenges by saying that these critiques are coming from a place of gratitude and understanding of the immense benefits I …
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Where Do I Go From Here?
Now 38 years old and over 10 years into my Vipassana journey, my wife, Maria, and I have just welcomed Baby William into our family. Long courses and long-term service have helped me mature as a compassionate human being, but they can no longer be my guiding compass. With any thoughts of a monastic life …
The Next Generation of Goenka Meditators
50 years ago, S. N. Goenka started teaching Vipassana to a new generation of meditators. Thousands of his inspired pupils became meditation teachers, carrying his instructions around the world. Now seven years after Goenka’s death, there is an entire generation of Goenka followers that never met him. The first generation of Goenka students have become …
A New Blog about Bringing Meditation to Teens
I've decided to turn my attention to a new blog called Loving Lives Delaware. I'm interested in exploring how to light the path towards a 10-day course for someone who has never meditated before. As a high school teacher, it makes sense to start with my students and work my way up from there. If …
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The 10-Day Course Is Essential, But Must It Be The Entry Point?
Goenka had a mission to reintroduce Vipassana to the world. Morality, Anapana, and many other meditation variations were present in the world before Goenka, but the amplified impact of learning morality, Anapana, and Vipassana together had been lost. To ensure students received the full benefit of learning these three foundations together, Goenka emphasized the 10-day …
Continue reading The 10-Day Course Is Essential, But Must It Be The Entry Point?
