If you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you may remember my mental struggles regarding returning to the dating scene after spending 7 months at Dhamma Patapa. The crux of the challenge was figuring out how to stay committed to my five precepts and 2 hour sitting practice while participating in the dating scene. …
Category: Personal Experiences
Teamwork
Creating the space to sit 2 hours a day is a challenge. Part of this challenge arises because it's 2 hours I need to build into my schedule that few others in my life need to consider. As I've made a few friends who also meditate I've enjoyed sharing the responsibility of how to build …
Dream, Baby, Dream
So I went to a session for folks with farm dreams last weekend. It’s not that I want to be a farmer, per se, but I do want to grow beneficial, beautiful plants for the rest of my life. My path leads, unmistakably, back to the garden. The thought of a blueberry bush waiting to …
Communal Happiness
I always understood the pursuit of happiness to mean an individual freedom to pursue their individual dreams and successes. Recently I realized that our successes, as defined by society as I see it, depend on triumph over another. Our accomplishments are great because we achieved them while others could not. With the awareness provided to …
A New Adventure
I've completed my Masters in Biomechanics, so what's my next adventure? While I understand the practicality and long term benefits of developing my career, a strong voice inside needs me to continue serving and growing in Dhamma. This world has so much suffering, and Vipassana Meditation is the best way I've learned to alleviate some …
Conversation 2 , part 1
To assist Dhamma Projects' aim of discussing, celebrating and examining the integration of the practice and principles behind Vipassana out of the centre and into the world of the householder, we would like to share a recent conversation exploring this subject in the three parts: Part 1 Interviewer: How long have you been practising Vipassana? …
Humbly Enter the Discussion
Vipassana is a beautiful path of self-discovery. We have been taught an exquisite technique that allows us to discover truth within ourselves. In my experience, my daily practice brings me tidbits of truth every so often. These tidbits need to be integrated into my previous understanding of life. This is a continuous process requiring me …
2 Hour Requirement
At the end of every 10 day course, SN Goenka tells people they should make a strong determination to sit for 2 hours every day for one year. While I'm committed to sitting 2 hours every day, I'm not sure I like the consequence of this challenge. What if someone is unsuccessful with this strict …
The Right Rate of Change
I've often felt that the growth I observe in myself from my practice is too slow. I'm investing 2 hours a day in this practice, and sometimes it seems that my growth is at a snails pace. When I look out into the world, it seems that we're in for some troubled times ahead, and …
Why is Vipassana Cool?
I'm about to serve on my first Children's Course. I worked with kids for several years, but that was over 6 years ago. Now I'll be engaging kids in a dhamma environment for the first time. I know that one of the secrets to keeping kids out of trouble is to keep them busy, but how can …
Living Vipassana 