Meditation has helped me learn how to love myself, but how do I extend this into a loving home, a loving family, and a loving friend network. With an established meditation practice, my mind stays present, positive, and focused. It feels like every step I take is in a positive direction, even if that step …
Category: Personal Experiences
Reality As It Is
The fifth precept: to abstain from intoxicants, has been a part of Vipassana I have not seen the need of to try and maintain. But thanks to many of you who commented on my last post, my understanding of the importance of this precept has shifted something deep inside, which has started whispering that maybe …
Settling Into Conflict
There are times when my life is simply confusing. Some project may seem insurmountable, or some relationship irreconcilable, or some complication unsolvable, but I've learned not to roll in these concerns. The intellectual reality is that I can't currently see a direction. In the past this would make me extremely uncomfortable and I would continue grinding away, …
Right Friendship
When I started a regular meditation practice my social time was reduced considerably both by the 2 hours I was meditating in my free time, and by the reduction of events I was attending while attempting to follow my precepts. This reduced priority on relationships was always concerning to me at first. It seemed like …
Night Life
I basically no longer have a night life. When I first committed to meditating, it was a major struggle to force myself to stay at home rather than going out drinking with my friends. I just loved the excitement and adrenaline rush of getting a little crazy, and not doing so seemed like an empty …
What Is My Belief?
I've heard that one of the stages along the path is the point where you are 100% confident that Vipassana is the technique that will take you to the final goal of liberation. Since I'm not even sure exactly what liberation is, I am obviously a long way off from reaching this stage, but what …
Giving Up Alcohol
The 5th precept - abstaining from intoxicants- has always been a part of Vipassana that I have conveniently forgotten. My job, the people in my life, where I live - key elements that make up who I am, tend to revolve around alcohol. Being able to choose from time to time to enjoy a good whiskey or …
Group Sitting Persistence
I started hosting a weekly group sitting 1 year ago. My simple goal was to meet other meditators in my area, and since there wasn't currently a group sitting close by, I created one. I managed to track down about 8 meditators who had completed a 10-day course and I did my best to encourage them …
Just Rushing By
“You always look like you’re running from somewhere,” said a coworker as I rushed by. “Well, I always am.” I laughed as I said it. But if how we talk about time reflects and affects our relationship with time, then my response—which felt natural and true—is worthy of reflection. I’ve done a lot of simplifying …
Vipassana and Mindfulness Meditation
The SIY ( Search Inside Yourself) organization founded by Chad Meng Tan had recently organized a small competition in which we had to share a story of how meditation has impacted our lives. The most liked story on the forum was expected to win a free copy of SIY book written Chand Meng Tan and …
Living Vipassana 