One of many unique aspects of this tradition is that there is no guru to tell you how to live your life. If you've never taken a 10 day course it may appear that Goenka is the guru. He might even come across as a controlling guru because he doesn't even trust his assistant teachers …
Category: Personal Experiences
Vipassana Helps Me Fend Off Depression
When my Dad was diagnosed with brain cancer I quit my job to help support him and my family. He died 7 months later. For the 6 months after that I helped my I helped my Mom stabilize and get back on her feet. It's an understatement to say this process took a lot out of …
Meeting New People
I've always loved the adventure of meeting new people. I would seek out individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, ages, and personalities. I've found that connecting with strangers is the best way to learn something new, gain a new perspective, or to make a dull situation exciting. I also enjoyed the adventure of making the proper …
30 Days Since Leaving The Center
I left the center 30 days ago with a very specific goal: Establish Vipassana into my daily life in a positive way. I want express what has worked and what has not. I've completed all of my daily sittings. That's one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening every day. I've attended …
My Changing Diet
Food has never been that important to me. I preferred simple over tasty. I preferred convenient over healthy. I grew up believing that a meal required meat. I could alway intellectually try to convince myself that I should eat less meat but it never happened. I didn't feel full unless I had something heavy in …
Vipassana And Yoga
Vipassana has transformed my yoga practice but I didn't notice until I returned from long-term service. I used to participate in yoga classes the same way I did sports. I would push myself to make progress, get a good workout, and hope that my flexibility might improve. My first yoga class after 7 months at the center …
Letting Go
What does it mean to let go or to have no attachments? I hear about the life of a monk and I wonder if this is the life I should be living. I was raised to be goal oriented and to give 100% to whatever I commit to so it seems natural to pursue the Buddha's …
I’m Not Wierd, Vipassana Can Be Fun… I Think…
A huge challenge I have with this practice is trying to be excited about it with old friends and new acquaintances. One of my strengths used to be making people feel comfortable with who they are so they can relax and enjoy themselves in difficult situations. Now it seems that I'm the uncomfortable, insecure, uptight …
Continue reading I’m Not Wierd, Vipassana Can Be Fun… I Think…
My First Blog – finding the right people to talk to
This is my first blog so there will be a bit of a learning curve. One of the big challenges I've faced with my Vipassana practice is finding the right people to discuss my practice. I can find friends that want to support me but can't relate to where I'm coming from or what I'm …
Continue reading My First Blog – finding the right people to talk to
The Journey Begins
I took my first Goenka Vipassana course in March 2010 and I completed 7 months of long term service at Dhamma Patapa in Jesup, GA in July 2012. I participated in long term service to gain a deeper understanding of this powerful and difficult practice. Now I'm presented with the great challenge of integrating this practice …
Living Vipassana 