I want to give a bit of encouragement to anyone who has left a 10-day course early. These meditation courses are difficult, and sometimes on someones first or second course they get so overwhelmed that the leave. This was my experience, but I've moved on to complete a handful of courses and I've established a …
Walking The Right Path
Figuring out the proper way to live life has always been a strange combination of following my upbringing, thinking through things, listening to my intuition, and watching what the people around me are doing. It has never been clear exactly what is moral and what is not. Vipassana has simplified this complex issue and very clearly stated …
We All Believe in God
What is the one, single, ultimate truth, of which you can be absolutely sure, before anything else? It is your experience in this moment. This experience may not represent external reality completely or at all (à la The Matrix), but this experience is, without a doubt, happening, because you are experiencing it. Note that at its …
Goenka Vipassana Is Different
Besides committing to a daily practice, the biggest hurdle I've faced is accepting that Vipassana meditation taught by S N Goenka is different from other meditation techniques. It's even different from other Vipassana meditation techniques. The reason this is signficant is not because I'm an elitist snob who thinks my technique is the best. Quite the contrary. At …
Any Writers Out There?
The aspect of this blog that I've enjoyed the most is the opportunity to inspire new students to establish their daily practice. I thought this blog could provide more inspiration if a group of people from around the world with different backgrounds could share their personal experiences and thoughts about meditation instead of only hearing …
New Year’s Goals
Happy New Year's Day! Before I set new goals for this year, I want to reflect on my goals for last year. Last year I wanted to immerse myself in Vipassana meditation so I had a clear understanding of what it was, I wanted to establish my daily meditation practice, and I wanted to start …
No Longer A Leader
I was raised to be a strong leader throughout school and with various jobs, and while I've been successful in many leadership roles, I'm discovering that I no longer identify as a leader. Vipassana meditation is about one's personal journey. The reality that this journey is discovered almost entirely within one's own body is powerful. …
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful holiday full of family, friends, and love.
Doing Nothing Is Something
In our fast paced world where we're evaluated by what we accomplish, it's strange to consider the value of doing nothing. Sure, you can count the number of hours you sit or the number of courses you complete, but no one's giving you certificates or congratulating you based on this score card. What I gain …
Feeling Morality
At my first course, I accepted the five precept (No killing, stealing, lying, intoxicants, or sexual misconduct) as part of the trial of this technique. Since the technique helped, I decided to continue my practice. I followed the precepts with varying degrees of strictness. While I didn't notice much of an impact during the day, it was very …
Living Vipassana 