Vipassana Meditation: A Technique to Unwind

Vipassana is an age-old technique through which sages sought enlightenment. This technique has been passed down from generation to generation by means of the teacher to the disciple teaching method. One of the most famous sages to use this technique for enlightenment was Siddhartha Gautam, known as Gautam Buddha. Vipassana is a technique of self-awareness, feeling one's sensations and staying neutral to all that arises within us.

Vipassana is not merely meditation by closing eyes rather, it’s a learning process to meditate properly. It teaches us to control ourselves, and our desires and asks us to be better human beings. The Vipassana targets core emotions that shape every human being- Raga (happy emotions), Dwaesh (bad emotions), and Moha (desires). All our actions and decisions are confined within these emotions. So, being able to sense them without acting according to the impulse requires a lot of training and a proper method which is Vipassana.

When I made up my mind to attend a 10-day course organized by Dhamma Shringa very few people encouraged me which is why I am writing this, so everyone interested can learn or least know what to expect when they are contemplating doing the course. There are various types, of course, available but a Vipassana course for 10 full days is highly advised. The first day of enrolment is a zero-day and the last day is departure which is not included that in fact makes it a course of total of 12 days.

All new participants must follow these five precepts while attending Vipassana.

• To abstain from killing any being
• To abstain from stealing
• To abstain from all sexual activity
• To abstain from telling lies
• To abstain from all intoxicants.

If any of these precepts are violated at any point during the stay participants are immediately asked to leave. Apart from these, out of 10 full days, 9 days requires participants to observe complete noble silence. Noble Silence means the absolute absence of communication either verbally or non - verbally.

However, participants may communicate with servers if they have any issues, this needs to be kept to the minimum, else they will be warned. The only other time participants break their noble silence is during a private interview with the teacher(s) for clarity regarding the technique or problems faced during meditation hours due to bodily constraints.

Before the start of the course, these rules are repeated time and again at various levels so that participants fully understand and comply. Failure to do so results in immediate expulsion from the course. These rules are enforced to the letter so the participants can get the best and the most out of their stay.

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Day0: We are transferred from the city office to the center. We deposit our cell phones and wallets and given our id cards. After being assigned rooms we unpack and wait for the orientation.

Days 1-3: Most people generally go for the 3 days course first and then move on to 10 days course. I would, however, advise against it, because in the first 3 days you are still full of distraction from outside. The mind oscillates between past mistakes and future wishes, and in my experience, it took 3 days to fully relieve my mind and focus on what we are meant to do. In the first 3 days, we are taught Annapanna (breathing technique), which focuses on breathing and feeling the sensation on a small portion of our face.

Days 4-9: On day 4, we are made familiar with Vipassana knowledge. After day 5 Adhisthana(steadfast resolution- a constant position) is added to the daily routine, an hour 3 times a day. This is to test our determination to maintain a constant position throughout. We are also asked to swipe our bodies and feel every part of it for the minutest sensations. We are thoroughly guided with new techniques to progress throughout the course until day 9.

At the nearing of the completion period, we asked if we can feel the complete dissolution of our body and flow from head to toe and toe to head without stopping at one particular part of the body. All these experiences are subjective and depend on the earnest effort of the practitioner. There is no need to feel disheartened if two person’s experiences do not match as the continuity of the practice is the key to success.

Day 10: After the morning sitting, we break our noble silence and meet and greet other participants, share our experience and get to know each other. Participants can also buy books, and donations are also collected on this day. However, a donation is completely voluntary and up to the participants’ wish to help. This is a completely free course meant for the benefit and enrichment of the participants.

Final Day: After morning breakfast, we can collect our belongings and part our way.

What to Expect: A Day in the Life

The course at Dhamma Shringa follows a rigorous schedule. Wake-up bells ring at 4:00 AM, and the day involves roughly ten hours of meditation broken into sessions between 4:30 AM and 9:00 PM. Meals are simple and vegetarian, breakfast at 6:30 AM, lunch at 11:00 AM, with only fruit or herbal tea in the evening. Every night, S.N. Goenka’s recorded discourse guides participants through the philosophy behind that day’s technique.

Cell phones, books, journals, music, and any form of entertainment are surrendered on arrival. The Noble Silence is total for nine of the ten days. For most first-timers, the first two or three days are the hardest, the mind resists the stillness, cycling through memories and anxieties. By day four or five, something shifts. The technique starts to work.

Practical Information

• Location: Dhamma Shringa is situated in the Nagarjuna Hills near Budhanilkantha, approximately 10 km north of central Kathmandu.
• Cost: The course is entirely free. Accommodation, meals, and teaching are provided at no charge. Donations are accepted only from those who have already completed at least one full course.
• Who can attend: Anyone aged 18 and above. Men and women are housed in completely separate areas and do not interact during the course.
• How to register: Registration is done online at www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schshringa. Courses run throughout the year; popular dates fill many months in advance.
• What to bring: Loose, modest clothing (no shorts or sleeveless tops), any essential medication, and a readiness to sit still. The centre provides bedding, basic toiletries, and everything else required.
• Other centres in Nepal: Dhamma Pokhara operates near Pokhara for those combining a course with time in the lakeside city.

In this age of screens, fast-paced lives, and a constant search for fulfillment of limitless desires, a lot of people tend to get lost. This is not a commentary but a reflection of life today. People have more than they need to live a happy life, yet many strays away from the real meaning of happiness, unaware of how to be happy, satisfied, or even content. Through this technique, I truly believe people can realize what it means to live again. After all these years, the one thing I have comprehended is we have forgotten how to live. 

The DhammaShringa Meditation Center has been established worldwide in many countries. This meditation is taught based on U Ba Khin's teachings and techniques taught by S.N. Goenka. I practiced in one of these centers located in the foothills of the beautiful Nagarjuna Hills of Kathmandu Valley. I have attached the link below to the organization's website so that if you are interested to know more about the meditation center and the meditation technique, you can get further details from this website. 

www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schshringa

Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya!

Namaskar!