10-Day Vipassana Meditation Course in Sri Lanka

Vipassana: Seeing Things As They Are

Vipassana translates to “to see things as they really are, in their true nature, through introspection and insight of impermanence”. It’s a meditation technique that uses the observation of bodily sensations to clearly see the reality of oneself and purify the mind.

My Introduction to Vipassana

I’d heard the term “Vipassana” thrown around but it wasn’t something that I ever actively engaged with until the first day of my course. The idea came to me in passing, introduced to me by someone I had met during a previous monastery stay in Sri Lanka. Although I do not identify as a Buddhist, I’ve always been drawn to immersive experiences that can expand on my preexisting philosophies and ways of experiencing human life. Having spent a lot of time intellectualizing Buddhist philosophy at the monastery, Vipassana offered an opportunity to practically incorporate these teachings on an experiential level.

Embracing the Commitment

Upon arrival at the meditation center on Day 0, students surrender certain belongings (phones, cameras, etc.) and commit to Noble Silence, The 5 Precepts (abstaining from harming, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxicants), and for for new students, the full 10-day duration. Returning students can join for shorter periods (3,5, or 7 days) as they’re already familiar with the technique.

The rules and timetable of Vipassana are strictly enforced with good reason. As the teacher S.N Goenka refers to it, Vipassana is a “deep surgical operation of the mind”. A procedure that requires a suitable environment and code of conduct to give patients (participants) the best chance of success (effectiveness and proper teaching). I consented to all of these rules and was given a simple, private room with an adjoining bathroom for my stay at Dhamma Anuradhapura Vipassana Meditation Centre.

Community and Diversity

Women and men are segregated into different living quarters, maintaining this separation on opposing sides of each room during eating and meditation hours as well. In my course, there were 19 women (including 6 nuns, 4 foreigners including myself, and 9 Sri-Lankan locals) and 7 middle-aged men (only 1 foreigner). Age diversity was impressive, ranging from 25-year-old foreigners from Russia to 70-year-old Sri Lankan women. This was an off-season time for Sri Lanka so most of the participants were locals. I was told that once busy-season starts, people from all over come for these courses.

Daily Routine and Nourishment

The course involves diligent practice and intensive meditation, with daily sessions totaling nearly 10 hours. There is only one 2-hour continuous meditation session and all sessions are broken up with small breaks to prepare oneself for the next. We start our mornings at 4:00 AM and retire by 9:30 PM. We are given two vegetarian meals and a tea break per day: breakfast after the 2-hour early morning meditation, lunch after the 3-hour morning session, and tea after the 3.5-hour afternoon session. Depending on each individual meditation center, there may be some fruit or crackers offered during tea as well. After tea, we only have 1.5 hours of meditation left for the day.

Considering all we do is meditate, eat, rest, learn, and meditate, the food we are offered is more than enough to sustain ourselves each day. Although we are allowed to take as much food as we need during the two designated eating periods, it is recommended to eat until your stomach is 75% full for easier meditation. If the thought of limited access to food concerns you, you will later learn during the course how this attachment can be a tool for observing your Vipassana practice.

Preparing for the Journey

For my Vipassana experience, I didn’t do anything special to prepare. I was actually recovering from a recent motorbike accident so I decided to just show up and take the experience for what it was at that moment. My previous monastery stay involved similar routines (4AM wake up and two meals), so it wasn’t a major adjustment. If I didn’t feel like I could wake up that early without much disruption to my psyche, I would’ve adjusted my sleeping schedule a couple days prior to ease into the routine of the course.

Also, get some sitting it! It can be a grueling experience for your body if you’re not used to sitting for such long periods. There are cushions and pillows to make ease any discomforts you have, but for some students, it is a physical challenge as well. To only a handful of my own meditation practices ever extending past the 1-hour mark, it would’ve been nice for me to get some more sitting in. Since my knee had limited mobility due to my accident, I wasn’t able to sit criss-cross until the first day of Vipassana (thankfully). The teachers offered me a chair (and also routinely checked in on my physical condition) but I committed to the practice of sitting feet crossed. After a couple days of sitting, your body will adjust and you will feel less agitated. Vipassana requires this technique of sitting, and throughout the course, there will be teachings to help you understand and make use of this posture.

Noble Silence is a rule that I saw some practitioners struggle with as well. Come knowing that you will have no access to technology, reading/ writing tools, and ability to communicate with any other students. Gestures, passing of notes, and contact with other students are strictly prohibited. This may sound extreme, but again, this is a “deep surgical operation of the mind” — the facilities and rules are there to optimize the benefits you can gain from learning this technique thoroughly. You learn this technique properly so that if choose, you can practice it in your daily life after the silence, the served meals, and the donated accommodation is over.

Learning and Deepening the Practice

As for the learning structure, each night we received a one-hour discourse on Vipassana theory and technique. Instructions are thorough, few in number, and built upon the previous day’s practice, making it digestible to grasp.

These hours of meditation on end are hours of labor that one must commit to work persistently, patiently, and ardently at. It is no retreat, but again, a serious and “deep surgical operation of the mind” aimed at reaching the depths of ones’ unconscious mind. We are able to speak to assistant teachers regarding questions related to the technique, but otherwise, we retain Noble Silence to focus on applying what we’ve learned.

Vipassana: A Universal Tool

Vipassana itself is a non-sectarian, universal practice that does not seek to push religion or blind acceptance of this technique onto anyone. That isn’t true Vipassana. It also isn’t a faith, a means to an end, or something that one is forced to do. Vipassana is a powerful technique that can help one achieve equanimity and understand suffering at the deepest level. No miracles happen here. It is a technique that requires relentless practice to deeply understand the nature of one’s body and mental contents.

The teachers do not ask of anything from you other than to work seriously and give a fair trial to the technique. It is then completely up to you if you find the technique acceptable and worth practicing. Out of the 26 students that participated in my course, only 5, including myself, were new students. The old students had come back to further develop their practice and it was inspiring to see how many have received fruits from this technique and continue to practice as a commitment to mastering one’s own mind and learning the art of living.

The entire experience from the lodging, teaching, and food are all funded through donations from past students and people who have benefited from the teachings and want to provide this resource to others seeking understanding of oneself and refuge. The people who serve at Vipasssana centers are all volunteers, serving out of compassion and without any expectations in return. There is compassion and love radiating at the purest forms at these meditation centers and is a gift that seeks to spread true peace and harmony for all living beings.

Coming Out Of My First Course

I come out of my first course very curious. Fresh out of my practice (literally this morning, lmao) I am observing how this practice can have an effect on me. Intellectually, it has offered me a new playground to explore on the experiential level; and I am ready to play.

I write because I feel that I’ve come across a tool that could help others seek refuge in this life that we all experience and suffer in. This is a tool for deep personal awareness and in this game of life, one must be the person to provide themselves their refuge.

I have a deep appreciation for the facility, staff, and teachers that volunteered to offer this service to those who want it. To attend a Vipassana course, no other fees are required other than your 10-day presence. They are paying for your stay that you voluntarily signed up for. It is a powerful force of selflessness and compassion that fuels these organization’s existence for the sake of sharing peace with others. This is a resource for all, regardless of gender, sexuality, background, ethnicity, age, or religion.

If you go, go with an intention to give this practice a fair trial.

 

Resources

Check here more information about Vipassana and for a Vipassana Center near you: www.dhamma.org