I am not religious, and neither is Vipassana, but my first taste of the technique, an ancient mind-body technology, felt borderline spiritual: it held the power of a life-changing psychedelic experience.
I completed my first 10-Day Course in March at Dhamma Siri. My experience was profoundly life-altering as I experienced a full-blown kundalini awakening on Day 3. My sits ranged from sheer bliss states to periods of excruciating pain (mostly hip pain or limb numbness). I also had some pretty intense altered state moments throughout. Having practiced yoga for 30+ years, i was shocked at physical intensity of sitting in stillness. The breaks were highlights and deeply nourishing and the nature and surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful. The birds, trails, delicious vegan meals and the unspoken kinship amongst the students was palpable. Well worth the investment of time. I am still integrating the experience some 8+ months later. Thank you for sharing this. There is so little of our body’s “software” that we access for growth. Vipassana is a powerful tool that gives direct access to the vast healing potentiality within our bodies.
Yes, the sitting can be so intense Susan! Agreed on the breaks, the nature walks around Dhamma Dharā were so peaceful and nourishing. Thank you for sharing, your awakening sounds intense! It is such a powerful tool and a world-shaking experience, I am still digesting and probably will be for months too.
I wish Vipassana had been taught to me in school, it feels so much more useful than many of the things that we were taught and quickly forgot - the practice of Vipassana is such a deep visceral experience, I think i might have recognized its power and practical application even at a younger age, and it would have been so helpful in navigating many aspects of life in all its vicissitudes. Grateful to have done the course when I did though!
Well written and surprisingly not overblown or contentious. More people seem to create content critical of Vipassana than positive overviews, I guess because happy people complain less. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dee See! haha, I was so grateful for everything I experienced at the course and all the time and effort the volunteers shared with us students. Of course some things could be improved, but for a zero-cost experience, I was blown away. I am working on some more content on the neuroscience of Vipassana since I was curious exactly how the experience had such a profound effect on me.
Amazing write-up, thank you. I am doing my first course in January, coincidentally 10 days before my birthday, and hoping it will help me to finally achieve lasting sobriety.
Thank you Marta! Glad you got signed up and I am wishing you all the best with your journey. It was certainly unlike anything I've ever done in my life, and I am still feeling the lasting benefits.
I completed my first 10-Day Course in March at Dhamma Siri. My experience was profoundly life-altering as I experienced a full-blown kundalini awakening on Day 3. My sits ranged from sheer bliss states to periods of excruciating pain (mostly hip pain or limb numbness). I also had some pretty intense altered state moments throughout. Having practiced yoga for 30+ years, i was shocked at physical intensity of sitting in stillness. The breaks were highlights and deeply nourishing and the nature and surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful. The birds, trails, delicious vegan meals and the unspoken kinship amongst the students was palpable. Well worth the investment of time. I am still integrating the experience some 8+ months later. Thank you for sharing this. There is so little of our body’s “software” that we access for growth. Vipassana is a powerful tool that gives direct access to the vast healing potentiality within our bodies.
Yes, the sitting can be so intense Susan! Agreed on the breaks, the nature walks around Dhamma Dharā were so peaceful and nourishing. Thank you for sharing, your awakening sounds intense! It is such a powerful tool and a world-shaking experience, I am still digesting and probably will be for months too.
I wish Vipassana had been taught to me in school, it feels so much more useful than many of the things that we were taught and quickly forgot - the practice of Vipassana is such a deep visceral experience, I think i might have recognized its power and practical application even at a younger age, and it would have been so helpful in navigating many aspects of life in all its vicissitudes. Grateful to have done the course when I did though!
Well written and surprisingly not overblown or contentious. More people seem to create content critical of Vipassana than positive overviews, I guess because happy people complain less. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dee See! haha, I was so grateful for everything I experienced at the course and all the time and effort the volunteers shared with us students. Of course some things could be improved, but for a zero-cost experience, I was blown away. I am working on some more content on the neuroscience of Vipassana since I was curious exactly how the experience had such a profound effect on me.
Amazing write-up, thank you. I am doing my first course in January, coincidentally 10 days before my birthday, and hoping it will help me to finally achieve lasting sobriety.
Thank you Marta! Glad you got signed up and I am wishing you all the best with your journey. It was certainly unlike anything I've ever done in my life, and I am still feeling the lasting benefits.