26. august 2023
Vipassana meditation
Vipassana means "to see things as they really are," i ands also known as "insight meditation". Vipassana is one of the oldest forms of meditations and has been taught fir more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills and as an art of living.
This form of meditation aims at the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory journey to the common root of mind and body that dissolves mental impurity, resulting in a balanced mind full of love and compassion.
Three core principles of The main principles of Vipassana meditation
The main principles of Vipassana meditation include mindfulness (Sati), concentration (Samadhi), and insight or wisdom (Prajna).
Vipassana practice typically begins with the concentration on breathing, or Anapana, to stabilize the mind. Practitioners then proceed to observe bodily sensations without attachment or aversion, learning not to react to them. This practice helps in understanding the impermanent nature of all things (anicca), the dissatisfaction or suffering that comes from attachment (dukkha), and the concept of non-self (anatta).
The method can be purely secular and can be practiced by anyone regardless of religion, race, or gender. It emphasizes self-observation and introspection as a way to achieve self-purification by rooting out greed, hatred, and delusion. The ultimate goal is to achieve a state of enlightenment or liberation.
Mindfulness, concentration, and insight
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Mindfulness (Sati): Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, moment by moment. In Vipassana, mindfulness serves as the foundation for observing the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self nature of phenomena. By developing mindfulness, practitioners learn to observe their experiences without attachment or aversion, fostering a state of equanimity. This practice begins with the observation of breath, sensations in the body, or other objects of meditation, gradually expanding to include all aspects of lived experience.
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Concentration (Samadhi): Concentration involves focusing the mind on a single object of meditation, such as the breath,, to develop stability of mind. Through sustained practice, practitioners cultivate the ability to maintain undivided attention on their chosen object, free from the distraction of scattered thoughts or external stimuli. This deepening concentration supports the development of mindfulness and insight by stabilising the mind, making it a receptive ground for the arising of wisdom.
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Insight or Wisdom (Prajna): Insight, or wisdom, refers to the direct experiential understanding of the true nature of existence. It encompasses the realisations of impermanence (anicca), suffering or unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), and non-self (anatta).
Through the clear seeing facilitated by mindfulness and concentration, practitioners come to perceive these universal characteristics directly within their own experience, leading to transformative insights that uproot ignorance and lead to liberation from suffering. This wisdom is not merely intellectual but is a profound knowing that emerges from deep meditation and the direct observation of one's own mind and body.
