Feeding your soul with Vipassana
It has been believed for over centuries that meditation is the panacea for all problems. It calms the mind, provides sustenance to the soul and cleanses the mind of all negative thoughts and emotions. This is true especially in today’s fast-paced life that makes all kinds of demands on an individual’s time and attention, causing immense stress. One such school of thought is Vipassana.
What is Vipassana?
Vipassana stresses upon meditation as a remedy for all tensions, problems and stress, be it physical or mental. Vipassana means ‘insight’ and advocates mental purification. According to Vipassana the cause of all suffering is three-fold and lies in craving, aversion and ignorance. Vipassana helps eliminate these and thus cleanses the mind, body and soul.
Vipassana was rediscovered by Gautam Buddha and brought to India by Myanmar-based Indian industrialist S.N. Goenka. Remember that you cannot learn Vipassana on your own. There are special meditation workshops where Vipassana meditation can be learnt.
The program
There is a 10-day initiation program where the Vipassana technique is taught. It is believed that during this period of meditative calm, the mind comprehends the universal truths and it is a realisation of these truths through personal experience that results in self-purification.
The foundation course “Sila” (moral conduct) is the starting pojnt for the development of “Samadhi” (mental concentration), and finally purification is achieved through “Panna” (the wisdom of strength).
The 5 Precepts
During the course there is a strict code of conduct that involves complete abstinence. The main five precepts are:
1. Abstain from killing any living creature
2. Abstain from stealing
3. Abstain from sexual activity
4. Abstain from telling lies
5. Abstain from all intoxicants
