07-30-2013, 12:29 PM
10 Days of Silence
By Randall D. Hood
If you've contemplated attending a meditation retreat, you should. If you're trying to understand why someone would want to attend one, this article was written for you.
Mentally I had prepared myself for the silence, solitude, vegetarian food, and camping. It's not quite as easy preparing to observe things about yourself that you don't necessarily want to see. Looking back now, the living arrangements were more than adequate. The food was perception altering in its deliciousness, and the silence was a breath of fresh air to be honest. The process of focusing and attempting to master the mind is what caused my discomfort.
In this meditation you observe the nature of change within the framework of the body. It's not difficult to intellectually understand that everything changes, but when you begin to experience change from within it takes root in the mind. Through observing the impermanence of the touch of insects, tingling sensations, the numbness of limbs, and even pain you begin reprogramming the subconscious to react differently to the things in life that ordinarily cause misery.
During a 10 day Vipassan#257; retreat you're removed from your comfort zone and exposed to things internal and external that will cause you discomfort. Those whom persist will be equipped with an incredible tool, which if applied would enable one to be happy regardless of what is being thrown at them in the present moment.
If you'd like to attend but are concerned about it conflicting with your belief system, it doesn't. I'm not a Buddhist personally, I'm a born again Christian. This meditation is not a religious dogma but a technique that enables one to walk in love; that is universal.
If you seek a place wherein you could escape the external world in order to go deep within to work on yourself, you've found it.
For more information contact Hawaii Vipassan#257; @
http://www.hi.us.dhamma.org
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, S.N. Goenka or his assistant teachers.
By Randall D. Hood
If you've contemplated attending a meditation retreat, you should. If you're trying to understand why someone would want to attend one, this article was written for you.
Mentally I had prepared myself for the silence, solitude, vegetarian food, and camping. It's not quite as easy preparing to observe things about yourself that you don't necessarily want to see. Looking back now, the living arrangements were more than adequate. The food was perception altering in its deliciousness, and the silence was a breath of fresh air to be honest. The process of focusing and attempting to master the mind is what caused my discomfort.
In this meditation you observe the nature of change within the framework of the body. It's not difficult to intellectually understand that everything changes, but when you begin to experience change from within it takes root in the mind. Through observing the impermanence of the touch of insects, tingling sensations, the numbness of limbs, and even pain you begin reprogramming the subconscious to react differently to the things in life that ordinarily cause misery.
During a 10 day Vipassan#257; retreat you're removed from your comfort zone and exposed to things internal and external that will cause you discomfort. Those whom persist will be equipped with an incredible tool, which if applied would enable one to be happy regardless of what is being thrown at them in the present moment.
If you'd like to attend but are concerned about it conflicting with your belief system, it doesn't. I'm not a Buddhist personally, I'm a born again Christian. This meditation is not a religious dogma but a technique that enables one to walk in love; that is universal.
If you seek a place wherein you could escape the external world in order to go deep within to work on yourself, you've found it.
For more information contact Hawaii Vipassan#257; @
http://www.hi.us.dhamma.org
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, S.N. Goenka or his assistant teachers.