The Equanimous Impact of Vipassana Meditation

I recently attended a 10 day Vipassana mediation course. This experience was inspiring and peaceful. However, there are no words that can possibly come close to expressing what Vipassana is to me. I could try and tell you that with Vipassana one learns how to break the link between sensations and how one reacts, and that deep, deep healing work occurs. That said these are just words; they may be truth to me but until you experience Vipassana for yourself at best you could only draw an intellectual understanding from these words.

I am reminded of a bad habit I used to have as a newlywed. For some reason I would leave my dirty cereal bowl on top of the dishwasher. After a short while my new wife, having so sweetly allowed me a few transgressions, decided that it was time to communicate that this action was impacting her peace of mind. And so she informed me that, particularly in those situations where the dishwasher was empty, she would appreciate it if I would put my bowl in the dishwasher. I laugh at myself now. What madness it was; I was not even being asked to wash the bowl! After some time, and a number of events where I forgot to put my dirty bowl in the dishwasher, I eventually realized how to change this behaviour. At first I reasoned that if my wife wasn't happy, there would be disharmony in the household. And then once I started to put my bowls away my wife had the opportunity to thank me for being so thoughtful. In that moment I gained wisdom of knowing, understanding, and most importantly of experiencing.

I shall explain the analogy. When I was leaving the bowl I had no knowing. Then my wife informed me of a practical truth for peace and harmony. I now had an understanding. I then went through a process of reasoning to conclude that it would be the moral thing to do to put the bowl away, and over time (and with many sweet, tender reminders - bless her heart ;) I changed my behaviour. And only then could I actually know the benefits of putting away my bowls at the experiential level.

And so it is with Vipassana. I could try and explain to you what this practice as taught by Gotama the Buddha is, but until you experience it for yourself any words you hear will only be an intellecual knowing at best. It cannot be a wisdom you know at the actual level. For such a wisdom around Vipassana one has the option of attending a 10 day course.

Rather than explaining what Vipassana is to me I shall settle for explaining its impact; what has changed for me concerning meditation? I have taken a vow to practice only Vipassana meditation for the next year. I suspect it will be a lifetime practice, but a year is a time span I can relate to given my limited experience with the technique. This is certainly a change for me. Over the past 5 years I have wandered from meditation technique to technique, sometimes staying with each one for months, weeks or even days. I must have tried, and even shared with others, over 20 different techniques. But now, there is just one meditation practice for me - Vipassana. Yes, it is 'that' good. As a side note I have begun a project related to Vipassana that, for now at least, I will call my "great Mind experiment."

The next change concerns my having led meditations over the past year. In particular I have been leading a meditation circle every night in an Internet based virtual world called Second Life. Before I went I remember saying to my friends in Second Life that I looked forward to bringing new knowledge to share with them. By day three of the course I knew I had a dilemma. Firstly, it was plain to see that the practice is deep. If I were to teach this I would require much more experience. Secondly, as a basis for my Spiritual practice and service I have made a number of moral commitments, one of which is, abstaining from taking what is not given. And lastly, I have not been given the instruction to teach this practice. In short, I will happily direct you to www.dhamma.org and even speak with you to support you on making the decision to go. But at the experiential level I know that I cannot supply the level of support or guidance required, that one gets through a dedicated 10 day course, at this time to anyone in Second Life. So what does this mean for my service in Second Life. Well, I am not entirely sure but as is a central truth through Vipassana, "this will change."

I started this particular meditation circle a year ago (at the beginning of February 2010 as it happens). The intent at the time was to provide guidance and support around both meditation and spirituality. I consider myself fortunate to have touched hundreds of people through this practical service and to have witnessed some incredible transformations in those that have come regularly (you know who you are :)

However, there has to be change in all things. In this case I am recognizing that this experience is shifting, albeit subtly. And so what will this mean is:
- I will be meditating twice per day as per my personal vow for 1 hour. I will meditate at 5-6am (4-5 am SLT) and 10-11pm (9-10 pm SLT). This means that I will have 6 hours in between these times for sleep. At the end of each meditation I will have to leave promptly. It is also possible that life will mean I occasionally have to meditate earlier or later from time to time.
- I will strive to log on and meditate in the same place during the above times. If you are present I will include you in my Metta portion of the meditation (the final five minutes where a Vipsassana meditator shifts to a focus outside the framework of the body and offers their merits, peace, harmony, loving-kindness, compassion, and a wish for hapiness and liberation in all beings)
- If I can log in early for spiritual discourse and discussion as a (very soon to be) Professional Practitioner I will do so. However, if you desire a dedicated Practitioner session with me please send me an IM.

And so in closing, my role in Second Life has changed. I will still be around and seeking to inspire and support the transformation of becoming Love in action. However, I am setting down the role of meditation 'facilitator' for now. That said I am also a Vipassana meditator now, and the reality is I am more aware of the law of change and impermance than I have ever been. Not only has a portion of my ego been shed but I have spent 10 days intimately observing the nature of this change for myself.