Questions &
Answers About the Technique of Vipassana
Meditation
Why
is the course ten days long?
Actually, the
ten-day course is the minimum; it provides an essential introduction and
foundation to the technique. To develop in the practice is a lifetime job.
Experience over generations has shown that if Vipassana
is taught in periods of less than ten days, the student does not get a
sufficient experiential grasp of the technique. Traditionally, Vipassana was taught in retreats lasting seven weeks. With
the dawning of the 20th century, the teachers of this tradition began to
experiment with shorter times to suit the quickening pace of life. They tried
thirty days, two weeks, ten days, down to seven days--and they found that less
than ten days is not enough time for the mind to settle down and work deeply
with the mind-body phenomenon.
How
many hours a day will I be meditating?
The day begins at
4:00 a.m. with a wakeup bell and continues until 9:00 p.m. There are about ten
hours of meditation throughout the day, interspersed with regular breaks and
rest periods. Every evening at 7:00 p.m. there is a videotaped lecture by the
Teacher, S.N. Goenka, which provides a context for meditators to understand their experience of the day. This
schedule has proved workable and beneficial for hundreds of thousands of people
for decades.
What
language is used in the course?
The teaching is
given through recordings of S.N. Goenka, speaking in
English or Hindi, together with a translation into a local language. Tape
translations exist in most of the major languages of the world, including
English.
If the teachers
conducting a course do not speak the local language fluently, interpreters will
be there to help.
Language is usually
no barrier for someone who wants to join a course.
How
much does the course cost?
Each student who
attends a Vipassana course is given this gift by a
previous student. There is no charge for either the teaching, or for room and
board. All Vipassana courses worldwide are run on a
strictly voluntary donation basis. At the end of your course, if you have
benefited from the experience, you are welcome to donate for the coming course,
according to your volition and your means.
How
much are teachers paid to conduct courses?
Teachers receive no
payment, donations or other material benefit. They are required to have their
own private means of support. This rule means that some of them may have less
time for teaching, but it protects students from exploitation and it guards
against commercialism. In this tradition, teachers give Vipassana
purely as a service to others. All they get is the satisfaction of seeing
people's happiness at the end of ten days.
I
can't sit cross legged. Can I meditate?
Certainly.
Chairs are provided for those unable to sit comfortably on the floor because of
age or a physical problem.
I'm
on a special diet. Can I bring my own food?
If your doctor has
prescribed a special diet, let us know and we will see whether we can provide
what you need. If the diet is too specialized or would interfere with
meditation, we might have to ask you to wait until you can be more flexible.
We're sorry but students are required to choose from the food provided to them,
rather than bring food for themselves. Most people
find the choice is ample and they enjoy the simple vegetarian diet.
Can
pregnant women attend courses? Are there any special arrangements or
instructions for them?
Pregnant women may
certainly attend, and many women come specifically during pregnancy to take
advantage of the opportunity to work deeply and in silence during this special
time. We ask pregnant women to ensure they are confident that their pregnancy
is stable before applying. We provide the extra food they need and ask them to work
in a relaxed way.
Why
is a course conducted in silence?
All students
attending the course observe "noble silence" — that is, silence of
body, speech and mind. They agree to refrain from communicating with their co-meditators. However, students are free to contact the
management about their material needs, and to speak with the instructor.
Silence is observed for the first nine full days. On the tenth day, speech is
resumed as a way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life.
Continuity of practice is the secret of success in this course; silence is an
essential component in maintaining this continuity.
How
can I be sure I am capable of doing the meditation?
For a person in
reasonable physical and mental health who is genuinely interested and willing
to make a sincere effort, meditation (including "noble silence") is
not difficult. If you are able to follow the instructions patiently and
diligently, you can be sure of tangible results. Though it may appear daunting,
the day's schedule is neither too severe nor too relaxed. Moreover, the
presence of other students practicing conscientiously in a peaceful and
conducive atmosphere lends tremendous support to one's efforts.
Is
there anyone who should not participate in a course?
Obviously someone who
is physically too weak to follow the schedule will not be able to benefit from
a course. The same is true of someone suffering from psychiatric problems, or
someone undergoing emotional upheaval. Through a process of questions and
answers, we will be able to help you decide clearly beforehand whether you are
in a position to benefit fully from a course. In some cases applicants are
asked to get approval from their doctor before they can be accepted.
Can
Vipassana cure physical or mental diseases?
Many diseases are
caused by our inner agitation. If the agitation is removed, the disease may be
alleviated or disappear. But learning Vipassana with
the aim of curing a disease is a mistake that never works. People who try to do
this waste their time because they are focusing on the wrong goal. They may
even harm themselves. They will neither understand the meditation properly nor
succeed in getting rid of the disease.
How
about depression? Does Vipassana cure that?
Again, the purpose
of Vipassana is not to cure diseases. Someone who
really practices Vipassana learns to be happy and
balanced in all circumstances. But a person with a history of severe depression
may not be able to apply the technique properly and may not get the desired
results. The best thing for such a person is to work with a health
professional. Vipassana teachers are meditation
experts, not psychotherapists.
Can
Vipassana make people mentally unbalanced?
No. Vipassana teaches you to be aware and equanimous,
that is, balanced, despite all the ups and downs of life. But if someone comes
to a course concealing serious emotional problems, that person may be unable to
understand the technique or to apply it properly to achieve the desired
results. This is why it is important to let us know your past history so that
we can judge whether you will benefit from a course.
Do
I have to be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana?
People from many
religions and no religion have found the meditation course helpful and
beneficial. Vipassana is an art of living, a way of
life. While it is the essence of what the Buddha taught, it is not a religion;
rather, it is the cultivation of human values leading to a life which is good
for oneself and good for others.
Why
do I have to stay for the entire ten days?
Vipassana
is taught step by step, with a new step added each day to the end of the
course. If you leave early, you do not learn the full teaching and do not give
the technique a chance to work for you. Also, by meditating intensively, a
course participant initiates a process that reaches fulfillment with the
completion of the course. Interrupting the process before completion is not
advisable.
Is
it dangerous to leave a course early?
The point is that
leaving early is shortchanging yourself. You don't
give yourself a chance to learn the full technique and so you won't be able to
apply it successfully in daily life. You also interrupt the process in the
middle rather than letting it come to the proper conclusion. To get home a day
or two early, you waste all the time you have invested.
How
about the tenth day, when talking is allowed and serious meditation stops? Can
I leave then?
The tenth day is a
very important transition back to ordinary life. No one is permitted to leave
on that day.