I was having a conversation yesterday with someone on Vipassana.. A friend of mine had recommended Vipassana to another friend which she thought could help her friend, and I was trying to answer the probing questions asked, the questions which are trying to evaluate if it will be worth it or not..
I always find these conversations difficult as explaining the rationale is not an easy task, the context is understood only if there is some foundation for it and further evaluation can make make you defensive. Anyhow I answered what I could but what struck me is - to problems we think thoughts are the solution, positive thoughts and logical answers . Meditation as a concept, silence which we have to follow in the 10 days of Vipassana is often liked as people conclude it will give a lot of time for introspection, give right logical answers to all the problems. Unfortunately meditation is not about introspection; it goes to the root of how we become. The root of what makes us, it is not thoughts, it is not feelings these are all outcomes. The root is a pattern of dependencies we have through our daily interaction of life, through the unique experiences we have had and the reactions we have stored. Each experience from typing on keyboard to sitting for a long time on chair, to love, to hurt, to loss.. millions of minute experiences which we undergo daily. The root we are unaware of, it helps get in touch with it and work on it, bring it under control to a desired outcome.
Thoughts as a solution have become popular but are not powerful, they are just a small fraction of what can bring in control and happiness. If thoughts were powerful, reading one book alone could have made us all wise.
Interestingly, neuroscience is also concluding there is much beyond mind and its thoughts.. do go through the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q06YIWCR2Js
And if you wish to know more about Vipassana - http://www.dhamma.org
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