Spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation or austerity are considered by many to be the next newfangled hobbies. However, more and more people are coming to the conclusion that they are necessary in our hectic life. How did vipassana, or the practice of silence, help our heroine?
Spiritual practices can strengthen a person and reveal his best qualities. But on the way to a new experience, fear often arises: “These are sectarians!”, “And if I grab my back?”, “I won’t even be able to draw this pose even close.” Therefore, do not go to extremes. But it is also not necessary to neglect the possibilities.
What is vipassana
One of the most powerful spiritual practices is vipassana, a special kind of meditation. In Russia, it has become possible to practice Vipassana relatively recently: official centers where you can take a retreat now operate in the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.
The retreat usually lasts 10 days. For this time, its participants refuse any connection with the outside world in order to remain alone with themselves. A vow of silence is a prerequisite for the practice, which many call the main experience in life.
The daily routine in different centers, with some exceptions, is the same: many hours of daily meditation, lectures, modest food (during the retreat, you can’t eat meat and bring food with you). Documents and valuables, including a laptop and a phone, are deposited. No books, music, games, even drawing kits — and those are «outlaws.»
Real vipassana is free of charge, and at the end of the program you can leave a feasible donation.
Silent of my own accord
Why do people voluntarily turn to this practice? Elena Orlova from Moscow shares her experience:
“Vipassana is considered to be the practice of silence. But actually it is the practice of insight. Those who are still at the beginning of the path are trying to interpret it based on personal illusions and expectations. That is why we all need a teacher who will explain why this is necessary and how to properly immerse ourselves in practice.
Why is vipassana necessary? Just to deepen your knowledge. Therefore, it is wrong to say “do an internship”, since it is just beginning in this course. I am convinced that vipassana should be visited at least once every six months. Its essence does not change, but we ourselves change, the depth of understanding and insights changes.
Instructions are given during the course. In different traditions they differ, but the meaning is the same.
In the daily hustle and bustle, our mind is involved in the games of the world we have invented. And in the end our life turns into one incessant neurosis. Vipassana practice helps to unravel yourself like a ball. Gives the opportunity to look at life and see what it is without our reactions. To see that no one and nothing has the characteristics that we ourselves assign to them. This understanding frees the mind. And leaves aside the ego, which no longer controls anything.
Before going through the retreat, I, like many others, wondered: “Who am I? Why all this? Why is everything like this and not otherwise? The questions are mostly rhetorical, but quite natural. In my life there were various practices (yoga, for example) that answered them in one way or another. But not to the end. And the practice of vipassana and the philosophy of Buddhism as a science of the mind gave just a practical understanding of how everything works.
Of course, full understanding is still far away, but progress is obvious. Of the pleasant side effects — there was less perfectionism, neurosis, and expectations. And, as a result, less suffering. It seems to me that life without all this only wins.
Opinion of a psychotherapist
“If there is no opportunity to go on a multi-day retreat, then even 15 minutes of meditation practice a day significantly improves the quality of life, helping with anxiety and depressive disorders,” says psychiatrist and psychotherapist Pavel Beschastnov. — If there is such an opportunity, then we can consider not only the nearest retreat centers, but also the so-called places of power. For example, in Altai or Baikal. A new place and new conditions help to quickly switch and immerse yourself in yourself.
On the other hand, any spiritual practices are a useful addition to working on oneself, but definitely not a “magic pill” and not the main key to happiness and harmony.”