Meditation question

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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desiinusa123
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 2:21 am

Meditation question

Post by desiinusa123 »

Hi All....!!
I have been into two 10 day courses of Vipassana of S.N.Goenka Tradition, to be honest the first course I did with more perseverance, and enjoyed. Second one I did not really give my full effort yet completed. After 5 yrs I tried a 3rd one but left on 2nd day. And now a days I am not at all meditating, as well I became more or less a worldly person such as alcohol, wandering mind, I hardly practice now. So Some times I feel to go for another course, but I am not prepared, not enough courageous to do so, keeping in mind previous failure. Some times I feel, Don't I practice Vipassana with out going to 10 days courses?? Should i really need to go? But Some times I feel I have to go....!!
What am I thinking is if i really wanted to go again, I have to keep my practice regular and mock up little bit the 10 days conditions at home, for ex: eating less in nights, having 6 hrs sleep, be mindfulness etc. Please suggest me if there are other ways or other practices that I can try at home...!! I wanted to give a serious try...!!
Thanks in adv
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Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Meditation question

Post by Ben »

Hi Desi,
I will encourage you to go. Its almost impossible to mimick the conditions at a course centre at home and its much easier to stick to the meditation shedule and discipline. You also have access to an assistant teacher if you have difficulties. Keep in mind that a ten-day silent retreat of vipassana is not an easy thing to do and that virtually everybody experiences intense difficulties of one sort of the other.

If, however, the practice is not to your liking, then there are a multitude of other meditation practices that you can do. This site: www.buddhanet.net has an online global directory of Buddhist centres.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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