Please read the previous post first...
Goenkaji is a funny man and his discourses were full of stories and examples... one that sticks out is...
A man is in a desert and wants water so he starts digging a little well and half way into it someone says no sir the water is better here, so the man starts digging there and then another man says the water is better over there is he digs there. Like this he digs 10 holes but in the end he gets no water to quench his thirst. The only way to quench your thirst is through experience by moving forward on the path.
The other thing that sticks out is "No I, No Me, No My" When you get to the core of the self and understand that it is constantly changing then what exactly is considered "I", at which moment is there I. That means I is constantly changing as well. When someone abuses the I or when the I feels insecure it is the image of I that is attacked and because we are attached to this image and uphold this image then there is feelings of negativity. The image only remains an image unless it is embodied and manifests in truth and love and compassion. No easy task, we all have an image but take a moment to reconcile the image and the self and that means dropping the ego to be brutally honest with oneself. But with that awareness move forward.
Will I do it again? Most definitely, in some time. The meditation was not a lecture, not a religion, not a culture, not a cult. The only thing the meditation taught me to do was to observe and not react at the experiential level. Intellectually I have known this but can say that it has been practiced, now it feels more integrated within me. Our homework is to meditate 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening. Day 11 evening was my first home sit and it was extremely challenging. I felt all sorts of sensations that didnt come up before and sitting in the same posture was torture. But still I managed the hour and went to bed. Day 12 morning I had my second home sit practice and the sensations were not so extreme but my mind was on my case... its 5:30am go back to bed! Still I managed. Day by day... moment by moment...
May all beings be happy
Anicha Anicha Anicha
More information on Vipassana visit http://www.dhamma.org/
