How to learn the art of living - Vipassana meditation
"It was the most amazing trip I've done in my life, without taking a single aircraft and just without leaving an area of some square blocks," says Axel Delttoni, author of this chronicle on the Vipassana meditation course. For 10 days in silence says, you learn to clear the mind of all resentments, anxieties and doubts that prevent appreciate the gift of life.
It was eight years ago when I first heard the word Vipassana, and without knowing the meaning thought life could mean healthy. Change the "p" for "d" and you take away an "s" and there it is, but its true meaning is translated from the ancient Pali, "see things as they are." And while you think, see things as they are will lead to a healthy life, or vice versa. Anyway, what we do know is that Siddhartha Gautama rediscovered the technique of Vipassana Meditation 2,500 years ago, and through it became Buddha. Since then, he has been passed from teacher to teacher until our days, as taught by SN Goenka in the tradition of U Ba Khin Sayagyi. Altruistically it makes no charge for teaching, and away from any sectarian or religious rite. It is a universal technique to cleanse the mind and help the human out of a life of suffering and enter a new dimension of happiness, peace, harmony and love to be.
A friend told me that the way to learn the technique was on a 10 day retreat where they could not speak or even look at the face of your peers. A monastic life of ten hours of meditation a day. My exclamation was: Ten days without talking? Ten hours a day meditating? Wau! And I followed my inner voice asking: will endure? Will it be hard? What will the art? Concern was inside me.
Six years passed and I moved from Europe to Central America before the sweet call of Vipassana meditation again knocking on the doors of my life.
Thanks to several friends from different circles, I learned that in Guatemala, twice a year (December 26 to January 6 and again at Easter) course of this meditation technique are organized. And like everything in life happens when you have to go, I decided to sign up and do it at Easter 2014.
Upon entering the official website of Vipassana (www.dhamma.org) to enroll, I noticed that worldwide withdrawals 10, 20, 30 or even 60 days get. There are permanent centers offering courses almost monthly and others, as is the case of Guatemala, on time. And all thanks to the work of volunteers and funded by donations. The cost of the course is a collaboration based on financial ability of each person, allowing everyone to benefit without that money is a constraint, something unusual in the times we live in. Anyone can learn it with no prior experience in meditation, and even if it has limitations to sit on the floor, you can do sitting in a chair. The course is fully open and compatible with any faith, whether Catholic or evangelical Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other. But yes, the rules are clear and participant commitment and seriousness is asked.
After completing the form, carefully read the rules and course schedule, I click the submit button form telling myself: "God, in which I'm getting myself into." But it was done, I had sent and had signed my commitment. Of course you can, for reasons of force majeure, cancel your participation and no one will force anything at any time. But if the rules are followed, it should be consistent and meet them for the greatest benefit and that of others.
Since click the submit button until the day the course starts spent about ten days. Every night before going to sleep, I imagined the faces of my comrades, how would be the place where the withdrawal is made, what is the best clothing to be comfortable would take what cushions or mattresses to sit so many hours; in short, I wanted to be as prepared as possible. I read a few times a list of suggestions for the organization. It reminded me of my childhood, when I was going out of summer camp for a few weeks. The clothing must be marked with your name if you lost, the sun hat, canteen for water, sleeping bag; all those things necessary for this new venture out of your comfort zone, where everything would be new and did not know anyone. Well, in this case it did not matter, or even seemed better not knowing anyone, and would not want to talk or make any knowing look. Her enthusiasm and curiosity.
And the day came. My wife took me like me travel to another dimension, where it would be incommunicado for 10 days. I would not know how after that silent immersion, which would myself like never before had done. Would it change things about my personality? ¿Would discover new things? Would you be able to get rid of those aspects that did not like me and made me suffer? ¿I would go out unbeaten this ordeal?
The farm La Milagrosa, the place that the organization rents for the course, is more than you can expect: comfy beds, hot water, an environment with forest, gardens and separate areas for men and women. The organization is impeccable and exemplary, not only for its efficiency, but because former students of Vipassana who decide voluntarily and selflessly serve to enable the course to take place, allowing more people to benefit from the technique are. That ability to touched my heart from day one, leaving a glimpse of the gift that was about to receive.
Participants who were arriving, men and women, were from 21-78 years. There were people with experience in meditation and some that never in my life had been sitting cross-legged, unless it was to play with a child or sit alongside the fire at a campsite.
While still allowed to speak and the noble silence had not started, everyone had to agree with our respective roommates to decide what would be the dynamics of the shower, bathroom and so on. Then our assigned places in the great hall of meditation, we were introduced to the assistant teacher. Then, he grabbed an audio play Play and started across the hall heard a voice speaking in English, with classical Indian accent, followed by a voice translated into Spanish. It was the teacher's voice S.N. Goenka, sweet but firm, understanding but strict, clear and certain, that invited us to remain silent during the next ten days, and asked us to formalization aloud our commitment to learn the technique. At that moment I felt a chill ran through my body.
A S.N. Goenka came to record a course taught in India in the 80s to play worldwide with the help of an assistant professor, thus allowing for greater dissemination of art without his presence. He died last year, but certainly left a great legacy with a message of happiness, peace and love. Thanks to this system of education, Goenka still teaching the art today. Great right?
I would like to recount what happened every day and travel details most amazing thing I've done in my life, without taking a single aircraft and just without leaving an area of some square blocks, with eyes closed 80% of the day and in full silence unable to speak. But I think if you want to know more, must be experienced in person and take advantage of the luxury of being dedicated to yourself, without having to think about anything practical, thanks to former students, men and women served in the course as volunteers preparing meals, coordinating it all within and outside the center.
I discovered that the most important revelation can only occur in silence, quieting the mind to stop bring out your true nature of love, happiness and peace. Surprisingly, unable to speak, unable to look anyone in the eye, not even able to write, read or use the phone, it matters little because a world where only you can get open. You are not alone; voice S.N. Goenka and teachings of Buddha are a guide so that, little by little, go clearing the mind of all the sufferings, anxieties, doubts, pains, resentments and desires that do not let you see the greatest gift that has been given to us: life and love that created everything.
There are times when you want to give up, get up and go home, where everything is comfortable and familiar. But it's worth putting up and seize the opportunity to retrain your mind to see things "as they are". In short, learn the art of living: to be happy no matter what happens, whether good or bad; be fair and not hold on to what you like or run away from what you hate, understand the logic of the world of matter, which always changes. The sooner we understand, before we leave the wheel of suffering to wake up and be happy sharing the best of us, so that all beings be happy. All the inhabitants of this planet, without exception, should give us the opportunity to participate, at least once in life, in a course like this. Perhaps in this way we sing different story. * Much stand for all.
Comments