My experience of Vipassana

It was getting complicated. I wanted to spend some time with me. On a secluded place where I could hear my voice.  I was taking the most crucial decisions of my life and I didn’t want to be reckless with it. Also, it required a lot of courage.

I was also noticing some behavioral changes in me, which I didn’t like at all. The signs of Irritation, quick temper, hopelessness   & negativity were the clues enough to make me jump into action.

 I chose Vippassana which have been long recommended to me by my Well wisher.

Owing to my specific needs of a well maintained, Hygienic place and that too in a hilly area, I zeroed in upon ‘Igatpuri ‘&’ Nagarjuna Sagar’ centre.

Finally, giving to the proximity to my place & counting on my safety, I finally selected Nagarjuna Sagar. It was an online application form that I was supposed to fill in order to get in the queue. 1 week later they confirmed my seat. I was damn excited!!

I didn’t have much difficulty in finding my way to the Vipasssana centre. Thanks to the Google map. I went to the hill colony from where after some bargaining, I got a ride to Vipassana at 40 Rupees. Good God!! He asked 80 rupees for such a short distance of around 2 kilometers and he mentioned that it was because I was a tourist!

Anyway, After reaching Vipassana , I first of all patted my back for the choice of centre. The atmosphere was so serene and welcoming. What else does one need for a perfect vacation?  
The Sad thing was, I was supposed to submit all my reading material and music devices. It is one of the rules there.

Next Day, the meditation started. It was Show time now. Wow! I woke up at 4o’clock and that too without any trouble. Being a late riser wink :), I didn’t expect that from myself. It came as a pleasant surprise.

Going further, we were then introduced to a few techniques to control our mind. The first meditation lasted for 2 hours. Ouch. My legs hurt. I fidgeted a lot. My bum hurt.

Then after an hour break, again it was meditation time. It continued the whole day. Breaks. Meditation. Breaks. It was almost 12 hour meditation a day in total. Oh yes! How can I forget, you are not supposed to speak for those whole 10 days you are in meditation at all.  {Except the time when you are talking/ discussing something with Guru Ji or Dhamasevak. That Is it. Though}

Somehow we survived the first day and the second and the third. Although in the first 2 -3 days, they just asked us to focus on our breath, and observe. It was such a cumbersome task. I realized what a chatterbox actually my mind was. I observed how I invite negativity. I also became able to observe how something goes in my mind & then how my body starts reacting to it. So, If only I could stop reacting, and keep the things from affecting me before it hit me. Yes. This is what I learned in those Vipassana days. I also learned the reason of my disappointments- which was that I was over ambitious ( At times). That can be worked out. I would set the goal and follow a piecemeal approach.

4^th day. I wanted to RUN!! !  It was suffocating. Being unable to talk. Being in isolation. It was terrible!

The life comes to standstill at Vipassana. It was so mundane. Monotonous.  I imagined how the Earth might be in the beginning. And I realized that Human is indeed a social animal. {Pardon for animal analogy. This is how psychology describes human :} I thoroughly enjoyed the food. You could eat as much as you want and my God it was like a grand feast at lunch-, chapatti, wet curry, dry curry, daal, papad, salad , Buttermilk, sweets . But during meditation times, 12 hrs, every day. Doing the same thing. Trying to focus on something so hard. That is it. Nothing beyond it… huh.

I REALIZED THE VALUE OF PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS. And I realized how satisfied I already was in and from my life. I started feeling gratitude for everything I have been offered in this life. Parents, good job, ,  All healthy organs , everything.

May be, this is what Vipassana teaches us. How to appreciate what you have in life. How to live in present.  How to hit negativity. The most important lesson that I have brought home from Vipassana is “Only LOVE and PEACE are the sources of living a good life” These 2 together are the solution of every problem.

P.S, I had a wonderful roomie, Swarna Latha. The Good thing is she also lives in Hyderabad. I must call her today.

Bye for now,

Take care and Be HAPPY

With lots of Love,

  Neha

Here I am posting a few of their teachings which have touched my heart,  I have also started applying it-

“The greater is the attachment, the greater is the misery”

Observation:- Life changes as you change. It is all about “Perspective.”

“Sadachaar hi dharma hai, durachaar hi paap. Paropkaar hi punya hai, apkar hi santap”

Translation for fellows- “doing good deeds with good intention is the right karma. Doing bad things is a sin.  Doing good for others is the greatest goodness.  Doing or thinking bad about the others is the greatest sin.”

“Don’t react. Because Life is a boomerang.”

Observation: "Hatred will only end at hatred. It can only be rooted out with Peace and Love”

“You are responsible for your own misery. Because you got attached to it accepted it”

They also told the definition of a good thing a sin.

If you hurt somebody physically, verbally or in your mind. That is the Sin. The opposite of it: - If you don’t at least hurt or you don’t do any good at all OR if you do good, think good, speak good of others is the virtue.

Remember, whatever you do, will come back to you. For, such is the law of nature. So why to attract unpleasant things? Do good and goodness will come to you.  Slowly, gradually, the happiness will be multiplied.

Hope you like this article

Keep posting your comments and STAY In TOUCH. Always.

Toodlooo

Here are some pics I clicked while I was on the way back to my place.

Yeah, It is a hilly area & scarcely populated.The highest density is in Main colony at around one & half Km from Vipassana centre. 

My ticket checker is sleeping! I felt safe with these guys .Very cooperative.

The place in hill colony, Nagarjuna,where I had my lunch & enquired about centre. The girl Swathi helped me to find my way. She even bargained with Auto wala & told him in warning tone to drop me safely at the centre.

2 different parts existing in harmony with each other.

Nature speaks.