My Personal Meditative Practice: Vipassana

There is a style of meditation called Vipassana. It is an ancient meditative practice. The Sanskrit word, Vipassana, means “to see things as they really are.”

I think that is the intention of any type of meditative practice. It is an exercise that allows you to clear your mind from the many distractions we face on a daily basis. These distractions and obstacle can place a blurred lens on what is real and true. That goes for what is around you and within you. Doing something like Vipassana helps you to clear your mind from those overwhelmingly distracting thoughts so you can see things more clearly; to see your inner truth and authenticity.

So, how do you practice Vipassana Meditation? In this type of meditation, you sit in stillness and allow your thoughts to enter your mind. The work, though, centers on allowing those thoughts to flow rather than ruminate on them. You are detaching yourself from the those random thoughts, worries, and concerns that constantly invade your head. If you let them go, your mind begins to rest easily. When your mind is more still and quiet, I believe that the truth of all things is more likely to emerge.

Here is how I describe the practice when I’m teaching it to my students. Imagine you’re lying down at the beach or at the park. You’re looking up at the sky and you see the clouds slowly drifting by. As you lie there, you look directly up; the clouds enter your line of vision then eventually leave your periphery. This is what you’re doing in your Vipassana practice; allow your thoughts to drift by like clouds. Let them enter your consciousness, then let them drift out of your mind’s eye.

This is has been my mode of practice as I start my March Meditation Month. Many thoughts have even circulating in my head. Instead of chastising myself for not being able to sit in complete stillness and quiet, I allow those thoughts to enter my consciousness. I see them, witness them, and acknowledge. Do no my best not to attach to them. If that happens (and it certainly does) i just take a deep breath to clear my head. Then continue the exercise.

Have you tried Vipassana Meditation? What has been your experience with it? Are there other styles of meditation that you practice?