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Question and Answers Archive |
September 2026In honor of John Beary’s memory, we share some recent questions and answers given during the end of a Virtual Group sitting. Question: John, why is it necessary to observe sensations throughout the whole body? Why isn't continuously observing anicca at a single spot sufficient for developing wisdom? Answer: Sayagyi addresses this rather directly, and you have to appreciate that Sayagyi made some novel departures into the presentation of the technique to modern society and modern. The basic understanding that he outlines is that it's quite important to reach a point of the truth of the reality of the physical and mental structure as experienced by the constant impermanence or the sense of impermanence of sensations. There are a number of obstacles in this in because of our ignorance and our attachment to self. Breaking through that ignorance can only really be accomplished with the experience of the truth of impermanence and the dissolution of the body. The experience of the body's and the mind's dissolution profoundly shakes one's attention, profoundly shakes one's sense of identity. And this is a fast track to the experience of cessation where the truth of egolessness is realized. So, the short answer is that in this tradition, in Sayagyi's unique contribution to this tradition, was the systematic exploration of the body from part to part, feeling sensations. Now this has proved to be somewhat of an accelerant to the experience of dissolution of bhanga. Essentially, that's the reason for the movement of attention through the body in order. There are historical anecdotes and evidence that even Sayagyi’s teacher may not have worked in a systematic way, the way Goenkaji instructs us to practice now. This isn't to say that it can't be done from working with prominent sensations throughout the body, but Sayagyi found that the fast track, the fast conveyance to the experience of dissolution is facilitated by this systematic constant moving of one's awareness through the body, feeling sensations all the time, understanding the truth of impermanence. Question: How can I develop stronger Sati and Sampajaññam throughout a busy workday when I rarely remember to practice once I get off the cushion? Answer: Join the club. Sayagyi addresses this also in a brief treatise that he wrote for his overseas students. Until the experience of dissolution is reached, and until it is profound, there's bound to be, as Sayagyi describes, a push and pull, a tug of war between the inner world of meditation and the outer demands of life's requirements, job, family, what have you. He uses an expression in describing now how it's not necessary to be activating this anicca-sañña, this perception of anicca all the time. There is a spectrum of dissolution where at one end it's, shall we say, light, and at the other end of the profound spectrum, it's a rather jarring experience of impermanence that shakes one's identity. Now, along the way, there'll be variation of one's experience as one develops in how intense an experience of dissolution is reached or can be achieved. And if you haven't reached that point in your own practice, Sayagyi advises that it's better to take the attitude of work while you work, play while you play, and to confine your meditation and your attention to this practice to the two periods of morning and evening meditation. Then you're solely focused on the practice and the constant thorough understanding of impermanence vis-a-vis the body sensations. So don't beat yourself up that you're not with anicca all the time. As Goenkaji describes in his experience, bringing one's heightened attention to everything that you do in your mundane affairs is not apart from your practice. It's part and parcel of your developing of awareness. And you will separate yourself from the mass of mankind when you bring that heightened awareness with all its efficiency and all of its attributes to whatever mundane chore, task, livelihood, responsibility that you encounter. So you're continuing to practice on a level that's not the same as sitting on the cushion. But you're advised not to despair and to invest those two hours a day, morning and evening, to work more deeply. Question: During an adhitthana sitting, if intense pain becomes the mind's dominant object while I'm scanning elsewhere in the body, should I continue the systematic scan or come back to observe the pain until mindfulness and equanimity are reestablished? Why? Answer: Again, this tradition wants you to work systematically and persistently despite the strong sensations that you may be feeling in other parts of the body as you move your attention through. And the same explanation of why. Focusing on the experience of impermanence conduces to equanimity. It leads to a more objective observation of, say, strong pain. Now, we're not perfect at this. We're working at a very low level of efficiency oftentimes. But the very fact that we're enduring with the understanding of impermanence, there's a purification process going on here, that this tradition with its systematic movement with the body wants you to adhere to. I would go further in explaining this, that that adhitthana sitting is only during a meditation course. It's only during each of the three group sittings during the day, and it's limited to one hour. There's a growing misunderstanding here that bearing up through severe pain with extended adhitthana sittings, extended vow sittings of not moving for two hours, three hours, four hours, has become in some areas, some regions, a misunderstanding that this is a good thing to facilitate or accelerate development. It can't be more strongly stated. Don't do this. Work as this tradition asks you to work with the limitation of one hour vow sittings only during courses. At home, change your position as necessary. The only instruction Goenkaji ever gave about sitting longer during a course than one hour was in the rare condition when there was absolutely no pain or severe pain at the end of an hour. And if one wanted to extend that sitting without moving, well fine. But in the face of extreme pain, don't do longer adhitthana sittings. Question: I had a wonderful first course. Changes in me were noticeable, but I feel plateaued. No change after five years of daily practice and sitting five more courses. I talked to many A.T.s, but still no significant direction. Please help. Answer: Well, you know, when you're climbing a mountain, yes, the initial elevation gain is pretty remarkable, and the views from the higher elevations become pretty stunning. But this is a long path, and there are plateaus in which that confidence that you took away from your first course, you need it now to contend with the rigors of what you say is no progress or lack of the dramatic vistas that you experience on that first mountain climbing experience of your first 10-day course. This is a path requiring perseverance, and you'll always be beating yourself up, or too often beating yourself up, with this attitude of, oh, I'm not developing, I'm not getting better. Well, if you compare yourself to the elevation gains of your first course, and that becomes your measure, you're in a self-defeating attitude, self-defeating mind attitude. Face the rigors of whatever your practice is presenting to you, whether it's a slow and steady increase of development and more patience, more of the attributes that attend to development in Dhamma, or it's more subtle than that. And you have to persevere through these patches where your own conditioning is working against you, in the sense that you crave for those early course experiences of profundity. And recognizing that this is simply craving is part of the developmental curve. So press on. August 2026Question: I would like to ask a question about the 5th precept. I would like to know why the 5th precept exists. Is it because drinking makes it more likely for us to mess up the other 4 precepts? Would the occasional drink in social situations also be a bad idea? Answer: You nailed it right on the head. When intoxicated, or even having taken a small amount of intoxicants, someone is much more likely to break the other four precepts. It's a very important reason to refrain from intoxicants. Another reason is that intoxicants prevent us from seeing reality as it is. They either prevent us from observing our sensations with equanimity and wisdom, or they create an altered sense of reality that blocks our ability to work with reality as it is. However, the most important thing to remember about the Buddha's Teachings is that they are voluntary. He pointed the way, but we have to walk it ourselves. Goenkaji has wonderfully articulated the Teachings of the Buddha in a way that lay people like us can relate to and understand. But with every step of this Path, we decide for ourselves how we want to walk on it and in this way we learn from our mistakes as well as our successes. This is a Path of self-discovery and self-generated wisdom via the practice of Vipassana. Those of us who have decided to devote our lives to Dhamma and the practice of Vipassana have found the Five Precepts to be remarkably life supporting and life changing but each one of us decided for ourselves that this was the right way for us to go personally. There is no room for forcing or moral judgments in Dhamma. Question: I have a question about dealing with frustrations that arise in daily life. Practicing Vipassana has taught me to observe regular frustrations and as a result of practice, I have become much calmer and better at handling the frustrations in daily life. I move on much quicker after frustration occurs and am less agitated in general life! My question is about giving feedback to others when something frustrating occurs that could be avoided or prevented. Is it okay to gently confront the causes of frustration (miscommunications, bad service, an incompetent worker, etc.) when it happens? Does practicing Vipassana mean standing by and waiting for my own internal frustration to pass or should I be proactive if something unwanted happens that could have been prevented in the first place? For example, if one is waiting for a long time, practicing patience, checks on the status of a car at the mechanic, and learns that it will be a much longer wait and all could have been avoided with communication, is it within the scope of practice to give feedback? ...or should a Vipassana meditator simply wait and accept it? This is a common situation in life! Waiting, wasting time, hunger, errands, etc. Should Vipassana meditators speak up or just sit and practice patience? Answer: I understand your question and know what you're talking about. Life is so full of waiting! However, I love how Goenkaji explains during the ten-day discourse that Vipassana doesn't turn us into vegetables where anyone can come and just cut us up. There is nothing in the Buddha's teachings or Goenkaji's guidance that says Vipassana means we have to wait, for example, for a mechanic to take his/her time with our car! Or any other kind unnecessary waiting. What Vipassana helps us do is advocate without spreading and multiplying the agitation and frustration we naturally will feel in certain situations. It's so easy to dump our negativity on the people we're communicating with in these situation, but with Vipassana we begin to see that our reactions do not help us or the other people. It's patience, loving-kindness and equanimity that help us to face inevitable difficulties with more calm and balance. And, it doesn't mean that we have to play a role of sweetness when firmness is required either. What matters is what's going on inside. So rather than waiting until you can't stand it anymore and going up and inadvertently blasting the person with pent up frustration and negativity, instead give yourself the time you need to observe that frustration enough to be equanimous with it, and then go up and find out what's going on. July 2026Question: I move my head during meditation, not all the time. Should I try to stop the movement? Another question is whether I can observe the same areas after I just finish with these areas? Answer: It's good you notice the movement of your head, and yes, you should stop it as soon as you notice it. We continue to develop our awareness from gross to more subtle sensations. Involuntary movements hinder this. In addition, even intermittent voluntary movements that attempt to relieve discomfort can become a habit, and we want to be mindful of any movement we need to make when we meditate. So reactive, voluntary, repetitive movements should also be stopped. Regarding whether you can observe the same area after just finishing there (assuming that suddenly a sensation has arisen there that wasn't there before), it's important to keep the attention moving and not jump back. This is important for developing equanimity and breaking the habit of choosing sensations. When we are in a spot, we observe what is there (even if it's indistinct sensation) and move further. We are observing these sensations to develop our understanding of anicca (impermanence) and equanimity, so any sensation will do. June 2026Question: My question has to do with the Anapana instructions given to old students - to give all importance to the direction of breath, and not to focus on the touch of breath. Before hearing these instructions, my awareness during Anapana was focused on a very small point at the tip of my nose, right between the nostrils. I was under the idea that the smaller the point of awareness, the sharper the mind became, and it certainly has seemed that way. Now when I’m told to forget about that sensation and instead move my attention to the direction of breath, I feel confused. How do I put my attention on the direction of my breath without noticing sensation? I suppose that when I breathe, I know I’m breathing, but that feels very gross and unsubtle, and I don’t really understand where to put my awareness. It also seems that, when my mind is sharp and concentrated on that small point of sensation at the tip of my nose, it’s very easy to notice that I’m breathing in or breathing out from moment to moment, so this instruction just seems to complicate something that was working so well. Answer: This is a very good question and it shouldn't take too long to shift your attention to giving importance to the direction of the breath. It's good that you can fix your attention at the small spot and this will help you a lot. When you come to your next 10-day course, on Day One you will find that the old students are asked to remain in the hall after the 8-9AM group sitting to listen to special instructions especially for them. During these instructions Goenkaji explains that the new students are given touch of the breath and awareness of sensation below the nostrils and above the upper lip to help them learn what sensations are before launching into Vipassana on Day Four. But once you've gone through a whole course as you have, this is no longer necessary. In addition, the breath will become much more subtle than the sensation but you have to give the mind time to experience that. Be patient during this transition. From now on, when you are working with Anapana, give all importance to the direction of the breath--knowing it is coming in when it is coming in and knowing it is going out when it is going out. Because you feel sensation or touch in a distinct spot, this is where you make that observation. You fix your attention in that one spot below the nostrils and above the upper lip as you are observing the breath. The Buddha gave an example of how to do this in the Satipatthana Sutta where he talks about a carpenter sawing wood. The carpenter fixes his/her attention at the point where the saw meets the wood and is aware of which direction the saw is moving, but focuses attention at that one point of contact. You may still find there is sensation there in that fixed spot, which is helpful for keeping your attention there. This is exactly what we want to happen. Just give importance to the direction of the breath with your attention fixed at that spot and with some awareness of the sensation also if and when it is there, and you'll be practicing exactly as the technique instructs. May 2026Question: I have been meditating for several years. In general, the sits have been peaceful, and I come out refreshed, energized and often very peaceful. However, there was one occasion recently when the samadhi was good and I experienced a few moments of the impermanence of my sense of me. However, almost as soon as I realized this a great fear arose ... am I losing my mind? Could I go completely unhinged if this state continues? And these thoughts pulled me out of the samadhi. I have been fine since then and have continued to meditate as before. My question is: how do I deal with such fears when they arise? Can I do something that will prolong the focus and concentration, instead of disturbing it completely? Answer: Yes, your samadhi may have been good but when a defilement of fear arose strongly it was accompanied by another namely, ignorance. And this, in turn, prompted another one, aversion. Here you were trying to practice Vipassana, i.e. trying to cultivate a non-reactive awareness of bodily sensations based on impermanence. But when a strong mental defilement of fear arose you immediately reacted: “Oh, what’s wrong, am I losing it ?” All sense of impermanence was momentarily lost in this reaction and fear and aversion were allowed to run rampant. This is the age old conditioned play of the mind: to be constantly reacting blindly with an aversion to unwanted experiences; always over-reacting with the false notion that the experience is permanent. When we can bring the awareness of the true nature of all experience to bear and realize impermanence we have a chance to begin to eradicate fear, facing it full on and watching it lose its grip on us. In time and with development in Vipassana fearlessness results. And this is how it is accomplished: via the constant and thorough understanding of impermanence at the level of bodily sensations. Don’t regret this prior experience. It is only by recognizing actionable mistakes that progress is made. But the next time a strong emotion like fear arises, dismiss and pay no attention to the accompanying mental narrative and try to remain aware of the accompanying sensations with their constant presentation of impermanence. Repeatedly bringing yourself back to balance increases the mastery of equanimity banishing all fear. Then like a thick post sunk deep into the ground one becomes unshakeable. April 2026Question: I have been continuing my practice on a nearly daily basis for about 20 minutes a day, sometimes up to 40 minutes. I have not been to a 10-day for several years. Would it be beneficial to sign up for a 3-day or a service period before my next 10-day course? Answer: It's not at all necessary to sit a shorter course before returning to sit a 10-day. Have you been attending any Virtual Group Sittings in our tradition? They are very helpful and you might appreciate participating in those before you come for your next course. Here's the information: Seven Days a week, twice a day: 7AM and 7PM Pacific Time In addition, Saturdays and Sundays a three-hour sitting: 9AM to noon Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9720994605?pwd=TDhUSjNXaDExYjZvUE9kRTJEUGwrUT09 Meeting ID: 972 099 4605 Password: behappy Question: I would like to ask a question about the 5th precept. I would like to know why the 5th precept exists. Is it because drinking makes it more likely for us to mess up the other 4 precepts? Would the occasional drink in social situations also be a bad idea? Answer: You nailed it right on the head. When intoxicated, or even having taken a small amount of intoxicants, someone is much more likely to break the other four precepts. It's a very important reason to refrain from intoxicants. Another reason is that intoxicants prevent us from seeing reality as it is. They either prevent us from observing our sensations with equanimity and wisdom, or they create an altered sense of reality that blocks our ability to work with reality as it is. However, the most important thing to remember about the Buddha's Teachings is that they are voluntary. He pointed the way, but we have to walk it ourselves. Goenkaji has wonderfully articulated the Teachings of the Buddha in a way that lay people like us can relate to and understand. But with every step of this Path, we decide for ourselves how we want to walk on it and in this way we learn from our mistakes as well as our successes. This is a Path of self-discovery and self-generated wisdom via the practice of Vipassana. Those of us who have decided to devote our lives to Dhamma and the practice of Vipassana have found the Five Precepts to be remarkably life supporting and life changing but each one of us decided for ourselves that this was the right way for us to go personally. There is no room for forcing or moral judgments in Dhamma. March 2026Question: I have been pescatarian for about 6 years now and have recently discovered some bone health issues. I might have to eat meat again. I am wondering if eating meat will have negative effects on my meditation. Answer: We assume you are concerned that if you eat meat or fish you would be breaking the first precept, not to kill. However, the Buddha (and Goenkaji) did not include the eating of animal flesh as a breakage of sila. In fact, monks and nuns were told to eat what they were served on their alms rounds, but if they were aware that an animal had been killed specifically to feed them, they should avoid that food. This was to discourage householders from intentionally killing animals to feed the Sangha, more than it was for the Sangha itself. So please do what you need to do and do not generate a sankhara of guilt or fear when you do. That would affect your meditation more negatively than eating meat with equanimity and compassion. Question: When I'm meditating and observing my sensations sometimes I stop at a gross sensation and just observe it a little longer. I don't remember why I do this. Is this a correct way to practice? Answer: When you’re working part by part, it’s okay to pause and spend a little longer at gross sensations with the idea of giving yourself more time to observe the boundaries of the sensation, where the center of it is, etc. all with the understanding of anicca, i.e., impermanence. It is often more difficult to perceive that the gross sensations are an indication of change and spending a little longer there can help to observe this better. But never stay longer than a minute or two and if your mind is too distracted by staying there, then stay for less time. If you are working simultaneously through the body, or working with a flow, don’t stop to observe the gross sensations. Only do this when you’re working part-by-part. February 2026Question: I’ve sat three 10-day courses and continue practicing regularly, and a few questions have come up. Is it appropriate or advisable to do the body-scan technique outdoors—in environments that may be sunny, windy, or otherwise variable? Or should it always be done indoors? Also, is it ever appropriate to practice with eyes open, or should they always remain closed? For example, when feeling drowsy or when in public and needing to stay aware of my surroundings. Answer: Goenkaji advises for students to practice inside during 10-day courses to help develop more subtle awareness of bodily sensations. However, there is nothing wrong with practicing outside now and then when not on a course. Most people find it more difficult to feel more subtle sensations outside if it's windy, or too sunny. But it's okay to see what works for you. We advise indoor practice to help reduce sensory distractions. As for eyes closed—we have found that it is more conducive to deep concentration to keep the eyes gently closed. However, if you are on public transportation, for example, there's nothing wrong with keeping your eyes open. Daily practice at home we recommend the eyes closed, though. Question: I was hoping to clarify / better understand the type of yoga that is compatible with Vipassana. Yoga by its nature is yoking breath and movement so was wondering if that is counter to the idea of using a natural breath? Also many classes incorporate pranayama, visualized meditation and chanting so those aspects also seem incompatible - or am I misunderstanding? Also - is plant medicine incompatible with Vipassana (speaking of tinctures and essences made with herbs and flowers - some using alcohol as a preservative) Lastly, are sound baths also incompatible (as they can be seen as a type of meditation?) Answer: Yoga exercises are not in conflict with Vipassana, and even using pranayama as a physical exercise is not in conflict. You are correct that Yoga meditations which require visualization or chanting to create a vibration are in conflict. Many Vipassana meditators practice yoga and simply manage their participation by only doing Vipassana in those moments where the yoga teacher is instructing meditation of some kind. Plant medicine is not incompatible unless there is involvement with plant spirits being invited into the patient. Many meditators use plant medicines but try to get them in glycerin when available. Sound baths create a vibration in the body, so they will affect the ability of a meditator to observe the reality of the mind-matter phenomena using the tool of natural, normal bodily sensations. The most important thing is to support your practice is to keep up twice a day, daily practice. This helps you to see for yourself what the impact of these things are on your awareness of impermanence and equanimity with what arises in the body and mind. January 2026Question: I am writing for advice. I want to make sure that when I choose not to generate feelings of anger, I am not actually repressing anger. Sometimes, when something inconvenient happens, I feel that I should be upset, but performing anger feels pointless. Not only does it feel like a tiresome waste of energy, it doesn't make me feel better. But, even though I recognize the futility of responding with outrage or anger, I'm not sure whether my body suffers as a result. I don't know whether I'm internalizing an unacknowledged anger. How can I cultivate the awareness to discover the needs of my body in such moments? How can I know whether I truly accept a negative situation, and that I'm not repressing my feelings? Answer: Your Vipassana practice helps with these difficulties. Have you been able to maintain a regular practice since your last course? Without a regular practice, it is very difficult to avoid repressing anger because then it's simply an intellectual exercise. Certainly, we strive to control our external actions so trying to restrain expressing anger in vocal or physical way is important. But it's the practice of Vipassana that helps us to observe these sensations and this helps in the moment, as well as later when we sit down to meditate. The way to cultivate the increasing awareness of the sensations of our anger in a productive and positive way is via the practice itself. It's a long, slow path, but worth it. Question: I recently completed a ten-day course at Dhamma Vaddhana. 1. In my daily practice, I have been having trouble with feeling the mindfulness at the top of my head. I try doing Anapana, but I am still not getting a strong enough feeling. Should I try doing Anapana for a few days to sharpen my focus? 2. Volunteering- I would like to sign up for volunteering at a course. Can someone help me set that up? 3. Can you recommend literature that will translate the different chants in English? Answer: It is fine to start your meditation with Anapana, but is not a requisite. If your mind is agitated, Anapana will help calm the mind. In this case, practice Anapana for a few minutes and then start with Vipassana. As soon as there is awareness of some sensation in the area below the nostrils and above the upper lip, the mind is ready to go back to Vipassana. It is helpful to return to Anapana when the mind is distracted any time, and then pick up where you left off where you were with Vipassana. If you are not sure, it’s okay to make a good guess. You mention not experiencing a "strong enough feeling" at the top of the head. This is not unusual and it is not necessary or expected to feel a strong sensation. Any feeling you experience on the body is a sensation regardless of its characteristic (subtle, dense, tingling, prickling etc.) ALL sensations have the same characteristic of arising and passing (anicca) sooner or later. Goenkaji tells us it is a choiceness observation. Our job is just to observe whatever sensation manifests from moment to moment regardless of the type or way it is manifesting. Sometimes we may find it’s difficult to feel sensations in some or all of the parts. This too shall change! If no sensations are felt you can try observing larger chunks of the body. In this case, as soon as you have felt any sensation in an area continue to move your attention to the next area. Keep your attention moving. There is no need to stay in an area. Just feel any sensation and then move away from it. For example, you can be aware of the whole head: feel a sensation anywhere there and then move down to the neck. As soon as you feel a sensation anywhere there on the neck area, move down to any arm (try the upper arm, then the lower arm, then the hands in, big chunks.) Then move to the other arm and approach it the same way. Then move on to the trunk and then move down to the legs. Continue to work in this way and then when you can you can, start going back to observing smaller pieces again. In regards to volunteering at any of the centers, you can go to their scheduling page and choose the course you would like to serve. The scheduling page for Dhamma Vaddhana in Twentynine Palms is: https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schvaddhana. The scheduling page for Dhamma Mahavana in North Fork is: https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmahavana . The scheduling page for Dhamma Manda in Kelseyville is: https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmanda As for recommended literature, Parayatti is a great resource for Dhamma literature, morning chanting, etc. Below you will find some contact information. The username is "oldstudent" and the password is "behappy" for ALL our old students sites, including on pariyatti.org Pariyatti Pariyatti exists to bring people into contact with the teachings of the Buddha. We provide resources in the Theravāda tradition, and support Pāli language students and Vipassana meditators, in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin as taught by S.N. Goenka. We serve meditators, scholars, educators and the public by providing ready access to hard-to-find titles, a large collection of online ... December 2025Question: I feel embarrassed asking this so many years after my initial 10-day course, but since I continue to worry about it, here goes: 1) When wanting to observe the natural breath, my breath becomes "unnatural". Does that make sense? Because once I make a conscious effort to observe, breathing becomes methodical/mechanical. 2) I almost never am able to feel sensation on the area underneath the nostrils. I definitely feel sensation of the breath going in and out of the nostrils. 3) I continue to struggle to stay awake, any suggestions? Answer: There's no need to feel embarrassed and good for you for writing to ask! It is wonderful that you are continuing to practice—keep it up! It is a common question about the breath feeling controlled once someone starts to observe it. If this happens, just accept it and continue to observe. If you continue to give most importance to knowing the breath is coming in or going out, the mind will eventually settle down. You may notice that the breath changes then, but if not, don't worry. Just continue to observe and try to accept whatever is happening with the breath. This is more important than anything else. Regarding feeling sensation underneath the nostrils—this is unnecessary for an old student. Your job is to be aware of the direction of the breath there—that's all. Sensation is for when you practice Vipassana. Goenkaji introduces the concept of sensation to new students during Anapana but old students focus on the direction of the breath. If you are aware of sensation there, fine—but you still give most importance to the direction of the breath whenever practicing Anapana. Regarding sleepiness, continue to keep trying to stay alert: try firm intentional breath, try opening your eyes, try shifting your position or standing up, try splashing water on your face—but also try starting again every time you do doze off. It's quite normal and many of us struggle with this. Have you been attending the virtual group sittings? You might find these helpful: Seven Days a week, twice a day: 7AM and 7PM Pacific Time In addition, Saturdays and Sundays a three-hour sitting: 9AM to noon Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9720994605?pwd=TDhUSjNXDExYjZvUE9kRTJEUGwrUT09 Meeting ID: 972 099 4605 Password: behappy November 2025Question: Someone close to me has sat and served on three courses. However, this person finds it impossible to meditate at home. As soon as they begin — whether practicing Anapana or simply observing sensations on the palms — they experience intense anxiety, sometimes accompanied by mild panic symptoms such as difficulty breathing. These reactions persist for the rest of the day, and they regain their usual, stable state only after a night’s sleep. They have made repeated attempts, but the results are always the same. This is not the only case I have encountered. I have observed that, for some students, sitting at home can bring underlying sankhāras to the surface, manifesting as significant emotional disturbances. At a center, such reactions can be supported and managed, but when they occur during home practice, they often cause ongoing difficulties for the meditator and their families. From my current understanding, such students might benefit more from attending courses at centers — where the environment and guidance can support the process — until these sankhāras have been reduced. However, I refrain from giving this advice, as it would conflict with Guruji’s guidance to maintain daily home practice. I would be deeply grateful for your advice on how such situations can be handled in line with the tradition. Answer: We are sorry to hear about the difficulties your person is encountering when meditating at home. We find this to be quite unusual that they only have the experience of anxiety when meditating at home, but not on a course. While Vipassana does not cause anxiety or other mental health issues, it is important to remember that it is designed to bring up old sankharas so we can work on them and ultimately eradicate them. If someone has the sankhara of anxiety, it is bound to come up. However, we have seen that intense, overwhelming anxiety is very difficult to observe as sensation and to be equanimous with and we advise students who are experiencing this to stop practicing Vipassana, and if the anxiety continues to seek professional help. We do not advise students who experience severe anxiety to come to a course under the premise that it is better to work at a course site with this. In fact, we advise them to try and de-intensify things and stop meditating. It is good that you have refrained from encouraging people who are experiencing intense anxiety to come to a course. Anyone is welcome to apply, but please do encourage anyone you can to fully disclose their home difficulties so we can best advise them regarding whether a course is a good idea for them. October 2025Question: I have some questions regarding the physical effects of vipassana practice. I follow the daily practice as prescribed, sitting at least two hours a day, and generally more. I try to attend a group sitting every week. In a relatively short time, vipassana has dramatically reduced my anxiety and stress. The meditation practice has helped me to navigate some interpersonal difficulties and professional disappointments, and to focus more on activities, practices, and relationships that support my well-being. Goenkaji's teaching emphasizes perceptual and psychological transformation, rather than physical transformation. In particular, he says that equanimity and awareness are the essential fruits of vipassana practice. I understand this perspective, but in my case the practice has led to some extraordinary physical changes and improvements as well. I am not going out of my way to induce any of these physical improvements and changes. Instead, they seem to occur automatically, without conscious effort, as a natural consequence of observing body sensation in a concentrated state working with sensations. I am aware that some other vipassana practitioners have experienced similar physical changes. I am also aware that Goenkaji started practicing vipassana because of his migraines. I presume his migraine tension was relieved in a similar fashion. Does the theory of vipassana discuss this potential for physical transformation? Are you aware of any documentation of similar physical effects, through Goenkaji's teaching or your own anecdotal or personal experience, or some other source? Can you offer some advice on a skillful way to discuss such physical changes with others? Answer: You are asking good questions, and the answers are actually given in the 10-day discourses. It is true that Vipassana can help with psychosomatic conditions and illnesses, and many students have in fact experienced relief from these, sometimes permanently and other times temporarily. But Goenkaji cautions about using it as a healing modality because Vipassana is singularly intended to heal mental habit patterns (sankharas) with the ultimate goal of full enlightenment. The physical phenomena that Vipassana teaches us to observe are also used by many healing modalities. The difference with Vipassana is that we use these sensations as a tool to develop equanimity, awareness, and the understanding of anicca (impermanence). It is at this level that we begin to change the neural networks and habit patterns of reaction, eradicating negative habits of the mind. If someone experiences physical relief as well, we see this as a by-product but not a goal in and of itself. In fact, we are trying to work on developing equanimity and the understanding of anicca with whatever physical ills and discomforts we experience—working to change the reaction to the pain, rather than getting rid of the pain. Perhaps we can say--amazingly--sometimes this results in the pain releasing. But again, this is not the goal. In fact, we have seen over and over again that when people come to the course to heal something, they become fixated on it, constantly evaluating it and forgetting all about equanimity and anicca. Sayagyi U Ba Khin sent Goenkaji away when he told Sayagyi he had come to heal his migraines for the very reason that he knew this would severely limit the deeper benefits Vipassana is designed to develop: awareness, equanimity and the understanding of anicca. It was only after Goenkaji agreed to focus his attention on not his illness, but on working with Vipassana as designed that Sayagyi agreed to let him take a course. I share this with the intent to emphasize that we know there are by-products, but we don't give them importance. Through many years of practice, we see these come and go, but the results of developing equanimity and the understanding continue regardless. September 2025Question: I recently sat a 10-day course. Here are a few questions I want to ask: Question 1. When I finish scanning a particular area, e.g. the top of the head or the face and go on to the right shoulder, arm and hand, I will frequently get a distinct sensation back in the area just finished. Should I go back and observe that sensation until is disappears, or ignore it and continue to look for new sensations? Answer: The instructions in our tradition are to always keep the attention (i.e., observation of sensation) moving in order through the body. As soon as you experience a sensation in a spot, move further. If a different or stronger sensation in that area comes up after you move away from it, don’t jump back. The idea is to observe and accept whatever is arising in a given moment in the area that you are surveying, using the sensation (subtle, gross--whatever) to develop your awareness of anicca, i.e., change or impermanence. Practicing this attitude of acceptance of whatever sensation you can be aware of in a given movement is what trains the mind toward stronger and stronger equanimity. Question 2. Although I observe some sensations from "within" I usually have more from outside, i.e. pressure of clothing, the bench I'm sitting on or the cushion against my feet. These do not disappear, so just observe them for a while and move on? Answer: When students first start practicing Vipassana in our tradition, it’s common for them to think they are supposed to observe sensations until they change or disappear, but this is not the case. I’ve often had students come to me saying, “I keep observing it but the pain isn’t going away!” I often reply, “The idea isn’t to make the pain go away, but to make the mental suffering with the pain go away.” We do this by patiently training our minds to accept and observe whatever sensation we are aware of in that part of the body at that moment, observing whatever we can about it. With things like tingling, pulsing or vibrating, for example, it’s easy to feel the “change” in them. But with sensations that feel more solid or dull, we may not be able to be aware of the change but we can still cultivate our understanding that any sensation we are feeling is an indication of change. Sensations are the means to develop our understanding of anicca and our attitude of equanimity, they are not the goal. Any sensation will serve these purposes, including the feeling of clothing, pressure, etc. on the skin or body. It is not necessary to work inside the body and we don’t advise it until it is easy to feel sensations everywhere on the surface of the body and it is easy to move the attention through them in a flow or sweeping movement without blocks. Once this happens, it’s usually easier to observe inside. Not that this is better, either. It’s just another place to observe sensations. Let it happen naturally. Question 3. Occasionally the sensation is a pulsing heartbeat, often in the hands or fingers, which continues a long time. So, stay with it even for 10-15 minutes or more? Answer: As soon as you feel a sensation move further. As I explained above, we do not wait for sensations to go away, or even for us to be able to identify a feeling of change in them if this is not quickly apparent. Sometimes, when the mind is quite concentrated, we can move more slowly and methodically and then spend a little more time (a minute or two) on areas that are apparently blind or blank or have pain to give ourselves time to explore the area. But again, we do this with an attitude of observation of what is there, not trying to make something happen. Pulsing is a perfectly acceptable sensation to observe. As Goenkaji once told me when I asked him about observing pulsing sensations, “Everything in the universe is pulsing!” Just observe and move further. August 2025Question: When I'm meditating and observing my sensations sometimes I stop at a gross sensation and just observe it a little longer. I don't remember why I do this. Is this a correct way to practice? Answer: When you’re working part by part, it’s okay to pause and spend a little longer at gross sensations with the idea of giving yourself more time to observe the boundaries of the sensation, where the center of it is, etc. all with the understanding of anicca, i.e., impermanence. It is often more difficult to perceive that the gross sensations are an indication of change and spending a little longer there can help to observe this better. But never stay longer than a minute or two and if your mind is too distracted by staying there, then stay for less time. If you are working simultaneously through the body, or working with a flow, don’t stop to observe the gross sensations. Only do this when you’re working part-by-part. Question: How do parents of young children manage the one hour in the morning and night meditation? Is it ok to do two hours total in a day but break it up to when time and children allow? This is a very big challenge for me. Answer: There is not one answer for how parents manage their two hours a day. Goenkaji would always answer that children come first and there are often times in a Vipassana meditator-parent’s life when they have to compromise their sitting to be available for their children. Do this with as much equanimity and compassion as possible and understand that a time will come--if it is important to you--when you will have the uninterrupted time to meditate again when the children are older. Do what you can with your daily practice and trust that your intention to keep your practice going will sustain you in times when you are able to give it less time than is possible for the sake of your children. July 2025Question: I have been meditating for about 13 years and attended my first 10-day Vipassana retreat last September. For years, I’ve been consistently meditating twice a day. Recently, however, I’ve been experiencing strong resistance—especially during my afternoon sessions. As soon as I sit down, I notice that my body and head become very tense, sometimes to the point of a headache. Even my breathing feels effortful. I keep asking myself, “Why am I so tense? What am I trying to control or accomplish here?” I remind myself to relax, that there’s nothing to fix or achieve—just to be an observer of every feeling and sensation. Sometimes this helps, but only a little and not consistently. It feels as though my body and mind are competing for my attention. I can observe how sensations and emotions constantly shift—one moment I feel calm and peaceful, the next I’m agitated. I try to meet both body and mind with kindness and acceptance, and I’ve usually been able to sit through the discomfort and mental chatter. But lately, the intensity has been increasing. I find myself dreading meditation time, and sometimes I even have to shorten my sessions. In the past, I noticed that my mind would settle in the second half of the session and become more peaceful. Now, it feels wilder, more agitated, even toward the end. I’m not sure what’s happening or what I should do. Answer: Although you have been meditating for 13 years, how Goenkaji teaches Vipassana meditation must be new to you since you sat your first course in this tradition last year. Everything you describe is within the realm of normal with the practice of Vipassana. With the practice of Vipassana we use every experience of sensation to develop our equanimity and understanding of impermanence (anicca). The goal is to have old sankharas (negative mental habit patterns) come to the surface, manifesting as sensations we can observe, so that we can work on eradicating them through this understanding of impermanence and an attitude of acceptance, i.e., equanimity. You said you, "...remind myself to relax, that there’s nothing to fix or achieve—just to be an observer of every feeling and sensation." This is just right, but then don't expect it to change the way you want it to. Vipassana is all about accepting "as it is, not as we want it to be." You may find it helpful to join the virtual group sittings held twice a day, 7AM and 7PM for support and encouragement: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9720994605?pwd=TDhUSjNXaDExYjZvUE9kRTJEUGwrUT09 Also, you may consider signing up for a one-on-one interview with an AT. Here's information about how to do this: If you would like to have a private 15-minute interview with an assistant teacher, please: Go to the interview registration page. Select either “Interview with a female AT” or “Interview with a male AT” Select a date with available openings and then select a time. Enter the requested information and click “Book”. You will get an email confirming the interview. The email will contain a link to join a video meeting where you will be able to speak with an assistant teacher. The email will also include a link to cancel the interview if necessary. Please use the cancellation link in the email to cancel your registration ASAP if you have signed up but cannot attend the session. This will help us allocate the time slots to other students. You will not be able to cancel the interview if the interview is less than 12 hours away. Also, please note that you will be able to book an interview for at most 5 days and a minimum of 12 hours in advance. June 2025Question: I was introduced to Vipassana eight years ago and have had pretty solid practice for five years. Imagine my surprise to realize only recently how strong my aversion to fear is. It shows up in my sensitivity to it in others and my contempt (not an emotion I otherwise feel often) and rejection of it both in others and myself. I know to observe and be equanimous, but fear overpowers me when I observe even its sensations. I know ultimately it comes down to practice but curious if there’s any advice to cross what feels like an impossible chasm when fear is present? Answer: Thank you for your question. Our practice is to observe whatever sensations arise, but as you point out, sometimes it is difficult and overwhelming. Goenkaji called these times storms. It is certainly possible that you are simply becoming more aware, as your practice deepens. But whatever the reason, you are now aware of this particular negativity. Goenkaji has very clear instructions in the Dhamma Khetta (short) one-hour sitting instruction. If you download the Dhamma.org app for your phone, you will find that (and many other one-hour sittings) in that app. It is a very rich resource. But essentially, he advises using Anapana, as well as extremities (going back and forth with them) until the mind calms down. (Likely you know what extremities means, but it is focusing on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, as the sensations there are easy to observe, and can be calming.) It may be that it will take up the entire hour of meditation, and observing sensation systematically with Vipassana is just not possible at that time. But, since we know that all things will arise to pass away, this will as well. May 2025Question: I think I need antidepressants, but I have also completed one 10-day retreat, and I feel my sadness is due to how I relate to myself. Do I try to take antidepressants or meditate more? Or do I do both? I can try to make the singular focus of my day my two-hour sittings. However, the mood I find myself experiencing makes it very difficult to get out of bed and do the work I need to do. I try to accept my mood as it is and act with equanimity, but I have a hard time getting myself to sit in meditation or sit with myself. Often the only things I gravitate toward are phone distractions. I am also working with various medical providers to address these conditions, and I have heard that meditation and medication together can prove effective. I am just worried that taking medications will impact my ability to do another 10-day retreat. Is that so? Answer: We're glad you wrote with your question. While Vipassana meditation can be helpful in dealing with mild symptoms of depression and anxiety, it is not a cure for these. More intense experiences of these are best treated in consultation with your doctors, as it sounds like you are doing. There is no conflict with taking antidepressant medication and coming to Vipassana courses, and many people find it helpful to do both. We encourage you to work with your doctors and apply for another course when you feel ready. Please be sure to include information regarding your medications and conditions when you apply. An assistant teacher will be in touch with you to discuss your participation in a course in the most supportive way. April 2025Question: Numbness, blindness and blankness have always been a part of my Vipassana practice. It is not uncommon, and usually is the regular occurrence especially during periods when I haven't meditated regularly, that I can't even get through the whole body even once because I pause at each spot for at least a minute to wait for sensations. It all adds up. For many years this has caused me frustration. Recently I have decided to try moving very quickly instead of waiting, or to do part by part with very large sections. Moving very quickly was helpful during the course but in real life it does not work - I cannot maintain concentration with blind sensations for that long, i.e. nearly the whole hour. Doing part by part with large sections has been helpful - even if the first pass is completely blank, it's a short amount of time and there's usually enough time and concentration capacity left to go back for at least a second round which often does result in some sensations. So I guess this is a two-part question: 1) do you have any other suggestions to work with the blind and numb spots? I should add that I'm aware now that there is some aversion to the blindness, AND that as the practice is to simply observe things as they are, there's a part of me that becomes more content just to observe blindness for an hour. 2) I'm curious about the numbness and blindness (I'm using all three terms interchangeably) as I remember Goenka saying that this is indicative of ignorance. I think my whole life I've denied my feelings and body sensations and I wonder if this shows up as the numbness. I imagine there are feelings I've denied myself for a long time and they are "under" the numbness. I am curious if you have thoughts about continuing the inquiry in my daily life. Answer: We're so glad you wrote to ask about this. We hope that when you sit your next 10-day course, you will sign up for interviews with the AT during the course to help you work through the challenges of your practice. In the meantime, we will do our best to address your concerns here. I'm sure you have heard this repeatedly, but it is the most important thing to remind yourself about when working with the experience of numbness, blindness, and blankness: the yardstick to measure progress on the path is equanimity. When you are working through the body and experiencing the sensations (or lack thereof) you describe, the sankhara of frustration can arise. Right there is a HUGE opportunity for starting to address that sankhara and any sankharas associated with it. It sounds like you have learned to accept your experiences, and that is very good. But be alert to the disappointment and frustration sankharas that naturally arise when we don't get something we want, or when we get something we don't want. In this way, you can realize that what you are experiencing is exactly what you need to be experiencing in that very moment. Of course it is difficult to maintain your attention on an area that is blind. The other challenge is that the instructions tell us to wait for a minute or two before moving on in case a sensation becomes apparent. But those instructions are best applied at courses when our attention is a bit better (maybe/sometimes). At home, keep moving your attention and don't linger on those spots waiting for something else. You can also try using your breath to move your attention through the body. With an inhalation breath the mind easily moves up and with an exhalation breath the mind easily moves down. You can link your movements through the body with your breath, this can help with your attention as well. It's good that you discovered working more quickly. Keep doing that, especially during your home practice. You may find you can slow down during a course. I wonder if you are "looking too hard" in those areas of blankness/blindness/numbness? I wonder if you are looking for a different kind of sensation in those areas, instead of just feeling what they feel like? Sometimes students miss the very subtle sensations in those areas because they are looking for something more distinct. Is it possible that those areas actually "feel" a certain way, and you can actually simply feel the indistinctiveness there? Can you try directing your attention to what it actually feels there without labeling it as blind, or blank or numb? What does numbness feel like, for example? It's a sensation. Don't "look too hard" just relax and feel whatever is there, as boring or indistinct as it may be. We hope this helps a bit. Remember—the understanding of anicca and the development of equanimity are the only reason we're observing these sensations, not for any particular kind of sensation or experience. We wish you all the best fruits of your practice. March 2025Question: I attended a 10-day retreat a year and a half ago and found incredible benefits and it still has strong effects on my daily life. However, I recently started a new job where I work very long hours, and I always find myself struggling to not think about work during my meditation sessions (currently able to meditate 1 hour every morning) I am currently using the recordings in the Dhamma app and start with the 5-10 minutes of Anapana, however, thoughts about work constantly creep into my mind, and I find it very difficult to concentrate. I find it difficult to maintain equanimity and at times get a bit frustrated at my inability to concentrate, but am able to continually remind myself of Anicca, bring my attention back and complete my meditation sessions. But this pattern has continued for several weeks and there doesn't seem to be any improvement. Answer: It’s good that you are keeping a daily practice. It’s important to keep in mind that meditating at home will be different than meditating at the center. During a course we have very little distractions and 10+ hours a day to practice. At home there are many distractions including family, friends and work. It’s important to accept that the practice will be different, and this usually means it’s more difficult to maintain concentration and awareness. Right effort is working with the reality as it is. The mind has wandered away from the object of sensations or respiration and is focused on work. As soon as you notice it has wandered to work bring it back to the practice. Again, it wanders. Again, you bring it back with acceptance. If you notice frustration creeping in, accept frustration has arisen and come back. It is this continued effort with equanimity, observing with a balanced, non-judgmental mind, that brings the results. There is no need to constantly come back to Anapana. If you are feeling sensations on the body work with Vipassana. If you find the mind is very agitated, then work with Anapana for some time. You can vary the way you work as well. You can work with larger chunks of the body and work more quickly. Feel anything anywhere on the head then move to the face and continue down. When the mind wanders, come back to the general area you left off. No effort is wasted. So, beginning an evening sit is always beneficial. You can work with your schedule. There are some who have taken a late lunch break and meditated at work. Others have meditated before they went home and found it a nice way to begin their evening. It is up to you. Question: What should I do about overwhelming shame when I meditate? I think about things I didn't do perfectly or ways I believe I am inadequate. I try to do Metta, being in nature, and volunteering. I try to displace the negativity with overflowing positivity. However, I just fundamentally believe I am a failure because my expectations of myself were always so high and I didn't achieve them. What should I do to deal with those false beliefs? Answer: These are very good questions. We commend your courage in asking them. The entire basis of our Dhamma practice is “as it is not as we would like it to be”. If events in your life have not fulfilled your expectations or the expectations of others, as is often the case, we want to be able to accept this without shame or guilt. We know from experience these emotions such as shame don’t help us become better people and it can become a vicious downward spiral cycle. When you are meditating and these thoughts/feeling of shame come into your mind, try to do two things: First, accept what you are feeling or experiencing no matter what it is without trying to change it. Second, as much as possible, go to sensations on the body or respiration. After meditating for 1 hour then it’s time for Metta, loving kindness. Goenkaji always said that Metta starts with us, and then from there branching out to others, and finally all beings. It’s good to be positive, but also realistic. Don’t be afraid of negative feelings. Just observe the sensations and know that you are on the path towards liberation. Don’t be so hard on yourself. February 2025Question: I'm trying to work on a more consistent meditation practice. I would like to meditate in the morning after waking up but I often find myself groggy and sleepy. I'm starting with 15-20 minutes to first get consistency. Going for a walk or exercising usually helps wake me up. Is it preferable to meditate before or after exercising? I know during our Vipassana course we were told not to exercise. Answer: Daily meditation practice is so beneficial. Good for you for developing one! It’s okay to create a schedule that works best for you. If exercising first helps you, then by all means exercise. For some people the second sitting can be a challenge, so they get creative. Some have found spaces at work and meditate before they go home. You wrote, "I know during our Vipassana course we were told not to exercise." For clarification, during a course students are welcome to walk for exercise on the nice pathways and may do light stretching in their rooms. There is no conflict with physical exercise and Vipassana in daily life. Question: I was introduced to Vipassana eight years ago and have had a pretty solid practice for 5 years. Imagine my surprise to realize only recently how strong my aversion to fear is. It shows up in my sensitivity to it in others and my contempt (not an emotion I otherwise feel often)/rejection of it both in others and myself. I know to observe and be equanimous, but fear overpowers me when I observe even its sensations. I know ultimately it comes down to practice but curious if there’s any advice to cross what feels like an impossible chasm when fear is present? Answer: This is a good question! Our practice is to observe whatever sensations arise, but as you point out, sometimes it is difficult and overwhelming. Goenkaji called these times storms. It is certainly possible that you are simply getting more aware of what is coming up in your mind as your practice deepens. It's a good sign that you are now aware of this particular negativity. This is necessary in order to start working on the sankharas associated with it. Goenkaji gives very clear instructions in the Dhamma Khetta (short) one hour sitting instruction. If you download the Dhamma.org app for your phone, you will find that (and many other one-hour sittings) in that app. It is a very rich resource. But essentially, he advises using Anapana, as well as extremities (going back and forth with them) until the mind calms down. (Likely you know what extremities means, but it is focusing on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, as the sensations there are easy to observe, and can be calming.) It may be that it will take up the entire hour of meditation, and observing sensation systematically with Vipassana is just not possible at that time. But, since we know that all things will arise to pass away, this will as well. January 2025Question: My husband and I just completed our first 10-day course. I have been a long-time member of Al Anon, as I have several alcoholics/drug addicts in my life. Al Anon is an adjunct to AA, based on the twelve steps program. It helps those of us who have people in our lives with the disease of addiction. I want to continue my affiliation with Al Anon. Is there any conflict with my Vipassana practice? Answer: It's wonderful that you and your husband are continuing your daily practice! It's true that it can initially be quite difficult to maintain a twice a day practice, but you may find it very supportive to join the virtual group sittings that are available to you: Seven Days a week, twice a day: 7AM and 7PM Pacific Time In addition, Saturdays and Sundays a three-hour sitting: 9AM to noon Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9720994605?pwd=TDhUSjNXaDExYjZvUE9kRTJEUGwrUT09 Meeting ID: 972 099 4605 Password: behappy One tap mobile Finally, there is no problem continuing to attend Al Anon meetings and maintaining your Vipassana practice. Question: I have a question about fairness and my struggles in addressing it in myself, family and friends, both personally and at work. I usually view and judge people based on the fairness which I think I am doing in an objective manner without any malicious intent and usually comment on their current or past behavior. This is purely my observation and reflection which makes me make a comment about that person and their actions like selfishness or meanness, etc. Unfortunately the way I see it is not shared and understood by the people around me which leads to a lot of trouble and anger in my family. Do you have suggestions on how I can stop judging and making comments on our friends based on the fairness and truth which I think is right but seems to be not the correct way to do so? Since I want to become a good Vipassana practitioner full of Metta, I don't want this to keep coming back as a drawback on myself. Answer: As our dear teacher Goenkaji tells us, first just accept what is coming up in yourself. You said, "I usually view and judge people based on the fairness which I think I am doing...." It is good that you realize this. Just accept that judgmentalism has arisen in your mind. Regardless of the reason, accept that you are judging. You can try to bring your awareness to respiration or sensation when you notice judgements are arising. You can do this with eyes open or closed. The mind will begin to calm. When the mind is calm any action you take will be more wholesome. Perhaps you will find you don't need to make a comment on other's behavior. In our practice wisdom comes from within and maintaining a daily practice gives us the opportunity to observe and develop equanimity. At the end of your practice, share Metta with yourself first and then those that you find yourself judging. May you get the best fruits from your practice. December 2024Question: At times, when practicing Vipassana, childhood memories come up with very strong emotions, feeling they come to surface to be released. What is the best way to deal with these overwhelming episodes? Answer: First of all, the fact that these strong memories are coming up while you are practicing Vipassana shows that you are working properly. That is, trying to observe the sensations with the awareness of their impermanence instead of reacting to them. So, yes, they are coming up to the surface of the mind with strong sensations (which is what we call "emotions") and by continuing to observe them objectively (with anicca--noticing how they are changing), that's how we slowly get rid of them. This is not an easy process--rather a very difficult one but every moment we are equanimous while feeling these sensations, we are diminishing and ultimately, eradicating these stored mental complexes (sankharas). At times, we will be overwhelmed by them due to the old habit pattern of reaction. At those times, try to return to anapana (awareness of breath)--at first, with firm breath then as the mind calms, with softer breath. The mind will start calming down and you can return to Vipassana at that point--as soon as you become aware of sensations below the nostrils and above the upper lip this is a good indication you can begin Vipassana again. Take heart! We want these deep sankharas to arise so that we can work on them and eventually, be free of them. Question: How do we know when we feel a particular sensation that may be a signal of a serious condition that may require attention of a doctor? Answer: When in doubt, always consult with your doctor! Regardless of the cause of any sensation, it gives us the opportunity to work on the sankharas that come up in reaction to it. So while you're in the process of seeking medical care, you can still work with the sensation as sensation, observing it, understanding its changing nature and striving to develop equanimity with it. November 2024Question: When practicing Vipassana, I realized at some point that I was 'visualizing', not purposefully, but automatically. I can't help but 'see' my body in my mind’s eye as I move part by part. In addition, my eyes move every time my attention moves. I think this far predates Vipassana practice, I think it’s just how my mind relates to my body by default. I believe that, rather than it being imagination, this is more so my mind turning sensory and proprioceptive information into a 3-D model of the body complete with a viewpoint in space located in the head. Thus the top of the head is up, the feet are down etcetera. Sometimes the surface of the body only appears after the sensations have been felt on that part. So I suppose my question is this: I feel like I am straining hard to force this to stop, only because I think I'm 'supposed' to. I maintain equanimity, just barely. It is a vexing and frustrating issue. Should I continue to focus this hard on trying to force the issue, or should I relax a bit and accept that this will eventually change? Apparently this is very common among people who are just starting. Answer: Your question is a common one that reflects how visual our minds are. However, with Vipassana, we are trying to develop the capacity to feel the sensations with our minds, and with eyes closed and slowly but intentionally override the tendency to visualize. Visualizing is a habit, and it will pass over time, just give more importance to trying to feel than to see. The exact location of where you are feeling is not important as long as you are working within the framework of the body. It often occurs that a student finds, even with their eyes closed, the eyes are trying to track where the attention is and this is a similar habit, and we suggest relaxing the eyes to a neutral position and just giving more importance to "feeling" the sensation with your awareness. Certainly, we need a way to move our attention from place to place and we use the mind to do this. Keep trying, it should become easier over time. Try not to create tension about the eyes moving, or about the visualization. Just ignore the visualization and give more importance to feeling the sensation and it will become easier. You can also use the breath to help move the mind through the body, but avoid creating a visual map. You will find that the mind moves easily down with an exhalation breath, and up with inhalation. Try that instead of a mental map. It is very important to try to relax as much as possible and not feed the frustration and disappointment sankharas that are arising, because, well they are just sankharas. Vipassana's intent is to bring these up, so when they arise just accept they are arising and keep observing understanding the impermanence of the sensations with as much equanimity as you can muster. Keep up your practice, it is difficult but so worthwhile in these trying times. October 2024Question: I have a question regarding my practice. I’ve now been pretty consistent with two hours of meditation since January. I have done the course several times, but this time I had taken a strong determination to maintain my practice. I fully understand that equanimity is the only marker of our progress on this path. I am not judging or craving a different experience, but only curious about my practice. Of late I’ve been feeling very agitated and I have no idea where this agitation is coming from now. I understand that this too will pass, and my natural instinct has become to observe the sensations of this agitation. I cannot help but wonder though that if equanimity is the marker, am I regressing or doing something wrong? Shouldn't I be more resilient? Maybe I am overthinking this or confusing a few concepts, could you help me clarify? Is it also possible that this agitation is actually just old sankharas coming up? Answer: How wonderful that you've committed yourself to a daily practice and have been consistent since January! It is quite normal to suddenly develop more sensitivity and awareness of your emotional state when you are consistently meditating. Good that you are aware that you are aware of feeling agitated. This is an important step in progressing on the path—knowing when reactions/sankharas have arisen. And what to do with these? Just accept that for now, some agitation is prominent. When you meditate, let it be there— just accept it, and keep trying to bring your awareness back to the sensation or to the respiration. Have right thoughts such as, "The agitation is impermanent, like everything else, it is changing and it will change." Be gentle with yourself in this acceptance, don't expect it to go away. Training the mind toward equanimity we just accept what arises understanding it will change, while trying not to wish it to change. This is the trick that helps us to strengthen both our understanding of anicca and our equanimity. Question: My question is in regard to anatta, selflessness. I want to make sure I am understanding, so I can experience anatta for myself. Answer: When someone would ask Goenkaji this question, he would warmly chuckle and tell the questioner to answer this question themself through the practice. I'm not as wise as Goenkaji was, so I'm going to try to respond simply here to encourage you to keep practicing with a few more words than that, because it's a long path and the answers come slowly over time through many small and sometimes big insights along the way. The Buddha realized in his Enlightenment that there are many parts of the mind, and many concomitants of those parts. We think of the observing part of the mind as one entity, similarly to how we think of pain as one sensation. But, perhaps you have had the experience when practicing Vipassana of observing that a painful sensation is comprised of many different kinds of sensations and not as solid as it originally seemed? The observing "part" of the mind begins to yield to that same phenomenon over time. This insight to the changing nature of the mind helps to develop the understanding of anatta. No me, no my, no mine, no I—just a changing phenomena. Which thought is "me"? Which emotion is "mine"? During the 10-day discourses, Goenkaji introduces the concept of what he refers to as the four parts of the mind: viññana (cognition), sañña (perception), sankhara (conditioned reactions), and vedana (sensations). He explains how each sense door (eyes, ears, nose, body-touch, taste, and mind) has these four parts of the mind. In our tradition, we focus on body-touch as the object we observe, but each sense door has those mental components. So in observing sensation on the body, we slowly begin to observe those four parts and their interplay. Let it happen naturally. Sayagyi U Ba Khin, Goenkaji's teacher said," Anicca, dukkha and anatta (impermanence, suffering and no-self/egolessness) are the three essential characteristics of things in the teaching of the Buddha. If you know anicca correctly, you know dukkha as its corollary and anatta as ultimate truth. It takes time to understand the three together." He understood that the gateway to understanding anatta was through developing the understanding of anicca and dukkha. If you keep practicing patiently and consistently and let the insights come through your own realization, then you are getting the best fruits of the teachings of the Buddha. You may enjoy reading this: https://pariyatti.org/Free-Resources/Articles-and-Excerpts/Essentials-of-Buddha-Dhamma September 2024Question: I recently sat a 10-day course. Here are a few questions I want to ask: Question1: When I finish scanning a particular area, e.g. the top of the head or the face and go on to the right shoulder, arm and hand, I will frequently get a distinct sensation back in the area just finished. Should I go back and observe that sensation until is disappears, or ignore it and continue to look for new sensations? Answer: The instructions in our tradition are to always keep the attention (i.e., observation of sensation) moving in order through the body. As soon as you experience a sensation in a spot, move further. If a different or stronger sensation in that area comes up after you move away from it, don’t jump back. The idea is to observe and accept whatever is arising in a given moment in the area that you are surveying, using the sensation (subtle, gross--whatever) to develop your awareness of anicca, i.e., change or impermanence. Practicing this attitude of acceptance of whatever sensation you can be aware of in a given movement is what trains the mind toward stronger and stronger equanimity. Question2: Although I observe some sensations from "within" I usually have more from outside, i.e. pressure of clothing, the bench I'm sitting on or the cushion against my feet. These do not disappear, so just observe them for a while and move on? Answer: When students first start practicing Vipassana in our tradition, it’s common for them to think they are supposed to observe sensations until they change or disappear, but this is not the case. I’ve often had students come to me saying, “I keep observing it but the pain isn’t going away!” I often reply, “The idea isn’t to make the pain go away, but to make the mental suffering with the pain go away.” We do this by patiently training our minds to accept and observe whatever sensation we are aware of in that part of the body at that moment, observing whatever we can about it. It is not necessary to work inside the body and we don’t advise it until it is easy to feel sensations everywhere on the surface of the body and it is easy to move the attention through them in a flow or sweeping movement without blocks. Once this happens, it’s usually easier to observe inside. Not that this is better, either. It’s just another place to observe sensations. Let it happen naturally. Question3: Occasionally the sensation is a pulsing heartbeat, often in the hands or fingers, which continues a long time. So, stay with it even for 10-15 minutes or more? Answer: As soon as you feel a sensation move further. As I explained above, we do not wait for sensations to go away, or even for us to be able to identify a feeling of change in them if this is not quickly apparent. Sometimes, when the mind is quite concentrated, we can move more slowly and methodically and then spend a little more time (a minute or two) on areas that are apparently blind or blank or have pain to give ourselves time to explore the area. But again, we do this with an attitude of observation of what is there, not trying to make something happen. August 2024Question: I've noticed a process and wanted to understand it a bit better. I'm purposely not using Pali terms, if you could please help me with the correct vocabulary I'd appreciate it. A pattern I'd like to explore while meditating or in day to day life: 1) The mind offers a thought 2) Awareness becomes aware of the thought 3) Awareness decides to release/ignore the thought OR is drawn into the thought and distraction starts What happens at the moment that awareness is evaluating the thought? Is there a choice being made? Do we have agency over whether or not awareness decides to go with the thought or not? I understand coming back to the object of concentration once you realize that the mind has wandered but what is happening at step 3? Answer: It's good that you're realizing how your mind works, but try not to spend too much time analyzing it--it pulls you away from the practice of Vipassana. Whenever we are thinking, we have stopped observing sensations and practicing Vipassana. We do our best to continue to bring our attention back to the object of awareness, whether it is the breath or sensation. Have you noticed that sometimes it's really easy, and sometimes no matter how hard you try, the mind continues to rebel, slip away, or refuse to give up the thought? Then suddenly something changes, and you can have more control over your mind. This is the nature of the mind, that's all. Do we have agency? Sometimes. What's happening when we don't? Sankhara-generation, ignorance, agitation, etc. What's happening when we do? Concentration, eradication of sankharas, wisdom, etc. Question: I have been meditating for several years. In general, the sits have been peaceful, and I come out refreshed, energized and often very peaceful. However, there was one occasion recently when the samadhi was good and I experienced a few moments of the impermanence of my sense of me. However, almost as soon as I realized this a great fear arose ... am I losing my mind? Could I go completely unhinged if this state continues? And these thoughts pulled me out of the samadhi. I have been fine since then and have continued to meditate as before. My question is: how do I deal with such fears when they arise? Can I do something that will prolong the focus and concentration, instead of disturbing it completely? Answer: Yes, your samadhi may have been good but when a defilement of fear arose strongly it was accompanied by another namely, ignorance. And this, in turn, prompted another one, aversion. Here you were trying to practice Vipassana, i.e. trying to cultivate a non-reactive awareness of bodily sensations based on impermanence. But when a strong mental defilement of fear arose you immediately reacted: “Oh, what’s wrong, am I losing it ?” All sense of impermanence was momentarily lost in this reaction and fear and aversion were allowed to run rampant. This is the age old conditioned play of the mind: to be constantly reacting blindly with an aversion to unwanted experiences; always over-reacting with the false notion that the experience is permanent. When we can bring the awareness of the true nature of all experience to bear and realize impermanence we have a chance to begin to eradicate fear, facing it full on and watching it lose its grip on us. In time and with development in Vipassana fearlessness results. And this is how it is accomplished: via the constant and thorough understanding of impermanence at the level of bodily sensations. Don’t regret this prior experience. It is only by recognizing actionable mistakes that progress is made. But the next time a strong emotion like fear arises, dismiss and pay no attention to the accompanying mental narrative and try to remain aware of the accompanying sensations with their constant presentation of impermanence.
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