Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

The following post was partly inspired by Bhante Gunaratana’s book Meditation in Plain English, Wisdom Publications, 2011.

The meditation we practice here is called Vipassana or Insight meditation. Vipassana is exercise in attention and awareness. When we practice it, we must toss out everything in our mind except awareness of sitting still and breathing. This is not easy to do. We keep practicing diligently and one day our conscious thought, the ego, moves like a cloud and lets the sun of awareness shine. The pure awareness hides behind our ego which is nothing but our judgement, evaluation and criticism of people and events. Such mental images hide awareness. 

Continuous focus on the breath at the tip of your nose, (or chest or belly) takes you deeper and deeper and makes you aware of your sensations, feelings and thoughts related to your life experiences. You learn to listen to your own thoughts without being caught up in them. You realize how nothing in you is permanent. You see impermanence as constant and eternal. You pine for lost youth, for your past possessions and powerful positions. When you had them you assumed those were solid, real entities. Meditation teaches you the truth of transitoriness—that life is an ever-flowing river.

Meditation teaches you what is truly happening within you and around you, perhaps for the first time. By engaging in your own current life you discover yourself. 

Just by observing what is going on, little by little we chip away at our obsessive thoughts. With such insights our life begins to change. Benefits start right away and they pile up over the years. The more you sit in silence and solitude the more you learn about the real nature of your existence. After years of practice you benefit with perfect mental health and loving friendliness for all.