Free 10-Day Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

S.N. Goenka (Dhamma.org); Seth Auberon, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly

"I just keep walkin' my path and blessed to share my story" - Macklemore on meditation

Insight meditation or vipassana, which literally means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation (self development, mental cultivation). It was taught in India more than 2,600 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, that is, an Art of Living. For those who are not familiar with Vipassana Meditation (VM), there is available an "Introduction to Vipassana" by Mr. Goenka and related videos and Questions & Answers about vipassana.

Free Courses

What does the word "vipassanā" mean?

The technique of VM can be learned at 10-day residential courses during which participants learn the basics of the method and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results.

There are no charges for the courses -- not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to also benefit.

 

Locations

Typical group meditation session at a Goenka center (dhamma.org)

 
Courses are given in numerous meditation centers and at non-center course locations at rented sites. Each location has its own schedule of courses. In most cases, an application for admission to these courses can be completed online at this website.

There are numerous centers in India and elsewhere in Asia/Pacific; ten centers in North America; three centers in Latin America; eight centers in Europe; seven centers in Australia/New Zealand; one center in the Middle East, and one center in Africa.

Ten-day non-center courses are frequently held at many locations outside of centers as they are arranged by local students of vipassana in those areas. An alphabetical list of worldwide course locations is available as well as a graphical interface of course locations worldwide and in India and Nepal.

Special Courses and Resources

VM courses are also being taught in prisons. A special 10-day course especially for business executives and government officials is being held periodically at several centers around the world.

For additional information visit the Executive Course Website. Information on VM is also available in the other languages. More + VIDEOS

Definition

Would the Buddha read? Yes.

"Insight" is the intuitive understanding or light flashing forth and exposing the truth of the impermanent and ever-changing, the unsatisfactory and disappointing (suffering), and the impersonal and unsubstantial nature of ALL corporeal and mental phenomena of existence. Insight-wisdom (vipassanā-paññā) is the decisive liberating factor in Buddhism, but it has to be developed along with the two other trainings in virtue and concentration (unity of mind). The culmination of insight practice (see visuddhi VI) leads directly to the stages of enlightenment (see visuddhi VII). Insight is not the result of a mere intellectual understanding, but is reached through direct meditative observation of one's own bodily and mental processes. In the commentaries and The Path of Purification (Vissudhi-magga), the sequence in developing insight-meditation is given as follows: More