How to Raise Your Self-Awareness Through Vipassana Meditation

Life can get pretty hectic as we scramble to meet our deadlines, do all our chores, juggle family responsibilities, and try to have some semblance of a social life. Whew!

Meditation is the pause button in our chaotic lives. It gives us a moment of calm and connection with ourselves amidst all the frenzy. 

There are many different types of meditation, Vipassana being one of them. In this article, we explore what Vipassana meditation is, the benefits it offers, the challenges you might encounter, and how you can get started with this practice.

What Exactly Is Vipassana Meditation?

Vipassana is an ancient Indian meditation technique taught by the Buddha approximately 2,500 years ago and handed down through generations by teachers and practitioners. It has now spread to many parts of the world. Although it has roots in Buddhism, Vipassana is a secular practice, making it open to any person of any race, religion, nationality, or community.

It's also a non-commercial practice—anyone can practice it at any time for free, teachers participate in it voluntarily without compensation, and organizations are funded solely through the donations of participants who have benefitted from it and want to give back.

For example, suppose we’re looking at a super fancy sports car. Vipassana teaches us to simply observe it without feeling the desire to have it and without feeling jealous or envious of the person who owns it. We can simply notice it and let it pass without reacting toward it in any way.

Similarly, suppose something really annoys us. Instead of reacting to and letting it bother us, we can let it pass us by without affecting us.

This principle applies to anything positive or negative in our lives. The idea is to observe our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without getting all tangled up in them. We can become much happier people as a result.

How Is Vipassana Practiced?

Vipassana practice essentially involves:

• Calming our minds
• Focusing on our breath as it comes and goes
• Keeping still and observing the various sensations in our bodies
• Accepting our thoughts and feelings as they are, without reacting to them
• Learning to practice kindness and goodness toward ourselves and others

Residential Retreats

We know what you’re thinking—it definitely sounds hard, but the rewards can be worth it. Think of it as a physical and mental detox. 

The retreat involves the following steps:

• Sila (morality): This involves abstaining from actions such as killing, stealing, lying, engaging in sexual activity, and using intoxicating substances. Basically, what this means is that animal-based foods and products, sexual contact, and intoxicants (like alcohol, cigarettes, vapes, or drugs) are off-limits during the retreat.
• Anapana (mindful breathing): The first three days of the retreat involve meditating and paying attention to our breath as it ebbs and flows to help improve our concentration (samadhi).
• Vipassana (seeing things as they are): For the next six days, we practice Vipassana, where we learn to pay attention to the sensations within ourselves. The challenging part is to stay still no matter what, even if our noses are itching or our feet are tingling. The idea is to observe our thoughts and feelings without reacting to them (easier said than done!).
• Metta-bhavana (loving-kindness): The program concludes with a loving-kindness meditation that teaches us how to practice goodwill toward all. On the last day of the program, we can start speaking again as we transition back to our normal lives.

A day at the retreat starts bright and early at 4 a.m., with a little time to bathe and get dressed, followed by 10 hours of meditation during the day. A lecture in the evening helps us understand the experiences of the day. There are mealtimes in between with light and simple vegetarian fare.

Over the course of the program, we participate in various meditation courses and discourses. Clarifying any doubts about the program with the teachers is the only form of communication allowed.

Meditation Programs

If a 10-day meditation retreat is too big a commitment, there are also Vipassana meditation programs online that you can do at home. Some yoga studios and activity centers also offer Vipassana meditation classes.

Benefits of Vipassana Meditation

Research shows us that Vipassana offers us several physical, mental and emotional benefits:

• Lower stress levels
• Better memory
• Heightened awareness and sensitivity
• Increased mindfulness
• Stronger focus and attention
• Improved cognitive function
• More restful sleep
• Greater neural plasticity
• Improved overall well-being

Verywell Mind asked Craig Miller, a seasoned Vipassana practitioner and teacher, about his experiences with Vipassana and how it has benefited him.

"Little by little, over years of Vipassana practice, I have become happier, more understanding, more compassionate, more forgiving, and kinder—to myself and others," says Miller.

Moreover, I have been working a little bit every day to overcome my bad habits (lifelong little bad habits that we all have) and practice new, better habits of mind, using the basic principles of Vipassana as a guide, Miller adds.

How to Begin Vipassana Meditation

Thinking of giving Vipassana meditation a try? Here’s how you can get started:

• Set aside some time, ideally in the morning.
• Sit down comfortably in a quiet spot without any distractions.
• Cross your legs, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
• Close your eyes and focus on the way your breath comes and goes.
• If you get distracted, simply bring your attention back to your breathing.
• Observe the sensations in your body, as well as your thoughts and feelings, without judgment or reaction.
• Start by doing this for five or 10 minutes, then work your way up to longer stretches. Be kind and patient with yourself during this process.
  

Challenges and Insights

Vipassana meditation is many things, but easy probably isn’t one of them.

When we try to concentrate, random thoughts keep popping into our heads. We remember that we have to pick up our dry cleaning, the car’s out of gas, we forgot to send out a birthday card, and so on and so forth. Even sitting still can be hard. Our backs hurt, our feet get restless, and our palms itch.

The thought of a 10-day retreat without speaking, interacting with anyone, or using our phones can be downright scary. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal to feel this way! 

Miller says everyone faces these challenges, including him. He explains that we're not alone; even thousands of years ago, meditators faced these same obstacles of being a bit lazy, feeling too agitated to practice, having lots of doubts, being too easily distractible, or not feeling brave enough to put in the work.

We asked him for some strategies that can help us overcome these challenges:

• Research the practice: It can be helpful to study up on Vipassana and understand the practice so we know what to expect and how it works. Reading books and listening to lectures about the background theories of Vipassana can also help us work out any challenges we’re facing, says Miller.
• Visit a Vipassana center: Vipassana centers often have courses or retreats by experienced teachers. Attending a course or retreat with an experienced guide can be invaluable, according to Miller.
• Connect with other practitioners: Other Vipassana practitioners can be a helpful source of advice, support, and company. Connecting with other Vipassana practitioners can also help us feel like we’re part of a community.
• Be patient: Remember that progress is slow but rewarding. It’s important to be patient with ourselves and keep working at it. “All of these obstacles last for a while but not forever, so I just keep on trying and starting again,” Miller explains.
  

Vipassana in Everyday Life

Vipassana is considered to be a way of life, rather than just an isolated practice. In fact, practitioners often refer to it as the art of living.

These are some of the tenets of Vipassana that can be helpful to us in our daily lives:

• Mindfulness: Vipassana teaches us to concentrate on our breath, using it to anchor ourselves in the present moment and be more mindful of it. This helps us become more aware of our thoughts, emotions, and actions.
• Non-judgmental observation: Vipassana shows us how to observe our thoughts and sensations as they are, without judging them or reacting to them. This skill helps us remain calm and unruffled, no matter what is going on around us.
• Impermanence: Vipassana teaches us that all things, including our breath, thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, are constantly changing. By recognizing this fact, we learn to let go of things. Letting go of our wants, desires, conflicts, attachments, and traumas can be very freeing.
• Non-self: Vipassana helps us realize that there is no permanent, unchanging self. Instead, it teaches that our sense of self is a product of our thoughts, emotions, and sensations, which are all impermanent. This certainly helps us put things in perspective.
• Mind-body connection: Vipassana emphasizes the connection between the mind and body. By paying attention to our bodily sensations and how our minds react to them, we can learn to control them both.
• Growth: Vipassana helps us understand how both attachment and aversion can be messy and make us unhappy. Recognizing this can help us grow as people, let go of our attachments and aversions, and be happier.
• Compassion: Vipassana also encourages us to be compassionate, kind, and loving towards everyone (including ourselves!), promoting a sense of interconnectedness.
• Patience: Vipassana teaches us the value of patience and persistence. Seeing any gains from the practice often takes a lot of time and consistent effort. We can apply these values to just about any area of our lives.