Do I have to learn how to meditate before I go? How can I learn?

Where do I find a place like this?

If I want to do this, what are my first steps?

I recommend learning how to meditate before you go. I attempted a 10 day vipasana as a complete beginner and with insufficient research, and assumed it would be some kind of "course". Instead we were instructed on what to meditate on (first day is literally "feel the breath entering your nose"), and then expected to sit still and meditate for 11 hours a day. This vipasana (Kathmandu, late 2011) had no "optional sessions", and no additional instructions. As a complete beginner I was disappointed and frustrated - was I doing it right, is there no technique to be taught, or tips to be given?

The analogy I'd give is if I'd joined a 10 day fitness camp and the only instruction was "do deadlifts", and then you were left alone for 11 hours. What's a deadlift? Is this the right form? After an hour I feel like I've exhausted these muscles, do I really just keep doing it for ten more hours today?

After three days of this, (each day having a slightly more specific focus but still lacking in the kind of direction or confirmation I was looking for), I left. I was a stone's throw from the Himalayas, and I felt that spending my remaining time in the mountains would do more for me than sitting in a dark room feeling confused and frustrated.

I can't answer how to learn to meditate, I haven't followed it up (once burnt, twice shy). But you could try the vipasana way at home - sit in a quiet room and "feel the breath entering your nose" for an hour.

You had an unfortunate experience. Perhaps if you took a course in an English speaking country the instructions would be clearer to you, and you'd be more aware of the availability of those who you can ask for help. And the evening discourses, which go into greater depth of explanation, would be more accessible to you.

You don't have to learn anything, but it's a fairly big step to go straight for a long sit. See http://www.dhamma.org for info on intensive Vipassana courses.

For something a bit easier that you can do at home, check out this self guided course: http://palousemindfulness.com/selfguidedMBSR_week1.html

I've been meditating off and on for most of my life, and it's probably been the best thing I've done for myself. Reading is a good way to go for some, and the book Mindfulness in Plain English [1] is a place good start. His other books are really good, too. Especially "The Four Foundations of Mindfulness". There are many other good books about meditation, so feel free to look around. Spend some time at a book store and see what strikes you.

When I was starting out I especially liked Shinzen Young's [2] teaching style a lot. He's been meditating for a long time, taught math and comparative religions at a university, and he does an excellent job of presenting Eastern meditation in a way that an educated Westerner can understand.

There are a lot of resources available online, but you might try poking around in the Something's Happening [3] radio archives for KPFK. Tuesday and Thursday night they play talks from Alan Watts, Shinzen Young, and a lot of other people. Some of the talks are extremely hokey, full of New Age gibberish, but some of them are really good and it's a good way to get exposed to a range of teachers. Go to the archive page and search for "Something's Happening" and give it a try. There's also an Alan Watts program that good, too.

[1] http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html [2] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shinzen+young [3] http://archive.kpfk.org/

I had never mediated before...A few instances of 20 minutes that were guided, but never 'for real'. I went in not really knowing what I would be asked to do or how it worked. For me, that worked wonderfully.

I generally tend to fail magnificently at first and then flourish very quickly after making all the rookie mistakes all at once.

If you have questions, don't be afraid to use the question sessions to speak to your teacher. If it seems like the instructions are too simple, you might be overthinking it. It's all about letting go after all.

I've signed up for a 10-day course in mid August and am stoked about what I'll gain and also about the sheer difficulty. Could you talk more about the long-term effects of Vipassana on your body/life?

I did it first in 2011. I've only done one session. I've tried to go back a few times but have created barriers in myself to doing so.

It will do me more to go back to Vipassana than any single thing I can do for myself. It puts you at the center and you just follow along, being true.

As far as long-term effects, I came out of the experience glowing. Heat didn't bother me. I saw clearly. The afterglow lasted for about three months. Slowly, I became a little bit agitated by things that didn't bother me during the period of afterglow. If I had continued to meditate regularly, I would have been fine. Centered. Since I didn't...Because I made excuses for myself...I'm in a not so great state these days. And yet, if I found myself again in the state after Vipassana, if I took care of myself and meditated, I would be in a much better mental state.

It does great things, but it's not a cure-all. It changed my life more than anything else has and is immensely powerful. It introduced me to myself. For that I will always be grateful. And I hope I respect myself enough to go back soon.

I loved the clarity of thought that experience gave me. It is interesting how we both went thorough the same phases. The immense calm, the slow agitation and then excuses.

I even went back for a short 4 day course but the 10 day one was the best.

I hope you can go back once more and then continue the practice afterwards.

I meditated today. Gosh was that nice. Thank you for your kind wishes and your shared experiences.

If it was benefecial, why didn't you do more of it..

Surely as rational people that is the course to take?

I see the same with my Yoga practice... touchwood, I am mostly healthy and I should do more Yoga but somedays I am looking for reasons not to do my usual tiny practice..

Is it cause we don't make the outward connection between the practice and our wellbeing?

PS : thinking aloud and trying to see if I am alone in this...

You are certainly not alone. I both meditate (sometimes) and practice yoga (intermittently), and while both make me feel great and have noticeable effects on my productivity, they're both so much damned work. Once I miss a few consecutive days, its easy to miss a few more.

Brb going to meditate, even though its past my bedtime and I've got a couple glasses of wine in me.

I've reached the point with my yoga practice (usually at least twice a week for almost 2 years, now) where I feel like crap if I don't get on the mat.

That's a pretty compelling motivator to keep up with it.

Had a few moments of such afterglow. And then the anguish. And then the thought that, is that not ok too? That the point is not to live in an eternal state of bliss, but to be more forgiving and compassionate when we do slip. And not let it cause any anguish. Though we might be talking about different things here haha.

I had also taken a 10-day course about two years ago. It definitely has had a lasting impact on the way I think about things, in similar ways as mentioned above. I developed a deeper ability to see all of the conveniences of modern life as, well, conveniences. I think more than anything, that has stuck with me.

Also, the meditation itself can be used to calm and focus me during stressful times, but like any exercise, it must be practiced. I haven't probably given it the necessary diligence.

I'd like to emphasize more than anything that the teaching truly does its best to be a force above creed and philosophy. I was very skeptical about it going in. Much of the instruction does not expect you to take anything on blind faith, and all its asking is for you to become a more compassionate individual. There's no proselytizing, or expectation of money in any way. All donations which run the facilities are done in private, and it was maybe mentioned once.

Consider the class as teaching you how to exercise. Nothing comes easy, any gain you have comes from the effort you put in.

Same here. It was difficult at first but became a very beautiful experience.

Personally, I found it easy. I live mostly in my head anyhow, so not talking wasn't a big deal to me. And before I went into it, I told myself that solitary confinement would be much worse and that this is a vacation where I get fed and just have to be quiet and try something new. Also, it was recommended by someone I respect very highly, so I was convinced it was worthwhile before ever going.

It was difficult the first 5 days and then suddenly something clicked. It was all sunshine after that :)

I tried Vipassana on my own while I was a student (it was much easier to get stretches of peaceful time). I read the instructions from a book and managed to get into a different state of mind in about 45 minutes or so.

Is there really some point in sitting and trying it all day long? I mean, if you cannot "get" it within an hour, aren't you doing something wrong? Or it takes different length of time for different people?

What was your experience? How long it took you to get into the other "state"? Were you able to get into it much faster afterwards?

It took me about a week. And it totally caught me off-guard. I had no expectations going in.

It definitely takes different people different amounts of time. And if you are suffering, it is that much more difficult because you have pain that is holding you with attachment.

I'm not able to get into that state very quickly at all...I haven't been in that state for years actually.

Do you continue to sit?

Today I did for the first time in awhile. These conversations reinvigorated me to do so. Regularly though...I haven't been.

>Is there really some point in sitting and trying it all day long? I mean, if you cannot "get" it within an hour, aren't you doing something wrong? Or it takes different length of time for different people?

Disclaimer: I am more a follower of Zen Buddhism.

There is no right or wrong. The goal of this, any other forms of Buddhism, is satori. It can take some people a year, some people a lifetime, but at the end, practice and satori are one.