In the present world, everyone is busy with their responsibilities and duties. To relax at the end of the day or to ensure a fresh start, meditation can be a great tool. These practices not only bring peace but also ameliorates mindfulness. While there are multiple ways to meditate effectively, Vipassana Meditation can be one of those types that can bring about a lot of insights and edges.
So, What are the benefits of Vipassana Meditation? Can it be practiced at home? We will dive into all the details you are looking for in this post. Read through these lines to get enlightened with the ancient technique.
What is Vipassana Meditation?
Vipassana is one of the oldest meditation practices followed by Buddhists. It became popular in recent times in many parts of the world. In traditional terms, Vipassana implies “Seeing things as they are”. This implies that Vipassana Meditation is the process of seeing things in a special way to balance & interpret emotions and thoughts. This way the individual can mitigate sobbing over the happenings around.
The aim of this style of meditation according to Gunaratana (A Srilankan Monk ) is learning to see the "reality of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness of phenomena."
Why is Vipassana meditation important?
Vipassana Meditation is special and eminent not only because it is one of the oldest techniques taught by Buddha, but also because it ensures several edges. With the objective of keeping the mind free from the stress of work and the future, this technique teaches individuals to interpret reality in the actual sense. Apart from this, here are some benefits that Vipassana Meditation ensures:
This approach can be a good fit for relieving stress.
It is a popular belief to understand meditative techniques are helpful in reducing stress. Vipassana has research-backed proof for the same. Roberta A Szekeres[1] conducted research in 2014 to evaluate the effect of Vipassana Meditation on personal stress levels and well-being. The candidates have been evaluated before and after a 6-month meditation course. The research team found lower stress levels in those who took the course after six months of practice.
-
Vipassana has abilities to rehabilitate addictions.
By diving deep into the self, one can ameliorate their levels of empathy and self-awareness. These attributes can help a person rehabilitate from addictions. Nualnong Wongtongkam[2] made a pilot study to see how Vipassana meditation can impact female drug users in Thailand. The group interviews of these people showed a developed self-awareness, moral values, and better comprehension of right/wrong acts.
Addresses Anxiety issues in Individuals.
Due to overwhelming responsibilities in the workplace or in family life, anxiety-related issues have been growing in recent times. Thankfully, opting for Vipassana Meditation can bring about relief from devastating anxiety levels. Sunita Dhule[3] did research to analyze the effect of Vipassana on anxiety levels. This study conducted on 15 healthy persons of 30-45 years denoted that regular practice of this technique can reduce daily anxiety levels- thereby enhancing well-being.
-
Helps in better brain processing
To accomplish tasks within time efficiently or deal with people, brain processing is very important. Quick decisions and effective strategic planning are part of the same. Vipassana Meditation ensures to bring about serenity and makes the brain ready to react appropriately to situations. Catherine I. Andreu[4] made research to evaluate the mid-frontal theta activity of vipassana practicing individuals. The results found that the practice of this meditation can improve response inhibition- thereby controlling emotional reactivity.
Vipassana Meditation as Medicine
Practicing such techniques can have multiple health advantages. Fascinatingly, it can be a cure for conditions too. Here is an example: Sangram G Patil in his 2009 research[5] found that Vipassana comes with good quality randomized traits making it a good heal for Chronic Low Back Pain(CLBP).
Vipassana Meditation for Beginners
A complete beginner can start meditation effortlessly at a basic level. Understanding some fundamentals and regulations can make anyone dive into the practice. Here we put forward steps suggesting the best mix of factors to create an easy Vipassana session in the comfort of your home:
Choose the right place
For any mental or physical exercise, an appropriate location plays an important role. For mindfulness meditation, one may choose a park or lawn with no disturbances. Even a serene room with good ventilation can also work. The main objective is to ensure the place is all set for meditation.
Sit comfortably
In case you decide to practice the session on a lawn, sitting on the grass can be a noteworthy idea. Having direct contact with grass can help to reduce the levels of stress hormones. If you practice it on indoor premises, ensure to have a yoga mat or any cloth before you sit. Sit cross-legged, and also ensure to keep your back straight.
-
Starting the process
Once you are comfortable with the location, posture, and leg position, start by closing your eyes. As you exhale and inhale, focus on the breath so that you can sense the peace. You can also focus on the rise and fall of the belly while breathing. Now, reach your inner mind, recall your thoughts, and sensations and try analyzing them without dwelling on them.
What do I do in case of Distraction?
Even though you make sure to keep the session distraction-free, there is still a chance of sudden interruptions. In this scenario, without getting frustrated try addressing them and get back to the session to continue. It is fine to take a break to retreat to ensure efficiency.
5 minutes a day can be a great start!
In common thought, it is observed that a 30-minute session can be effective. But, shorter sessions are fine to start with. Putting aside 5 minutes before you start your day and being consistent in ensuring the same can be an admirable start. It is not often easy to gain focus initially, but being consistent can bring about needed change.
Role of Vipassana meditation Center
If you are looking for professional Vipassana training, then a Vipassana meditation center can be your choice. These are academies administered by experienced monks to train the techniques of Vipassana. Some may call the training a vipassana course, while others know it as a Vipassana meditation retreat.
These academies focus on teachings to ensure that individuals should be strong enough to deal with their anxiety levels. There are multiple grounds that make the Vipassana meditation center handy for aspirants.
First, they ensure better knowledge and application of Vipassana Practices
Second, enrolling in a Vipassana Meditation Retreat can be a good idea to spend vacations
Third, getting in touch with monks can create scope for the individual to interact with them. This way, aspirants can ask any life lesson query and discuss them.
Additional Insights
Being mindful through Vipassana Meditation can be essential for many people with stress and anxiety conditions. While individuals can start the practice right at home, enrolling in a Vipassana meditation retreat or vipassana course can give a better experience. You can enroll in a 10 day Vipassana retreat to taste the difference. People already practicing these techniques comment on their Vipassana experience. These insights can help you to get clarity about the strategy you must implement. Finally, make note of all the edges to understand why Vipassana is so famous.
References:
[1] Szekeres, R. A., & Wertheim, E. H. (2015). Evaluation of Vipassana meditation course effects on subjective stress, well‐being, self‐kindness and mindfulness in a community sample: Post‐course and 6‐month outcomes. Stress and Health, 31(5), 373-381.
[2] Wongtongkam, N., & Bhavanaveeranusith, P. (2019). A pilot study of Vipassana meditation with female drug users at a rehabilitation centre, Thailand. Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities.
[3] Dhule, S., Gawali, S., & Lomate, A. (2014). Effect of vipassana meditation on state and trait anxiety scores. Indian J Basic Appl Med Res, 3(4), 243-247.
[4] Andreu Cafati, C. I., Palacios García, I., Moönne Loccoz, C., López Hernández, V., Franken, I., Cosmelli, D., & Slagter, H. (2019). enhanced response inhibition and reduced midfrontal theta activity in experienced Vipassana meditators.
[5] Patil, S. G. (2009). Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation (Vipassana) in the management of chronic low back pain. Indian journal of anaesthesia, 53(2), 158.
Nice.
ReplyDelete