I often
have people say to me that they couldn’t do a Mahasi
course. It would be too hard. I am at pains to say that as a beginner (or false
beginner - those who stop and start) you can dip yourself slowly into the hot
bath. You don’t have to scald yourself!
Email from Philip:
This email from Philip is
especially inspiring because it answers a regular question of how can we bring
the Mahasi technique into our everyday lives. You
cannot note all you are doing especially when it is something your have to use
your head for such s adding up bills. But the use of noting to still thought during daily tasks is especially skillful.
And to bring ourselves back to the default position of 'just sitting', 'just
standing' is a great aid to reserving energy for motions tend to snowball into
the activity.And from that poise to intend the the 'next thing to be done'.
"I
am trying to keep thought at bay in all daily physical tasks, and am deploying
the noting technique into activities. I think it has required me to come
home from the retreat and "switch on" thinking in order to succeed in
developing a naming system for various motions. For example, the day
before yesterday, I developed a naming system for general motions around the
house (reaching [for an object], moving/lifting/rotating /pushing/pulling [an
object], placing [an object], for example).
I
realised that developing such a set of names involves many decisions, such as
how finely to sub-divide a complex motion, when to name a complex motion as a
whole ("turning") rather than sub-divide it ("shifting",
"turning foot", "shifting", etc.), and exactly what words
to use (neither too long nor too short). Somehow, I wasn't able to
develop new names well at the retreat, I think because I needed to have my
thinking fully switched on in order to do so, and I didn't realise this was the
case.
The noting is a great help --- I only need to switch it on and thought goes
away and I come into the action; if I note more carefully (e.g. when chopping
vegetables, if I note even the intermediate movements of reaching [for veg], rotating [veg], moving
[knife] placing [knife], cutting down, sliding back, etc.), then all tension
drains away.
I am now entering the world of work which, for me, means (largely) carrying out
tasks that involve thought in some way. I find myself in the curious
position of being calm and without the sort of agitated energy that normally
drives me to begin work on some task. I now need to learn how to focus
and work on a task in a new, calm way.
Philip Goyal
Email from Max:
Max came on a week’s course
with virtually no knowledge of the Buddha’s teaching nor
of any experience of meditation. I asked him to send an email about his
experience so as to encourage others who may have doubts about coming. His
email shows that such ‘hardships’ as sleeping only 6 hours and not
eating after midday are not arduous when you are practising vipassana.
As for his praise of my teaching and the food, well you’ll have to take
that as it comes! So please don’t let fears of ‘not being good
enough’, stop you from coming.
I found
out about Satipanya just by chance. And I'm so happy
I did!
I've been
always curious about Buddhist philosophy , but I never
had the chance to get into deeply. I was particularly interested in some form
of meditation, but I had no experience at all. Anyway, someone, by chance
(Karma?), put me onto Satipanya.
I first
checked it out on the website and I found it interesting - the Mahasi course. I said to myself,
"That could be what you looking for ". And so I booked for a week
retreat.
When I
got there I met Bodhidhamma straight away. After few
minutes I was relaxed and comfy already ! I don't even
remember the last time I had a similar sensation.
At the
beginning I was a bit worried because I had no experience, and the schedule was
very different from the way that I normally live. For example
, no eating after midday. What ?!? I'm ITALIAN.
Its part of my culture – eating. How can I do that ?
Go to bed at 21:30 and wake up at 03:30?!? I live in
But I was wrong. From day one, following Bodhidhamma’s
advice and teachings, I really had no problems at all. Not with sleeping time,
and not even about eating! Well .. I have to say,
Pete’s (Satipanya manager) "cuisine"
was very good. He love's cooking - and you can tell that!
Meditation
periods, sitting and walking, were just a natural process during the day. Being
aware of everything, or at least trying! And also the Noble Silence. What a
wonderful thing!
Talking
about the meditation itself I have to say that I had some problems sitting for
so many hours at the beginning, but no-one forced me anyway.
Bodhidhamma is a very genuine person, no matter who you are or where you come
from, he will talk to you in a way that you'll remember for your entire life .. believe me!
First of
all I think he is a talented teacher. I mean he could have taught me how to
play a piano , or how to dance Salsa , or how to make
a wardrobe from the Ikea leaflet .. whatever. He's gonna teach till
you get it straight. But apart from that, which is good enough, he is a man who
helped me a lot with my mental states.
I learned
a lot from him, And since I got back to my
"normal" life, I'm just living in very different way. The Mahasi course really helped me. I'm definitely more relaxed
about everything and I try to understand what I'm doing (which sometimes is not
easy) and I have a different vision about a lot of things.
I'm not
rushing anymore like I was doing before. Well, maybe I’m still doing it a
little bit, but with awareness!
Last but
not least ... Wales ... what a lovely place! Hills and sheep are your
landscape. Lovely place to work out what's going on inside
your mind.
I'm
looking forward to going back as soon I have got some spare time. Maybe for a contemplative course if I have only a couple of days.
I could
stay here talking and writing about Satipanya for
hours, but you may be getting bored.
My advise
is: if you're interested, GIVE IT A GO ! You won't be
disappointed.