Catch the dragon
notes from a 7 day silent Buddhist retreat about 90 minutes south of Minneapolis
Catch the dragon
This retreat focused on Vipassana meditation, which is a practice that involves seeing things as they are. It is one of several techniques in Buddhism, including Anapanasati (mindfulness of breath), Samatha (concentration/tranquility), and Metta (loving-kindness). There is also something called Jhana we didn't get into.
Vipassana involves observing the body and mind moment by moment to experience the three truths of impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha), and selfless (anatta). The focus of this retreat was mainly on impermanence.
When a sense (such as sight or smell) or thought is triggered in our consciousness, it leads to perception and a label or categorization of positive or negative. This can then lead to a sensation arising in the body based on how the input is perceived, which can drive an impulse to act (either mentally or physically). Example: I smell something, I perceive the smell as cookies a good thing, I have the sensation of a watering mouth and impulse that I am hungry.
Sense/Thoughts → Perception (label/categorization of +/-) → Sensation in the body → Act
If a sensation is pleasant, I want more of it. If it is negative, I try to avoid it. If it is neutral, I become bored and look for something else for my mind to do. However, all sensations are temporary. The craving for more of what is pleasant, the avoidance of what is negative, or the restlessness of needing to do something else when unstimulated are all temporary and unfulfilling (cause suffering). By reacting in these ways, we reinforce these sensations' power over us (habits). This concept cannot be fully understood by reading about it but must be experienced through practice. Sometime on Day 3, I could observe myself as separate from my thoughts and intellectually understand impermanence but not viscerally.
Comments
Post a Comment