Enlightenment

I just spent the last 10 days meditating! Onno and I left for a Vipassana course in Belgium on Wednesday, June 21st and came back Sunday morning July 2nd. Yeah, that includes June 30th, my birthday...

Vipassana is a meditation technique developed by Buddha some 2500 years ago. Put very simply, it works through concentration on the breath and on sensations in the body. The objective is to develop equanimity (balance) and avoid craving and aversion... Well, ok that description really does not do the technique justice but you can read more on www.dhamma.org

The only reason for having decided to take the course was basically interest, curiosity, broadening of horizons, that kind of thing... Onno was going (for the 3rd time) and asked me along... Why not? So we went.

Now, you should know that during such a 10 day course you meditate some 10 hours a day! 3 of these hours you cannot move at all. You are not to communicate at all, with anyone, for the first 9 days! It's really, REALLY hard! But, it's also very effective. You really create space for yourself to look at yourself and to work through some issues. It's a cleansing of body and mind. Restoration of harmony. VERY GOOD

But the pain!... :S
As you sit (trying not to move a muscle) you develop A LOT OF PAIN in your back (and sometimes legs as well). The idea is to just observe this pain (and all other 'normal' sensations) objectively, with equanimity and without emotion. This will then help you to reduce the craving and aversion for all things, which is what makes people unhappy (that's the theory, more or less).

Anyway, it was a very interesting experience which definitely gave me new insight and lots of peace. Not easy but highly recommended for all those not yet fully enlightened :)

Oh, after coming back on Sunday morning we spent the day on the beach, in the sun, drinking wine. Aaaah! :)