| Why
is the course ten days long?
How
many hours a day will I be meditating?
How
much does the course cost?
I
can't sit cross legged. Can I meditate?
How
can I be sure I am capable of doing the meditation?
Do
I have to be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana?
Why
is a course conducted in silence?
Why
is the course ten days long?
Actually, the ten day course is the minimum; it provides an essential
introduction and foundation to the technique. To develop in the
practice is a lifetime job. Experience over generations has shown
that if Vipassana is taught in periods of less than ten days,
the student does not get a sufficient experiential grasp of the
technique. Traditionally, Vipassana was taught in retreats lasting
seven weeks. With the dawning of the 20th century, the teachers
of this tradition began to experiment with shorter times to suit
the quickening pace of life. They tried thirty days, two weeks,
ten days, down to seven days--and they found that less than ten
days is not enough time for the mind to settle down and work deeply
with the mind-body phenomenon.
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How
many hours a day will I be meditating?
The day begins at 4:00 a.m. with a wakeup bell and continues until
9:00 p.m. There are about ten hours of meditation throughout the
day interspersed with regular breaks and rest periods. Every evening
at 7:00 p.m., there is a videotaped lecture by the Teacher, S.N.
Goenka, which explains the progress of one's experience through
the course. This schedule has proved workable and beneficial for
hundreds of thousands of people for decades.
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How
much does the course cost?
According to the tradition of pure Vipassana, courses are run
solely on a donation basis. Donations are accepted only from those
who have completed at least one ten-day course with S.N. Goenka
or one of his assistant teachers. Someone taking the course for
the first time may give a donation on the last day of the course
or any time thereafter.
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I
can't sit cross legged. Can I meditate?
Certainly. Chairs are provided for those unable to sit comfortably
on the floor.
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How
can I be sure I am capable of doing the meditation?
For a person in reasonable health who is genuinely interested
and willing to make sincere effort, meditation (including "noble
silence") is not difficult. If you are able to follow the
instructions patiently and diligently, you can be sure of tangible
results. Though it may appear daunting, the day's schedule is
neither too severe nor too relaxed. Moreover, the stability of
other students practicing conscientiously in a peaceful and conducive
atmosphere lends tremendous support to one's efforts.
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Do
I have to be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana?
People from many religions and no religion have found the meditation
course helpful and beneficial. Vipassana is an art of living,
a way of life. While it is the essence of what the Buddha taught,
it is not a religion; rather, it is the cultivation of human values
leading to a life which is good for oneself and good for others.
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Why
is a course conducted in silence?
All students attending the course observe "noble silence":
that is, silence of body, speech and mind. They agree to refrain
from communicating with their co-meditators. However, students
are free to contact the management about their material needs,
and to speak with the instructor. Silence is observed for the
first nine full days. On the tenth day, speech is resumed as a
way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life. Continuity
of practice is the secret of success in this course; silence is
an essential component in maintaining this continuity.
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