Vipassana

I just completed a 10-day Vipassana course.

Vipassana has changed my life. It has made me a better partner, friend, and founder.

What it is: 

• A 10-day silent meditation retreat during which you meditate for ~10 hours/day. No phones. No talking. No technology. (But you can leave the course anytime if you’re uncomfortable.)

• You don’t need any prior meditation experience - the technique is taught to you.

• Usually held at a beautiful center with phenomenal food. There’s probably a center & course near you (160+ in total).

• Free. You are welcome to donate at the end if you want but there’s no pressure to do so (in fact, you’re not allowed to donate unless you finish the full 10 days).

• You can sign up and learn more at dhamma.org

Vipassana is intense, but not as intense as it sounds, at least in my experience.

This was my 3rd Vipassana course and every time I leave feeling more grounded in myself. 

Here are some of the real practical benefits I’ve gotten out of it:

• Inner clarity on big career decisions & transitions

• A deeper understanding of myself - of what I actually value, care about, and love when it comes to relationships, career, money, food, and health. Removing yourself from society can bring so much clarity!

• More gratitude and compassion for the people I love & for myself

• A technique to reframe habitual negative thought patterns and feel more centered (less angry, reactive, sad) throughout the day

• A deeper connection to mindfulness as a way of being (and as a result, I’ve also built a regular meditation practice)

Any of the benefits above are worth the 10 days alone in my opinion. It really has been life-changing.

While Vipassana is available to anyone, I think it’s especially rewarding for people where one of the following applies:

• People navigating big life transitions (career, relationship, family, cities)

• People who have been asking themselves some deeper questions about their lives but don’t have a structure to be able to explore it

• People who feel stuck — either sad, angry, frustrated and don’t know how to unpack those emotions

• People who can take out 10 days (most of you can even if it doesn’t feel that way!)

Perhaps the most powerful part about Vipassana: you’re asked to only believe what you experience. If you don’t experience it in your own reality, then don’t believe it. 

There’s no dogma. Only your experience.

It has been incredibly rewarding for me and it’s a joy to share more about it with others. 

If you’re considering a course now or in the future and have any questions, please drop me a note.

P.S. If you’ve done Vipassana and are reading this, please drop a note about your experience! Beyond my own curiosity, it would be amazing to spread the word.\

Be happy!