The meaning of 'vipassana' means
seeing things the way they are. Being one of the oldest methods of meditation
in India, Vipassana Meditation also means insight
meditation.
This method, taught by Buddha
about 2500 years ago, tries to understand the true nature of a person by
closely exploring their feelings and senses. This method of meditation is the
basis of all Buddhist meditations. Vipassana, also called the art of living,
can be defined as training the mind and going deep into one's own life. It is a
meditation method based on the observation of a person in their own lives and
their deep thoughts about themselves. Vipassana is a practice that is looking
for answers to basic questions about a person.
What is Vipassana Meditation?
Vipassana meditation dates back
to 2500 years ago. There are texts written in India related to Vipassana
meditation. Vipassana means discovering and seeing things as they are.
According to Vipassana meditation, life consists of layers. It is possible to
see these layers clearly only by meditating.
How to Do Vipassana Meditation?
Vipassana meditation requires
another action that is not needed in other meditations. To do Vipassana
meditation, we need to put everything aside. We need to get rid of all the
prejudices and clichés.
We aim to achieve purification
through Vipassana meditation. Purification is a way to get rid of taboos where
we can be open to everything we will learn and experience. During this
meditation, we should not forget the fact that the human mind is fluent. In this
meditation, where we need to be more open to everything around us, we may get
trapped in a cycle of ideas, perceptions, and beliefs. However, Vipassana
meditation requires clarity of mind.
Breathing techniques are
important in Vipassana meditation. In this practice, breathing and mental focus
proceed in a coordinated manner. It is possible to train our perception and
attention by focusing on any object. However, we must be aware of the
sensations of our bodies when breathing and exhaling. This is also important
for recognizing our bodies and seeing our perceptions.
How to Strengthen Your Attention
Span during Vipassana Meditation?
In this meditation, it is
necessary to concentrate on the mind and thoughts. We need to observe what's
going on inside. We must clear our fears, thoughts, beliefs, let these thoughts
leave our minds. We need to relax our minds.
We need to pay attention to a
place or an object and keep an eye on our breathing at the same time. Those who
have difficulty following their breaths can focus more carefully by separating
their breaths as the beginning, middle, and end.
Alienate yourself from your own body as if you are following a body belonging to someone else. Detect and label your feelings and thoughts. This is one of the most important details in the Vipassana technique. You should begin to meditate by gathering all the attention on your abdomen or legs. The labeling can be done according to abdominal movements such as saying, “The abdomen is rising; the abdomen is falling”. If you also come to focus on your thoughts at the same time, you should continue labeling by saying that "The mind is thinking".
After focusing on the thoughts and labeling these thoughts, focus again on the movements of the abdomen. The way to get rid of the thoughts that come while sitting in meditation is to focus. If you get depressed because you can't focus or your mind is full of thoughts, this situation will distract you from meditating. Therefore, try to complete meditation by focusing only on that moment, without reacting to any thought.
