There are no mantras or visualizations or chants during the Vipassana course. From early morning till 8pm in the night, you have to focus on your breathing. For the initial three days, it's like your body is being beaten savagely with hard clubs and sharp needles. Thighs ache. Back pains. Head yells. Basically, your entire body screams in agony. You have nothing but to concentrate on the breath and your mind runs wild like a rampaging elephant on the streets. No stopping the mental madness until you hear a dull and loud clap of the bell to signal either a 5 minute break or recess for lunch.
You have no contact with the outside world in any manner as the first rule is to neatly fold your mobiles, books and wallets in a plastic cover and deposit them at the reception for the complete duration of 10 day programme. Yep. You read it right. NO MOBILES FOR 10 DAYS! IN THIS AGE! I will not decorate or sugarcoat the truth by saying it was easy for me to live without my Moto smartphone. It was extremely difficult but it was then I realized how much we have subconsciously and unconsciously got ourselves insanely addicted to our communication devices to such a degree that cell phones have become inseparable in our lives like Pizza and cheese.
Vipassana was indeed a wake up call to me to slowly detach away myself to the excess usage and addiction as I was under its control than otherwise. It was then I was able to imagined the mentalities of chain smokers and alcohol addicts when they are undergoing rehab sessions. To make the necessary adjustments so quickly was painful but there is no fruit without growth! - be it above or below the ground.
Vipassana is science as you don't have any distraction or artificial concentration points or images to become aware of not just yourself but also your surroundings as well. Much like an unbiased scientist, you are just a neutral observer fully mindful of the turbulent thoughts that comes and goes violently like the crashing of the waves against the precipitous cliffs. Unless you have a relatively strong mind, you are in for a serious mental breakdown as it happened to some which made them to leave the course in between. Vipassana is an exceptionally tough test not only for physical endurance but also for psychological stamina.
Observing all such activities, it was during one such session that I had a sensational brainwave as to why not use Vipassana as a bargaining chip to those who demand outrageous salaries during the interviews as well as have it as one of the rounds in HR to appraise how committed an individual is to the organization. Oh Yes! Not everyone can survive this ordeal. Vipassana is taxing. Demanding. Gruelling. Back-breaking. It is a psychological incisive surgery performed by ourselves on ourselves showing us the worst nightmares in broad daylight if you exactly do as what is told by the teacher.
The interviewer can very well ask the candidates to successfully undergo a 10 day Vipassana course to determine their dedication and their ability to cope up with enormous pressure in extreme conditions or situations that is usually or unusually present in a biz-environment.
After Day 5, the schedule becomes routine but the difficulty level raises which results in an increased and sustained pressure to be just a neutral observer when you experience a wide range and swell of emotions within when you start accessing the suppressed bad memories from unfair treatment of your friends, relatives etc. and its resultant oppressed feelings. By the time, you could fully transform into a free-flowing being, the course was up but not without Vipassana having a lasting impact that it could be done wherever you are and whatever you are doing as along as you are consciously aware of your breath.
The rewards of Vipassana is potent and immediately seen which is also translated into rich long-run benefits of being happy and living a healthy life. That's what everyone DESIRES, right? ;) :P
X---Concluded---X
PS:
The connection between Vipassana and Desires is that by specifically focussing on our breathing, we are able to internally see the several sensations that arises like the sun rising on the east! By having the understanding through this fructiferous yet arduous experience, you can crystal-clearly articulate your good and bad feelings and emotions so that you are relieved by the stress and tension that emotions have an effect on our bodies.
Thank you Buddha for leaving us with such a terrific and profound yet highly simple technique for us to lead a normal and happy life.
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