Vipassana Mediitation Center — very confused

[AllenMember]

I have just completed a 10 day retreat at one of the Goenka centers. The technique taught is to focus ones attention on a scan of all parts of the body, to be aware of sensations in each part and to accept those sensations with equanimity. This is claimed to purify the subconscious mind.
This seems to be to be so different than what I have learned with TMI, that I do not know if there is a way to integrate the two or whether I simply need to choose one. Please help me out if you know about the Vipassana teachings of Goenka. Much appreciated.

[Doug TatarynMember]

Hi Allen, can you clarify where the confeusion or conflicting instructions are between the two. I may just be that there are many ways to purify the subconscious mind and also perhaps, that they are just emphasizing slightly different aspects of the same overall process.

The Goenka instructions seem valid to my experience, though the challenge is in the last injunction “accept all sensations with equanimity”. Easier said than done in many instances. There is a reason we have our own particular fears and demons… because they are what we have not reconciled in ourselves yet, hence the challenge of finding equanimity while in them. Pass them along to someone else and they may laugh at that set of “demons”, not even need equanimity.

[nekoMember]

Allen, I’ll go straight to the point: Just do TMI. Having tried both approaches, and talked with people who practice Goenka-style exclusively, TMI is much better from practically every point of view. More complete, more healthy, less dogmatic, more scientific, more pleasant, more fun, less dark-night-inducing, more conducive to the Big E. My 0.02€ worth of opinion.

[AllenMember]

The Goenka method emphasises rapidly changing the focus of attention from one body part to another, staying only as long as it takes to recognise a sensation and then to move on to another part. It feels completely different. I think I agree with Neko, at least in my experience TMI is prefereable but its hard to find alot of 10 day free meditation retreats in which you can do TMI.

[Michael DunnMember]

Hello, Allen

TMI is prefereable but its hard to find alot of 10 day free meditation retreats in which you can do TMI.

The systematic approach of TMI lends itself really well to self-practice and though I do advocate retreats when one can do them, TMI is much easier to practice alone and ensure progress through following instructions in the book.

Michael Dunn
DT teacher-in-training

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by  Michael Dunn.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by  Michael Dunn.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by  Michael Dunn.

[Meshe MooetteMember]

Good morning!

I have a soft spot for Goenka-ji retreats, having started my meditation career with them, and experienced deep benefit.

That being said, I do wish I had been introduced to the conceptual framework presented in TMI with regards to what constitutes shamatha, what defines vipassana and how ones meditation experiences translate into a map of stages.

You can most certainly apply the information presented in TMI to gauge the goals and skills that you should be working with to develop stable attention and continuous introspective awareness.

For example, if you find that you begin a body-scan practice a la Goenka-ji, and are drawn off by attention becoming fused with thought- you can apply the skills for stage 1-2-3 that work to overcome forgetting and mind-wandering (such as appreciating the “aha” moment of spontaneous return, to train attention).

I would approach this from an inclusive perspective- where do the practices compliment each other? For example, the first 3 days of a 10-day retreat are spent on annapanna- breath meditation, where the skill development presented in TMI can easily be incorporated.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by  Meshe Mooette.

[AllenMember]

Irony of ironies! I just read stage 5 of TMI and there sits the integration of the body scan into the practice. Quite a bit different than Goenka’s instructions. Case closed!

[AnaMember]

Allen,
I agree with Neko totally !!
I would add that , as I experienced Goenka’s meditation it was mainly an excellent exercise for exclusive attention concentration with equanimity. I don’t believe that just by observing physical sensations with equanimity the subconscious can be purified.

TMI not only gives as a method to progress in meditation but is a whole mind detailed explanation with scientific knowledge integrated to buddhist wisdom , a comprehensive mind system model, the subminds and how to understand and deal with them, the needed pair and very different mind activities: attention and peripheral awareness, the integration of the obtained tranquility, equanimity, joy , happiness in daily life.

I have noticed that when I have doubts regarding my meditation… distractions…etc I go to the book and can find the answer. That book requires many readings to catch all it’s wisdom.
So, TMI for me the best of the bests !!

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