26-3-15 New Vijaya Lodge, Coimbatore, India
I emerged from my meditation retreat at Dhamma Ketana in Kerala, India, with a sense of awe and rejuvenation. 10 days of Vipassanā Meditation had taken me to places my mind had never been before. It was a delightful experiment with truth. For three days, I observed the flicker of a nostril hair and for the next 7 days, I scanned my body from head to toe, closely observing subtle sensations and honing my ability to ignore objectively painful sensations and not crave pleasurable sensations. The key technique involved not reacting physically or mentally to any sensation and remain equanimous.
Origins of Vipassanā
“Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (Sanskrit) literally, “special-seeing”, “special (Vi), seeing (Passanā)”, is a Buddhist term that is often translated as “insight”. The Pali Canon describes it as one of two qualities of mind which is developed (bhāvanā) in Buddhist meditation, the other being samatha (mind calming). It is often defined as a form of meditation that seeks “insight into the true nature of reality”, defined as anicca “impermanence“, dukkha “suffering, unsatisfactoriness”, anattā “non-self”, the three marks of existence in the Theravada tradition, and as śūnyatā “emptiness” and Buddha-nature in the Mahayana traditions. ” – Wikipedia entry for Vipassanā
Recalling memories in vivid detail
As I worked on this technique, memories of past races and long runs flooded my mind. I have been experimenting with pushing my body to its limits for years, yet this meditation technique proved to be a whole new level of challenge. Sitting Indian style for 1 hour without changing posture was a task I didn’t think I could accomplish, but I persisted and made it 2 hours and 9 minutes on my longest session. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, splintering in every direction.
(Almost) No talking for 10 days
I practiced noble silence for 10 days and spoke just a handful of words. I stumbled and said “thanks” five times, said ok once, and answered two questions from the instructor. When the noble silence ended, it was strange to hear the vibration of my own voice. The course sparked my interest in observing the physical sensations experienced when one does a good deed, like the chills or tears that come with it. I felt an involuntary sense of compassion as I continued north through India. I walked 7 miles with my pack from Dhamma Ketana to Chengunnur, and couldn’t help but hope that one day we could do away with gas-powered vehicles.
27-3-15 Coimbatore Junction, Train waiting hall, Coimbatore, India
“I must reduce myself to zero. So long as man does not of his own free will put himself last among his fellow creatures, there is no salvation for him,”
-Gandhi
Hopping on a moving train
As I arrived at the train station, I saw the train starting to depart. I calmly asked passengers sitting inside the slow-moving train, “Does this go to Kochi?” “Yes,” one man replied. I hopped on the moving train and performed a few rounds of Vipassana scans for sensations as the wind blew through my hair and sun warmed my skin. I offered dates and peanuts to each beggar, but several decline, simply wanting coins. I observed the physical sensations on my body after a mother with child took a handful of dates, but I felt nothing, no chills, no tears welling in my eyes.
Observing the breath as it enters and exits the nose
As I walked down the street, I observed my breath as it entered and exited my nose, remaining calm in scenarios that would normally have thrown me off.
I have decided to continue the path of vegetarianism, and as I engaged with people on my journey, I made a point to stop and oblige anyone who said hello and drew me into conversation. Travel can lead to lonely roads, and despite the repetitive nature of small talk, I didn’t take these opportunities for friendly banter for granted. You never know what you might learn or what you might teach. The pace of life here in Coimbatore was slow, and I didn’t observe too many scenic or remarkable sights.
Dancing in a drum circle
As I walked, I came across a drum circle with 4 kids that had drawn a crowd. As I arrived, the crowd parted, and the 4 kids surrounded me with drums and enthusiastic spirits. I couldn’t resist and did a little dance jig before walking away. A small but memorable experience that added to my already rich tapestry of memories from my time in India.
