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2/12 – Hanging out on the beautiful sand beaches of Goa.

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Igatpuri, India -Dhamma Giri, also known as the Vipassana International Academy, is the main hub for all the vipassana meditation centers throughout the world under the teaching of S.N. Goenka. Located in Igatpuri in the state of Maharashtra, India, the garden-strewn campus is set in a dry desert bluff climate reminiscent of the American southwest. There are several large pagodas surrounded by rows of individual meditation cells. There are a number of larger dhamma halls for group meditations and discourses, and men and women are completely segregated into different areas. It’s a slick and comfortable operation, accommodating hundreds of students per course. There is also a separate facility for old students engaged in long term courses, up to 90 days and even longer. The kinks of some of the less-established centers have all been worked out, and I found Dhamma Giri to be incredibly conducive to serious meditation. There are very few distractions, and even though there were hundreds of people at a time sitting in the main hall, they all seemed to be working very hard.

This was my fifth 10-day course and, in spite of (or maybe because of) the comfortable efficiency of the place, it was my roughest sit so far. I worked hard and without much internal or external distraction. The difficult part of meditation is also its greatest benefit: you get a real good look at yourself. The veils of delusion are systematically stripped away, and you stare unblinking into the truthful mirror, which can be alternatively deep and dark and sometimes far too bright. I went through it, boy, I can tell you. It ain’t easy. But in the end, there is no question; it is the single best thing I do for myself. Facing the reality of self and world. Looking at it. Seeing it. It is a process of purification, a refiner’s fire. It hurts like hell, but in the end, you emerge with a much greater degree of equanimity and awareness. So much happens in 10 days, it would take volumes to write it all down. But here are some notes and thoughts arising from this particular course. For a more detailed account of vipassana in general, some necessary background info, and a document of my initial experiences, see my original vipassana post.
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