Part 1/2 Why I Am Going for Vipassana During My 30th Birthday
Hello friend,
Yesterday was my last day at my full-time job of over 1.5 years.
As of now, I am not really worried about my next job.
Or the next pay cheque.
Or the next step on the corporate ladder.
I have not even completely decided on my next step.
What has been crippling me for a long time is the anxiety of turning 30 which happens next week.
The world looks extremely uncertain at the moment.
That’s why I have chosen to disconnect from the outside world and go on a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat.
By the time you read this, I’d have already taken the vow of silence and will be (hopefully!) meditating for almost 10 hours every day for the next 10 days.
Before going, I have already written and scheduled two newsletters- this one and the one next week when I am not going to be there.
Initially, I wanted to take a break.
But I thought it would be an interesting experiment to write and send newsletters in the future!
Basically, I don’t want to break my streak, that’s it! 😀
So, let’s begin the Part-I this week where I share some blogs I wrote 8 years ago after going through my first Vipassana retreat. I was fresh out of college then and was extremely curious about meditation.
What is Vipassana?
Vipassana is a term in the Pali language that literally means, “to see things as they are”. It is also known as Insight meditation sometimes.
It is taught free of cost in a 10-day silent retreat across many centers spread across the world.
However, don’t let the word “free” fool you.
It does cost every ounce of your will to go through the strict regimen during those 10 days. The routine starts at 4 AM in the morning and ends at 9:30 PM while including almost 10 hours of daily sitting meditation.
Read More About Vipassana Here
My First Experience of Vipassana
I was 22 years old when I went to Vipassana for the first time.
At that time, I just wanted to learn meditation in a proper way. To be honest, I did not have any ground-breaking insight or life-changing moments at that time.
However, in retrospect, I can see how it shaped my worldview and gave me the courage to take some uncertain, courageous decisions.
Read about my experience in detail here
One note of caution though.
They say everyone has a very different experience of Vipassana.
It is usually not recommended to have any preconceived notions or expectations as to what might happen if you decide to go there.
So, if my story does inspire you to go on a retreat, let it be only to develop the courage and mental strength to go through all 10 days.
Don’t expect similar experiences or any life-changing lessons. That could defeat its entire purpose.
If you’re in India, here is a list of 14 Vipassana centers that you can visit for a 10-day retreat.
That is all from me this week!
In the next week’s edition, I talk about turning 25 vs turning 30 and a few realizations along the journey!
Until next time
Love
Vishal
If you liked reading this newsletter, sign up to get them straight into your inbox, every Wednesday!
Most Popular Newsletter Editions
- Vishal’s Newsletter- Edition 15 Shame, Food, & Yoga of Eating
- Vishal’s Newsletter- Edition 10 Annual Review, Happiness, Paradoxes of Modern Life
- Vishal’s Newsletter- Edition 49 Regret minimization, dreams, & acting