Vipassana, also known as insight meditation, is training in bringing a clear mindful attention to our moment to moment experience. We begin by relaxing through the body and then resting attention with the breath – or some other sensory anchor – and allowing the mind to settle. Then we open to whatever is predominant or calling our attention – sensations, emotions, sounds – meeting each arising experience with a clear, kind attention. The gift of this process is discovering balance in the midst of the changing flow, and gaining deep insight into the nature of reality.
Most of us value honesty yet are not aware of how regularly we avoid facing what’s difficult inside us, and how we are less than truthful with others. This talk explores the practice of radical self-honesty as the grounds of being more honest with others, and bringing more love and freedom to our lives. We close with a quote by Danna Faulds from her book:
Beginning with physical sensations, knowing them as impermanent and insubstantial, then opening to sounds and mental activity; simply recognising experiences being known, without identifying with them as I, me, or mine
An overview of the seven awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy (pītī), tranquility, samādhi and equanimity, and how these work together to support conducive conditions for insight to arise
