This article has a simple objective to give an insight into the beginners on how to practice the vipassana meditation at home, office or any other place. This short pocket guide helps you to understand the basics of vipassana meditation and the tips to practice it at home. Daily 10-15 minutes of the vipassana meditation will bring new energy & mindfulness in you. Let’s start with some basics of the Vipassana meditation.
What is Vipassana Meditation?
Vipassana is one of the oldest forms of meditation. It is around 2500 yrs old. Vipassana meditation is a practice for purifying & subtle the mind of the mental factors that cause suffering and sorrow. This simple technique does not invoke the help of a god, spirit or any other external power, but relies on our own efforts.
Vipassana is an insight that cuts through conventional perception to perceive mind and matter as they actually are: impermanent, unsatisfactory, and impersonal. Insight meditation gradually purifies the mind, eliminating all forms of attachment.
Insight meditation is concerned with the present moment— with staying in the now to the most extreme degree possible.
How to Practice Vipassana Meditation at Home or Office?
Place For Meditation
Find a suitable place for the meditation which is free from any kind of interruptions and comfortable to sit. In the office, you can find a small corner or you can practice on the chair.
Clothing To Wear
Wear loose & comfortable clothing during practicing of the meditation at home. You can try the meditation robes also for the practicing of meditation. In the office, there is less flexibility to change the clothes in this case you can loosen your belt & remove your coat to get comfortable for the vipassana practice.
Sitting Postures
You can try following meditation postures are suitable for sitting meditation at home or office:
- Half lotus; 2. Full lotus; 3. Crosslegged tailor fashion; 4. Legs bent with one leg in front; 5. Kneeling on a meditation bench; 6. Sitting in a chair.
During sitting you can also use the meditation sitting cushions to get a proper sitting posture most comment meditation cushion is “zafu” it’s is quite popular in the practicing of Zen meditation. , half lotus, is the one most often used by the Buddhist meditators. The legs are crossed and the right foot rests on the left thigh. This position is appropriate for most mediators. When using a chair for meditation in office, keep your feet flat on the ground and try not to let your back touch the chair. If you need to change posture because of discomfort, do so slowly and mindfully, observing the intention to move before shifting the body. don’t let your back slump too much. On the other hand, you shouldn’t sit so straight that you tense the body.
The Start
Beginners to close their eyes, which allows for easier concentration. But sometimes concentration becomes stronger than mindfulness. In that case, opening the eyes may help disperse the excess concentration and bring the two factors into balance again. Only momentary concentration is needed for insight meditation. Occasionally a meditator may experience disturbing mental images, in which case it may help to open the eyes.
Meditation Exercise
Now start with the basic exercise of the vipassana meditation for the beginners known as rising & falling of the abdomen. Place your hands in your lap, palms facing upward, the right hand on top of the left. Now, Close your eyes.
Next, direct your attention to the abdomen, an inch or two above the navel. Place your mind there. The point should lie along the vertical midline of the body. Now start breathing as you breathe in, the abdomen expands; as you breathe out, it contracts. In meditation, these movements are called, respectively, “rising” and “falling.”
As the abdomen rises, observe the motion from beginning to end with your mind. When the abdomen falls, do the same. That’s all there is to it. Just keep watching the rising and falling movements. You don’t have to do anything to them.
As you do the breathing exercise, restrict your attention to what is occurring in the immediate present moment. Don’t think about the past or future—don’t think about anything at all. Let go of worries, concerns, and memories. Empty your mind of everything except the abdominal movements occurring right now. If you can watch your abdomen rising and falling one time, you can practice insight meditation.
By practicing 10-15 minutes daily Vipassana meditation will keep you mindful, keep you conscious & alert which helps to create a good focus on your daily activities.
For beginners, you can join our online vipassana meditation program specifically designed for the beginners free of cost, where you can learn and practice Vipassana meditation with the help of videos, audios & text tutorials. So just sign up here Or You can Download Free E-Book on the Vipassana Meditation here.
