Dear friend,
Today is your day zero.
To begin this five-day course,
You'll need to set up a meditation journal.
You'll dedicate the first six pages,
Each representing a day of the course.
Today is your introductory day zero.
On the first page,
Using a stylish pen,
Write in beautiful handwriting,
DAY ZERO.
If you prefer,
You can record everything digitally,
But keeping a physical meditation journal will be much more effective.
Before starting the course,
It's important to familiarize yourself with the moral code and guidelines.
In Buddhism,
There's a concept called Shila,
Which means moral discipline.
And without adhering to it,
No meditation practice can truly work.
What is Shila?
Imagine you're building a house.
Before raising the walls and the roof,
You need a solid foundation.
If the foundation is weak,
The house won't last long,
The walls will crack,
The roof will sag,
And eventually,
The entire structure may collapse.
In spiritual practice,
The foundation is Shila,
Moral discipline.
Without it,
It's impossible to build the structure of true wisdom and deep understanding.
Shila,
It is a moral discipline,
Which is expressed through observing specific rules of behavior aimed at fostering harmony within oneself and with others.
Shila helps to purify your actions,
Words,
And thoughts,
Creating the right conditions for sustainable and deep spiritual growth.
Shila is not just a list of prohibitions,
It's a conscious choice to live in alignment with virtuous principles.
It includes refraining from violence,
Theft,
Lying,
Sexual misconduct,
And using intoxicants such as smoking and alcohol,
Which can cloud the mind.
But Shila is not only about abstinence,
It's also about actively cultivating qualities like kindness,
Honesty,
Generosity,
And compassion.
Why is Shila important in vipassana practice?
Vipassana is a practice of deep self-observation and understanding the true nature of reality.
But for this understanding to be clear and continuous,
The mind must be calm and focused.
This is where the significance of Shila comes in.
Without moral discipline,
The mind becomes restless and scattered because internal conflicts and moral transgressions generate anxiety,
Guilt,
And unrest.
In practice,
Adhering to Shila leads to developing trust and respect,
Both for yourself and others.
When you're honest,
Kind,
And responsible,
You become calmer and more confident,
And your mind gains stability and clarity.
This creates favorable conditions for meditation.
You can focus on your breath and observe the processes in your body and mind without being distracted by restless thoughts or worries.
Moreover,
Following moral discipline protects you from the consequences of wrong actions that can negatively affect your mental and physical well-being.
When you break the principles of Shila,
You create conditions for the arising of negative emotions such as guilt,
Fear,
Anger,
And suffering.
These emotions become obstacles to mindfulness and hinder progress in vipassana practice.
You can think of Shila as a sort of insurance for your spiritual development.
It keeps you on the path,
Preventing you from falling into a pit of negative emotions and destructive actions.
Additionally,
Moral discipline strengthens your intentions and helps you maintain determination on the path to liberation from suffering.
It's important to understand that Shila is not a limitation of freedom,
But rather liberation from thoughts and actions that cause suffering.
When you live according to moral principles,
You free your mind from unnecessary worries and concerns,
Allowing you to dive deeper into meditation with greater awareness.
Once again,
Shila is the foundation upon which vipassana practice is built.
It creates the conditions for developing concentration,
Samadhi,
And wisdom,
Paññā,
Without which it's impossible to achieve liberation from suffering.
Shila is not an end in itself,
But serves as the necessary groundwork for reaching higher states of consciousness and truly understanding the nature of reality.
Therefore,
Before beginning meditation,
It's important to consciously and sincerely embrace the principles of moral discipline.
Doing so will not only make your journey easier,
But also help you avoid many difficulties that arise for those who neglect this crucial aspect of spiritual practice.
For the entire duration of the course,
It's essential to commit to these five precepts,
As without them,
The course will not be effective.
We will follow five rules aimed at purifying the mind from restless thoughts and mental impurities,
As well as stabilizing our mood.
It's important to follow these rules with love and respect for yourself and others.
If you're ready to start the course today and take responsibility over the next five days,
And abstain from killing any living beings,
Abstain from stealing,
Abstain from sexual activity,
Abstain from lying,
And abstain from alcohol and any intoxicants,
And meditate for 15 minutes once in the morning and once in the evening,
If you're ready,
Go to today's page and write.
.
.
Thus,
I,
And write your name,
Commit to practicing meditation twice daily,
Once in the morning and once in the evening,
For the duration of the course.
I wholeheartedly accept my journey and love it in all its different aspects.
Everything is worth it.
Please,
Sign it below with your stylish pen as a symbol of the promise you've made to yourself.
This formality is very important for the course to be truly beneficial and effective.
If you're not ready to take on this responsibility today,
Find a suitable day when you feel ready to complete the course.
Thank you for your attention.
When you're ready at any point during the day,
Feel free to move on to the next audio recording.
