Return to your sitting position on your cushion or your bench or your chair.
Take some time to get yourself comfortable,
Adjust your spine so you're sitting straight.
Check the position of the head,
Make sure that the neck is straight and tall,
Chin pointed slightly down.
Place your hands palm up,
One on top of the other,
In your laps or palms facing down on your knees.
Feel your position to be as stable as possible.
Remember we are developing a firm base and foundation for extended meditation.
This is the first of four vipassana sessions that we will do today.
Vipassana takes the elements of focus concentration developed in anapana and uses this concentration to carefully observe and analyze the experiences that we have in the body during meditation.
It is the finer sensations that appear in the body during meditation that define vipassana practice.
We approach these observations with a clear mind,
An observing mind,
A mind that does not engage in the arising sensations but merely observes them.
We observe the sensation that arises and then pass on to the next sensation that arises.
We do not dwell on the sensation as it appears.
If there is pain,
We acknowledge the pain and move on.
If there is itching,
We acknowledge the itching,
Observe it and move on.
You will find that the pattern of observation or the sequence of observations is very regular so that every part of the body eventually is covered by intense observation.
The body responds to these observations with sensation.
The sensations in themselves are thought to be the release of tensions,
Of trauma,
Of karma.
These traumas,
These karmas,
These events are stored in the body as tension.
And we observe calmly these sensations as they arise and we do not react to them.
We give a way of release of these built up tensions,
Traumas,
Samskaras so that eventually we are free from them.
As we progress in vipassana,
The body sensations become finer,
More minute,
Which means that our observation has to be even more accurate.
We may experience releases of energy as a result of these observations.
We may experience pleasant events,
Releases of energy,
Tingling,
Rushes of electric currents up and down the body.
These too are sensations.
It is not the aim of vipassana practice to chase these pleasant situations,
Avoid falling into the trap of doing vipassana meditation to achieve pleasant feelings.
Let us begin.
Bring your attention to your breath,
Your natural breathing in and breathing out,
Inhalation and exhalation.
Do not change or force your breath in any way.
Now gently focus your attention on the spots below the nose,
Below the nostrils,
Above the upper lip.
Focus your intention,
Your attention intently on this position.
When the mind starts to wander,
Discontinue any thought stories and bring your mind gently back to the one point of concentration above the upper lip and below the nostrils.
Intensely focus your attention on this one point.
Put all of your mental energy on this one point.
Make it as concentrated as you can.
Now with the energy of your imagination,
Move your point of concentration from the area between the upper lip and the nostrils to the top of your head,
To the very top of your head.
Imagine that point of concentration as an intense light,
An intense white light,
Like the fine point of a laser.
Keep concentrating on this point at the top of the head.
What sensations can you feel here as you concentrate on this point?
The feeling may be a gross sensation,
It may be a feeling of heat,
There may be some pressure,
There may be some itchiness.
Experience whatever sensation arises,
Be curious,
But do not react to the sensation,
Simply observe and see what happens,
Observe and see what happens.
Now expand your awareness around your one pointed spot.
Gradually increase the area of your observation.
We are still focused on the top of the head,
But now the area of focus is around that first position.
Scan that wider area with your intent laser focus and see if you can discover some sensation arising.
There may be heat,
There may be itching,
There may be pressure,
There may be a sense of coolness,
There may be some wetness,
There may be a sense of dryness.
Any kind of sensation that arises in this expanded area,
Simply observe,
Simply be aware.
When the sensation arises,
Note the sensation and then move on to a different area within your expanded focus to discover another sensation.
Be aware that sensations arise,
Have their expression and subside.
Arising and subsiding,
Arising and subsiding.
Now become aware of the entire area of the top of the head.
Make this your new area of concentration.
Carefully scan the top area of your head with fine detail,
With pinpointed accuracy.
Observe the laser beam of your concentration.
From one point,
Notice that there may be an area where you have no feelings arising.
Interestingly,
No feeling is also a feeling,
Expressed as numbness.
Look at this area intently.
There may be a very subtle feeling there,
A vibration,
A throbbing,
Some pulsation.
When this feeling arises,
If it does or does not,
Move on to the next pinpoint of awareness in this area.
The feelings that arise may be gross,
May be mild,
May be very subtle.
Be intensely aware.
Move your attention now to the back of the head,
To the area between the top of your neck and the top of your head,
To behind the left ear and behind the right ear.
This new area.
Focus your attention on a little piece at a time of this new area.
Use your attention to scan carefully for any sensations that arise.
You may feel the sensation of air circulating,
The pressure of wind.
There may be the sensation created by sweat trickling down your scalp,
Down the back of your head.
There may be a sensation of numbness,
A prickling sensation.
Be aware,
Focus intently.
Now bring your attention to the right side of your head.
Focus first on your right ear,
This very sensitive area of our bodies.
What can you perceive in terms of sensation along the right ear?
The edges of the ears are particularly sensitive.
As you concentrate your attention,
Be aware of the sensations that arise.
Switch your attention now to the left side of your head and especially focus on your left ear.
What sensations are arising there?
How does your left ear compare in sensitivity to your right ear?
Is one feeling more dominant than the other?
Become intensely focused on the sensations that appear around your left ear.
Focus your attention now,
Widen your perspective to gradually include the environment that you are sitting in.
Become aware of the sounds that you hear,
Gently rotate your neck,
Roll your shoulders back,
Sway your spine,
Twist from the hip,
Left and right.
This is the end of our first Vipassana session.
