Thank you for describing the “Vipassana-insight technique” that you learned from the Goenka vipassana courses. You described the “vipassana aspect” as follows:
“In that technique, one has to observe/know sensations over our entire body with (as much as possible) equanimity by roaming our attention over all the parts of our body in any sequence but without missing any part. Sometimes we feel sensations on some parts and there is no sensation on other parts regardless of that our job is just to know/observe the sensations by moving mind all over the body stopping at each part for about a minute. He says there are 3 types of sensations, pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. Our job is this – to not cling to pleasant sensations and just observe and know them with equanimity(that they are impermanent and aniccha) and then move on to another body part, to not despise/dislike/hate the unpleasant sensations and just observe and know them again with equanimity and then move on to another body part, same goes for neutral sensations. This way when we observe/know unpleasant sensation with equanimity, it will carry out itself and get dissipated because we refused to react with craving or ill will towards that sensation/sankhara. Same goes for pleasant and neutral sensations, which strengthens the understanding of ‘aniccha'(nothing can be maintained as per will) as well as ‘anitya'(impermanence).”
Let me ask you the following questions:
1. Why is it called “insight meditation”? What insights does it provide? Getting an insight means understanding previously unknown aspects.
2. is it possible to experience truly “pleasant/joyful” or “unpleasant/stressful” sensations in a group session like that?
- I would think that you mostly experience a neutral state of mind, especially after starting the session with “breath meditation.”
- Some people may experience unpleasant vedana due to cramps by sitting in the same place for a long time.
- In those cases, what type of “insights” can you get?