Dear Brother Chia & Sis Foo
Many thanks for allowing me to share my Vipassana Meditation experience here. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sister Gin, Brother Chia & Sister Foo & family members, Sister Kelly and all the other helpers who have taken care of me during the Meditation Retreat. Without your help and caring, I really couldn’t do my meditation well and smoothly. I thank my teacher sister Gin, for her guidance, teaching vipassana meditation and the interview sessions which were very valuable to me.
This Vipassana Meditation Retreat was a precious event in my life. I experienced a lot of things which I never know before and they were very amazing. I really couldn’t believe it sometimes when I reflected on it, on hindsight but it happened. In my busy life, I do all my activities very fast because I don't like to waste time and am lazy to use my mind to think. During the retreat, my walking & eating, in fact all my motions slowed down. I really tried to be aware of every motion I was doing. It was a very clear movement as I noted it, and my mind was empty. I tried not to look around as I know that if my eyes see things on account of that seeing, some thoughts will come up in my mind. Actually, every process of our movements can be noted if we try to be focussed.
On the 2nd day during sitting meditation, I experienced the rising falling like a very big wave going up and down, up and down very fast until my chin. I could not handle it because that was very fast, but when I really noted it, the rising falling became smaller and smaller waves and slowly went into my stomach. It then slowly disappeared.
Another clear experience was the momentary itchiness on my head. It came suddenly and i noted it. As soon as I noted it disappeared but appeared again on my head but on the other side. This went on for a few times. The itchiness always disappear whenever i noted it and I felt like it was challenging me. I just know I noted it when it came and it disappeared promptly. I also experienced pain on my thigh, hand, ear and back also, it came I noted it and it disappeared. After that, I noted my lungs/chest going outward and inward, and my diaphragm moving up and down when I breathe in and breathe out.
Lastly I had a very strange experience. I saw my head (float) which is just my head and my two eyes closed appear in front of me(sitting), I could not see my nose, mouth, ears, just could see my head and two closes eyes only(floating in front), i know that was "me"( in front), and this image go away slowly and disappear. Strangely I was aware all the time that I was still sitting there watching all this happening.
I do not know how to explain this experience more clearly though I have tried to.
I want to add something here. Basically, everyone can practise vipassana well, if they are really intent on doing it. One important reminder - just need to let go of all worries and mental burden (empty your mind). Then really put in your effort. If you can’t make it for 2 days retreat, 5 minutes is also worth the effort. You can at least get 5 minutes of Dhamma wealth and joy. Then accumulate all those 5 minutes of wealth & joy, we will become very rich in Dhamma later on. This wealth is unique because nobody can steal it from us. It is our real property.
I just want to tell everyone " you must try to meditate yourself as only you yourself will gain from the benefits later". Meditation is indeed very amazing!
“Sukhi hontu”
With metta,
Libby
Sis Gin,
ReplyDeleteFor our benefits, perhaps you could explain a little Sis Libby's experience in particular as regards the "floating head"? The understanding of such experience I believe will inspire others to strive harder. In one of my previous retreats, the teacher, a Canadian monk, (after having been requested by the yogis) shared his vipassanā meditation experience in Burma whereby he has undergone some very special experience. The next day he reported to his teacher (a Sayadaw) who just asked him: "Have you noted it?" He replied: "What? I thought I was already in Nibbāna!" Apparently, he was at the stage where he experienced the defects of Nibbāna. The significance of this experience was that it inspired yogis like me to strive harder because it demonstrated the efficacy of the practice (albeit not until Nibbāna yet). It also reinforced the confidence that this practice as taught by the Buddha is achievable, in this very life!
chia
This is just a mental vision (nimitta)which usually occurs in meditation of any sort or even any kind of concentration exercise. Visions are of endless variety and some are bizarre or weird. In the initial stages of samatha or vipassana practice it is not uncommon for yogis to have visions of seeing one's double or an out of body experience like those NDEs. It is created by the mind and therefore the objects are not real. It is similar to your dreams.
ReplyDeleteYou may have mistaken the phrase here..it is cannot be 'defect of Nibbana'
(as Nibbana is unconditioned ultimate reality and can never be defective). My guess is he said "defects in vipassana knowledge" (vipassana upakilesa).
I commented and gave some advice to Sis. Libby during the retreat but when she reported this particular experience in the iterview session,there was not enough time to explain further so I have written my advice to her elaborating on this experience. You can ask her if she would like me to post the advice and comments i gave, on this blog.