Questions & Answers About the Technique of Vipassana Meditation

Why is the course ten days long?

Actually, the ten-day course is the minimum; it provides an essential introduction and foundation to the technique. To develop in the practice is a lifetime job. Experience over generations has shown that if Vipassana is taught in periods of less than ten days, the student does not get a sufficient experiential grasp of the technique. Traditionally, Vipassana was taught in retreats lasting seven weeks. With the dawning of the 20th century, the teachers of this tradition began to experiment with shorter times to suit the quickening pace of life. They tried thirty days, two weeks, ten days, down to seven days--and they found that less than ten days is not enough time for the mind to settle down and work deeply with the mind-body phenomenon.

How many hours a day will I be meditating?

The day begins at 4:00 a.m. with a wakeup bell and continues until 9:00 p.m. There are about ten hours of meditation throughout the day, interspersed with regular breaks and rest periods. Every evening at 7:00 p.m. there is a videotaped lecture by the Teacher, S.N. Goenka, which provides a context for meditators to understand their experience of the day. This schedule has proved workable and beneficial for hundreds of thousands of people for decades.

What language is used in the course?

The teaching is given through recordings of S.N. Goenka, speaking in English or Hindi, together with a translation into a local language. Tape translations exist in most of the major languages of the world, including English. If the teachers conducting a course do not speak the local language fluently, interpreters will be there to help. Language is usually no barrier for someone who wants to join a course.

How much does the course cost?

Each student who attends a Vipassana course is given this gift by a previous student. There is no charge for either the teaching, or for room and board. All Vipassana courses worldwide are run on a strictly voluntary donation basis. At the end of your course, if you have benefited from the experience, you are welcome to donate for the coming course, according to your volition and your means.

How much are teachers paid to conduct courses?

Teachers receive no payment, donations or other material benefit. They are required to have their own private means of support. This rule means that some of them may have less time for teaching, but it protects students from exploitation and it guards against commercialism. In this tradition, teachers give Vipassana purely as a service to others. All they get is the satisfaction of seeing people's happiness at the end of ten days.

I can't sit cross legged. Can I meditate?

Certainly. Chairs are provided for those unable to sit comfortably on the floor because of age or a physical problem.

I'm on a special diet. Can I bring my own food?

Students who come to courses can choose from the food provided in the center, and are asked to refrain from bringing food from home. Most people find the choice is ample and they enjoy the simple vegetarian diet. If your doctor has prescribed a special diet, let us know in advance and we will see whether we can provide what you need. If the diet is too specialized or might interfere with meditation, we might have to ask you to wait until you can be more flexible.

Can pregnant women attend courses? Are there any special arrangements or instructions for them?

Pregnant women may certainly attend, and many women come specifically during pregnancy to take advantage of the opportunity to work deeply and in silence during this special time. We ask pregnant women to ensure they are confident that their pregnancy is stable before applying. We provide the extra food they need and ask them to work in a relaxed way.

Why is a course conducted in silence?

All students attending the course observe "noble silence" — that is, silence of body, speech and mind. They agree to refrain from communicating with their co-meditators. However, students are free to contact the management about their material needs, and to speak with the instructor. Silence is observed for the first nine full days. On the tenth day, speech is resumed as a way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life. Continuity of practice is the secret of success in this course; silence is an essential component in maintaining this continuity.

Can I be confident that I am capable of doing the course?

Most participants successfully complete the course. You will need to be able to follow instructions and participate in a group setting for ten days. The course does require hard, serious work but if you are in reasonable physical and mental health and willing to make a sincere effort, the course will be manageable.

Is there anyone who should not participate in a course because of a physical condition?

If you have questions about whether your physical condition or limitations would make it difficult to participate, please write to the email address on the ‘Contact Us’ tab for the Centre responsible for the course you are interested in.

Is Vipassana intended to cure physical or mental illness?

No. Vipassana is not a cure for illness, but it can help to reduce the mental suffering that may accompany it. With the technique of Vipassana, meditators learn how to reduce negative habit patterns of the mind and cope better with their reactions to life events, including physical and mental difficulties and illness. Vipassana meditation is not a treatment or therapy; the teachers and volunteers are not medical, psychological, or counselling practitioners, nor caregivers.

How about depression, anxiety, panic or PTSD? Can Vipassana cure these?

If your experience of depression, anxiety, panic or PTSD is overwhelming, with a significant impact on your daily life, the best thing may be to work with a health professional. The purpose of Vipassana is not to cure illness but to reduce negative mental habit patterns.

Can Vipassana make people mentally unbalanced?

Although most people report improvements in their mental well-being after participating in a course, reaction patterns one may have experienced in the past could resurface. Previously unknown mental reaction patterns may also arise, potentially resulting in uncomfortable thoughts and sensations. Participants must be in good physical and mental health to be able to use the practice to work with these. It is important for you to let us know your mental health history when you apply for a course.

Do I have to be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana?

People from many religions and no religion have found the meditation course helpful and beneficial. Vipassana is an art of living, a way of life. While it is the essence of what the Buddha taught, it is not a religion; rather, it is the cultivation of human values leading to a life which is good for oneself and good for others.

Why do I have to stay for the entire ten days?

Vipassana is taught step by step, with a new step added each day to the end of the course. If you leave early, you do not learn the full teaching and do not give the technique a chance to work for you. Also, by meditating intensively, a course participant initiates a process that reaches fulfillment with the completion of the course. Interrupting the process before completion is not advisable.

Is it dangerous to leave a course early?

The point is that leaving early is shortchanging yourself. You don't give yourself a chance to learn the full technique and so you won't be able to apply it successfully in daily life. You also interrupt the process in the middle rather than letting it come to the proper conclusion. To get home a day or two early, you waste all the time you have invested.

How about the tenth day, when talking is allowed and serious meditation stops? Can I leave then?

The tenth day is a very important transition back to ordinary life. No one is permitted to leave on that day.