The meaning of Vipassana is to ‘see oneself’. This valuable, ancient practice was once used to free the Buddha and his disciples from internal pain and to fully awaken them into the present moment. As an awareness meditation, Vipassana does not involve mantras or focus on breath, making it the perfect style of meditation for everyone, from beginner through to expert.
Dating all the way back to the 10th century, after a cycle of degeneration, Vipassana was rediscovered by the Buddha over 2500 years ago, making it one of the most ancient, and sacred insight meditation techniques in the world.
Vipassana was reintroduced in Myanmar during the 18th century by Medawi, a Buddhist monk. Medawi was one of modern day Vipassana’s first practitioners and has been credited for the interest in today’s popular Vipassana movement. Another notable figure in the Vipassana movement is Satya Narayan Goenka. A Burmese- Indian teacher of Vipassana, Satya Narayan Goenka became an influential, award winning teacher in his lifetime. He has been credited for establishing many meditation centres globally and today he is looked up to as a master of Vipassana meditation.
The practice of Vipassana meditation is one of calm introspection and self-purification, using the breath to calm the mind, eradicate pain and rationalise distress. With the aim of observing an acute awareness and truth realisation, Vipassana can be freely practiced by anyone with the aim of personal awakening.
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