What is Vipassana?

The entire practice is mental training.

Just as we use physical exercises to improve our bodily health, Vipassana can be used to develop a healthy mind.

Vipassana, a profound meditation technique passed down through generations, originally began with the Buddha himself. Today, we’re fortunate to have a lineage of teachers who continue this tradition. These teachers were personally chosen and appointed by the late Mr. S.N. Goenka, an influential figure from India who was deeply inspired by his training in Burma (Myanmar).

During his time in Burma, Mr. Goenka learned Vipassana from his esteemed teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, a respected government official. After 14 years of rigorous training, Mr. Goenka received Sayagyi’s blessing to become a Vipassana teacher himself when he moved to India in 1969.

Mr. Goenka dedicated his life to sharing this technique with people from all walks of life, across both Eastern and Western cultures. To meet the increasing interest in Vipassana, he began appointing assistant teachers in 1982, expanding the reach of this transformative practice.

Before passing away in 2013, Mr. Goenka set up a robust system for training and selecting future teachers, ensuring that his legacy would continue. Thanks to his vision, the light of Vipassana will keep guiding people for generations to come.

Vipassana, meaning “to see reality as it is,” is one of India’s oldest meditation techniques. It offers a path of self-transformation through deep self-observation, focusing on the intricate connection between mind and body. By paying close attention to physical sensations, which reflect the state of both body and mind, practitioners can gain insight into how mental impurities arise and how to achieve a balanced, compassionate mind.

Through this self-exploratory journey, Vipassana helps dissolve mental impurities, leading to greater awareness, self-control, and inner peace. It reveals the underlying patterns that shape thoughts, feelings, and sensations, offering a clear understanding of how to overcome suffering and enhance well-being.