To abstain from evil, To do good, To purify the mind. Simple objectives but so difficult to practice. Learning the Technique To learn Vipassana it is necessary to take a ten-day residential course under the guidance of a qualified teacher. During the retreat students remain within the course site, having no contact with the outside world. Reading, writing and all religious practices are suspended.
Students follow a demanding daily schedule, which includes about ten hours of sitting meditation.
Individual meditation then continues and the teacher checks students on their progress. A two-hour break in the middle of the day gives meditators an opportunity to rest, do their washing or exercise outside. The teacher is available for individual student interviews at this time. Meditation and checking continue in the afternoon. After the final session of group meditation, a taped evening discourse by S.N. Goenka clarifies each day's practice.