Vipashyana meditation is also known in the Pali language as vipassana and sometimes described as insight meditation or awareness meditation. This is an advanced meditation practice in which we call upon the qualities of presence developed through shamatha or mindfulness practice. Awareness meditation is an active investigation into the nature of mind and how it functions. It may sound like an intellectual exercise, but when practiced properly, awareness meditation circumvents intellectual pondering and provides direct insight into the nature of mind.