Namaskar. Blog Part 3 covered Day 2 and Day 3 of my Meditation course. Here I am with Day 4 and onwards.
Day 4 started with a problem. I overslept. Previous night I was not able to sleep at my usual 10 PM. I fell asleep at approximately 1 AM. When my eyes opened, I noticed that it was not early morning. The clock showed 6.20 AM.
The clock alarm set at 5.45 AM did not ring because of some malfunction. I readied myself quickly and made my way to the dining area at about 6.40 AM. It was easier to select items for my breakfast. The bread was available and I was happy to have bread butter and my usual cup of tea. Back to my room at 7 AM, my mind went back to the events from last night when I had been emotionally disturbed after the snub by the teacher. But I remembered too from the discourses, that to proceed in life, yesterday is past. Forget the past and take care of today. That will take care of the future too. Taking a ride on this saying, I was relaxed. I decided to learn from the advice that I should keep my mind clean and continue with the meditation as per the directions of Guru Jee.
I went to the meditation hall at 8 AM with a positive and clean mind. The session went well. My Anapana session was quite smooth. I also noticed that I did not feel any need to move my leg. I was able to sit still for one hour. At the end of the session, I stayed on for another hour for meditation in the hall. Lunchtime followed at 11 AM as per schedule. White rice was again available. A different type of vegetable soup was on offer too. Now I would just ignore the raw leafy stuff. I picked up my two items and sat down for my lunch. I put a little rice plus the vegetable soup for my dinner in a container and placed it in the fridge. I had a good lunch, felt normal and did not feel famished. I had accepted the items available for a satisfactory lunch.
On this day, we were told in advance that the afternoon session would be from 2.00 PM instead of 2.30 PM as on previous days. We all went there in time. In a short time, the sermon by Guru Jee started. What a sweet voice! It was pure bliss. I had started enjoying listening to his voice. It gave me real peace. Gurujee directed us towards the next phase of the Vipassana meditation. In this phase we were asked to pick up a small spot on the top of our head and concentrate our mind on it. Next, we were asked to move our attention to various parts of our head. Then in order, and one small area at a time, to the forehead, face, arms, torso, legs, until we reach the toes. This would complete one full cycle
Thus, here we have to move our attention systematically from head to feet and observe each and every part of the body by feeling all the sensations that we come across. The sensations have to be observed objectively and that is, remain equanimous with all the sensations that we experience, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, by appreciating their impermanent nature. We have to keep our attention moving. Our attention does not have to stay at any one place for more than a few moments. We have to ensure that the practice does not become mechanical. We have to work in different ways according to the type of sensations that we experience. Areas of the body having different gross sensations have to be observed separately by moving the attention part by part.
When Guru Jee’s voice was directing us and I was focusing my mind on the parts of my body as per his direction, I got a very pleasant feeling in my mind and body. I do not have words to express the bliss that I found myself floating in, in that session. We had graduated from doing Anapana to Vipassana meditation first stage. At 7.15 PM we were in the room to listen to Guru Jee’s discourse. Enjoyed listening to him. His words appeared truth personified. He repeatedly asked us to think about our existing beliefs. He wants us to evaluate these beliefs and not follow blindly what has been put into our minds. And that we need to look at the beliefs rationally
This fourth day was very satisfying. This was the first day I was very happy with myself. The thought of my home, my children, my grandchildren, my bank money, and my garden etc. did not cross my mind. The world situation outside did not occur in my mind either. I did not remember the Palestine-Gaza war, the Ukraine-Russia war, No Donald Trump, no Joe Biden, no debate among them, no Narinder Modi, no Pakistan, no Cricket, no Euro 2024. All this did not cross my mind. Very blissful. Guru Jee said that for everybody individually, I was my priority. Think about ourselves. Clean our minds. Be good to ourselves. Only then can we be good to others and do good for others.
The fifth and the sixth days went very smoothly. I was well-adjusted. Earlier I would think of the course ending. Now It was routine. I was at peace with myself. On Day 7, we were advised to move our mind from Head to Toe and back from Toe to the Head in the reverse sequence. On Day 8, we were now asked to concentrate with our mind in dual function - symmetrical parts such as both arms and both legs, having similar subtle sensations that have to be observed simultaneously. If we experience subtle sensations through the physical structure, we may at times sweep the entire body and then again work part by part. This process was difficult. This put pressure on my mind. I had to slow the movement of my mind to ensure that the observation of exactly symmetrical parts of the two arms and two legs was happening simultaneously. With each session, the process is getting easier.
On both these days – 7th and 8th, we, the students, were given the option to meditate in cells for three to four sessions of one to two hours on both days. There are 72 cells adjacent to the meditation hall. Each of these cells is a small room of about three and a half feet to two and a half feet. When the door is closed, the space is completely dark. I was allotted Cell No: 30. I meditated in this cell for all the allotted time slots. It was really very peaceful and the mind remained very much sublime and the meditation was very enjoyable.
On Day 9, we were asked to try to move the mind horizontally, vertically, and crosswise to move inside the organs. While doing this we had to continuously experience subtle sensations. For me, this exercise would have to wait till such time that I am better and smooth with other exercises prior to this one.
On Day 10, we were introduced to Metta. Metta is a process to be followed at the end of an hour sitting, to relax and let any mental or physical agitation subside. Then for a few moments, focus our attention on subtle sensations in the body and fill our minds with thoughts of goodwill for all beings.
We were told that outside of meditation periods, to give our full and undivided attention to any important task before us. At the same time, we have to check from time to time whether we are maintaining awareness and equanimity. When a problem arises, if possible, we have to be aware of our breath and sensations, even for a few seconds. This will help us to maintain the balance of our minds.
At the end of the first meditation session on Day 10, we were told that we could talk to each other but to keep it low-key. The students started talking at 10 AM. It was a very cordial atmosphere. We started sharing our experiences. The conversations were subdued and dignified right into the lunch session. At 2.30 PM we were again in the meditation hall for the group meditation session. At 5 PM we trooped into the dining hall. Today was different. Students were speaking to one another and drinking tea and eating snacks was not so important on this day. Day 7 was the last day that I had kept a little eating item for my dinner. For the last three days I did not feel like taking my extra meal portion as dinner. I felt okay with no dinner.
I will continue with my final blog #5 tomorrow. In that blog, I will mention the happenings on Day 11, before we were free to return home after breakfast. And then I would also give my overall impression of the entire course and offer my help and guidance to anyone interested to know a little more of the details.
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