Sam, I smiled when I heard you recommend changing the toilet roll at a retreat. I just spent new year's eve meditating and chanting with the monks at my local monastery. I changed the roll! 🙂 Now I need to get into the habit of doing that more consistently at home, and reduce my wife's suffering! 😉
Thank you for your tips. I’m planning on a 10 day hopefully in January 2024. Unfortunately wasn’t able to get time off from work this year. I so deserve it. 😅
#9 is very important. I did my first retreat in 2020 and felt incredible bliss during the last three sessions. When that feeling didn't continue outside of the retreat I grew frustrated and gave up meditating. Three years later, I have finally understood the need for equanimity and have started meditating again. Going to my second retreat in two weeks!
Hi Sam I’m 62 years old it took me 20 years 3 time to be able to do one full Vipassana just passed last weekend but your tips help me a lot especially tip number four and tip number nine I’m been doing Meditation for over 20 years but Vipassana was more than a wonderful experience it cannot be explained it could only be lived thank you from the bottom of my heart you save my journey and by the way I did change five rolls of paper to keep everybody HAPPY.
So glad to hear Ray. Thank you for sharing your experience and coming back to the video to let me know it helped, that's very thoughtful. All the best!
wrt #5 about continuity. One of my favorite hours to practice was during the discourse. I would treat it as as a strong determination sit. This amounts to an extra 11hours over the course of the week and it also allows to train yourself to focus on the breath/scan while listening to the discourse. It's a great tool for after you leave. I noticed after my first retreat that everyone would lay down or slouch during the discourse and you could tell they were zoning out.
Yes (to the posture video). Favourite tip is doing everything in a meditative state: super imporant on retreat,,,, every moment is a moment of practice
I had an amazing visualisation while meditating on day 7. There was this huge golden figure that seemed conscious. There were golden particles coming away from and joining into the figure. It was unreal
Great video Sam, really useful tips!! Did a 3-day retreat recently and finding my second time approaching the technique to be significantly more enjoyable
I love tip 9. Chasing that pleasant sensation is what ruins a lot of meditation session. Even if you don’t have it on top of your head, it’s still there. And that causes way more frustration than anything else.
Hi Sam! Thank you for making this video! Having come back from my first retreat, I definitely agree with most of your tips. I like the tip of not over analyzing your sensations the most. Your bonus tip of changing toilet paper roll comes off funny but it actually has a deeper meaning of being considerate for others. Definitely true when there’s nothing to do, and cannot talk, there were agitated moments in my mind similar to what you had mentioned. Good for you that you have volunteered your time to be a course manager. Just very glad to see your genuine videos on vipassana because there are not a lot out there. With a lot of metta to you! ;)
This video is awesome! I’m doing a 10-day course starting tomorrow and this was so helpful and just perfect and cool that I found this thank you for the great tips 👍
Thanks for this list! My favorite so far #6! I tend to do that quite a bit! :) I'm going to my first10-day Vipassana next month and I am grateful for your list! I feel I have a better sense of managing my expectations. Thank you again!
Really like the tips! But I see so many people getting attached to their showers hot or cold! I would never make a shower routine TBF. I will shower when I need to shower. Usually the nose will decide when that is 😅
I like tip #5. Practice at all times. When you are not on retreat do you practice at all times, rather than just the 2 x 1 hour sits a day? Are you always trying to be mindful of your breath or aware of sensations?
Good to hear from you Lee :) hope your practice is coming along nicely! Thanks for sharing, yeah it's funny how the mind - once formally sitting - can subtly justify falling back into being lost in thought once you stand up. Yeah just mindful of any object. Breath is the most common as Goenka teaches but it could be any sensation.
I hate how the goenka tradition doesn’t like to talk about the maps, most of the time people hit the A&P on their retreats and then leave and sink into the dark night only to roll up the mat and never practice again. This would probably be prevented if people were warned.
Yeah for sure man. Makes sense, was told only 1% of students return for a second retreat. Also heard something interesting in a podcast with Daniel Ingram about how Goenka oddly had such a presence when teaching that he largely prevented Dark Night episodes just from pure transference. He just radiated Metta. Now that he's not around there's a bit of controversy in niece pragmatic dharma spheres toward whether it's ethical about not talking about path models 🤨
@@SamRoff hmmmm seems bad to me. My theory is that they just assume most people won't be dedicated to practice enough to even hit those stages on the POI but they are clearly wrong haha
Be sure to let me know which tip you found of value. Happy meditating!
All tips are useful..
@@vaibhavvmisal Glad to hear it man!
Sam, I smiled when I heard you recommend changing the toilet roll at a retreat. I just spent new year's eve meditating and chanting with the monks at my local monastery. I changed the roll! 🙂
Now I need to get into the habit of doing that more consistently at home, and reduce my wife's suffering! 😉
Thank you for your tips. I’m planning on a 10 day hopefully in January 2024. Unfortunately wasn’t able to get time off from work this year. I so deserve it. 😅
#9 is very important. I did my first retreat in 2020 and felt incredible bliss during the last three sessions. When that feeling didn't continue outside of the retreat I grew frustrated and gave up meditating. Three years later, I have finally understood the need for equanimity and have started meditating again. Going to my second retreat in two weeks!
Hi Sam I’m 62 years old it took me 20 years 3 time to be able to do one full Vipassana just passed last weekend but your tips help me a lot especially tip number four and tip number nine I’m been doing Meditation for over 20 years but Vipassana was more than a wonderful experience it cannot be explained it could only be lived thank you from the bottom of my heart you save my journey and by the way I did change five rolls of paper to keep everybody HAPPY.
So glad to hear Ray. Thank you for sharing your experience and coming back to the video to let me know it helped, that's very thoughtful. All the best!
wrt #5 about continuity. One of my favorite hours to practice was during the discourse. I would treat it as as a strong determination sit. This amounts to an extra 11hours over the course of the week and it also allows to train yourself to focus on the breath/scan while listening to the discourse. It's a great tool for after you leave. I noticed after my first retreat that everyone would lay down or slouch during the discourse and you could tell they were zoning out.
I was confused about whether to focus on sensations or incidents etc leading to the sensation. That helped me. 😊
Thank you🙌
Thanks for the tips I'm going on my 1st 10 day vippasana course this month I'm a little nervous but I guess that's normal.
Yes (to the posture video). Favourite tip is doing everything in a meditative state: super imporant on retreat,,,, every moment is a moment of practice
Thanks J, and yes so important! The loss of momentum of practice isnt really talked about that much. Very valuable
I had an amazing visualisation while meditating on day 7. There was this huge golden figure that seemed conscious. There were golden particles coming away from and joining into the figure. It was unreal
10 hours until my vipassana practice begins. Thank you for your tips! I’m sure they will come in handy.
You're very welcome Florina. Make best use of the time! Let me know how it went for you on the other side ;)
I have my first retreat coming up in a couple of months and love that I have found your channel to prepare me. Thanks a lot for the great content!
Great video Sam, really useful tips!! Did a 3-day retreat recently and finding my second time approaching the technique to be significantly more enjoyable
Thank you very much
I love tip 9. Chasing that pleasant sensation is what ruins a lot of meditation session. Even if you don’t have it on top of your head, it’s still there. And that causes way more frustration than anything else.
I am going to do my first one in Michigan! Wish me luck!!
Going to my first vipassana retreat in 5 days. Thank you for the valuable insights! :)
Awesome tips...thank you so much Sam as I will be attending a Vipassana Meditation in a months time. 🙏🏼
YES
Hi Sam! Thank you for making this video! Having come back from my first retreat, I definitely agree with most of your tips. I like the tip of not over analyzing your sensations the most. Your bonus tip of changing toilet paper roll comes off funny but it actually has a deeper meaning of being considerate for others. Definitely true when there’s nothing to do, and cannot talk, there were agitated moments in my mind similar to what you had mentioned. Good for you that you have volunteered your time to be a course manager. Just very glad to see your genuine videos on vipassana because there are not a lot out there. With a lot of metta to you! ;)
Yes. Make video about your pose for meditation
yes
This video is awesome! I’m doing a 10-day course starting tomorrow and this was so helpful and just perfect and cool that I found this thank you for the great tips 👍
Yes
Yes!
Thanks for this list! My favorite so far #6! I tend to do that quite a bit! :) I'm going to my first10-day Vipassana next month and I am grateful for your list! I feel I have a better sense of managing my expectations. Thank you again!
No 5
Yes, I definitely appreciate advice on meditation postures 🙏🏻
You're welcome Catherine
Very insightful, thanks a lot
Thank you so much! All tips are great especially #5 and #6!
You're very welcome! Glad you found it helpful
Yes, please share your posture :D
Thanks for your interest!
Tip no 7. My favourite 😀
Thanks for sharing ;)
Thank you! I loved the tip about meditating even when you're not in the meditation hall. Going to my first retreat in 1.5 weeks
Love it Miranda! What a great opportunity :)
A new subscriber here! Thank you for the video! You seem so amazing! ❤️
Thanks Sam
I'm 13-hours away from my 10-day course. This is also my third course. My last being back in 2012.
What an amazing opportunity to delve deep and discover your true nature. Make best use of the time brother. Please let me know how it goes 🙏
How did it go??
I signed up for one starting very soon! But I'm super active and I'm doubting my ability to sit still for 10 hours per day for 10 days!
Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome friend
@@SamRoff just returned from my 1st 10 days vipassanna course . Thanks to you for this helpful video .
Be Happy !!!
Really like the tips! But I see so many people getting attached to their showers hot or cold! I would never make a shower routine TBF. I will shower when I need to shower. Usually the nose will decide when that is 😅
Yes: posture video please
I like tip #5. Practice at all times. When you are not on retreat do you practice at all times, rather than just the 2 x 1 hour sits a day? Are you always trying to be mindful of your breath or aware of sensations?
Good to hear from you Lee :) hope your practice is coming along nicely! Thanks for sharing, yeah it's funny how the mind - once formally sitting - can subtly justify falling back into being lost in thought once you stand up. Yeah just mindful of any object. Breath is the most common as Goenka teaches but it could be any sensation.
😊🖐️👍🙏🙏🙏
I hate how the goenka tradition doesn’t like to talk about the maps, most of the time people hit the A&P on their retreats and then leave and sink into the dark night only to roll up the mat and never practice again. This would probably be prevented if people were warned.
Yeah for sure man. Makes sense, was told only 1% of students return for a second retreat. Also heard something interesting in a podcast with Daniel Ingram about how Goenka oddly had such a presence when teaching that he largely prevented Dark Night episodes just from pure transference. He just radiated Metta. Now that he's not around there's a bit of controversy in niece pragmatic dharma spheres toward whether it's ethical about not talking about path models 🤨
@@SamRoff hmmmm seems bad to me. My theory is that they just assume most people won't be dedicated to practice enough to even hit those stages on the POI but they are clearly wrong haha
@@louissjoel making a vid on this topic right now brah, stay tuned. Amongst other criticisms I have.
@@SamRoff looking forward to it brotha!!!
No.
Netty pot