Know thyself. Be happy. Vipassana

  Intense. Challenging. At times excruciatingly painful. But ultimately gratifying. It took a bit of thought to decide how to address the experience of Vipassana meditation. I think it may take some time to process it fully.

  Taught by Buddha some 2,500 years ago, the Vipassana technique was reintroduced to India by S.N. Goenka in 1969. A man with a kindly face and a rich baritone of a voice, the great teacher leads by example, with compassion and patience. The non-sectarian Vipassana attracts students from all faiths, introducing a simple method, or dhamma, to find the happiness from within. First through anapana, or concentration of the mind with a focus on respiration, and then through equanimous observation of the body's sensations, the aim is to eliminate all anxieties, impurities and negativity which pollute the subconscious level of the mind in order to slowly, though steady practice, achieve happiness. It retrains the mind to simply observe the reality, as-is, within the scope of our own body, and thus control our reactions by eradicating craving and aversion, the two causes of all misery.

  The practice adheres to a strict schedule. A gong and tinkling bells woke us up at 4AM every morning for 12 hours of meditation and discourse. You can imagine the discomfort. The conditions were almost spartan, with basic accommodation, cold bucket showers and bland food. Considering there's no requirement for remuneration, however (the center is run on donations), you cannot complain.

  The physical discomforts were of little importance, though, given the other challenges. The course required complete (Noble) silence of speech, body language and gestures. All reading and writing materials as well as any phones and wifi-enabled devices had to be placed in storage. No exercise was allowed, although some may argue that the strain of continuous sitting was enough. Free time was most likely occupied by walks from one side of the complex to the other, observation of nature and wildlife, and the heavenly lunchtime naps. For ten days. Vipassana, as compared by Goenka-ji, is a delicate operation of the deepest levels of the mind. In this vulnerable state, the complete isolation becomes almost unbearable. Every single woman I spoke to at the end was ready to pack at one point or another.

  The effects of the meditation on my state of mind are very subtle at this time, since only continuous practice can assure lasting happiness. After all, Rome was not built in a day. I find myself richer, calmer, steadier, with more patience and objectivity than before. All traits much valued when dealing with a country such as India. I've met some wonderful women, all connected in this meaningfully shared experience. The happiness at the end, as promised, was moving, a tender moment that wouldn't leave me for days. I still lack the appropriate words to relate it to others.

My schedule

  After the long ten days, I reunited with my bejbe (full of stories of northern India) to explore Jaipur, 1/3 of the Golden Triangle. Almost mechanically, we performed a standard tour of the major attractions. The Amber Fort was the most fascinating, as the lack of proper directions allowed us to get lost in the maze of rooms, halls and courtyards. The unexpected company of Eugenia from Argentina only made the afternoon more pleasant.

Turbans galore

Snake-charming, illegal in India

Amber Fort

Munching on Eugenia's sandwich

Palace on the Lake

Come into my shop

  Since we are no big fans of big Indian cities, we escaped the next day to Jaisalmer, a town bordering Thar Desert in western India. We are excited to jump on a camel and spend a quiet night in the desert. Till then!