Vipassana
meditation, or insight meditation, focuses on seeing things as they are. It
comes from Theravada, which is Buddhism’s oldest school of thought.
Vipassana practitioners
seek to understand things as they truly are, observing the world from a state
of tranquility, awareness, and mindfulness. Instead of focusing on a specific
object or mantra, Vipassana meditation involves using consciousness to remove
distractions.
The ultimate goal,
through years of practice, is to remove the distractions that prevent a person
from seeing reality. In so doing, a person can achieve liberation, which is a
shared goal of all Buddhist philosophies.
As with other types
of meditation, Vipassana meditation may offer health benefits,
including reduced depression and anxiety.
In this article, learn
more about what Vipassana meditation is, what it involves, and how to try it.
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What
is Vipassana meditation?
The word Vipassana means
“insight.” As such, Vipassana meditation focuses on seeing things for what they
really are by turning inward to the mind, body, or both. Practitioners
consciously focus on removing distractions from their thought process,
consistently sharpening their attention.
The goal is the eventual
removal of all distractions, making it possible to attain a state of liberation
or enlightenment.
Origins of Vipassana
meditation
Although Vipassana comes
from Theravada, which is a Buddhist tradition that is thousands of years
oldTrusted Source,
this meditation technique is fairly new.
In the early 20th
century, Myanmar was under the rule of the British. As a colonized country, its
local culture and traditions were under threat. In response, Buddhist leaders
decided to revive many Buddhist traditions and teach them to the general
public.
Previously, the main
practitioners of meditation in Southeast Asia had been monks and nuns. During
the Vipassana movement, though, laypeople began to learn. The technique they
used became known as Vipassana meditation.
Over time, instructors
taught Vipassana meditation further afield, and the technique spread throughout
Asia and to the United States.
Benefits of
Vipassana meditation
The National Center
for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source reports that meditation, in general,
may offer several benefits, including:
- easing some symptoms of anxiety
- reducing blood pressure, in some cases
- helping with some menopause symptoms
- improving quality of life and mental health for
people living with cancer
Researchers have also
tested Vipassana meditation specifically and identified some potential health
benefits. However, many of the studies are small and only include a low number
of participants.
Larger-scale studies are
necessary to confirm all of the possible benefits of Vipassana meditation.
Cognitive
performance
A small 2019 study found
that skilled Vipassana practitioners who meditated prior to a task showed a difference
in brain waves compared with novices. This finding suggests that the practice
may change the way the brain functions, potentially helping improve cognitive
performance.
Memory
A small 2020 study found
that Vipassana meditators had different patterns of memory consolidation while
sleeping. The researchers found that regular meditators had a lower density of
sleep spindles in the occipital region of the brain. Sleep spindles are a type
of brain wave that occurs during non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep.
The authors speculate
that this may mean that meditation serves a similar function to sleep when it
comes to memory.
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Coping
with cancer
As with other types of
meditation, Vipassana meditation may offer some benefits during cancer
treatment.
A small 2020 study looked
at the effects of practicing Vipassana meditation for 1 month after 1 month of
training. Over the course of the trial, the participants in the practice group
saw significantly greater improvements in measures of stress and psychosocial
functioning than the participants who received no intervention.
These results indicate
that Vipassana meditation may increase quality of life or reduce stress in
people living with cancer.
Risks of
Vipassana meditation
Vipassana meditation is
a low risk activity that is unlikely to cause physical harm. The only exception
to this is when a person uses meditation as a substitute for medical care.
However, any form of
meditation can have mental health side effects. These effects may occur because
preexisting mental health conditions can become more apparent when someone sits
quietly with their thoughts.
In a 2017 studyTrusted Source involving
342 people, 87 reported experiencing negative effects of meditation. These
effects included:
- worsened anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder,
or psychosis
- manic symptoms
- dizziness
- consciousness
The effects ranged in
severity, but in most cases, they were temporary and did not cause people to
stop meditating or seek medical attention.
How
to practice Vipassana meditation
Achieving liberation via
Vipassana meditation takes years or even decades. The goal is not immediate
perfection, but rather practice and steady improvement.
Many meditation centers
offer classes on Vipassana meditation. A person can also try it at home by
following these steps:
- Set aside 10–15 minutes.
- Find a comfortable, quiet place to practice with
few distractions.
- Sit comfortably on the ground. Breathe normally,
but be mindful of each breath. There is no need to count the breaths,
envision anything, or think specific thoughts.
- Be mindful of sensations that occur around the
body and thoughts that enter the mind. When they arise, notice them and
allow them to pass without trying to judge or analyze them.
- Continue this practice, focusing on inner
consciousness, for the rest of the meditation. If a distraction appears,
calmly notice the distraction but then refocus the attention on the
breath.
Meditation may feel
difficult at first, but a person will start to find it easier if they maintain
a consistent practice every day.
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Comparison with other types of
meditation
A person can practice many different types of meditation.
Although it will not work to do two types of meditation simultaneously, a
person can practice different meditation techniques at different times. Some
other meditation techniques include:
- Mindfulness
meditation: As
with Vipassana, this technique focuses on mindfulness and awareness in the
present moment and does not require a person to use any specific mantras.
However, Vipassana focuses more on drawing the attention inward.
- Loving kindness
meditation: Loving
kindness meditation encourages people to contemplate kind, loving thoughts
toward others and themselves. Vipassana does not encourage any specific
thought process.
- Zen meditation: Similar to
Vipassana, Zen meditation focuses on creating generalized awareness and
minimizing distractions. However, unlike during Vipassana practice, a
person keeps their eyes partially open during Zen sessions.
- Transcendental
meditation: This
meditation requires a person to repeat a specific mantra that an
instructor has given them throughout each session. Like Vipassana
meditation, the goal is enlightenment, but a key difference is that transcendental
meditation requires
someone to get lessons.
- Movement-based
meditation: Several
types of meditation, such as qigong and yoga, use movement
to cultivate awareness, control breathing, and help a person turn their
focus inward. Vipassana is a quiet, still meditation that does not involve
specific postures or thoughts.
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