Meditation is an activity that more and more people practice, and it has been shown to have numerous advantages for those who practice it.

While there are many types of meditation from various cultures, some of the most popular have come from the Eastern tradition. One of them, originally from India and which in turn serves as a basis for other current practices such as mindfulness, is Vipassana meditation .

What is Vipassana meditation?

Vipassana meditation is a type of Buddhist meditation (although of Hindu origins) originating in India, which the tradition considers was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha after centuries of loss. It is one of the oldest known forms of meditation, and is based on personal purification and transformation through self-observation. In fact, Vipassana means, roughly, to see things clearly or as they are.

This is a type of meditation based on the strengthening of concentration and attention on one’s own being , focusing first on the breath and then deepening the sensations of the body and mind. It is necessary to take into account that this meditation, although it has relaxing effects on the practitioner, does not focus on numbing the body but on facilitating the connection between the body and the mental processes.

Vipassana meditation has been expanding to the rest of the world, with various centers and retreats teaching it for free. As the essence of religion is still very present in many of them, generally in these centers a previous period of ten days is required without killing, stealing, having sexual relations and consuming psychoactive substances, and during the time the course lasts the subject must not speak, read or write, or communicate. The individual is asked to be completely self-centred.

How do you practice?

Once you have seen what it is, it is relevant to know how it is practiced. To begin with, l he person sits on the floor, in principle with his legs crossed and his back straight (although the specific posture may vary or it is even possible to sit on a chair if we have health problems that require it). It is not essential to close your eyes, although it makes the process easier.

After that you should start trying to reach a state of calm, through breathing . We must focus on following the flow of air when inhaling and exhaling and the sensations it generates, trying not to stop at other elements that may be distracting. It is not a question of forcing the breath but of focusing on observing how it is produced. This process is known as anapana, and its main objective is to sharpen consciousness and calm our mind.

Once this is done, we will gradually notice the sensations, perceptions, thoughts and emotions that surround us, being important not to focus and work on them but simply to observe how they arise and pass. This aspect is called Vipassana meditation per se, in which we will go through our whole body from head to toe to observe the different sensations of each part.

The concentration is focused on each body region , without operating on it. There is no judgment, not even labeling or reflection, only observation. It is about witnessing what goes on in our mind and body without interfering with it. This aspect is much easier said than done. If we stop observing to take action in one of the elements, it is advisable to return to the breathing.

Behind the body comes the mind: we can go by observing our thoughts and emotions, without judging them , just letting them flow. We can also focus on our surroundings, feeling different sensations such as temperature, light, smells or touch. In different courses that teach this technique, they also add part of metta meditation, in which the subject who meditates first cultivates love for himself and then expands it to others.

Advantages and benefits

The practice of Vipassana meditation generates different benefits for the practitioner. No wonder, it is a type of meditation that has existed for almost three millennia.

On a mental level, those who practice it mention feeling a strengthening of their capacity of observation and a greater level of mental peace and relaxation . It also improves states of anxiety by allowing one to observe situations more calmly, and facilitates an improvement in mood. On the other hand, it helps us to identify ourselves and to give a less exaggerated tone to the importance of our thoughts.

Vipassana meditation is also associated with lowering blood pressure, by lowering states of anxiety. It decreases the heart rate and helps us to have better control of the airways . It reduces the importance we give to pain, both physical and mental, and helps us to know ourselves better, which motivates and hurts us, to better understand and accept our negative emotions.

Vipassana and mindfulness

Vipassana meditation may seem exotic and strange to some people, but the truth is that it is a form of meditation that has generated different techniques that are very popular today. We are, in fact, before the type of meditation on which is based a technique today as well known as the mindfulness .

This technique, like Vipassana meditation, is based on conscious attention to our body and the present moment, avoiding automatic action. The focus on the here and now that this technique allows allows us to be much more conscious of our being, and has been shown to be useful both on a general level and in subjects with different problems such as anxiety, depression, pain disorders, post-traumatic stress and obsessive disorders.