Vipassana Illawarra
A Community Based Insight Mindfulness Meditation Group.
Welcome to Vipassana Illawarra
A Community Based Insight Mindfulness Meditation Group.
WHAT IS VIPASSANA MEDITATION AND WHY SHOULD WE BOTHER?
Vipassana meditation means to “See Clearly”. It is an ancient Buddhist practice which comes from the time of the Buddha’s “awakening” 2600 years ago in Bodha Gaya, India. Known more commonly these days as “mindfulness meditation” this practice has proven to have great relevance and effectiveness for our present day lives. This relevance has nothing to do with Buddhism per se or becoming a Buddhist but has shown to be beneficial for everyone in all walks of life. Vipassana meditation is a simple and direct practice of cultivating self awareness leading to greater understanding (insight) into the nature of our own minds. In practice, participants are asked to develop mindfulness (attentiveness) of their own mind and body. This enables practitioners to “see clearly” and reduce negative states of mind while promoting positive states of mind which leads to greater happiness and freedom.
Vipassana Illawarra Meditation Method
There are many traditions of Vipassana Meditation found in the world today. Vipassana Illawarra concentrates mainly on the “Mahasi Sayadaw” style as our primary teaching method. The late Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw was a renowned Buddhist monk and meditation master from Myanmar (Burma). Much of the popularity of meditation in the west today has been inspired by his simple, direct explanation of the Buddhist teachings.
“I really want to get the point over of the meaning of insight. Meditation is there to gain insight. It doesn’t matter if it’s in daily life or in regular practice, the point of practice is to get rid of those things in the mind that disturb the mind.”
Grahame White
What Vipassana Illawarra Offers
The primary goal of Vipassana Illawarra is to offer opportunities for the practice and study of Vipassana (Insight) meditation in the Illawarra and Sydney areas. To facilitate this goal various classes and retreats have been designed to support people in this undertaking. Programs below give details of what is offered.
Introductory Classes
For those new to meditation our introductory class is the ideal way to learn how to meditate and also learn a little about the theory behind meditation. People who have attended previous classes are more than welcome to drop in to any or all of these sessions to sit and refresh their practice.
Community Sittings
One of the greatest delights for me in my meditation practice over the years has been to practice as a group of likeminded people. There is such a good energy generated by sharing this experience with others. Community sittings are held monthly and run from 8:30-10:30am. The morning program will consist of sitting and walking periods as well as practice discussion with the teacher.
Retreats
Longer retreats usually range from weekends to 5 day and 10 day retreats. These retreats are suitable for both beginners and more experienced students. They are a time to settle in and experience fully the aims of the practice. A number of international retreats are led by Graham and his colleagues in Hawaii and Thailand throughout the year.