Vipassana Meditation

» Dan_Ellsworth - The cultural translation ...

Maybe it's my American cultural immersion; the American guys were starting to make sense to me first. But your entire article was readable, organized, a resource I can return to. Thanks for the article and links.

-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth

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» gsgraham - Goenka and Gays

Interested readers should be aware that Goenka and Vipassana Meditation Centers have a bigoted admissions policy.

If, after you have completed a 10-day course, you wish to continue to longer courses, you will only be admitted if you renounce your sexuality and become celibate. This is because Goenka and his staff believe that gay men and lebians are a sick result of bad kamma from being too sexually promiscuous in past lives.

You can get more information on this at:
http://www.enabling.org/ia/vipassana/gay...

Or you may email me to here more about my experience with the homophobia at the Center in Shelburne Falls.

-- posted by gsgraham

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» topoftheworld - Vipasana

Years ago I had a straight friend who was very
promiscuos. After meeting him, a buddhist friend
of mine commented that, 'this is may be the first time
that he is born a male.'

Celibacy is an integral part of buddhism. An organization
that respects it, and subsists on corporate and individual
contributions, hardly deserves to be called homophobic,

You are free to do what you want. But you can't
petition the lord. He is not taking your calls,
yet. You have to get past 'kama' to have the
Energy to do so, for it is beyond human sexuality,
which is a manifestation of the duality that we exist in.
Live life the way you want. You will be given the opportunity
to rectify it when you return.

No, He does not talk to me. It's just something
my spirit has gleaned over the years and, perhaps,
the lives I may have lived.

I could be wrong.

Let someone into your lane on the freeway and earn bonus karma points.

Peace

-- posted by topoftheworld

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» anordinarylife - Karma

Recently I have the opportunity to attend a ten day Vipassana retreat. Overall it is evident that such an experience can be a valuable tool for anyone who is interested in learning more about the mind, about the relationship between emotion, thought and action. It's a great way to develop awareness, meet others to share this profound purpose with and give back without any personal recognition or gain. All that and there is even a great introduction to the metaphysical (you could also call it theory) ideas related to how this all works. Yes, in many ways it's a great system and Mr. Goenka could be compared to a happy bird singing his song to all who wish to hear. There is a lot of sincerity and authenticity here without a doubt and I left with a happy heart and a lot of gratitude.

But with all systems, and all teachings and teachers one should never accept everything as it is just because it is presented by someone who is clearly well meaning even if it seems that they have a really great thing going and they really seem to know what they are talking about. For most of the meditators, this ten days and everything that was presented was probably hugely overwhelming. There isnt a whole lot of time to analyze or question what is taught unless you already really have a good idea of how things work. Now, I have read the other posts on this board and there was one about this idea of karma. So, lets look at that. One of the ideas of the teaching that I noticed was repeated several times during the Vipassana discourses was this familiar idea of karma. Oh, karma - so misunderstood. Initially, it was said that when one goes against the law of the universe, the universal law (Dhamma) one is immediately punished. That was one idea and one which matches up well with all other non-dualistic teachings. Not only that but if one observes carefully - just watch the news - one can see how this works. Next, all things are empheral all sensations all objects and all beings are this energy that is arising and passing, arising and passing - yes, of course. The next idea, all problems are related to this idea of i, me and mine. Right. If you look closely you can see, this is true. All problems are personal - related to some idea of me, i or mine. So, it seems that the error is to mistake all of this transitory experiencing, the body, the emotions, the experiences, the memories, for who I am. Why must there be a me to whom all things happen. Is there an I, a personal I? Can that personal I be liberated or is liberation the awareness that I am not this, that there is no pesonal I. This is a good question to ask. And if there is no personal I, to whom does karma belong, karma in the sense that there is a personal debt that I must pay. What nonsense! Do I pay this debt by being aware of these sensations, or do I just see that there is no personal to whom the sensations arise? Karma is a trap my friend, no different than the Christian idea of sin. Anyway, who is keeping track? Where is the scoreboard? Jesus taught innocence, and I am sure if anyone wanted to research it, Buddha did too. Let us remember, freedom already is, it just hasn't been recognized. The idea of karma can be used to justify a lot of things. Know what you are drinking before you swallow. Karma = ignorance and the suffering that it brings in that instant.

-- posted by anordinarylife

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» easysy - Goenka and Gays

In response to Goenka and Gays posted by gsgraham:

As a gay old meditator in the school of Mr. Goenka, who has taken a number of long courses, I can say that the above is not true at all. A gay meditator has to follow the same rules as a straight meditator in order to be accepted to long courses (20, 30, 45, or 60-days) in this tradition.

My friend and I also asked Mr. Goenka directly regarding this matter, and he said he saw no problem with a lifelong committed relationship between two members of the same sex.

-- posted by easysy

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