I don’t practice Vipassana meditation, leaning towards more concentration-based techniques instead, but I think vipassana is an excellent meditation technique for beginners and everyone should do a ten-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat. Make no mistake; this ten-day course will be among the most demanding endeavors of your life (see the rigorous daily schedule here). Just sitting with your spine erect for eleven hours a day can be a challenge, now add complete silence and two sparse meals a day to it, and you’re guaranteed some level of physical and emotional agony. Yet, I’ve completed three courses in the last ten years and am now committed to doing one each year. You’ll learn the proper way to meditate in the course but you’ll also learn more as follows:
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You’ll get at-least one great insight about an area you’re struggling with in life.
I’d been trying to crack the premise for The Seeker for a couple of years but wasn’t making much progress despite many fits and starts. Then, Kerry and I stopped in Dhamma Atala, the Vipassana center in Italy, while backpacking from Europe to India during our sabbatical. Our goal was to learn a proper meditation techniques for beginners, not think of book ideas, but on the fifth night of the course, the whole story of The Seeker came to me in a flash. And I immediately knew it was the right idea to pursue. I attribute it to the elimination of all “noise”—chatting, reading, exercising, everything—enabling disjointed subconscious thoughts to connect into a coherent whole. This burst of insight doesn’t happen just for tangible questions. After my next vipassana course in Kohlapur six months later, I quit drinking and became a vegetarian for good. I hadn’t been thinking of diet explicitly but somewhere deep down I’d been bothered by my drinking for years. The silence just made it burst onto the surface.
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You’ll be deeply touched by people’s generosity, changing you for the better.
I’m not a particularly emotional person but I found myself in tears on the tenth day of the course struck suddenly by the knowledge that all ten days were paid for by people’s generosity. Yes, vipassana is completely free. You don’t pay for food, lodging, the beautiful surroundings, teachings, even transportation to the retreat in some places, nothing. There’s no hard-sell to solicit donations after and no attempt to convert you into any religion or ideology. For ten days, you’re just taught meditation techniques for beginners with complete sincerity with no expectation of return. The dhamma humbles you, turns you into a monk with a begging bowl, grateful for whatever’s given, not judging or expecting something from every transaction.
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You’ll learn the proper way to meditate in a way you’ll never learn elsewhere.
As I said, I don’t practice vipassana meditation since the technique of observing the breath is a little too dry for me. Yet, I credit the first vipassana course I did almost fifteen years ago in Dharamsala as the foundation of my spiritual life. The theory behind vipassana—observing the constant state of flux your body and mind are in to realize there’s no permanent “I”—is scientific and robust. The no-nonsense, non-sectarian, non-religious video discourses expounding the science of meditation at the end of each day are a welcome relief from the soft, hippie-ish talk of “vibrations”, “chakras”, and “energy fields” in most modern meditation classes. All in all, even if you experiment with other techniques as I did after, you’ll learn the foundations of meditation that reinforce the old yoga adage that the paths are many but the truth is one. All spiritual and religious traditions are fingers pointing to the same moon.
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You’ll meet your people.
What is it about seekers after truth? We’re all cut from the same cloth, a couple of shades different from the world of men and hobbits. You stay silent for nine out of ten days in vipassana. On the tenth day, you can talk for a few hours—and immediately you meet people who understand you better than people you’ve known all your life. I’m still friends with a French writer and an Indian banker I met in Vipassana in Dharamsala and Kohlapur respectively. A Krishna-Bhakt from Slovenia I met in vipassana in Italy became an inspiration for one of my favorite characters in The Seeker. Others have drifted in and out of touch but left a glimmer of a memory behind in a way few people do.
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You’ll realize what a dark place your mind is…
I did my second ten-day course after practicing meditation 2x a day for a few months. I thought I’d become calmer and would sail through the ten days of silence. But once again, I found my mind in a similar chaos, thinking of how X or Y had failed me, remembering past humiliations, constructing elaborate future fantasies of wanting to be the world’s #1 bestselling novelist, worrying that my father was having a heart attack (he hasn’t had one in twenty years), and so on. And each day was still a torture, still the same mathematical calculation—“3 days over, only 70% left to go; now 50%, now 40% etc.” So much for spiritual progress!
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…yet a glimpse of a solution emerges.
Westerners often find Buddhist philosophy with its assertive “life is dukkha” declaration pessimistic. On the contrary, I find much to cheer in how clearly it states an irrevocable truth. Life indeed, as characterized by all of our experiences, is full of anguish and incompleteness. Yet, a solution, a path to completeness exists. In that sense, the ten-day course is a microcosm of the Buddhist world-view. The mental agitation one feels in the silence is counter- balanced by the growing knowledge that a state of complete bliss exists. How do you access it? I encourage you to spend ten days in silence to find out!
You can sign up for a vipassana course here. And if this inspires you to meditate, don’t forget to sign up for my free meditation video course, Kerry’s nutrition guide, and a free preview of three chapters of The Yoga of Max’s Discontent here. Yes, just like vipassana, they’re free!

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53 Responses to “Vipassana Meditation: why you should spend ten days in silence”
Hi karan,
Great to see an Indian emerge in the space of personal development. Loved your stuff so far. I had a query about meditation. I’ve been doing it for quite sometime and on many occassions I get a slight headache-like feeling. I say headache-like and not headache because its not really painful but feels more like a pressure. I’ve been using the breath method and letting the breath flow naturally. I wanted to know if there’s some other way out. Recently, Ive started just observing the hollow space in my head and concentrating on that. What do you think about this? I have noticed slight improvements with this new approach. Cheers.
Thanks Kush! Perhaps you could try less concentration-based and more awareness based techniques instead? So just sit still without focusing on breath, image etc., concentrating on nothing as it were. Let me know how it goes.
I find focusing on parts of my body (say, starting from my fgeet, to my knees to my thighs to my arms to my chest to my face and then to my whole body) helps. I recently got help from a 6 hour session at the Art of Living in Bangalore. Hipe this helps. I, of course, need to figure out and make time for the Vipassana course. One of my collegaues in my workplace does Vipassana every year, and I have a few friends as well. I find them all very calm, clear thinking and serene almost.
Thanks for this
Indeed Anish, try to make time for it–it’s an essential experience.
Dear Karan,
I completely agree with all of your above points. Spending our time in pure Dhamma, purifies our mind and makes us more clear in our decision-making. May Dhamma spread in the lives of all Human Beings, for their betterment. Mangal Ho!!
Spoken like a true vipassi nisha! sab ka mangal ho.
I also do at least one course of Vipassna from last three years. The experience there and the feelings later on cannot be expressed in words. Only a person who has done that course can understand. Nice to see that there are many people who acknowledges the same.
Indeed Manu, good on you for pulling it off with such regularity.
You are right Mr Bajaj. I had done when i was 20, now after 3 years after practicing on my own, i want to go for a second time. This time to Igatpuri, Dhamma Giri. All the things you’ve said in this are true except one. Vipassana isn’t about breath observing. Its a way to know your own self through your sensations. Not even thoughts, but your sensations.
And yes, meeting like minded people also inspires a lot, as you said. But bro one thing will always hit the youth before they find success: Mera kya yoga :).
Have a great life
Good point Janmejay! I meant it’s a more “awareness based” technique in the sense, you’re observing sensations vs. concentrating on objects/images. Good luck with the next one!
hi Karan,
I sometimes have the strangest feeling of whether I am real or not?? Do i really exist or i am someone living somebody else’s dream?? I am utterly confused as to what i am and anything i do with this feeling seems to me a waste of time if i do not what i am and why i am doing anything at all.
Devansh, you’re asking the same questions mystics have asked for centuries. I think Vipassana will be incredibly useful in your quest. Set forth and let me know how it goes!
Heelo Sir,
I had tries a lot, but every time when i get started with it , it feels me bored . On first day i start it with such energy but with the days pass , on 4 -5 day it make me bore, because i dont feel anything not even listen to my heartbeat,
So just guide me how can i start ,that helps me to find out the answer of WHO AM I ? IN WHICH I M PERFECT ? Its my crucial phase of my life , idnt want to let it go. I want be a person with to do something that i love. But i helpless to find that particular thing .
I recently complete with my MCA and now looking for change . because i have no interest in this.
So basically i want tried to find my passion, likeness, desire, love for work.
Thanks sir
Vidur Bakshi
Vidur, start with reading these books. http://www.karanbajaj.com/writing-creativity/the-ten-books-that-will-change-your-life-guaranteed/. I’m sure an answer will emerge. Good luck!
Hi Vidur, could you please share your email ID or leave me a message on nidhi.adlakha001@gmail.com?
karan, do you have also habit of procarsinating? dont you want to get lazy ever? do you find difficult to do something (like writting or studying) despite being mentaly fully motivated?
how you conquered this humane tandency.
meditation, man. Nothing quite like it. Try it!
Grt article
When i meditate my minds runs on very different things. Sometimes those people come in my mind whom i have met once or twice. what should i do to lessen these things and find my true innerself?
Very natural, Ashish, exactly what used to happen to me in the beginning as well. Keep at the practice. It’ll get better for sure.
Hello sir I have much interested in meditation and practising silence also but no improvement and proper concentration but achievement really amazing and very interested great sir
Great!
Hi Karan rather dhamma brother,
Doing simply superb job
I wanted ask, you started of with the note that you don’t practice vipassana & still you want people to experience it..& you also added that observing breathe(anapana)is dry for you.. Can you help me to understand this?
Hi Karan ,
Ive registered for the 10day course starting next week. i am a chain smoker. Any suggestions on how to handle this urge.
I find it hard to make even the smallest of decisions. I feel that meditation will be of help but my concentration is weak I get disturbed even by the slightest noise.
Indeed,meditation will help Sameer.
can u suggest me something to improve concentration and focus
Great article. I especially appreciated the practivation manner in which you list of potential benefits one can achieve after partaking in such a meditation retreat. I have a question , how feasible and practical is it for someone with no previous meditation experience or back ground ( and a slight adhd tendency too!), to partake in this and gain meaningfully ? Is desire and determination and keen interest enough? Or should one perhaps spend a few months practising first to gain the most out of the experience? Thanks
Vipassana is excellent for beginners, Tijo, go for it!
Thanks for putting up your experience . I have my eyes on your book “The seeker ” and will surely read it.
Thanks Rahul, hope you enjoy it!
I don’t ever think the power of silence can ever be underestimated and can aid greatly in developing an inner silence.
It’s just 4 days back , I finished my first vipassana meditation at dhamma papilla, Bangalore. It’s an devine experience.
I am planning for a 10 days vipassana meditation starting from August 31st. I am very scare of silence and tough schedules . please help me to update your experience.
Hi Karan,
I will be attending the 10-day Meditation course in Uttarakhand next month with my wife.
After reading this post, I really hope that I would be able to concentrate on my passion (that too is writing) rather than wasting time in procrastinating all the time.
I hope and pray that something similar might happen with us too.
So that we can clear our minds of all the cobwebs and concentrate on what really matters in our lives.
Your posts and video messages are really insightful and inspiring and I look forward to them.
Thanks for making this effort to write your life experiences and suggestions on self-improvement !
What a great decision to do it together, Vibhay, very powerful experience. Good for you and thanks for the kind words.
Karan,
Thank you for your articles – they are straight to the point and hence quite helpful.
I was thinking of going for the 10 day Vipassana course in Kolhapur this December. Since I read that you took one in Kolhapur, I was wondering – would you recommend that particular center?
Thanks again,
Aditya
Whole-heartedly Aditya! Try to get a private room if you can–very, very good for sadhana.
Thanks Karan. What would you say I need to do to get a private room?
Hi Karan
It was your book Keep of the grass that first inspired me to try what this Vipassana is, Never ever had a courage to try it though, just the thought of being so lonely scared me. Finally after lots of talking to various people and reading some of your blogs I did it in the starting of this month. I never wanted anything out of it and done may be for a kick or that ego of doing something so difficult. One thing I got very sure after this meditation, that it has to be as per your stage of your life and somehow to me Vipassna is something what you should do when you are in college and second time may be when you have accomplished a lots in life else you may find yourself a little lost
Your meditation as per stage of life kept haunting me and was relating so many things being done there to character and stories of seeker. For sure we need to keep on walking to the path and we never know we find the one that suits at that particular stage or in my words that gives you that kick
Love it, makes me so happy you tried Vipassana. Good for you man!
I feel fear while i am doing meditation. Also , Physical pain disturbs my meditation. How to get pass it ?.
I am very thirsty now to learn anapana I did two 10days shivirs at igatpuri in 2000 but I could not watch breath going in and out thru upper lips and tips of nose I am striving for 17 years to watch natural breath sir please give some tricks from ur experience to watch breath at nose please give me prompt reply I am eager to get tips sanjay mehta
Sir
Please guide me how to watch breath at nose and upper lips triangular area i did two ten days shivirs at igatpuri in year 2000 does I have to focus on nose and upper lip or one point at upper lip assume that I am a bigginer
Hi Karan,
I had a question. During the sitting sessions are we allowed to move/adjust the body periodically? The reason why I am asking is , I have neck pain and cannot sit continuously without adjusting the position. Is this allowed? I have signed up for a course other than this one issue I don’t have any health issues.
Waiting to hear back from you
Thanks
Hello Karan
I am a first timer for Vipasana and was wanting to know more about Kolhapur centre… The aura there. How did it make you feel. I wanted to be sure before i apply. Can you please help
Regards
Roshan
Do it. It’s great.
Meditation Practice is really very helpful for us. Thanks for sharing this kind of knowledge.
Hi Karan
Do it kill materialistic characteristics in human?
i will wait for reply. i want to do this for achieving my goal dont want to kill materilistic intentions
Hi Arjun…… This is what Sri Krishna has said to you…(Arjun) in Geeta…to become a Karma Yogi… do all your worldly duties and fulfil the responsibilities toward your family. But still be connected to that eternal force through Meditation and detachment…… you can carry on with your materialistic intentions for sure…. but you will gradually get detached from them once you stat meditating regularly.
And this doesn’t happend in a month or six or a year…. it might take years to actually know the meaning of meditation…. and that is where Vipassana comes into picture….. they make you learn the right and disciplined way to meditate ….. !!!
I think Karan will be able to go deeper and explain far better than me….. his words really make sense every time he posts on his blog or adds a new video.
Best of luck dear !!
Dear reader,
My name is Hardeep Singh common name in my community and I trying to write this article to share my thought about VIPASSANA art of living .In the world I believe we are all living like zombie not realizing what is good or bad for you. Reason is simple we never listened our body and more important never listened to our mind.
Best way to listen is close your eyes and observe and follow your breath. Your observation would lead to listening body and mind. You would realized soon that mind is full of thoughts . Thought which donot let you live in the present moment it will always distract you from your action which is observe the breath.
If you donot follow the thought we will observe the thought are diminishing sooner you will observe the breath more clearly and that’s where the process of listening begin.
“ JUST START LISTENING”
SABKA MANGAL HO
A lovely blog that enumerates clearly the merits of Vipassna meditation. Most people do not understand the true merits of meditation and that is why fail to try it themselves losing out some of the best part of their life. Frequent meditation helps one get insights into life beyond what we can actually see.
Thanks. I am short ky going to attend one. Learning about your experience was helpful.