Retreat Information

Vipassana meditation is a unique practice discovered by the Buddha. It consists of observing one’s own mind and body in order to understand their true nature and develop insight knowledge. This is the very method the Buddha himself cultivated to gain Enlightenment and later taught it to his disciples during his time. The practice has been preserved and continues to be handed down to the present day. -“This is the only way, bhikkhus, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for reaching the Noble Path, for the realization of Nibbāna, namely, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” The Buddha, "Mahā-Satipathana Sutta" (The Great Discourse on the Foundation of Mindfulness) The practice of Vipassanā meditation leads meditators to a clear understanding of ultimate reality. With such an understanding, meditators are able to temporarily free themselves from ignorance and craving, which are the source of suffering. Once the practice is mature, meditators may experience Nibbāna and attain enlightenment, the ultimate emancipation from suffering or a state of total freedom. Vipassana meditation is often translated as “Insight Meditation” because it enables practitioners to gain direct insight into the true nature of mental and material phenomena, in particular the three common characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self. It is also known as “Mindfulness Meditation” because practitioners develop mindfulness, concentration and wisdom by contemplating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness - materiality, feeling, mind and Dhamma objects.