vipassana day 1 talk: steps

steps. things happen in steps, goenka tells us through his video talks, aired at the end of each evening during the 10 day vipassana retreat. did it a decade ago. listen to the talks still. 

the day 1 talk takeaway for me was the importance of moving in steps. in mastering each step through steady practice before moving on to the next.

there are many meditation techniques out there, goenk-ji tells us, but to gain strength, mastery in any, requires focus on one, and practice. steady practice. rock steady.

vipassana meditation, as taught by gautama buddha, according to goenka, requires singular focus, unravels a surgical process.

before any major surgery can be done by a surgeon, i would imagine that they have to master the art of a minor surgery - beore transplaning a heart, perhaps, transplanting a patch of skin. 

day 1, begins with a focus on a single patch of skin. the area below the nose, above the upper-lip. notice the breath on this area. notice the temperature changes, notice the tingliness...notice...

...as/when your mind drifts, return to this one patch...continue...

the first step in doing this requires complete silence. requires seclusion. sure, the outdoors is an ideal place to meditate, goenka tells us. but that takes time and practice to get to. at first, you have to be able to meditate in a space of complete quiet, before going into a space of multiple sensation and quieting the mind.

find a time and place indoors. alone. perhaps after prayer. turn off all other sensory instruments - music, scents, touch, sights, tastes...

...focus...shhhhhh....focus....