In a conversation today, a friend living in Ontario told me he just finished a week plus at Vipassana. If you are familiar with these retreats skip this section. If not, let me explain. Vipassana is intense. You meditate most of the day and night. Sitting for hours at a time. Followers find it to be emotionally upsetting, draining, and then...ultimately peaceful. One such friend mentioned before his retreat that he wanted to know what a peaceful meditator looked like. I suggested that he not think about how things look. Society is way full of everything telling us how to be. How to pump ourselves up, make ourselves important. Just look at all the selfies. That should tell you something.
Individuality is important. Truly being who you are and on purpose. Family member did his retreat over ten years ago. He was so exhausted, he fell over and hit his head, bleeding a bit. He didn't think this type of meditation was for him. He prefers to be out on the water. Everyone finds their place. What works for them.
I've told my students repeatedly, meditation is just one way. There are others. Sample them and see what works. Personally, I find the growth in drinking establishments a true sign of the immense stress people are under. Much of it is their own doing. Buying into a belief system that doesn't work for them. Then they go to a bar of some sort where no one can hear another speak. Everyone overdrinks and the communication ends. I find it funny albeit it very sad from a sociological perspective.
Dissatisfied Buddhist. Isn't everyone?
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