Techniques of Vipassana Meditation

The word Vipassana literally means “to come and see”. Designed to be an introspection  your inner self, Vipassana is an interesting yet simple form of meditation which was initially started by Lord Buddha. The essence of Vipassana is to monitor your breath with complete awareness as you meditate. Because of the simplicity of concept, Vipassana is considered to be the meditation form of the future, which can be easily practiced by one and all. The only trick is to monitor every breath you take, as you breathe in and breathe out. There are several Vipassana meditation techniques which can help you to be relentlessly aware of each and every breath as and when you meditate. Initially, when you begin implementing these techniques, you will need to practice them in complete isolation. This will help you to master the techniques of Vipassana meditation eventually. Once mastered, you can apply them anywhere, anytime.

Three Vipassana Techniques

Although there could be many, three of the most basic Vipassana meditation techniques are explained below.

• The first and probably the easiest of all Vipassana techniques, is to watch your belly. According to this popular technique, the “hara” or point of consciousness of the subtle self lies just below the belly button. This is the point you should be concentrating on, as you meditate. As soon as your meditation centres on the “hara”, gradually the thought process slows down and you are able to immerse yourself deeper into selfless consciousness. Belly watching is actually not that tough. As we breathe, the stomach moves in and out and concentrating on the motion is delightfully simple. You just need to focus on the movement till your mind starts emptying out all its thoughts and worries.
• Monitoring the cooling effect of your nostrils as you breathe is also considered to be one of the most popular techniques of Vipassana meditation. As we breathe in, the nostrils experience a slight coolness which comes and disappears in a whiff. You need to focus on the area around your nostrils and feel the coolness in such a way so that it seeps into your body and soul. As you focus your attention to this sensation while meditating, the mind slowly relaxes and starts gradually unwinding. You need to practice this for 15–20 minute sessions till you master it.
• The third one is possibly one of the most basic techniques of Vipassana. This is related to closely examining your breathing movement. This technique guides you to concentrate as you watch the inhalation and exhalation process. Ideally, you need to imagine yourself sitting on the banks of a river, completely detached from everything else, just a mute spectator. As you attempt to relax yourself by watching your breath, your mind relaxes slowly till you are deeply immersed in meditation.  

Although there are several other techniques of Vipassana which are commonly practiced, these are some of the basic ones which promise a great beginning. Once you are well versed with these, you can probably move to higher Vipassana techniques.

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