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INSTRUCTIONS

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Basic Vipassana Meditation Instructions

Meditation Instructions (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts, – Liberation of Heart and Mind retreat,  Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey)

Walking Meditation Instructions (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts – Liberation of Heart and Mind retreat,  Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey)

Merging Brahma Vihara and Vipassana practices: Steven offers guidance in exploring how the four Brahma Viharas exist as one mind stream, like the elements comprising a symphony performance, and then invites us to focus on their changing nature.

Mental noting, anchoring: Steven’s instructions from the first morning of this retreat, including mental noting and attending to breath or hearing or the elemental nature of body:  “The thinking mind is never needed for insight.”

Intention, attitude: Michele’s instructions from the second morning of this retreat, including setting intentions at the start of sittings and noticing our attitude toward our “anchor” and toward thoughts and other phenomena.

Sense-door consciousness, thoughts: Steven describes the mechanics of sense-door consciousness (hearing consciousness, etc.) and how to open to mindfulness of its movements. He then instructs how to anchor with the sitting body or the breath and how to work with thoughts. “All that’s important evolves wordlessly and naturally.”

Working with resistance and thought patterns: Michele reminds us to check the concurrence and receptivity of our attention and offers instructions on working with resistance to what’s happening and with predominant thought patterns.

Insight: Steven describes the mind in deep concentration and effortless mindfulness, seeing the arising or arising-and-sustaining or disappearance of thoughts or emotions, with no sense of time or space. He also explains how, in such practice, the hindrances can be harnessed into wholesome states.

Beginning again, kindness, patience: Michele encourages us to cultivate the spirit of beginning again, kindness & patience, and an attunement with aliveness.

Metta/lovingkindness guided meditations:

Loving kindness and Compassion Instructions  Hollyhock: Steven explains the purifying power of metta awareness, reviews methods of practice, comments upon the role of intention in metta practice, introduces both the “neutral person” category and compassion practice, encourages staying connected to the body, and closes with instructions on distinguishing between experiences of lovingkindness and compassion.

Metta instructions  Hollyhock Michele speaks of the unconditionality and impersonality of metta and of its purifying aspect: “We will get to see the opposite.” She describes when to use easy metta subjects, encourages fostering gratitude toward our bodies, minds, and hearts, and includes relating to thoughts and emotions with metta.

Guided metta body scan (Hollyhock, Michele McDonald)

Guided Six Sense Door Metta Meditation (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts – Liberation of Heart and Mind retreat,  Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey)

Metta/Lovingkindness Discussion and Guided Practice (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts – Liberation of Heart and Mind retreat,  Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey)

• Upekkha/Equanimity guided meditation:

Guided Equanimity Practice Instructions (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts – Liberation of Heart and Mind retreat,  Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey)

• Sharing merit

Hollyhock April 26, 2011 – sharing merit: Steven describes the power of sharing the merit of our practice with others and guides the exercise to close the Hollyhock 2011 retreat.

Classic meditation instructions by Mahasi Sayadaw: 

Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita U Sobhana gave this talk (offered here as text) to his disciples on their induction into Vipassana Meditation at Sasana Yeiktha Meditation Centre, Rangoon, Burma. It was translated from the Burmese by U Nyi Nyi: vipassana instructions

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