Meditation & Practices

Vipassana (Insight) Meditation – A Simple Guide

Based on the teachings of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw

What is Vipassana Meditation?

Vipassana, or Insight Meditation, is the practice of observing your own body and mind to understand their true nature. Everything you experience—physical sensations, thoughts, feelings—is part of a continuous flow of events. By watching them carefully, you see how they arise and pass away, without being controlled by them.

Physical experiences (rupa) include movements, sensations, and all bodily activities.
Mental experiences (nama) include thoughts, emotions, plans, imaginations, and awareness.

The Practice of Noting

The key tool in Vipassana is mental noting. Simply observe what is happening and label it gently in your mind.

When you see something: mentally note “seeing, seeing.”
When you hear a sound: “hearing, hearing.”
When feeling emotions: “happy, happy,” “bored, bored,” “disheartened, disheartened.”

At first, focus on what is most obvious, then gradually expand your awareness to include more subtle experiences.

Beginning with the Breath

Watch your abdomen rise and fall with each breath. Breathe naturally—don’t force or change your breathing.
Mentally note: “rising” as it expands, “falling” as it contracts.
Keep your awareness fully with the movement; the noting and the breath should happen together.

Handling Mind Wandering

Your mind may drift. When this happens:

Note: “wandering, wandering,” “thinking, thinking,” “imagining, imagining.”
Once noted, gently return to the breath.

Sensations in the Body

At times you may feel discomfort.

Note: “stiffness, stiffness,” “hot, hot,” “pain, pain.”
Be patient—don’t change posture immediately. Gradually, your concentration will grow, and sensations will lessen.
Only change position if the sensation becomes unbearable, noting every movement carefully.

Moving Mindfully

Walk, sit, stand, or lie down slowly and mindfully, noting every movement: “raising, moving, dropping”.
Even small actions like arranging your arms, stretching, or turning your head should be noted.
Mindful movements help develop concentration and insight.

Daily Activities as Meditation

Meditation is not limited to sitting. Observe and note during daily tasks:

Washing your face, bathing, dressing, or tidying up.
Eating: note each action—looking at the food, picking it up, chewing, swallowing.
Walking: note each step carefully, whether walking fast or slowly.

Mindfulness During Sleep

Note your drowsiness: “sleepy, sleepy,” “drooping, drooping.”
Meditate until you naturally fall asleep.
Sleep may be for only 4–6 hours for highly diligent, advanced practitioners.

Developing Insight

Through continuous noting you will:

See that all phenomena are impermanent (anicca).
Realise that clinging to them brings suffering (dukkha).
Understand that there is no permanent self controlling them (anatta).

This insight leads to Nibbana, the ultimate peace and freedom from suffering, as realised by the Buddha.

Key Principles

Be patient, especially with discomfort.
Note everything without judging or controlling.
Keep your awareness continuous—there should not be long breaks in noting.
Progress may be fast or slow, depending on your past practice and effort, but results will come with diligence and faith.

Summary :

Activity	What to Note
Sitting quietly	Rising and falling of abdomen
Mind wanders	Thinking, imagining, planning, etc.
Walking fast	Right step, left step
Walking slowly	Raising, pushing forward, dropping
Bodily discomfort	Stiffness, hot, pain, itchy
Moving/Changing posture	Rising, moving, dropping, touching
Daily activities	Eating, washing, dressing, tidying
Drowsiness	Sleepy, drooping, heavy

By continuously practicing in this way, the mind develops clarity, concentration, and insight. Each act of noting brings you closer to understanding the true nature of reality, leading to lasting peace and liberation.