Vipassana retreat and Emotional Clearing

[jambonsambo]

Hi John,

I am summoning the courage to do a 10 day Vipassana retreat. My intention really is to go there and witness the uncomfortable emotional stuff that comes up in the meditations as I would in the Emotional clearing process with the Third eye witness activation. I am still trying to work out if this is in line with that tradition or compatible enough with it to the point where I wouldn't be doing a totally different style of meditation to that which i am being thought at the retreat.

I know that you mention Vipassana in your new book so I am wondering what you think of this method of using a 10 day retreat as a means for integrating emotions and clearing karma?

Thanks and best regards,

James

[John Ruskan]

I don't see any problem at all and I think it would be an excellent opportunity to go deeper into yourself. My understanding of the Vipassana method is that it is based on witnessing body sensations that come up as you sit for extended periods in order to clear the samskaras. If emotions and feelings come up as well, which is to be expected, you can certainly include them in your witnessing meditation and take them through the EC steps. Maybe you or someone else will ask about what to do if strong feelings come up, but be aware that not everyone is enlightened about how to handle feelings and you may get a less than useful response from the group leader. EC work is advanced meditation. Not all spiritual leaders are up to speed on this, or may not want to introduce more than a beginner can handle, or they don't feel confident about getting into feelings. Go for it!

[Dean]

I too have considered a Vipassana retreat.  I've read John's book "Deep Clearing," bought his CD's, and have been doing a 45-minute emotional clearing session more days than not for about a month now.  In my case there is a Vipassana retreat center a 5 hour drive away, with a session beginning 3 months from now assuming I can get in (website says it fills up 24 - 48 hrs after registration opened).

My motives are same as yours.  I often feel 45-min a day is not enough, and while Vipassana retreats are a slightly different approach than John's approach, my thinking is that the 10-days of silence would allow me to go that much deeper and hopefully clear that much more "gunk."

My online reading suggests a Vipassana retreat is not for everyone.  Some say it represents an inferior form of Buddhism, some say it has a rigidness that is more harmful than helpful, and some have seen a worsening of mental health during a retreat.  But of course, many have found Vipassana courses extremely valuable, possibly life altering, and experienced greatly enhanced mental and emotional clarity from a retreat.

I wish you the best whether your path leads to a retreat or not.  I am evaluating the possibility right now same as you.

[Dean]

I was recently turned away from a 10-day vipassana retreat owing to my lifelong history of depression.  I had intended to try vipassana as a complement or "in addition to" the EM clearing approach. 

As a 10-day vipassana retreat is not available to me now, I feel the need to invest more into my EM clearing practice.  As vehicles towards improvement on a psychological/spiritual continuum, perhaps vipassana is "good" and EM clearing is better. 

This reminds me of guidance to do physical exercise.  Questions arise, such as will I get more benefit if I do my exercise in the morning?  Another question is what type of physical exercise is best:  should I swim, should I jog, should I ride bike, should I run, etc?  Experts advise that whatever exercise you yourself will do, at whatever time you yourself will do it, is the best exercise.  In other words, yes there are varying degrees of benefit based on what time of day you exercise or what kind of exercise you do.  However, the main thing is that you're doing exercise. 

This analogy helps me make sense of vipassana vs EM clearing.  Now let me extend the analogy further.  I had hoped a vipassana retreat would afford me space for focused dedication, as well as specific teaching.  John's books are great teaching, and sure I could set up a 10-day retreat on my own.  But I had hoped to get things from a vipassana retreat that I don't get from John's books, CDs, or my daily practice.  Said differently, sure I can run and lift weights on my own, but if my means allow it, hiring a personal fitness trainer to instruct me and keep me motivated helps.

It helps me to think of a 10-day vipassana retreat analogous to hiring a personal trainer to help me exercise.  No personal trainer knows everything; they are usually trained in only specific aspects of exercise and may not even be aware of higher quality exercises you may do.  I now think of vipassana retreat leaders, and even S.M. Goenka himself, in this way.  There are different paths to spiritual enlightenment, and while not all paths are equal, perhaps the first and foremost thing is that a person is following a path.

So, this is how I personally make sense of vipassana and EM clearing.  I offer it here in case someone reading this forum finds benefit in it.  I know I find benefit in reading how others who have made their way to this forum are processing EM clearing for themselves.