This is my effort to share the invaluable experience that I acquired by practicing Vipassana meditation. I had this opportunity to take basic course of meditation in International Buddhist Meditation Center, founded in 1985 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The main objective of the centre is to provide a forum for Satipatthana Vipassana meditation practice according to the teaching of the, Venn. Mahasi Sayadaw, Burmese Guru. I went through the steps provided below one by one and had tremendous opportunity to know myself from within. The following steps written below are the excerpts of the book published by International Meditation Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. Of course, taking an intense course like I did which is generally of 10-12 days helps a lot but you can have incredible insight just by trying to follow the basic steps provided below.

Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises by Mahasi Sayadaw(Burmese Guru)

The practice of Vipassana or insight Meditation is the effort made by the meditator to understand correctly the nature of the psycho-physical phenomena taking place in his own body. Physical phenomena are the things or objects, which one clearly perceives around one. The whole of one’s body that one clearly perceives constitutes a group of material quantities (rupa). Physical or mental phenomena are act of consciousness or awareness (Nama). These (nama-rupas) are clearly perceived to be happening whenever they are seen, heard, smelt, tasted, touched, or thought of. We must make ourselves aware of them by observing them and noting, thus: ‘seeing, seeing’, ‘hearing, hearing’, ‘smelling, smelling’, ‘tasting, tasting’, ‘touching, touching’, or ‘thinking, thinking’.
 
Every time one sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, or thinks, one should make a note of the fact. But in the begin with noting those happenings, which are conspicuous and easily perceivable.
 
Basic Exercise I

Try to keep and focus your mind (but not your eyes) on the abdomen. You will thereby come to know the movements of rising and falling of it. If these movements are not clear to you in the beginning, then place both hands on the abdomen to feel these rising and falling movements. After a short time the upward movement of exhalation will become clear. Then make a mental note ‘rising’ for the upward movement, ‘falling’ for the downward movement. Your mental note of each movement must be made while it occurs. From this exercise you learn the actual manner of the upward and downward movements of the abdomen. What you actually perceive is the bodily sensation of pressure caused by the heavy movement of the abdomen. So do not dwell on the form of the abdomen but proceed with exercise.
             
For the beginner it is very effective method of developing the faculties of attention, concentration of mind and insight in contemplation. As practice progresses, the manner of the movement will be clear. The ability to know each successive occurrence of the organs is acquired only when insight contemplation is fully developed.

Since you are only a beginner whose attentiveness and power of concentration are still weak, you may find it difficult to keep the mind on each successive rising movement and falling movement as it occurs. In view of this difficulty, you may be inclined to think; “I just don’t know how to keep my mind on each of these movement.”  Then simply remember that this is a learning process.

The rising and falling movements of the abdomen are always present and therefore there is no need to look for them. Actually it is easy for a beginner to keep his or her mind on these two simple movements. Continue with this exercise in full awareness of the abdomen’s rising and falling movements. Never verbally repeat the words, rising, falling and do not think of rising and falling as words. Be aware only of the actual process of the rising and falling movements of the abdomen. Avoid deep or rapid breathing for the purpose of making the abdominal movements more distinct, because this procedure causes fatigue that interferes with the practice. Just be totally aware of the movements of rising and falling as they occur in the course of normal breathing.

Basic Exercise II

While occupied with the exercise of observing each of the abdominal movements, other mental activities may occur between the noting of each rising and falling. Thoughts or other mental functions, such as intentions, ideas, imaginations, are likely to occur between each mental note of rising and falling. They cannot be disregarded. A mental note must be made of each as it occurs.

If you imagine something, you must know that you have done so and make a mental note, ‘imagining’. If you simply think of something, mentally note, ‘thinking’. If you reflect, ‘reflecting’. If you intend to do something, ‘intending’. When the mind wanders from the object of meditation, which is the rising and falling of the abdomen, mentally note, ‘wandering’. Should you imagine you are going to a certain place, note ‘going’. When you arrive, ‘arriving’. When, in your thoughts, you meet a person, note ‘meeting’. Should you speak to him or her, ‘speaking’. If you imaginably argue with that person, note ‘arguing’. If you envision or imagine a light or color, be sure to note ‘seeing’. A mental vision must be noted on each occurrence of its appearance until it passes away. After its disappearance continue with basic exercise 1, by being fully aware of each movement of the rising and falling abdomen. Proceed carefully, without slackening. If you intend to swallow saliva while thus engaged, make a mental note ‘intending’. While in the act of swallowing, ‘swallowing’. If you spit, ‘spitting’. Then return to the exercise of noting rising and falling of abdomen.

Suppose you intend to bend the neck, note ‘intending’. In the act of bending, ‘bending’. When you intend to straighten the neck, ‘straightening’. The neck movements of bending and straightening must be done slowly. After mentally making a note of each of these actions, proceed in full awareness with noticing the movements of the rising and falling abdomen.

Reference:   Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises, Mahasi Sayadaw, International Buddhist Meditation Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal.

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