Vipassana: 240 hours of silence

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills. The practice died out in India, but survived in Burma, and is now a growing movement around the world.

To learn the technique students complete a 10-day silent retreat, which includes 10 hours of daily meditation. There is no eye contact, no communication, no exercise, no reading or writing, no technology. No distraction from the journey inwards. They must try to overcome the habit of reacting to sensation. By doing so, over 10 days students train themselves to stop reacting to the vicissitudes of life and experience the interconnectedness of all living things.

It is notoriously difficult, but what insights does it afford? What difficulties, both physical and emotional, are faced along the way? We hear the experiences of people who have made it through 240 hours of silence.

Vipassana was popularised by S.N. Goenka, who learnt the technique in Burma from his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and in 1969 travelled to India to conduct the first Vipassana course in this tradition outside Burma. There are now around 200 Vipassana meditation centres around the world, attracting people from all walks of life. The course is free, and non-sectarian.

Producer: Eve Streeter
(Photo credit: Marc Sethi)