Sitting With Strong Determination

In the practice of Vipassana there is an exercise called 'Sitting with Strong Determination'.  The goal is to sit motionless (except for the motion required for respiration) with eyes closed for one hour.   Head, arms, hands and legs are held motionless. During this hour you are to observe your body's sensation without reacting.   Don't scratch the itch on your nose, don't adjust posture to address the pain in your back or the cramp in your leg.  Observe without reaction.  While observing these sensations without reaction we learn  an important lesson:  There is a rising and diminishing of all of our sensations.   We learn the temporary nature of  what we feel, physically and emotionally.  There is great value in knowing that 'all things pass'.

Meditating in this manner, without reaction, translates to real world/real life benefit.   It disciplines the mind to observe, without reaction,  the events occurring around us or to us.   The goal is to pause, consider if action is necessary and to anticipate the consequences before acting.   The goal is action, not reaction.

I am very much in the infancy of my practice of Vipassana.   Consistent   equanimity is still a goal.   I'm getting an occasional  experience of it here and there throughout the day.  It makes me hopeful.    Practice, practice, practice.

Each morning I practice Sitting with Determination for 1 full hour.  Again in the evening for 30 minutes.      I'll see where this  leads me in the coming years.   In the meanwhile I enjoy the deep, restful sense of peace that comes with meditation.  That in itself is reward enough.