It could be amazing if we organized a vipassana course for rationalists.
We’d meet at a cabin in the woods. For 10 days we would meditate for 8 hours a day, take breaks by walking in the wilderness, and cook our meals together at night. It might even be beneficial if it wasn’t entirely silent; we could discuss at night any insights we’d had that day.
Moving us one step closer to Bayesian Buddhist Conspiracy.
Seriously, any rationalist vipassana masters out there want to help make it happen?
As an on-again off-again vipassana practitioner (I managed to maintain a regular practice while I was living in Boston, but that was largely due to the fact that the CIMC [1] was on my walk to/from work), I would love to get involved in a rationalist meditation group. In my experience it is much easier for me to maintain a regular practice with a group, but simultaneously difficult to become a real member of that group as most tend to approach meditation as a religious ritual rather than a worthwhile practice in its own right with practical value. Having a group of people to not only meditate with, but actually have productive conversation about the experience of meditating with would be phenomenal.
I think the tricky part would be finding a cluster of interested people who are able to convene at the same place—especially given that they’d need both the ability to take ten days off normal life, and presumably money for the location, food, etc. (It’s pretty easy to have free time or money, but tough to have both.)
Personally, I’m interested, not at all experienced, not able to travel far from the east SF bay (barring a carpool with someone local), and can’t contribute funds, although I am willing and able to cook and do other work to help out, and it’s not too hard for me to have ten days available.
there at least used to be regular vipassana meditation sessions led by monks from Abhayagiri and hosted at the Berkeley Zen Center (I think that’s what it’s called) on MLK near the Ashby BART station. Abhayagiri is a monastery in the Thai Forest tradition led, I believe, by a former student of the late Ajahn Chah; in my experience that’s usually a pretty good indicator of a very result-oriented approach to meditation that eschews the supernatural talk in favor of the pursuit of practical goals (though in their case the ‘practical goal’ is enlightenment, so take that as you will).
Do you mean the Thai Temple, on Russell? (That’d be a block north of Ashby, and just off MLK behind the tool lending library.) Very distinctively temple-looking? If so, I know the place, but I haven’t been there. Thanks for the heads up. :)
I believe it’s actually right down the street from the Thai Temple. Much less official looking. I haven’t actually been though (always intended to go, and then ended up moving away before I did).
It could be amazing if we organized a vipassana course for rationalists.
We’d meet at a cabin in the woods. For 10 days we would meditate for 8 hours a day, take breaks by walking in the wilderness, and cook our meals together at night. It might even be beneficial if it wasn’t entirely silent; we could discuss at night any insights we’d had that day.
Moving us one step closer to Bayesian Buddhist Conspiracy.
Seriously, any rationalist vipassana masters out there want to help make it happen?
As an on-again off-again vipassana practitioner (I managed to maintain a regular practice while I was living in Boston, but that was largely due to the fact that the CIMC [1] was on my walk to/from work), I would love to get involved in a rationalist meditation group. In my experience it is much easier for me to maintain a regular practice with a group, but simultaneously difficult to become a real member of that group as most tend to approach meditation as a religious ritual rather than a worthwhile practice in its own right with practical value. Having a group of people to not only meditate with, but actually have productive conversation about the experience of meditating with would be phenomenal.
1 http://cimc.info/
I support this.
I think the tricky part would be finding a cluster of interested people who are able to convene at the same place—especially given that they’d need both the ability to take ten days off normal life, and presumably money for the location, food, etc. (It’s pretty easy to have free time or money, but tough to have both.)
Personally, I’m interested, not at all experienced, not able to travel far from the east SF bay (barring a carpool with someone local), and can’t contribute funds, although I am willing and able to cook and do other work to help out, and it’s not too hard for me to have ten days available.
Not entirely relevant to this conversation, but:
there at least used to be regular vipassana meditation sessions led by monks from Abhayagiri and hosted at the Berkeley Zen Center (I think that’s what it’s called) on MLK near the Ashby BART station. Abhayagiri is a monastery in the Thai Forest tradition led, I believe, by a former student of the late Ajahn Chah; in my experience that’s usually a pretty good indicator of a very result-oriented approach to meditation that eschews the supernatural talk in favor of the pursuit of practical goals (though in their case the ‘practical goal’ is enlightenment, so take that as you will).
Do you mean the Thai Temple, on Russell? (That’d be a block north of Ashby, and just off MLK behind the tool lending library.) Very distinctively temple-looking? If so, I know the place, but I haven’t been there. Thanks for the heads up. :)
I believe it’s actually right down the street from the Thai Temple. Much less official looking. I haven’t actually been though (always intended to go, and then ended up moving away before I did).
Oh okay. I’ll look around. Thank you.
Edit: Found it—you’re right, it is just up from the temple.