Is Vipassana meditation safe?
I’m interested in doing a 10-day vipassana course at a retreat (ones run by S.N. Goenka) in the near future. I’ve researched for months on the internet about the retreat and there seems to be a lot of positive feedback from the people who’ve attended the courses. While theres been more positive feedback than negative, I’m slightly worried about what has been written on a certain website (vipassana-cult.com – i think). While I am fairly confident it is not a cult, people have been reported to have experienced hallucinations and various psychological problems after attending one of the courses. What I want to know is, is vipassana suitable for everyone? Is there proof that links vipassana with psychological problems?
I am fairly new to meditation. The technique I’m using is just basically the observation of the breath. This I’m told represses emotions however, so I’d really like to try out vipassana (which doesn’t repress emotions)- providing it is safe.
It all depends upon your teacher. If he (or she) is properly qualified, then you should be just fine. If in doubt, ask your teacher about his lineage, including his guru and paramguru. If he can’t answer that to your satisfaction, run.
Ven. Nagita (3) – Goenka Retreats
