As a therapist, I try to help as many people as possible that I can. However, in order to be a good therapist, I must make sure that I take care of myself as well. In acupuncture, it is important that my Qi or energy level is higher than my patients. Otherwise, besides setting a bad example of an unhealthy person, I am more exposed to my patient’s various illnesses. That is one of the reasons why I decided to attend the ten day meditation course at the Vipassana meditation center in Montebello, Quebec.
Vipassana is an ancient meditation technique originally from India. The technique is ingeniously simple to learn. The ten days are spent focusing and sharpening the mind on the body’s sensations in order to come to a harmony within the body and mind. One must make it a strong personal choice in order to do this retreat.
I believe that it can help anyone and everyone, but it must be said that it is a true warrior’s path.
You are confronted by yourself, you thoughts, your worries, your identity from superficial layers to eventually deeper and deeper levels of your subconscious with this technique. It is Buddhist in background, but the actual teachings can be applied to any faith. Its goal is to help people get rid of their misery and to be happy at the deepest level. I was pleasantly surprised to see that people of all ages and walks of life made the choice to meditate.
The center itself is set in a beautiful wooded area just outside of Montebello. The m
en and women who take part in the ten day session are segregated in order to reduce distractions. Talking, reading, and writing are not allowed in order to focus completely on meditating. This can seem like a very difficult thing to do, but I found it quite liberating to not feel like I had to speak with anyone, and in our fast-paced society, ten days without a cell phone or internet access is a challenge by itself. The food at the center is an amazing variety of vegetarian dishes. I thought that I might lose weight during the retreat as you only eat breakfast and lunch, with fruits for dinner. However, I might have actually gained weight as the food was delicious.
The center is run solely on donations and volunteers. After the ten days, you can offer any amount that fits your financial situation with the money being used to support the next group of students. It is a truly wonderful resource to have bordering the Laurentian region.
For more information about the Vipassana meditation center in Montebello, you can check out their web-site or call: 1-514-481-3504.
