THE BODY: WHAT VIPASSANA MEDITATION REVEALS ABOUT HOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE WORLD

Abstract

I recently completed a brief refresher course in Vipassana meditation after some personal setbacks disrupted my fledgling practice and accompanying equanimity. It was much needed. My mojo is back, and I know more definitively than ever that the key to my personal happiness is daily meditation. The reason why this is so important is that (as I said previously) Vipassana meditation is to the mind what physical exercise is to the body: it is necessary for good health. It is actually more vital than physical exercise insofar as the body can be exercised while the mind is on autopilot, whereas meditation requires the vigilant awareness of the intertwining of mind and body. In other words, it is possible to have a healthy body while possessing a diseased mind (e.g. “meatheads”) whereas a healthy mind will invariably lead to a healthier body. This is not to say that a Vipassana meditator cannot suffer from cancer. But a meditator who has cancer will be in much better shape than a non-meditator who is similarly afflicted. The bottom line is that the mind and body are inextricably tied together, and a well-ordered soul is axiomatically (as philosophers East and West have recognized since ancient times) one in which the mind rules over the body.