Understanding Vipassana (Insight Meditation)

Vipassana is one of the oldest meditation traditions in Buddhism, originating in the Theravada lineage. Also called Insight Meditation, it’s the form of meditation that has most shaped Western mindfulness.

At its core, Vipassana teaches you to notice what’s actually happening in your experience—your thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, sounds around you—and to notice how they arise and pass through your awareness.

With time and practice, Vipassana enables you to see your own experience more clearly—that it's rich, surprising, and constantly changing. You also come to recognize that by clinging to any part of it, such as a pleasant emotion or sensation, you create stress and suffering.

When you stop clinging, letting experiences of all kinds simply arise and pass, you discover a deep sense of calm—and a deeper understanding of your own mind.