Vipassana meditation

我有三位朋友去了多次的内觀靜修。這次似乎是時機成熟，她們告訴我，我即刻也跟着她們報名。

我是很被動的，感謝她們邀我一起去。如果不是朋友的推動，我很多事都不積極行動。

I have three friends who have attended Vipassana meditation retreats several times. This time was just the right timing, I signed up too when they told me. 

I am passive and grateful my friends invited me.  If not, I don't have motivation to do things mostly.

這組織有很多中心在全界。新學員都須先去十天的禁語靜修。

我們去的中心Illinois，駕車約五小時。

Their organisation is dhamma.org, and they have many centers all over the world. If you are a new student, you need to attend the 10 days silent retreat first.

We went to the center in Illinois, about a 5 hours drive from St. Louis. 

這中心有個人的房間住宿，两房共用廁所沖涼房。

This center has dormitories where you have your own sleeping room, and two rooms share a bathroom.

20年前，我學的靜坐是數息(及隨息)，有練習，但不知道為什麽就是覺得沒進步。
在這靜修，前四天學觀息(不鼓勵數息)。第五至十天，學觀全身感受的方法。最後一天，靜坐結前做五分鐘的慈悲觀。
在家可以練習，靜坐一小時，先觀息讓心止，再觀全身感受，及慈悲觀。

I learned a meditation technique which is counting and observe breath 20 years ago, and have been practicing it, but I didn't feel improvement, and I don't know why. 

In this retreat, the first 4 days we learned Anapana (no counting, but just observe a small area of breathing point.) Days 5-10, we learned the methods to observe the sensations of body, and about five minutes of compassion meditation at the end.    

We can practice at home, one hour sitting meditation to settle and focus our mind by Anapana, then move to observe the sensations of body by Vipassana and compassion.

我發現這凳子很適合。放上坐墊，脚彎九十度，這坐姿才能維持多天的靜修。

I found this stool is good for sitting meditation retreat.  With a cushion on it, the legs are bent at 90 degrees, which is good for sitting for long periods.

靜修回來，原想保持清淨，連寫都不想，但一上網與人互動，心又打回原形。
哎呀！塵埃啊！你不沾人，人自沾。
我又來了！
I thought to retain the clearness after getting back from the retreat. Even not writing for this, but once I went to internet and interacted with people, my mind went back again.
Ah, I am coming again!