Embracing Selflessness: Serving period at Vipassana Meditation Course
Imagine taking a few days off from your busy life, stepping away from the demands of work and personal responsibilities. Now, picture yourself dedicating that time to serving others—cooking, cleaning, and working tirelessly to prepare a place 50 non-paying visitors. Sounds extraordinary, doesn't it? Well, this is the remarkable path chosen by Vipassana meditators who selflessly serve at meditation centers around the world.
​When I was in Mexico, I registered for three days of the serving period between courses to prepare the center for the arrival of new participants. I wanted to do this after my first full ten days Vipassana course in 2018 and to contribute a little to the realization of this experience for others. I remember the incredible feeling of care from those who organized the course when I was a participant and I wanted to pay back. Finally, the dates coincided, and even the short period turned out to be powerful in terms of immersion quality. The feeling of doing something for others really adds to the state of happiness.
Serving on a Vipassana course offers invaluable training in integrating meditation into everyday life. The tasks assigned to servers may not always be glamorous or preferred, but they serve a purpose.
The main feature of the course is the integration of practice into life and the possibility of minimal communication regarding tasks in the center. At the same time, the schedule of meditations with Goenka (Indian teacher) follows the traditions, with four 1 hour sessions a day. It turns out that he Goenka has separate recordings for those who serve. It's amazing how the depths of my subconsciousness and consciousness opened up when I sat in the hall. Each time felt like a new encounter with myself, and the warmth of the phrase "may all beings being happy, peaceful, and liberated" is truly incredible. During this new experience there were several tasks:
- Sorting lentils.
- Peeling many, many heads of garlic.
- Untangling dozens of tangled aprons.
- Rearranging beds for future course participants.
- Grinding coarse salt into fine.
- Grinding a huge pot of beans.
And the coolest feeling after the morning's meditation - I've never cleaned toilets so lovingly before! Wow.
Serving requires a delicate balance between attending to the needs of others and prioritizing personal well-being. Servers learn the importance of self-care, recognizing that they can only truly help others when they themselves are in a positive and healthy state. Embracing this concept, they gain a profound understanding of the art of being selfish in the service of others.
It was curious to observe when someone wanted to say something unnecessary and feel that mirrored in others. I worked together with an amazing Mexican woman who had lived in India for 2 years and had acquired the cutest Indian accent. She once said to me while cleaning, "You know, we need each other to truly understand who we are."
And, of course, anicca, lifelong learning. 🤍
