The assistant teacher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OdF8AuixWM

A meditation teacher whose podcast I’d checked out and admired

I’d been watching leaves fall from the tree all week from the window of the main building (the tree area itself was off limits)

Though he says a lot of orthodox, strict shit, Goenka is constantly saying “take only what’s useful for you,” “your truth is all that matters,” “don’t believe anything just because your teacher says it,” “constantly ask yourself if you are seeing benefits,” etc.

The yardsticks he recommends for judging the experience for yourself: Do you feel happier? Is your spirit more generous? Do you have the impulse to tell others to “come and see for yourself”?

Goenka is a beautiful, intelligent man, full of love and goodwill toward mankind. He can be annoying and repetitive sure, but imo he’s a living saint who has brought real happiness and joy to tens of thousands, myself included — much love!

Over and over he nakedly claims that his teaching is a scientific and universally true. Then he’ll say stuff like “the world is made up of earth, wind, water, and fire, and you can tell that’s true because when you eat a spicy food you feel the sensation of fire in your stomach.”

It’s always more appealing when Goenka’s in “try it and see if you benefit mode”

They really make your mouth water by holding out the promise of complete liberation, then inform you that your desire for liberation is the very thing preventing you from getting it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyMOvodMNQk

It’s like “if you relax, there is nice, free flowing subtle sensation flowing throughout your body. Or, there can be gross, intense pain. Don’t crave one or be averse to the other. Use both to develop your equanimity — have the same mental attitude to both."

If you do crave or resist, you’re told over and over again you’ll ‘multiply your miseries’ and ‘create deep, deep misery for yourself’. If you’re equanimous, you’ll be completely liberated from all your miseries.”

The spectre of multiplying your miseries for doing it wrong and the hope of “complete liberation” are paranoia-inducing. How about just try to do your best..

He also says that in order to keep it up, you have to meditate for 2 hours a day at home. This is probably motivational for some, but it also seems like a thing that generates a ton of guilt. It did for me.

Seems retrograde / unnecessary and hostile to LGBT meditators. I don’t really care, and I guess it kept me a little less distracted by sex, but still..