Vipassana
One of the oldest Buddhist meditation techniques, meaning 'to see things as they really are.' It consists of systematically observing bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions with equanimity. Vipassana retreats typically last 10 days in complete silence. Jon Kabat-Zinn drew heavily on Vipassana to develop MBSR.
Use this term in practice
Use this term as a cue for a short practice. A definition becomes useful when it helps you know what to notice, when to begin and how to return without turning the exercise into a performance. To apply “Vipassana”, choose one specific moment in your day and describe it in plain words. Notice what happens in the body, attention and urge to act, then compare it with the related ideas MBSR, Mindfulness, Impermanence. This precision keeps every difficult moment from becoming stress, distraction or a lack of willpower. For one week, note the trigger, the automatic response and the smallest pause that restores a choice. The goal is not to fix yourself immediately, but to replace a vague label with an observation clear enough to guide the next action. Keep the observation light so it does not become another form of self-monitoring. If it points to persistent distress or a clinical question, seek qualified support instead of drawing a conclusion from one definition.
Related terms
The beinstant app is coming.
Two minutes a day to come back to the present moment. iOS beta coming soon.