The Core Practices of Meditation
An interactive guide to the essential techniques for building a foundation in Vipassanā.
The Foundation: Mindfulness & Wisdom
The journey begins with two interconnected practices: establishing mindfulness (*sati*) to anchor the mind, and observing with wisdom (*ñāṇa*) to see reality clearly. The body is the most accessible place to start. Click an exercise to reveal its key principle.
Mindfulness of Breathing
Awareness of the sensation of air entering and exiting at the tip of the nose.
Key Principle: The mindfulness that knows the breath is more important than the breath itself.
Mindfulness of Posture
Awareness of the body’s movements while walking, standing, or sitting.
Wisdom View: Instead of “ I am walking,” see “ There is a process of walking happening.”
Mindfulness of Rising/Falling
Observing the natural expansion and contraction of the abdomen with each breath.
Key Principle: This provides a steady, rhythmic object to anchor wandering attention.
Mindfulness of Touch
Noticing points of contact, like hands touching or the body on a seat.
Wisdom View: See the impersonal sensations of hardness, softness, or warmth, not “ hand or cup.”
Seeing Clearly: Reality & Perception
Vipassanā is about penetrating illusion. This involves understanding the difference between the concepts we live with and the ultimate reality of experience. This section explains the key distinction between the instantaneous “ preceding mind” and the story-telling “ subsequent mind.”
From Bare Sensation to Mental Story
Preceding Mind
(Viññāṇa)
Bare, instant awareness of a raw sensation (e.g., a vibration of sound).
Subsequent Mind
(Conceptual Process)
Labels the sensation, creates a concept, and reacts (e.g., “ That’s a car horn, it’s annoying” ).
Practical Method: Observing the “ Third Phenomenon”
To catch the fleeting preceding mind, we focus on the **new effect** that arises when two causes meet. Click a cause to see the effect.
Cause 1
Foot
Cause 2
Floor
“ Third Phenomenon” (Effect)
???
The Engine: Effort & The Present Moment
Knowing how to observe is the first step. Sustaining that observation requires effort (*viriya*). When effort and mindfulness are balanced, the mind settles in the present, freeing us from the weight of the past and future.
Establishing Effort (Viriya)
Effort is the strength that keeps mindfulness from drifting. It’s the work of constantly and gently guiding attention back to the object of meditation.
“ The mind is a wild bull. Mindfulness is the rope. The meditation object is the post. Effort is the strength that keeps the rope taut.“
Power of the Present
When the mind is anchored in the present moment, it is temporarily liberated. There is no space for worry or regret.
Temporal Liberation (Vimutti)
- Freed from the past (regret, sadness).
- Freed from the future (anxiety, craving).
The Toolkit: Handling Obstacles
As you practice, challenges will naturally arise. This toolkit provides a simple, unified method for skillfully working with the three most common obstacles.
Handling a Wandering Mind
This is natural. The goal is not to have zero thoughts, but to change your relationship to them.
- Know Immediately: The instant you realize, “ Ah, my mind has wandered,” that recognition *is* mindfulness in action. Don’t be discouraged.
- Gently Return: Use effort to gently guide your awareness back to your primary object (e.g., the breath). No force or frustration is needed.
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