That was really very interesting post.What you said was absolutely right. Vipassana meditation has many advantages.
vipassana meditation
This is a great thread.
I would like to ask anyone who has completed a 10 day Vipassana retreat (SN Goenka style) if there is an equivalent or comparable technique to Samyama in that practice.
hello harmony
i did a 10 vipassana retreat few years back…and NO there is no equivalent or comparable technique to Samayama in that practice…
that is why i am sticking to ayp 
Hi, I noticed that the "The Discourse Summaries:
link: http://www.gurusfeet.com/files/budd...ersion.1.pdf are posted here.
I would like to know is this given as a handout during the retreat?
I thought they only made you watch a video of Goenka and was not aware of reading materials.
Would someone who has been on a retreat recommend that I read the summaries prior to attending a retreat or just wait until I am introduced to the material at the course.
Thank you.
no handout is given during the retreat…
imho better not to read anything before doing the retreat
Maheshwari - so what are the "disclosure summaries’ are they the summaries of the videos which you watch?
i have done the course long time ago in 2007…as far as i remember they are a summary of the technique…
Dear harmony,
Sorry for the very late reply…
I accidentally came across your message now while looking for an ayp email… Was not practicing Samyama at the time of your writing…
In Goenka’s Vipassana retreat there is little practice of Samyama during in the sense that Goenka does not teach a Samyama practice until the last day of the retreat. On that day, there is a practice of wishing the fruits of the practice to come to the benefit of all, explicitly sending out positive qualities such as happiness and peace to all sentient beings (Metta), which has similarities to Samyama in aypsite with a little compassionate Buddhist twist given to it.
Even though during the main retreat days Goenka does not teach Samyama, he sings prayers and uses hypnose like techniques to foster the participants´ focused practice. Much of the working of this is explained in the way yogani illuminates the effectiveness of Samyama.
If you haven´t taken the retreat yet (recommended!!) and are interested to know more about Goenka´s practice relating Samyama, please contact me. I can consult the Discourse summaries and elaborate…
Warm wishes,
Ruben
PS:
Clarifying on previous retreats done and current practice:
I participated at four 10-day meditation retreats in the last 1.5 year or so (2 Goenka retreats, 1 Buddhist, 1 Hridaya retreat: heart centered-many traditions incl. Ramana Maharshi and Sufism), I am now using ayp as main and regular practice.
The insights gained during the meditation retreats stay with me and deepen the ayp practice as well as come to light during daily activities and practices. They were done out of bhakti and remain bhakti intensifying, helping with regular practice. I may well do more retreats in the future (would love to do an ayp one when the opportunity arises, or another Goenka/Hridaya retreat to deepen practice, especially the insight component). As adamantclearlight has pointed out in one his very lucide posts, Goenka retreats very effectively deepen insight in the workings of the mind and beyond, also giving plenty of subtle body awareness and bringing concentration and dedication to higher levels.
Ayp is wonderful as a balanced sustainable practice with incredibly flexible-minded, warm-hearted, inspiring and helpful practitioners. Even while I was experimenting with other practices before at the expense of ayp DM (on a 2 year spiritual journey in Asia), the wisdom of this website´s teachings and the sharing of practioners on the forum were always with me. Ever since discovering ayp (early on, at the beginning of becoming involved in spiritual practices) this site has been a major source of inspiration and feeling of coming home.
I needed to travel away from this home (literally and figuratively) to recognize it as home 