Vipassana Meditation
Recently, I went on a 10-day course on St John's Island to learn of Vipassana meditation. Although it has its origins in Buddha, it's non-secular.
Waking up at 4am everyday was surprisingly easy. Though it did sometimes cause me to do the leaning-tower-of-Pisa pose during early morning meditations. It was however difficult to go to bed at 9:30pm. I couldn't sleep until God knows what time. Since I've surrendered my cellphone cum timekeeper, I could only tell time by the gong sounds they use to announce the start and end of a session.
The first three days were spent focusing on feeling the respiration around the nose. The purpose of the small area is to sharpen the senses of the mind to detect subtle sensations. Later it was extended to feeling the sensations on the whole body. The theory behind it all is rather simple. Seeing that the sub-conscious mind understands only sensations, we can use sensations to train it to be stop creating craving and adversion, which are the roots of misery. The nature of sensations are that they are transient and will pass in time. Since whatever a good to bad sensation is only fleeting, there's no point in craving or avoiding it. It's better to just observe and not react to it. Many times, our reactions cause misery to ourselves and others.
To be happy = observe the sensation a good/bad event has on our body + non-reaction (craving or adversion) + understand that it too shall pass
When passing my consciousness throughout my body, I generally feel subtle vibrations but sometimes I feel sores or aches. So I just observe and let them pass. They usually disappear before I know it. Practising this can cleanse your karma as well. When bad debts suface and you observe them and let them be, they are said to clear with the disappearance of the sensation. When you're free from craving and adversion, you're supposed to feel lighter and be filled with love and compassion.
If you think the above makes sense, you can check out http://www.sg.dhamma.org/ for more info. There's a link inside to other Vipassana centres around the world.
May all beings be peaceful and happy. Love, compassion and goodwill to all.