Insight Meditation

Buddhist Insight Meditation (known as Vipassana) is a comprehensive approach to awakening of the heart and mind. This body of awareness training has been practiced in Asia for over 2,500 years and, because of its simplicity and power, is now being embraced by people from diverse spiritual orientations around the world.

Insight meditation cultivates our natural wisdom and compassion. The practice develops concentration, which allows us to calm and steady the mind. The subject of concentration is usually the movement of the breath, or the appearing and disappearing of sound. As the mind quiets down, it is possible to experience whatever arises in the present moment in an accepting and open way. This present non-judging attention is called mindfulness, and comprises the heart of Buddhist meditation.

Mindfulness can be maintained throughout our daily activities. We can be mindful of the movement of our body, the sensations in walking, the sounds around us, or the thoughts and feelings that come into the mind. As mindfulness deepens, there is increased capacity for intimacy with the life within and around us. We are able to see through our conditioned behaviors and thoughts, and discover compassion, equanimity and freedom in our lives.

The Three Refuges Chant

The three jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha, the dharma (teachings, path or way) and sangha (spiritual community).
This chant reminds us of what is at the heart of our practice of awakening.

Pali
Namo tassa Bhagavato arahato sammasambuddhassa [three times]

Buddham saranam gacchami
Dhammam saranam gacchami
Sangham saranam gacchami

Dutiyam pi Buddham saranam gacchami
Dutiyam pi Dhammam saranam gacchami
Dutiyam pi Sangham saranam gacchami

Tatiyam pi Buddham saranam gacchami
Tatiyam pi Dhammam saranam gacchami
Tatiyam pi Sangham saranam gacchami

English

Homage to the Blissful o­ne, the Worthy o­ne, the Fully Enlightened o­ne [three times]

I go to the Buddha for refuge.
I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
I go to the Sangha for refuge.

A second time I go to the Buddha for refuge.
A second time I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
A second time I go to the Sangha for refuge.

A third time I go to the Buddha for refuge.
A third time I go to the Dhamma for refuge.
A third time I go to the Sangha for refuge.