Dr. Paul R. Fleischman gave a talk on “Vipassana Meditation: A Practice and a Path” to around two hundred people at the First Nations Longhouse’s Great Hall on September 29, 2011.
He provided an detailed overview of its historical development, philosophical underpinnings, and practical requirements of this meditational practice–stressing its modern systematization and adaptation to modern lives.
Dr. Fleischman’s description of meditation was a self-reflective melding of natural scientific theories with the worldview that underlies vipassana meditation. He stressed two points in particular: (1) The natural laws that govern our world also govern us as embodied beings; cultivating awareness of our embodied existence, through concentration and observation, provides insight into the world itself. (2) The practice of meditation is supported by ethical practice, both in terms of basic precepts and the voluntaristic, service orientation of the vipassana movement itself. In addition to being detailed and informative, his talk was imbued with a wonderfully dry humor, making it accessible and entertaining. Continue reading →