On contexts
Attending at Vipassana retreat (in S.N.Goenka tradition), I saw a lot of ironic smiles when translator was speaking about “non-sectarian” nature of S.N. Goenka teachings. In Western monotheistic cultures, “sect” usually have a negative meaning - small group of people with their own religion, brainwashed and dangerous. At the East, though, “sect” means just a branch of some religion. Like, Soto, Rinzai and Obaku are considered sects of Zen Buddhism. (Just to note: Goenka’s school is cultist one itself.)
When Goenka was speaking of elements everything consist of - air, water, etc, most people were also amazed and after meditation retreat has started to ask, how it come. According to their knowledge everything consists of atoms, subatom particles, etc. Answer was “those elements are given by S.N.Goenka in metaphorical sense”, leaving people wondering what metaphor is. Concept of 4 elements, which are describing not materials, but more “behavioral nature” (like frozen water is more like “earth” than “water”) has remained unknown for many.
Another less obvious but way more dangerous misunderstanding is about the statement “its the hard work”. Being sure that “work” means “doing something”, many has started to work with “posessing attention” rather than with “observing attention”. Despite constant calls by S.N.Goenka for doing things mindfully, with “equanimity”, many has became captured in playing with their minds, opening chakras, seeing dead relatives, etc.
Cultural differences may cause more serious impact, probably. I’m sure proper practicing of visualization techniques is tricky in our overvisualized and overvirtualized world.
So, practice mindfully. Mind the context. Always be critical to yourself and to. Try to see the influence your mind and your context is making to your practice. It’s important for clear understanding.
