Glad to hear that my experiences and insights resonated, Charlie. Your conflicted feelings about the course are understandable and clearly shared by many. Good luck on the path!

Now that I’ve completed the course and still processing it, I do share many similar experiences and insights with you.

It took me 5 years to make this a reality. I felt intense joy and also immense frustration during the course. At this moment, I’m actually thinking when I should do my next course! There were a couple of times during the course that I was sure I would never do another. Talk about impermanence!

No idea whether it would take me another 5 years to do the course again … letting it be. Glad to be ‘on the path’.

Will look forward to your sharing those thoughts, Greg!

Good question, Venissa. I’m inclined to think that Vipassana is a clarifying force for relationships, rather than a barrier. I suspect this is because of how prominent compassion is in the teaching.

Fear and apprehension are understandable. But what Vipassana helps teach is to place those and other fears into perspective and to not let them rule our lives.

See also my exchange with another reader above:
https://uncorneredmarket.com/vipassana-meditation-retreat/#comment-1510213

Please share your thoughts and experiences so that others might benefit.

Thanks for sharing your experience Daniell. my boyfriend is currently doing a 10 day course. and i’m scared if this will be a barrier for our relationship. i’m afraid if he will get away from me slowly. all i want to know is what are the both positive and negative effects for a relationship by doing this course? is there any negative effects?.please let me know about this. I’m so scared :'(

Inspired by this post when I read it a year ago, I have just now found the time and the course availability to attend my first Vipassana course, which will be in Kelseyville CA. I depart tomorrow at noon. I expect to have thoughts to share on my return.

Warmly (in all senses — forecast is for 97F this week),
Greg

“What happens will happen for good.” — In all the meanings of that phrase, it seems to me that you have the proper perspective. I suspect you’ll find that your experience will unfold as it should, without the need for advance thinking or preparation.

If you have yet to depart, we wish you a good course. If you are returning, we would look forward to hearing about your Vipassana course experience.

Good question, Kat. After you read this, I’d be interested for you to share your thoughts and feedback on your actual experience after his return.

The first and best thing to do is for everyone involved to manage expectations. Vipassana may be “transformative,” or it may not. The implication of “transformative” to one person may be different than the implications of “transformative” to the next person. To me, that’s an important observation to think on.

How to support your partner? Ask some open questions. How was it? Then listen. Ask if he needs anything. And if he needs space, give some of that, too. He may have lot to share, Or he may not. Or it may take some time, especially if not much time has passed since his sitting.

Note: you may have things to share, too. Or you may need space. That’s OK, too!

Regarding your partner’s return to you after Vipassana, remain open. After returning from Vipassana, I’d imagine your partner will likely be attuned to things in such as a way so as to show more compassion and patience. But he may not. Changes may be favorable or unfavorable to you, and subject to shifts and change. Vipassana is not a permanent impression, but a process underscored by the very impermanent nature of life.

That said — in general, I’d say Vipassana offers a way of thinking and approaching the world that is generally positive for relationships of all kinds.

That’s a long way of saying that Vipassana will likely do good things. But those good things may ebb and flow, making their impression known over time.