Thailand Meditation Guide - Vipassana - Samatha

In Thailand Meditation Centers there are 2 types of meditation practiced, Vipassana and Samatha.

This Thailand meditation guide will try to outline the differences between Vipassana and Samatha meditation practice. Vipassana meditation is also known as Insight meditation and Samatha meditation is referred to as Concentration meditation. Concentration meditation was practiced long before Buddhism was established but Insight meditation is a Buddhist introduction. It is said that the Lord Buddha achieved Nirvana after studying Vipassana meditation having found Samatha meditation unsatisfactory. He also stated that Vipassana meditation was essential for those people wishing to reach Nirvana.

Because of the close connection between Buddhism and meditation, we are often asked if meditation can be practiced by non Buddhists. The answer is of course it can. Meditation can not only improve a person’s spiritual health but will also contribute greatly to a person’s mental wellbeing and development. Whilst meditation in Thailand is a common practice, it is only fairly recently that meditation has become popular in the West, perhaps because of the ever increasing stress of daily life and a new awareness for self understanding.

In reality, there are more similarities than differences between the two types of meditation. The fundamental difference is that Samatha meditation trains the mind to focus on a single object whilst Vipassana meditation teaches the mind to become aware of and concentrate on whatever object or thought enters the mind. Vipassana meditation therefore includes concentration but takes meditation practice a bit further than Samatha meditation. In Thailand, Vipassana Insight or Mindfulness meditation is the more common of the two.

Whilst it is not essential to visit a meditation center in order to meditate, meaningful meditation can only be carried out in a quiet and peaceful place. In this modern world of television and mobile phones, this atmosphere may be difficult to create so many people, both Thai and non Thai, will frequently choose to go to one of the many meditation centers in Thailand for a day or two or in some cases up to one month. Meditation brings them a greater awareness in their normal lives and increases their wisdom in their thoughts, words and actions. Meditation is not a form of escapism from daily life but more the opposite. Meditation teaches people to recognize and understand their problems and by so doing are in a better position to face up to them. There are many books in English about meditation available, but, whilst the methods of meditation can be taught, meditation is something that the individual must experience on his own

Thailand Meditation Guide – Meditation Centres