This was interesting because of the variety of topics. I listened twice. I am heading into leading a small retreat in a week, so food for thought on planning. Also for a slightly larger retreat on June 21. I also was interested where you both eventually landed after heavy drug experiences. My yoga practice is what kept me not interested in drugs in the 1960s forward. My theory is that yoga would eventually take people through the kosas on its own, if they keep practicing with awareness.
Hi Lauren - thanks for your comment - please excuse the delay in responding - I've been away. It does seem important to be mindful of risks, and to consider responses to adverse reactions. This FT podcast, which Michael shared with me, concludes with a summary of "how not to do it" - in the sense that the Vipassana organisation sees no need to change their protocols: https://www.ft.com/content/0b1e26b4-f6ae-44eb-b3f4-ca66fcba2371
I can only really speak for myself regarding drugs, and I have no access to the parallel universe in which I didn't take any, but I don't think I've done lasting damage - though I did for a while, and it was pretty distressing. I'm happy to have found yoga and don't feel I'm missing much by abstaining - though of course my inner teenager wonders at times what it might be like to do some hellraising... :)
This was interesting because of the variety of topics. I listened twice. I am heading into leading a small retreat in a week, so food for thought on planning. Also for a slightly larger retreat on June 21. I also was interested where you both eventually landed after heavy drug experiences. My yoga practice is what kept me not interested in drugs in the 1960s forward. My theory is that yoga would eventually take people through the kosas on its own, if they keep practicing with awareness.
Hi Lauren - thanks for your comment - please excuse the delay in responding - I've been away. It does seem important to be mindful of risks, and to consider responses to adverse reactions. This FT podcast, which Michael shared with me, concludes with a summary of "how not to do it" - in the sense that the Vipassana organisation sees no need to change their protocols: https://www.ft.com/content/0b1e26b4-f6ae-44eb-b3f4-ca66fcba2371
I can only really speak for myself regarding drugs, and I have no access to the parallel universe in which I didn't take any, but I don't think I've done lasting damage - though I did for a while, and it was pretty distressing. I'm happy to have found yoga and don't feel I'm missing much by abstaining - though of course my inner teenager wonders at times what it might be like to do some hellraising... :)