Life in Balance: Amit Chaudhary's Blog
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I went to a Vipassana course in Aug 2006. I left before the course was over. I wrote a blog post fairly soon after that on the experience: Experience from attending Vipassana Course by S.N Goenka (4 days out of 10): Updated

Here is my current view on it and some other information.

Vipassana Course as taught by S. N Goenka is not for me. Why

1. Mismatch of general philosophy and outlook

I do not believe in the most common refrain that more one does or achieves (Money, Career, etc) in the world, the more one is accumulating bad karma. This is typical of many Buddhist and Hinduism philosophy and also of Vipassana.

My current method seems to be a mix of Yoga (Moral Conduct, Asanas, Meditation as per Yoga Sutras by Patanjali), Law of Attraction\Intention manifestation, though I keep checking what my goals are and updating paths\methods accordingly (Ideas to think consciously about your spiritual goals and evaluating spiritual paths.)

2. There are enough of aches and pain in life on it’s own

In my opinion, in a Vipassana course, pain (in addition to diet detox, less sleep, minimal or no caffeine, deprivation of normal activities and stimuli, etc) is used to break down mental barriers and defenses to self exploration.

I would rather not go through acute pain and potential of injury for my spiritual path. This is more relevant being a computer programmer my body gets repetitive stress on a daily basis. and being in my 30s.

I will, in future seek courses\retreats which include Yoga Asanas to balance Sitting Meditation. Unless Yoga continues to help me in which case I might consider reapplying to a Goenka Vipassana course.

Vipassana Course as taught by S. N Goenka why it might be for you.

1. It is one of the non-controversial spiritual path and it is free.

At the core, it is kind of straight forward. You sit and meditate lots of hours for lots of days, insight happens.
It is free, donations are welcome at the end of the course. This compares well againsts the typical $100 per day at the other Ashrams such Sivaananda or Haridass ones.

2. You do not have acute pains or even better have a young body.

I personally know or saw 55+ year old people doing the course and of many young ones being in utter pain. I believe the course is better handled if you do not have acute pains or even better have a young and healthy body.

3. You have difficultly starting some spiritual practice on your own.

A retreat, any retreat is a good way to get a boost, a jump start and if the general Buddhist philosophy appeals to you, give a try.

Few other things

1. Retreats or meditation break\vacation are useful

They revitalize one’s path, resulting in progress and highlighting the benefits of a spiritual practice if one has been drifting.

2. If I ever get the temptation to get tough and try it out, I will remember to sit at home for 2 days or I might just try something else equally tougher like climb Mt. Rainier.
3. I found a disturbing trend is that some educational institutes (For example, MBA HR students at SCM HRD, Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development in Pune, India) are forcing their students to take the Vipassana course.

Nipun wrote about such a group in Vipassana Day 2: Dharma Works. Excerpt: “Right then, the director of the college calls just as a routine check-up. He is furious to learn of the plans of these 17 students (to leave early); he blatantly informs them that they will be expelled from college if they return.” and “if they get expelled, not only will they lose their valuable admission here but they won’t be allowed to enter another business school elsewhere.”, though they do not agree with it “And everyone at the meditation center here is in full agreement that such a scenario should never ever happen again. Fear simply can’t be the motivation for meditation.”

4. Vipassana course did and still does has that feel of being able to provide a way to go to the other side (Spiritual, More knowledge, etc) and make quicker progress, it is in sheer hours, equivalent of many months of regular meditation.
5. Do consider it when you are serious about a spiritual path. As I wrote earlier in Ideas to think consciously about your spiritual goals and evaluating spiritual paths, “Do not go knocking on doors you do not want opened or want to go through”.

On what to expect at a Vipasana Center and what to take

• Keep the items to take at a bare minimum, the place is rustic. You will not get a drawer or cupboard, so be ready to use your luggage bag as your cupboard.
• The beds are bunk beds with one of top accessible using a ladder.
• The toilets and bathrooms are rustic but more or less clean. The waterless ones in NorthWest Vipassana Center in Onalaska smelt pretty bad most of the time.
• Carry
• a water bottle and a mug, it will save you trips.
• a meditation cushion, though they do have some and provide a thin one for all.
• a light shawl\throw for the temperature change.
• Consumables like Soap, ToothPaste, Sleeping bag, etc
• The food is excellent, it is modern vegetarian with lots of whole grains, vegetables, etc.

Last updated: 2nd June 2007.

Custom Google Map: Yoga studios in Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island, Kirkland & Issaquah (Seattle Eastside)

I have visited most of these Yoga Studios.

Includes:

	Yoga Centers: Iyengar \ Hatha Yoga (Personal Favorite) 2255 140th Ave NE, Suite F Bellevue, WA 98005 Yoga
	Bikram Hot Yoga Bellevue (Personal Favorite) 626 120th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98005
	Yoga House of Bellevue: JivaMukti Yoga 12015 NE 8th St Bellevue, WA 98005
	Hot Yoga of Kirkland: Bikram and Power 434 Parkplace Center Kirkland, WA 98033
	Discover Yoga: Vini Yoga 16615 Redmond Way, Suite 201 Redmond, WA 98052
	Shakti Vinyasa East: Baptise 10245 Main St, Suite 104 Bellevue, WA 98004
	Hot Yoga of Issaquah: Bikram & Power 485 Front St N, Suite D-2, Issaquah, WA 98027
	The Sanctuary Spa & Yoga: Various incl. Hot & Power 8862 161st Ave NE, Ste 107, Redmond, WA 98052
	Yoga Bliss: Kripalu(Greg Owen), Power, etc 7650 SE 27th St, #134, Mercer Island, WA 98040 Yog

The reason behind better living standards in the California (including San Francisco Bay area aka Silicon Valley) as compared to Washington (Seattle \ Bellevue \ Redmond aka EastSide) is more clear to me.
Boston.com article: Google stock boom boosts California coffers

California, whose budget revenue slides up and down like a yo-yo with changes in capital gains and stock options, is once again counting on outsized income tax filings from a handful of tech executives to help balance its budget.

After cashing in more than 9 million shares valued at $3.7 billion last year, 16 Google insiders will owe the Golden State as much as $380 million in taxes — enough to cover the salaries of more than 3,000 state workers. Taxes paid by Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page account for nearly half the amount.

Mega-sized tax filings from Google executives began flowing into state coffers in earnest in 2006, two years after the company went public. The receipts helped fuel a multibillion dollar tax windfall last spring that allowed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pour money into roads, classrooms and other popular programs, pleasing political enemies and helping smooth his path to re-election.

Google insiders are on pace to pay a cumulative $1 billion by 2008 in state income tax since the company went public. Combined, that’s about 1 percent of the state’s annual general fund budget.

…

But that’s still less than the heady days of the Internet boom in 2000, when capital gains and stock options accounted for a whopping 40 percent of all personal income in California and a quarter of the state’s tax revenue.

There you have it, that’s why California builds more and bigger roads than Washington and the 405\I-5\520 highway jams in Washington compare only to the worst in SFO, say the two major bridges. Of course the Golden state needs even more money, but that is another story.

Incase you thought I missed it, I did consider blaming many other things including the lack of showers in Mt. Rainier NP campsites or the fact is the whole Park is closed on lack of many rich companies.
This is ofcourse a topic close to my heart:

Comparing living in Seattle (Eastside) or Silicon Valley (SF Bay Area): Part 3 (Traffic and Miscellaneous)

Comparing living in Seattle (Eastside) or Silicon Valley (SF Bay Area): Part 1 (Housing and Tech Jobs)

Note to Dear Reader: If you missed it, this blog post is part simplification, part jest and part truth. However it is not as loaded with sarcasm as Please do not save money you might move the USA economy into recession

Hat Tip: Mish’s Economics blog article: State Tax Revenues

Bellevue Hot Bikram Yoga website uses flash, so it means 2-3 clicks to get to the class schedule. I thought I will put up a schedule copy here to make it easier for myself and others to bookmark and access. The Teacher information below tends to be stale and change often, so please use it only as a guideline.
I wrote earlier on Bikram Hot Yoga: Introduction to Hot Bikram Yoga and Review of Bellevue Hot Bikram Yoga

Times Last updated: 4 May 2007

What is Hot Yoga\Bikram Yoga

Hot Yoga or Bikram yoga is a set of 26 yoga asanas, two sets of each and 2 breathing exercises for 90 minutes in a room heated to 105 degree F. That is hot, expect to sweat. The asanas are held for 60 or 30 seconds. To see all the asanas in the series, please use Bikram Yoga Asanas link 1 or Bikram Yoga Asanas link 2.
There is no background music during the class, no props are used, hands on alignments are rarely provided. The instructor\teacher is continuously talking during the class, either giving the directions and tips or encouraging.

The name comes from the creator of the concept of yoga classes in heated studios and the sequence arrangement, Bikram Choudhary (No relation to me). See picture on left, some information from the official website.
The complete list of Hot Yoga studios around the world. None in India yet.

What’s the big deal about it?

• It is an intense aerobic and stretching exercise which means one loses weight (my rough guess ~900 calories spent in a single class)
• The heat and sweating makes it detoxing and leaves on feeling great later. The heat is great even colder places like Seattle, WA.
• The non-impact method avoids injury and the yoga makes it great health and flexibility wise.
• I also like that it is the same set of asanas in every class, the selection is an all around good mix and it helps to measure each session against the earlier ones.

What does one have to be aware of?

• The heat takes some getting used to.
• It is not calming like a typical yoga class. It is more of a intense workout and draining. Since the instructors are continuously talking as I mentioned earlier there is not much of quiet time, except for one two minute savasana.
• Each teacher uses almost the same instructions and words, you will hear a lot of “Go back, push back, wayyyy back”, “full body stretch” and “full body sensation”.
• Be careful, the teachers tend to push the students, you will hear “If you are feeling pain in your back, you are doing it right” or equivalent. I do not go that far to avoid potential for injuries

How to prepare for your first three Hot Yoga classes:

What to carry: A Yoga mat, Large towel for mat and a smaller one for sweat, and a large water bottle (32 oz\500 ml or more)

What to wear: See above picture, the mirrors make the room seem larger than it is (If wearing a T-shirt, do not wear cotton, go for polypropylene or similar material)

General tips:

• Expect a good workout and a lot of sweat.
• If feeling dizzy (which I did 3 times in the first session), pause and catch your breath in either tadasana(standing), sitting down or savasana(lying down), till you feel better.
• Remember to be cautious the first few times and do not over-extend, the instructions are also for advanced students.

Review of Bellevue Hot Yoga (Now called Bellevue Bikram Yoga):

The studio I go to is Bellevue Bikram Yoga. It is also the most popular Yoga studio in the Bellevue Redmond area by far. The evening classes tend to have 15-20 people atleast.

The key for any yoga studio is the teachers. Here is my opinion and experience about the Bellevue Bikram Yoga teachers (number of classes I have attended by each.)
Teachers:

• Katy(5+): Great teacher and very good attitude. Timings: Tue & Wed evenings.

• Hilarie (5+): Again Great teacher, explains reasonings, Owner of Bellevue Bikram Yoga. Timings: Fri evenings, Sat & Sun mornings.

• Elliot (10+): good teacher, consistent instructions and quite a nice guy. Timings: Thu & Fri evenings.

• Amber (10+): Excellent teacher, respects your space and the best teacher. Currently teaches mostly at West Seattle Bikram Yoga

• Tracy (2+) and Saiko(1): Overall pretty good teachers. Timings: Varies.

• Loressa (2): Unbearable and I have returned from the studio without taking a class, if she is teaching. She is overbearing, rude and physical(snatches towels, etc), though her instructions are not bad. My suggestion, avoid her as she will kill the Hot Yoga experience for you. If you want to read more, see my earlier post: Immaturities by Bikram Hot Yoga Teachers

Studio and facilities:

The studio address is 626 120th NE, Bellevue, Washington, 98005 and phone no is:425-637-9642

There are showers and the studio wall has glass on two sides to check alignment. Mats, Towels are available for rental and water bottles are available for purchase.

Wrapping up the thread comparing living in Seattle (Eastside aka Bellevue-Redmond-Kirkland) versus Silicon Valley (San Francisco Bay Area aka Mountain View-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara-San Jose)

4. Traffic, Commute times and Pollution

The Traffic in the Greater Seattle area is much worse than most of the Bay area. This was a major surprise for me personally. For example, Most of the days, it is not possible to leave Bellevue by I-405 to go to Kirkland or Bothell during typical work hours (7:30-9:30 am and 5-7 pm) without getting stuck in slow or non moving traffic. The result, a typical drive of 15 minutes becomes 45 or more minutes.

The same applies when trying to come from South (Renton, etc.) to Bellevue or Seattle or trying to go to Redmond(Microsoft offices which means roughly 30,000 people come into 2 exits in a 2 hour interval.) or in the evening at the junction were 520 ends in Redmond to get to Sammamish & Fall City. The only directions with smooth moving traffic to travel as of now are I-90 to Seattle and within a city itself using non-freeway roads. Since the IT jobs are in Bellevue, Seattle and Redmond, any other place implies a commute of 45 minutes each way. 60 minute commute is common and I know people with 90 minute commutes.
The traffic is equivalent of that on the bridges into San Francisco, the commute time same or more than as coming from Evergreen or South San Jose to the Silicon Valley. The roads here are smaller (2-3 lanes each side) and HOV hours are all through the day (9 am-7 pm.) The mass transit (bus service) is much better though with regular bus services, large bus stations and so on.
The reasons for lack of roads could be a combination of various things including No state income which implies lower state revenues, cities with local only agenda (From what I read, efforts to expand the 520 bridge have been tied up due to cities like Mercer Island resisting it) and overall lack of planning for population growth.

The NorthWest is more green and has less cars and people, but the pollution is much worse, even when on internal roads.

I am not sure, if it is the better emission or fuel standards in the bay area and California in general, but it is an anecdotal and consistent observation.

5. Miscellaneous

Most of the other items are more or less the same. There are good restaurants including Indian in both places, the Indian grocery stores are decent in Bellevue and around, items do go out of stock for 2-3 weeks at a stretch. There is a good Health club in Redmond called Pro Club, schools and daycares are good too, though maybe hard to get into.

One thing, I noticed is that Alcohol in Washington is sold only through Government stores, this means whacky prices for items like Single Malts (Glenlivet 12yr is 60% more than bay area), most shops are shabby establishments, do not open on sundays or holidays like MLK and close most days at 7 pm.

It is one of the contradictions, at one end is the lack of facilities (Poor Roads, No Showers in any National Park Camps, poor State Park facilities, etc) as an exchange for low taxes (No State income, no State Park parking fees) and at the other end is the forcing rules on others and deciding what is right. A mix of Republican and Democrat policies.