Disclaimer: Blog is not about techniques of Vipassana but how well a course structure is designed and executed.
Before I start blogging my thoughts, for people who don’t know about Vipassana let’s know what the programme is about
What is the Vipassana programme?
Vipassana is a meditation course which aids oneself in self-transformation through self-observation. To undertake this course a beginner has to spend 10 days with 5 precepts i.e:
to abstain from killing any being
to abstain from stealing
to abstain from all sexual activity
to abstain from telling lies- for this we have to practise silence
to abstain from all intoxicants
To know more on Vipassana: https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index
In 2019, I attended my first Vipassana course of 10 days, as my spiritual journey started my curiosity for how they might have solved operational difficulties also started arising as a designer. To remain silent for 10 days was one of the precepts and to figure out directions, communicate if you need something during that time, how well decorum would be in the premises, etc are some of the questions that popped into my head during enrollment.
What inspired me?
The entire process from pre-course materials about knowing Vipassana, enrolling, boarding, commencing the course to closure is so well structured that it inspired me as a designer. How this art of living which is 1000s of years old is still maintained in true form in these centres is mindblowing. There can be many challenges to keep people in discipline for 10 days, especially when they are following 5 precepts so that other fellow students do not get disturbed during meditation courses.
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A. Strong journey mapping
I got inspired by how meticulously each and every step of the system is well thought through. It may not have been built in one go, I am sure it must have been a continuous process. I have seen it adapt over years, one of the key adaptation was technology like developing app, incorporating videos, online registration, etc
Pre-Education material: There are multiple videos explaining about the technique and course. This allows one to be mentally prepared before enrolling. They also encourage you to practise 10-15 mins guided meditation before enrolling so that you become more aware of the course structure.
Enrollment: They have both online and offline registration. Their support team helps you through the process if needed. The questions asked in the form are so crisp and for specific reasons. The questionnaire building exercise is an art of extracting the right data which needs to be developed in every designer. They actually go through your form meticulously to understand if there is any special case that requires any care/support from the admin side.
On-Boarding: When you reach the centre there are stalls set up with step by step process and with this your first leg gets completed smoothly. It’s the first day so they help you with instructions of do’s and don'ts. For Eg: where to dispose of sanitary waste, how to ask for necessities like soap, oil, etc while keeping your oath to remain silent, etc. The support team addresses the smallest of details so that after taking oath to remain silent you are able to manage things. One of the critical usage scenarios which was given a lot of focus was seat allotment during the onboarding process. This is the most critical usage point in the journey as you will be meditating on your respective seats for long hours. So, the support team goes through each form in detail to allot the seats according to age, health conditions or concerns, etc. For example, if an aged person is attending the course and has asked for back support then the support is added to the seat before the allotment.
This makes me realise that designers while detailing user journey mapping should figure out one critical usage scenario and collect more data for it during the questionnaire. If a design solution takes care of the most critical usage scenario of a journey it can have a similar trickle down effect to other usage scenarios.
I also feel designers should extensively detail our onboarding process stage whether it's for clients or consumers for efficient running of projects.
Through the course: I believe most of the points get covered during the onboarding process and this helps in smooth running of course. There are teachers and volunteers assigned for guidance and to maintain discipline resp.
Time schedule: The schedule is designed on the basis of science of nature and humans so that a students are able to take full benefits of this course. I believe this is a great insight to cross map your design solutions with human body science and cycle.
Food palette: is designed such that students are healthy during the course and is lighter for their body.
Lectures: To keep motivation throughout the course there are motivational lectures from Shri S.N.Goenka. Lectures just do not help in motivating students but also keep giving a checkpoint if you are learning the technique rightly. These lectures are then available on net through youtube and Vipassana app which was recently built called dhamma.org. Personally for me that has been a boon because it comes handy while you are unable to practise on your own. This leads me to think all educational institutes should include motivational speeches in their curriculum. Motivational lectures should not be about promising a better job/future but the art of living. In this rat race we have forgotten to teach core values but more focussed on objective outcomes out of it.
Closure: At the end of the course, the last lecture plays a vital role for students to continue the journey in a rightful manner. Finally after the Sadna is over people meet and greet and share their experiences which is the most delightful part. It would be great to sit with your team, clients and discuss the experience after projects get over. Build an informal session to talk about learnings beyond design brief. This is the strongest point I felt in the entire journey, which is the community building. Over decades a community has been built of people practising Vipassana. They meet over a common place over the weekend to practise for few hours. We designers need to think of design solutions beyond a product or experience and how to help people come together for the end mile journey.
B. The focal point The entire ecosystem is built on one core focal point to help students learn the meditation technique and take full benefit of the course. Experience is part of this journey and not a value addition. I think these days we designers and marketers are very stuck on building experience rather than providing solutions for the learning journey. Instant gratification has lowered the EQ for learning experience.
C. How I learned what was not taught
When strong ecosystems are built one can see intangible attributes as outcomes which no one has taught. During the course I learned two strong values which came as a result of energy transferring.
Self awareness: I was not told to clean my room but I did everyday and especially when I was leaving the premises. So that, when a new student comes, the room is clean for them. Though the food and stay is free one starts thinking very cautiously how much they are taking so that there is no wastage of food. After a few days students start coming to the meditation hall before time so that volunteers are less worked up. There are many such examples which I felt came as a result of one being self aware.
Empathy: There can be sometimes when a student can feel irritated by fellow students if they are sneezing, coughing, burping, fidgeting during meditation. After a few days into the course, one starts empathising over such situations as they understand that someone might be facing a certain outcome or difficulties. In my last course, there was a visually impaired lady who attended the course. The volunteers and students were attentive about this situation which made me realise how empathy and compassion can help build better ecosystems. Not only people but architecture is also designed with ramps, railings, to support the needful. This is how inclusivity needs to be addressed through empathy!
System design includes administration, architecture, space design, products like website/app design, etc and all should have the same synergy and focal point.
Would like to highlight some of the points which I felt were percolated even while designing physical or a digital space. Keeping one focus point in mind to provide best environment for learning Vipassana.
Architecture: Every Vipassana centre has Shunyagar. Shunyagar, are the cells where students practise meditation in isolation. The construction of these cells are designed radially such that every cell faces the natural light. The entire cell is minimal and has just enough space for a student to sit and meditate.
App: The app developed is simple and to the point. It quickly brings to the point to know more about technique and practice along with it. The app has a library of lectures and also has an option to choose a language.
Closing notes:
This entire course is free. Meals and stay are also free. It gives the right to every citizen to apply and take this course freely. To run a Nonprofit organisation so smoothly is a great deal and needs a well thought process! There were lot of points which I felt are good takeaways while designing system like education course, architecture, public spaces, health centres, etc
Pre course materials really help for new students
A crisp questionnaire to ask before the onboarding process. Finding a key behaviour and probe more to get enough data points to bring effective design solution in place
Onboarding process is the most critical step and needs more attention for smoother run through
Motivational lectures in case of education system to keep the morale high of students
Last leg of your system should help in building a community through which people can help and support each other
To have course material library to refer later on
Empathy is key to solve inclusivity
Last and foremost keep your focal point very clear i.e. To help students to learn and practise this technique . Let all the points lead to that focal point. Experience is part of the journey and should not be a prior focus. The same focus point should be kept in mind while designing process, physical product, space, app,etc
Every time I went to take the course I really felt designers can learn so much from such ecosystems. A system which is close to nature have more learning curve and helps designers to come out of isolation and think more along with systems.
I hope this blog can help you in your journey while designing systems. I may have missed a few points but feel free to share and discuss.
-Amita
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