Vipassana Training Path
Train attention through breath, body observation, and sustained practice
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 94%
Perez describes Vipassana in the S. N. Goenka tradition as a progressive training system rather than a set of instructions to copy from a short explanation. A first 10-day silent course begins with roughly three days of observing natural respiration through Anapana, which he says calms the mind enough to support more detailed observation of bodily sensations. Practice then moves through the body while cultivating equanimity: observing experience without craving it or pushing it away. Perez maintains the training with an hour in the morning and an hour later in the day, but that is his personal routine, not a universal prescription. He repeatedly stresses that the course is difficult and that the capability develops through training.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01Attention is trained progressively rather than mastered immediately
- 02Breath observation prepares the mind for body observation
- 03Equanimity means observing without craving or aversion
- 04Retreat learning is reinforced through continued home practice
How to run it
- 1
Assess the commitment
Understand that the introductory path Perez describes is a silent 10-day course with rules, long practice periods, and limited communication.
Pro tip Review the course format and suitability before enrolling.
Watch out Do not treat a retreat as a replacement for medical or mental-health care.
- 2
Train with natural breath
Follow the course instruction to observe natural respiration during the opening stage. Return attention calmly when the mind wanders.
Pro tip Expect distraction rather than treating it as proof of failure.
Watch out Perez says the full method cannot be learned adequately from a brief description.
- 3
Observe the body
Once guided to do so, move attention through the body and notice sensations as they arise and change.
Pro tip Follow the teacher's sequence rather than chasing unusual sensations.
- 4
Practice equanimity
Observe sensations without grasping at pleasant ones or rejecting unpleasant ones. Treat balance, not a particular sensation, as the practice.
Watch out Intense or unusual sensations are not evidence of superior progress.
- 5
Continue after the course
Establish a repeatable home practice that keeps developing attention and observation after the retreat.
Pro tip Choose a schedule you can maintain rather than copying Perez's two hours automatically.
Watch out Benefits described in the episode are Perez's experience, not guaranteed outcomes.
In the wild
Perez learned through a 10-day course, beginning with breath observation and moving to body observation. He says he later sustained the practice for about eight years with one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening or late afternoon.
→ Perez personally credits the continued practice with greater self-awareness and changes in his relationships and work.
Common mistakes
Expecting immediate competence
Perez compares meditation to learning a language or training the body: distraction at the beginning is expected.
Copying an advanced schedule
His two-hour routine reflects years of practice and is not presented as a starting prescription for everyone.
Is it for you?
Best for
People prepared for an intensive silent course and a long-term meditation practice after appropriate screening and preparation.
Not ideal for
People seeking a quick relaxation trick or anyone for whom an intensive retreat is unsuitable without professional guidance.
From the transcript
“The first 3 days you learn how to observe your respiration.”
“I meditate 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour in the evening.”
From the episode
Yung Pueblo: How To Let Go Of The Past, Connect With The Present, & Expand The Future