user8304: I just finished a vipassana retreat and well, I am still confused with just observing and feeling, and holy **** that was a h**** of an experience.... a-bomb (more bad then good, but we all need it, I felt pain from others in distance, and well I need this pain to project later on metta bavahna, but annicca,annicca,. The day I left (today) I was crying and well spotted a sensation in the throat, observed it, crying, don't even know why, should I look for the why? And is the crying equanamously crying, or was I? Didn't feel like doing stuff for 3 hours. Is that generating new sankaras? Or it's just old sankaras coming up? It like a bad sensation makes me forget ANNICCA, but a good sensation makes me more ANNICCA... I mean I am still confused if I am allowed to get angry and observe, then cry and observe, and being sure that, I am equanimous.... I do not want to read books anymore on this lol, I had enough, so I continue the body scan, I mean I keep calling the people from vippa... and everytime everything is different, and I am confused with the emotions.... 
Thanks to anyone who can clarify and guide me better on the DHAMMA!
Love to you all!
May you all remain equanimous!
alexei

user8044: Did anyone advice you to focus on the five and the eight precepts once you end the retreat?  Following the precepts is an important part of any meditation. When you are fully grounded in the precepts your intentions are skillful, as you can break a precept only intentionally. It gives you the inner resolve as you will do no harm to any being by killing, stealing, engaging in illicit sex, lying, or by taking intoxicants. Such a person is always mindful and alert. Then you can continue to practice the meditations that you’ve learnt like staying with the breath without any ill effects.
Meditation retreats are rather regimented. By that I mean very strictly organized or controlled. As a result, a lot gets left out in that approach. So it is not so healthy. That is why I asked you whether anyone adviced you to focus on the five and the eight precepts.  A retreat does not help in the whole mind training and being heedful. That is why you are going through all these emotional ups and downs as you have not developed the strengths to overcome such emotions.  You should have developed the ability to say NO to such negative states of mind. A sense of hiri-ottappa  (a sense of shame – but NOT in a negative way) accompanied by mindfulness  helps you to overcome such.  I do not think that at the retreat any emphasis was given to the five Sekha strengths. One who has the ability to develop and live in association with the five Sekha strengths and does not abandon them, have the ability overcome such situations. The five Sekha strengths are a must for everyone in this path.  They are… Saddha (Confidence), Hiri (shame), Ottappa (fear), Viriya (energy) and Panna (wisdom). These strengths helps you to weather any emotional waves you go through.
‘Sankhāra’ means intention (volitional effort).  So as I said at the outset, your intentions needs to be skillful. An intention occurs according to what we perceive - about a figure that is recognized. Likewise, intentions occur about sounds, smells, tastes, and contacts that are recognized. When a mind’s thoughts are perceived, intentions occur according to those thoughts. All these intentions that are formed in various ways are Sanskhāra Upādānaskandha. So you are correct in identifying with sankhara.

user8157: You just finished a retreat. Give everything time to settle down. Currently, you are taking it all far too seriously.   
Obviously, you had an arduous experience. Tears of relief; possibly some catharsis. There is no need to be concerned. 
Give 'anicca' ('impermanence') a long term view; such as one month for those 'sankharas' to settle down. 
'Sankhara' does not (exclusively) mean 'intention'. 'Sankhara' is any kind of mental formation, including non-intentional or automatic instinctual emotions. 
For example. when the mind goes into 'shock' due to an accident, this is not intentional. 
Similarly, during an intense retreat, emotions will arise that are not intentional.
It appears that a few emotions, more or less, is not going to increase or reduce the sankharas stored within your mind in any significant way. 
I suggest, for the next few weeks, to forget the teachings you heard & return to some ordinary activity, particularly some physical exercise to burn off & settle the emotions & hyperactivity.  

8304: <p>I just finished a vipassana retreat and well, I am still confused with just observing and feeling, and holy **** that was a h**** of an experience.... a-bomb (more bad then good, but we all need it, I felt pain from others in distance, and well I need this pain to project later on metta bavahna, but annicca,annicca,. The day I left (today) I was crying and well spotted a sensation in the throat, observed it, crying, don't even know why, should I look for the why? And is the crying equanamously crying, or was I? Didn't feel like doing stuff for 3 hours. Is that generating new sankaras? Or it's just old sankaras coming up? It like a bad sensation makes me forget ANNICCA, but a good sensation makes me more ANNICCA... I mean I am still confused if I am allowed to get angry and observe, then cry and observe, and being sure that, I am equanimous.... I do not want to read books anymore on this lol, I had enough, so I continue the body scan, I mean I keep calling the people from vippa... and everytime everything is different, and I am confused with the emotions.... </p>

<p>Thanks to anyone who can clarify and guide me better on the DHAMMA!</p>

<p>Love to you all!
May you all remain equanimous!
alexei</p>
 8044: <p>Did anyone advice you to focus on the five and the eight precepts once you end the retreat?  Following the precepts is an important part of any meditation. When you are fully grounded in the precepts your intentions are skillful, as you can break a precept only intentionally. It gives you the inner resolve as you will do no harm to any being by killing, stealing, engaging in illicit sex, lying, or by taking intoxicants. Such a person is always mindful and alert. Then you can continue to practice the meditations that you’ve learnt like staying with the breath without any ill effects.</p>

<p>Meditation retreats are rather regimented. By that I mean very strictly organized or controlled. As a result, a lot gets left out in that approach. So it is not so healthy. That is why I asked you whether anyone adviced you to focus on the five and the eight precepts.  A retreat does not help in the whole mind training and being heedful. That is why you are going through all these emotional ups and downs as you have not developed the strengths to overcome such emotions.  You should have developed the ability to say NO to such negative states of mind. A sense of hiri-ottappa  (a sense of shame – but NOT in a negative way) accompanied by mindfulness  helps you to overcome such.  I do not think that at the retreat any emphasis was given to the five Sekha strengths. One who has the ability to develop and live in association with the five Sekha strengths and does not abandon them, have the ability overcome such situations. The five Sekha strengths are a must for everyone in this path.  They are… Saddha (Confidence), Hiri (shame), Ottappa (fear), Viriya (energy) and Panna (wisdom). These strengths helps you to weather any emotional waves you go through.</p>

<p>‘Sankhāra’ means intention (volitional effort).  So as I said at the outset, your intentions needs to be skillful. An intention occurs according to what we perceive - about a figure that is recognized. Likewise, intentions occur about sounds, smells, tastes, and contacts that are recognized. When a mind’s thoughts are perceived, intentions occur according to those thoughts. All these intentions that are formed in various ways are Sanskhāra Upādānaskandha. So you are correct in identifying with sankhara.</p>
 8157: <p>You just finished a retreat. Give everything time to settle down. Currently, you are taking it all far too seriously.   </p>

<p>Obviously, you had an arduous experience. Tears of relief; possibly some catharsis. There is no need to be concerned. </p>

<p>Give 'anicca' ('impermanence') a long term view; such as one month for those 'sankharas' to settle down. </p>

<p>'Sankhara' does not (exclusively) mean 'intention'. 'Sankhara' is any kind of mental formation, including non-intentional or automatic instinctual emotions. </p>

<p>For example. when the mind goes into 'shock' due to an accident, this is not intentional. </p>

<p>Similarly, during an intense retreat, emotions will arise that are not intentional.</p>

<p>It appears that a few emotions, more or less, is not going to increase or reduce the sankharas stored within your mind in any significant way. </p>

<p>I suggest, for the next few weeks, to forget the teachings you heard &amp; return to some ordinary activity, particularly some physical exercise to burn off &amp; settle the emotions &amp; hyperactivity.  </p>
