That said, many people I met at the retreat reported feelings of great personal significance. I'm completely open to the possibility that the fault lies with me, but I wonder whether these reports were influenced by group pressure, since there is something of a sense of community and to admit that you "didn't feel anything" is to exclude yourself. After ten days of silence and seclusion from the world (there's no technology, communication, reading, etc.), you will want all the social interaction and acceptance you can get.

Also bear in mind that this is basically a self-selected group of people who are searching for "something." Whatever "it" is, it doesn't come as a surprise to me that people find it after ten days alone with their thoughts (which still come to mind, however much you try to focus on bodily sensations).

As an aside, I was also turned off by some of the quasi-religious content of the retreat. The website claims that this is a strictly evidence-based practice, but you'll quickly realize this isn't the case when you hear Goenka chanting in Pali or explaining the benefits of meditation as an effect of releasing "sankhara."

After the retreat, I thought a fellow named Harmanjit Singh did an excellent job evaluating Goenka's teachings here: http://harmanjit.blogspot.com/2007/07/critique-of-vipassana-...

If I ever have another continuous twelve days to spare, I'd still be willing to try another retreat with a more secular focus.