Vipassana (Theravada Buddhism of Awakening)

Vipassana (seeing clearly) is a path of liberation from suffering arising from the teaching of the Buddha, founded on the four establishments of mindfulness of the Satipatthana Sutta. It is organized around three pillars (sila, ethical conduct; samadhi, concentration; panna, wisdom-insight) and the experiential knowledge of the three characteristics: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta (non-self), with equanimity (upekkha) as the cardinal quality. Its main techniques are Anapana (attention to the breath), the Goenka body scan, Mahasi noting and walking meditation. Clinically, the author documents its adjuvant value for anxiety disorders, depressive ruminations, stress, chronic pain and addictions, while contraindicating it as a first-line approach for acute psychoses, severe dissociative states and unstabilized traumas.

This therapy is covered in detail (principles, indications, protocol, level of evidence) in Volume 8 of the Mémento des Psychothérapies. See the volume.