It is part of the Theravada meditation tradition in Buddhism. Vipassana meditation is taught to those who wish to gain a better understanding of themselves. Vipassana meditation is attributed to the Buddha himself and focuses on transformation and self-observation through introspection. Samatha meditation is the other pole of Buddhist meditation that says you can achieve calm. Focusing and pacifying meditation through strengthening your mind with concentration, while vipassana says that you need to find out why your mind was disturbed in the first place and the only way you can do that is through ultimate insight. Most Buddhist teachers teach Samatha meditation as a prelude to Vipassana meditation.
Vipassana also means seeing things as they really are. There are courses offered in vipassana and they are offered free of charge for the ten day course. Surprisingly, even room and board are included, as all expenses are covered by donations from those who have taken the course and benefited from it. They provide the support for the course in the hope that more people will realize its true potential. On the first day you are exposed to the principles of Buddhism that require you to abstain from alcohol or other intoxicants, refrain from killing, lying or stealing, and sexual misconduct. You are then instructed how to focus on something as simple as your own breath to focus on natural reality.
By the fourth day, you should be able to find your focus quickly and start reaping the benefits of vapissana. You will learn to observe the sensations your body produces, understand why they are happening, and then develop peace of mind by not acting on them. By the tenth day you will learn the meditation of goodwill and loving-kindness towards all living things.
