How They Meditate - S.N. Goenka

Vipassana vs. Mindfulness: Understanding These Two Terms

September 11, 2026

How They Meditate – S.N. Goenka (Guided Meditation)

September 13, 2026

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Last Updated on September 24, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov

This is part of our series How They Meditate, covering various meditation teachers and their styles. Visit https://OneMindDharma.com/howtheymeditate to see all episodes.

S.N. Goenka is the father of modern vipassana. With over 270 meditation centers in 90 countries, Goenka has been incredibly influential. His style of mindfulness is presented as science, not Buddhism. As such, it has had the power to reach people of all religions and traditions.

Utilizing the body scan, Goenka essentially investigates the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. His technique can feel rigid at first, and the 10-day vipassana retreats can be quite intense. But this practice has helped countless people find wisdom and insight, and has inspired many aspects of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation in the West.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2X6FdH3W7dzr3Hg70Z8vgu

Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1unn7GdrO28

Support this Podcast: https://OneMindDharma.com/donate

Online Groups, Classes, and Programs: https://OneMindDharma.com/groups

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Get notified when we have a new post on our blog!

Enter your email address to subscribe

Provide your email address to subscribe. For e.g abc@xyz.com

I agree to receive your newsletters and accept the data privacy statement.

You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in our newsletter.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Matthew Sockolov

Matthew Sockolov is a Buddhist meditation teacher who trained at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. Matthew completed the CDL5 training in 2017. He has studied at various meditation centers in various traditions, including Deer Park Monastery, Wat Metta, and Abhayagiri. He currently offers his popular meditation podcast and individual sessions with students interested in a mindfulness-based approach to counseling through his private practice at TheMindfulCounselor.me.