The 4 noble truths become more tangible, bringing seriousness, motivation and enthusiasm..
you realize more and more that suffering is so real, perhaps
the most real of all illusions.
And it also becomes more and more tangible, that the eradication of
negativity, the dissolvement of negativities can really happen.
That the change in life with each negativity dissolved, is real and tangible.

I had an interesting conversation with a fellow meditator on the way back from a course.
One interesting thing he said was that the reason the Goenka school is so harsh as it evolved in
India, and you got to yell at these Indians or otherwise they will just walk around all day.
So westerners, with guilt complexes and perfectionism, taking the course who take this harshness too much to heart should remember the teachers just want them to work, not stress themselves out.

Evolution comes in waves, and you need to relax and enjoy the journey.
Indeed the first thing I did after the course was surf in my favorite porn site.

The connection of mind and body becomes so tangible.
You notice how the pain in the leg arises together with stress in the mind.
It comes as no surprise anymore that the quieting of the mental reaction dissolves
the physical pain.

The practice is so hard, but you realize more and more it is *the* practice. At almost the same moment I want to do a 20 day course and cannot stand the thought of sitting another 5 minutes.

It is our basic misconception that keeps us fighting with the world.
Nature keeps trying to take the defilements outside of us. But when they arise on the surface we
fill discomfort and try to push them back inside, rather than let them leave.