On March 30th, I stepped onto the stage at Mezrab, Amsterdam’s renowned House of Stories, to share my experience with Vipassana meditation before a live audience of 300 people. It was both exhilarating and humbling to be part of such a vibrant storytelling community, where tales come alive and listeners are invited into new worlds of imagination and insight.
I chose to talk about Vipassana—often called “insight meditation”—and how it offers a powerful way to understand and control the mind. My story began with a simple metaphor: imagine your mind as a television, with thoughts and emotions flickering across the screen. Normally, we’re at the mercy of whatever channel is playing, reacting impulsively to each sensation or story that arises.
Vipassana, I explained, is like discovering a remote control for your mind. Instead of being lost in the narrative, you learn to observe your thoughts and feelings as they come and go, without getting swept away. This ancient Buddhist practice trains you to sit with discomfort, joy, fear, or boredom—simply noticing, not reacting, and gradually gaining mastery over your inner landscape.
On stage, I described my own journey: the struggle to sit still, the whirlwind of thoughts, and the moments of clarity when I realized I could choose not to be controlled by every passing emotion. I shared how Vipassana rewires the brain, reducing stress, improving focus, and helping us respond to life’s challenges with calm and resilience.
The audience listened intently, some nodding in recognition, others smiling at the metaphor of the mind as a TV. Afterward, several people approached me to share their own meditation experiences or to ask for tips on starting a practice.
Performing at Mezrab was a milestone for me—a chance to connect deeply with others through story, and to show how something as simple as mindful observation can transform the way we experience life. I left the stage grateful for the opportunity and inspired to keep exploring the stories we tell ourselves, and the power we have to change them.

Cheers!