I have been meditating for maybe 6 months now but just for between 10 and 45 minutes a day (and not consistently). I I haven't come close to the level of depth described in the article. I guess its possible but the intensity of such a course must help.
I, too, meditated for 10-30 minutes a day for about a year before attending a Vipassana retreat and had the same experience. Even upon returning from the retreat and meditating 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the evening, I was not able to replicate the experience of the course. I returned and served for three days last fall, during which time I meditated for 3-4 hours a day and began to approach the feelings once or twice.
