Peter G G:
Hi all,
I have been meditating for over 5 years (30 mins daily), my practice started after going to Shambala ( http://ny.shambhala.org/ ) were I took 2 weekend mini retreats ( 2 levels of their core program) after that I got disenchanted as it seemed to me they were more concerned about making you take every little course than really helping you. Then a friend gave me Daniel's MTCB and I feel it changed my life and really give me clarity of where to go.
Unfortunately I feel a little stuck right now. From MTCB I gathered that I have to attain a very strong concentration before trying to go or explore other things so my goal has been to attain my first Jhana in concentration. Currently in my practice, I sit down (eyes semi-open looking down) focus on my breath and I can be very focused on it for the first minutes, I have conversations (noting??) like: "I am really focused today", "I am breathing fine", "I feel my nostrils", then maybe after 5 minutes I lose that initial momentum and start focusing on feelings, or sounds or whatever is around me, my mind might start wondering a little but I am able to bring it back to the breath and feelings. I might also be feeling relaxed and sometimes pleasure and then suddenly I disconnect, wonder again and have to start focusing on the breath.
I am trying to understand if am I doing concentration at this point or did I move to something else perhaps insight? how far away am I from the first jhana? should I just disregard the rest and focus on my breath relentlessly?
Thanks for your advice,
Peter
Try
this sequential manner of developing the factors for the 1st jhana. Then once each sequence is somewhat learned and somewhat mastered (for now, you are able to keep doing the instruction unhindered for 10 or so minutes at a time), move to the next. You will notice that the instructions further down the line are to do with 'insight', perceiving phenomena in a certain way. If you work on each instruction with the intention to master the art of directing thought, you will soon learn how to and you will develop momentum that lasts.
Nick