Dan J Franklin:
Edit: Realized I couldnt have possibly reached a jhana while under the influence of substances, legal or no
That's simply not true, based on my experience. I've reached samatha jhana's while taking tranquilizers (administered by a doctor, if anyone cares). I have done most of my best insight meditation under the influence of caffeine, often quite a bit. Cola, mostly, so sugar highs too.
SE isn't an experience of blankness, its a discontinuity in the stream of experience. It's probably going to be mentalized as a click or pop of nothing/everything in particular. It's followed by a 'bliss wave', a kind of refreshed joyfulness which will probably persist for at least a few days to some degree.
Dan J Franklin:
I probably haven't attained SE and am probably still cycling through DN with some experience of equanimity.
Sounds right to me, based on your description. I'd recommend doing a good long sit/walk, and when those feelings of disgust and so forth arise try to see them as a field of sensations.
Dan J Franklin:
I've been dealing with insomnia by getting to access concentration which leads to a state of mind that seems similar to the 5th Circuit of Leary's conciousness model, with a lot of archetypal dream imagery.
Could you give a more in depth description of 'getting to access concentration' and what you are identifying as access concentration. It's not that important, but this sounds more like 4th jhana to me.
In non fancy terms, here's how I think about/experience the jhanas.
Access Concentration => focusing in, may seem trancey as outside sensations are 'quieter'. However this is honestly a very normal state of mind. Ever not hear or not fully register someone talking to you because you were focused on something else? Same principle, but since the 'object' we use tends to be quieter, its more pronounced.
First => Pleasure, relatively still but tight, effort
Second => 'looser', lets go of the effort without losing the state, often the pleasure becomes more dynamic/tingly for me. (honestly, the pleasure I experience in second jhana often reminds me of pot, which first doesn't really. Might be particular to me)
Third => Turning down the volume on second, object may seem to move relative to the center of attention (even if I'm aware everything is actually still), cool tingling sensations
Fourth => Wide open focus, calm, visual imagery is much easier in this state of mind for me.