neem nyima:
I have to consolidate this point of the practice. Now I can see it and distinguish it and the journey through the different stages, and feel the shift from A&P through the dark night and out into that deep peaceful state.
There is a certain amount of shift back into difficulties in the body associated with the dark night, but by just being with them and holding that awareness of the state of equanitmity, I return to an ease with the body.
Is is oka to transmute these dark night sensation through attention back into a soft background of being with the body?
as long as you keep doing the investigative practice (are you noticing/noting the three characteristics?), then that's probably fine.
would you like more specific advice here? if so, please describe the 'dark night sensation' and 'difficulties in the body associated with the dark night' more specifically.
neem nyima:
I've read through Inrgam's vipassana stages and a bit beyond there, but not finished the book, there doesn't seem to be much there no where to go now.
I mean, often when I go back clues that didn't seem so evident present themselves anew.
that sounds like a good reason to read more of it, or to read the parts you've already read again and again, eh?
neem nyima:
Some of the question marks for me are do I keep flowing up through the cycle and get better at accessing equanimity,
yes.
neem nyima:
and shifting between insight and jhana, like I sort of have been doing, but now I added in a equanimity.
yes.
neem nyima:
Or do I just get really good at equanimity and wait for something to happen.
keep going deeper into equanimity, recognising that if you use too much effort, you will stall and probably fall back, but if you use too little, you will also stall and probably fall back.
equanimity nana needs to be robust enough to handle a lot of investigation and investigative effort. therefore,
neem nyima:
What i should do from here?
keep going, as your questions are good and indicate that you're probably going the right direction. if you want more specific advice, post more specific meditation descriptions.
keep going.
tarin