Hey Paul, I agree with Frank's advice on Jhana Insight where you posted the same questions.
Friend Paul,
I sense some confusion in you; namely, a conflicting juxtaposition
between the practice of the "Sixteen Stages of Insight" versus
"Samatha/Vipassana.â€
If 'Samatha yoked to Vipassana' is your aim, than you need to let go of
the intellectual straightjacket of 'Straight Vipassana', you'll be
better off for it.
How do you deal with the dark night? Well you can start by seeing it as
a glass half-full rather than half empty. Better yet forget about the
concept of 'dark night' altogether. Because of the progress of your
practice, what you are 'feeling' and experiencing is the subsequent
renunciation, disenchantment, and dispassion from the wordily
defilements you crave and cling to.
Think about it -- you are following the Lord Buddha's practice of mental
development to eradicate the fetters of becoming; to extinguish the 'I',
'Me', and 'Mine', another words, to abandon your World of greed, hatred,
and delusion, in order to Nibbana.
Unfortunately, the 'I', 'Me', and 'Mine' is loudly objecting mentally
and physically, to the progress of your practice. Subsequently, the pace
of your progress goes something like; one-step forward, regress two
steps back; three steps forward, regress one-step back; four steps
forward and regress three steps back, and so on and on -- be assured
this is the nature of mental development.
Paul, it is extremely hard in this dark age of the consumer-culture to
breakout from ones 'ego', especially if you are a practicing layperson.
Okay some advice, every time you enter the so called 'dark night',
rather than dwell on regression, depression, and despair, turn it around
and see it as a badge for the progress of your practice; because that is
exactly what it is! Another words when you are experiencing
renunciation, disenchantment, and dispassion; take heart, you are moving
forwards not backwards.
Two more things before I end this reply...
Now that you are aiming to take a jhana/insight route, consider moving
from breathe meditation to Metta meditation. One of the negative
spin-offs of western civilization, is the fact most of us don't like
ourselves, or even the people around us. This dislike is a big hindrance
to our progress; Metta practice without a doubt will stabilize and
smooth out the stress you will experience when the 'I', 'Me', and
'Mine', fights back against the progress of your practice, the 'dark
night' so to speak.
Also, forget about the goal of reaching the first jhana, and so on.
Focus instead on unifying your mind, and on mindfully achieving and
maintaining stillness. Learn to watch what arises and ceases in your
mind and 'how' the five hindrances come and go, not 'why' they come and
go. The 'three characteristics of existence' are obvious, that is they
are easy to understand intellectually. What is more important though is
to see 'dependent origination' in action; subsequently, the 'three
characteristics of existence' will become intuitive rather than
intellectual.
Oh yeah... when you focus on unifying your mind and achieving stillness,
the jhanas come naturally.
With Metta,
FrankT