Hi Carole,
Carole Lindberg:
I have an inquiry about the time put against practice. As Mr. Wallace says, for us to get into a deep level of samatha practice, we have to put 5,000 to 10,000 hours of practice in. That is about what it would require for me to become a concert solo violinist!! I am not a nun, live a normally responsible life with luckily perhaps more time on my hands than many. But not that much time to do this full-time.
Well I haven't attain stream entry yet. And one of the main points in that essay is that I think we should go by the traditional definition of jhana. But that doesn't mean you have to be able to sit for 24hrs! What it means is you need to be able to get to access concentration which is around 4hrs. Also it does mean you have to sit for 4hrs every time it just means that if you want to you can to some lvl of consistency. It is likely often at around sits of about 4hrs that stream entry will occur (though some people reach the lvl of concentration required without doing a sit like that). This is because there concentration & mindfulness is consistent and undistracted. Or because they have a high proclivity towards concentration, goes deep, quickly and easily. Its my feeling that once you get to being able to do 2hrs sits with some consistency that the leap to 3 or 4 hrs may not be that hard, in terms of concentration. This is because it is very peaceful and very pleasant, you don't become tired, your circulation and easy of body is extremely pliant. Along with this you have less 'need' for sleep, and will not tire late into the night or through!
I don't have the Wallace book on hand today, but in general, he stated that after the second phase, it was really necessary to really put in those 8 or more hours a day if you want to get anywhere with this.
Is that what you do? Is that what everyone is doing?
So the journey starts with building up the practice slowly! One step at a time! Sitting for and hour is a standard that is encouraged with new meditators, not moving without back support and preferable on the ground cross legged. At that point your at about stage 4 and a nimitta may arise and extend the sit into stage 5 and being able to sit of maybe and 1 hr & ½. Sorry I didn't check that, it was sort of of the top of my head.
It helps and seems to be a common standard that for serious development in the dry insight tradition of practice; that a person sits for at least 2hrs a day, but really 4 to 6hr (this is not one continuous sit but the amount of time committed to meditation, sitting or walking) is need for any really chance at breaking out of the dark night into stream entry. Also all that in between time driving your car, waiting in a reception, walking need to be done with strong mindfulness. In daily life, engaging with the world I doubt anything but systematic noting could keep your attention with the bare sensations of the body. But even though I'm not a big fan of conceptual noting in my practice, I like the author Jack Kornfield's description of how meditate doing noting in "A Path with a Heart"
So one of the last points is that, the jump from access concentration, which is around 4hrs into Jhana or Stream-Entry can occur at that point. Stream-Entry is a type of Jhana, but possibly or likely easier to attain that actual full jhana, which should be at a most basic lvl to be seen around 8 hrs. Though again I need to remind you in case you didn't get it the first time, that time is not that state of attainment. And it can be reached and returned from in a short period also.
Don't forget Metta is considered a Samatha practice and can and is used by the neo-buddhist tradition or teachers Such as Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzburg, Joseph Goldstein & Michelle McDonald. My main point is in modern day western insight practice, there is a tendency to help the meditator, by teaching them some Samatha to mediate the intensity that arises during insight practice.
So you start with little steps in the moment not longing for the future attainment, which is a serious obstacle yet at the same time using these skill sets and maps to aim for the attainment (Keep in mind that the maps, weren't originally taught to new students, and some time basic practices were merely given, keeping that in mind start with some basic practices). But also, for a period, it would probably most often be required, for you to do some longer retreats, of two weeks, a month or two or even three months.
I believe it is attainable, not based on faith but real testimonies from others that have walked the path before me in this day an age from traditional and neo-buddhist backgrounds. I hope that path is an easy one for you, because maybe in past lives you refined your skills & virtues/ i.e. your bloody lucky & talented. Kind Regards Neem.