Thanks DW. I haven't let it stop me. MCTB is what I had been looking for before restarting my meditation practice. I say restarting, but previously it was very haphazard and unfocused. For me, MCTB was like the magic key that makes one of those ancient devices from an Indiana Jones movie unlock itself. I worked out what "right mind" is (or at least I think so), and understood the framework that the different types of practice fit into. Thank you Dan!
Since then I have been working on concentration practices and am very happy with how things are progressing. In the beginning I was totally restless after 15 minutes, now I'm sitting for 45 and being aware of the breath the whole time. Also, feeling disappointed when the alarm goes off! Now I'm working on fine tuning my attention by focussing on the anapanasati spot.
Yesterday that went really well, and I was in a pretty damn good space for a long time. Today it was not so easy - I live by a main road, and people were moving around the house a lot. So instead I opened my field of awareness. Something pretty cool happened. When I was a child, I'd occasionally get a sensation like my tongue was enormous - indeterminate size really. It was fascinating. Today I gt that feeling over my whole body. It was pretty sweet! I'd describe it as feeling like the Stay Puft marshmallow man in Ghost Busters, but not angry (another movie reference... interesting). I dunno if it was a type of jhana or what - is there a marshmallow man jhana? Ha ha ha... That's one reason I'd like to find a decent teacher.
Online is an option, but I'd really prefer to find someone I could meet in person. Online is good in many ways, but there are things that only come across when you're meeting someone face to face I think. Skype is better than just a phone line, but still not quite the same.
And I'll say THANK YOU DAN!! one more time. I can't express my gratitude enough. Getting a little tear in my eye just thinking about it. He did a very good thing in writing that book. Big ups!