Ian And:
As you begin to become more adept at reaching such states at will and are able to integrate insight practice, you will appreciate the ability you have developed to be able to center the mind on a subject (or object, as the case may be) in unification on that subject in order to learn more about it. This is the point where "contemplation" becomes more than just another word — meaning it takes on real palpable significance. Especially if you have been reading about (or thinking about) the subject matter before meditating.
Thanks! I'm starting to see what you mean. I looked at the Insight thread and saw some interesting techniques from Florian that I tried. I really noted as much as possible including positive, neutral, and unpleasant. Here are the main differences in my experience:
- My eyes at times rolled back and I felt a mental expanse. Of course I noted it along with everything else. Noting sometimes made it stronger
- When I got lost in thought it was different than in concentration. In concentration I don't notice the line between awareness and being lost in thought as much. This time when I was lost in thought I snapped out of it quicker but it felt more like I was dreaming and then just woke up except it wasn't like in normal sleep and I wasn't nodding off. I was aware of being awake but just lost in thought. I can feel that blip between awareness and lost in thought (which reminded me more of dreaming).
- When I was done I felt so much energy that I could meditate much longer. With pure concentration it feels like it requires more effort to go more than 1 hour. I did a walking meditation afterwards which had some of that floating, jerky feeling movement of the "Cause and Effect" stage.
- After opening my eyes in the sitting meditation it was a little blurry but I noticed that my back and jaw were sore which dovetails what Daniel points out in his book:
There may be odd bodily twistings, obsession with posture, and painful tensions or strange other sensations, particularly in the back, neck, jaw and shoulders.
- There also was a little emotional discomfort almost like an aversion to this mindset and a comfortableness in being as per usual which is the opposite I felt during this sitting meditation. So I suppose that's a taste to come.