John:
The spinning thread reminded me of somthing but I didn't want to divert the thread. When I was about 10/11, I used to feel like I was spinning and floating when I was in bed looking to sleep. It would start of just as the normal feeling of relaxing in bed waiting for sleep, then get more intense and I found I could concentrate and deliberately get into it, and soon I would feel a sense of lightness and floating, which would turn into a spinning sensation. There would be nothing disturbing at all about it, and nothing like dizzyness - just a light blissfulness.
I'd forget about this, pretty much, during the day, but at night would remember that I had this trick going on. It was so pure and sweet a feeling, and so natural. I wish I could still do it but my psyche seems heavier now.
Would this be a jhana ?
Wow John! Your description def. reminded me of a video I watched on youtube.
Are you familiar with "Ask a monk" videos on youtube?
You should def. check out this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSBat65EtE
Wow!