Staccato reobservation followed by mind and body?

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Silas Day, modified 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:31 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:27 AM

Staccato reobservation followed by mind and body?

Posts: 23 Join Date: 4/4/19 Recent Posts
Hi all, just wanted to get a second opinion, Doing some pretty intensive ( at least for me) practice during the day at home (4+ hours a day generally split 1 hour walking 3 sitting). I am doing mahasi style noting with the eyes open with my gaze fixed on either a Buddha image, candle flame, or incense smoke. This is my first time really doing intensive Vipassana, basically, all my practice up until this point has either been Zazen or Shamatha. 

I have really and blatantly noticed in my practice recently that I am cycling through mind and body, cause and effect, three characteristics, A&P, the Dukka Nanas, and when I get to reobservation everything kinda goes staccato with me noticing the incense smoke stopping almost mid-air for a few moments, or the candle flame/smoke stopping, or even my cat ceasing to move mid-stride when she walked in front of me one time.

and then all of a sudden i will find myself back at mind and body... what is going on? I really am not quite sure! any advice would be very helpful

To give a little more info I have been doing this amount and style of practice now for just a day shy of a month and have found it quite incredible and suprisingly quick, but this may be do to the sheer amount of shamatha I did up untill this point but who knows!
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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:50 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:48 AM

RE: Staccato reobservation followed by mind and body?

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
Wow, that’s interesting! Sounds like a great potential for investigation, being able to freeze a moment like that. Do you think it may be jhana-related? Is there a pattern as to what experiences are subject to this staccato phenomenon? Do you react emotionally to this phenomenon (and if so, could that cause the dropping down to mind and body?)? Have you had stream entry from your other practices? How rapid is your cycling? Sorry, I have no answers but plenty of questions. Feel free to ignore any question that you do not feel like answering. You just had me very curious.

It sounds like very rapid development to me. Fascinating!
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Silas Day, modified 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:56 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 11:56 AM

RE: Staccato reobservation followed by mind and body?

Posts: 23 Join Date: 4/4/19 Recent Posts
Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö:
Wow, that’s interesting! Sounds like a great potential for investigation, being able to freeze a moment like that. Do you think it may be jhana-related? Is there a pattern as to what experiences are subject to this staccato phenomenon? Do you react emotionally to this phenomenon (and if so, could that cause the dropping down to mind and body?)? Have you had stream entry from your other practices? How rapid is your cycling? Sorry, I have no answers but plenty of questions. Feel free to ignore any question that you do not feel like answering. You just had me very curious.


I have no idea whether or not it is Jhana related, though I wouldn't be suprised if this was the case because I feel like I have a tendency to shamathaize my vipassana.     There isn't necessarily a pattern, its almost like I can feel a slight tug at the front and back of my head at the same time when I shift into reobservation, but find that there can be a myriad of things leading up to it,  and the experiences that seem subject to it are everything in my perceptual field! Its like it call staccatos for a few moments and then I find myself back in mind and body practice. Even my breath seems to cease or atleast not noticed consciously! 

When It happened the first few times I did have an emotional reaction, but over the past few days have found that to dwindle to try and get a clearer look at it, but it is a muddied staccato, not clear and crisp, but hazy like a Monet painting. 

I do not believe I have had stream entry from my other practices, though I could be wrong, simply observing my own practice i don't think I have crossed that point, but could be proved otherwise.

My cycling generally takes 4-5 hours! and on really good day maybe maybe maybe 3, but that was only once. 

Linda, please ask as many questions as you like! I am as confused as you are curious!
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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 12:24 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 5/4/19 12:24 PM

RE: Staccato reobservation followed by mind and body?

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
That’s a great combination, then, your confusion and my curiosity. Yay! But please tell me if I step over any boundaries. I wouldn’t want to do that, but sometimes it may be difficult to notice it before it’s too late.

I’m in no position to do a dharma diagnosis. Compared to my own experiences, I cannot but notice that you are getting this rapid cycling very early, though. That’s why I asked about stream entry. Maybe you got a lot of insights from your previous practices and were just waiting for a possibility to thrive in this. That’s cool.

My tell/sign for entering reobservation has been a certain type of chaotic vibrations in my throat, and then increased back pain. I have no idea how to tell the nanas from each other now after what I believe was stream entry, though. There is no pain. I appreciate that, but it’s kind of weird too. The only staccato moments I have had has been in fourth jhana once before stream entry, and then at fruitions. Mine were very crisp, though, and internal images were the only thing that I saw freeze like that. I have heard about instances of time slowing down. I wish I could remember where.

I like your way of explaining your experiences.

I will be following this thread to see what others reply. Hopefully others know more.

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