Ricky Lee Nuthman:
Then I noticed that I started to feel very warm and comfortable, like I was somehow ridiculously safe. It's hard to explain, but it was like being in a cocoon. I then noticed a small light right in the middle of the curtains, like an impossibly small dot from a spotlight very far away.
I became completely absorbed in that light, as if it were the only thing that could hold my attention. I was still aware of the room and the curtains but the light was overwhelmingly compelling. It got larger and larger, but remained a circle, although it was a fuzzy circle as it got bigger. Finally, after some time the light completely filled the room and it was brilliant! Oddly, I wasn't even a little bit frightened. I felt completely safe and relaxed.
Hey Ricky,
The quote above shows classical entry to first jhana via "full moon" nimitta. What you got there is what people are trying to achieve when they sit to do samatha/concentration practice. Kids have pliant minds and are open to novel experience so it is quite common that people have early concentration experiences in this way. This does sound pretty special, so treasure it.
What happened after with the alien woman... here is my take. I have often experienced, while doing concentration immediately prior to sleep (either at night in bed or more commonly in the morning while lazing) is that jhana can be attained but the state loses stability and bleeds into a dream. For example, I have had the nimitta (the bright light in the middle) turn into a sun, then I'm on a paradise beach. My point is, the mind creates visuals to explain the jhana phenomena (the good feelings and the light).
I basically stop paying attention to anything after the state destabilizes because it's just the mind doing its thing. Sometimes dreams are just dreams. That's my take on it, anyway.