Those who have navigated DN

ben childress, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:04 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:04 AM

Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 2 Join Date: 3/22/22 Recent Posts
Hello.

I am looking for advice from those who have successfully navigated this territory.

I assumingly have entered the dark night and am seeking advice from practitioners who have completed cycles of insight. 

I am looking for an experienced meditator to be my mentor through this process, however i am open to any advice, links, references, or any sources that you guys may have for navigating these territories successfully. 

Thank you.
Adi Vader, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:12 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:12 AM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 371 Join Date: 6/29/20 Recent Posts
Please see if this reddit post helps. Ignore the comments section. Nothing good is happening in the comments section.

https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/comments/osqhcg/vipassana_the_progress_of_insight_part_3_dukkha/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
ben childress, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:23 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 2:16 AM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 2 Join Date: 3/22/22 Recent Posts
I will check it out. Thank you.

I also would like to add that it seems sort of ironic that I feel I have experienced more fear and suffering since entering this stage, than I have my entire life prior to this. 

I understand this is the purification of the duality of mind and I am willing to continue, although doesn't seem like I have a choice. 

I just am seeking a mentor to relate to and heed advice from.

Seems the only way out is through. 

Thank you for the link.

Still open to any and alls advice. Thanks guys
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Papa Che Dusko, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 4:02 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 4:02 AM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 3060 Join Date: 3/1/20 Recent Posts
Hi Ben! 

Before anyone can give you good advice please describe, with as much detail as possible, your practice method! Years of practice, etc ... the more the better! Also a little bit about yourself and what is your main goal to achieve with this practice! 
Adi Vader, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 4:04 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 4:04 AM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 371 Join Date: 6/29/20 Recent Posts
Good questions sir.
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Sigma Tropic, modified 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 9:30 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/22/22 9:30 PM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 368 Join Date: 6/27/17 Recent Posts
ben childress
Hello.

I am looking for advice from those who have successfully navigated this territory.

I assumingly have entered the dark night and am seeking advice from practitioners who have completed cycles of insight. 

I am looking for an experienced meditator to be my mentor through this process, however i am open to any advice, links, references, or any sources that you guys may have for navigating these territories successfully. 

Thank you.

I'm willing I guess. Why don't you think whatever you're doing is working? 
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Pawel K, modified 2 Years ago at 3/23/22 4:05 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/23/22 4:05 PM

DN buster

Posts: 1172 Join Date: 2/22/20 Recent Posts
Trick to pass DN quickly is the ability to abstain from having any deliberate action in mind including not doing any action of not doing.
Not as much stopping activity as just not doing anything. If 'done' correctly there will be feeling that mind is filling with a kind of pressure and at some point it will be filled to the brim. After it is filled and some time passed mind changes to EQ

In the past when I was figuring this out it would be a kind of paradox, trying to not do anything is kinda action itself but then any quality of doing has also be not done... then any not doing of non doing also seems like subtle doing and it has not be done... it is recursive method and this recursive paradox is what fills the mind until there is no free space in mind for any kind of activity and finally any possibility to do anything stops. Then mind because everything is active but not really active all at once figures itself out and once action is resumed whole field of mind seems available and mind state is pretty much identical to what it would be if going by all nanas up to EQ.

This recursive action that fills mind is also what normally causes EQ but normally it happens not because of deliberately stopping any action including any action of stopping action but because mind cannot do anything and not cause dukkha it arrives at the same conclusion that it needs to do this in exactly the same way. Doing it consciously can be done sooner and is superior insight-wise and learning this trick can lead to developing even better mind states.

In any way at first it might be quite tricky to do. It might rather seem that trying to do it like that is pointless because mind is just at it and anything done is just doing something. Over time as trick behind it understood it becomes so easy that issue of DN is pretty much non-existent. 5th nana which always comes after having 4th nana (and let's be honest: it rare person will experience A&P and just drop it and say "nope, won't experience it because it leads to Dark Night" because simply it often doesn't come to mind that this is A&P...) and is quite characteristic with central focus point being weakened and many of the just available actions (during A&P) not working is easy enough to recognize as 5th nana and this is the best time to start actions to bring EQ rather than letting it develop in to Dark Night-proper. Imho.

Last time I did it was yesterday. I was walking around the city and realized my central perception point is numb and everything feels like 5ht nana and so I started doing it while walking, mind filled quickly, then I was just holding it like that while walking and by the time I was going back to my home I had central point and EQ. I consider this whole thing to be done half-assed really but still I do not experience any DN. 5th nana of course happened because I had 4th nana which I had because I was trying some new mind states I am working with and let my imagination run a bit too wild. I have my own opinions about 4th nana, what it really is but it is perhaps topic for another time emoticon
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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 2 Years ago at 3/23/22 4:48 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/23/22 4:48 PM

RE: Those who have navigated DN

Posts: 7135 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling. 

The dukkha ñanas have a lot to give but can certainly be challenging. It helps if you can get curious about them and see them as teachers trying to show you that you are not the one to whom the challenges happen. A somewhat masochistic orientation helps too, I guess... If you manage to get detached enough to build up some concentration, that helps a lot. The energetic level of the dukkha ñanas is fascinating. The process knows the way - and it communicates energetically. Listen to your body! Explore the senses, or rather, let them explore themselves and try to stay out of their way! Also, find ways to let the body find relaxation from the tensions that tend to build up because of the resistance! (Don't force the relaxation, but invite it!)