Hello!
I posted a while ago on my meditation practices. I had a near miss moment, but then I fell back. It was a very worthwhile experience and was actually the second time it happened. I've been coasting in equanimity since then, but I'm thinking of going for experiencing formations again. They usually takes two hours meditation for me to start experiencing formations, so it's not always practical for me to push myself that hard in daily life. So here are my questions. They're some tough ones! Look out!

1) If I'm seeing vibrations does that mean that I am making progress? Like say I can see vibrations visually with just a little applied concentration out of meditation, does that mean I'm making progress?

2) It seems that there are a couple ways that I can perceive vibrations: one is almost peripherally, I don't have to be note the vibrations but they still are there in the background. Vibrations are definitely not what I focus on in these cases.

The second way is when I focus directly on them. This way seems to make them last longer and I get the definite feeling that this specific vibration was "noted". With the right kind of concentration I can make those individual vibrations last longer, but its on a per vibration basis, compared to the true equanimity vibrations that last long all by themselves.

Thirdly, I can also watch the vibrations in a different way where I focus on the background and solidify that and I watch the vibrations change in front of the background. I get the feeling that this might be what I'm supposed to be doing, but the second way I mentioned above is also profound.

Does anyone have insight on the effects of these different perceptions and which is most beneficial? I might be the case that when I get deeper in equanimity that these modes of seeing vibrations all come together in one experience.

3) The advice that I've read here that after A&P concentration is most important seems very applicable to me. After a solid concentration sitting (looking at a small plate or something) I start seeing vibrations everywhere and in everything with no effort at all (in a peripheral manner like I mentioned above). However, I only get short vibrations, not the long equanimity ones.

Will I ever experience formations if I only do concentration practice? Does that matter as long as I get into high equanimity?


Thanks in advance. I know these are some hard questions and I could probably do the work without them, but I appreciate what you have to offer!

Jeff

As to vibrations, formations are more important, which should include background, foreground, space, you, other, and the whole thing in a moving, dynamic, transient, volumetric way.

Equanimity is more about noticing those questions as being part of the moving field, or just being into the moving field without any real questions at all in a way that is naturally engaged with it.

Thus, I am guessing either really early Equanimity or still Dark Night, as real equanimity doesn't tend to have that quality of questioning to it.

One way or the other, be more inclusive: see the effort as part of it, see those questions as part of it, see whatever tension is driving those questions as part of it, etc.

Helpful?

"Helpful? "


Haha. Enough to get me stream entry Dec. 17! !!!!!

Thank you soooo much! For the book especially. That was the biggest factor for my achievement. I've never been so grateful. This is obviously what I've been looking for, but already I can tell that I haven't accomplished everything.

But for your entertainment I have a couple more questions:

Since stream entry I have experienced a non stop continuity of reality. There's no gaps in time in my awareness, even when I zone out and come back to reality it's all a single stream of consciousness. Is it because of this continuity that fruitations are recognizable? I haven't recognized a fruitation yet but I've experienced some vibratory phenomena that sounds like the impermanence door. It's like a "spacequake" from dark night but "I" am not experiencing it and can only reflect on it when it's over. With the proper resolution I can make it happen again after focusing on the crown chakra for a while. The difference between this and the spacequakes in dark night is that I feel like something is between those vibrations; like some shiny alter-reality or something. Is fruitation experienced as a shiny alter-reality? Or does the fruition happen after the vibrations?
I'm still unsure how to experience something that is not an experience or in space-time at all. Are all the three doors experienced as vibrations that include space? Can I recognize the three doors from their vibrations or are some smooth non-vibratory experience? There's been a couple other moments where I thought something happened and it was followed by some strange physical sensations that I've never felt before stream entry. My concentration was never high enough in those moments to see if there was a distinct split in time.

Thanks much!!

Jeff

ps. Also, if your curious about how I know I got stream entry, I could write a 50 page essay on it, but the most fundamental difference is that it feels like a part of my brain shut down that used to cause suffering and then later a brand new new one but similar has appeared. But overall there is a massive drop in suffering and attachment. I've never experienced this much happiness and bliss in my life and I feel like I'm barely attached to it at all! The clarity is astounding! Ask more if you have doubts

Dear JSS,

Well, whatever it was, it sounds like you are enjoying it and it did something good, so that's a good sign regardless.

As to Fruitions, just incline the mind to a Fruition, remember the moment you consider stream entry, and let the thing happen. Let it all just progress. Sit with no particular intention, technique, or focus except to notice what happens naturally.

It sounds absurd to just incline the mind, but you can simply resolve, "May a Fruition arise like the one I think was the first one." See what occurs.

Some people have a hard time getting them early on, or, if this wasn't stream entry, inclining to have a Fruition might make it more likely.

Let the thing settle. If this is really stream entry, then Fruitions should show up again just by inclining to that which appears to be between the frames in a gentle way and then letting that intention go and giving in.

Let us know how the thing goes. By this point you should have some more thoughts on it, no?

Also, can you call up ñanas and jhanas? Do you now start at the A&P and cycle up them naturally?

Daniel