Just got SE a week ago and my mind is a million times more powerful than before in terms of samatha. I'd been mistaking access concentration for the first jhana the whole time!....

However, I have serious problems with depression and really scared of future dark nights and how I might react to further dissolving of the self. Is it possible to use the first four jhanas (can't figure out which is which yet!) to mitigate post path DN symptoms?

Best done with the guidance of an experienced friend or teacher, jhanas is always a good idea. Joy is a factor for awakening according to ancient texts, and I have to agree, the inability to fabricate at will refined mind states that are most conducive for discernment can mean slow and rough progress. Do you have access to jhanas, in particular the 4th? If so, then most defintiely try and spend all your practice time in it as it will provide fertile soil for 'equanimity/insight' to be cultivaed as I talked of in your other thread.

Addressing the 'serious problems with depression', what are you doing/have done about such tendencies? Are you able to talk about such occurences with anyone? Or is the DhO your only outlet?

Nick

Thanks for your kind response. I'm seeing a therapist at the moment but when I told her I'd 'rewired' my brain (SE) through meditation she (probably understandably) just looked at me like I was even more mad! I guess I really need a shrink/psychiatrist who's also familiar with the insight stages but not sure where I'm gonna find one!!

Though Ron Crouch is based in Hawaii, he could be the perfect guide for you as he is a trained psychologist as well as meditation guide. Contact him, he will also have more info on such a combination of skills and perhaps where to find teachers/guides/therapists who have those skills closer to home. His site has some helpful articles as well.

http://alohadharma.wordpress.com/

Thanks Nick. I dunno how she's gonna react when I tell her next that I now think I'm 'cycling through the nanas'!.....

Will the cycling diminish now post-SE if I stop meditating altogether?

I can't speak for your experience, but in my own, the cycling continued even when i did not feel like sitting and practicing for extended periods post MCTb 1st path. You may see a slowing down effect, but that may suck when the stage you are at manifests all sorts of unpleasant phenomena. It would be wise to train the mind to deal with it regardless of 'cycling' as it will serve all avenues of life. Speak to Ron about it. Ask him question or two on his site. He will have a ,much better view from the standpoint of an already established tendency to 'depression'.

Nick