Hello all,
I have a quirky question.  I have considered (not super seriously, but) getting access to an oxygen tank for jhana practice so I don't need to breath.  Similarly, I have longed for consistant access to a sensory deprevation tank for the stam reason.

Why you ask. Mainly because, at this point, my concentration is such that, when I enter Jhana 1, breathing itself is so course that it pulls me out... I am still able to move throught to J2 but it rarely last for more than 15 minutes...

In my mind, I somehow imagine that, if I didn't have to put in that minimal effort to breath, or if more sense data were absent, I could get deeper into these states.  

Again, I get that this is a bit silly and I'm likely to neither seak a perscription to oxygen tanks or to buy one of these: zen tank.

So I know this is a bit odd but thoughts?

What are your wacky ideas to align the concentration factors? 

Fixed the link. 

Hey Janusz, good to see you on here.

That oxygen tank idea's a bit quirky.  I personally love it when the breath gets course and other things drop off.  Those have led to some great  experiences.  Are we talking about the same thing here or have i misunderstood?

Sensory deprivation tanks are a great idea.  Have you tried them?  I was trying them last year and enjoyed the focus and relaxation (great for the legs).  I've heard many meditators like them (Shinzen Young is one)

And were you not at Bhavana last week?  That's great that you're getting into second jhana

Alex

Is there some kind of two way mirror here? I'm not placing when we met but I'm assuming we have since you know my exact whereabouts over the past few weeks.

I have never tried the depravation tank but have wanted to for a while.  

I was referring to the fact that as concentration becomes more refined, we need to let go of more course or jarring objects of meditation.  I am able to locate and expand awareness of piti to encompass the whole body, but then there is this nagging, clumsy sensation that keeps pulling me out of these finer and finer states of concentration, that's the (minimal) effort to breath. 

I have heard that in suttas, they say that at some point, a person can't even tell that they are breathing.  In others they seem to suggest that one is actually not breathing in or out… This makes sense because, going into these states, my breath needs to be so extremely calm that it is almost not happening.  Really, it seems ideal if it were actually not happening.  My other idea was to create something like that movie Abyss where Ed Harris breaths liquid oxygen…  Or I could just do more jhana practice.

But seriously, where do we know each other from?

seems like your jhana practice is going well.  i dont think i'm the best person to give advice here: i'm still trying to master the first.

But since we're talking and you were asking earlier, i should share how much metta practice, and tranquilizing the body helped me on this retreat.  They helped me drop self-referential thoughts long enough to let the nutritive factors start to do their thing... Everything cleared out in front of me and, though my eyes were closed, i had a lot of visual clarity.

I recommend you check out Ian And's collection of jhanna postings.  You could also shoot him some questions i'm sure - he seems like an active poster and very focused on jhana, so to speak.  

Jul 20-26: i was doing weed wacking and fixing the paths while your carpentry skills were put to good use in West Virginia.  we did walking meditation together, and on Sunday the 26th i sat in front of Suddhoso (?) who encouraged us to read the suttas.  I would have said hi but i knew you guys were heading off - talked to Solomon before he jumped in your fully passengered car.  ...your beard has grown since this photo was taken but i dont know many Jnausz's in this part of the world

Danger Will Robinson!  (silly reference to a silly old tv show)  A sensory deprivation tank might be fun, but as for an oxygen tank, I think you might want to consider logistics and health concerns.  First of all, you will still need to pump your chest muscles for oxygen to get in there, the body does not breath through the skin, you will still need to breath in the oxygen, even if there is more of it.  Second of all, pure oxygen can be very not good for you. The body is not designed for that much.  If too much gets inhaled, the body does not have mechanisms to cope with it.  Interesting info here: http://www.damninteresting.com/beware-the-dangers-of-oxygen/ .  And according that article, more oxygen will probably also cause you to respirate MORE not less.  The body is used to a certain balance of gases, when that gets very out of wack, the system of checks and balances no longer function properly.  If it were me, I would not touch it with a 10 foot pole, get your jhana on the natural way!  ;-P
-Eva  

Thanks Eva,  Yeah, I knew it was likely too silly to work.  Now I know it's do dangerous to work too. 

And I was totally kidding about filling my lungs with liquid oxygen.  I'm sure only Ed Harris can handle that kind of experience, jhanas or no.  ;)