How long for Jhana to kick in?

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Rooster, modified 6 Years ago at 11/8/17 5:20 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 11/8/17 5:20 PM

How long for Jhana to kick in?

Posts: 4 Join Date: 9/16/17 Recent Posts
I can regularly get into Access Concentration, but not into Jhana. After noticing my breath slow way down and my hands tingling for several minutes, I jump my attention to one of those hands. However, I can remain focused on that hand for the rest of the session. The focused-on hand keeps tingling, but its pleasurable features diminish over time. Sometimes I get white flashes of light, but I remain concentrated on the hand. This can go on 40 minutes or more.

Should I keep my attention on the hand, indefinitely, or should I move my attention back to strengthening Access Concentration, after a certain amount of time?
Yilun Ong, modified 6 Years ago at 11/9/17 6:27 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 11/9/17 6:27 AM

RE: How long for Jhana to kick in?

Posts: 623 Join Date: 8/7/17 Recent Posts
Angra Mainyu:

from normal mind perspective when you are in access concentration find and concentrate on something which would match description 'pure pleasure'


What Angra said is true but you are probably lost now, so for practice purposes, find out what you do with the breath and body that creates this tingling, what increases its intensity and area. You can experiment with holding the breath to check what effect the end of the in/out breath has. You have to go in deep and get comfortable/intimate with mind/breath/body to find out.

To enter jhana, you need to summon a rhythmic mind state of pleasure (think of the road to climax) or have it arise naturally from the exercise above, this means an internal smile (can be physical) that will generate sukha to combine with the piti above.

Try it and let us know. emoticon
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Eric B, modified 6 Years ago at 11/9/17 10:02 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 11/9/17 10:00 AM

RE: How long for Jhana to kick in?

Posts: 187 Join Date: 8/24/09 Recent Posts
You might want to try lengthening your sits, preferably beyond the one hour mark. Don't shift your attention to the sensation in your hands a few minutes after it first becomes apparent; continue to sit in what you are calling access concentration. By continuing to sit in access concentration this way, the piti will build and emerge on its own, and when it does it will then get your attention without your having to go looking for it or do anything to it.

With regard to what you are doing now, I'd say the directing and maintaining attention on the sensation in the hands is premature based the fact that the sensation fades as you sustain attention on it.

TLDR: Continue to sit in access concentration for a longer time, extend the time you're sitting for, and it will unfold.

I hope this is of some use.

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