Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Dileep Vasist, modified 6 Years ago at 1/2/18 11:59 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/2/18 11:59 PM

Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 20 Join Date: 5/13/17 Recent Posts
Hello Folks,

I did a session of Fire Kasina practice for half an hour yesterday and few questions popped up in my mind while doing it.
I practice by staring at the candle flame and notice the movement of the flame, colour of the inner and outer layer of the flame and its characteristics.After sometime,I close my eyes and try to look at the after burn and a yellowish red grain of light appears and I try to concentrate on it and repeat again by looking at the flame.

My questions are as follows:-

1)Few articles on Fire Kasina tells us to recreate(imagine) the flame by closing our eyes and concentrate on it. Should I do that?

2)If my eyes start to water by looking at the flame, should I move my hand to wipe it?

3)How do I map my Jhanas based on the red grain that appears when I close my eyes?

4)How do I deal with questions and thoughts that arise in my mind while concentrating on the red grain?

5)While trying to concentrate, my eye lids start to move sometimes and the red grain disappears? How do I overcome this.


PS:- I want to do Fire Kasina practice as done by Daniel Ingram. So please guide me on Fire Kasina as close as possible to his practice.
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Lars, modified 6 Years ago at 1/3/18 12:28 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/3/18 12:27 AM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 420 Join Date: 7/20/17 Recent Posts
Dileep:
PS:- I want to do Fire Kasina practice as done by Daniel Ingram. So please guide me on Fire Kasina as close as possible to his practice.


Great timing. emoticon

https://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/7039508
Dileep Vasist, modified 6 Years ago at 1/3/18 12:44 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/3/18 12:44 AM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 20 Join Date: 5/13/17 Recent Posts
Thank you Lars for the link. I have downloaded the book and I am yet to go through it in detail. I just read few pages and it was more of their practice log than a guide. I'll study the book once to get more information.
Anna L, modified 6 Years ago at 1/6/18 10:45 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/6/18 10:45 PM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!! (Answer)

Posts: 232 Join Date: 1/21/17 Recent Posts
Hi Dileep

This might be helpful:

1. I practice in the same style as Daniel Ingram (which is also outlined in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and was first taught to me by another yogi). In this style we don’t try to visualise the flame; just close your eyes and pay attention to whatever you see (in your case the red grain)

2. yes you can wipe your eyes! If my eyes start to water I just blink. Blinking hasn’t affected my practice at all. 

3. According to Daniel and Shannon’s book, it sounds like you’re at the first jhana, stabilising the red grain.

4. When thoughts arise during my practice I just note them as “thought” and they pass away. Try not to stress about it, just relax and note them.

5. The red grain can move about in initial stages of this practice. Just keep concentrating on the grain without being too attached to what it does. Just observe it, become interested in it and develop a curiosity about it. Don’t try to force it to change and don’t intellectualise about what should come next. Just stay with exactly what is in front of you right now. 

Hope this helps! emoticon Kasina is my favourite practice emoticon

Anna
Dileep Vasist, modified 6 Years ago at 1/8/18 9:37 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/8/18 9:37 AM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 20 Join Date: 5/13/17 Recent Posts
Thanks a lot for your response Anna. I will go through Fire Kasina book by Daniel Ingram and Shannon as well. It would be helpful if you could briefly outline the characteristics of each Jhana as per Kasina practice.
Anna L, modified 6 Years ago at 1/8/18 3:54 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/8/18 3:54 PM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!! (Answer)

Posts: 232 Join Date: 1/21/17 Recent Posts
Hi Dileep, I am going to start a new thread with my kasina practice log so there will be more detail there. From what I can understand from conversations with Daniel and Shannon, and from reading their book:

1st jhana - directed, focused, effortful concentration (for me this happens when gazing at the flame)
2nd jhana - blissful, effortless, loss of body awareness (this corresponds with seeing the nimitta "lightshow" that I see and will describe in my other thread)
3rd jhana - equanimity, more diffuse, still no body awareness (this corresponds with the "murk" phase after the nimitta lightshow disappears)
4th jhana - 3D shapes (I have only experienced this once and have not been able to replicate yet)
Dileep Vasist, modified 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 1:14 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 1:14 AM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 20 Join Date: 5/13/17 Recent Posts
Thanks a lot Anna !!! I will keep a track on your thread. May you be peaceful. May you become enlightened.
Anna L, modified 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 2:58 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 2:58 AM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 232 Join Date: 1/21/17 Recent Posts
You’re welcome! This is a rough estimate based on my practice, but definitely go with what you read in the Kasina book - all the info is there emoticon 
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Daniel M Ingram, modified 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 9:20 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 1/9/18 9:20 PM

RE: Help with Fire Kasina Practice!!

Posts: 3289 Join Date: 4/20/09 Recent Posts
Anna gives spot-on advice. Enjoy!

Daniel

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