What should I do next to achieve jhana - Discussion
What should I do next to achieve jhana
Matthew Jon Rousseau, modified 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 4:35 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 4:35 AM
What should I do next to achieve jhana
Posts: 70 Join Date: 10/6/19 Recent Posts
I do I hour sittings of breath concentration. About 15 minutes In my breath gets slow and almost un noticeable. I also get pleasant feeling at that time .the feeling is just pleasant in My body. QUESTION. should I make that pleasant feeling my primary object of concentration for the rest of the time in sitting or revert to breath. My mind wonders more when I revert to breath.
Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 4:55 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 4:55 AM
RE: What should I do next to achieve jhana
Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
It might be a good idea to try to fill your breath with that pleasant feeling and make the breath really exquisite.
Dream Walker, modified 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 5:49 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 5:49 AM
RE: What should I do next to achieve jhana
Posts: 1770 Join Date: 1/18/12 Recent PostsMatthew Jon Rousseau:
QUESTION. should I make that pleasant feeling my primary object of concentration for the rest of the time in sitting or revert to breath. My mind wonders more when I revert to breath.
~D
hae1en, modified 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 9:27 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 9:26 AM
RE: What should I do next to achieve jhana
Posts: 99 Join Date: 10/13/19 Recent Posts
In Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond Ajahn Brahm gives a good <checked myself> advice on this. Switch concentration focus from breath to luminosity/nimitta or pleasure/piti themselves only after they stop to wobble/pulse and become stable.
If I remember well he also advocates spending plenty of time with breath and letting go, because first level of pleasure/piti is piti born of letting go, so it will disappear in early jhana states if focused too early on. Unless it's allowed to act as a spontaneous factor abiding in the background/peripheral awareness. Second level of piti is piti born of concentration and this is stable even as an object and not background quality.
This works for me regardless of hard/soft jhana paradigm.
If I remember well he also advocates spending plenty of time with breath and letting go, because first level of pleasure/piti is piti born of letting go, so it will disappear in early jhana states if focused too early on. Unless it's allowed to act as a spontaneous factor abiding in the background/peripheral awareness. Second level of piti is piti born of concentration and this is stable even as an object and not background quality.
This works for me regardless of hard/soft jhana paradigm.
Matthew Jon Rousseau, modified 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 11:34 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 11/15/19 11:34 AM
RE: What should I do next to achieve jhana
Posts: 70 Join Date: 10/6/19 Recent Posts
I never get a visual nimita. I've seen a couple of annoying lights but I just ignore them and return to. Breath or pleasant feeling.