1st Jhana or A&P?

S B, modified 12 Years ago at 7/4/11 6:54 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 7/4/11 6:54 AM

1st Jhana or A&P?

Posts: 7 Join Date: 6/26/11 Recent Posts
The other day I was doing a concentration meditation focusing on breath. I kept wondering what was happening (is this okay, this inquisitive nature of the mind to wonder what is happening to mind/body during meditation?). My breath was a cloud that changed form, then at some point I started to get this form, my body started to naturally rock, breath became a defined wave form, not seen visually, but yet ... visual and felt. This continued for a few more seconds and then bliss through body. Erotic/sexual energy felt. The pain in lower back from sitting was also heightened, it was intense pain yet it was accepted pain. Kept going with this and was almost annoyed by it, as it was like being at the peak of orgasm, and then there was calmness for a few seconds.

At this point, I then started to drop down and was more aware of my sitting, and by returning to breath I was able to get back to this state a few times.

There was very little insight work going on, though I was 'noticing' the effects this was having on me.

When I read the description of 1st Jhana, it seemed to be it, but the sexual energy seems to be more along the lines of A&P.

As a side note, the next day I did a sit and just consistent noting of all sensations (rising/falling, thoughts, all the small feelings of energy on the skin, sounds outside, dialog in head [or as I call it the radio head... chatter], etc.) and didn't get to this stage.

Thanks for the help!
thumbnail
Ross A K, modified 12 Years ago at 7/4/11 9:57 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 7/4/11 9:57 AM

RE: 1st Jhana or A&P?

Posts: 123 Join Date: 6/15/11 Recent Posts
This is high access concentration. with the breath best thing to do is pay attention to the breath all the way in and out with uninterrupted mindfulness. this is one way of "training oneself to experience the entire body ie breath body (or you can take the thanissaro Bhikkhu / Ajhan Lee approuch of experiencing the whole body as breath energy). and next while your paying uninterupted attention to the whole breath make a resolution to keep calming and calming the breath.
when these physical sensation arise do not switch focus to them entirely, train yourself to experience piti (joy/rapture) while breathing in and out. keep your comentary out of the mix. save the "what the f was that" for after the sit. and finally dont demand that the it happen mechanically the next sit and yearn for that pleasure. bring it back down to one breath at a time as an impersonal process. really thonk about what you was doing or focusing on when the rocking exc. sensations arouse. As Ajhan Lee would say, "focus on the causes and the results will take care of themselves".
Peace