I was going through Leigh Brasington's Right Concentration the other day and came upon the idea that the jhana factor Piti can get stuck in the head.  I thought back to my first 7-day Jhana retreat in 2014 and how great my concentration was so strong in the last couple days.  And how the Piti does seem to have been stuck in my head since then.   Sometimes, painfully so.  I stopped meditating mid-2016 before picking it back up about a year ago.

Anyway, i'm getting back into it and Piti or something like it is still stuck in my head, mostly behing my forehead in my sinuses it seems.  Or maybe it's the fact that i drink at least two double americanos a day?  I'm reluctant to stop doing that.

Leigh suggest quickly sweeping up the spine quickly to push the energy out the top of the head.  I was surprised that it's not too difficult to awaken the spine but, at the same time, didn't push the piti out the top of my head or even come close.  

Any thoughts on this?

With Metta

I'm no big expert on this, but I do use a sort of framework, or model that makes sense to me.  It comes from other places but I fear I'm not articulate enough to properly relay with credits, so here is my version:

'Normally', the subconcious brain sees/hears/etc everything and then 'passes up' a bunch of simplifed versions for us, the puppets to walk around with.  Through investigation we see past the illusions to something deeper, more realistic about our experience than the simplifed versions. Eventually, at it's own pace, the brain stops filtering the data and you are then aware of what was once hidden from 'you'.

Perhaps you have seen through one of the illusions, the simplified version that says there are *no* neuron signals to observe from your sinus area.  Of course, there *are* sensory neurons there, and they *do* send information to your brain, but were used to ignoring it.

After my first vipassana retreat a 40 year old scar on my finger started occasionally stinging like heck. It still does that. I think I lost the illusion there were no messed up nerves/skin there.

This may be sophmoric drivel, so use at your own risk!

Addition: after about 4 years of meditating, I finally lost the illusion that drinking coffee every day was a great idea. :-)

Go do insight meditation

Hi! I am recently doing experiments with smoking (given a large amount of Thai tobacco) and of quitting it and these are 2 research guidelines which you might find useful to investigate addictions (X henceforth) or coffee:

1. Isolate X - no multi-tasking allowed. When doing X, there can be no other activity and no thoughts other than around investigating/reviewing X and its effects. See it clearly for what it does (to you). [When you lump >1 deemed-to-be-pleasurable activity with another - your mind confuses the effect of both of them, creating a powerful illusion that is easily dispelled by isolation.] <- no drinking coffee coupled with chatting/breaks/socializing/reading/relaxing/etc. you get it...
2. Mindfulness with X. Watch cause & effect, A&P of everything surrounding desire/craving/clinging to X.

All my other findings come from the above 2 points only.

Through the experiment (may not apply to you):

I have a guy living in my head which I call Hunter. Hunter is a dissatisfied fella, a pessimist. He feels unsafe and has a need to be appeased. So all day long, he finds gaps so that he appears and hunts for something other than what is 'here and now'. He will appear hungry, thirsty, want to X. It pays off BIGLY to watch him!

Best of Luck!

I appreciate this feedback Matthew.  Sorry that i didn't respond right away but i have been busy first with my young daughters on March break and then with work. 

Perhaps i am becoming aware of more sensory input.  this morning on the train it was a warmth in my lower jaw and the normal luminous space (eyes closed).

I've decided to inject as much equanimity as i can.  I can't imagine that would hurt.  

yes, i have been doing that mostly mahasi style, focused on the belly. 

Then i read Mind Illuminated and thinking about the benefits of insight with jhanic level concentration.  Isn't that what Daniel talks about?

 thank you for the suggestion.  

Though I still think coffee is a wonder drug, i think this is helpful advice.