I need some help with the terminology on here, specifically Jhana.

I have no idea what it is, and everything I've tried to read about it confuses me more. People are saying "I have this jhana, I have that jhana" like it is most tangible thing in the world and I'm just so confused. What is everyone talking about? I've read so many conversations about it on this site and about jhana this and that but I still have no idea what it actually is they're talking about.

I hope someone can explain it in simple simple terms. Also, when people talk about Actual Freedom I get very confused.

I'm pretty good with understanding the terminology of the stages of insight, but even that feels so airlike and unreal when I talk about it. (Something about saying "I'm in the Dark Night" feels fake". Do I really know when one stage ends and the next one begins? Not in my experience)

Also is it possible I am already doing jhana in a way even though I don't call it that?

Thanks.

Read this thread by Ian. it's a good place to start and it's a sticky thread for that reason.

http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1191517

There are a few possibly differing views on what constitutes jhana even on the DhO so take each description with a grain of salt. There may be a difference between the jhanas accessed and described by post-1st or 2nd pathers (as talked of in MCT, and even by those post MCTB 4th path, as they do change somewhat in my own experience depending on your current perceptual baseline. Start with Ian's explanations and work from there. Concerning AF, best to get your info from the source about it, then maybe get confused and fuss over the lay out of the site and/or the introduction of a different paradigm and approach. If so, then come here and ask questions where there a few dedicated actualists to point you in the right direction. Otherwise, if you are doing well in your current practice leave all notions of AF etc. for later when you have done what you are currently aiming for...or not.

Nick