Your guidance to leave all objects that are not our objective focus in the background really helped me today, to not analyse or shift your focus but stay on your focus object. I kinda new this already but you made me double down on it and my meditation felt better for it.
I’ve learned that the Nimitta can also be the words spoken during guided meditation. When I listen to the words & and surrender to it effortlessly I enter into a Jhana state. My entire body feels an intense tingling sensation and I experience hyper focus, ecstasy, and and extreme stillness. It analogous to being plugged into an outlet and getting fully charged. I’m also able to reach the Jhana state via self inquiry (Ramana Maharishi’s who am I question). Some nights I just listen to the crickets outside my window and get into that state. It’s an amazing experience. ❤
Hello, In the Jhana that Beth teach according to the Visudhimaga, there is unbroken awarnes of the object. Which means that there is not a single moment distracted with other thing, including other senses perception, sensations etc.. The meditator entering first jhana would not be able to hear anything (crickets or even biger noise) not having thought, no smell. 5 senses are off. This for a stretch of time 15 minutes or 2 hours or 3 hours, time of absorbtion. So, easy to check if the experience is 1st jhana: meditators can check if there was disturbance or awarness of one of the senses. If hearing something that means the experience was not a jhana absorbtion. Also in the jhana, the pleasant sensation remain in the background as present factors of the jhana experience. But are not be the object, as the mind is continuously knowing just one same object (breath for exemple) end never shift to the pity or sukha.. This is different from some teachings who would instruct to take the bliss as meditation object. Those instructions are great for pleasant joyfull meditation but does not lead to Visudhimaga jhana. Jhana is different, it is keeping focus continuously on the object, not beeing distract by joy bliss or any phenomena 😊 Your description sounds like nice acces concentration experiences. With the Beth guidance pretty sure you can continue smokthly towards jhana :) From acces concentration to full jhana absorbtion it take the time to calm even more the mind and letting go of diversity, training the mind to remain still calm confortable with the very same object for a long time. I hope tis help! Would be nice to follow your progress. With much mettā from a Beth student working in that same stage ;)
Hi Beth, thanks so much for your videos. I have studied Buddhist and other meditative practices for the good part of 30 years, in that time I have meditated sporadically, but frankly, very little. Several times, however, over the years when I was mediating I would leave my body. I still recall looking down at myself after returning from wherever I went and thinking it would be impossible for my consciousness to fit back in the little body that was me below, but it did. I was curious if these experiences had any relation to samadhi and the jhanas. I also seem to recall that having these experiences was something akin a having a siddhi and ultimately not really on the path, but rather a detour. Your videos have inspired me to get back into meditating regularly and I would like to have some reference for why that occurs and whether it is worth pursuing and working with. 🙏
Hello, thank you for your question. These kinds of experiences are quite common among meditators. Please feel free to book an appointment with me through my website so that we can discuss your experiences in more detail.
What is the practice to be able to discern discrete moments of consciousness? So called dry vipassana with noting, a la Mahasi Sayadaw? Is it required to achieve jhana, or can the state be reached without the mind being discerning enough to notice the bhavanga moments?
Hi Beth. Thanks for the breakdown in this video. It's good to get your take on nimittas and what they mean. If it's not too much hassle was wondering if you could help out a fellow dhamma geek with citations for the abhidhamma stuff on moment-to-moment consciousness and vibangha? Muchas gracias! I have a copy of Bhikku Bodhi's Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma but I don't see the chapter on Vibhanga. Hmm maybe it's not that comprehensive after all heh heh.
Hello Robert, the name of the resting consciousness is bhavanga, and I think Bhikkhu Bodhi translates it as "life-continuum" or something like that. You should be able to find it in his translation of the abhidhammatthasangaha.
Hi Beth, is your one on one offered with good will just as Buddha's dhamma was and many monastery offer free? Are you in such position to offer such help to guide suitable techniques?
I've read that according to the Visuddhimagga only one in a thousand can reach absorption. I'm not sure if that's accurate, but is it really that rare? What about all the people studying at Pa-Auk? How many of the monastics there reach the jhanas?
I practiced jhana meditation anapanasati last year. I encountered a big problem and still not overcome yet. My entire head and face feel stiff and harden like a rock after 3 days of meditation. I understand that it's one of the four elements (earth) and I still can't get rid of it.
Hello Myo Thein Oo, Lots of people have this problem with anapana. Please feel free to book a zoom appointment with me if you would like to discuss some was to overcome this.
@@bethupton1286 I tried to book but you have no spaces available, but in all honesty I wasn’t surprised. It’s rare someone can talk about the jhanas with such descriptive experience and be easily accessible. I do hope to get a chance to talk some day with you
I tend to find that when the breath gets subtle I start trying to control the breath, can you provide some instuctions on how to watch the breath without trying to control it especially when it gets subtle?. I can't seem to get away from doing deep inhallations so as to try to feel the breath more distinctively. thanks
Hello, I think that the Nimitta at some point (when strong and stable) become the object of meditation. It is just a more refine object of meditation that the previous one that lead to it. To be corrected by Beth ;) With mettā
Rob's stuff is great, but I think those jhanas are different from the type of jhanas that Beth teaches. Burbea wasn't big on the Visuddhimagga, but Pa-Auk training is based around it. Not entirely sure on that though. Would love to know if she is familiar with Rob Burbea's stuff.
Don't worry, one can function as usual. The problem with Jhana's is that one can get addicted to the very pleasant state of mind. Also, if one doesn't work on one's personality, negative mind aspects can get worse, meaning easier frustrated, angry aso. That is why someone should do Samantha meditation with Vipassana/insight meditation. Also, practicing Jhana's only want lead to enlightenment, Nibbana, the get you liberated.
Lmao forreal…In Leigh Brasington I trust. Ain’t no way Pau Auk has a stamp on “real” jhanas. We look at the suttas and the Buddha goes into jhana under a rose apple tree as a kid. You can’t tell me that’s a vissudhimagga jhana the Buddha went into. Leigh has sutta knowledge to back it up too. 😂😂
@@VeritableVagabond unfortunately i can't recommend anything comprehensive except for the original pali scriptures,, translations are fine as long as you don't get hung up on the words,, i also found buddhaghosa's commentary helpful,, not sure if anyone's made any really useful contributions the past millenium & a half since then ;)
