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  1. A Winding Path of Progress/

Jhanas, meditation as concentration and the benefits of boredom

·5 mins·
Challenge Meditation Jhana
Table of Contents
Me in the forest

Hi 🙂,
previously I thought the point of meditation was relaxation or a state of not thinking. That’s why I stopped doing it. I had found better tools to relax and to stop myself from thinking.

Meditation is about concentration. At least the entry level. You concentrate on a meditation object. That is: the breath, an image, a sensation or whatever. If you are unable to do that, you will not be able to proceed. (Neither with meditation, nor with life😄)

Thoughts are perhaps our most direct distraction, so let’s not have those. Relaxation helps to concentrate, by moving attention off of areas of tension. Not thinking and relaxation have their place, as subcomponents to concentration.

Commitments #

My ongoing commitments are:

What I’m working on #

For context, see /now.

This week I did jhanas. After a minimal amount of research I just tried it, with immediate success. Over the next few days I went into the jhanas deeper, quicker, under different circumstances. I’m a big fan of the tranquil, concentrated, knowing state I find myself in, especially after a deep session. My wife was not so amused at first. She said “I want my husband back” and “I don’t want to talk to Buddah anymore” 😉

My path to jhana

What worked for me?

  • Neurostream to bring me into a relaxed state
  • An image as my meditation object (vision is my strongest sense)
  • Followed the steps from this guide:
    1. Focus on meditation object and let the piti build (happened in my hands, as described)
    2. Switch focus to piti and let the piti build further
    3. Get pulled into first jhana (you know it, when it happens)
    4. …
    5. Profit

How far did I get?

I didn’t read much of anything about the jhanas. I only heard the categorization of J1-J4, J5-J8 (formless) and J9 (“enlightenment”?). That J1 is very recognizable and that the phases transitions are clear is all I think anybody needs to know (apart from how to get to J1.)

In my first session I went to J6, before I had enough. In the next session I went to J9 and got lightly ejected.

All jhanas are distinct and have consistent characteristics that stay the same with every visit, though they can differ in intensity. For me, most carry a strong visual component.

Why do I think it was so easy for me?

Even at a retreat where they focus only on this and provided individual support, only 70% of people achieve J1 or more after 40h+ of practice. I don’t know the rate of going beyond J4, but it’s certainly much lower than that. Others online speak about “months and years of practice.”

On Reddit I found this:

I think the cause for first jhana is just release from the 5 hindrances.

The classic list of five hindrances is:

  1. Sensory desire: seeking for pleasure through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.
  2. Ill-will: feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.
  3. Sloth-and-torpor: half-hearted action with little or no effort or concentration.
  4. Restlessness-and-worry: the inability to calm the mind and focus one’s energy.
  5. Doubt: lack of conviction or trust in one’s abilities.

All of which I have worked on in the past years. I think my previous efforts of “no complaining” (Ill-will), being present (Restlessness and worry), building self-confidence (Doubt) and other projects and habits prepared me for this.

I have not eaten 100% raw, in a (successful) attempt make the diet work better for me. I will probably settle at around 95% raw.

Challenges #

Applying a specific learning or philosophy for a week (see project.)

Last one #

Last weeks challenge was: Doing nothing

When I let myself be bored, I found that I mostly needed a break or that I was tired. Other times I found something to do that was just right for me (at that moment.)

I realized – as anytime I tried this in the past – that: 1. doing nothing is hard 2. doing nothing is great for me. To make it more concrete, I would point to these benefits:

An opportunity to listen to myself:
I tend to plan ahead: breakfast, work on XYZ until the daily, then another meeting, walk, lunch, etc. That is: I let my conscious mind dictates what I will do. I don’t listen to myself, to what I want and need.

Less overexertion:
By listening to myself, I can catch when I put too much on my plate. I can self-correct, before my body takes more extreme measures (can take different shapes: extreme tiredness during the day, sickness, entertainment seeking, cravings for sugar, etc.)

Go with the flow:
Besides an awareness of my own needs, I am also more receptive to the pull of “the universe.” I can more nimbly adjust my actions. I’m more attentive to others needs. I get the message, without having to run head-first into this or that wall.

Next one #

Keep doing the jhanas every morning. I want to see:

  • What kind of resistance arises in response
  • How I can get better results in less time
  • How long I can maintain the high level of awareness/tranquility/concentration created by it
  • How I handle a variety of circumstances (Berlin, colleagues, work, shopping, etc.)
  • What cumulative effects can be observed? (Or does each night act as a reset?)

New articles #

Some updates here and there. Behind the scenes stuff and research for /foods 🙂

All the best,
Jonathan


PS: Please let me know if you have any comments, feedback or criticism.

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