• Wow, the subreddit is a lot more active than this forum! Also /r/streamentry seems interesting as well. I’m definitely gonna move to reddit and finally use an old account I created there like 8 months ago…

  • Hey Sergey,

    I’m very happy for you, man!

    “I am very dedicated to reach first Jhana now, cause I believe it will be a huge relief for me. I don’t make it an obsession or craving, but intention is there.”

    Yes, please don’t make it an obsession. That can become very frustrating. Just try to do your best each time you meditate and forget about j…[Read more]

  • Hey Ivan,

    “Anything that makes you ‘accident prone’ can eventually do the job.”

    I really hope that’s the case, for the benefit of all beings.

    What I meant by fully-awakened was becoming an Arahant.

    Also being an Arahant doesn’t mean one is perfect in every way conceivable, I don’t think that’s possible at all, there will always be room for imp…[Read more]

  • Some say it’s possible to become fully-awakened using metta as your only method for accessing the jhanas. It’d be great to learn what Culadasa thinks about that. I’m not entirely convinced that’s true so for me the breath remains my main object of meditation. But metta is still something we all could use more of. It can be life-changing when you…[Read more]

  • “I mostly meditate open-eyed due to the dullness, and it’s a bit better, but the dullness still overcomes me and I have to strive very hard to keep attention from weakening and scattering due to dullness, and sometimes strive to keep eyes from closing.”

    Oh I see. Then you definitely need to make some changes in your life (outside of meditation) l…[Read more]

  • Hi Sasha,

    I’ve read about what you describe but I’m not actually familiar with employing that technique. Two things you could try doing are meditating with your eyes open or walking meditation.

    Some people actually prefer to meditate with their eyes open. This is because they carry the concentration throughout the day, and the mind doesn’t make…[Read more]

  • No problem, Chris. Hope at least some of it was helpful to you.

    By the way, a lot can be written about it but a brief way to describe a healthy ego would be: you don’t experience yourself as being superior or inferior to others.

    Also, it’s definitely possible to train yourself to become more compassionate and I know it from personal experience…[Read more]

  • Hey Chris,

    “…I’m sort of trying to avoid spending thousands of dollars if I could eventually get to the same emotional place just through hard work on the cushion.”

    You’re a smart man!

    Definitely try to resolve your issues with meditation first. Conventional therapy can be your backup plan.

    Like Kurt has said, loving-kindness meditation s…[Read more]

  • Ivan is right of course, physical pliancy is definitely not an on/off thing. I was only referring to the point when it reaches full maturation. In the same way one can experience brief yet very pleasant feelings of joy which only intensify later on, because meditative joy as well is not an on/off thing. It also matures depending on your level of…[Read more]

  • Two clear markers if you have reached the Stages we’re discussing (from what I have heard/read by Culadasa and his advanced students) is that the pleasure experienced at that point is much, much more stronger than sex. Sometimes a powerful energy current of piti loops along the spine and may lead to mild or even severe shaking/convulsions, the…[Read more]

  • Hey Andrew,

    The mental and physical pliancy Ted mentioned is different than what you think. If it were already happening for you, then you wouldn’t be experiencing any bodily discomfort at all during your meditation like you describe. On the contrary there would be intense mental and physical pleasure arising. These are stages 8 and 9…[Read more]

  • All the advice provided here so far by Meshe and Jevan is very valuable. I know diet for example played a significant role in improving my quality of life, but also drinking plenty of water everyday. This last thing can’t be recommended enough.

    By the way, if you try loving-kindness meditation and it doesn’t seem to work. Like you don’t actually…[Read more]

  • Thanks for the detailed response!

    Funny thing is I also started meditating daily in May as well. I quit listening to music, watching movies, etc. and started trying to cultivate as much mindfulness as possible. I keep my breath in the field of awareness all day, because it helps me to stay present and also to strengthen peripheral awareness.

    If…[Read more]

  • Thanks for the detailed response!

    Funny thing is I also started meditating daily in May as well. I quit listening to music, watching movies, etc. and started trying to cultivate as much mindfulness as possible. I keep my breath in the field of awareness all day, because it helps me to stay present and also to strengthen peripheral awareness.

    If…[Read more]

  • Hey Chris,

    To me it sounds like you’re making progress! I have a couple of questions, if you don’t mind…

    For how many months have you been meditating daily? How long each session? Have you done any intensive retreat practice? What sort of mindfulness technique you employ off the cushion throughout the day?

    With Metta,

    Charles

  • charlesanatta replied to the topic Vajrayana? in the forum Meditation 7 years, 6 months ago

    “The ego would happily keep you moving from one thing to another, endlessly.”

    So true…

    “(Let’s keep in mind as well, Culadasa has arranged and selected certain practices for good reason, hence, we should be cautious to make changes without deep consideration)”

    For sure, I won’t make any changes to the main anapanasati practice as outlined b…[Read more]

  • charlesanatta replied to the topic Vajrayana? in the forum Meditation 7 years, 6 months ago

    Thanks for the explanation, Ivan.

    I’m at a point in Stage 6 where I’m getting very restless when I do the body scan. No wandering thoughts, just stable attention and also this urge of trying to get somewhere quickly. My mind seems to despise doing the body scan over and over again but I still don’t let it wander, and I just keep doing the…[Read more]

  • charlesanatta replied to the topic Vajrayana? in the forum Meditation 7 years, 6 months ago

    Hi Ted,

    When you said this:

    “My experience is that the practices that are taught in Vajrayana, particularly surrender, will help you to make rapid progress in the ten stages. The more you can let go of the idea that you need to improvise, and instead look at the ten stages as a training framework that will bring you to the point of being able to…[Read more]

  • Hi Wiley,

    Thanks for all the info!

    I actually agree with you, astral travel is all strictly mental phenomena. But I’ve heard about the dangers that can come from engaging in said practice, like basically going into a coma… so I believe Thanissaro Bhikkhu is right when he warns people.

    Thanissaro Bhikkhu criticizes the deep jhanas, in the same…[Read more]

  • Hey Bobby,

    “The jhana is accessed by widening the field of attention (and sustaining it) on breath sensations in the whole body. I have spent some time with this practice, but probably not enough (I am with you on the needing to not rush things!)”

    I see, and yeah, we need to remember a wise saying from Ajahn Brahm: “Careful patience is the…[Read more]

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