[Tom KennedyMember]

Great attitude, Scott. Those skills you mention come in handy further down the track, too. So do take the time to get to know a bit about “Connecting” (very useful for spotting subtle dullness in stage 5), “Labeling” (useful again at stage 7, I found), and “Checking In” (training awareness to take over the job; what you want it to do in stage 6).

Tom

[Tom KennedyMember]

Hi Mateusz,

From your description of these interruptions, it sounds like there may be some purifications that were not completed at an earlier stage in your practice. Try to see this as a good thing; they were always going to arise anyway. Though after ten months, I can understand you would be questioning when (or if!) it will end. I can suggest you look at what worked for you at Stage 7. And if what worked then isn’t working now, it’s good you are asking what else you need to be doing to support the process. Maybe the answer for you lies outside the formal samatha practice.

I agree with Marie, keep going with your metta practice and expand the scope outward. Love is always there, it doesn’t just come from within us; once you connect with it, plug in and feel the power. There’s no upload or download limit, and you can do it anytime, anywhere.

Also, given you are at the stage of an adept, if you haven’t already, consider all the qualities that lead to Buddhahood (why not!), known sometimes as the ten perfections. Attaining Stage 10 samatha is a remarkable achievement in itself, no doubt, but Insight and Awakening are the real goal and you don’t have to wait until Stage 10.

All the best, keep going.

Tom

• This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by  Tom Kennedy.

[Tom KennedyMember]

Hi Boris, just jumping in here to share my own experience of what Nick is suggesting.

I was in a similar boat as you earlier this year. I was not at stage 10, but I had ‘lost’ the ability to enter pleasure jhana once I got to stage 8. On a jhana retreat I applied Nick’s first suggestion. I found it elusive at first, probably because I was trying to pin it down.

Once I got the hang of focusing on the ‘quality of pleasantness’ rather than the sensation that gives rise to it (p271), I grew accustomed to recognising it as a very vivid, delicious sense of peace, before the tranquility of Stage 9 kicked in. I was careful to be alert to subtle dullness (not a problem for you) and also to not ‘help it along’ (once again, not a problem for you).

As the retreat went on and my attention grew increasingly stable, I grew more adventurous. I found other sensations to practice entering jhana with. After a few false starts it worked. I discovered that I could use a very pleasant, persistent external sound (in one case, raindrops) to enter 1st jhana. The actual object of my attention was not the sound itself, but the feeling of pleasantness it produced. That surprised me, but hey – if attention is stable enough – why not?

I haven’t tried Nick’s 2nd suggestion, but I will next time. He’s always got something up his sleeve. I can’t imagine taking equanimity as an object of attention, but why not? I expect it would be a bit slippery at first, but it would give me a lot to play with, and playing with new things is always fun.

I’d love to hear how you go.

Tom

[Tom KennedyMember]

We’re popping up everywhere, Bernadette! I’m not too far away – Brisbane is at least getting closer. I know groups are being set up in Melbourne, so Perth may happen soon too. Feel free to get in touch anytime.
Best wishes.

Tom

[Tom KennedyMember]

Hi Bernadette and Ivan, I just want to say thank you for sharing this Q&A with us all. Describing your experience of this practice as “creating a new relationship to thought” is really lovely, Bernadette, and insightful.

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