Jhana state or Nimittas?

[anthony c]

Hi all.

Has anyone here experienced jhana state or a Nimittas? I read it's a weird experience, could you tell me about yours? How does one know that your close or can't one know??

Thanks.

[sentient]

Might be an idea to give a description of what they are first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9UZ1oTfa0

[anthony c]

Originally Posted by sentient

Might be an idea to give a description of what they are first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9UZ1oTfa0

I know what they are and Ajahn Brahm is were i read/watched his video's about Jhanas and his meditations is what i have been doing for at least 2 years now but no success yet so why i am asking.

I am looking for someone that has experienced Jhana's that i might get some advice on what i might be doing wrong since it's very difficult to ask Ajahn Brahm himself.

Also, looking to hear anyone experiences cause Jhana's is what is very interesting to me and what i am aiming for.

Thanks for your reply.

[sky]

Originally Posted by anthony c

I know what they are and Ajahn Brahm is were i read/watched his video's about Jhanas and his meditations is what i have been doing for at least 2 years now but no success yet so why i am asking.

I am looking for someone that has experienced Jhana's that i might get some advice on what i might be doing wrong since it's very difficult to ask Ajahn Brahm himself.

Also, looking to hear anyone experiences cause Jhana's is what is very interesting to me and what i am aiming for.

Thanks for your reply.

You can't force the blossoming of Jhana any more than you can force a flower to open, when the time is right it will be a ' Happening ' not a doing.

[anthony c]

Originally Posted by sky123

You can't force the blossoming of Jhana any more than you can force a flower to open, when the time is right it will be a ' Happening ' not a doing.

True but if you do something wrong it might not happen? It might just blossom i guess.

[sky]

Originally Posted by anthony c

True but if you do something wrong it might not happen? It might just blossom i guess.

If you DO something wrong it might not HAPPEN.


It's a happening not a doing .

[anthony c]

I hear you, it's about letting go but i am not getting there but anyway maybe it is cause i am trying or even trying to hard.

I get to a point were i get a state of great peace and has an very nice energy feel to it but i focus on that so i am not sure if i should to let go of that?

I feel that by focusing on that there is no mindfulness of anything else so i wanted to know should i focus on mindfulness or that energy feeling cause it helps me go deeper.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by anthony c

I hear you, it's about letting go but i am not getting there but anyway maybe it is cause i am trying or even trying to hard.

I get to a point were i get a state of great peace and has an very nice energy feel to it but i focus on that so i am not sure if i should to let go of that?

I feel that by focusing on that there is no mindfulness of anything else so i wanted to know should i focus on mindfulness or that energy feeling cause it helps me go deeper.

Hi my friend :)

You are doing two different practices so the results will be different.

Where are you at in your mindfulness practice?

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by anthony c

Hi all.

Has anyone here experienced jhana state or a Nimittas? I read it's a weird experience, could you tell me about yours? How does one know that your close or can't one know??

Thanks.

My feeling is that the environment or setting where you practice meditation has to have certain conditions. I'm sure you are aware of that. You can gain access concentration with building works going on in the background or road traffic noise etc. and you can be 'successful' in alot of different meditations with lots of hustle and bustle going on in the outside environment but my feeling with entering jnana is that you have to be quite precise regarding the space where you are meditating. I mean this in terms of relaxation, not being disturbed, being motivated there too. There are alot of subtle inhibitors that you would not be fully aware of. If you knew your wife and children were going to always enter through the door just after your meditation finishes, or your cat or the postman etc. etc. etc.

Having entered the 1st and second jnanas when i was younger, I strived for it to happen regularly but i didn't have the conditions for it to happen. Also its like an acquired taste and so if you have success entering jnana then it may be easier to enter again. I gave up pursuing jnana but that was just me. lol..

Also my feeling would be to perhaps devote some time, a retreat or period of time at a monastery for example and see if the conditions are there for you to enter jnana and perhaps it would be easier for you to take it back out into your daily life. Its probably important to say that you need to be practicing Sila in order to combat things like sloth and torpor, negative mental states etc. etc... So if your out and about being judgemental, involved, hateful or anything like that jnana won't arise.

It's also important to remember that these states are attainable, to have faith that they can be experienced. So you need as you suggest to be with folks who's path contain the jnanas. Are there many folks about nowadays who practice jnana apart from Ajahn Brahm ? Anyway interesting topic and goodluck.

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