Guided meditation through the four jhanas

Guided meditation through the four jhanas at sunset over Skull Valley

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Guided
• meditation
• jhana
• buddhism
• yoga
• religious
• experience
• spirituality
• mystic
• shaman
• contemplation
• samadhi

[snoozalot4]

If you want to feel a real Jhana read this: The Jhanas: Enlightenment Through Proper Meditation by Ajahn Brahmavamso. It gives a very good description of the stages of Jhana and how to reach them. This requires dedicated meditation sessions planned for 30 minutes to an hour or more. But no less than 30 mins. Another good book for a meditation practice called forceful zhine is called: The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. They're both free for amazon kindle.

[Jhananda]

@snoozalot4 I agree with anyone who proposes meditation sessions of 1/2 hour to 1 hour are recommended for anyone seeking the religious experience, which is what jhana is. However, I disagree with Brahmavamso's description of the jhanas. The key point is the stilling of the mind is the 2nd jhana. I can still my mind long before I lose awareness of the sensory domain. I have also meditated at great depths beyond the sensory domain, so I know what that is about as well.

[snoozalot4]

I'm not sure Jhananda even knows what the first Jhana really is, much less all four. There is no way you're going to reach the first jhana in ten minutes, usually that will take around half an hour of complete mental stillness to reach. He doesn't even mention the nimittas at any point before reaching the first Jhana. And furthermore, you don't even feel your body anymore at this stage, you can't even hear yourself breath. You may even get the feeling that you're going to suffocate.

[Jhananda]

@snoozalot4 I have already responded to comparing my work to that of Brahmavamso. I have provided ample canonical references to show that the 4 jhanas occur when the sensory domain is still active. However, I will agree that on the average most people will not experience the first jhana until at least 20 minutes of meditation, goes by. Nonetheless I have found the advanced contemplative can often drop into the 2nd, 3rd or 4th jhana in minutes of meditation

[jbearden]

I didn't intend to have one of these, at around the age of 20. It happened while staring at a running stream at night. I will never, ever forget it. It was the most powerful experience I have ever known. Anytime I think about it, I am still.

[Jhananda]

@jbearden Yes, the various stages of altered states of consciousness, that are the religious experience (samadhi) can spontaneously arise; however, when we learn to lead a contemplative life, then we can learn to have these religious experiences every time we meditate. Then life become blessed

[Jhananda]

@hopaloop This is a good indication that were in deed in jhana. Now, the trick is to adjust your lifestyle so that you can experience jhana every day. Once you can experience jhana every day, then see if you can bring it with you throughout the day, so that you do not have to leave it.

[hopaloop]

I found it very differcult coming out of it, well not differcult, just didn't want to let go of the peacefulness.

[Jhananda]

@puppybunny1 yes, letting go of identity during meditation is certainly good advice