Hello

[yogajim]

Hello I just wanted to introduce myself. I had an experience of profound silence a few years ago and have been looking for it ever since. I was reading up on jhana and came across your videos on youtube and that led me here. I look forward to our future conversations. Take care everyone

[Cal]

Hello I just wanted to introduce myself. I had an experience of profound silence a few years ago and have been looking for it ever since. I was reading up on jhana and came across your videos on youtube and that led me here. I look forward to our future conversations. Take care everyone

Hello yogajim, welcome to the GWV. I also found a great deal of help in watching videos posted by the GWV, on youtube.

In the second Jhana, one finds that the mind can be still, and may describe that as a "profound silence". Perhaps this is what you meant.

Again welcome, I look forward to hearing more of your experience.

[Jhanananda]

Welcome, yogajim, to this forum.  Those, where, who have demonstrated success in meditating deeply start by learning that the meditation technique is just training wheels for an out of control mind.  When the mind can be brought under some discipline, then we begin to experience a still mind, which for many is a profound experience.  We just like to remind people that there are 6 more stages of depth ahead, and to keep going.

[yogajim]

Ill tell the story behind the profound silence experience. I was camping for the first time in years and at one point I just noticed how quiet it was and how quiet my brain got when I just listened to how quiet it was and it really had an impact on me. This was about 3 years ago. I was just beginning my journey into eastern thought. Im pretty new to buddhism though. At the time I was working as a caregiver for adults with disabilities. I dont even know how to describe that experience other than it shattered a lot of my world views. It was a very positive experience and I am a better person from it but it was really really tough at the same time. Im still trying to put myself back together.  Ive read a lot of books and have a lot of knowledge but I really need help and guidance to put it all into practice. I also really agree with a lot of the viewpoints on bad translations and many other things but if Im not careful I will start getting all over the place.

[Sam Lim]

Welcome to the forum yogajim. One experience is not enough, even though I am glad it does change your perception of things. You have come to the right place for guidance and do read through all the case history. Cal is right that you might be experiencing the 2nd jhana. Do pose more questions as I am sure all the members will be happy to advise and guide.

[yogajim]

Ohh yes I plan on experiencing it more Im not too worried about putting a label on it. I just enjoyed it and would like to find it again. Ive tried reaching out to the local meditation groups here but no luck.

[Sam Lim]

I won't call that labeling but a form of classification to let us know where on the ladder one is on towards enlightenment. 

[Jhanananda]

It is interesting to note, yogajim, that your first experience of the silence of deep meditation was during a camping trip, because I too got a lot out of self-retreats in a wilderness setting for the more than 4 decades that I have been experiencing the silence of the still mind, and so much more, honing the 8 stages of the spiritual experience.

Sam, is right, just one experience is not really enough to understand the experience of deep meditation, but we can see by your experience of the profundity of the experience that you, like all of us here, want more.  This is precisely what this forum is all about. 

Since you mentioned the challenge of putting yourself back together again after that experience of the 2nd stage of deep meditation, then you may wish to familiarize yourself with the section here on the spiritual crisis.  You can also find the section here on Samadhi useful, so that you can understand the classification system that we use, and also use it as a guide for gaining greater depth in meditation.  I also agree with Sam, the case histories section here can be very inspiring and informative.

[yogajim]

Im thinking about posting in some other sections such as spiritual crisis. I sure was having a full blown spiritual crisis for the first few years. I think all I did was confuse myself with new age neo-hinduism stuff that never really made sense. Thats why I desire a quiet mind. You dont have to think about all the crap all the time. I avoided Buddhism because I had some wrong judgements about it and a lot of the hindu guru's dont speak kindly of buddhism.

[Zack]

Hi yogajim -- I was a big reader of Buddhist and other Eastern traditions literature, and a lot of things that would probably be considered 'New Age,' for all of my earlier adult life, and I found most of it to be a distraction and waste of time. A lot of it is harmless motivational speaking but then a lot of it veers into dogmatic misinformation, or interpretative obfuscation encircling a smaller kernel of truth. Most of it never sustained my attention for very long and I continued to grasp for years, having no clear method for implementing any lasting change in my life. My early, sporadic forays into meditation were all pleasant and among good-hearted, well-intentioned people, but those experiences too did not leave any lasting impact. It was only with the discovery of Jeffrey and the GWV's specific frame of reference that I really felt like I hit on a deep vein of practical, directly useful guidance, and for the first time a real apprehension of a path forwards out started to form.

So, that's a little about my experience; maybe you will find it to be the same as you delve in.

[yogajim]

I love how everyone here talks from experience. I think I have much to learn from everyone. Ive also learned a thing or two along the way and look forward to sharing. Ive been so stressed out the past 2 years its just left me overwhelmed with life and I feel all over the place with my thoughts and emotions.In not depressed and havent been since my teens (Im 37 now) but I do have crippling anxiety from time to time. More than ever I need to develop a regular practice and start associating with like minded people. Im a "helper" Im always trying to help friends and family and its time for me now or my stress is going to turn me into a person I dont like at all.

[Jhanananda]

I love how everyone here talks from experience.

That is what we are all about; whereas, most other organizations that advocate meditation rarely allow people to speak openly about their meditation experiences.  The argument they offer for not allowing people to speak, is those who have good experiences will become proud, and those who do not will get insecure.  The evidence suggests that those who do not have good meditation experiences are those who run the organization, and teach meditation, so they would not want those who fund their organization to know the teachers are frauds.

Ive been so stressed out the past 2 years its just left me overwhelmed with life and I feel all over the place with my thoughts and emotions.In not depressed and havent been since my teens (Im 37 now) but I do have crippling anxiety from time to time.

We here generally find making the necessary sacrifices to simplify our life so that it is less stressful, is a key feature of success in meditation.  So, I hope you are successful at simplifying your lifestyle.

More than ever I need to develop a regular practice and start associating with like minded people.

Well, you are on a good start by joining this forum, and you will see a key feature for most of us is we have a regular meditation practice; whereas, those who get nothing out of meditation, or religious devotion, generally do not have a regular meditation practice.

[follinge@gmail.com]

I totally agree with other groups not wanting to talk about meditation experiences. I always felt like a bit of an outcast whispering to people about what was going on in their heads.

The worse part is having to listen to the lack of advice. When people had real problems, the answer was cookie cutter.

For example, one woman had problems holding her head up. She said her head became really heavy. Her problem was dismissed. I was excited for her because I thought she must really be getting somewhere, but we never heard any more of that.

Another woman had a catch in her throat, which I feel now, from Jeffery's videos is related to her heart chakra. Of course, in the context of the group, this was just another nuisance rather than something she should focus on and perhaps develop somehow.

At this point, I have no problems meditating other than not putting in enough time. I do put in the time, but I'd like to do more. Only I can work on this, and I am making more time for practice.

I know that when I do have something to ask, I have someone who can give me a useful answer.

[Jhanananda]

The worse part is having to listen to the lack of advice. When people had real problems, the answer was cookie cutter.

That is what I experienced in 30 years of attending meditation groups.  I never found a single meditation teacher who understood deep meditation, and too often the advice was completely misinformed, as you described.

Another woman had a catch in her throat, which I feel now, from Jeffery's videos is related to her heart chakra. Of course, in the context of the group, this was just another nuisance rather than something she should focus on and perhaps develop somehow.

Like the mis-advice above. 

I recall in the last meditation group that I attended one of the new members who had been practicing for a year with us said to me after the Saturday morning sit, "I sure wish I would receive some positive feed-back in my meditation to know if I am making progress.  All I have is a bad case of tinnitus which does not respond to medication."

I said, "That tinnitus is that feed-back that you are looking for.  It is a product of deep meditation."

Later that year I was thrown out of that meditation group for "misleading people."

At this point, I have no problems meditating other than not putting in enough time. I do put in the time, but I'd like to do more. Only I can work on this, and I am making more time for practice.

I know that when I do have something to ask, I have someone who can give me a useful answer.
[/quote]

Here you have a whole community of people who have direct experience with deep meditation, not just one pompous, pretentious, and misinformed priest who lives in the lap of luxury off a bloated donation stream that only serves his monumental ego.  After I am dead there will continue to be a community of people who have direct experience with deep meditation who will continue to serve those who have learned to meditate deeply.

[Cal]

Hi follinge, in my experience the "catch in the throat" is the opening of the 5th chakra, or throat chakra. I found this diagram to be vaguely accurate.

Here you have a whole community of people who have direct experience with deep meditation, not just one pompous, pretentious, and misinformed priest who lives in the lap of luxury off a bloated donation stream that only serves his monumental ego.  After I am dead there will continue to be a community of people who have direct experience with deep meditation who will continue to serve those who have learned to meditate deeply.

Aye, there is and will be... forgive me if I am the only one who selfishly wants to keep you around, Jeff...the reaper comes for us all, but that doesnt mean it has to be today!