Ajahn Brahmavamso

[Jhanananda]

I believe it is a good thing to investigate all of those who claim to have some attainment, then reflect upon what they have to say, use some critical thinking, and see where it takes you.  Since you are an Australian, then you might want to investigate the work of Brahmavamso.  You may find this article of interest to read: A Critical Analysis of the teaching of Jhana

[bodhimind]

I believe it is a good thing to investigate all of those who claim to have some attainment, then reflect upon what they have to say, use some critical thinking, and see where it takes you.  Since you are an Australian, then you might want to investigate the work of Brahmavamso.  You may find this article of interest to read: A Critical Analysis of the teaching of Jhana

That is quite surprising, I HAVE been thinking of Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Chah. It just popped into my head a few days ago to ask you about them, but I just didn't seem to want to entertain that inspiration of asking. It's a bit spooky to see how you just pointed it out immediately... Did you read my mind lol!

In fact, I posted a thread on my experiences as such on the forum:

I have been meditating for quite a long while now, and actively practice mindfulness from the point of waking up to falling asleep. I do manage to have slight mindfulness when sleeping too. I find that the mindfulness is helping me to get into deep meditation very quickly.

I'm not sure if I've reached Jhana though, so I wish to verify the following varying experiences:

1. Bright lights occasionally bursting and removing all sense of a self. It comes very suddenly.
2. Roaring sounds occasionally in practice, especially with the lights.
3. Caring attention suddenly becomes this huge overwhelming euphoria and pleasure
4. Sometimes there is no pleasure but I don't experience many thoughts.
5. Breath is still moving, but sometimes it becomes so shallow it is almost as if I've inhaled but not exhaled.
6. Sometimes I get very strong heat, crawling up my back or around my head.
7. Recently I've experienced cold liquid flowing down the back of my throat, which I suspect is mucus.

Is this Jhana? Or is there something I should work on?

Also, I've experienced a few problems especially after meditation. For example...

1. Heat sensation that erupted in meditation sometimes stays... and it seems to be linked to some forms of illnesses such as flu or inflammation.
2. Sometimes I feel as if I'm being "pulled" into dizziness if I try to sleep after meditation. I get a bit afraid and try to snap out of it.
3. Sometimes my heartbeat starts to flutter so quickly I get afraid, thinking that I might have a heart attack. This normally correlates with the pleasure I receive in meditation.

Is there a way I should be doing to "ease" my way out of meditation? Am I stopping my meditation too abruptly? Maybe this has caused some energetic problems?

And I got a reply from Venerable Kimbila:

It sounds like you're having the common experience of energies being released from the body (this can occur as the heat and cold you are mentioning) and this is normal and nothing be be concerned about, just the body healing itself. In time these will pass, as the body heals.

As for phenomena like lights, these occur when the mind becomes more still and gathers energy from that stillness, stay with the breath and try not to be distracted / excited / afraid of the lights, they are just the the mind getting used to this new territory of meditation.

Metta meditation can help both at the start and at the end of meditation to help enter and exit the sitting, and this is a nice habit to get into, as one needs to enter and ease out of meditation softly, gently.

Unfortunately, he didn't quite address the issue of whether I had attained Jhana itself or not. I've been hoping for a personal reply from Ajahn Brahm but I haven't had any luck.

I picked up his book a year ago "MINDFULNESS:  BLISS AND BEYOND" but haven't actually gone through it. I'm planning to give it a read and see if he is consistent with the sutras.

[Jhanananda]

bodhimind, this was an interesting exchange between you and Venerable Kimbila, a monk under Ajahn Brahm.  So, after arriving here just a little while ago, and beginning to embrace the GWV's charismatic perspective on deep meditation, and the superior fruit (maha-phala) there of.  How do you now feel about the response you received from Venerable Kimbila?  Did his response give you the guidance, and inspiration that you needed?

Because Ajahn Brahm and Daniel Ingram are not connected, except loosely through western Buddhism, I am going to split this topic from this discussion on.

[bodhimind]

bodhimind, this was an interesting exchange between you and Venerable Kimbila, a monk under Ajahn Brahm.  So, after arriving here just a little while ago, and beginning to embrace the GWV's charismatic perspective on deep meditation, and the superior fruit (maha-phala) there of.  How do you now feel about the response you received from Venerable Kimbila?  Did his response give you the guidance, and inspiration that you needed?

Because Ajahn Brahm and Daniel Ingram are not connected, except loosely through western Buddhism, I am going to split this topic from this discussion on.

Well, I didn't really feel like my question was adequately answered as he didn't address things like what this "territory" was. While the 'metta' meditation did help a little, I felt like it didn't solve the root problem, more like a band-aid covering a wound. Every time I go in deep meditation, after it I tend to have an extremely strong "crash" into gross reality. I don't know how else to describe it, it's a very strange out-of-place feeling. I felt like the 'metta' meditation he suggested was a way of easing me out of the jhanic state. It was more of a "apply this" but I'm not told what my condition is or how it came about.

I found a lot of help with regards to especially identifying my experience of Jhanas here, which I otherwise could not find elsewhere. I also learnt how to not try and push away or ignore the phenomena I see in meditation and have indeed managed to get into quite deep states, although my limit is really either the fourth or third Jhana.

[Jhanananda]

Well, I didn't really feel like my question was adequately answered as he didn't address things like what this "territory" was. While the 'metta' meditation did help a little, I felt like it didn't solve the root problem, more like a band-aid covering a wound. Every time I go in deep meditation, after it I tend to have an extremely strong "crash" into gross reality. I don't know how else to describe it, it's a very strange out-of-place feeling. I felt like the 'metta' meditation he suggested was a way of easing me out of the jhanic state. It was more of a "apply this" but I'm not told what my condition is or how it came about.

I found a lot of help with regards to especially identifying my experience of Jhanas here, which I otherwise could not find elsewhere. I also learnt how to not try and push away or ignore the phenomena I see in meditation and have indeed managed to get into quite deep states, although my limit is really either the fourth or third Jhana.

This is a reasonably good response that should describe how all people who begin to meditate deeply are treated in ALL religions.