I realized recently that I’ve never written about the various nimittas that show up when a meditator has full concentration on the breath. My own common nimittas are tingling in my hands and sometimes bright round circles in the mind. I usually teach about these types and rarely mention other types of nimittas.
So below I’ll talk about some more different types of nimittas that you may experience as your meditation ability deepens and you’re able to focus on the breath 100%.
Nimittas are signs created by the mind when the mind has reached full concentration on the object of your meditation (usually the feeling of breath at the nose). Once you no longer focus on the breath, the mind sits in stillness for a short while and then often it will create a mind-sign, a nimitta, for you to focus on.
This nimitta is like an access key to start the levels of Jhana in your mind, which exist there naturally and are only waiting for the proper keys to be in place before they express themselves.
Once you begin to experience one of the various types of nimitta mentioned below, focus on them with 100% of your mind. Your interest in focusing on the nimitta can change it – grow it – into an open door for Jhana in some situations.
Keep in mind, this is not a guaranteed open doorway to Jhana, but sometimes nimittas can lead directly to Jhana experiences.
Common Nimitta Types
In meditation, especially within the context of Jhana practice, nimittas are signs or mental images that appear as indicators of progress towards deeper states of concentration. When a meditator gains full access concentration (upacara samadhi), various nimittas can manifest. Here are some common ones:
Visual Nimittas
The majority of meditators, once reaching full concentration of the mind on the feeling of the breath at the nose (or other meditation object), will see a roundish shape in the mind. It may start out as a dot or very small object and grow with continued focus on it. Or, it may be large already and grow even more as you focus on it.
Light or Brightness
- Many meditators report seeing a nimitta consisting of a bright light or a glow. This light can vary in intensity and color and is often described as being very clear and vivid. They can also be dull and formless – like blobs or other forms without any describable shape.
Shapes or Patterns
- During meditation, some people might see geometric shapes, patterns, or even specific objects. These can appear in different colors and may be stable or shifting. Sometimes these are very high resolution and sharp, and other times they are blob-like and unrefined.
Auditory Nimittas
Internal Sounds
- Hearing sounds such as ringing, buzzing, or a gentle hum. These sounds are not external but are perceived internally. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish them from normal ringing in your ear (tinnitus), so sometimes these auditory nimittas go by without our paying attention to them.
Celestial Music
- Some meditators experience hearing harmonious music or chanting, which can be very soothing and pleasant.
Tactile Nimittas
Sensations of Floating or Lightness
- Feeling as if the body is very light, almost floating or levitating. This sensation can be quite pleasant and indicative of a deep state of concentration.
Warmth or Coolness
- Experiencing a distinct feeling of warmth or coolness spreading through the body. This can be localized or affect the whole body.
Tingling Body Parts
In most of my experiences with nimittas I felt a tingling in my hands and fingers. At first I wasn’t aware that I should be looking for anything like that, as I was only waiting for a visual mind-object to show up – like a circle of some sort. After a number of times of the tingling manifesting, I wondered if it could also be a mind sign – a nimitta.
Eventually I paid attention to the feeling and focused there in the hands 100%. The feeling grew to envelop the entire body – which tingled and felt almost magical or surreal.
Other body parts can tingle as well. I frequently felt my feet tingling as a nimitta.
Olfactory and Gustatory Nimittas
Pleasant Smells
- Smelling fragrant scents, like flowers or incense, even though there are no such smells present externally.
Tastes
- Tasting sweetness or other pleasant flavors without having had any food or drink.
Mental Nimittas
Bliss or Joy
- A strong sense of bliss, joy, or happiness. This mental state is a significant indicator of deep concentration and often accompanies other nimittas.
Clarity and Calm
- Experiencing a profound sense of mental clarity and calmness, where thoughts become very still and the mind is completely focused.
Emotional Nimittas
Deep Peace
- A pervasive sense of peace and contentment. This can be a powerful sign that the meditator is moving towards Jhana states.
Equanimity
- A feeling of balanced, unwavering equanimity, where the mind is unaffected by external distractions or internal disturbances.
Characteristics of Nimittas
Stable and Clear
- Nimittas tend to be stable and clear, standing out distinctly in the meditator’s experience. They are not fleeting or vague like normal thoughts or images.
- When focused on with the mind, the nimitta characteristics tend to grow bigger and/or stronger.
Pleasant and Attractive
- They are usually pleasant and attract the meditator’s attention naturally. This helps to maintain and deepen the state of concentration.
Consistent with Practice
- The type and nature of nimittas can vary depending on the individual’s meditation practice and predispositions. Some might experience more visual nimittas, while others might have more tactile or emotional ones.
Recognizing and understanding nimittas is crucial for progressing in meditation, especially in Jhana practice. They serve as signposts, indicating that the meditator is moving deeper into concentration and approaching more profound states of absorption.
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