According to early Buddhist texts, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) entered the Jhanas on the night of his enlightenment. These states purified his mind and allowed him to develop insight, which led to the realization of nibbana (enlightenment). Aterward, he often meditated in the Jhanas and taught his followers that Jhana was an essential part of … Read more
This was a question I received the other day during a coaching call, and to be honest I wasn’t sure what to say. A meditation practice of focusing on the breath can be harmful in rare instances where someone has trauma they’ve not dealt with and it brings up murderous or suicidal intentions. But can … Read more
There are only a few Buddhist monks teaching meditation that I’ve ever considered even close my own style. Ajahn Brahm (Ajahn Brahmavamso) in Western Australia is one of these monks who I read a bit about and watched some of his videos. I contacted him just before the COVID crisis and invited him to Krabi … Read more
Jhana Meditation Retreats Having experienced the Jhanas since 1997-1998, I can’t recall ever seeing a Jhana meditation retreat offered by anyone. Of course, I don’t go looking for them but on a coaching call this morning a student asked if I knew of any Jhana retreats in the Southeast Asia area. I didn’t. It led … Read more
This is part of my Meditation Journal where you can find dozens of more posts like this. Journal Date: 8-31-07 Comments on the process from yesterday. I added a lot more here that I forgot to say during yesterday’s video. I don’t think I described the physical feeling very well yesterday, at least I wasn’t … Read more
My questions and responses are bold and the answers by ChatGPT, an iteration of AI on the road to general artificial intelligence, on 29 Jan 2023 follow unbolded. Can you condense down the teachings of Vipassana to around 1000 words telling me how to reach the jhana levels? Vipassana, also known as Insight Meditation, is … Read more
This is part of my Meditation Journal Experience after the Flat-mind State became permanent. Featured image above: One of my favorite places in the world – Wat Nong Pah Pong in Warin Chamrap, Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand. March 8, 2015 I haven’t written here in a while. My foot felt OK today so I climbed … Read more
This is part of my Meditation Journal Experience after the Flat-mind State became permanent. You know the saying, there is a white elephant in the room? Well, there is one in my head. It’s always there, it’s quite plain that it is there. It has gone nowhere for years, it’s just right there. It doesn’t … Read more