Before starting meditation, it is helpful to acknowledge distractions and restlessness to bring about a sense of calmness.
Experiment with different eye postures and sensations to discover the optimal focus size and experience the distinct flavors of each jhana.
Deep dives
Recognizing the pre-meditation state
Before starting a concentration practice, it is important to recognize that one is not yet meditating. Instead of immediately trying to meditate, it is helpful to take a moment to feel what is going on internally, acknowledging distractions and restlessness. This helps to calibrate attention and bring about a sense of calmness.
The process of finding the right focus
During the concentration practice, it is beneficial to experiment with the scope of attention and investigate where the attention naturally wants to be focused. By checking different eye postures and paying attention to sensations around the nose and mouth, one can discover the optimal focus size. The mind gradually settles and a distinct flavor, such as the pre-jhana, emerges. This flavor consists of specific combinations of sensations and mental events.
The progression through different jhanas
As the practice deepens, the attention coalesces and the flavor evolves. Moving from the first jhana to the second, the focus expands to include the entire body, resulting in a sense of deep joy and pulsing sensations. In the third jhana, attention shifts to feeling the skin all over the body simultaneously, leading to a state of bliss. Finally, in the fourth jhana, focus is more open, allowing for equanimity and a sense of spaciousness. Each jhana has its recognizable flavor and characteristics.
In this special guided meditation, recorded during a Pragmatic Dharma Retreat, Kenneth Folk does a masterful job of pointing out the four progressive stages of meditative absorption, colloquially known as jhana. For best results, we suggest finding a place to listen to this episode, where you can remain undistracted.