Deconstructing Yourself Awakening, Cessation, and Vulnerability, with Stephen Snyder
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Feb 12, 2025 Stephen Snyder, a seasoned Sensei with deep expertise in various Buddhist traditions, discusses his extensive meditation journey. He highlights the profound connection between breath awareness and jhana, revealing its transformative effects. Vulnerability emerges as a key theme, showcasing how raw emotions like anger can catalyze personal growth. Snyder also explains protective meditations in Theravadan practice and delves into the unique stages of shikantaza, emphasizing cessation as pivotal for awakening. His insights blend spirituality with practical emotional work.
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Breath Awareness Meditation
- Practice breath awareness meditation, focusing between the nostrils and upper lip.
- Prioritize this breath sensation above all other perceptions to improve concentration and self-awareness.
Jhana and the Absolute
- Jhana, achieved through deep breath awareness, offers a glimpse into the absolute or source.
- It involves a merging of awareness and the breath, with full perception but no conceptualization.
Pa Auk Jhana Standard
- The Pa Auk jhana tradition has a high standard for confirming jhana experiences.
- Even short experiences are not considered true jhana; sustained experience is crucial.