Remedial Kasina Meditation

I'm curious if folks would like to help me develop a kasina meditation practice? I've been experimenting on and off for a few months, but I feel like I'm still in the starting gate. I titled this thread remedial kasina meditation, because I'd like to explore some of the nagging questions I have that seem so stupidly basic and then take it step-by-step-by-step.

(As a super-brief background, I've gotten into some jhana states during off-retreat practice, but they seem to be of the vipassina-jhana flavor rather than pure samatha jhanas. I have experienced one example of a hard jhana while on retreat, probably 1st. It was so hard my sense of body disappeared.)

So, if folks are game...

Through trial and error, I've found that a off-white disk seems to give me the right balance of energy and easiness on my eyes. (I also tried blue, yellow, red, and brownish 'mud'.) So, first question: is this a suitable kasina?

The kasina is about 9 inches in diameter. I put it about 6 feet away from me on a shelf that's about shoulder height (when I'm sitting). I use a blue-black bedsheet as a background for the kasina. Second question: is this a suitable arrangement?

Maybe funny question for this kick-off post: As my mind stabilizes, I notice that I can focus on the kasina's 'it-ness', 'white-ness', 'shape-ness', or a piece of the 'texture' of the object. Are any of these preferable frames for seeing the kasina? Does it matter?

And the wild card question: if you were teaching kasina practice, what would the next thing you would instruct the remedial student to do?

Maybe I'll stop there and see if there is an appetite for this thread. Thanks!

On the DhO there was a good kasina thread where Kenneth gave some good advice.

www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discu...oards/message/102060

Here is an interesting pdf found which might give you some ideas on kasinas.

www.ayukusala.org/dibbavihara_en.pdf


Hope this is helpful.

I've just (re-)read the DO thread and quickly read the second document -- which is a really fun write-up. Thanks NSH!

It seems like looking at the "color" is recommended in the second document... and Daniels descriptions of the jhanas reminded me of a previous sit from last week. My notes were very basic but it went:
foggy
polished
glare
squirming
polarized
The "polarized" comment means it had little rainbow hues all over it, like when you look at clear plastic in bright sunlight.

All of this was from just watching with my eyes open over the course of an hour. Is it possible that I'm touching on the jhanas?

I'm going to re-read the threads again... does it seem like I would benefit from transitioning to eyes-closed visualization?

Hi betawave,

No worries.

I just practiced the simple instructions that Kenneth gave and I seemed to reach at least 2nd and/or third jhana . Basically, I just looked at my blue bowl until it did some crazy things and then it became really clear and shiny with a red hue surrounding it. I felt my body shift into a state with a lot of pleasant vibrations throughout it. I then closed my eyes and focused on these sensations, embracing them and "riding" them as opposed to investigating them. That seemed to do the trick.

Hi Betawave,

Here are my answers in the kasina sweepstakes:

"Through trial and error, I've found that a off-white disk seems to give me the right balance of energy and easiness on my eyes. (I also tried blue, yellow, red, and brownish 'mud'.) So, first question: is this a suitable kasina?"

It's perfect.

"The kasina is about 9 inches in diameter. I put it about 6 feet away from me on a shelf that's about shoulder height (when I'm sitting). I use a blue-black bedsheet as a background for the kasina. Second question: is this a suitable arrangement?"

A little high for my taste, but you can experiment. I put my kasina lower so that my eyes fall naturally on it when my lids are relaxed. Background is good.

"Maybe funny question for this kick-off post: As my mind stabilizes, I notice that I can focus on the kasina's 'it-ness', 'white-ness', 'shape-ness', or a piece of the 'texture' of the object. Are any of these preferable frames for seeing the kasina? Does it matter?"

Doesn't matter. Just stare at it.

"And the wild card question: if you were teaching kasina practice, what would the next thing you would instruct the remedial student to do?"

Keep staring at it. The rest is out of your hands.

Kenneth

Heh, okay...

That thought was occuring to me during last night's sit. "What is causing this? Sure isn't anything I'm doing..."