Ron's Stream-Entry Journal

OK - time to start a new thread, and this one is going to be about what happens between stream entry and second path.

Since attaining first path in June, I've been going through the review phases that Kenneth describes. Right now I'm in review phase B, which is where when I sit I go through the whole arc up to equanimity (and in my case up to two more arupa jhanas).

One of the things that I'm discovering is that there is a blissful honeymoon period after a path, where you feel a sense of relief and happiness and are more than gratified to review the territory you've covered by re-experiencing the path from mind & body up to equanimity. But there is also a sense of dissatisfaction that gradually builds, and a desire to move on.

Right now I have access to wonderful and profound states of mind, but there is a tug to get going and not dwell too long in review.

I hung out in 1st path for about as long as I could, I was afraid of working through the cycles again. It turned out to be hard but fortunately I was on retreat... Good luck...

"One of the things that I'm discovering is that there is a blissful honeymoon period after a path, where you feel a sense of relief and happiness and are more than gratified to review the territory you've covered by re-experiencing the path from mind & body up to equanimity. But there is also a sense of dissatisfaction that gradually builds, and a desire to move on." ~Ron

I'm happy to hear you say this, Ron. The honeymoon periods are beautiful, but they don't last. Some last longer than others, though. I've had post-path honeymoon periods that lasted two months or so. This is why it's important to keep practicing regularly, even when things seem wonderful. The taste of dissatisfaction can seek up quick, and it's unfortunate to be out of practice when it does. I've learned that the hard way, more than once :-/

I'm looking forward to your future posts. Thanks for sharing your experience.
~Jackson

"The honeymoon periods are beautiful, but they don't last. Some last longer than others, though. I've had post-path honeymoon periods that lasted two months or so. This is why it's important to keep practicing regularly, even when things seem wonderful. The taste of dissatisfaction can sneak up quick, and it's unfortunate to be out of practice when it does."-Jackson Wilshire (awouldbehipster)

"Ya work when it's good and ya work when it's bad."-Bill Hamilton

I've been making resolutions to move on and begin second path, but it didn't seem to take until I made a resolution yesterday as per Kenneth's instruction. He suggested that I renounce the states and stages of first path, so I tried that yesterday afternoon, and something did happen.

I could feel myself vacillating and starting back to the pulses and raptures of 1st path, but then things became solid again, and I kept going back and forth. Today I sat for 30 minutes and again I felt the beginnings of pulsing but a return to solidity. It feels like a conscious movement to stay with the solidity of the new cycle rather than get caught up in the interesting stuff from first path.

Two sits today, 30 minutes and 15 minutes, and things have changed. It felt much more solid today than yesterday, without any of the pulsing and vibrating. During the 30 minute sit I noted mostly just solid-feeling sensations: tension, hardness, cool, itch, warmth, sleepy, heavy, soft, daydreaming thought, heat, etc. Toward the end of the sit, perhaps the last 10 minutes, I noted a lot of unpleasant prickling, itching and stinging-type sensations that were sharp and reminded me somewhat of reobservation.

The 15 minutes sit just finished and it covered the same experience but with less of the unpleasant sensations. However, during the 15 minute sit something interesting happened. It's a little gross, but I watched a burp (bear with me) and I noted the intention, followed by the movement in the abdomen, warmth, rising pressure, etc. Then it struck me that I was viewing the intention part of the experience as "me" and the rest of it as happening "to me." But all of it was the same, rising and falling sensations, some having to do with mind and some having to do with body, but all essentially the same.

I don't know if this is the nibble of a big fish, but I was really struck by the experience and haven't really seen this process happen before in the moment. It really left an impression.

" However, during the 15 minute sit something interesting happened. It's a little gross, but I watched a burp (bear with me) and I noted the intention, followed by the movement in the abdomen, warmth, rising pressure, etc. Then it struck me that I was viewing the intention part of the experience as "me" and the rest of it as happening "to me." But all of it was the same, rising and falling sensations, some having to do with mind and some having to do with body, but all essentially the same.

I don't know if this is the nibble of a big fish, but I was really struck by the experience and haven't really seen this process happen before in the moment. It really left an impression.
"



Keep nibbling at that very BIG FISH!!!!!

Spiraling ever deeper into an infinite pool:

"The 15 minutes sit just finished and it covered the same experience but with less of the unpleasant sensations. However, during the 15 minute sit something interesting happened. It's a little gross, but I watched a burp (bear with me) and I noted the intention, followed by the movement in the abdomen, warmth, rising pressure, etc. Then it struck me that I was viewing the intention part of the experience as "me" and the rest of it as happening "to me." But all of it was the same, rising and falling sensations, some having to do with mind and some having to do with body, but all essentially the same."-RonCrouch

Hooray for the 1st nana, Knowledge of Mind and Body!

"Toward the end of the sit, perhaps the last 10 minutes, I noted a lot of unpleasant prickling, itching and stinging-type sensations that were sharp and reminded me somewhat of reobservation."-RonCrouch

Hooray for the 3rd nana, Knowledge of 3 Characteristics!

You can always tell the difference between the 3rd nana and the 10th because in the 3rd the itches are clear and bright. As you put your attention on the itch, it gets clearer and brighter. This is the opposite of what happens in the 10th nana, Knowledge of Re-observation, where every time you put your attention on an itch it disappears and pops up somewhere else. This is what I mean when I say the dukkha nanas are like the arcade game "Wack-a-mole."

Kenneth, I freaking love your illustrations!

As usual, your descriptions of the 3rd and 10th nana are spot on. But, of course I think so. You taught me ;-D

~Jackson

Kenneth,

The itches are great. When I get itchy I'm on those MF's and eventually I'm going much deeper. Been waking up with a bit of Nausea past couple of days, very sensitive to cold and things like that, and then I do a couple of breaths, feel a few itches and then ride those on into A&P territory.

OK - two sits since the last entry, and things are moving along. Each of them was nearly the same, so I'll combine them in this description.

Started out with noting solid-feeling sensations (tension, aching, warmth, softness, rising, imaging thought, etc.) and within a few minutes began experiencing itches again. Sharp and very distinct. Focused attention on them and they remained and became even more distinct, just as Kenneth predicted. The itches appeared to come and go for approximately 10 minutes or so (cycling up and down?) and I began to notice a pulsing sensation at the base of my throat moving upward into my crown along with pressure there. At first I was mentally shoving it away, thinking that my mind was trying to sneek back to the enjoyable stuff of first path, and the itches came back, followed by solidity. The next cycle up the pulsing turned into a sudden "whoosh" of rising energy, from the abdomen up to the third eye area. Very exciting and joyful. Noted the sensations of excitement, trembling, smiling, tension, rising, etc. Then noticed I was caught up in thoughts about it all and noted that, then felt prickling sensations again. A few minutes later, another blast of energy upward through my body. A wonderful sensation, but very strong, really too strong.

Kundalini up the backside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get ready for the thrid eye headaches and dreaded iron skull cap!!! ....maybe. Hehe!

Awesome!

"A few minutes later, another blast of energy upward through my body. A wonderful sensation, but very strong, really too strong."-RonCrouch

Sounds like the 4th Insight Knowledge, Knowledge of the Arising and Passing Away of Phenomena. As we follow along with your journal, step by incremental step, it would be hard not to conclude that you are gaining momentum toward 2nd Path.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

I'm with Kenneth.

Thank you for your very lucid descriptions. Lots of people will benefit from reading this thread.

~Jackson

I've hesitated to post this because it seems ridiculous, but here goes.

The last two sits I've gone past A&P, felt slowing down, coolness, spaciness, then after a minute, a sudden jolt of alarm followed by grimacing and squinting. Then a growing dissatisfaction followed by aches, pains and stinging sensations all over the body that appear very sped up compared to prior stages.

The sit this morning I went through these stages and then felt a calming and clarity of mind, followed by pleasant activity in the crown area.

This all seems weirdly fast compared to 1st path, and I can't help but wonder if this is typical or if there is some unexpected slip backward that I didn't detect.

"
This all seems weirdly fast compared to 1st path, and I can't help but wonder if this is typical or if there is some unexpected slip backward that I didn't detect."


Very common, Ron. Sometimes I've gone through 10 cycles in 60 seconds. Get used to the cycles speeding up. Especially at 2nd path.

I don't think there IS a backward

Yep, it's common for cycles to start speeding up.

Chris is right - there is no "backward".

The energetic stuff starts to get really crazy during 2nd path. I'd say that 2nd path was a time of relative discomfort for me. Too much kundalini junk getting rooted out. It calms down after a while, though, so don't sweat it too much.

Weirder and weirder...

I think I just had a fruition. After sitting and running up the arc to equanimity I sat quietly soaking it in for about five minutes or so when I had a very distinct fruition just like first path. This time it felt like there was a blink-out at the top of my head and slightly to the right.

I started laughing right away and felt very blissed out - still do.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

Hehe! Sounds like you just hit suckerdagammy!!!! Congratulations are in order?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!

Kundalini-up-the -backside fun, iron skull cap and third eye madness anyone?

"
I'm not sure what to make of this.
"

I know what to make of it -- have more and more fruitions and keep laughing.

That's my boy!

Wow - I feel so chilled out ... but I don't want to jump the gun on this. Let's see what unfolds from here. I'd like Kenneth to take a closer look at what happened and let me know what he thinks.

Something happened though. Are there "false paths" that happen to people at this stage? Everything seemed to happen so quick!