Laurel III

  • JLaurelC
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11 years 3 months ago #90698 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
40 minute sit/nap. Not enjoying it. I got to about 4th jhana and then fell asleep there. Woke up and briefly thought I was in 5th, but went back to sleep. Nights lately have been hell; waking up over and over in great pain, yet as the day starts suddenly it seems to vanish. No idea what this is about. Could be December and all that.
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  • JLaurelC
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11 years 3 months ago #90699 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
It's been awhile. Practice had been spotty, but am getting serious about a schedule again. Am moving up and down the jhanic arc. Sleepiness not so bad today; what happens lately is it takes a good 15 minutes to get access concentration, then I'm good to go. I don't let myself get concerned over the thought loops because I know they will just suddenly drop off and I'll be there.

So, gently moving up and down. Get to about 7-8 territory, trying to nudge a little further but not finding anything yet. I remember on Dec 10 (post 122) I seemed to get into something new, have an idea that I'll just go up as far as I can go and hang for awhile, see what happens, then come down again. My sits are about 40 minutes long. If I could push it to an hour I could go three rounds, probably. At the moment it's two. Spirits are mostly good.
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  • apperception
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11 years 3 months ago #90700 by apperception
Replied by apperception on topic RE: Laurel III
"It's been awhile. Practice had been spotty, but am getting serious about a schedule again. Am moving up and down the jhanic arc. Sleepiness not so bad today; what happens lately is it takes a good 15 minutes to get access concentration, then I'm good to go. I don't let myself get concerned over the thought loops because I know they will just suddenly drop off and I'll be there.

So, gently moving up and down. Get to about 7-8 territory, trying to nudge a little further but not finding anything yet. I remember on Dec 10 (post 122) I seemed to get into something new, have an idea that I'll just go up as far as I can go and hang for awhile, see what happens, then come down again. My sits are about 40 minutes long. If I could push it to an hour I could go three rounds, probably. At the moment it's two. Spirits are mostly good. "

I hear ya. I'm trying to get myself back to a regular sitting practice, too.

Are you interested in landing Nirodha Samapatti? Chris Marti's instructions are spot on:

kennethfolkdharma.wetpaint.com/thread/4010043/2nd+to+3rd

Good news is, if you "miss", you'll probably just end up in one of the PL jhanas. :-) At least, that's what I think happened to me the first couple times I tried.
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  • cmarti
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11 years 3 months ago #90701 by cmarti
Replied by cmarti on topic RE: Laurel III

Wow, you dredged up some "ancient" history there ;-)

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  • JLaurelC
  • Topic Author
11 years 3 months ago #90702 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
Thanks for the link.

And now for something completely different: this morning I was all settled in for 45 minutes, thinking life was good, but had a bad time getting started because of coughing and whatnot. Finally got myself settled, however, and watched the thought loops for what seemed like a longer than usual time. Eventually I got access. And stayed there. And stayed there. I began to work with the witness, and nothing happened. I tried cultivating pleasure, got some piti energy, but then it went back to access. I tried numerous times to nudge myself beyond it, but for better or worse, access concentration was my edge for this sit. The mind started thinking, "what if this is the best I'll ever be able to do? What if I lost it?" I let that one go with a bit of amusement. Then the mind started thinking, "this is boring. I'm not getting anywhere. I might as well quit. Or try noting? Something else? I'm not making any progress!!!" Fortunately, I'd turned the clock around so I couldn't see it, and the timer was out of reach. I wanted to bail. My stomach growled. The part of my mind that was observing thought a cup of coffee might be nice. And I just smiled and stayed put. I almost laughed when the timer finally went off.

Oh well. The irony is that I may actually have gotten a small indication of PL1 back at post 122. Not sure though. And now here I am with "beginner's mind." But when and if I ever get off the ground again, I'll be happy to try Chris's instructions. NS sounds absolutely yummy. I know that's spiritual materialism, but whatever.

p.s. I'm totally amazed to read that Nick did this on a bus. I'd be nervous I'd miss my stop!
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  • apperception
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11 years 3 months ago #90703 by apperception
Replied by apperception on topic RE: Laurel III
"
Wow, you dredged up some "ancient" history there ;-)

"

I found it next to a photograph of you wearing a powder blue polyester suit.
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  • apperception
  • Topic Author
11 years 3 months ago #90704 by apperception
Replied by apperception on topic RE: Laurel III
"And now for something completely different..."

Yeah. Pretty much the same thing happened to me this morning, except I did get up before I had intended to. :-)

Yesterday, however, I got all the way up through the jhanas and tried Chris' NS instructions at the top. It delivered almost exactly as he said. The first thing I noticed was a weird thing in the body, almost like it was being held still but something. Usually there's a lot of body activity - tingling, movement, pulsing, whatever - but it was really like someone hit "pause" on it, and it remained that way the whole time. The mind was very still. It seemed caught in that spot behind the third eye, almost like there was a pocket there. And this sensation increased a little every time the breath got down to the bottom. There was a point past which it got no deeper, but the whole thing was so restful, I really didn't mind. A little while later I got kicked out and started back down the arupa jhanas until I hit 4th, and then I came out.

I'm drinking my coffee now, so I'll try again in a bit. :-)
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  • AndyW45
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11 years 3 months ago #90705 by AndyW45
Replied by AndyW45 on topic RE: Laurel III
"
Wow, you dredged up some "ancient" history there ;-)

"

I love how "ancient history" on KFD is stuff that's a couple of years old, as opposed to 2,500 years old. Shows how fast we move I guess ;)
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  • cmarti
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11 years 3 months ago #90706 by cmarti
Replied by cmarti on topic RE: Laurel III

Andy, this is cliche but still true: the previous minute is ancient history ;-)

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  • betawave
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11 years 3 months ago #90707 by betawave
Replied by betawave on topic RE: Laurel III
" I may actually have gotten a small indication of PL1 back at post 122. Not sure though."

I bet you're right. That joy-bliss thing is probably a PL. Fun to indulge and heck it's practice.

At some point, if you can find one being out there to send it to as you are feeling it, and imagine the other's joy-bliss in feeling it, and how nice it would be to joy-bliss together --- that's when you really start cooking up in PL! :)
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  • Aquanin
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11 years 3 months ago #90708 by Aquanin
Replied by Aquanin on topic RE: Laurel III
For me, The PL jhanas come on hard and strong. I have never really had a 'light' version of them. PL1 is probably the most blissful state I have experienced and a lot of gratitude comes with it in my experience.
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  • JLaurelC
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11 years 3 months ago #90709 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
In that case, I'm really looking forward to it. I think, though, that it was what you're describing, only it didn't last all that long.

But whatever it was, I can say one thing for sure: it hasn't happened since. In fact, practice has been relatively unsatisfying of late. Generally it takes a long time to get to access concentration, and then I start moving up the jhanic arc. Mostly what happens is the jhanas are light at first, and then I space out somewhere between 4 and 7. This means that my energy isn't quite up to my level of absorption. In any case, I have been plagued by flickering motivation and a sense of being off-schedule over the holidays. I am looking at other people's threads here and elsewhere and finding people who soldier on under all kinds of conditions. This is a good example for me, and I am inspired not to make any more excuses for myself but to get on with it! :-)
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  • JLaurelC
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11 years 2 months ago #90710 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
Did some noting practice yesterday (have had a head cold and it's hard to breathe), two sessions of 35 minutes each. Ended up in equanimity, felt deeply relaxed.

Today spent 35 minutes going up and down the jhanic arc, on the second time up hovered around 7 to 8, felt a bit of hypnogogic stuff start to happen, then stabilized again and wondered whether I'd move back into the Pure Land region. Lo and behold, I did. There was a kind of brightness and vibratory quality to the visual field, and an opening into a feeling of joy that was nothing like the rapture/bliss of the earlier jhanas. Wonderful. Russell, there is indeed a beautiful sense of gratitude, and the feeling of wanting to bless the entire universe.

Happy New Year, everyone.
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  • Aquanin
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11 years 2 months ago #90711 by Aquanin
Replied by Aquanin on topic RE: Laurel III
"Wonderful. Russell, there is indeed a beautiful sense of gratitude, and the feeling of wanting to bless the entire universe.

Happy New Year, everyone. "

:) This makes me happy
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  • kennethfolk
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11 years 2 months ago #90712 by kennethfolk
Replied by kennethfolk on topic RE: Laurel III
"wondered whether I'd move back into the Pure Land region. Lo and behold, I did. There was a kind of brightness and vibratory quality to the visual field, and an opening into a feeling of joy that was nothing like the rapture/bliss of the earlier jhanas. Wonderful. Russell, there is indeed a beautiful sense of gratitude, and the feeling of wanting to bless the entire universe." -JLaurelC

Happy New Year is right! :)
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  • cmarti
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11 years 2 months ago #90713 by cmarti
Replied by cmarti on topic RE: Laurel III

Path Number 3?

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  • JLaurelC
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11 years 2 months ago #90714 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
"
Path Number 3?

"

I don't know; could it be? I thought I had to access all of the PLs plus NS. Is a dip into PL 1 enough basis for a path?

I should say that I have had a lovely day so far, even with a nasty cold. The clenched fist in my gut that denotes chronic anxiety is giving me a break. Last evening I checked and realized it wasn't there. What a wonderful vacation! So I'm having some sort of honeymoon from that sit. I don't feel angry at anyone either, not even the House Republicans. Metta to all of them, in fact. May they find peace, ease, and lightness of heart.
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  • someguy77
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11 years 2 months ago #90715 by someguy77
Replied by someguy77 on topic RE: Laurel III
Laurel,

Have you taken the Pure Land express tour with Nikolai et al on the Hamilton Project podcast?

thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2010/09/episode-2.html

It took me a lot farther than I thought I could go.
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  • AndyW45
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11 years 2 months ago #90716 by AndyW45
Replied by AndyW45 on topic RE: Laurel III
Whoop! Exciting stuff!
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  • mumuwu
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11 years 2 months ago #90717 by mumuwu
Replied by mumuwu on topic RE: Laurel III
"I don't know; could it be? I thought I had to access all of the PLs plus NS. Is a dip into PL 1 enough basis for a path?

I should say that I have had a lovely day so far, even with a nasty cold. The clenched fist in my gut that denotes chronic anxiety is giving me a break. Last evening I checked and realized it wasn't there. What a wonderful vacation! So I'm having some sort of honeymoon from that sit. I don't feel angry at anyone either, not even the House Republicans. Metta to all of them, in fact. May they find peace, ease, and lightness of heart. "

In Kenneth's system - just one Pure Land jhana qualifies you for 3rd path. You should, of course, try for the rest of them.

In this video (there are 7 parts, this is just the first one - you'll need to watch them all) -
you'll see Kenneth introducing several pure land jhanas to Nikolai that he hadn't accesses prior to this recorded meeting.

You might find that to be of benefit.
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  • cedricinmiami
  • Topic Author
11 years 2 months ago #90718 by cedricinmiami
Replied by cedricinmiami on topic RE: Laurel III
Laurel, reading about your experience is very uplifting!
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  • JLaurelC
  • Topic Author
11 years 2 months ago #90719 by JLaurelC
Replied by JLaurelC on topic RE: Laurel III
Thanks, Cedric! Glad to be of benefit.
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