The Waking

    In previous blogs I have written an introduction to the jhana meditations and why the Buddha considered them important, and also a brief note on a change in my subjective experience of them (see ‘Sources’ below for links). The change didn’t last by the way... In this blog I share some ideas on how jhana meditations could be deepened and extended for those who have some experience of them, including the experiences of reaching access concentration and of entering one or more of the jhanic states. For practitioners who feel comfortable about accessing the four material and four immaterial jhanas, deepening your practice might involve:     • Refining your mastery of holding, exploring and then moving between states     • Extending the application of these states, and     • Integrating them into broader spiritual goals, such as insight in Buddhist traditions or deeper awareness of God in Christian traditions. Here are some suggestio...

  Words by Rabindranath Tagore Many people claim to have achieved a degree of awakening, however that state is understood, or other people claim it on their behalf. One of the most striking things about the way such people describe their subjective experiences is its enormous variety.   These descriptions are interesting in themselves and they also have interesting implications. For example:     • If the experiences vary so much, are they talking about the same thing? Might it be that there are several different phenomena that are given the name ‘awakening,’ ‘theosis,’ ‘divine union’ or some such, rather than one phenomenon being described in different ways?     • If they are talking about the same thing and you are also experiencing some of these things, does that mean that you are awake or enlightened but simply hadn’t considered that possibility?   I thought it might be both useful and interesting to pull together some of these many experi...

  Image: Ram Dass and Chogyam Trungpa Here are some indications:     • Lack of Personal Growth If you feel you are no longer learning or growing under the guidance of your current teacher and what they say no longer helps, this might indicate that you've outgrown the teachings or that the methods are no longer effective for you.     • Misalignment of Values or Beliefs Sometimes, as you evolve, your values, beliefs, or the direction of your spiritual journey might diverge from those of your teacher. If this happens, it might also be time to seek guidance elsewhere.            • Ethical Concerns If you witness or experience unethical behaviour, such as manipulation, exploitation, or abuse (emotional, financial, or physical), this is a clear sign to reassess your relationship with the teacher. Spiritual guidance should never harm or exploit. This can take many forms. You might want to look up the history of Chogyam ...

  Aaron Lee, from Facebook This blog is devoted to American Buddhist, Aaron Lee, who died on the 21st October 2017 at the age of 34. Although he was known to many for his blog, ‘Angry Asian Buddhist’, I am mainly going to cite some of the things that he told the former editor of the Buddhist site ‘Lion’s Roar’, Sam Littlefair, shortly before his death. May they sustain, inspire and encourage you as they did me. By the way, it may help you to understand the following better if you know that the Buddhist concept of a ‘refuge’ is an ultimate source of guidance and protection. In his last year, Aaron shifted his focus from activism towards creating “refuges,” which he described as spaces where someone can feel safe, supported, and nurtured. In a blog post, he wrote, “In the hospital, I found my speech and actions could become refuges for my family and caregivers — providing them with a space where they could feel calm, positive and helpful.” When I spoke to Aaron for a second time, in ...

      I have included the jhanas as part of my meditation practice for over three years, in part because I was researching meditation practices and experiences, and also because the Buddha described them as an important part of awakening or realising enlightenment. I wrote a bit about this in an earlier blog, which you can find at https://herethewaking.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-are-jhanas-and-how-can-they-help.html I wanted to write this updating note because of a recent change in my experience of jhana meditation, in case it is helpful to others who also include it as part of their practice. For the past three years I have ‘followed the book’ when it comes to the procedure for jhana meditations, the book being ‘Right Concentration’ by Leigh Brasington (citation in Sources below). By this I mean following each step Brasington describes to get to each stage, from access concentration, to the first jhana and so on through to the eighth, or as far as I felt was possible in t...

    I have written a little about St. John of the Cross before (in https://herethewaking.blogspot.com/2023/10/dark-night-of-soul.html for example). His feast day is celebrated on 14th December and he is a patron saint of mystics and contemplatives. John has another link to Advent as he was imprisoned by fellow Carmelite monks in a monastery in Toledo on the 2nd December 1577 in a cell so small he could barely lie on the floor. He was fed only bread and water, with occasional scraps of salt fish, and was lashed weekly, again by his fellow monks. He was imprisoned because of his efforts (along with St. Teresa of Avila) to reform the Carmelite order and restore the observance of a simple, more austere life.  And yet it was in that small cell that John began to compose the poem for which he is probably best known, ‘The Dark Night of the Soul’ , first by memorising the words and later, thanks to a kind gaoler, by writing them down. Nine months later he escaped, with the manusc...