Should I explore the jhana meditation states? What if I’m not a Buddhist?
Introduction The jhana meditation states can be defined as eight (my preferred number – see my blog of https://herethewaking.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-are-jhanas-and-how-can-they-help.html) progressive states of deep meditative absorption, mainly used in Buddhist, particularly Theravadan, practice. They are characterised by increasing depth and concentration, from initial access concentration and rapture, to subtle, formless awareness beyond perception. I’ve written several blogs about them as they are a regular part of my meditation practice and have been for several years. However, there are some who say they are not worth including in your practice. In this blog I will describe the main criticisms of the jhanas and then say why I think they are worth including in a practice. I will also add a bit more on how they can be used by those from different spiritual backgrounds, as I first mentioned in https://herethewaking.blogspot.com/2025/04/jhana-meditation-extending-and.ht...