Pell

How was your experience through the progress of insight?

Here you are: https://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB+The+Psychic+Powers/en

My boy needs a dictionary!

I think you'll enjoy this ebook on the sidebar of this blog: http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2010/10/quietening-inner-chatter.html?m=1 There's also a Facebook group

@IJB063 Sweet! Just one more thing I forgot to mention. Having retreat time is monumental. ery simple guidelines, not rules: don't waste time on tv, gaming, or social media... makes it mentally hard to do retreats 45min-1hour a day, everyday, mostly at the same time of day -- protect this time for your practice one day retreat every 2 to 4 months - block out the day on the calendar and protect it a weekend retreat every 4 to 8 months - block out the weekend on the calendar and protect it one long retreat every 6 to 12 months - send in your deposit and block out the retreat on the calendar and protect it I wouldn't really even waste time sitting unless it can be done every day, with the very rare missed day. I wouldn't really think of streamentry unless retreats seemed interesting and were possible. Some people don't need the retreats, but I would say 90% do. Hope this helps. Regardless of what anyone else thinks, trust your self and learn through trial and error and correction --- there is no predicting how a specific person's path will go.

@IJB063 I totally agree with you. Maps and readings/study are actually pretty important. Without teachings we are more lost that not. But, not completely because awakening is our birthright and intrinsic. I was drawn to your post because I find myself drawn to distractions more than turning inward, even though I do meditate at least 30 minutes everyday and contemplate alot. But, this is not enough -- my practice becomes a leaky bucket when I fill the rest of those 23hrs with distraction. It was when I became a teenager that I had a screen blasting my face more often than not. I as well miss my childhood freshness and that's why I'm on this path. Here's another blog that might interest you: http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2012/04/yogi-toolbox-gathering-momentum-at-work.html?m=1 I've scoured Reddit, books, and this blog for answers and I've learned so much. I'm grateful. But, also feel that I need to stop seeking and practice more. It's so simple what it's boiled down to: self-inquiry, the three characteristics, and collectedness/mental stillness. Much could really be said about all three. I recommend checking out these books: The Mind Illuminated, Seeing That Frees, and Mastering the Core Teachings of Buddha(don't focus too much on the dark night stuff or the super fast noting he describes, he has a speedy mind and it's not necessary to do that). There's also this resource for self-inquiry, check out the ebooks on the sidebar : http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2010/10/quietening-inner-chatter.html?m=1 I'm excited for you because you seem really sincere and ardent about awakening before you die. I've scoured Reddit and this blog for answers and I've learned so much. I'm grateful. If you wanna talk more, feel free to shoot me a reply/direct message. I don't want anyone to use up too much time reading when getting down to practice is of greater importance as you see. More: https://albigen.com/uarelove/most_rapid/contents.htm https://www.personalpowermeditation.com/awareness-watching-awareness-better-than-any-sight-any-sound/

Emptiness = Infinite relativity = Love Far better to experience than to explicate. I recommend checking out the meditation guide over at https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/wiki/beginners-guide

@Nahm I see. Being inclusive is definitely a beautiful thing. I supposed I'm concerned with too much dabbling, instead of mastering.

@Nahm I think you're both right. I think keeping life an open question and not being tethered to ideas is essential. I think Buddhism(and other spiritual traditions) can be summed up as not being fooled by our conceptions that we hold too tightly. All of OP describes just sounds like diligent practice, a practice that has been passed down for many many years that's worked for people. You mentioned shrooms, but I'm not exactly sure what you're suggesting as an alternative to what the OP describes that will have the same amount of efficacy. Just taking shrooms just sounds like a shot in the dark if we're talking about awakening. Although taking shrooms for sure is a damn good start and could definitely facilitate alot of healing which is better than just a good start. I just don't think anyone has really fully woken up just from psychedelics. Like how frequently am I to take these psychedelics? Am I to graduate from shrooms and LSD to DMT/ayahuasca? Thanks for indulging my curiosity.

That's an interesting emphasis on physical pliancy. Have you done a sesh of just the jhanas? Like going to 1-4 and back down again? I'm not certain it takes a long sesh as you describe, although it's still beneficial. I think you'd appreciate this blog: https://www.meditator-x.com/

What will you do in on the cushion now? I'm curious about how you're going to structure your sits now. Some people do the jhanas or some samatha for half the sit then switch to vipassana. Were your sits completely samatha focused before now? The TMI, and streamentry subreddits on Reddit seem to believe that samatha accelerates your progress substantially, that is, once one actually starts digging into vipassana. Apparently people have a lot of success with choiceless awareness practice with high levels of samatha. Of course self-inquiry is an amazingly direct method too. Whatever gets you to see the three characteristics ya know? I wish you well, I'm excited to see when you pierce into stream entry.

I assure you, just read this and pile up life experience: https://bookofpook.com/

I recommend the book "How Not To Die"

@Consilience the video link didn't work. Do you have another?

@ardacigin Thank you! I've never realized the distinctions between Leigh's and Culadasa's presentations of the jhanas. You made it clear about how TMI has skill development as the crux of the practice in order to cultivate a holistic samatha. Perhaps another question: what are your thoughts on shikantaza/zazen as a means to samatha/insight? From my view, shikantaza has the samatha component because it leads one to stillness/silence. The technique has the vipassana component because it leaves awareness bare. This also reminds me of the question regarding how much collectedness one needs to bare fruit(awakening). Would you stage 6 in TMI terms is the bare minimum?

I have TMI, but I'm unfamiliar with actually living through the jhanas in daily life. I'm only just poking into stage 7 though. Could you unpack daily life jhanas more?