Day 498 Record Keeping
Day 467 Fixed Meditation (3nd jhana? -81)
Day 413 Bodyweight Exercise (2 typewriter pushups - 74)
Day 340 Writing (writing - 65)
Day 513 Eating (65)

Missed a day, but very positive today. Got a lot of work done, especially with writing and eating, and meditation. I’m thinking this might be a good way to continue.

3rd Jhana?

I realize that right now jhana progression may not be a part of this project - or rather, it may be more on task for a meditation book than anything else. Nevertheless, I feel that talking about any progressions may help with this project, and may be helpful in the future.

The other day I felt like I might have gotten to 2nd jhana. I felt the same feelings today - 1st, then a leaving of 1st and arriving at second, then felt like I got somewhere else. It matched many of the descriptions of 3rd - the dropping away of one aspect of joy, but yet a remaining intensity that was more powerful than the other jhanas.

My mind seemed to focus more, bodily awareness dropped away sharply, though not completely, and my mind felt more sheltered.

I’ve recently read an excellent book focusing on the jhanas by Doug Kraft - The Buddha’s Map: His Original Teachings on Awakening, Ease, and Insight in the Heart of Meditation .

A lot of the readings mention that jhanas progress faster after 1st. A lot of the descriptions match, but not all. It is nevertheless very exciting to see progress not matter what it is.

I like the feeling of daily bending of skills, and seeing progress, and I’d like to get to a point where I feel this same excitement in all the skills I’m working on, especially writing and bodyweight training.

These recent powerful meditations have had the added benefit of sustaining me throughout the day, and this seems really beneficial in the hours afterwards. I’ve used that to strike while the iron is hot and work on writing, the task that engenders the most fear within me.