Jhana [[meditation]] refers to a profound and pleasurable state achieved through deep meditation. Rooted in ancient Buddhist teachings, it's described as an experience of bliss and equanimity that profoundly alters one's perception of happiness and reality. #### Principle Jhana meditation is based on the principle of cultivating deep mental focus, leading to altered states of consciousness characterized by extreme bliss. It is distinct from the ultimate goal of enlightenment in Buddhism, which is a permanent transformation. Jhana, instead, is a transient but powerful experience attainable with practice, sometimes described as a positive feedback loop between attention and pleasure, contrasted with the negative loop of anxiety​. Core concepts include the **Eight Jhanas**, divided into the _form_ jhanas and the _formless_ jhanas, with the former being more like states one enters and the latter more like realms one visits​. The practice involves overcoming the _Five Hindrances_ and focusing on positive feelings like joy (pīti) and happiness (sukha), which are essential for entering the jhanas. #### Process To practice jhana meditation, one typically begins by overcoming mental hindrances and then focusing on a meditative object, such as the breath or feelings of loving-kindness. As the meditator becomes absorbed in the object, pleasurable sensations arise and become the new focus, leading to deeper states of concentration and joy​. The technique requires an understanding of attention and awareness, where attention is the focused mental faculty and awareness is the peripheral consciousness of one's environment and internal states​. #### Most useful for Jhana meditation is most useful for individuals seeking to experience profound levels of happiness and well-being beyond ordinary pleasures. It can be life-changing, offering a new perspective on happiness and reducing cravings for sensory pleasures​. The meditative states have been associated with various potential benefits, including changes in personality, an increase in neuroplasticity, and aiding in overcoming addictions​. Moreover, brain imaging studies have shown that jhana meditation activates pleasure centers in the brain without external stimuli, suggesting a biological basis for the experienced bliss​. #### Resources - https://tasshin.com/blog/discovering-bliss-states/ - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO6hhaAzLmiqUzBYuLLJQ8FexOTRxz8xF [[Rob Burbea]] - https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/nick-cammarata-on-jhana - https://www.jhourney.io/ - - https://www.jhourney.io/faqs - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gT1rCJ3K4Hk_1cOAVi0CO6TSRLbvzcuX/view - https://twitter.com/i/lists/1665870997952802816 - https://twitter.com/nickcammarata/status/1703477889910321190 - - https://x.com/nickcammarata/status/1418614848481595395 - https://twitter.com/5matthewdub/status/1612434163256422400 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyana_in_Buddhism - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/25241895 - [[Rob Burbea]]