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Practicing the Jhanas – NEW!
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Practicing the Jhanas – NEW!

Self-Paced Course

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Online

Jhāna (absorption) concentration is the highest level of meditative concentration possible.  In jhāna our awareness and consciousness completely and seamlessly merge into, and with, the meditative object as a function of the source, the Absolute.  Steeping our consciousness and awareness in a quality of the Absolute purifies the mind while attuning us to deeper intimacy with the Absolute.

This self-paced course offers a comprehensive introduction to this ancient practice by an experienced jhana teacher from a well-respected Theravada lineage.

What’s Included

  • Introductory talks explaining breath awareness meditation, hinderances, jhana factors, nimitta, jhana, and answers to common questions.
  • A complete set of Dharma talks from a jhana retreat.
  • An exclusive interview with Mugen Roshi about Jhana by one of his students.
  • Seven guided meditations.
  • 11+ modules, 60+ lessons, 50+ videos which are not available on YouTube.
  • 1080p HD Video Quality.

Course Outline

  • Welcome
    • Welcome to the Course!
  • Introduction
    • My Background [3:09]
    • Pa-Auk Sayadaw
    • What Is Jhana? [3:59]
    • Diligently Returning to the Breath [0:54]
    • Counting Breaths [1:44]
    • Guided Meditation: Starting Practice [38:28]
  • Tips for Developing the Meditation
    • Stay with the Breath No Matter What [2:16]
    • We Don’t Reject Anything [0:32]
    • Include the Chakras [0:37]
    • Let Go of Experiences [0:49]
    • Natural Breathing [0:56]
    • Stay with the Anapana Spot [1:16]
  • Core Teachings
    • Proactive vs. Receptive Effort [1:34]
    • Three Levels of Concentration [2:12]
    • Five Jhana Factors [3:44]
    • Hinderances [4:12]
    • Purification of Mind [1:11]
    • Our Object Is the Breath [1:31]
    • Walking Meditation and Off-the-Cushion Practice [2:51]
    • Cultivating Silence [0:47]
    • Rigor and Working Your Edge [1:55]
  • The Jhanas
    • First Jhana [1:30]
    • Second Jhana [1:18]
    • Third Jhana [0:56]
    • Fourth Jhana [1:29]
    • Fifth Jhana: Base of Boundless Space [1:48]
    • Sixth Jhana: Base of Boundless Consciousness [2:46]
    • Seventh Jhana: The Base of No-thing-ness [2:53]
    • Eighth Jhana: The Base of Neither Perception nor Non-perception [3:15]
    • Ninth Jhana and Cessation [5:36]
  • Guided Meditations
    • Guided Meditation with Commentary [45:31]
    • Guided Meditation [44:55]
  • Brahmavihara Jhana
    • Introduction [15:32]
    • Guided Meditation [19:04]
  • Further Discussion
    • The Experience of Jhana [3:54]
    • Jhana Relationship to Shikantaza [1:35]
    • Access Concentration Purifies the Mind [0:43]
    • Combining Breath Awareness with Other Practices [0:24]
  • Retreat Talks
    • Introduction
    • The Absolute [4:12]
    • Jhana Introduction [17:15]
    • Concentration Meditation [23:07]
    • Skillful Effort [6:29]
    • Purification of Mind [14:06]
    • Nimitta and First-Sit to First-Jhana [16:43]
  • Jhana Interview
    • Jhana Interview [40:49]
  • More Guided Meditations
    • Introduction
    • Precepts and Guided Meditation [45:11]
    • Guided Meditation [43:35]
    • Short Guided Meditation [26:25]
  • Miscellaneous Questions, Issues, Reminders
    • Introduction
    • Jhana Factors Arising [1:18]
    • Reducing Effort [0:17]
    • Posture in Meditation [2:46]
    • The Skin Is Not the Object [2:26]
    • Body Boundary in Meditation [0:27]
    • Using Just Enough Effort [1:37]
    • Counting Becomes Cumbersome [1:01]
    • Sinking Mind vs. Jhana [0:56]
    • Interviews on Retreat [1:27]
    • Introducing More Rigor [2:05]
    • Jhanas Are Slices of the Absolute [0:56]
    • Jhana Isn’t Challenging [2:40]
  • Thank you
    • Thank you

Most of the content in this course is not available on YouTube but you can find other related talks on this playlist.

YouTube player

Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi is a senior meditation teacher in the Buddhist Theravada and Zen traditions.  He is the author of several books, and is co-author of Practicing the Jhanas. He works with students worldwide as well as leading online and in-person retreats in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe.

Jhāna is a concentrated state that has a quality of energetic vibration. It has an energy vibration that soothes and purifies awareness and consciousness. It is a state of complete merging with the meditative object in which there is no sense of a me, no thoughts, with all jhāna factors present. A first experience of jhāna may typically last a moment or two. Over repeated and sustained experience, our consciousness will be able to stay merged with First Jhāna for minutes, even hours. Each moment we stay merged in First Jhāna is a moment of purification of mind and lessening of negative karma.

— Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi, Demystifying Awakening

Prerequisites

None. This course includes advanced content but does not require any previous experience. Beginners are welcome.

Investment

Sliding scale:

  • $199 – Subsidized
  • $249 – Sustaining
  • $299 – Supporting

Students who are part of a mentoring program receive a $100 discount from above prices (coupon code is found within your mentoring course on a page called “Discounts”). This offer is only good till the end of October 2026 and then expires.

Scholarships are available to support your participation.

Please review our Cancellation Policy.

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