Comments on “The Mind Illuminated, a journal: Day 5”

Interesting to me that you got aura without migraine! I get these, unfortunately always with the migraine. It’s hard to work out a particular trigger, but stress is definitely part of it, and I often get tension in my neck/face around the same time, so your explanation makes a lot of sense to me.

(Enjoying reading these btw. I haven’t done much meditation, but a fair chunk of the small amount I have done is following this book, so it’s interesting to see what you make of it. I also like the format with the photo of your notes at the top.)

Thank you for sharing all of this, very inspiring. Made me want to learn more about vajrayana and to start journalling, too :)

In my understanding of Pure Shamatha, one cultivates the positive as it reinforces concentration. but while doing Pure Vipassana, one investigates all without favour.
Check out Leigh Braisington for some pure shamatha Jhana (eventually the good feelings subside and level out into equinamity as one raises through the jhanas).

I think in Theravada generally one cultivates Jhana and then exits to do vipassana with a concentrated mind, but the option of Dry vipassana, having never cultivated jhana, is there as well but regarded as a more rocky road.