Quick Answer
Advanced Meditation is the transition from "trying to meditate" to "being in meditation." While beginners focus on concentration (Dharana)—anchoring the mind to the breath or a mantra—advanced practitioners move into Dhyana (flow) and Samadhi (absorption). Techniques like Vipassana (Insight) involve scanning the body for subtle sensations to dissolve the illusion of solidity, while Zazen (Just Sitting) involves dropping all anchors and resting in open awareness. These practices rewire the brain for permanent equanimity and liberation.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Impermanence (Anicca): The core realization of advanced practice is that everything arises and passes away.
- No-Self (Anatta): You realize there is no "thinker" behind the thoughts; there is only the process of thinking.
- Pain as Portal: Advanced meditators do not run from pain; they investigate its sensation until it dissolves into energy.
- Effortless Effort: The highest stage is dropping the effort to meditate and simply resting in awareness.
- Retreats: Deep progress often requires long periods of silence (10+ days).
If you have been meditating for a while, you may have hit a plateau. The "Headspace" apps no longer challenge you. You can sit still, but you feel like you are just waiting for the timer. This is the signal that you are ready for Advanced Meditation.
Advanced practice is not about sitting longer; it is about looking deeper. It is the shift from "relaxation" to "liberation." It involves investigating the nature of reality itself—dissecting the atom of a thought, observing the vibration of a pain, and realizing the emptiness of the ego. It is the path of the spiritual warrior.
The Shift: Concentration vs. Insight
Most beginners practice Concentration (Samatha). This builds the muscle of focus. You stare at a candle or count breaths. This creates calm.
Advanced practitioners move into Insight (Vipassana). You use that focused mind like a laser to cut through the illusion of solidity. You stop ignoring the itch on your nose and start investigating it: "What is this sensation? Is it solid? No, it is vibrating. It is changing." This leads to wisdom.
Vipassana: Seeing Things As They Are
Popularized by S.N. Goenka, this technique involves scanning the body from head to toe, observing every sensation with total equanimity (non-reaction).
The Goal: To realize Anicca (Impermanence). By feeling that every sensation—whether pleasure or pain—eventually arises and passes away, you rewire your brain to stop craving pleasure and avoiding pain. You become free from the cycle of reactivity.
Zazen: Shikantaza (Just Sitting)
In Zen, the practice is "Shikantaza"—Just Sitting. There is no object of focus. No mantra. No breath counting.
You sit with eyes open, facing a wall. You let thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky, without grabbing them or pushing them away. It sounds simple, but it is incredibly difficult because the ego has nothing to "do." It is the practice of pure presence.
The Jhanas: States of Absorption
As concentration deepens, you may enter the Jhanas—altered states of consciousness marked by intense bliss and rapture.
1st Jhana: Rapture and pleasure (mental and physical).
2nd Jhana: Joy without thought.
3rd Jhana: Contentment.
4th Jhana: Equanimity (neither pain nor pleasure).
These states are not the goal (getting stuck here is the "Bliss Trap"), but they are signs of a concentrated mind.
Advanced Obstacles: The Void and The Bliss Trap
The Bliss Trap: You get addicted to the high of meditation and avoid real life. You must remember: "After the ecstasy, the laundry."
The Void (Dark Night): You realize the emptiness of the self and feel terror or nihilism. This is a crucial passage. You must surrender into the void to find the light on the other side.
Integrating the Silence
The true test of an advanced meditator is not how they sit on the cushion, but how they drive in traffic. Can you maintain "dual awareness"—being aware of the road and aware of your own awareness simultaneously?
Advanced practice is "Open Eyes Meditation." Walking, eating, and talking while anchored in the Witness consciousness.
Practice: The "Who Am I?" Inquiry
This is the method of Ramana Maharshi (Self-Inquiry).
Try This Exercise
- Sit quietly. Notice a thought (e.g., "I am hungry").
- Ask: "To whom does this thought appear?"
- Answer: "To me."
- Ask: "Who am I?"
- Don't answer with words. Look for the source of the "I." Look back at the looker.
- The mind will stop. Rest in that gap. That silence is the Self.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I sit?
Advanced practitioners often sit for 45-60 minutes. It often takes 30 minutes just for the mind to settle enough to do deep work.
Do I need a Guru?
At this level, a teacher is very helpful to point out the ego's tricks. The ego is very good at hiding in spirituality.
Is it boring?
Yes. Boredom is a layer of resistance. If you sit through the boredom, you find peace. If you sit through the peace, you find bliss.
Deepen Your Seat
Comfort is crucial for long sits. Our "Samadhi Cushion Set" is designed for ergonomic support during extended meditation.
Shop Meditation CushionsYour Journey Continues
Advanced meditation is the ultimate adventure. It is the exploration of the inner cosmos. The silence you find is not empty; it is full of life, intelligence, and love. Keep sitting. The only way out is in.