Intense Meditation Experience - Close to Jhana?

[u/Peacemark]

I had a very intense meditation experience and would love some insight from those experienced with jhana practice.

During my session, I experienced strong pīti throughout, but toward the end, it became incredibly intense. It felt like a flame was rushing through my body, lifting me up as it burned. It also felt almost like I was being transported or teleported higher up multiple times. At the same time, my breath seemed to stop or feel unnecessary, yet I felt completely fine. My thoughts also seemed to slow down substantially.

The experience was overwhelming but also deeply immersive. I wasn’t actively controlling anything—it felt like meditation was happening on its own. However, I still had some awareness of my body, so I’m unsure if this was just access concentration or if I was on the verge of jhana. I’ve been experiencing fairly strong pīti almost every time I meditate now these last days.

For those who have experienced deep samādhi or jhana, does this sound like I was close? Could it be grade 4 or 5 pīti possibly? How should I approach my next session to stabilize and transition fully into absorption? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

[u/JhannySamadhi]

If you make pleasurable sensations in the body your object, you can potentially enter the pleasure jhanas. If you make the inner illumination your object, you can potentially enter the luminous jhanas. If you let the piti grow to extreme intensity until it subsides on its own, you can potentially enter samatha.

It’s important to note however, that jhana factors can show up long before your concentration is deep enough to enter jhana, and way, way before samatha. It also generally requires a few hours a day to enter even the pleasure jhanas. If the above methods don’t work for you yet, keep cultivating your stability and introspective awareness and they eventually will.

[u/Substantial-Fuel-545 → u/JhannySamadhi]

Crazy valuable answer

[u/kaytss]

I used to get piti feeling like it shot out of the top of my head. This has happened to others as well. Eventually, this specific manifestation of piti died down though, and it was most intense in the beginning of it happening.

I personally don't put much stock in Culadasa's grades of piti system that he devised...he later kind of retracted it if I remember correctly. It's pretty personal how piti develops, although there does seem to be consistent things that tend to happen to a lot of people.

the thing that distinguishes jhana from piti is that jhana (especially the pleasure jhanas) is your entire body. My recommendation, is the next sit once piti starts going, see if you can spread the piti all over your body. For me, it helps to gently rest my focus on the piti, slightly smile, and sink down into my body on the out breath. While keeping a positive feeling, emotionally. The first pleasure jhana feels kind of heady as well, literally like my head is lighter.

[u/Peacemark → u/kaytss]

Thanks! Yeah I forgot to mention that I spread the piti all over my body, and then I experienced almost this "explosion" of energy after which things really took off.

I did feel like piti was running through the whole body, but I did not experience the mind "locking in" and loss of body awareness like people usually do with the jhanas.