Part 1: Samadhi, Jhana & The 5 Hindrances – Some Basic Definitions

Samadhi (from the ancient language of Pali): a coming together, gathering, unification and harmonization of the elements of your being; your mind, body, energy and internal forces. Samadhi is a broad territory of experience that is characterized by wellness, bliss and peace. 

Samadhi is a broad term that includes Jhana. Jhana refers to 8 stages of experience within Samadhi that each have specific characteristics. Each stage is more subtle and refined (and less fabricated) than the previous stage. 


Samadhi is natural! It arises when the mind is not harassed by the 5 Hindrances, which are mental phenomena that affect all humans and typically constantly plague us in subtle ways that we do not pick up on. In fact, the 5 Hindrances move us; they bend and shape the world. Learning how to deal with and relate to them is a necessary foundation for anyone who is interested in developing their mind. We have an online class that does a deep dive on the 5 hindrances here.

The 5 Hindrances: 

  • 1. Lacking & Unskillful desire

  • 2. Aversion, anger, judgment

  • 3. Dullness, stagnation & lethargy

  • 4. Restlessness & worry

  • 5. Paralytic doubt & anxiety 

Samadhi & Jhana are not dependent on external conditions or stimuli. They come from within, making them more reliable and accessible sources of joy.

Intro Class on Samadhi — The Gathering of the Mind

Part 2: The Mind-Blowing Benefits of Samadhi & Jhana

  1. Pleasure 

  2. Gain access to a resource that brings strength, power & energy.

  3. Increase the capacity to let go of things that harm you, stress you out and prevent you from reaching your potential in life.

  4. Become more responsive and available, allowing you to skillfully respond to whatever arises in your life.

  5. Become more comfortable in your own skin. Gain conviction in who you are, what decisions you should make and how to follow your authentic path in life. 

  6. Wisdom & insight. Samadhi & Jhana lead a practitioner towards wisdom and enlightenment. This is not just pleasure for pleasure’s sake; it’s pleasure that reduces our weaknesses and delusions.

  7. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati) develops into Samma (Right) Samadhi. The deepening of Samadhi & Jhana indicate that mindfulness is being developed and they also in turn improve mindfulness.

  8. Samadhi & Jhana improve all other factors of the Path to peace (The Noble Eightfold Path; which will be covered in other classes). 

  9. Samadhi & Jhana improve all aspects of your life by dissolving mind-made problems and by giving us the clarity and stillness to skillfully attend to life’s challenges.

Part 3: How To Develop Samadhi & Jhana - A Teaser 

What does Jhana depend on? Jhana depends on HAPPINESS.

This is a very important point to keep in mind. The path to Jhana is about building a sense of enjoyment, happiness and delight. It’s not about gritting your teeth and silencing all thoughts. This is something to keep in mind; how can you be happy, or happier, right now? There are a number of practical ways to do this, but even before you learn about them, it can be incredibly helpful to just hold the intention to find your way towards enjoyment and happiness, internally. 

Part 4: Samadhi is Natural & Available—Do Not Underestimate Your Ability To Find Access It

The vast majority of meditators drastically underestimate their capacity for meditation. 

Also, a very crucial point that will make more sense the more you practice: Jhanas are levels of decreasing degrees of mental fabrication. We build, concoct and fabricate our experience of the world. Your way of looking affects what you see. We participate in reality. Reality depends on the mind. This teaching is spilling over to the topic of Emptiness, which is an awesome teaching that I love to chat about! For now, just keep in mind that when we do less in our minds–fabricate less–we come to Jhana. Understanding this and practicing this over and over can lead to deep insights that free us from suffering.

Part 5: Developing The Mind

Bhavana: Cultivation of the mind; developing skillful qualities in your heart. This is one of my favorite aspects of teaching! You will get to learn many wholesome, helpful qualities of mind that you can plant and grow in your mind. Such qualities include mindfulness, equanimity, love, appreciation, compassion, energy, persistence, inquiry, virtue, generosity and many more. 

Part 6: Other Important Topics

Some other important topics that impact Samadhi and Jhana include:

  • Metta: Radical, unconditioned loving kindness

  • Sila: virtue, goodness & discipline 

  • Renunciation: letting go of lower pleasures in favor of higher pleasures 

Next, check out our online courses. In particular, I recommend our deep dive (5 hour) course on the 5 Hindrances.