Leigh Brasington is a meditation teacher in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition and the author of Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhānas. He was authorized to teach by Ayya Khema and is known for his deep knowledge of jhāna practice and insight meditation.
We talk about altered states of concentration, awakening without dogma, what it feels like to perceive without ego, and how practice transforms life. Topics are outlined in the timestamps below.
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Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
02:37 – Seeing reality beyond the ego
05:15 – Learning the jhānas with Ayya Khema
07:53 – Insight that follows deep concentration
10:31 – What real meditation absorption feels like
13:09 – Leigh’s critique of lighter jhāna methods
15:47 – Retreat environments and access to jhānas
18:25 – Teaching online vs in-person
21:03 – What helps students succeed
23:41 – Stories from students’ breakthroughs
26:18 – Is jhāna possible for everyone?
28:56 – Why we procrastinate on practice
31:34 – Insight meditation and Satipaṭṭhāna
34:12 – How meditation shapes happiness
36:50 – Is full awakening really possible?
39:28 – Letting go of the sense of self
42:06 – Dependent origination explained
44:44 – Emptiness and early perception
47:22 – Final reflections and recommended books
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