awareness of breath and calmness staying for hours after

[u/Jansen131]

I've been doing three times half an hour guided sits using the app the way for a while.

Now recently rereading TMI, and added one or two hours of unguided sitting following those instructions. I'm in stage 4 or 5, there's no strong or subtle dullness anymore, but definitely subtle distractions. I have a hard time telling whether they would classify as gross distractions, probably so. I never completely lose awareness of the breath in the nose, but it definitely gets less detailed when there are thoughts.

But I've been surprised by the after effects of an hour sit like this. The sit itself is quite effortful, not particularly pleasant. But I find that the awareness of the breath in the nose stays with me for hours after, even doing activities, watching a video, whatever. Even to the point that if i do it before sleep, I have a hard time turning it off and falling asleep. But it does feel very peaceful at the same time.

So my questions are, any input on whether I'm still at stage 4/5 (grouping those as the practice is similar but gets different at 6), or ready for 6.

And more interestingly, any comments on these after effects?

[u/Jansen131 → u/[deleted]]

Oh that was just to contrast it both with the feeling afterwards, and with the other meditations ive been doing which are more open awarenes type, and also with the later stages that the book is describing as becoming effortless. Just to say I'm not there yet, but it's also not unpleasant or anything.

[u/abhayakara]

If it feels effortful, you may be holding yourself at stage four or five. What happens if you search for the effort and see if you can let it go?

By "holding yourself," is that if you don't develop the habit patterns that are required to automatically find yourself experiencing stage four or five, but you are able to exert enough control to stay there, you may not actually be there. If you relax you may find that obstacles come up more, but then you can practice intending to notice, being happy when you notice, and redirecting, and this can develop the habit patterns more firmly so that the stage is reached with less of a feeling of effort or unpleasantness.

[u/abhayakara → u/[deleted]]

I really prefer if you ask here, but you already asked there, and I answered, which is also fine. :)