Samatha means calm concentration and is an important stage for all forms of meditation. The technique requires a focus on the breathing in order to quiet down the mind and bring it to a state of rest or peace which is very blissful.
The more the mind is able not to be caught up in restless thoughts the more energy it conserves and this can build up to a significant level to a point where there is a state of absorption which the ancients called “Jhana” and it is these states that the human mind aspires to in terms of spiritual development.
Without knowledge of Jhana it is difficult to progress on the path and Samatha forms of meditation are crucial to its attainment. Any meditation that works towards Jhana can be called Samatha meditation but the technique which we teach comes from Thailand. The person who brought the tradition to the UK is a person by the name of Nai Boonman and he is considered the founder of Samatha Meditation.
The technique as taught by Nai Boonman involves 16 stages and depending on your temperament progress can be swift or hard fought.
