What are the four Jhanas?

I just read a recent Time article, about Jhanas, a series of deep meditative states, that have become the new hot thing among trendsetters. From what I can understand, the Jhanas are at the pinnacle of concentration and mindfulness, leading to a profound sense of tranquility and bliss. 

While Jhanas have been adopted by Buddhism and Hinduism, they likely predate these religions. Yet, they're often associated with them, as the specific term "Jhanas" is primarily used within the Buddhist and Hindu contexts. They’re typically divided into four stages levels, which are quite a program to put it mildly: 

• The first Jhana is characterized by initial concentration, vitakka (applied thought), vicara (sustained thought), and a sense of rapture and joy. 
• The second Jhana entails a deeper level of concentration, where vitakka and vicara have subsided, and rapture and joy are more refined. 
• The third Jhana brings a sense of equanimity, where rapture and joy have faded, leaving behind a sense of contentment and bliss. 
• Finally, the fourth Jhana represents the ultimate state of concentration and is marked by neither pain nor pleasure but a profound sense of equanimity and mindfulness. 

After learning all this, I asked myself, how does these Jhanas compare to other forms of meditation? While Jhanas are pretty unique, they share similarities with other popular practices: 

• Compared to mindfulness, Jhanas emphasize concentration and awareness of the present moment. They seek however a deeper level of concentration and a more intense focus on specific objects or sensations. 
• If compared to Transcendental Meditation (TM), both claim to achieve a deep state of relaxation and concentration. However, TM typically uses a mantra, while Jhanas focuses instead on specific sensations or objects. 
• As for comparing Jhanas to Vipassana (a form of insight meditation emphasizing the observation of the impermanence of all things), Jhanas can also lead to insights and wisdom but they primarily focus on concentration and bliss. 

For the practitioners, the benefit of Jhanas are deep states of tranquility and a sense of peace and serenity that transcends everyday experiences. It’s also supposed to afford enhanced concentration and intense focus. It also increases happiness and well-being, contributing to a greater sense of contentment and happiness. 

Jhanas are also seen as a path to spiritual enlightenment and liberation from suffering. Finally, Jhanas claim to improve physical health, like reducing stress, improving sleep, and boosting immune function. 

From what I’ve been able to gather, Jhanas are often considered like belonging to an advanced form of meditation requiring a long study and practice, like one thousand hours. 

In that Time’s article, the main subject was a new startup company called Jhourney, that can cut the number of hours required to just 40 at costs ranging from $1,100 to $5,000 depending on how they’re administered. 

I’ll be looking at the do-it-yourself version, if there’s one, and will share my findings with you!