I became interested in Buddhism when I was 16 and started meditating at 18—about 20 years ago. During my studies and work, I sometimes meditated at home and used to go to a 10–14-day retreat once a year, usually with Bhante Sujiva as a teacher (Mahasi method).

 

At the end of 2018, I went to Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia to become a Theravada monk under the guidance of Venerable Ariyadhammika. I was able to get into the jhanas (profoundly serene and blissful states of meditative concentration) and even the formless attainments relatively quickly. Later, in 2022, again at Sasanarakkha, I managed to break through into the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha samapatti)—the highest meditative attainment possible according to the early Buddhist scriptures. After that, I maintained and developed the cessation practice for over two years.

 

Besides Malaysia, I have practiced meditation in Buddhist monasteries in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.

 

At the end of 2024, I decided to abandon formal monasticism, return to Europe, continue my meditation practice without the monk robes, and dedicate myself to helping others on the path to jhana. 

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The meditative attainments have changed my life. These states cannot compare to anything experienceable in everyday life. Calling them the utmost meditative bliss, peace, and release is not an exaggeration. I want to make them more accessible to others—that is my mission. The training is not easy, and making it to jhana is not guaranteed. But it’s undoubtedly worth trying.