Ajahn Chah

Don't doubt or allow yourself to become alarmed.

At this stage, you should make the mind unshakable in its concentration and be especially mindful.

Some people become startled when they notice that the breath has disappeared because they're used to having the breath there.

When it appears that the breath is gone, you might panic or become afraid that you're going to die.

Here you must establish the understanding that it's just the nature of the practice to progress in this way.

What will you observe as the object of meditation now?

Just observe this feeling that there is no breath and sustain it as the object of awareness as you continue to meditate.

When your practice of Samadhi reaches this point, there will be many unusual and refined changes and transformations taking place within the mind, which you can be aware of.

The sensation of the body will feel at its lightest,

and it might even disappear altogether.

It might feel like you're in the middle of space, and wherever you direct your sense faculties, they don't seem to register anything at all.

Even though you know the body is still sitting there, you experience complete emptiness.

Establish this feeling of being relaxed and unworried, securely in the mind.

Once the mind is concentrated and one-pointed, no mind object will be able to penetrate or disturb it.

And you'll be able to sit like this for as long as you want.

you'll be able to sustain concentration without any feelings of pain or discomfort.

Having developed Samadhi to this level, you'll be able to enter or leave it at will.

When you do leave it, it's at your ease and convenience.

You withdraw at your ease rather than because you're feeling lazy, unenergetic or tired.

You withdraw from Samadhi because it's the appropriate time to withdraw and you come out of it at your will.