THE Pursuit OF Happiness.

Jhourney, a new startup in the meditation retreat industry, claims to help people achieve advanced meditative states known as the jhanas in under 40 hours of meditation. The jhanas, traditionally practiced by mystics and monks with years of training, involve deep concentration and blissful absorption. This represents the mainstreaming of the jhanas within the billion-dollar mindfulness movement. However, Jhourney's approach has sparked controversy, with critics questioning the company's expertise and the potential consequences of repackaging rich spiritual practices as self-help techniques. While Jhourney aims to make the jhanas more accessible, critics argue that commercializing spiritual practices may overlook important insights and create attachment to pleasurable states. [Extracted from the article]