Unexpected Nirvana

[npod]

I just finished a wonderful bowl of tobacco (*). Long story short - it was unexpected Nirvana.
Background: My gal is away for a week, it's just me and the dogs at home. Had a great night sleep, woke up early, fresh coffe, new iPad, sun not up yet, back porch, dogs in my lap. RELAXED. About an hour later I realized that I had no relights, the ash was perfect at the bottom, the smoke was fantastic with oriental spice and wonderful balance. I didn't fight the pipe, no need for a cleaner, no gurgle, the flavor was dripping. I was amazed. That is Nirvana. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it always reassures me how much I enjoy a good pipe. This particular blend blew me away because it was so unexpected. It is a blend I tried 3 years ago and didn't like. It sat in a jar in the back of my cellar for years. I pulled it out today as a lark. It's an English/Oriental blend, well known, but overlooked because I thought it to be ordinary.
So I got to thinking, what are the variables for a Nirvana smoke? Your thoughts?

1. Time (not rushed).

2. Relaxed (not stressed).

3. Great pipe (probably broken in already, but some say the first bowl is the best).

4. Great tobacco (but I've had Nirvana with marginal blends and crappy smokes with unobtanium blends).

---Thus it's not necessarily the tobacco and we can easily be let down by blends others praise.

5. Wondering mind (synonyms: marvel, be amazed, be astonished, in awe, dumbfounded, gape, flabbergasted).

---Your mind has to be in a position to be amazed. That feeling of "something just happened".

6. Tobacco is "smoking perfect". Generally speaking, perfect moisture, correct cadence, perfect pack.
Then I got to thinking, what are the variables for the The anti-Nirvana smoke!

1. Rushed. Usually that means smoking too fast.

2. Stressed.

3. Bad weather, windy.

4. Smoking the wrong blend for my palate.

5. Bad pipe or one that just isn't working for me.

6. Let down. Usually when I've chased a rare blend, only to find that it's as good as I imagined.

7. Wet tobacco. Smoked too soon because one is in a hurry to get it on.
Then I got to thinking, heck this is all stuff I learned in kindergarten and other various life lessons learned from dating, marriage, church, work, etc. It's not that hard to recognize Nirvana. Getting all the variables to align at one time, with pipe in hand, now that's the hard part.
(*) Dunhill My Mixture 965, aged 3 years.

 

[timt]

In my relatively short piping experience, knowing that the anti-tobacco forces are working their black magic, I've decided to take those great moments and run with them if you will. I'm building a cellar and if I get a moment like you just described, I try to build on it, or at least cultivate the environment that allowed the experience.
Just had a similar experience with the Yacht - divisive tobacco. I smoked it for the first time in a MM Shire Cobbit - also it's first smoke. It was unexpectedly one of the most pleasurable smokes I've had. Also, sitting on the front step at home with nothing urgent or pressing was key, no doubt.
I've got this mantra of sorts that found it's way into my head. I mostly keep it to myself..."anxiety's a bitch" This hobby definitely has helped.
Glad to hear about your 965 experience. I have some jars gathering dust in the cellar.

 

[wolflarsen]

I was graced with a rare nirvana smoke a few days ago and have been considering creating a thread like this ever since. It was a blend and pipe combo (Mississippi River in a Savinelli 673) that I had smoked together many times before and it got me thinking about what other factors contributed to the unexpected and spectacular experience. Of course, my thought was that it would be awesome if I could nail down the contributing factors and then be able to recreate that perfect nirvana smoke on a regular basis. Looking at your list, I think all but maybe number 5 "Mind has to be in a position to be amazed" are factors that one could control and be used to maximize nirvana smoke potential. However, now I'm wondering what variables contribute to the elusive "mind position" factor. What is it that allows your mind to open up to receiving that coveted nirvana smoke and is it something that we can control enough to recreate? If we can figure that one out then maybe we can put it all together and hit that nirvana note more often.
timt - in your case with the Royal Yacht I have to wonder how the nicotine coma contributed to your nirvana smoke. Perhaps the nic hit is another variable in this whole nirvana equation.

 

[buck17]

Sounds perfect! Any of mine which are rare have been outside, alone, in quiet, with calm breathing. Just listening to the sounds. Don't even recall blend but agree that it outta be a great smoker. Great list npod, to many more moments of nirvana to all!

 

[boston]

I had a similar experience with GLP Samarra a long time ago. I was enjoying in an English made pipe... don't recall the brand. More recently with Frog Morton in a Peter Heeschen Brandy. I think the right pipe is essential, as is the environment. Too hot and humid (if you smoke outside) will make a mess of things. Tobacco should be at proper humidity too. Also important...if you're in a rush or upset about the latest let-down at work...the odds are you won't enjoy the bowl as much as you would if you were truly relaxed. I'll bet that "truly relaxed" is as rare for some as "Nirvana" is with a bowl of tobacco!

 

[seldom]

Sounds like a nice experience. For me the best pipe smoking experiences come when I'm not overthinking how I am smoking the pipe. That is, what pipe I'm using, what tobacco, how I light it, how often I tamp, how I pack it and etc. Best for me is just filling the pipe and going on auto-pilot. Smoking might be incidental to other things I am doing. Taking the dogs on a walk, bird watching, admiring a sunset, watching a pond and the inhabitants of the pond. That sort of thing. Afterward I often think to myself "that was a very pleasant smoke" because I hadn't been focused on it.

 

[sasquatch]

I won't claim nirvana with every smoke, but I have a lot more of those types of smoke now than I did as a beginner. I think driving is one of those "incidental" things that Seldom mentions above - you can smoke while driving and the attention you need to pay to the road means you ignore the pipe just enough to make it smoke perfect!
Pipe smoking is funny - the harder you try, the worse it is. In seeking (or expecting) nothing, the reward is sometimes flavor so intense you have to put the pipe down, and it can be from a blend that has been elusive or disappointing. Fun stuff.

 

[mikethompson]

Npod, you are BANG ON with everything needed for a good experience. Nothing ruins a good pipe like speed and urgency.

 

[lawdawg]

I've had a couple Nirvana-like smokes recently. Pipe smoking is a skill that can be learned and improved upon, and I believe we can all learn to have great smokes more often than not. It just takes time, experience, effort, and patience.
I would compare it to fishing. I have a good friend who is a talented and highly-experienced fisherman, whereas I am a good and experienced fisherman, but not great. We fish a lot together. We could be fishing similar rigs, casting into the same spot, and he'll pull a fish out of the water twice as often as I do. By all appearances, we are both doing the exact same thing, but he has that extra bit of finesse that makes all the difference, and is only acquired by a lengthy period of learning the detailed nuances by trial and error.

 

[cortezattic]

It's nice when the stars align. ::

 

[brooklynpiper]

The anti-Nirvana smokes are helpful to realize when I’m getting too caught up in the scramble of the city.
Do you hear all that sloshing? That’s me trying really hard to make it half full.

 

[mso489]

With a prime state-of-mind, the other elements tend to fall in place.

 

[sittingbear]

You should write a book: "Zen and the Art of Smoking a Pipe." I'd read it!

 

[sparrowhawk]

I'm working toward the same existential kind of experience.

 

[slinkywizardbob]

Had a Nirvana smoke last week. Churchwarden, Mr B's Cavendish tobacco, binge watching Brooklin 99 with friends on a porch in PEI. Stuff and puff, Only ash left. Awesome really.