Hi Zapper, you didn’t experience jhana – first jhana feels like peak sexual pleasure that does not come down and even goes beyond bodily pleasure. I’m saying that some people who have never experienced jhana can relate to something they most likely experienced before. It will feel “holy” or “light” but intense.
What you experience is a calm state of mind that Dhamma influences you in a neutral state, it moves your energy. I’m not sure where to put it in terms of Pali words, if you contemplate Dhamma and chant, and have this neutral energy flow I would say it’s samma samadhi – perfect state to comprehend Dhamma.
Jhanas in most cases are too strong to understand Dhamma unless you can reach 4th jhana which is the most optimal state to contemplate Dhamma. (in jhanas*)
Here is a genuine experience that one can check if one attained jhana or not. Those things are supernatural, it will not be “feeling light and relaxed”, real jhana shakes up the whole worldview especially materialistic. For me, if not for jhana and super-natural experiences I would never believe anything