Any Insights?

[Game Genie]

Since around April I have been meditating on a nightly basis. Around about 3 weeks ago I decided to cease this after I was experiencing quite strange circumstances that were frankly scary. As anyone can attest, with any pursuit you undertake, there are encouraging moments that come around every so often when you realise "Hey! I'm developing with this activity!" around the time I started to become a bit concerned with what was happening I was noticing developments or at least, distinct changes.
During meditation, I was pleasantly experiencing far more relaxed states than ever before. I started to notice a very warm, tingling sensation in the area of my third eye region that hadn't been present before. Inexplicably, I can recall 2 or three occassions where I saw flashes/impulses of white light for no reason at all.

After meditating however, I started to feel very detached. Even after a night's rest I would wake to feel quite dazed and nauseous at times. On one particular night I was awake all night with an incredible urge to exercise. Most nights I was experiencing extremely vivid dreams yet overall it was just quite disturbing. And nothing is worth doing if it's disturbing right?
So I stopped doing it and started to feel more and more 'with myself' as the days passed. However now feeling game to 'go back', even a few minutes spent in meditation brings on these deep states with the unwanted hangover.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Meditation is a pleasant, healthy, safe undertaking and one which I enjoy. Since I've stopped I've been tired and even caught the flu that I have been resilient to all year!

As an end note I haven't been under the influence of anything whilst meditating. Perhaps the most intimidating thing is the fact that I have been sober and it's all seemingly occuring naturally!

Grounding has been mentioned to me but I'm unfamiliar with it. I have people giving me occult references and it's really getting to the point where I want to say "do you honestly think, drawing a pentagram on my bedroom floor is the most appropriate way of solving this?"

[Terry (existing)]

Game Genie, I have been meditating for seventy seven years on a nightly basis, except that I call it sleeping and dreaming, and find it esential to my health. Now since you choose to call it something else, I must assume that you have taken some form of training, or are self trained. In case of the former, I suggest you ask your instructor, and in the case of the later I also suggest you ask your instructor who knows far more about you than anyone else does. Certainly you offer little in the way of clues as to why you are rejecting meditation except your refference to drugs of some sort, and if this is the case, deal with it at once, using the services of a skilled practitioner in addictions. Only a fool ignores signs of a problem within...

[midiclorian]

sounds like zen sickness to me... look that up, get a good teacher, all phenomena that appear in meditation are to be treated the same - as leaves in the wind. What is telling from what you said is that you see yourself as achieving something. This is the wrong understanding of meditation. Meditation is coming to know yourself, being your life, being familiar with the contents and causes of your physical condition, eventually (some religions might say) seeing into your nature - I am not this, nor this, nor this... Persevere with your practice, but make sure you can get council from someone who can guide you, particularly since you seem to be cutting through.. seek guidance my friend, treat the phantoms and neon charms like you would your discomfort in your legs while you sit - that is what they are, I am not this.

[Game Genie]

I'm not addicted to drugs or otherwise, I made reference to it to make it clear that this was all happening when I was in sober, unaffected states of mind.

I'm going to get in touch with people close by about it. Thanks though. I'm going to look up 'Zen sickness'.

[Simple Guy]

Hi Game Genie,

There are different forms of meditation and people vary in the way
they respond to the practices (even when undertaken correctly).
I've no idea, though, what kind of practice you have undertaken and why
you might be responding as you are.

Often, meditation is as you say "a pleasant, healthy safe undertaking,"
but it isn't always so and "pleasant" is not a necessary component of
most traditional eastern meditation forms. As for the
"healthy safe," well, with proper guidance and a balanced practice
suitable for the individual and his/her particular emotional, physical
and psychological needs -- it tends to be so. I make no reference
to what you have described here, but will say that a competent
instructor and a supportive group of other meditators is vital, for
just about everyone that attains continuance and depth of
personal practice (and for helping keep things "healthy safe").

[Connie]

I'm learning how to meditate. I read a book today: "Getting in the Gap" by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. It's a way (he says) to tap into creative energy and spiritual awareness. Sounds good to me!!! :)

I've never heard of anyone having "hangover-like effects" from meditation. Maybe you're dehydrated.

[Johndelacruz]

forbearance is aposterior to the highest spiritual value (detachment), what is the purpose of your practice?

[Simple Guy]

Johndelacruz,

"detachment" may be your highest spiritual value. Of the many hundreds
of meditators I've met, to the contrary, most would put "connection"
at or near the top of their list. There are people that misuse
meditative practice to attempt to cut themselves off from
feelings and other life experience.

[Johndelacruz]

Johndelacruz,

"detachment" may be your highest spiritual value. Of the many hundreds
of meditators I've met, to the contrary, most would put "connection"
at or near the top of their list. There are people that misuse
meditative practice to attempt to cut themselves off from
feelings and other life experience.

Hi, yes, maybe they do... and maybe your right. Your last point however, presently strikes me, at least, as perhaps slightly cynical, or maybe, rightly (given vagueness), unrepresentative of the idea at which I had attempted to engage Genie's mind with the proposition put forth. Of the major mystical traditions that have survived, in almost every one of them (Zen, Christian (via negativa), Jewish Kabbalah, Sufism, Advaita Vedanta...) detachment is considered and esteemed, the highest virtue (maybe 'value' was the wrong word) - only through detachment can one acheive union with the absolute (as represented by each respective mystical tradition), be determined by higher motive, obtain ultimate freedom, and come to know ultimate nature and value. However, the connection with this source, is only attainable through great sacrifice, forbearance and eventual abandonment of that which obscures and taints this ultimate source.

Of the mystical practices, for this purpose, detachment (i.e. non attachment) - is the highest value.

In relation to Genie's post, her 'sickness', and / or current trouble appear (from the language s/he uses) to be a symptom of attachment to the idea that there is something for 'her' to achieve, and from attachment the seduction of the mystical visions s/he has encountered. All meditative practices are one or other form of detachment - whether you focus on your breath, concentrate on a candle, or a single idea, whatever you do, in stilling the mind, becoming centred, you must detach from the ramblings your identity is normally hooked up in and flow with that which stands at every moment most prominently before you.

Recently visiting a buddhist online chat room attached to an online forum someone asked what everyone did for a living. Explaining that I had been carrying out research into some philosophical problems of mysticism, a senior member (a moderator no less) engaged me in an interrogation with the sole purpose of ridiculing such a study, he succeed in his quest then politely left. I continue with my research.

[Simple Guy]

Johndelacruz,

No argument from me on what I take might be your distinction between
detachment and non-attachment. There are "detachments" in some
of the traditions you spoke of, to different degrees, owing to interpretation
and historical development. The concept of "be not of this world,"
is one e.g. from Christian tradition that would coincide with this.

I can't comment on what you said was the attempt to ridicule your
study at the other forum, except to say that if accurate, it is an
example of a person demonstrating a foible despite whatever
practice he/she may be engaged in.

[phill]

Hey Genie,
I do have insights as to your situation.
They will require some explaination though, and i would prefer to discuss this with you personally.
Your situation is quite rare. My fiance experiences a similar discomfort, and i know what she must do to overcome this.

I can also understand why grounding was suggested to you.
Your experiences probably have nothing to do with the occult besides the depth of your meditational practices, so working on that level will not remedy the situation in the most effective way.

You really want to acheive a synergy between Mind/Body and 'Higher concious mind'. Not just on the 'higher concious mind' part.

Johndelacruz's post strikes at a part of the issue and Simple Guy might also have some valuble information judging from their posts. However, feel free(with encouragement) to contact me via email if you feel that i may be able to help you.

[Game Genie]

Hi Phill, I pm'd you. Thanks again for your offer of help.

[Game Genie]

This experience hasn't occurred lately. I'm meditating regularly and my spiritual work has become highly enhanced.

I'm still very oblivious to why or how it happened yet over the past few months it has diminished to the point of non-existence. Having recently consulted a teacher, I noted that perhaps it was purely a physical, instinctive reaction from the body entering into a state that was foreign.

[Connie]

I'm glad it's working out for you. :)

I've been meditating, too. Good stuff! As far as tinglings, I have a recurrent one, too. It's at the base of my neck, the back of my neck. One particular spot. When I do reiki, it tingles. And at other times, too. It's a very strange sensation, which my teacher told me was "my ancient knowledge" coming back to me on a cellular level.

[Simple Guy]

Connie and Game Genie,

When I first began meditating I experienced some tinglings in the
feet, kind of a joy-buzzer type of sensation. I wasn't concerned
with this and it generally occurred outside of meditation sittings/walkings.
They felt enjoyable, I was familiar with energy concepts,
and read of such occurrences before I had mine, so they weren't
unwelcome to me.

Game Genie,

Most meditative states, I wouldn't frame as your teacher did, for you,
as being "foreign" to the body, but natural and normal, yet maybe
unfamiliar because of lifestyle and lack of sufficient conscious experience/re-exposure.
Glad that you found a teacher to work with.

[tdiamond]

During meditation, I was pleasantly experiencing far more relaxed states than ever before. I started to notice a very warm, tingling sensation in the area of my third eye region that hadn't been present before. Inexplicably, I can recall 2 or three occassions where I saw flashes/impulses of white light for no reason at all.

This is a sign of 3rd eye opening and expansion to more universal energy

After meditating however, I started to feel very detached.

Sometimes, that feeling comes from a new awareness of energy moving around as well as sometimes too much energy in the body not being able to move because the physical body wasnt prepared first.

Even after a night's rest I would wake to feel quite dazed and nauseous at times. On one particular night I was awake all night with an incredible urge to exercise. Most nights I was experiencing extremely vivid dreams yet overall it was just quite disturbing. And nothing is worth doing if it's disturbing right?

Expansion and growth can be distrubing.. to a comfort zone for sure...

You were experiencing an energy expansion, though you had a block or weren't using breath correctly and it all got stuck in your head...cn be very intense and scary.. Best ay to move energy is to move around ..JUMP AROUND... as your body was telling you to do.. Also sing, breathe, dance, scream... Congatulations on expanding!

So I stopped doing it and started to feel more and more 'with myself' as the days passed. However now feeling game to 'go back', even a few minutes spent in meditation brings on these deep states with the unwanted hangover.

I would bet your breath work isn't what it should be...

What concious breath pattern are you following.. Breath work is crucial to all energy work ( meditation, yoga, tantra, and others) though very under taught.. over looked... and under used..

[Game Genie]

My teacher didn't say that explicitly Simple Guy. She was referring to something else and I thought it may have been applicable because my body was having similar reactions to a massage technique I was undergoing from her.

Thanks for your input tdiamond, I'd wish to expand further when I get more time heheh. I haven't been back to that state yet. Maybe a new Yoga course might help me along.

[Henrik]

Hi,

i did extensive meditation for some years. On my own, learing from books and doing the drills. And then I stopped cold turkey 2 years ago. Almost stopped at least...

Why?

Well, meditation gave me some of the most delightful and fantastic experiences ever. Beyond words. But it is also a super way to make your head explode and develop nervousness and anxiety if done incorrectly (which is really easy to do).

So today I focus on the basics. Breathing exercises. The basics are almost always underrated and overlooked in my opinion. There is so much to learn from the basics. But more is better, right? Not so when it comes to meditation...

I will start more serious meditation again when I'm ready. Wonder when that is. When i find a really good teacher perhaps?

Also, there are many forms of meditation, so this story might not apply to you. Just wanted to share a bit maybe...

Henrik