Meditation Experience

[Selski]

I haven't read many meditation experiences (although I've read a bucketload of techniques).  Perhaps they are too personal to share.

Meditation is different and personal to each person.  I tend to use my imagination to kickstart the process and see where it goes from there.  Simply imagine where you wish to start (be it a field, a road, a planet or whatever and go with it).

For those that struggle with the meditation process - this is a lovely way to start.  Just let your imagination start you off and see where you go.  If you find yourself thinking about the day's events or what you want to achieve tomorrow, don't berate yourself, simply direct yourself back to where you were, and continue.

I'm still learning and this experience was interspersed with "physical" thoughts, but I thought I'd share what happened last night, as I found it empowering.  It is up to you what you decide about your own experience.  

The words in italics are my thoughts after the event.

7 November 2005

I walk towards a beautiful temple, made of crystal, glass or even plastic, with very pale pastel colours reflecting off it everywhere.  It is like something out of a fairy story.  As I walk inside, there is a chair with richly coloured velvet cushions on it.  

I sit down.  Jennifer and Toby come walking towards me (cats).  They rub around my legs and then wander off.  

It reminds me of happier times.  

Then I go through a passageway and enter a door.  I am now in a very small dark wooden room.  It is an extreme contrast to the temple.  I stand there looking around.  I can't see very much because it is so dark.  I look up and there is no roof, just jet black sky studded with thousands of stars.  Then I spot a red book on a shelf.  It is hard not to miss – it stands out against the blackness.  I pull it out and try to read the title, but all I get is a letter 'T', although there is more.  I start to think I am an extra in Resident Evil  

I open the book and it is one of those false book, with no pages inside.  It has a cut out square with an old iron key in it.  I take the key out and wonder what to do with it, as I can only see one door to the room – the door I came in through.

I see a keyhole in that door, so try the key.  It works and as I open the door, I am met with the night sky up, down and around me, again with thousands of stars.  If I had stepped out, I would have stepped into the sky.  Although I love this sensation, I close the door.  

This reminds me of experiences I used to have, using the Monroe CD and meditating.

I then wonder about the key again, and notice another keyhole in the same door, at the other side.

I try the key again and when I open the door, I enter a beautiful lush garden.  It is my meditation garden (Monroe-style).  My lady in blue greets me and we enter the garden proper together.  We sit on the swing bench and she tells me she hasn't seen me in a while.  We go to the water feature and splash our faces.  It's nice to be with her and we sit in comfortable silence together.

I know that she is telling me it's time to get back there more often.

I go back through the same door and into the little wooden room.  I notice another door now, in the corner and try the key in this lock.  It fits.

It takes me up a rickety narrow wooden staircase.  I climb to the top and find myself on a platform.  I am looking out over the temple, the temple grounds and beyond.  It is beautiful, lots of pastel colours, very fairyland, very peaceful.  

I know that the wooden room is where I am "spiritually" and all that beauty is there for me to embrace, if only I would leave the dark room.

As I look over the turrets and at the lower levels of the temple, I spot a small chessboard type contraption.  It's not so much small, it's huge, but it only has maybe 9 squares to it, black and white.  It stands out enormously due to the colours.  That's where I want to go next.

I go down the staircase and through the "main" door to the little dark room.  As luck would have it, I am now in the main hallway of the temple.  I exit and go to the chessboard.  As I stand on the middle square (which if I remember is black), a wizard type character appears out of nowhere and hastens me to follow him.  He is in a hurry and I ask him to stop just for a moment so I can see his face.  He does do this, but reluctantly and while he shows me his face, he says, "Don't you know who I am?"  This is not said pompously, in that he is famous, but said in a "don't you recognise me" kind of way.  I look at him, and he does look vaguely familiar, in a friendly sort of way, but that's about it.

He takes me down some steps and we enter a basement room.  He is rushed and hands me a pen.  The pen is lovely – the stem is the same material as the temple, and as I look at it I can see the pastel colours through the material.

I know that this means I must write all my experiences down.

He then hurries me along and shows me a little chute that I feel happy going into.  I rush down a slide and land on my backside in a park.

I am no longer in the "other-worldliness" of the pastel temple, but in a normal, earthly park, with a slide, swings, seesaw and roundabout.  

I spot a cartoon looking mouse on the seesaw and I go and join him.  He's sat in the middle.

I know this means I must be balanced.

I walk past the roundabout and shake my head as if to say "I'm not going on that".

I know this means I mustn't keep going round and round in circles, not getting anywhere.

I spot the swings – these are my favourite – and I get on one and swing away backwards and forwards quite happily.

I know this is something I enjoy doing when I am very relaxed, and would love to get into again – and it's there for me, if only I would accept it.

After a while I wonder what to do next.  The mouse is still there and is looking at the base of the seesaw.  

I turn my direction to where he sees a little door.  But this time, there is a Yale lock.  I remember I'd been given a normal Yale key a few weeks ago and so tried this key.  It works.

The seesaw door opens and I manage to get through.  I land in the hallway of the temple.  

I sit in my velvet chair and contemplate all that I had learned.


I hope this is helpful to someone - meditation is certainly something wonderful.

Sarah

[J.K.]

Bravo...  

[Stookie]

I hope this is helpful to someone - meditation is certainly something wonderful.

I read this post yesterday and thought "wow, I should try something like that". So last night instead of my regular exercises, I immediately started visualizing.

Instead of creating an imaginary environment though, I started with a place in my hometown of Kansas City, where I grew up as a child. I imagine I'm on my bicycle, touring the streets. As I go further and further, everything gets more and more vivid. I can start to see signs and places as they were back then, even though I've had no conscious recollection for years. Memories that I haven't ever thought about start to pop up. I went into a shopping center, immediately I can "smell" the place. An odor I never consciously recognized as a child, but hits full force and really takes me back. I walk around a little, then go down the escalator. But when I go down, am absolutely shocked to see a whole different environment. I'm now in a place that I "remember" from a dream that I never remembered before, if that makes any sense. As if you go to a place you've never been before, but immediately recognize it and everything in it. I could suddenly remember the content of the dream in detail. But after a little exploring here, consciousness started to slip in and out until it was all over.

Thanks for the ideas, Selski!

[Selski]

Wow Stookie - that's brilliant!

I know what you mean not only about the smell, but especially the memory of a dream, that you don't remember.  I've been having that a lot lately.  Sometimes I'm able to get hold of the whole dream, but mostly it's just snatches, which is very frustrating.  

I would imagine slowly losing your memory is a bit like that.  It must be infuriating.

You've given me the urge to have a go at wandering around my old town during my next meditation and see what comes up!  

Thank YOU for the idea Stookie!  :thumbsup:

Sarah

[greatoutdoors]

This is another great topic -- Thanks!!

Selski, are you sitting up or lying down during your meditations? And at some point do you stop imagining and begin actually seeing the images you describe? Or rather, does the meditation begin a life of its own or are you guiding it?

I have not tried controlling the images, but think I will next time, just to see what happens. With me, it's a matter of disconnect scenes rather than a flow of events. They are separated by random images or pictures.

The ones I am most interested in are when I find myself in a group of animals (wolves once and horses a few times). Those animals initially ignored me but have begun to acknowledge my presence and even interact in small ways -- a nod, a smile, just an indication that I am not unwelcome.

[Selski]

Selski, are you sitting up or lying down during your meditations? And at some point do you stop imagining and begin actually seeing the images you describe? Or rather, does the meditation begin a life of its own or are you guiding it?

Hi greatoutdoors

I was sitting up for that one.  I was at a group meditation (something I've only recently joined to give me discipline to actually meditate), so I was with other people in a little hut off the high street.  It can get quite noisy.  There is also a clock that ticks in the room.  However, when I begin, I can hear all these external noises, but during the period (about 30 minutes max), I "zone out", for want of a better expression, and have no memory of the clock ticking/traffic/etc.  

It's a bit like when you drive a familiar journey and sometimes when you get to your destination, you have no recollection of how you literally got there.  If someone were to say you, "tell me, do you remember turning right at the junction?" and you'd just look blank at them.  Of course, you know you DID turn right, but "you" weren't even there!

Yes, at some point the imagined scenario "comes to life" - usually when I remove all expectations from my mind.  For instance, opening doors is a good one - I never know what will be on the other side.  And when I stood on the middle chess square - the wizard/magician who showed up wasn't my idea.  Well, if he was my idea, he certainly surprised me  

It can be bitty in that suddenly you find yourself thinking about the shopping list for the next day, but all you have to do is transport yourself back to the scenario.  I think it gets better and easier the more you do it.

Funnily enough, one lady who was present in the group commented that her meditation was interrupted by the police sirens that went past half way through.  I can honestly say I didn't hear them, so although my physical body was present in the room, my mind wasn't    

I have not tried controlling the images, but think I will next time, just to see what happens. With me, it's a matter of disconnect scenes rather than a flow of events. They are separated by random images or pictures.

Yes, I understand.  Since going to this group thing, I've noticed that half the group have "flowing" experiences and half have "random/disconnected" stuff.  I don't know why.  Perhaps it's use of the imagination?

Why not try Stookie's idea which is to imagine yourself somewhere familiar.  I read another thread earlier where someone was trying to phase and used a "made-up" mental rundown.  Only when they started imagining their own kitchen, did the kitchen tiles "come to life" as it were.  Perhaps staying closer to home has its merits!  It's certainly something I'm going to try.

The ones I am most interested in are when I find myself in a group of animals (wolves once and horses a few times). Those animals initially ignored me but have begun to acknowledge my presence and even interact in small ways -- a nod, a smile, just an indication that I am not unwelcome.

That's lovely.  I've had one or two occasions where animals have been present, either in meditations/lucid dreams or OBEs.  They most definitely have their own personalities - that's for sure!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.  :meditate:

Sarah

[Stookie]

Yes, at some point the imagined scenario "comes to life" - usually when I remove all expectations from my mind. For instance, opening doors is a good one - I never know what will be on the other side.

That's what got me the first time I tried. Everything was as I imagined/remembered it, until I went down the escalator. I was "imagining" one scene, but saw something totally different, as if it came from outside myself.

I tried this again the next night. I wasn't quite as lucid, but at some point during the visualization I inadvertently took a "step back" (it's so hard to describe, it's never happened before), and 3 cloaked, hooded people were also watching my visualization. I couldn't see any features, other than their cloaks. I said something like "what are you guys looking at?" and the middle one extended his left arm towards me like he was going to put his hand on my shoulder. Just as he was about to touch me, the reality of what I was seeing sunk in and I was shocked out of it.

It was my first time ever seeing other beings. I'm going to continue playing with this method.

[MindFreak]

I'm just curious as to what you guys would define meditation as and what your goal is. To me, and this is just me, but what you guys are doing does not sound like meditation.

[Selski]

I'm just curious as to what you guys would define meditation as and what your goal is. To me, and this is just me, but what you guys are doing does not sound like meditation.

Hi MindFreak

Being somewhat an 'uncomplicated' type of person (I prefer the word uncomplicated to simple - simple could conjure up the wrong meaning), I tend to keep everything I do rather... uncomplicated.

I quite like the first definition for the word meditate that can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary - "engage in contemplation".

My goal is to enrich my life with inner knowledge.  Which sounds very new-agey, but you get my drift...

What's your definition of meditation and how would you define what we are doing?  I'm curious now...  

Sarah

[MindFreak]

Well the meditation I practice isnt contemplation. I practice jhana or samadhi. Its concentration meditation and it leads to 8 different stages of higher consciousness. I have only made it to the first stage. Each stage has certain characteristics that define it so you can recognize it.  
This type of meditation can lead to psychic powers and other abilities but the primary purpose, according to Buddha, is to be able to concentrate the mind and then when it is sufficiently concentrated, I think the fourth stage is enough, direct it to higher knowledge or enlightenment.

[Selski]

Hi Mindfreak

Thanks for the clarification.  I would say we are both meditating, but in different ways, that's all.  

As soon as you mention "8 different stages of higher consciousness" I switch off, because to me that's firstly too much like hard work and secondly I think it's nonsense.  No offence, but I have a real sneaky feeling that life is meant to be easy and flowing and straightforward, and we don't half make a meal out of it at times.

I guess on our respective paths to meditation, I take the straight line approach, whereas you like the twists and turns.  

Horses for courses, IMHO.

Sarah

[Selski]

I tried this again the next night. I wasn't quite as lucid, but at some point during the visualization I inadvertently took a "step back" (it's so hard to describe, it's never happened before), and 3 cloaked, hooded people were also watching my visualization. I couldn't see any features, other than their cloaks. I said something like "what are you guys looking at?" and the middle one extended his left arm towards me like he was going to put his hand on my shoulder. Just as he was about to touch me, the reality of what I was seeing sunk in and I was shocked out of it.

It was my first time ever seeing other beings. I'm going to continue playing with this method.

That's something else Stookie - quite literally!  I've never experienced that before.  Sounds like you phased, but not directly into the scene, rather as a spectator.  

That must have been totally outside of your thought process and I'm not surprised it shocked you back to the physical  

Please let us know if you have any further developments with this - I'm finding it fascinating to read about, and thanks for sharing.

Sarah

[hypnotist1]

Hi everyone,

Meditation is basically a light state of hypnosis.  When one goes deeper into Theta then its a deeper state of hypnosis.  Ware one uses all their senses, of sensing smell, seeing, hearing, touching and tasting.

Definition of Hypnosis is (A Heighten State of Awareness) as the physical body becomes extremely relax.

In Theta the balance is equal for the Conscious and the Sub Conscious.  When they are both in balance or equal in relaxation one is in a Hypnotic State or (the Lucid Dream State) being aware.

Here are the levels of the mind during Trance States:

System of Walter Sichort:

INSUSCEPTIBILITY :    0.   

HYPNOIDAL :       1.    Closing of the eyes
             2.   Fluttering of the eyes
             3.   Swallowing
             4.   Relaxation
             5.   Deeper relaxation
             6.   Complete physical relaxation

LIGHT STATE OF                7.   Eye catalepsy
RELAXATION :                     8.   Limb catalepsy
                            9.   Body catalepsy (body rigid)
                                      10.   Light anesthesia (glove)

MEDIUM STATE OF          11.   Partial amnesia
RELAXATION :               12.   Posthypnotic anesthesia
                                               13.   Posthypnotic suggestions (simple)
                     14.   Personality changes
                     15.   Change feeling (hot-cold)
                                               16.   Delusions (false belief, ignorance of actual facts)

SOMNAMBULISTIC           17.   Posthypnotic amnesia
STATE :                   18.   Eyes open while in deep hypnosis
                                                19.   Bizarre posthypnotic suggestions
                                                20.   Complete state of somnambulism
                                                21.   Positive visual hallucinations (posthypnotic sense of                                                                                       seeing)
                                                22.   Positive auditory hallucinations (posthypnotic sense
                                                           of hearing
                                                23.   Spontaneous amnesia (no recall of suggestions or
                                                           actions while in hypnosis)
                                                24.   Hyper aesthesia (extreme sharpness of the senses)
                                                25.   Negative visual hallucinations (sense of seeing)
                                                26.   Negative auditory hallucinations (sense of hearing)

ESDAILE STATE :                27.   The body very flaccid - will not respond to physical
                                                           Suggestions
                           



CATATONIC
STATE :                                  28.   A non suggested state after a true Esdaile State the
                                                           body can be put in any position and can remain
                                                           that way for long periods of time.  Resembles
               rigidity but the muscles are not flexed.

SICHORT STATE       29.   State of extreme flaccidity (discovered by Walter   
  (continues REM)                                      (Sichort).  In the Sichort State the body is
                                                     completely anesthetized for minor or major
               surgery.  There is no recall of what has been said or
               done after coming out of this state, and recall
                                                  cannot be given back.  Subjects experience complete
               time distortion, eight hours seem like minutes.  The
               Sichort State is, or at least resembles REM sleep,
               but is safer than normal sleep; in any emergency
               subjects will come out spontaneously.

[interception]

[snip]
but I have a real sneaky feeling that life is meant to be easy and flowing and straightforward, and we don't half make a meal out of it at times.
Sarah

I agree Selski, however, why does life in our modern times sometimes get so complicated despite my efforts to keep it simple?    

Its a constant battle which I suspect will only get harder and harder as we humans become "more technologically advanced". There is not enough "inner" advancement.... but thats a topic for another time.

I enjoyed reading your meditation experience. Thank you.

[MindFreak]

Selski, Im glad you think thats nonsense. But I have gotten tangible results from my practice. Have you? I have felt higher stages of consciousness. I dont see how that stops life from being easy and flowing. The way to truth goes against the grain of the path of the masses.

Why do you say I enjoy twists and turns as opposed to a straight line? It seems more the other way around. I delve straight back into my mind whereas you flow along helplessly with the endless stream of random thoughts and mental chatter.

[taoita]

Goodness gracious me, Mindfreak (hehe)

Well,... so practitioners of meditation don't unite over their endeavours, why dis her experiences because she thinks your 8 levels are nonsense!

[Selski]

Selski, Im glad you think thats nonsense.

Why are you glad I think it's nonsense?  :confused:

But I have gotten tangible results from my practice. Have you?

Did you not read my experience?  

I have felt higher stages of consciousness. I dont see how that stops life from being easy and flowing.

I was talking personally.  I would find trying to achieve 8 stages of higher consciousness offputting and somewhat amusing.

The way to truth goes against the grain of the path of the masses.

Who says?  That sounds like something from a book.  

To quote a very famous UK band's album title - "Don't Believe The Truth" - I think there's a lot of truth in those words    

Why do you say I enjoy twists and turns as opposed to a straight line? It seems more the other way around. I delve straight back into my mind whereas you flow along helplessly with the endless stream of random thoughts and mental chatter.

Whatever.  Either way, we both meditate differently.  What's the problem?  

Sarah

[MindFreak]

The way to truth goes against the grain of the path of the masses.
Higher truth is not realized by the masses. The way of the masses is a way of indulgence, greed, and ignorance.

Taoita, if someone claims that my experiences are nonsense, can I not do the same. I was just sharing my method and experience.
I was told my experiences were nonsense. A person cannot make an assertion like that and then expect that their own experiences should not also be open to criticism.

And Selski, there is no problem, but you didnt have to call my practice nonsense.

[interception]

One person's nonsense is another person's personal philosophy...

Mindfreak, why oh why do you even care if somebody on the net thinks your method of meditation is nonsense or not?

Meditation is so personal that to allow it to become some sort of petty tinkling contest is totally meaningless. One would think people who meditate frequently would be above this sort of thing.... I guess not.  

[Stookie]

I've been using this technique frequently and have really been learning a lot about myself. I see it as a kind of dive into my subconscious. I've been asking questions, and getting answers in ways I've never expected. It's simply a visualization meditation. A great way to flex the 3rd eye. For me, it's like a rundown, but works in ways my regular rundown has failed.

But if you don't want me to call it "meditation", I'll call it "guided visualization".

[Selski]

Hi Mindfreak

I don't think your experiences are nonsense.  I never said that.  Maybe I didn't express myself as well as I should have.

What I meant was that the idea of there being 8 stages of higher consciousness I didn't go along with, and found it nonsense.  I guess it is the belief that I find hard, not your experiences.  

I sincerely apologise if you thought I was belittling your experiences - and would like to say that it was most definitely NOT the intention.

To me, it doesn't really matter how anyone goes about meditation.  I'd much rather read about the actual experiences that people have, rather than the techniques used.  Techniques are good and nice, don't get me wrong, but I don't read many actual experiences, so if you'd like to share some Mindfreak, I'd be delighted to read them.  

And if you want to call the way I meditate something else, then fine.  I'll still be calling it meditation though - 'cause that's easy and uncomplicated for me.

Sarah

[MindFreak]

It is not that I believe in the stages of higher consciousness; I have experienced them. It is beyond belief now because it has been verified.

[James S]

Guided visualisation is a good term Stookie!

Selski,
Thanks for sharing this experience. It's wonderful you got so much from it!  
This is pretty much the style of meditations I have, either alone or in a group - as you've described.

I refer to them as being vision meditations. I've also likened "visions" to  astral phasing - I've experienced both, and to be honest I can't pick any difference.

Blessings,
James.

[Selski]

Hi Mindfreak

Seems I got the wrong end of the stick.  I thought the 8 higher stages of consciousness formed part of the belief surrounding the types of meditation you practice.

I'm not sure I fully understand.  On the one hand, you say you have experienced the stages of higher consciousness, therefore it is no longer a belief.  But in your earlier post, you state that you have only made it to the first stage.  Therefore how do you know there are 8?  There might be an infinite number.  And you mention that they are higher.  Could it not be possible that there are sideways levels of consciousness too?

Do you see where I'm coming from?  

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to explain to me about your experience with the first stage and what it entailed - more description would be helpful because when you say you've only reached the first stage - that doesn't really mean anything to me.  How did you know you'd reached the first stage?  What did you experience?  How was it helpful to you?  Etc., etc.

Thanks  

Sarah

[Selski]

Hi James

Thanks for your comments.  

I think you are right about there being very little, if any, difference between this type of meditation/visualisation (whatever you want to call it) and phasing.  

However, the successful phasing attempts that I have achieved have given me a better level of clarity - I am more "in the scenery" than I am with this guided meditation.  But (and it's a big BUT), I believe that the more I do this kind of meditation, the more I will find myself in the surroundings I am creating mentally, and then I will be able to interact more fully with other "beings" whom I will know are not part of my initial creation.

The main thing that I am getting from this is that I am learning about myself and what is good/healthy/helpful/necessary for me/my life.  It's a very enriching exercise.  

The insights are wonderful.  Some of them I already know, but others come to me and I have to think about them for a while before they make sense.  

Last night's meditation seemed to revolve around Love.  It was a wonderful time.  I spent some of it fast asleep with a group of fox cubs, curled in with them by their mother.  Even today, the memory of that is quite vivid.  

All good stuff.

Sarah