I've been getting into zen buddism. I have been meditating on my own. 10 minutes here and there. i visited a zen buddist sitting today and a monk was visiting. we did 25 minutes of meditation. walked round. did some other stuff tjen did another 25. in zen buddism you meditate eyes open. in the last 25 minute sitting. I zoned out pretty hard. when I started to come out of it. all I saw was smoke until I came too and it all cleared up.. it happened 1 more time before it was over. It looked real. my question is. jave any of you that practice meditation experienced this too? any idea what that's about? kinda freaked me out
do you meditate? weird experience needs explanation
- Thread starter CanadianSouthpaw
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At my age, if this happened to me, I would assume:
1. I dozed off. It happens. Swmbo says I can sleep with my eyes open.
2. Just another one of those pesky '60s flashbacks.
Not denigrating your success with meditation. You're obviously getting good instruction and results. Bravo. I'm more of a "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" kind of guy. (Great book, btw)
1. I dozed off. It happens. Swmbo says I can sleep with my eyes open.
2. Just another one of those pesky '60s flashbacks.
Not denigrating your success with meditation. You're obviously getting good instruction and results. Bravo. I'm more of a "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" kind of guy. (Great book, btw)
I've heard of people having hallucinatory experiences in float tanks. I didn't see a thing myself. But I don't feel I have the type of mind that can just relax properly.
Im a Buddhist and I meditate daily, so maybe I can be of some help in this. It is no uncommon when you are in deep meditation to have visions or feel strange sensations.
What it means I really cant help you with. Id suggest talking to your sensei and seeing what he thinks.
What it means I really cant help you with. Id suggest talking to your sensei and seeing what he thinks.
I do Vipassana Buddhist meditation, a technique that requires the eyes be closed.
Concentration is on breath.
I've had some odd experiences, but none visual.
I have read that in deep theta meditation, blood is pulled away from the visual centres to other parts of the brain:
I have no personal experience.
Do you blink while meditating? Could eye dryness be a factor?
Sorry I cant help otherwise.
Concentration is on breath.
I've had some odd experiences, but none visual.
I have read that in deep theta meditation, blood is pulled away from the visual centres to other parts of the brain:
I have no personal experience.
Do you blink while meditating? Could eye dryness be a factor?
Sorry I cant help otherwise.
+1. Being aware of what you are, where you are, how you are, in the present moment, without judgment or reflection, is the point. Zoning out and hallucinatory visions may be happening in the present moment, in which case you can experience them without judgement or reflection - but it's easier to have someone whack you and then go back to being present . . .
Same here. I do zen practice like the OP but we dont do eyes open and the focus is on breath(and its never been my experience that Zen requires you to do eyes open). Ive read some on eyes open and its my understanding that you kind of just stare off in the distance and are supposed to not focus on any object or anything in your immediate sight line.
Ive had experiences but Id call them more sensations than I would seeing things, mostly just a feeling one what most would describe as, "oneness" where sensations that my body felt would feel no more or less a part of me than outside sounds.
It may depend on the school, eyes open was recommended by Dogen so likely prevalent in Soto. I sit about a foot away from the dullest beige wall I can track down, if that's impractical then lowering the gaze a little to a bland spot on the floor a few feet in front of me works too.
The practicality was explained to me as when doing intensive bouts of zazen over many days those with their eyes closed tend to fall asleep more often than those with them open but is not something I have experience of. Sitting for a few hours having the eyes open and being whacked with a stick periodically is something I've found helpful.
There's different schools. Really, whatever works for you is fine. [emoji2]
My meditation name is Chinmoy Kumar Ghouch, where I lead a small group of practitioners of loud meditation. It is similar to hot yoga, but is much cooler and with greater decibels.
+1! Sounds like LOTH around here (I am lucky to have someone to keep me in line!)
Maybe you were in a hypnagogic state.
At least it's not this - Exploding head syndrome - Wikipedia
I've had that happen to me once or twice.
More at Hypnagogia - Wikipediawikipedia said:
At least it's not this - Exploding head syndrome - Wikipedia
I've had that happen to me once or twice.
I have been reading Buddhist books etc. for over ten years. I think I am a happier person because of it. And I know that any kind of meditation or mindfulness practice is beneficial. I still need to do this.
Pretty new to this site. Who would have thought I would find Buddhism discussion on a shaving site. I wonder if some of the same things that draw me to Buddhism draw me to SR shaving. The meditative stropping. Living in the here and now with a sharp razor next to my neck.
Pretty new to this site. Who would have thought I would find Buddhism discussion on a shaving site. I wonder if some of the same things that draw me to Buddhism draw me to SR shaving. The meditative stropping. Living in the here and now with a sharp razor next to my neck.
I never saw a statue of the Buddha with a beard ...
A monk was only allowed three possessions: a robe, a begging bowl, and a razor.
Sounds about right to me.
That haze you saw, was the devils gates oh hell, which is exactly where you’ll end up if you keep practicing that heathen voodoo! You’d best repent sinner!!
Lol!
Lol!
