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Vibrations and Out of Body Experience

zen_worldzen_world Veteran
edited May 2011 in Meditation
Hi Everybody...

I have been practicing extensive meditation for about 6 months (and becoming a new Zen Buddhist, in the process of taking my precepts). Typically I start with sitting meditation for about 2 hours followed by walking meditation and another one hour sitting meditation. Then I go to bed still maintaining my concentration and try to turn my sleep into meditation as well.
This stuff happens quite often. After I fall a sleep (or probably I might still be in meditation) I got very heavy vibrations. After some time, it became unberable and I feel like my head is going to explode. My intention is to continue my meditation but because of heavy vibrations (and energy) either I had to push myself from bed and loose my concentration or I have to expand my consciousness out of my body (referred as out of body experience or astral projection).
Now, I don't want to discuss OBE or Astral projection here, and frankly it is not important at all...You may believe it or not, it is up to you. My question is how do I continue my meditation when I experience these heavy vibrations. Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong here?
Somewhere I read that vibrations are the final stage before entering into jhanas....Anyone can help me out, greatly appreciated...
David...
Thank you!

Comments

  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    the heavy vibrations could be sleep paralysis setting in while you are sleeping. usually we aren't aware because we are in deep sleep, but our bodies force us to go into sleep paralysis. if you practice lucid dreaming using the Wake induced lucid dream system, you stay aware the whole time when going to sleep without moving. it almost feels like a lead blanket is thrown over you starting from your feet to your chest to your head, which could feel like what you are describing.

    it can also be your astral body detaching from your physical body as in an OBE or astral projection as you suggested, as i had similar vibrational experiences as well.

    can also be different chakra centers activating during deep meditation/sleep.

    if you're interested in jhanas check out: http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB

    i would just relax into it, i know it is hard because it's very in a way violent but just accept it. you can investigate where these vibrations are coming from. meditation can bring up a whole new world of experiences, which can be really anything. just watch it and let it be. if you're really uncomfortable and want to get out of the situation simply breathe in and out rapidly and deeply. this will force your body to wake up.
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited May 2011
    Somewhere I read that vibrations are the final stage before entering into jhanas....
    no

    you are not close to jhana so let go of such thoughts

    if the foundation of your practise is appropriate, that is, no drugs, no immoral behaviour, etc, then these vibrations are just part of the purification process and "shifts" in consciousness

    any vibration is a mental formation

    there are vibrations of negative mentality stored in the body, which must arise in consciousness to get purified

    and there is the vibration of "rapture", resulting from the purification of negative mentality stored in the body

    and there is the vibration of consciousness shifting around the body & mind as it flows into the areas that are purified & as it "awakens" deeper levels of consciousness

    as i said, if the foundation of your practise is appropriate, that is, no drugs, no immoral behaviour, etc, then you must simply view these vibrations as simply sense objects with an equanimous mind

    if your mind maintains its equinimity or "mere watching", these vibrations will calm down or purify

    your basic practice is to "just watch", without labels of "positive" & "negative"

    regards

    :)

  • DaozenDaozen Veteran
    it can also be your astral body detaching from your physical body ...
    Astral body? Bah humbug.

  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited May 2011
    also, David

    one must take care to ensure one is not practising some kind of heavy suppression or unnatural breathing, etc

    if you are practising Zen, your practise is "just sitting-just walking-just watching"

    too vigorous a practise may over energize the mind & body

    Buddhist meditation is just watching & just letting go

    it is not pranayama or the like

    regards

    :)

  • chanrattchanratt Veteran
    I've been having the vibrations and OBE's for years. since i was 15 yo. i'm now 40. It always happens in that period when i'm drifting off to sleep. Sometimes it can be terrifying, like there are unseen evil forces in the room etc. But i find that if i relax and go with it that is when i will leave my body. When it happens it feels very real, but i am still skeptical. I came across a medical explanation on google one time. it has a name but i will have to dig it up. I swear, some nights i have found myself defying gravity and flying through the air Second Life style high above my town. other times i just see myself lying in bed. i will have a look for the link.
  • I don't want to discuss OBE or Astral projection here,
    if your mind takes off, like it is flying thru the air like a bird, like a jet plane leaving a runway, that too you must just watch/experience with equinimity

    to me, it sounds like you have read alot of books

    let go of all of this rubbish, like "jhana", "OBE", "Astral travel", etc

    just learn to watch and be non-reactive

    but now, your mind is reacting

    regards

    :)

  • I swear, some nights i have found myself defying gravity and flying through the air Second Life style high above my town.
    as i just posted

    this is just the mind

    this is normal

    let it go

    forget the link

  • zen_worldzen_world Veteran
    edited May 2011
    Thank you all of you for the response...
    no

    you are not close to jhana so let go of such thoughts

    if the foundation of your practise is appropriate, that is, no drugs, no immoral behaviour, etc, then these vibrations are just part of the purification process and "shifts" in consciousness

    If the vibrations are part of the purification process then it is good, isn't it? So I should continue what I do because it is working?
    And I wonder, why did you say I am not even close to jhana? Out of body experience comes after very deep concentration. I wonder how deep you need to go to get to the first jhana? And thank you so much for all your help!

    if you're interested in jhanas check out: http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/MCTB
    Thanks taiyaki....This is really great link. I am reading it...

    When it happens it feels very real, but i am still skeptical. I came across a medical explanation on google one time. it has a name but i will have to dig it up.
    Hi chanratt, honestly this is real! No one can convince me that it is not. I think you are skeptical because you may have the experience in a very dream like state. I had them too. But my first two experience was as real as I am typing this message right now. It is not a dream or hallucination. And forget those medical explanation, they are nothing but speculations. Science can explain brain functions but they are useless when it comes to "mind and consciousness". I have read may be ten different scientific theories but none of them makes sense to me.
    But, whatever, like Dhamma said: it is just mind reacting. I am not paying any attention OBEs anymore. It is just an hindrance to my meditation.
  • It sounds like the bed meditation you descibe is actually symptoms of self hypnosis. If you wanted to test that theory, listen to a self-hypnosis tape to see if you experience similar sensations. When I practiced hypnosis with my grandma as a kid, those were the sensations I experienced.
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited May 2011
    If the vibrations are part of the purification process then it is good, isn't it? So I should continue what I do because it is working?
    Hi ZW

    I cannot advise you definitively here, but I suggested general principles. As long as you are practising 'mere watchfulness' then it is probably very good

    But if you are practising something more esoteric then possibly consult a teacher, in person, face to face
    And I wonder, why did you say I am not even close to jhana? Out of body experience comes after very deep concentration. I wonder how deep you need to go to get to the first jhana? And thank you so much for all your help!
    You're welcome

    When near to jhana, with the mind's awarenss still within the physical body (rather than just in the mind or brain), the inner (physical) body will illuminate and each neuron will vibrate in very subtle bliss. But, at this jhanic level, your mind (and body) will be very serene. There will be absolutely no sleeping problems nor any "heaviness" or "head exploding"

    These symptoms you are experiencing will often occur when one is practising too hard, with too much effort. It is still a form "purification" but the vibrations are too coarse and the energy being both applied and released is too much.

    Jhana is born from letting go, rather than from suppressing or burying one's mind inwards.

    When an open and still mind is established, the negative accumulated emotions stored within the physical body can rise up and dissolve; like a bird that flies out of a cage once the door is opened. Jhana generates from this process.

    Regards

    :)



  • santhisouksanthisouk Veteran
    edited May 2011
    My 2 cents: I believe its a good idea to remember 3 things. These 3 things are actually what the Buddha spoke of quite frequently, and it is these three things that the Buddha was reflecting on when he became enlightened. When you see anything or feel anything that is odd, you need to just remind yourself.. If its not permanent, if it's not a release from suffering, and if it's not freedom from self, then its part of mental formations or sangkhara.

    with metta

  • When near to jhana, with the mind's awarenss still within the physical body (rather than just in the mind or brain), the inner (physical) body will illuminate and each neuron will vibrate in very subtle bliss. But, at this jhanic level, your mind (and body) will be very serene. There will be absolutely no sleeping problems nor any "heaviness" or "head exploding"

    These symptoms you are experiencing will often occur when one is practising too hard, with too much effort. It is still a form "purification" but the vibrations are too coarse and the energy being both applied and released is too much.

    Jhana is born from letting go, rather than from suppressing or burying one's mind inwards.

    When an open and still mind is established, the negative accumulated emotions stored within the physical body can rise up and dissolve; like a bird that flies out of a cage once the door is opened. Jhana generates from this process.

    Thank you ...this was a very insightful response... And I will talk to my teacher about this....
  • edited May 2011
    I'm with DD on this one. Definitely not pre-jhana or jhana! Other than that, good luck and protect yourself in "the astral plane"!
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