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Weird movements during meditation...
Tosh
Veteran
I've a friend (he's an A.A. sponsee) who has been interested in Buddhism for some years, but is only a few months sober. Six weeks or so ago he phoned me quite disturbed because he is doing some involuntary movements during meditation. I didn't think it was any big deal, he was alive, he was sober, he was going to meetings and doing all the stuff he should be doing. I think I just said that it hasn't killed him, not to worry about it, and just crack on doing what he's doing.
Anyway, it's still happening and he showed me a video he took of himself while meditating and I thought it looked quite disturbing. But first, let me describe this lad; he's a psychologist - mid 30s - has a long and severe history of alcohol and drug abuse. He's intelligent, he has his own small private counselling practise (I know I know), and he's a charming and level headed kind of guy; with a crazy streak.
Well, this is what I saw in his video. Early on in his meditation - about 20 seconds in, his head tilts up towards the ceiling and he then starts shaking; quite viciously. You'd almost think he was taking a fit. He then calms down, but he still makes funny, almost snake like movements. Sometimes (he tells me) his hands and arms will move too. He says it's all involuntary and only happens when he meditates. I did think it looked disturbing.
Any ideas?
Anyway, it's still happening and he showed me a video he took of himself while meditating and I thought it looked quite disturbing. But first, let me describe this lad; he's a psychologist - mid 30s - has a long and severe history of alcohol and drug abuse. He's intelligent, he has his own small private counselling practise (I know I know), and he's a charming and level headed kind of guy; with a crazy streak.
Well, this is what I saw in his video. Early on in his meditation - about 20 seconds in, his head tilts up towards the ceiling and he then starts shaking; quite viciously. You'd almost think he was taking a fit. He then calms down, but he still makes funny, almost snake like movements. Sometimes (he tells me) his hands and arms will move too. He says it's all involuntary and only happens when he meditates. I did think it looked disturbing.
Any ideas?
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Comments
Also I would like to just say I really admire your work you do with people who have alcoholism, I have read your other thread related to that but cannot find anything to say lol... Just good luck and hope you manage to come to a mutual and peaceful understanding.
Also, maybe it is some alcohol effect, which I am certainly not qualified to say something about.
Metta!
I'll suggest he goes and finds a meditation teacher. Thanks.
Everything we have ever hung onto or pushed away seems to be able to be re experienced in a meditation practise. For some this seems to occurs physically as they become able to meditatively face it again with acceptance.
In most monastery's, nobody pays much attention to it, although sometime later a senior will probably check in with that meditater to see if they are pushing a bit too hard in some way. It's just something else to sit through.
For some those shaking's are followed with a sense of relief and lightness as something long carried in the body is let go of, whereas for others, nothing follows.
It doesn't seem to hurt anyone but some folks experiencing this have felt the need to leave a meditation hall out of fear of disturbing others.
It certainly can be a bit challenging in the quiet of a meditation hall to have someones body look like they might be starting into an epileptic fit.
But these movements I'm describing are chaotic whereas I've never seen movements that looked as co ordinated as the (snake like) ones you describe.
A few people (including me) looked a little concerned but the guy beside her assured us it was ok.
Never seen anything like it before or since.
This happens very often during sitting practice of 'Qi Gong' for beginners.
As meditation sometimes touches on your Qi, due to the breathing exercise.
Your friend might have been too aware of his breaths, and started to direct them with his mind.
The twirling arms, nodding heads, etc repetitive motions are a manifestation of blocked Qi. In due course it will work its way around the blockage and the motions cease. Acute cases gets the practitioner standing and doing violent movements.
Usually the teacher will help with the blockage, depending on the situation.