Mantras, Meditation and Body Temperature

GentleJanet

Ok, I am new and this question may be completely ridiculous and if it brings laughter, then I am happy to have brought a smile to you today. Although, please refrain from ridicule as I am genuinely curious about this experience. Today, I learned my first mantra. It is a pretty chilly morning here, but I was seated in front of an open window to hear nature, with a sweater on and a blanket across my lap. I began this mantra, then followed with a tiny silent meditation, lasting only a few minutes. I was simply trying out the mantra. Afterwards, I felt very warm and I removed my sweater and blanket. I hadn't noticed it while meditating, only afterwards when I opened my eyes. Its now about an hour later and I'm back to wrapping my sweater around me and cloaked in my blanket. Does one's body temperature really fluctuate during meditation or was this simply one of those hormonal bonuses for being a 43-year-old female? I'm debating on whether or not to post this because I feel very dumb for asking, ...but you are the only ones I can ask.

federica

I have heard of this happening; as to why, I'm not sure... It could be all manner of reasons.
The thing is, it happened.
Let it be, it doesn't matter.... Don't necessarily wait for the same thing to happen again, don't look for it, don't expect it... Just put it down to an individual experience, which is absolutely ok.

Citta

Not at all ridiculous. Its a commonly experienced phenomenon, not just with mantra but with other meditative practices too.
The actual physiological processes have various explanations..but the phenomenon is well described , It also occurs outside of of Buddhism . It is well known in Christian contemplative circles too, and in Sufism..
If it becomes a problem then ask a teacher local to you.
Usually if you stick with your practice it will pass..

Patr

Dont worry about it, its just Qi circulating in your body.
Sometimes when we meditate, certain people who have the dispositions do actually get the feeling, localised or otherwise.

Your Qi must be easily aroused and hence the warmth feeling. Practices such as Qi Kung, Kundalini, Falun dafa also seek to arouse and harness this Qi.

Carry on, dont fear it, just feel it growing, let it manifest.

Once you get the hang of it, you can then control the Qi path.

Cheers

GentleJanet

I was actually practicing Kundalini at the time, so that makes perfect sense. Thank you so much!!

Patr

Hi, can you share the mantra with us?

tq

Dakini

Patr said:

Dont worry about it, its just Qi circulating in your body.
Your Qi must be easily aroused and hence the warmth feeling. Practices such as Qi Kung, Kundalini, Falun dafa also seek to arouse and harness this Qi.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. Meditation can raise the Kundalini. Have you heard of Tibetan monks who meditate in snowy conditions without benefit of sweaters and blankets? They can steam-dry wet towels with their own bodies in mid-winter.

Generally, this sort of thing doesn't happen to beginners, but everyone's physiology and psychic state are different. So just stay focussed on your meditation, don't let side-effects distract you.

Citta

In Dzogchen practice and some forms of Zen one is taught to treat such phenomena as just something else that is arising...to note it and walk on. Rather than cultivating it.

Citta

Citta said:

In Dzogchen practice and some forms of Zen one is taught to treat such phenomena as just something else that is arising...to note it and walk on. Rather than cultivating it.

In Vipassana also.

GentleJanet

http://www.kundaliniyoga.org/kyt03.html is the link to the site and page I learned the chant on. This is page 3 of a Free Online Kundalini Yoga Training guide. The chant is given, then further down is the audio clip of the chant.

Citta

The important thing is to be consistent to the methods that you are learning. While remembering that they are not absolute. All methods are provisional.
Some Buddhist schools cultivate prajna/chi. Other schools actively discourage such cultivation.
Kundalini yoga is not in itself Buddhist..although the Vajrayana * Tibetan Buddhism ) does deploy such means.
To use a possibly highly unsuitable and unBuiddhist metaphor there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Beej

I posted the first part (of six) a movie in a thread called "The Hermit" that mentions this. At least, I think it was from that movie. It's called "Amongst White Clouds" and it's about Chineses hermits. They talked about not having to heat their beds in the winter time (a custom of rural China, perhaps? hey have wood burning ovens beneath thier beds, it would seem) because they meditate immediately before going to sleep and immediately when they wake up and this was alleged to provide them with enough warmth to make it through the night and the winter. All I know is that the mind, when focused, is a very powerful tool and can overcome all types of stuff. I often feel warmth after a good long yoga routine , but I don't know if I've ever really noticed it in relation to meditation or reciting mantras, but I think it's possible. I guess I think anything is possible, though.