Meditation Experience.
Blayne
New
I've been meditating daily for around a year now and last week I had an odd experience, I do hope someone here could help me understand it.
I can't remember how long this meditation session was but at some point a garden came to mind and the thought would move on. I saw it so vividly, I began to walk around this garden in my mind while my physical body remained still. After a while the garden began to fade and I went back to meditating normally.
On another two occasions I have ended up in this garden in my mind and feel a strong connection to it.
I've heard of astral projection but never tried to achieve it, Is it possible it is astral projection and if so why do I find my way back to the same place.
Any help would be great, even just a point in the right direction. Thank you.
Blessings.
Comments
Hello and welcome.
I think it's incredible you have been able to meditate everyday so over a year. I wish I can say that.
I don't know anything about astral projections. But I do find that it's easier to meditate in nature, such as a beach or quiet garden.
Hello Blayne,
What sort of meditation? Do you have a sangha or teacher?
Such visions (a garden is common) are experienced in 'drifting', the meditation practiced by dervishes.
http://www.sufischool.org/practises/muraqabah.html
Here is something about what the garden might represent in Buddhist terms
http://chippit.tripod.com/garden.html
A garden might be a Pureland, an arising of no import, an indication of monkey mind throwing up projections etc.
In some magical or visionary/visualisation based Mahayana Dharma one might work with such arisings. Personally I would consider them of no importance and carry on.
Hope that is helpful.
and if interested read http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf
Yeah. But it's a book. It will take ages. And it's somewhat advanced, too. It depends how long you have been practising BUDDHISM as to whether it will appeal or turn you off completely.
Download it, grab a coffee and a sandwich, and read. See what you think.
Just warning you, @Blayne ...
Have you any links or resources that could help me work with such arisings?
Blessings.
Not wise to 'go there' if you are a relative novice....
How long have you been practising Buddhism?
Any particular tradition...?
I haven't subscribed to any tradition as of yet. I've been practising for a year now. Meditating daily, Following the precepts and trying to incorporate buddhism into every part of my life.
Well sorry to be blunt, but I honestly suggest you carry on incorporating for a while longer, yet....
The Buddha stated that his main if not sole objective was to teach the Origin of Suffering and the Transcendence of Suffering.
Study the 4NT and the 8Fold path.
Before you say you've read them, bear in mind that eminent scholars and practitioners studied them - and study them still - for perhaps many years....
Your meditation has happened to include several mind-patterns, but honestly, they are, while entertaining, a distraction and diversion.
Look, observe, take note, enjoy even - but release, let go, and allow these 'visions' to arise and then dissipate.
Truly, in the end, they are of no great vital or important significance.
Some spiritual disciplines pursue such experiences. "Shamanic journeying" for example. But in Buddhism, it's really not seen as something valuable to do. It's not good or bad, but it's considered unproductive.
No.
My internet magical skills have been removed.
Sorry.
I have had "visions" of places while meditating... like sitting in a grass field in nice weather .... but its just a fragment of your imagination... the mind can come up with all kinds of sensory creations.... if your goal in meditation is to create these worlds ... that's up to you... if your goal is to get the mind to settle down and be focused .... on the breath or a single point in the body.... but Im guessing theres no insightful meaning in your "garden" ... just a thought world you created.... could be a focus to concentrate on... this garden of yours... but its a sense perception.... nothing more
If a lovely garden appeared while I was meditating (or doing anything, for that matter) I should think I'd be happy to amble in and be at peace. Seems like a pretty harmless, wholesome place to spend your time.
That is just fine so long as one doesn't get too attached to it and get upset if the opposite happens. All experiences are impermanent and are not worth holding on to.
if 'we' can see 'something' vividly it means we have seen it before, in this life time or in a previous life time
however now 'it is just a perception' in the mind and there is 'nothing' we can grasp with other five sense doors
that perception (which is in the mind) is not staying in the mind too
that is because perception is impermanent
therefore anything we think about it or talk about it is ................
Heart Sutra
Only thing I can tell you is that if you don't receive merit as a result of (buddhist) practice, you can know that you are not practicing properly. If you are "Theravada" buddhist, I don't know anything about it.( sorry! ) but if you are Mahayana buddhist, this is the basic of the practice I learned. 1.self-reflection 2. repentance 3. resolution 4. action.
Wishing you finding the right Buddhist path.
@Blayne could you elaborate more on the quality of your experience Between interludes of Garden? That is, could you describe what qualities of mind are involved when you say "went back to meditating normally" ?
I'll be surprised if Blayne comes back.
Yes, I second that. It seems unlikely, particularly as it's possible we didn't tell him "what he wanted to hear"....
If @Blayne DOES come back, I would be both delighted by his return, and to re-open the thread...