Safety in Meditation

humbleone

Hello, Are there any safety concerns I should be worried about when taking up meditation?

I started learning and practicing zen meditation in 1986, but from the very start started to suffer from a side effect. I have a fantastic calming experience during meditation, but the next day I start to feel agitated, my anger goes up, I get rapid heart beat, sweaty palms. This tends to get progressively bad if I continue to meditate.

So what happens is that I try to meditate then after the side effects I go in hibernation for months or even years, then take up meditation again. I have been to Zen monasteries in the US, sought out answeres, was just told to work through the issue. Nothing helped. This problem is 25 years in the making.

I haven't read anything about safety in meditation, other than one snippet of quote by Alan Watts, who spoke of 'too strong a current for the wire'

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

compassionate_warrior

I've read that some people can experience dissociative episodes due to meditation (in fact one of our members wrote awhile back that she dissociates sometimes during the day, after taking up meditation). Some people are more psychologically vulnerable in different ways, and simply shouldn't meditate, that's what I've read. Meditation seems to be causing anxiety symptoms for you. So you should probably stop meditating. You can still practice other aspects of the dharma, however.

zenff

In meditation we reduce the input of stimulus, and it seems the mind responds to that with increasing its sensitivity. It responds with opening up, much like an automatic diaphragm in a camera will do. This is part of what makes meditation attractive. Maybe for you however this effect is too strong or lasting too long.

What you can do is practice mindfulness in everyday-life; during a walk or while working in the garden.
Everyday life is not the time we waste between our periods of meditation or vice versa. They are the same thing: the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness – in my book - is giving our attention to what is happening here and now, without adding words, concepts and preferences to what is naturally pure.

Being one. Samadhi. Whatever name you wish to put on it.

In everyday life we can try to find ways to regularly interrupt the story we’re caught in, and to get back in touch with the actual experience of that moment. One of the best reminders is the breath, because it’s always there for everyone. It’s universal.

I think you can have a complete practice without formal meditation and without the unpleasant effects of it for you.

Feel free to visit http://www.zenforfree.nl/ and give me some feedback on this website that we are working on.

buddhajunkie

The last time you meditated and had these side effects, exactly what was your practice?

What was your technique(s)? How long was your typical session? How frequently? What was your environment?

humbleone

Thank you all for your replies.

Regarding my current practice, few years ago someone at work taught me falun dafa. It is a set of five exercises, three are tai chi type movements, the other two are meditative. I seem to handle the basic exercise #1 OK, which is tai chi based flowing movement, it takes me three minutes to complete. Its purpose is to stretch out the meridians and prepares the practioner for more advance ones.

Anything else, falun dafa or basic zen meditation watching my breath causes exterme allergic reaction. In frustration I thought I try out something new, so I listened to silvia method, which is a 30 min audio session of progressive body/muscle relaxation. Same anxiety effect. I got into a severe road rage while driving, all of this with my wife and young children in the car. My wife was not pleased to say the least...

I think as someone mentioned I need to move towards grounding, physical type practice. Could someone please share some thoughts about physical practice. Thanks.

humbleone

In meditation we reduce the input of stimulus, and it seems the mind responds to that with increasing its sensitivity. It responds with opening up, much like an automatic diaphragm in a camera will do. This is part of what makes meditation attractive. Maybe for you however this effect is too strong or lasting too long.

Feel free to visit http://www.zenforfree.nl/ and give me some feedback on this website that we are working on.

Interesting insight about mind increasing its sensitivity, I never thought of it that way.

Regarding the website, I like it. It is well organized. One thing that would help me as a lay person, maybe add history of zen, what makes zen different from other forms of buddhism. different schools of zen etc. I have heard of pure land etc, but not sure what it means. zen much like buddhism seems fragmented into many forms and schools.

some other random thoughts about the website. it appears quite scientific approach to zen. metaphysical aspect seems to be missing.

buddhajunkie

what is the reason you are attracted to meditation in the first place?

Mountains

I agree that everyday mindfulness is the answer to this phenomenon. There is nothing "dangerous" in the act of meditation. All you're doing is sitting quietly. You're not "doing" anything to your brain that should be causing other pathologies - or rather, nothing that's doing anything except perhaps exposing what's already there. If you're experiencing these things hours after meditating, I invite you to entertain the possibility that they're not just popping up randomly, it's just that the meditation is uncovering them for you to see. I'd look at it as an opportunity to overcome these things - which can only be done by being mindful of them at all times.

Good luck in your practice..

fivebells

I have a fantastic calming experience during meditation, but the next day I start to feel agitated, my anger goes up, I get rapid heart beat, sweaty palms. This tends to get progressively bad if I continue to meditate.

How exactly have you been practicing meditation? It sounds as though you may have been forcing an issue in some way.

humbleone

what is the reason you are attracted to meditation in the first place?

Well, born a muslim. I am still a muslim, somewhat non-practising. meditation/buddhism seems to be engineered from within. I feel very at home with it. It fullfills some deep need and thrist for me. That is why I pursue it relentleslly. Also it protects me.

zenff

In meditation we reduce the input of stimulus, and it seems the mind responds to that with increasing its sensitivity. It responds with opening up, much like an automatic diaphragm in a camera will do. This is part of what makes meditation attractive. Maybe for you however this effect is too strong or lasting too long.

Feel free to visit http://www.zenforfree.nl/ and give me some feedback on this website that we are working on.

Interesting insight about mind increasing its sensitivity, I never thought of it that way.

Regarding the website, I like it. It is well organized. One thing that would help me as a lay person, maybe add history of zen, what makes zen different from other forms of buddhism. different schools of zen etc. I have heard of pure land etc, but not sure what it means. zen much like buddhism seems fragmented into many forms and schools.

some other random thoughts about the website. it appears quite scientific approach to zen. metaphysical aspect seems to be missing.

Thank you very much for your comments!
Interesting to hear you are curious about differences between Zen-schools.
I will think about how to put some useful info together without falling into hairsplitting (which really is what these “differences” are).

Talking about metaphysical aspects is pointless; at least I think that’s what most mystics agree on.
So if I stick to “not knowing” as the core of the teaching, I could be both a rationalist and a mystic.
Or neither; that’s even better.

humbleone

I agree that everyday mindfulness is the answer to this phenomenon. There is nothing "dangerous" in the act of meditation. All you're doing is sitting quietly. You're not "doing" anything to your brain that should be causing other pathologies - or rather, nothing that's doing anything except perhaps exposing what's already there. If you're experiencing these things hours after meditating, I invite you to entertain the possibility that they're not just popping up randomly, it's just that the meditation is uncovering them for you to see. I'd look at it as an opportunity to overcome these things - which can only be done by beihng mindful of them at all times.

Good luck in your practice..

Thank you for your comments. There are issues from my past, my childhood etc. I am aware of them and I have had quite a bit of therapy to look into them. I would imagine quite a few people have past issues etc but are able to meditate.

What I don't understand is this deliberate effort by some part of me to keep me, prevent me from meditating. Some part of me wakes up and sabotages my practice.

I must say we don't fully understand what happens when we meditate. The taoist/indians have this elaborate system of meridians/nadis. I have been told by falun dafa people that perhaps I have some blocks, meditation triggers some energy but there is hinderence in the pathways.

I mean whatever it is, there must be a way to fix it. Thanks.

Dakini

Emotional blockages are not uncommon; they can affect the health (how is your health), though I've never heard of them affecting meditation. Work on those issues you mentioned. Good luck.

humbleone

Well this is something interesting I found.

"In Buddhist Qigong, during learning stage, if the Qi does not succeed in leaving the crown chakra, it builds up in the head region leading to anger, hot temper, mental disturbance. Taoists say failure to circulate Qi causes it to accumulate and stagnate in head region leading to mental problems and aggression, in a few extreme cases Qigong psychosis "

A teacher recently gave me some useful advice, and that is to spend considerable amount of time after meditation in CLOSING. To physically move the energy down to the lower dietien/hara level(about 3 fingers below the navel.) This is helping greatly.

havamar

"Just as some people are allergic to penicillin, some people react badly to meditation. Billed as a “one size fits all” technique for self-improvement and even healing, meditation is packaged in a hundred different ways. Mantra meditators chant a phrase with numbing repetition. Others practice walking meditation, or empty-mind meditation, sweeping the mind clean of thought. The harmful effects aren’t limited to one specific technique or even long retreats.

Those effects can include facial tics, insomnia, spacing out, and even psychotic breakdowns. Dr. Margaret Singer, clinical psychologist emeritus at Berkeley, with research partner Dr. Janja Lalich, collected case histories from 70 clients seeking treatment for problems that began during meditation practice. Their research presents several examples of these symptoms and notes that prior to meditating, none of the patients had individual or family histories of mental disorders..."

http://www.openbuddha.com/2002/09/06/the-dangers-of-mediation/

TheFound

in my opinion...which is absolute
meditation is not some cure for some disease or sickness..

meditation or zazen, is a...lets say magnifying glass so you CAN SEE the disease or sickness..

if ur a pissed off dude, or a sad dude,meditation will calm u for a short period because u get power from seeing what you see..but just seeing a problem doesnt fix it, its just a very first basic step... you know dude.. you dont even need meditation or buddhism to fix the things that bother you...even if u were beat or molested as a child , even if you couldnt protect the ones you love... i've been there..so i know..

but you COULD use buddhism so that no wind could ever touch you again....

humbleone

Havamar, I really appreciate you posting the link. A great read.

I believe even most 'masters' are clueless as to what is really going on when people meditate. They just parrot some scripture they have learned. I have been repeatdly told by teachers at various zen monastaries that my dharma practice is very important to me, that I should just have patience and work through the issues.

The article you posted makes a lot of sense to me, about effects of serotonin and dopamine secreation during meditation. The side effects happen to me regardless of what type of meditation I am doing, they also happen with hypnosis, breathing. Anything the causes me to relax deeply.

But I am determined to continue(carefully)on my dharma path. I believe the Taoists have a much better understanding of this at the energy level and how to control the side effects. I will keep everyone posted. So far so good. Its been about a week of 30 mins of meditation daily, with very mild side effects.

havamar

Be aware of your physical processes, and keep your body safe. I hope you can continue your desired meditation method. If you cannot continue for medical reasons, you may want to try the practice of remaining aware and mindful of your surroundings and incoming sense signals. This will automatically start to detune your brain from introspection. You may want to link this activity to an anchor, such as a doorway. So everytime you walk through a doorway you remember to be mindful and aware. It will start to become habit, and the ultimate meditation is life itself. Peace and love.