Is this normal? - Page 2

Edwin · May 5th, 2011, 12:58

Originally Posted by decas

At the start I used to listen 60mins but soon I'm getting kinda bored, so I thought that I need to build up my meditation experience gradually

Perfect ! That would have been my advice !

Hazelkay · May 5th, 2011, 13:09

Hi Cate - welcome

It is very normal for dreams to become more prominent and vivid than usual when we start to meditate. The unconscious has been tapped a little and all sorts of things will surface. It is best not to try to suppress anything and not to try to find meaning in the images. Let them up and away like balloons released into the sky.

Hi decas - welcome too

Even 30 minutes may be too long if you are just starting out, especially if you are waiting for it to finish. - try 20 to start with.

It seems you may be looking for ' such experience as I want to feel'.

This is totally self-defeating. Even if you get an experience which fits your thoughts on how it could be, your mind will then spend all its time trying to get it back again and this is not meditation.

Whatever experience you have in meditation is what is happening right then. It is neither good nor bad - it just is - even boredom.
The benefits of meditation come in our lives when we just accept in our meditation sessions what is happening in the moment without judgement. Our role is just observation. Thoughts, emotions, physical feelings come and go, arise, intensify, diminish, reappear - we just watch the show.

Try to put aside all expectations of what it should be like and just have it as it is. Every meditation session is different, and as we become less judgemental about what is going on there are more and more subtle things to notice.

Have a great adventure - its a fascinating journey.
peace and joy to you both

Edwin · May 5th, 2011, 13:18

Originally Posted by cate123

Hello, I am also very new to this forum and have only been using lifeflow for about a week. A lot of times I fall asleep while listening.

This is an age-old problem. This is the reason why the "Lotus position" was invented, so you could meditate while in an active posture, not too comfortable, but comfortable enough to be able to meditate. Try to find a posture that is a little less comfortable.

I have started having crazy dreams about people from my past, whom I didnt like very much and whom didnt seem to like me either. Is this normal for all of these subconcious feelings to be haunting me in my sleep?

Normally after some time these side-effects should go away, if they don't, try to cut down on your meditation time. The chances of having too many emotions/memories coming up at once will be reduced when you reduce your meditations.

Also last night after meditating I was having a crazy sexual dream and had an orgasm in my sleep. This is very strange for me. Is this normal?

You are probably female ? As you might know, males have this problem more often. However, orgasms in sleep may be less frequent with women, they do occur. There is nothing strange about it, it is a natural bodily function.

But, since it rattled you a bit, I presume that the "crazy sexual dream" left you a bit confused. Sexual dreams can sometimes cover topics that you literally "wouldn't dream about" in day time.
When your body reacts to the sexual topic of the dream, and you orgasm, you might start to think "Oh my God I can't believe that this topic would excite me".
But the orgasm is just a natural reaction to a certain level of excitedness. You don't control your dreams, so there is nothing to worry about or feel guilty of. It won't make you a lesser person.
Think of it as an interesting experience, and maybe even a bit "cool" that you found a new trick your body can do

decas · May 5th, 2011, 13:37

Thanks for helpful replies. One more question. Do I need to control my thoughts during meditation session or just let it flow? At the start I was receiving many different thoughts but after 7 sessions I am starting to manage my thoughts, I mean I can just look at the gloom, see nothing and have no thoughts on my mind. Sometimes it looks that my sight is going somewhere in that gloom but I am still trying to concentrate and be calm. Is that okay?

I feel that meditation helps me somehow. Once I felt slight ache in the throat (probably it is thyroid), in my brain hemispheres (left and right), broken part of the wrist (which was broken in the past) and more. It is strange but it is also pleasant to feel such effects.

GilesC · May 5th, 2011, 14:11

Originally Posted by decas

Thanks for helpful replies. One more question. Do I need to control my thoughts during meditation session or just let it flow?

You observe the thoughts arising, but that true You who is observing, simply does that... just observes. It cannot "control" the thoughts, because it is the thoughts that attempt to control us, by distracting our observation from what is presently in front of us to the thoughts themselves; hence why we go off on daydreams or find ourselves at our destination (typically when driving) without recalling any of the travelling that took place.
So, forget the idea of controlling the thoughts, it can't be done.
Instead, recognise that thoughts will arise, recognise that they are just thoughts and simply observe them at that time and let them pass. Once a thought captures your awareness it drags you aware from the meditation practice. It happens, it's normal, but with practice we learn to become aware of it happening and use that as a trigger to bring our awareness back to the mantra/meditation practice.

At the start I was receiving many different thoughts but after 7 sessions I am starting to manage my thoughts, I mean I can just look at the gloom, see nothing and have no thoughts on my mind. Sometimes it looks that my sight is going somewhere in that gloom but I am still trying to concentrate and be calm. Is that okay?

Concentration, or just the idea of it, are thoughts in themselves. Observe and let go.

I feel that meditation helps me somehow. Once I felt slight ache in the throat (probably it is thyroid), in my brain hemispheres (left and right), broken part of the wrist (which was broken in the past) and more. It is strange but it is also pleasant to feel such effects.

Sensations, physical, mental or emotional, are normal. Like the thoughts, recognise that they will occur, observe them and bring yourself back to the meditation practice.

Hugs

Giles

decas · May 9th, 2011, 10:05

Is it better to meditate in the evening or morning? I found that in the evening I am more relaxed than morning because in the morning there are many jobs to do and I am usually thinking about them during meditation session. What do you think?

pollyanna · May 9th, 2011, 11:42

Hi Nimai, Redmar and Decas

Welcome to the community. Here's a link to a thread which explains meditation, entrainment, sensations etc.

Principles of Meditation & Entrainment

It is quite long but explains everything extremely well. I'm sure it will help you all as it has many others. Look forward to hearing how you all progress and wish you an abundance of peace and joy