a weird thing that happen..need help

• AsimpleKid

  21 Mar 08, 22:47

  Hi, i do not know where to post this question so i open a new topic for my question..

  I was trying meditation while lying down on my bed.

  I did not try to focus on anything, and when sth "pop" up in my mind, i slowly let it leave, so as to allow my mind not to think of anything.

  Then a weird thing happen, I could feel my soul gently lifting up, but my mind is still conscious, i could still think...i feel like floating..vertically..

  I was relaxing.. and the next thing that happen is that i can feel my feet leaving too, but horizontally ..

  i try not to think too much, and so lastly, i could feel that i was going very deep in my mind, it is very dark but there's a feeling that i going in very deep..into the darkness..

  I get very tense up and my heart and mind is whirling, and i break free.I try to get up but it's kind of difficult..i stay lying on the bed abt 3 minutes when i finally could get up.

  May i know, what 's wrong with me? =.=".. very confusing..

• An Eternal Now

  21 Mar 08, 23:01

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  Hi, i do not know where to post this question so i open a new topic for my question..

  I was trying meditation while lying down on my bed.

  I did not try to focus on anything, and when sth "pop" up in my mind, i slowly let it leave, so as to allow my mind not to think of anything.

  Then a weird thing happen, I could feel my soul gently lifting up, but my mind is still conscious, i could still think...i feel like floating..vertically..

  I was relaxing.. and the next thing that happen is that i can feel my feet leaving too, but horizontally ..

  i try not to think too much, and so lastly, i could feel that i was going very deep in my mind, it is very dark but there's a feeling that i going in very deep..into the darkness..

  I get very tense up and my heart and mind is whirling, and i break free.I try to get up but it's kind of difficult..i stay lying on the bed abt 3 minutes when i finally could get up.

  May i know, what 's wrong with me? =.=".. very confusing..

  When you practice dropping, sit upright with the right meditative posture. This will prevent such problems.

  When you slept, you slept face up. This is also a cause of this problem. You should sleep like the Buddha's posture and face right. http://www6.worldisround.com/photos/7/264/232_o.jpg

  This is a sort of sleep paralysis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

  When people experience this, often they experience floating out of body as well.

• An Eternal Now

  21 Mar 08, 23:34

  BTW, when meditating, you said

  "and when sth "pop" up in my mind, i slowly let it leave, so as to allow my mind not to think of anything."

  This is good. Cultivating calmness and thoughtlessness through not following nor rejecting thoughts and letting them dissolve by themselves, is an important factor to true meditation.

  Another factor is clarity and awareness, you should practice this as well. When you experience full of clarity and calmness, then you are progressing.

  As my Master, Ven Shen Kai said,

  http://www.rencheng.com/renchengfuying/xiuchanding.htm

   

  问：
  
  请示师傅，�怎样修治散乱的心？

  答：
  
  �修散乱的心，就�修�散乱。现在你们把眼�闭上，手�掌，师傅现在就教你们修。这个时候你心里�什么都�想，散乱心就没有了。（数分钟）
  好，现在眼��开，师傅教你们的就是修禅定。你把这个�乱妄想的心收回�，置心一处，无事�办，把这个心定在�动的地方，�动就是定，定了以�，智慧也就会生出�了。
  
  但是修禅定最�紧的是�有觉，有很多人学佛修行，念佛�禅一辈�，他没有智慧，原因就是没有觉。所以我们把这个心定在一处以�，我们还�有一�觉观，觉照。觉就是你这个心�动，有一微尘飞过你都知�，那么这个定就差�多了。
  
  谈到觉，�使你�但觉了自己的心，他方世界开了一朵花，都好�在你的手里边一样，看得清清楚楚，那么你就�佛了。
  
  所以这个修法是很�简�，师傅这么简�就跟你们讲了，大家��惜。

   

  Also, do you have a dharma/meditation teacher?

• Bodhi hut

  22 Mar 08, 01:30

   

  First of all as suggest by Eternal Now, your posture should be done using the sitting posture instead of lying...

  IMOP:

  You need to know the objective of doing meditation,having a wrong objective in meditation will only lead to imagination, like seeing devas or buddhas etc. If you are new to meditation, suggest you do breathing counting. There are many meditation these days, even doctors will advice patient with stress problems to under go meditation to ease the stress. Buddhism meditation and relief meditation is quite different. It is always good to consult someone who know how to do meditation.

  As from your problem, what Eternal Now mention is quite true, you may think that you are going very deep, actually you are not, it is your mind that visualise this image to you.Total relexing is needed before carry out meditation, try to go for a simple 10min meditation with breathing counting. Focus your breathing, inhale and exhale, slowly, counting 1-10 and back to 1-10.By focusing, this will make your mind only work on the counting rather than going off to other imagination.

  Doing the full lotus or half lotus stance sitting may be quite tough for many, and having running thoughts is unavoidable. If you have something on your mind, just receive this thought, and you will find your inner self of doing, repent if there is needed and change.Just treat meditation with an open heart, and not having pray to gain any prospective result supernaturally as times goes by you will find that you know your self more indepth and know where to change, I find this is more beneficial that can gain in meditation. We have alot of excueses in our doing, which is formed so permantnent that it becomes to relistic to us, but infact it is just excuse over excuse,accepting our own doing and making an effort to change that is a way that make our practise to a higher level.

   

   

• Caitaokue

  22 Mar 08, 02:16

  Could it be an experience of astral projection?

• An Eternal Now

  22 Mar 08, 12:50

  Originally posted by Caitaokue:

  Could it be an experience of astral projection?

  It is a case of involuntary astral projection from sleep paralysis, and I also have such experiences before.

  http://www.crystalinks.com/sleeparalysis.html

  Sleep paralysis for some goes to involuntary (and often scary) unexpected floating out of the physical body for any number of Out of Body experiences, usually astral projection.

• AsimpleKid

  22 Mar 08, 16:31

  Hi everyone, thanks everyone =D

  TO EternalVow, i do not have a dharma teacher, is it neccessary to have one?

  I am still schooling in a buddist school, so i learn everything by myself through internet and books... There's no one to teach me.. 

• An Eternal Now

  23 Mar 08, 00:34

  Originally posted by AsimpleKid:

  Hi everyone, thanks everyone =D

  TO EternalVow, i do not have a dharma teacher, is it neccessary to have one?

  I am still schooling in a buddist school, so i learn everything by myself through internet and books... There's no one to teach me.. 

  Having a dharma teacher as a source of guidance on one's path to enlightenment is important.

  But it is ok for now to practice your meditation as long as you follow proper instructions from proper websites or books (some websites are not Buddhist, are cults, etc, so you must avoid these websites and know which ones are proper).

• Bodhi hut

  23 Mar 08, 15:06

   

  You may want to learn Zazen, please click this link, oyu may follow from this web or you can download the PDF.

   

  http://www.zenguide.com/zenmedia/books/content.cfm?t=zazen_meditation_guide&chapter=03

• justdoit77

  24 Mar 08, 11:38

  I have a friend that has a similar experience.
  She did meditation for quite some time already, one day when she wakeup, she already walked up but saw her body still lying on the bed. She got so scared encountering this out of body experience, because when that happen, any wandering spirit can enter her physical body very easily. If the situation prolong, the person will die.
  Then she go back and lie down on the bed again, hoping she will merge with her physical body. After trying a few times and just take a short "nap", she finally get back normally.

• An Eternal Now

  24 Mar 08, 12:46

  Originally posted by justdoit77:

  I have a friend that has a similar experience.
  She did meditation for quite some time already, one day when she wakeup, she already walked up but saw her body still lying on the bed. She got so scared encountering this out of body experience, because when that happen, any wandering spirit can enter her physical body very easily. If the situation prolong, the person will die.
  Then she go back and lie down on the bed again, hoping she will merge with her physical body. After trying a few times and just take a short "nap", she finally get back normally.

  This is another case of sleep paralysis... I have many similar experiences.

• Bodhi hut

  24 Mar 08, 13:14

   

  At times these are due to stress and depression..you may ask your friend to try basic meditation to see how it goes. Doctor does recommend meditation to patient when they have stress problem.

   

  Yoga and Qi Gong is also good for mental and physical conditioning..

• rokkie

  26 Mar 08, 13:15

  strongly recommend u to read some Taoism teaching,it will be helpful to guide u dealing with the daily life

• Zarks

  26 Mar 08, 13:21

  its so weird indeed.. to see yourself in the bed while u are on your feet is really weird and scary...

• TWE

  26 Mar 08, 21:34

  Ling Hun Chu Qiao .

• An Eternal Now

  26 Mar 08, 21:43

  Originally posted by rokkie:

  strongly recommend u to read some Taoism teaching,it will be helpful to guide u dealing with the daily life

  What Taoist teaching and how is it good?

• Bodhi hut

  27 Mar 08, 10:00

   

  I would recommend you to read the Heart Sutra, recite the great compassionate mantra, or om ma ni pad me hum..All these are Guan Yin Fa Men....especially om ma ni pad me hum.....easy and simple, but recite with sincerelty and compassion.

   

   

• rokkie

  27 Mar 08, 13:43

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  What Taoist teaching and how is it good?

  
  无为而无�为，一切�心所�

  i remember teaching by 元音�人 ，圣人皆因无为而�有所得

• rokkie

  27 Mar 08, 13:51

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  What Taoist teaching and how is it good?

  
  �家的东西讲很多无的东西，有�天地之始，无�万物之�，

  �者�之动，弱者�之用。

  There r some similarity between Taoism and buddhism ,in chinese history,someone raise the concept 佛��二。When i feel no good during the school time ,i always read �德�.then i feel a little relieved.Unlike buddhism which is 出世，taoism is infact 入世。无为，so u go according to ur feeling ,无�为 so u can compromise with ppl and society

• An Eternal Now

  27 Mar 08, 19:40

  Originally posted by rokkie:

  
  �家的东西讲很多无的东西，有�天地之始，无�万物之�，

  �者�之动，弱者�之用。

  There r some similarity between Taoism and buddhism ,in chinese history,someone raise the concept 佛��二。When i feel no good during the school time ,i always read �德�.then i feel a little relieved.Unlike buddhism which is 出世，taoism is infact 入世。无为，so u go according to ur feeling ,无�为 so u can compromise with ppl and society

  Actually, Buddhism is both Chu Shi and Ru Shi. Taoism is only Chu Shi, and Confucianism is purely Ru Shi.

  http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no4d.htm

   

  
  2. Which religions do the teachings of Confucius and Mencius belong to?
  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are not religious.

  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are within the boundary of the laws of this secular world and are not considered to be religious. They constitute a form of academic ideology. Confucius and Mencius dealt with the laws of this secular world. Taoism deals with the laws that are beyond this secular world. Buddhism deals with the laws that are both within and beyond this secular world.

• yamizi

  27 Mar 08, 23:47

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  Actually, Buddhism is both Chu Shi and Ru Shi. Taoism is only Chu Shi, and Confucianism is purely Ru Shi.

  http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no4d.htm

   

  
  2. Which religions do the teachings of Confucius and Mencius belong to?
  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are not religious.

  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are within the boundary of the laws of this secular world and are not considered to be religious. They constitute a form of academic ideology. Confucius and Mencius dealt with the laws of this secular world. Taoism deals with the laws that are beyond this secular world. Buddhism deals with the laws that are both within and beyond this secular world.

  
  That is from Rencheng's point of view in saying that Taoism is 出世 only. But may not necessary be so for practicing Taoists. I understand that this is a buddhist forum, however, we should be tactful and sensitive so that we won't be fast in giving comments that may not be necessary true.

• sinweiy

  28 Mar 08, 10:20

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  Actually, Buddhism is both Chu Shi and Ru Shi. Taoism is only Chu Shi, and Confucianism is purely Ru Shi.

  http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no4d.htm

   

  
  2. Which religions do the teachings of Confucius and Mencius belong to?
  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are not religious.

  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are within the boundary of the laws of this secular world and are not considered to be religious. They constitute a form of academic ideology. Confucius and Mencius dealt with the laws of this secular world. Taoism deals with the laws that are beyond this secular world. Buddhism deals with the laws that are both within and beyond this secular world.

  that's a nice way of puting it.

  /\

• rokkie

  28 Mar 08, 12:57

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  Actually, Buddhism is both Chu Shi and Ru Shi. Taoism is only Chu Shi, and Confucianism is purely Ru Shi.

  http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no4d.htm

   

  
  2. Which religions do the teachings of Confucius and Mencius belong to?
  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are not religious.

  
  The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are within the boundary of the laws of this secular world and are not considered to be religious. They constitute a form of academic ideology. Confucius and Mencius dealt with the laws of this secular world. Taoism deals with the laws that are beyond this secular world. Buddhism deals with the laws that are both within and beyond this secular world.

  Taoism is only Chu Shi, and Confucianism is purely Ru Shi.

  confucianismis purely Ru shi,i agree somehow.If u think Taoism is chushi ,it's wrong.

  Please read some chinese article about it, english one maybe not quite straitforward.

  there r about three fundanmental books for taoism ,《黄�内�》，《��》《庄�》.,《黄�内�》is a medicine book, this is 由医入�。，《��》is a recogonized founder of the Taoism .<��> and <庄�>.and different .<庄�> is more chushi.it emphasize on free will .天人�一.��is different.很多儒家的东西讲的是有的东西.规矩.但是也是讲free will的就象孔�讲的�心所欲�逾矩.而�家的东西是讲无的.孔�是以有治世,��是以无治世.��和孔�的东西在�个�代都�过�展.就是现在所讲的国学.�家的东西还有仙学,和丹�

• rokkie

  28 Mar 08, 13:11

  Taoism deals with the laws that are beyond this secular world

   

  i think he think this way because the verse in �德�

  玄之�玄。众妙之门。

  I assume he did not really read �德�。and taoism teaching .

  In fact �德� teach a lot of things ,i can not put it in one word .

  I think �德� also talk about humanity.talk about people, there is no enlighenment in Taoism teaching ,Taoism teach �。 which can not simply translate to way or morality.Human have 人�,heaven got 天�，earth got 地�。i think can translate the � to truthness of life and nature.Ppl think one they reveal to this ,he can become a better person, not diety.

   

• Bodhi hut

  28 Mar 08, 13:44

  IMOP:

   

  Though I am a buddhist and into buddhism studies, I do explore other religion, Taosim is one that I do read about. é�“å¾·ç»� is considered one of the ç»�å…¸ in china culture, before é�“å¾·ç»�  exist, there is one which is regard as the ç»�典中的ç»�å…¸which is 易ç»�。。these two books are very profound and implies alot of human nature morality and regards to this universe behaviour.

   

  佛家和�家，都有自己的执�，一个人�往那个宗教信仰，那是他的因缘，�就如何就�看他的修行。。我觉得佛家说的就是明心�性，是人人能所能得�的路，但我们就是活在虚幻世界里，�达到明心�能�性的果报�真是�容易。我对�宗教都有开放的�想，都希望人能有善念，但是一个宗教也是人们而组�，所以人心在宗教修学的�路上站了一个宗教的形�。佛说分比之心，一个好�的事或人就是从心而分比出�的。�家或佛家都是好的学术，能从中得到人生�化或�报那就�看个人的心能�中多少，包容，信念，慈悲和智慧。

   

  大家努力。。肯定有结果。。

   

  Tao Te Ching �德�

   

  English version
  http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm
  
  Chinese version
  http://yuzx.com/w/article/l-04-02.html
  
  http://home.pages.at/onkellotus/index.html