Observant Kiwi

I have only meditated no more than ten times over the past few weeks. I am new, but I seem to be learning quickly. Since I started, two events have occurred, which I cannot for the life of me explain. I am uncertain whether or not I should even be sharing this information, though my anonymity puts my mind at ease (somewhat). The first happened the night of my first (what I would call proper) meditation. It was a powerful breathing exercise in which I would hold my breath and push my stomach in and out 12 times before exhaling. Unfortunately I cannot remember the exact meditation as it was a guided meditation I stumbled across on Youtube. After the meditation I felt a grand sense of peace throughout my entirety. Later this day, I went to a friends house as I sometimes do. Nothing was out of the ordinary, until I went outside to pee (I had my reasons). After I had done the business, I gazed upwards to enjoy the night's sky. This is where it happened. As I looked up, I did not see stars, no, but pieces of a bigger object. I will try to explain in as much detail as I can recall. The sky was the clearest I have EVER seen, and there were five, maybe ten times the amount of stars usually visible in this area. But instead of seeing many stars, I instead saw a shape, what I can only recall to look something like a tunnel, and I felt part of this ginormous entity. Our Earth, and so my perspective, lay somewhere within the tunnel shape, but towards the side a little. My interpretation of this ordeal was that I became one with the universe, if it be only for a short duration. I literally felt as if I WAS the universe, or whatever it was I was observing. Is it possible that this is indeed what I experienced? For if (according to many religion and philosophy) we are essentially the same thing, perhaps incarnations of God (I am an athiest, I might add), was I maybe experiencing the ultimate empathy? Or is there a simpler explanation? I would love to hear any and all ideas concerning this, or even better: anyone else with similar experience? The second event is a little more odd, or perhaps not. Interestingly, it occurred at the same friend's house, only inside this time. We were in the room which we usually reside. A friend had finished a cigarette and left the butt in the ash tray. At this stage we were all just sitting down, 'chilling out' watching tv. I cannot remember how it began, I have no recollection of the beginning (such as in a dream), but at some point I was literally communicating with the smoke tendrils that were rising off the butt. The smoke would rise and dance, as usual. But somehow I had influence. In my head, I would talk to the smoke, much similar to my own thoughts, but I would think the words in a directional sense at the smoke, as if I were making it read my mind. I asked it if it could hear me. The smoke rose and drifted and I made out a "yes" from the curls. Am I imagining this or what? So I ask it, are you something else, or are you me? The smoke rose in a straight line, then all of a sudden drifted over towards me (I was sitting a couple of feet away, slightly above the butt) suggesting I am the influence here. Hmm, perhaps still coincidence. Then I think/say to it, do something fantastic, something so extraordinary I will have no doubt that this is not coincidence. It then curled and danced towards me, and one tiny piece of smoke separated from the tendril and I made out what looked like a heart. The smoke was fading, as the cigarette was almost out, I decided to farewell it. It waved, or perhaps I imagined it did. Then, just before it went out, for some reason I channelled my attention at the butt, trying to keep it alight as if desperate to bring back my new friend, and it started to hiss and crackle as if the temperature of the ember became far hotter than previous. Then it died. This I have no idea what to make of. My only theory is perhaps my aura or life-essence or chi or something of the sort was manipulating it, or even manifesting itself in the smoke. But why the smoke? And how did I communicate with it? It told me it was myself, but I was talking to something else, other than my own mind. Perhaps my higher self or something similar? I am pleased such things have happened, and they have only made me more interested in the spiritual world. I hope more events of this calibre happen. What's more important is that I hope I haven't broken any rule that I should not be sharing this. But how can I break a rule I was not told to follow. Anyways, if anyone has had similar experience or knows anything about what happened to me on both occasions, please do not hesitate to comment.

I do indeed

I am new too, but that doesn't mean I can't welcome you! I too hope you are well.

Hi there everyone. I'm Jaimie, I'm from New Zealand and am new to all of this and I love it. I am learning so many new things it really is great. I look forward to learning more

Yeah there has been a lot of activity recently (past few years). Ties in quite well with the 2012 apocalypse theory

Interesting, as far as I'm aware, international students do pay more.. I suppose it depends solely on the institution. Haha yeah this location on the ring will doom us one day.. our biggest city is less than a couple of miles away from a huge dormant volcano, and if that one went off, there are several other vents in and around the city that would spew lava too... something I am not looking forward to You're not wrong when it comes to positivity, but we all have our issues! Random question, your book, is it available in pdf for free or must I buy it to read it?

Nice to meet you too! We would love to have you here! New Zealand really is a wonderful place, especially to visit. But its so far away, I feel your pain of expense to get here, but from the other end of it. If I want to get anywhere in the world all the flights are soooo expensive haha! Wellington's really nice, the people are great and the nightlife is great. If you're one for views and nature, the South Island is the most beautiful place I have ever visited (in winter, summer it sucks! )