Help with Negative effects of Meditation?

[satyagraha]

It was suggested to me that I repost this. so here it is...

 

I did not know that some of the energy meditation that i was doing was dangerous, i thought it was all good, I just recently found out that you can fry your brain using kundalini energy (I am not sure that what i am doing is kundalini, I don't know what it is, I just know that it feels very intense), does this apply to other energy?

 

It would explain a couple of episodes where i was jolted out of meditation and i felt as if i was on a bad acid trip. (the last thing i need is more brain damage, im a recovering drug addict of 4 years). Does all of this wear off? does it actualy do permanent damage or are they just temporary side effects of intense meditation?

 

I am confused about all of this because some places say that it is actually good, and that it is the subconscious mind cleansing itself by releasing anxiety, fear, trauma through your conscious mind and then out. anyone know anything about this or have any experience? or know of anyone I can get consultation on this matter from? Any help would be appreciated. I guess i didn't even realize what i was doing...

 

The main symptom that I have is bad short term memory and I am less attentive and more spacey, as well as some visual distortions..

Edited February 1, 2008 by satyagraha

[doc benway]

Can you describe what your practice is?

[satyagraha]

Can you describe what your practice is?

this is a difficult question, I do not know what it is called, but i have been doing it for months, here is a post from another topic in which i describe it:

 

The problem is that I really don't know what i am doing. I stare at my third eye and I kind of grope around with my mind for the energy and then I push it into my head via breath. Sometimes it feels as if the energy originates in my head, sometimes heart, sometimes base of spine (kundalini? maybe?). In any case it is extremely powerful and gets very intense, it feels very tingly and warm and comes in surges.

 

It feels like i am sending huge shock waves of energy to my head. And it creates intense visuals.

[Chanwu]

A good way is the meditation on a hollow body, or body of light and to "breathe out blockages and negative energy".

 

Meditate on your body getting filled with light, your body becomes hollow so that it only consists of light. Next vizualise your skin becomming light too, and do this until the discomfort is gone.

 

You can also breathe in deeply with your stomache in through one nostril and breathe out negative energy in the other. As you breathe in, visualize all the strength of your highest spiritual source enter you and cleanse you, and when you breathe out through the other nostril you visualize all negative energy leaving you.

 

Breathe in as deep and as slow as you can, preferably 2-3 breaths a minute.

 

Repeat for days or even weeks until discomfort goes away.

[Fire Dragon]

Hello Satyagraha

 

It seems to me like you need a teacher of the methods you are doing. There might be big risks with doing energy work if you are starting forces you not know how to deal with. If interested in meditation why not look for some schools around and start with things that are more safe?

 

If you want to know anything about the possible dangers a recomend you this book "Kundalini the evolutionary energy in man" by Gopi Krishna. Or to look up about kundalini psychosis on the internet.

 

Perhaps you got some good advises of how to deal with side efects from this site. But I still think it is a good way to start to look for teachers that can lead you in a safe way.

 

What do you feel about this?

 

To do stronge exercises with wery strong energy without knowing in what order or how to build up your body beforehand to make it prepared for this kind of energy might even damage many many years of your life in the most unpleasant way, if you are wery unlucky. So if realy interested learn the safe way most be the right thing to do.

 

 

Sincerely F D

[doc benway]

I agree with Fire Dragon - pushing or forcing energy into the head can be hazardous.

I would suggest you stop your current practice.

Consider looking for a teacher - I'm a believer that meditation practices tend to be more productive with supervision in the beginning. You will reach a point where you will no longer need supervision but with a practice like Kundalini it's particularly important.

Edited February 1, 2008 by xuesheng

[freeform]

You urgently need grounding!

 

Excess energy in an undeveloped head centre can cause serious, permanent damage - stop pushing energy in, and stop anything that involves imagining light, or any visualization, especially anything to do with the head.

 

For grounding you need to first learn how to relax your body completely - sounds simple but there are always small tensions that come up when you pay attention. For this you need to learn thorough abdominal breathing (and softening the tummy) - there is a fantastic book called "unwinding the belly" - teaches you both of these.

 

You should activate the bottom half of your body - doing simple excersises like well structured squats will get quick results. Also pay more attention to your feet - foot massages, shoes with a very thin sole, walking barefoot on rocks or at least just round your house. also ankle rotations are very good.

 

When you've done the above daily for a few months, you can add some simple dan tien meditation - which involves sitting upright in a chair (not using the back), your feet firmly planted on the floor, your hands covering your lower belly, taking long relaxed belly breaths that you learnt from 'unwinding the belly'.

 

After you've done this for several months and can physically feel (not visualize!) a connection to the ground/earth (you may be able to feel a very slow dense buzz going between your belly and the ground under your feet) - then you might consider learning standing meditation...

 

this is quite important for you! you may notice that you get some genius ideas or thoughts that stop you doing any of this - this is just the mind sabotaging you, notice when this happens give yourself a knowing smug smile that you caught it in its tracks.

 

let us know how you get on!

[Japhy Ryder]

Satyagraha:

 

You've received some excellent advice here, and while I'm definitely no expert, I agree with freeform that your situation calls for grounding. Here's a link to an excellent free e-book on kundalini with plenty of advice on grounding: http://biologyofkundalini.com.

 

I hope this helps. Take care.

[Chanwu]

When you mention acid, I have a friend that took acid a few times, he described that he once had a full flashback and that it was terrible because he wasn't prepared. Acid will store in your fatty tissues and can be released and you will get a "flashback".

 

Could this be it? I just thought about it as you mentioned it feeling like a bad acid trip...

[mYTHmAKER]

The problem is that I really don't know what i am doing.

 

You got that right.

Where did you get the idea of meditating in the particuliar manner that you do.

You need a knowledgeable teacher to guide you.

There must be someone in your area.

You need to know why you are meditating and what results

you hope to achieve then you can look for a teacher.

Where are you located.

The other thing I would try - stop focusing on your third eye

and just sit with no focus or focus on your tantien.

[Buddy]

Sage advice. See Gopi Krishna's first book for the horrors of untrained kundalini experience.

[satyagraha]

Thank you for all of the Help! I really appreciate it. I have stopped the particular meditation that i was doing have have begun exercising more, this has helped but i still feel some effects. I live in the Santa Monica, West LA area. If anyone knows of someone that is very knowledgeable..it would be very helpful. thank you once again.

 

When you mention acid, I have a friend that took acid a few times, he described that he once had a full flashback and that it was terrible because he wasn't prepared. Acid will store in your fatty tissues and can be released and you will get a "flashback".

 

Could this be it? I just thought about it as you mentioned it feeling like a bad acid trip...

I think that my experience is similar to this.

[Oolong Rabbit]

Thank you for all of the Help! I really appreciate it. I have stopped the particular meditation that i was doing have have begun exercising more, this has helped but i still feel some effects. I live in the Santa Monica, West LA area. If anyone knows of someone that is very knowledgeable..it would be very helpful. thank you once again.

I think that my experience is similar to this.

 

I am by no means as experienced as most of the others, but I had a bizarre experience last summer where I had this intense tingling in my head for almost 2 weeks. It didn't hurt or anything, but I felt pretty "spaced out". This was from pulling sexual energy up my spine and into the crown. Similar to kundalini. I cut back on that practice, and did a lot of tai chi barefoot on the beach. It subsided, but I often still get that feeling for short periods of time. I would also recommend that you keep the tip of your tongue held to the bridge of your mouth as often as you can think of it. This will help drain some of the excess energy you have unwittingly packed into your crown down to the lower dantien. You could also try a practice like Kulun which seems to redirect the chi/energy.

[Starjumper]

I met someone who was permanently damaged by doing the Chia style MCO. The safest practices are moving chi kung combined with stillness meditation. When you force energy around with your mind you can get in big trouble, particularly if your health is poor (physically or emotionally) and/or you are very sedentary.

[satyagraha]

Who can i consult on my symptoms? all these horror stories are starting to scare me... is there anyone i can call?

[doc benway]

Who can i consult on my symptoms? all these horror stories are starting to scare me... is there anyone i can call?

Here's a suggestion:

As the technique was in the "kundalini" style and you're experience side effects - look up a local kundalini teacher. There are probably some in your area. Someone like that might have good advice. The grounding exercises described are definitely worthwhile and may be all you need.

I believe that late LSD and similar reactions are more related to memories of the toxic/psychotic state induced by LSD and other similar agents. I don't think the actual drug has anywhere near that long of a half life in the system.

One other consideration - I don't think it would be unreasonable to consider consultation with a mental health professional who is tuned in to meditation and that line of work if things get too uncomfortable or frightening. Any compassionate support helps you get over the crisis.

 

Edit -

Kundalini teachers in your area

http://www.harijiwan.com/index.htm

http://www.santamonicayoga.com/frameset.htm

 

Here's a cool link that may or may not be helpful:

http://www.meditationandpsychotherapy.org/faculty.html

http://www.mindfulnessandpsychotherapy.org...yCofounders.asp - this last link looks very interesting

 

I can't vouch for any of these people, just thought I'd do some simple search engine stuff and see if it helps..

Good luck!

Edited February 2, 2008 by xuesheng

[Buddy]

Steve has given you good advice here. Maybe it's a bipolar issue. I did a lot of psychedelics in my youth. I've never had one come back. Maybe it was all the intense kung fu training.

[Tibetan_Ice]

Who can i consult on my symptoms? all these horror stories are starting to scare me... is there anyone i can call?

 

Hi satyagraha,

 

Doing hard drugs leaves big holes in your aura. (so does drinking alcohol.

 

This is what I would do if I were you:

1) Lift your hand in the air and pray to Jesus. Ask that he come and visit you and heal you. He always helps people who seek him. I will pray for you too.

 

2) I would learn and practice this exercise to rebuild your aura:

http://www.mysticalwonders.org/group/download.php?id=53

 

If you don't know what the aura is, do a search on the net. Probably Barbara Ann Brennan is the best source. Go buy her book called "Hands of Light". She has pictures in there of people on LSD on cocaine..

 

3) I would find a Reiki healer, or a "Hands of Light" healer and ask them to repair my aura. It will probably take more than one session..

 

4) Quit meditating until you can repair your aura. Keep good posture, don't slouch. Eat lots of yogurt.

 

Good luck.

 

TI

[qijack]

People tend to skip the most important steps of meditation and other practices and go straight to the high impact energy,chakra,kundalini stuff, thinking that they are special they don't need to do the foundation training or simply because they know jack shit about it

 

These steps are regulation of your mind,body and when those 2 are mastered,regulation of your breath

 

No kind of energy work should be attempted until you have mastered regulation, including MCO and Meditation on your Dan-Tien.If you do attempt these practices with out learning how to regulate you may very well experience all kinds of cool energetic phenomenon, but in most cases, this phenomenon are due to deviations.They cant bring you any benefit no matter how great it may feel

 

So basically seek out a teacher who does it properly.A practice that helps you become grounded into a state of utter calmness and relaxation in your mind and body that is with you at all times,not just while meditating.Then maybe you might have positive results with energy work

 

cheers

Edited February 2, 2008 by truth

[Gerard]

To the author of this thread:

 

Please refrain from Kundalini practice. It's safer circulating chi, hence focus in the lower dantien.

 

We have already excess chi in our heads due to our modern way of living, so send the excess down to earth and focus in the area I just mentioned.

 

You need heaps of grounding work.

 

Btw, Vipassana meditation is far better and safer than Kundalini.

 

You could check this link if you wish:

 

http://www.buddhanet.net/insight.htm

 

 

All the best in your quest.

 

 

NABuddha.

[mat black]

Who can i consult on my symptoms? all these horror stories are starting to scare me... is there anyone i can call?

 

What country are you in?

 

Master Chunyi Lin is in the states and does phone treatments/consultations.

http://www.springforestqigong.com/componen...ntact/Itemid,3/

Give them a call and see if you can speak to master Lin - this will take out the guess work and eliminate speculation.

 

 

Go for walks, breath down to your feet and into the earth. Relax.

 

If you want, you can listen to this:

 

http://www.invibes.net/podpress_trac/web/2...uddhaMantra.mp3

 

it soothes and relaxes nicely.

All the best brother.

[Starjumper]

People tend to skip the most important steps of meditation and other practices and go straight to the high impact energy,chakra,kundalini stuff, thinking that they are special they don't need to do the foundation training or simply because they know jack shit about it

 

These steps are regulation of your mind,body and when those 2 are mastered,regulation of your breath

 

No kind of energy work should be attempted until you have mastered regulation, including MCO and Meditation on your Dan-Tien.If you do attempt these practices with out learning how to regulate you may very well experience all kinds of cool energetic phenomenon, but in most cases, this phenomenon are due to deviations.They cant bring you any benefit no matter how great it may feel

 

Truth speaks truth. It seems many people on this forum enjoy playing with their energy in order to have cool experiences, which is just like masturbation, while neglecting basic principles of safety. These practices will probably not increase your health and in fact will probably take away from it. These energy orgasms that are the product of this energy masturbation also are not the path to spiritual growth.

[minkus]

Dear Satyagraha, there isnt alot to add for me here, i can only say that what you experience is no flashback at all, only a result of exxesive energy in your head.

 

Follow these people's advice and start grounding soon If you really wonna focus on something focus on your belly although i would be carefull with forcing energy in any place.

 

Certainly dont be afraid .. if everything is normal you wont have any permanent braindamage and the short memory loss and spacey feeling will go away soon, your focus will return. No need for fear unless you keep bringing energy to the head wich causes the symptoms you mentioned.

 

I say this as fear and panic will also cause unwanted signs in practice.

 

If there are any other questions come back to your thread here and post so, alot of people are here to help. Even better would be finding a teacher but i know its not always an easy job to find a good one.

 

Regards, M

Edited February 2, 2008 by minkus

[sheng zhen]

Its too bad the topic title refers to negative effects of "meditation". It should be specified that it refers to "kundalini meditation".

 

There are NO negative effects of regular awareness meditation or silent meditation.

 

It is only balancing, healing and strengthening to ANY condition you may suffer from, both physically, psychologically or energetically(aura, chakra, etc). This includes healing from any suffering from drug abuse. The brain is repared. It is not theory, it has been scientifically observed.

 

The only contraindication regular meditation has is to those with severe epillepsy. But those with just little epillepsy will benefit.

 

Meditation does not have negative effects! Just wanted to point out that important point.

 

Stillness meditation is probaly the simplest form of meditation, but it is also the most advanced. I have seen many people start off with stillness meditation, get bored and move on to more complex visualisations and techniques, then slowly come back to just the regular stillness meditation. It is the only kind of meditation that abels you to recieve completely new realizations. All other meditations only work with things you allready have inside you. Stillness meditation is the only meditation that brings you further by helping you transcend your current reality paradigm, so it is also the most spiritual meditation. The ability to be still, silent, and listen is what most masters tell you is the key.

 

 

Doing hard drugs leaves big holes in your aura. (so does drinking alcohol.

Using essences also is good for the aura. Guardian and Soul Support are good for reparing tha aura and helping you feel safe. http://alaskanessences.com/combination_formulas.htm

[Mantra68]

Hey man,

Just talk to Max next week and he can accurately assess your situation and give you some good advice. If you want just ask me and I'll get his attention for you.

 

Hang tight.