The other day I had my best meditation session yet. Before beginning I decided not to tightly focus on breathing, but to to open my attention up. If distractions came I would notice them and let them pass.
With about a minute left I decided to emanate waves of loving kindness over my loved ones, friends, and even enemies. At first I saw pale colored waves of liquid energy emanating from my body. The visual effect didn’t feel intentional or manufactured by me, it just popped in there. Then faces from of people who have wronged me and who I have wronged materialized and the waves of love and kindness washed over and through them.
While all this was happening a strong buzzing feeling covered my body. I think this is what experienced meditators call “bliss”. The stronger I put feelings of love out there, the stronger the physical sensations became. Hours later I was totally stress free yet busy and productive.
You can read more about this phenomenon in Henepola Gunaratana’s book on Vipassana meditation:
In that busy airport, absorbed in feelings of metta, I was paying no attention to the hustle and bustle around me, but soon I had the sensation that someone was sitting quite close to me on the bench. I didn’t open my eyes but merely kept on with my meditation, radiating loving friendliness. Then I felt two tiny, tender hands reaching around my neck…
Read the rest at Google Books.
5 Comments ↓
Wow, that didn’t take long at all. I think I’m going to give it a try. That one day we meditated together helped me so much.
Have you yet attended a Vipassana meditation course? I am doing my first in May, and am looking forward to it. Also, you could check out more information and get some great meditation guidance at http://www.project-meditation.org/?referrerid=2611. The site is cool, the forums helpful, and the downloads great.
Good luck, and keep it going.
TG
Tom, I haven’t gone to a course yet, though there seem to be plenty of options in Los Angeles. How did you find your course?
Micah, give it a go. All you need is a pillow to sit on. I’ve found that I now have a sense of when my 10 minutes is up and I open my eyes right before the bell rings. One of the most useful insights in meditation happens within the first 30 seconds of your first session: you realize how noisy our untrained minds are.
I went here:
http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/na/
Thanks!