Profound experience. Transcendence?

Spirituality
#1

I got talked into trying yoga for the first time the other day. I have a very intense personality and it was suggested that it would help me focus my energy better so I finally tried it. I wasn’t expecting what happened at the end though. Laying there after exhausting my body my thoughts we slow, slow enough I realized I could concentrate and focus on them. As I laid there I thought about the signals I was receiving from my body, thoughts about work and school and the future and my ex, and thoughts about how I could focus on my thoughts. What happened next I can only described as profound. Suddenly a gentle gong sounded and gently pulled my consciousness out of this “place” and I realized that I had gone somewhere else. A second gong pulled me a little further and I began to realize I was back in the universe. The third and last one pulled me the rest of the way back and I realized I had a body and was in a building and there was a floor beneath me and air in my lungs and an entire world around me.

After coming back I realized I had gone somewhere where existence did not exist. There was nothing but my consciousness. It wasn’t like an out of body experience, because in that you are still in the universe. Where I was there was no universe, no matter, no light or dark, nothing but my awareness of myself. Thinking about it when I came back took my breath away, and I don’t say that to be corny, when I thought about it I could barely catch my breath. And I felt at peace, and relaxed, and genuinely happy. Nothing like I’ve ever felt before. Later that night, laying in bed trying to sleep, I thought about that place and for and instantaneous moment I went back there and could feel it. Then I was back in bed. As I said, the only way I describe it closely is profound. Does this normally happen? Will it happen next time? Am I the only one with this experience? It is confusing because I’m not even the type of guy that would even do yoga. But it has seemed to change me. What does this mean? I’m still struggling for answers.

My next session is tomorrow and I want to talk to the instructor but I still don’t know how to describe it. It still sounds delusional even to me, and I know it was real. Anybody who can help? And now that I’ve been “there” I want to go back, but I fear now that I’m expecting it and trying to get “there” I won’t be able to. Is that something I have to worry about?

#2

Hindsight,

A beautiful experience! How fortunate for you. Yes, this is Yoga in all is beauty.

When one has such a profound experience such as this, it is easy to get caught up in the mindset, “I want this to happen again.” Don’t expect. Don’t want. Just be. Desires cloud the mind. Definitely talk with your teacher. Your teacher will understand, so there is no need to be embarrassed.

An experience such as you described is rather unique for a newbie. That’s not to say it cannot happen. Perhaps everything in your practice perfectly set the stage for this “awareness” to unfold. We sometimes just need to accept what is in front of us and not question why. But your teacher hopefully, will be able to guide you through it.

#3

[QUOTE=hindsight;61314]Is that something I have to worry about?[/QUOTE]

The asana are but one limb, be careful preconceived notions when exploring yoga since there?s nothing magical or mystical rather a pursuit of self realization, an inward look that peals away layers of illusions in an effort to uncover the core of one?s true nature. If these experiences help provide keener awareness you?ll be able to apply this consciousness to come to your own conclusion no matter how much ones head is filled with conceptual nonsense. I know little to nothing about what I write.

#4

Dear Hindsight,

So where did you go? Where are you now? It’s 20/20, right? :wink:

#5

Hindisight,

“And now that I’ve been “there” I want to go back, but I fear now that I’m expecting it and trying to get “there” I won’t be able to.”

In this statement, you have perhaps unknowingly mentioned the center of the problem. Even “experiences”, no matter how apparently illuminating, should be doubted. Because just about anything which appeals to your imagination can be interpreted as a “spiritual” experience.

But even if one comes into contact with something which is not just one’s imagination, I can understand that when something which was previously outside of your perception suddenly becomes revealed, that there is a certain excitement and fascination about it. But that is the great danger in coming to certain experiences of which you are not prepared. If you receive anything which you are not ready to receive- even if it is something like awakening, then it can only assist you towards an even deeper unconsciousness. One Zen master, master Hakuin, had experienced several awakenings in such a way, that perhaps there are very few who have ever had such a greater number of awakenings in a single lifetime as master Hakuin. And in the beginning it poured such bliss upon him, that once he had returned to his ordinary state - he was simply depressed. There was a certain hunger to taste it again. That is always the case when you have a sudden leap in perception - your consciousness comes to a certain peak which is so liberating, that once you return to your ordinary way of being - things seem to be so dry and stale in comparison. That has often created great depression for many who have come to experience certain things which they were not prepared for. And beyond this - it can be dangerous to your nervous system. Because particularly with things like Kundalini - if you awaken an energy which your system cannot handle, then it is just like pumping a machine with 50 volts when it can only handle 10.

For so many reasons, there are severe dangers involved in coming to any number of experiences when you are not yet ripened and matured enough for it. And more so, your clinging to experience in itself becomes just a means to nourish your ego, to re-enforce your sense of self. Neither should any state be misinterpreted as a state of “enlightenment”, even “enlightenment” is another concept that is to be emptied out. Even if you come to a certain experience which never returns again, so what ? You still have to eat food through your mouth, hear through your ears, walk on your feet, and die one day. Outside of this present moment, there can be no liberation. And if you are seeking anything outside of what it is which is manifesting right before your own eyes, then one can continue chasing one’s own tail for millenia.

#6

[QUOTE=hindsight;61314]I got talked into trying yoga for the first time the other day.
[/quote]
We’re all born doing yoga, we just never knew what to call it.

I have a very intense personality and it was suggested that it would help me focus my energy better so I finally tried it.

Focus is required, focus is cultivated, focus becomes.

I wasn’t expecting what happened at the end though. Laying there after exhausting my body my thoughts we slow, slow enough I realized I could concentrate and focus on them.

I take it you’re talking about savasana? The corpse pose? Amazing how clear the mind can be when the body is wrung out like a dirty bath cloth

As I laid there I thought about the signals I was receiving from my body, thoughts about work and school and the future and my ex, and thoughts about how I could focus on my thoughts. What happened next I can only described as profound. Suddenly a gentle gong sounded and gently pulled my consciousness out of this “place” and I realized that I had gone somewhere else. A second gong pulled me a little further and I began to realize I was back in the universe. The third and last one pulled me the rest of the way back and I realized I had a body and was in a building and there was a floor beneath me and air in my lungs and an entire world around me.

Glad you were able to experience this. You seem very receptive. I bet you would benefit greatly from metta bahavana.

After coming back I realized I had gone somewhere where existence did not exist. There was nothing but my consciousness. It wasn’t like an out of body experience, because in that you are still in the universe. Where I was there was no universe, no matter, no light or dark, nothing but my awareness of myself. Thinking about it when I came back took my breath away, and I don’t say that to be corny, when I thought about it I could barely catch my breath. And I felt at peace, and relaxed, and genuinely happy. Nothing like I’ve ever felt before. Later that night, laying in bed trying to sleep, I thought about that place and for and instantaneous moment I went back there and could feel it. Then I was back in bed. As I said, the only way I describe it closely is profound.

nice explanation.

Does this normally happen? Will it happen next time? Am I the only one with this experience?

Who knows. There’s no reason to put your experiences in little boxes. One day you may find bliss in savasana, one day you may not. Everyone does yoga for different reasons. Your practice will always depend on your context. The context of my practice is to be the best father I can be for my children. It varies.

It is confusing because I’m not even the type of guy that would even do yoga. But it has seemed to change me. What does this mean? I’m still struggling for answers.

The rational side of me says that this is one of those moments that we fall deeply in love with something new. You may never feel this way again, or you may feel this way everytime you step on your mat. But, I must say, one who does not place ideals upon his or her practice, will never worry about being disapointed.

My next session is tomorrow and I want to talk to the instructor but I still don’t know how to describe it. It still sounds delusional even to me, and I know it was real. Anybody who can help? And now that I’ve been “there” I want to go back, but I fear now that I’m expecting it and trying to get “there” I won’t be able to. Is that something I have to worry about?

Not ALL THINGS must be converted to words. Sometimes putting feelings and epiphanies and experiences into words before your peers is like spreading your pearls before swine. Simply take this experience and move it into your heart where it will serve you. Preaching here., you don’t need someone to make sense of your experience. It happened, it moved you, whether it has a basis or not, it’s irrelevant. Keep practicing, you will notice more anomolies the world has to offer for the open minded and open hearted.