Visions when doing Yoga

Spirituality
#1

I am very new to Yoga. I have taken about 6 Hot Yoga classes; before this I did a beginners DVD a few times.

I have always had a very vivid mind and primarily think in images and pictures in my everyday life. In my earlier youth I’ve eaten cannabis (do NOT recommend it)and seen bright vivid moving colors. I also have eaten mushrooms and had a similar experience with the elements. I plan on doing neither of those in the future.

I started doing Hot Yoga in the past month during a time in my life when I had hit rock bottom emotionally, spiritually and physically. I was absolutely broken and disgusted with myself.

During the first class I struggled next to the heater and really reached the end of myself . Started praying and breathing and all of a sudden was pulled upward into a vision. I was still conscious of my body but it was a very personal and moving experience dealing with emotions and feelings and working through the pain I’ve been holding for so long.

For the past few classes this has happened most of the time. Some times during certain poses and some times at the end.

The very first time I did Yoga along with the dvd; I was pulled upwards. It was like I was levitating over Mountains below and the sun was either rising or setting and the sky was all red. It was a calm peaceful place that I did not want to leave.

My life has started to move forward positively with my spirituality and before this I’ve struggled with the beginnings of an alcohol addition and so far with Yoga I’ve seemed to lose this craving.

My question is how should I move forward? I don’t want to be fearful and I don’t want to move backwards. Does Yoga help you move through your issues? How can I continue to help this along…is there anything I should read, poses I should do to work through this? Is it best to try and clear my mind when doing Yoga?

#2

This from yoga asana, one becomes curious as to how incorporating pranayama, meditation and other skillful techniques of the yogic sciences would have on oneself.

#3

There are many very experienced people which may offer more specific advice, but I just have some general comments.

In yoga practice your attention should be here and now (so when you are doing asanas, you are in your body). In practice it means that whenever you realize that you started to think about something (or have emotional release, or even have visions, I don’t see reason why visions shouldn’t be excluded) you should gently bring back attention to your body and its sensations. I’m not sure, but I even think that you shouldn’t “clear your mind” before the practice because it would bring new tension into the practice. Instead, always gently bring your attention to the body, whatever is happening.

Its great its working for you and you lost interest in alcohol. Just remember to keep close look and care regarding your everyday life and relations with close people so that this practice won’t become a new way of escape from problems.

#4

Hi Shin,

I did also experience some bliss and visions in my beginnings, milder than yours, like ancient glyphs or scriptures or a lotus whose petals where like red fire flames… They eventually disappeared together with my cannabis liking and depressions.
I’m not saying your visions will disappear, as our path is unique I think. But you can easily get rid of alcohol through an earnest practice.

I align with Ray, you could add gentle pranayama and some meditation to your practice.

Enjoy.

#5

Hey there, I do recommend practicing yoga & meditation solo, not in a group or club or something. True spirituality lies within is.
Bless

#6

Stop thinking about it. Stop trying to rationalize it. Stop trying to seek validation of your experience. Stop trying to figure out how to control it. This is all the mind and ego trying to creep back into your experience. If what you’ve been doing feels right, continue on that path. FEEL your way.

P.S. And you can’t TRY to clear your mind. That’s just the mind being sneaky. “Ok, I am going to clear my mind now. Think of nothing, think of nothing, let the thoughts go, let the thoughts go. What am I making for dinner? Oh, I’m thinking, ok, let the thought go without attachment. Om Om Om. My mind is clear.” It’s all the mind. Trying to clear the mind is like trying to calm the ripples on a lake with your hand. Our practice of yoga stops the wind and our throwing of huge rocks into the lake.

#7

"My question is how should I move forward? "

Practice.

“Does Yoga help you move through your issues?”

Practice.

“How can I continue to help this along”

Practice.

“Is it best to try and clear my mind when doing Yoga?”

It is like striking the lake with a sword of great determination in the hopes that it will somehow come to a stillness.

#8

Thank you all for your thoughts and words of wisdom. Your advice specifically resonated AmirMourad. Practice. Simple, true yet profound.

Panoramix; thank you for your insight. My visions have started to disappear as well and I’ve become more mindful and present in my practice. My bf struggles with a copious cannabis habit and depression (especially SAD)…I hope to introduce him to hot yoga. The benefits of yoga have been following more into my daily life and I’m extremely greatful for this. I’ve lost the desire to harm my body which was a huge issue I had been dealing with. Harming it with too much drink, unhealthy food, and disassociating with it.

David your words were appreciated as well. Ego and Validation are things that I’ve lived for in the past. I find it very easy to clear my mind or maybe I should say I find it easy to “dissasociate.” In the past I’ve numbed myself with drink, food and sleep and I sometimes feel moments of struggle now because I feel as if I can tune out into a meditative state which is similar: an escape. I feel as if sometimes when I’m in this state that I’m in a place of no desire and for me I associate this with no ambition which is where my other struggles left me.

Strengthening my mind by being present during my practice and working on my mind body connection I think will be a focus.