The dark side of meditation: Frontal cortex disengagement

[leintdav000]

Ok, I've been avidly meditating for three years now... I've noticed an inverse relationship between high states and low states of consciousness; I'm curious if anyone else has noticed similar effects. Prior to any meditation or consciousness work, I've noticed that my frontal cortex was (engaged) in life: every little detail felt so real and it was constantly vetting, interpreting, and synching information... However, as I've meditated, become more aware, I've become more of a passivist rather than an activist. For example, while driving, I now passively observed street signs, people, locations, but not actively download the information: I have become a passive observer rather than a diligent note taker--I hope that analogy made sense. 

When I become super present I experience "no mind" quite frequently. I will have absolutely no thoughts, attachment, or judgment to anything: I am a mere observer of consciousness. Spiritually, this is blissful and beautiful; pragmatically, it's troublesome... 

I used to be extremely witty, fast on my feet, and quick to recall details; now I'm absent minded and don't really care, lol. I'm 20 years old, I'm thinking maybe it's best I take a break from this whole spiritual thing until my later years in life... I need my sharp, active, and engaged brain now and until I'm 50: I think it's selfish to call everything an "illusion" and opt out of life--all though I understand this paradigm. I still want to make money, build a family, and set my kids up for a good life. I'm curious if anyone else has noticed the meditative side effects? 

[Moreira]

Yes its very dangerous, what would happend if a airline pilot detach himself from judgments, intepretations, dangers on a flight... while he is the responsible of 300 lives in his hands.

The changes that meditation do on the brain are not adequate for works where taking things serious is required like CEOS, surgeons, marines...

Risk evaluation, judgements, decisions, need the DUALITY effect.

[leintdav000]

@Moreira I agree. Do you know if the changes are permanent? I imagine the brain is malleable and can be re-tuned into an engaged state? 

[Leo Gura]

@leintdav000 It's a phase. In the end you should be much more functional by being conscious.

Of course shutting off the mind disrupts a lot of egoic survival schemes, goals, motivations, and manipulations.

You're not realizing yet that the goal of spirituality is surrender of all reality and practicality. You cannot be liberated so long as you're worried about being practical.

After awakening you can pick some of that practicality back up, but while you are working towards awakening the point is to surrender more and more of it.

Yes, this interferes with becoming successful. But the point is that success is a never-ending cycle of suffering.

But there's also nothing wrong with working on success if you feel you need to. Remember, plan out your life in chapters and phases. If you're young you might want to spend 5 or 10 years working on success before you go heavy into awakening work.

So get clear about what you want and then pursue that decisively.

Quote

I think it's selfish to call everything an "illusion" and opt out of life

Of course the devil would say that

That line of reasoning is precisely how the ego maintains itself. You must challenge that if you wish to awaken.

The selfish one is you. You are so selfish you cannot even see your own reasoning as devilry.

[leintdav000]

@Leo Gura

 

I think I do realize that to awaken one must fully commit to surrendering to reality and practically... However, I conflict with this because again, I'm not sure I'm totally ready to do this: I still want to build a family, a business, and an arsenal of skills & experience so I can teach my kids how to love, build wealth, etc. Although this is all part of the illusion, I still feel that it's something I must do to my utmost ability before I'm ready to completely surrender and "wake up." 

"there's also nothing wrong with working on success if you feel you need to. Remember, plan out your life in chapters and phases. If you're young you might want to spend 5 or 10 years working on success before you go heavy into awakening work.

So get clear about what you want and then pursue that decisively."

This was extremely well said... I needed to hear this x10! I went through a few radical awakings that really challenged my orientation with reality, but I've been dabbling since because of the previously mentioned dilemma... I haven't been planning my life in seasons and phases at all: that's a brilliant insight. I'm going to sit down and do exactly that today. And you're absolutely right, I needed that clarification: I need to plan a phase to create external success--I've been oscillating between this and awakening after the few awakenings I did have--then plan for another phase later when I'm fully ready to sit down and commit to awakening. 

I must commend you for taking the time to personally reply to your users... It means a lot to us. 

I send much love and good energy your way, from Stillwater, MN. 

 

 

 

[Mu_]

1 hour ago, leintdav000 said:

Ok, I've been avidly meditating for three years now... I've noticed an inverse relationship between high states and low states of consciousness; I'm curious if anyone else has noticed similar effects. Prior to any meditation or consciousness work, I've noticed that my frontal cortex was (engaged) in life: every little detail felt so real and it was constantly vetting, interpreting, and synching information... However, as I've meditated, become more aware, I've become more of a passivist rather than an activist. For example, while driving, I now passively observed street signs, people, locations, but not actively download the information: I have become a passive observer rather than a diligent note taker--I hope that analogy made sense. 

When I become super present I experience "no mind" quite frequently. I will have absolutely no thoughts, attachment, or judgment to anything: I am a mere observer of consciousness. Spiritually, this is blissful and beautiful; pragmatically, it's troublesome... 

I used to be extremely witty, fast on my feet, and quick to recall details; now I'm absent minded and don't really care, lol. I'm 20 years old, I'm thinking maybe it's best I take a break from this whole spiritual thing until my later years in life... I need my sharp, active, and engaged brain now and until I'm 50: I think it's selfish to call everything an "illusion" and opt out of life--all though I understand this paradigm. I still want to make money, build a family, and set my kids up for a good life. I'm curious if anyone else has noticed the meditative side effects? 

Really good observations and concerns. Perhaps this can help. Instead of wanting to drop it all cut it in half and pursue the goals you have.  If you get worried about the goal to much or your thoughts are overwhelming ease into no thought detachment and ask your self simply what are the simple steps that need to be done to complete the goal cutting through the bullshit of the mind worries and thoughts and proceed step by step. 

Look at meditation as training you to be able to drop the minds bullshit so that you can go forward with your goals even better than if you didn’t have this tool or training already (but don’t get caught up in being better then others because you have this training). Also let meditation open up areas of yourself and capacities you didn’t know were there and grow with it. 

Hope that’s helpful.