Can You Meditate Too Much Too Fast As A Beginner?

[Leon Bell]

Something kind of unusual happened to me recently while meditating. I was outside, surrounded by nature, animals, nice summer breeze. And it was the first time I was meditating for 20 minutes. Then when I was finished I had difficulty coming back. I was just starring at bugs on the ground, thinking how I am no different from them. I just felt part of everything or like a cog in a big machine. But it was also disconcerting in a way, because I felt like I was losing my own personality. Anybody have similar experiences?

[Grasshopper]

Can you explain how are you no different from the bugs? What were you thinking in that moment about it?

[Pallero]

@Leon Bell To me, it sounds like you found a peaceful place. 

The feeling that you are losing your personality is actually a feeling of peace where you take a break from your thoughts. It's similar to being asleep, except that you're awake. As you meditate over and over again, you will see that you are not losing your personality. I don't think that it's even possible. Even enlightened people have very unique personalities, sense of humor et cetera.

If you find yourself looking at the bugs next time after you meditate, just look at the bugs for as long as you want!

If you feel scared to meditate because of your experience, I suggest getting some more information on meditation. Learning about it can make you feel better. Writing here is a good start.

[Fishy]

Sounds like great experience, why would you wanna go back?

[Leon Bell]

On 7/3/2016 at 2:12 AM, Grasshopper said:

Can you explain how are you no different from the bugs? What were you thinking in that moment about it?

I was looking at an ant. And it was going about its life. And what I felt was that the only difference between us is scale.

[Leon Bell]

On 7/6/2016 at 1:05 AM, Pallero said:

@Leon Bell To me, it sounds like you found a peaceful place. 

The feeling that you are losing your personality is actually a feeling of peace where you take a break from your thoughts. It's similar to being asleep, except that you're awake. As you meditate over and over again, you will see that you are not losing your personality. I don't think that it's even possible. Even enlightened people have very unique personalities, sense of humor et cetera.

If you find yourself looking at the bugs next time after you meditate, just look at the bugs for as long as you want!

If you feel scared to meditate because of your experience, I suggest getting some more information on meditation. Learning about it can make you feel better. Writing here is a good start.

I have been experimenting with more types of mediation. Like the Do Nothing technique and Mindful mediation. So breaking it up into different patterns made me more comfortable with the process.

When I said I was losing my personality. I think what I meant is that my inner voice was gone for a while. Even when I was walking around doing things. I've grown accustomed to it and associated my personality with that inner monologue. But life of course doesn't give you breaks and my inner voice is chattering away. Next time I will appreciate the break and look at the bugs as long as I can haha.

[MarkusR]

That's exactly what was supposed to happen, it sounds amazing to me! The one thing you never want to do is stop in the face of fear. It is actually an obstacle you always ALWAYS have to face, no matter how experienced you are, you have to kill that fear, so face it, keep going and don't stop because of it :). 

And when you get deeper into this and have to begin to experience more intense emotions of fear just remember.

"To fall through the valley of darkness just to find yourself land on a bed of feathers laying beneath it"

I don't remember the exact quote but I try to remember that whenever I get super intense moments during meditation or elsewhere like lucid dreaming, astral projection etc.