Advice on recent shift in meditation

[Selene]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting!  I have been meditating on and off throughout my life, but started a daily meditation habit about 2.5 months ago and recently my meditations have started to change a bit… I usually decide on a method before starting (my favourites being mindfulness with labelling, body sensations or do nothing), take a few breaths to centre myself and then just let the meditation happen.  Lately I have been finding that as I allow the process, my mind will eventually quiet (even with the labelling), all will become still, and it's as if my awareness drifts and time seems to go a lot quicker.  Previously I would remain in this “focused drifting” state for the remaining part of the meditation, but recently it’s as if I have started dreaming at this phase.  Not like my ego mind starts thinking to itself about my daily tasks or memories or plans for the future, but like I am actually slipping into the dream world of my subconscious like I would be if I was sleeping except that I am awake.  It has the exact feeling and texture of a dream so I know it is not just my ego wandering.  This usually lasts only for a few moments as once I become “aware” that I am starting to dream, I snap back into the “focused drifting” state.  Has this happened to anyone?  Is there a way to stay “aware” and watch the dream to see what it shows me?  Or perhaps this just means I am too tired and need to meditate when I am more awake?  Thanks in advance!

[willl]

What position are you in while meditating? What time of the day? For me, this only happens if I'm drowsy, lying down or supporting my back

[Selene]

I am usually sitting up, relaxed with back straight and feet on the floor.  It has happened at various times of the day, like 11am, 7pm, 3pm - even when I have had a good sleep and feel rested when I start to meditate.  I am wondering if I am relaxing too much and need to stay more focused?  Or if this is something that I should go with and allow to happen?  Perhaps there is something in my subconscious that wants to be seen?

[The0Self]

Time going by quicker = smoking gun for spacing out a bit; conscious power decreasing, so less sensory information is perceived per unit of time (which is perceived at pleasantness) and so less perceived time seems to pass in a given period of clock time. Antidote = tighten focus but more importantly, be ready to tighten or loosen focus at any moment and maintain that meta-awareness of constant ever-changing response to the moment. Active meditation. This doesn’t need to be done forever but while you’re experiencing feelings of pleasurable, deep relaxation without intense joy you might want to tighten up and tune in more / push yourself just barely to perceive more sensations. Also open up full body awareness like you’re filling the body with awareness as if it were a giant balloon.

And perhaps tune into the IN breath slightly more than the out breath and visualize it energizing your being. Imagine it with some vigor and passion. Smile. Enjoy.

Edited September 15, 2020 by The0Self

[RedLine]

I experience that daydreaming state too. It is not like I am thinking about something but several stories are running and I am observing it as a witness.

 

It feels bad and looks like low consciusness but it is what it is, I don't choose that thing to happen. I just try to observe it. Eventually it goes away.

 

Sometimes it is even worst and I feel like hundreds of images, sounds and feelings are happening at the same time filling my consciusness. It looks like a collage, some abstract picture or maybe the Guernica picture. I don't have control at all over this images, I watch at them. It feels like exactly the opposite of a samadhi state where the mind is empty.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by RedLine

[The0Self]

8 minutes ago, RedLine said:

I experience that daydreaming state too. It is not like I am thinking about something but several stories are running and I am observing it as a witness.

 

It feels bad and looks like low consciusness but it is what it is, I don't choose that thing to happen. I just try to observe it. Eventually it goes away.

 

Sometimes it is even worst and I feel like hundreds of images, sounds and feelings are happening at the same time filling my consciusness. It looks like a collage or some abstract picture. It feels like exactly the opposite of a samadhi state where the mind is empty.

 

 

Maybe try meditating on the breath (gently and joyfully return every time you notice attention has drifted to something else), or noting once per second without fail for the duration of the sit. Open awareness practices don’t work too well unless you can keep your attention on something in an open and relaxed way for an indefinite period of time without strain (which requires diligent training).

Edited September 15, 2020 by The0Self

[Nahm]

The distinction between reality and dream collapses, and the collapse is then contextualized. But it doesn’t have to be. 

[RedLine]

8 minutes ago, The0Self said:

Maybe try meditating on the breath (gently and joyfully return every time you notice attention has drifted to something else), or noting once per second without fail for the duration of the sit. Open awareness practices don’t work too well unless you can keep your attention on something in an open and relaxed way for an indefinite period of time without strain.

It happens both with breath attention technique and do nothing technique. 

I don't think it is a concentration problem. It is not like a regular thought, I am not attach to it. It feels more like I am observing all this garbage and I am not creating it or responsable for it at all. It is like watching a movie.

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by RedLine

[The0Self]

58 minutes ago, RedLine said:

It happens both with breath attention technique and do nothing technique. 

I don't think it is a concentration problem. It is not like a regular thought, I am not attach to it. It feels more like I am observing all this garbage and I am not creating it or responsable for it at all. It is like watching a movie.

 

 

 

If you feel low-consciousness or dull, tighten up your focus (on the breath, or on watching for intentions so that you can do-nothing, or on self-inquiry / searching for what seems to be aware or where the I AM is coming from). But if you feel energized, OR like the mind is going extra fast, try simply ignoring all these thoughts and images. Just ignore everything except for the thread or intention to do just that (ignore all thought) — this will feel quite similar to the do-nothing technique but it’s harder to get stuck since you’re sticking to the one thread: ignore all thought — it may also feel eerily similar to self inquiry since it is actually a different way of going about the very same process.