Unable to Progress in meditation. Feel like dying.

[machiavelli]

I am now unable to progress. It feels like their is some veil that need to be surpassed. There is complete cessation of breath. 

Recently during my meditation I feel pressure in my head. Like my face is crushed by some unknown force. There is surge of vibration on my face. Not in the sense of something uncomfortable.  

I want to surrender everything. But my breathing completely stops. 

How can I have OBE?

[Consilience]

Why do you want an OBE?

What technique are you using? How long have your sessions been lately?

[Thought Art]

Guided meditations like headspace could help?

It's important to become aware of our motivations and why we are doing what we are doing..

The chasing of mystical experiences should be far second to the training and development of a clear mind and good character. But, that only happens through practice, mistakes, training, deliberate practice, failure etc...

Maybe you are meditating too 'hard' thinking it is supposed to be a big thing. 

Now, there are lesser and more advanced meditation techniques. I have had OBE's while doing Qigong and Krya yoga.. But, really, be honest with yourself why you are doing what you are doing.

[OneHandClap]

A few things.

Cessation of breath typically precedes the jhanic states in Buddhism. Look up jhanas for more info. The most crucial aspect of them is abandoning desire to reach any specific state. You must surrender your aspiration to surrender

Second, pressure in the head typically means you are consciously holding your breath, not letting it stop on its own. You are creating pressure there by withholding the respiratory process. 

Third, you do not need an OBE to realize your true nature. Stillness is enough. 

[machiavelli]

8 hours ago, Consilience said:

Why do you want an OBE?

What technique are you using? How long have your sessions been lately?

Not any specific technique just normal meditation.

Want to have profound mystical non dual experience. 

 

 

[machiavelli]

8 hours ago, Thought Art said:

Maybe you are meditating too 'hard' thinking it is supposed to be a big thing. 

Now, there are lesser and more advanced meditation techniques. I have had OBE's while doing Qigong and Krya yoga.. But, really, be honest with yourself why you are doing what you are doing.

What you mean by meditating too hard? Is there some criteria of what not to do or how much to do in spiritual practice like meditation?

How can I learn kriya yoga?

[machiavelli]

8 hours ago, OneHandClap said:

A few things.

Cessation of breath typically precedes the jhanic states in Buddhism. Look up jhanas for more info. The most crucial aspect of them is abandoning desire to reach any specific state. You must surrender your aspiration to surrender

Second, pressure in the head typically means you are consciously holding your breath, not letting it stop on its own. You are creating pressure there by withholding the respiratory process. 

Third, you do not need an OBE to realize your true nature. Stillness is enough. 

I am not consciously holding my breath. When I enter into deep states my heart rate slows down and my breathing ceases. 

I feel vibrations on my face in those states. And feel like some outside force on my cheeks and head. Its strange. 

I want to surrender but I hardly breathes in those states. I have to consciously breath as I feel anxiety due to it. Which is not letting me to go more deeper .

[Vignan]

1 hour ago, machiavelli said:

Want to have profound mystical non dual experience. 

Psychedelics!

[Nahm]

@machiavelli

Take attention off the thought story about you / what you want / what’s happening “to you”, or ‘you’ as ‘the meditator’… and return attention to feeling breathing from the stomach. Allow the body mind to relax more & more deeply. Repeat each time it is noticed attention is again on thoughts. Don’t add a secondary story about you, like ‘I suck at meditation’, ‘x, y or z is happening to me’, etc. Keep. It. Simple. Just gently, effortlessly, return attention to feeling breathing in the stomach. Even thoughts that arise about “I’m” breathing or “I’m” not breathing etc… just return attention to breathing of the stomach. 

If meditation is too uncomfortable, don’t try to force anything, and don’t make any assumptions anything is ‘wrong’, or that you’re ‘doing it wrong’. Just take a few minutes to write on paper about how you feel. Allow whatever arises to arise, and be expressed. 

I agree with @Vignan. If a certain experience is what’s desired, don’t expect it to come from meditation. Experience has nothing to do with meditation… just put it on the calendar, and go have that experience. Enjoy.