I keep Having Cluster Headache while Meditating

[Rahul 2paradox]

My meditation journey started 5-6 years back.  I started meditating on my terrace , back then I was just a beginner , later I been to this 7 day meditation retreat . There we had to sit for around 7-8 hours. First 2 days went normal but as I went more deep in meditation the more I  started having this very intense cluster headache just above my left eye , in frontal bone . It was so painful I couldn't explain ,it was like my skull gonna explode .It started from my left eye and went through my whole head , back  neck  ,also we had to sit there without moving , that meaning I sat there in strong determination . Till the last day the headache  went more and more intense . It was like I'll  blast any second . I continued my practice coming back to home I still had those headache but they got lesser and lesser month by month and disappeared finally  . Some days I still have these headache, I know its common to  have headache but still I sometimes have this cluster headache above my left eye and the pain travels through my whole brain to spine . Except meditation I never experienced cluster headaches . It isn't any kundalini awakening  symptom . I did had cervical spondylosis  which I healed in vipassana retread , healing it was as painful as these headache ,I did sat there  in strong determination for 10 hours  and I could feel my spine nerves unblocking itself  just by me focusing on the pain sensation and concentrating on it . There are some minor blockages left to clear out which I will but this headache I'm not able to find the reason . 

Only when I'm doing vipassana that's where all this deep rooted pain starts rising  , while in other forums of meditation I don't feel  any painful sensation .

Edited June 22, 2023 by Rahul 2paradox

[Sugarcoat]

So I can’t say for sure why, but I can speak from my own experience and what I’m intuiting from reading your post. 
 

In the past I used to do daily sitting meditation and sometimes I would feel incredibly tense in my back/neck, tension headaches, pain in my shoulder. 

i ignored this and kept going because of my attachment to the experienced/believed benefits of the meditation mentally/awareness-wise.

I realized tho that these physical symptoms was simply because I was sitting still so my muscles tensed up. Yes ofc awareness increases when you meditate so you feel your body more clearly - but whatever you’re feeling could still be just ordinary physical explanation behind it and nothing mystical about it

i actually have a slight distaste for sitting meditation for this reason - I have spine problems and let me tell you - sitting doesn’t “sit right” for my body. My body doesn’t like to sit much . Actually it’s almost like a form of suppression - the body has a need for movement and I’m forcing it to sit for so long. 
 

yea for sure sitting meditation can have AMAZING benefits for you, but when it gets to a point where you keep going keep going despite it not feeling right in your body then honestly for me that is a sign of :

1. disconnection from the body

2.  an mental attachment to the results meditation is getting you, so you feel you should keep going regardless.

And for sure “bringing your awareness to your sensations” can dissolve some of that pain - but also what if you listened to your body instead. What is it trying to tell you? Maybe all that sitting isn’t the best after all?

Let’s not forget about our physical bodies in this process. For sure something can do amazing stuff for your mind and well being and even degree of awareness - but the body can’t be ignored forever

Recently I have naturally spontaneously danced a lot, and for me it has been way more meditative than the meditations in my past . During some dance sessions I’ve literally experienced layers of my mind dissolving as I’m dancing, almost like I’m melting it away with my free movements - just intuitively freely moving my body - here we are benefitting both mind and body - not just mind which is what I feel can happen with all this sitting meditation. 

People talk about how meditating increases awareness - and yea for sure. But maybe you get to a point where you become so aware that you start to sense your bodies signals more clearly- and it’s time to listen 

for sure if you are very active otherwise then sitting for long might not be problem (although it can still be unhealthy). But these physical symptoms might be your body trying to tell you something… and maybe it is time to try a different approach…

Edited June 22, 2023 by Sugarcoat

[Rahul 2paradox]

8 hours ago, Sugarcoat said:

 

Recently I have naturally spontaneously danced a lot, and for me it has been way more meditative than the meditations in my past . During some dance sessions I’ve literally experienced layers of my mind dissolving as I’m dancing, almost like I’m melting it away with my free movements - just intuitively freely moving my body - here we are benefitting both mind and body - not just mind which is what I feel can happen with all this sitting meditation. 

 

I understand, i too m into dance .

I have done lot's of meditation, hath yoga and stuff but just dancing for few hours gets me more deeper into myself. No matter how much i meditation, dance works like magic , i too find dancing more meditative then just sitting.

Those days when im dancing regularly i feel more expressive more connected then any amount of meditation. Meditation is ok just dance makes me fully blissful too. 

Physical movement with awareness is important for me too. It's like physical expression open ups the body so that the soul can shows it's true nature.

I remember the times when there was no sense of self while dancing no thoughts , all empty. 

[Basman]

Sounds like you are just cramping up when meditating due to past injuries/weak and tense muscles. Perhaps you have overactive traps or some other muscle group, in particular on the left side. If certain muscle groups responsible for upholding a certain posture are weak then adjacent muscles tend to compensate, which can lead to pain.

If I was you I would incorporate more movement in your week, like walking. Also do some strengthening exercise. If you have spinal issues you should go see a doctor.

I have a structurally weak leg post-surgery which used to get a lot of tighness till I started doing strenghtening exercises, after which most hang-ups like that are gone completely.

[Salvijus]

I think i can relate a bit to your experience except the spine pains. That tension that comes during meditation in your left side i used to have aswell but more bellow the eye somewhere on the temple. The conclusion that i came to is that it's some sort of energtic blockage and lack of alignment or smth, I'm not even sure. But what i found is that as you progress eventually that knot dissolves and the energy moves then into the center of the forehead. Then it longer bothers you but becomes pleasent. 

I think it's a common thing for meditators. You should've asked your teacher about it maybe.

[Sugarcoat]

On 2023-06-23 at 9:36 AM, Rahul 2paradox said:

I understand, i too m into dance .

I have done lot's of meditation, hath yoga and stuff but just dancing for few hours gets me more deeper into myself. No matter how much i meditation, dance works like magic , i too find dancing more meditative then just sitting.

Those days when im dancing regularly i feel more expressive more connected then any amount of meditation. Meditation is ok just dance makes me fully blissful too. 

Physical movement with awareness is important for me too. It's like physical expression open ups the body so that the soul can shows it's true nature.

I remember the times when there was no sense of self while dancing no thoughts , all empty. 

That’s a sign! But he’ll yes it’s amazing. All these years I didn’t give into this desire to dance because I was too busy with other things. But no longer

im glad you shared that.