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| Hello I'm new, and I wanted to ask something...
I've been independently meditating since around the age of 15 and it has always helped me stay in good mood, and especially breathe properly. I always like to meditate, even without doing real yoga, but just getting into that breathing-mechanism that's so soothing and immense.
I've also read a few books on meditation but none of them ever mentioned something that I have been experiencing all the time. I always thought it might be normal but since none of the books ever mentioned it I better ask here.
In moments of deep contemplation and sometimes even when I hear a wonderful music or something that makes me contemplate the "intensity of the universe", I always get this sudden bliss-like rush in my head and along my spine.
As time passed, I've been able to control it, for example by focusing on enjoying specific parts of a song, or in general by thinking about anything that feels sublime, magnificent, "eternal".
Actually, I can currently recall it at will... even now.
I used to call it "bliss", since it's so beautiful and spreads throughout the entire body. I also used to call it "brain orgasm".
Could it be what's more generally called goose-bumps, or adrenaline?
Or is it something else?
(but I read that it's not possible to get goosebumps on the brain)
Do you feel the same when you meditate or contemplate something beautiful?
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| doesn't everyone? |
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| So... it's absolutely normal?
No brain disease or anything?
Cause - although I really like it - I've never read about it in any meditation book.
What is it actually (medically/biologically speaking, I mean)? |
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| Indefinite - 2007-06-26 5:51 PM
So... it's absolutely normal?
No brain disease or anything?
Cause - although I really like it - I've never read about it in any meditation book.
What is it actually (medically/biologically speaking, I mean)?
I don't know, maybe it's just nervous system tingle or something |
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| The goal of meditation is to work on mind. If you are feeling bliss in stable way, do not worry about brain disease, etc. And, do not analyse in a physical way. I am assuming that you are in a bliss in a stable way like this during your practices for quite a long time now.
Indefinite - 2007-06-26 3:03 PM
Hello I'm new, and I wanted to ask something...
I've been independently meditating since around the age of 15 and it has always helped me stay in good mood, and especially breathe properly. I always like to meditate, even without doing real yoga, but just getting into that breathing-mechanism that's so soothing and immense.
I've also read a few books on meditation but none of them ever mentioned something that I have been experiencing all the time. I always thought it might be normal but since none of the books ever mentioned it I better ask here.
In moments of deep contemplation and sometimes even when I hear a wonderful music or something that makes me contemplate the "intensity of the universe", I always get this sudden bliss-like rush in my head and along my spine.
As time passed, I've been able to control it, for example by focusing on enjoying specific parts of a song, or in general by thinking about anything that feels sublime, magnificent, "eternal".
Actually, I can currently recall it at will... even now.
I used to call it "bliss", since it's so beautiful and spreads throughout the entire body. I also used to call it "brain orgasm".
Could it be what's more generally called goose-bumps, or adrenaline?
Or is it something else?
(but I read that it's not possible to get goosebumps on the brain)
Do you feel the same when you meditate or contemplate something beautiful?
Thanks |
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Veteran
Posts: 101
| SCThornley - 2007-06-25 2:15 AM
Indefinite - 2007-06-26 5:51 PM
So... it's absolutely normal?
No brain disease or anything?
Cause - although I really like it - I've never read about it in any meditation book.
What is it actually (medically/biologically speaking, I mean)?
I don't know, maybe it's just nervous system tingle or something
Yes, or it might be the explosion of tiny bubbles of happiness in your blood.
Why waste your time in finding an explanation for it? This is not important. Enjoy! 
Tw
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| Thanks for your replies.
Not important? Why?
Why are you saying it as if I won't enjoy if I find it out?
I want to explore myself and know better what's happening deep inside me 
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Veteran
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| Indefinite - 2007-06-25 1:36 PM
Thanks for your replies.
Not important? Why?
Why are you saying it as if I won't enjoy if I find it out?
I want to explore myself and know better what's happening deep inside me
No, I'm saying that you know all there is to know about it while enjoying it.
What I mean is that this experience which you call bliss/ecstasy surpasses any rational explanation for it. Explanations will, at best, be interpretations within a given frame of reference (you ask for a biological/medical explanation; a guru will probably provide a few other perspectives). And most of these explanations will require even further explanation. They are useful in the process of communication and they certainly are entertaining but personally, I wouldn't attach much more value to them. I find this knowledge thing highly overrated.
What really counts is the way you percieve and experience this bliss/ecstasy, and the effect it has on your life.
But hey, this is just my opinion. Feel free to disagree!
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| I've been getting this sort of sensation my entire life, first starting when I'd heard music (really hear it, not just inside my head) of a certain sort; the harmonies would give me chills, occasionally even move me to tear up. And now, since learning meditation, I get those "bubbles" that travel up my spine (sushumna, actually) to erupt in my head. I consider all this the Desired Result. I don't question it, I just know it's right and how things should be. Feel free to give what you experience the same title, if it helps you to label things. But yes, questioning and needing verification of sorts is typical, I think, of someone new to these sorts of experiences. I still have periods when I doubt what I intuitively know, or have always known, however you want to call it. It's not that questioning it will make it go away, or change it, but rather just that it's unnecessary. Really. It's like knowing who your true self is. Actually, that's not true: it IS exactly what knowing who your true self is, not just LIKE it. I think we get glimmers of that recognition every so often, and since that recognition experience is so unlike what we consider to be "real life", it scares us, especially once we start to analyze it. That's why analyzing it is not the proper approach. Hope that made some sense!
Edited by OrangeMat 2007-06-27 3:28 PM
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| Since you are still questioning what it is you are feeling, whether you call it bliss or whatever, it is still transient.
From the perspective of non-duality, there is no bliss or ignorance, important or unimportant, enlightened or unenlightened.
Otherwise, paradoxically, we are only using the dualism of ignorance to overcome ignorance.
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| Don't worry, I don't disagree nor agree until all arguments have been exposed. 
I'm not a rationalist and I don't value biological/medical knowledge over other perspectives.
All I want to ask is how they call it, in the same way we all know that they describe the symptoms of "fear" and "excitement" as a rush of adrenaline through our veins [oversimplified].
What harm can there be to listen to other people's frameworks, explanations and models of communication? Don't they actually enhance our capacity to interact with and understand people who are different from us?
Even if what you said is what really counts, aren't there more interesting things in life that go beyond "what counts", is important or is useful?
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| Kaos - 2007-06-26 9:44 PM
Since you are still questioning what it is you are feeling, whether you call it bliss or whatever, it is still transient.
From the perspective of non-duality, there is no bliss or ignorance, important or unimportant, enlightened or unenlightened.
Otherwise, paradoxically, we are only using the dualism of ignorance to overcome ignorance.
I agree with your statement from the perspective of non-duality, but while duality remains the nature of this physical reality, the rest of us, earthlings, are bound to express ourselves in these terms while occupying it.
I think that, in essence, we are trying to express the same.
Edited by tweeva 2007-06-27 4:44 PM
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| Indefinite - 2007-06-26 10:03 PM
Don't worry, I don't disagree nor agree until all arguments have been exposed.
I'm not a rationalist and I don't value biological/medical knowledge over other perspectives.
All I want to ask is how they call it, in the same way we all know that they describe the symptoms of "fear" and "excitement" as a rush of adrenaline through our veins [oversimplified].
What harm can there be to listen to other people's frameworks, explanations and models of communication? Don't they actually enhance our capacity to interact with and understand people who are different from us?
No harm to listen, and indeed very useful for communication/interaction, but at the same time "not important "(or "unnecessary" as OrangeMat put it) for describing or understanding your personal experience.
Even if what you said is what really counts, aren't there more interesting things in life that go beyond "what counts", is important or is useful?
Discrimination is part of duality. That which seems unimportant, not useful, does not seem to count, might very well prove to be the opposite. Opinions are just that: opinions. One chooses the things one likes or finds "interesting". Concerning your experience, it stands for itself and requires no explanation beyond your own IMHO. Should you find a medical/biological explanation, please share it. I'm sure there are quite a few out there.
Tw
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| Indefinite - 2007-06-27 7:36 AM
Thanks for your replies.
Not important? Why?
===> It not that it is NOT important to know what is happening. But, it is NOT important to only find what is happening over what you are already getting.
Why are you saying it as if I won't enjoy if I find it out?
===> No, no, no. You shall enjoy it even after finding. As the enjoyment from enjoyable thing shall always occur.
I want to explore myself and know better what's happening deep inside me
===> That is wonderful. But, the method for that in meditation is to continue the practice, and it shall dawn unto you.
===> And, do not worry about duality/non-duality/etc. All discussions can continue only in duality. In non duality there is NO discussion, all is silence.
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| It is normal feeling when Sushumna is partially purified and orgasmic-like feelings travel from Mooladhara to the brain. Usually, there are a lot of exercises to generate this feeling in the bottom of the spinal cord and then to rise it. Some people spent years and years to get that. Indeed, it is great to feel “orgasm” in the brain. This feeling gives physical and spiritual ecstasy. Do not worry but be careful because strong and long-lasting excitation of the spinal nerves may create problems in internal organs. |
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Veteran
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| Kaos - 2007-06-26 9:44 PM
Otherwise, paradoxically, we are only using the dualism of ignorance to overcome ignorance.
Paradoxically, this is exactly what we can do: overcome ignorance through the dualism of ignorance. "In" our ignorance a "spark" of "something beyond" can be percieved, of which ignorance again is an "integral part". This aspect of duality is beautifully illustrated by the dots in the yin/yang symbol.
Tw |
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| kulkarnn - 2007-06-26 4:56 AM
Indefinite - 2007-06-27 7:36 AM
Not important? Why?
===> It not that it is NOT important to know what is happening. But, it is NOT important to only find what is happening over what you are already getting.
I might have overstated this a tiny bit (lately, I tend to do that a lot). A better statement might have been: This is relatively unimportant.
kulkarnn - 2007-06-26 4:56 AM
Indefinite - 2007-06-27 7:36 AM
Why are you saying it as if I won't enjoy if I find it out?
===> No, no, no. You shall enjoy it even after finding. As the enjoyment from enjoyable thing shall always occur.
It might have "sounded" that way, but it certainly was not what I meant. This platform for communication seems to exhibit severe limitations.
kulkarnn - 2007-06-26 4:56 AM
Indefinite - 2007-06-27 7:36 AM
I want to explore myself and know better what's happening deep inside me
===> That is wonderful. But, the method for that in meditation is to continue the practice, and it shall dawn unto you.
===> And, do not worry about duality/non-duality/etc. All discussions can continue only in duality. In non duality there is NO discussion, all is silence.
I think this summarizes it quite nicely (you might notice the wisdom of an experienced teacher in Neel's statements). Thanks Neel!
Tw |
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| In Buddhism, the attainment of a state of bliss, falls under the lower three of the four concentrations (dhyana). Even joy and bliss are to be progressively sublty eliminated as they interfere with meditative mental stability (samatha).
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| All the knowledge in Buddhism is borrowed from Yoga and is restated in a different organization, with any but small change. I am prepared to debate this point with the great Gautam Buddha himself, who performed the meditation under the Bodhisattva Tree after getting informative knowledge from the Indian Yogis and later realized the essence of their teachings in his meditation. As his basis of starting the meditation was 'Removal of Human Suffering (Equivalent of Bliss, paradoxially)' he stated his realization in a particular way, later known as Buddhism, which is a subset of Vedic knowledge. Since the Vedic Rituals were condemned by the Buddhists that time, it was misunderstood that Buddhism is against Vedas. Actually, they are subset of Vedas in terms of Philosophy.
In yoga the states of meditation are vitarka vichaara aananda (bliss) and asmitaa and then beyond that the asamprajnaaata.
When one is in a state of practice aananda state is exceptionally important and should also be the goal of the student. Only when one has gone beyond, then this state carries its proper weightage. And, when one is in asamprajnaata, there is nothing to discuss or state. viraamapratyapurvaH... Patanjali.
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| I have to add a few more things:
Bliss does not mean excitement, similar to that in Disco Dance. Bliss means bliss.
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| From a Buddhist perspective, gross bliss is progressively subtly overcome or eliminated to realize a more intensely blissful, more withdrawn and thus more subtle great blissful consciousness realizing emptiness.
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| vitarka (gross) vichaara (subtler) aananda (blissful) asmita (pure ego) ruppanugamat (Progressively subtler forms) samprajnaataH (samprajnaata samaadhi) ... Patanjali
viraamapratyaabhyasa (experience of stoopage of all forms) purvaH (after that) sanskaarashesh (devoid of any trace = Emptiness) onyaH (the other one, that is asamprajnaata samaadhi) ... Patanjali
The above two sutras of Patanjali have origine in Upanishads more than 1000 years before Patanjali.
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| I was thinking about this again.
While I was injured ( http://yoga.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=25264&posts=20 ) I totally abstained from doing this since my entire neck and its muscles were in pain.
Then, while exploring a bit, I came across this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini_Syndrome
I'm not sure whether they're the same "symptoms", but it made me worry a bit.
I would like to add and remind that I started getting this bliss in my head before knowing that it was anyhow related to oriental meditation and yoga. I got it as the result of contemplating anything, from Divine music to anything that causes "commotion".
I can generally control it, depending on what thoughts are in my mind (like "the greatness of the universe, our life cycle, etc.", whenever I came to a conclusion about something great, not only at spiritual level, but also artistic and historic, i.e. when I contemplate "the wonders of the human economic history" etc.)
Could you please help further? |
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| Bob - 2007-06-27 11:34 PM
It is normal feeling when Sushumna is partially purified and orgasmic-like feelings travel from Mooladhara to the brain. Usually, there are a lot of exercises to generate this feeling in the bottom of the spinal cord and then to rise it. Some people spent years and years to get that. Indeed, it is great to feel “orgasm” in the brain. This feeling gives physical and spiritual ecstasy. Do not worry but be careful because strong and long-lasting excitation of the spinal nerves may create problems in internal organs.
What kind of problems?  |
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bliss/ecstasy in head?
