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nayrnodp
Ireland
2 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 09:43:21 AM
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Hi everyone
Yoga and meditation are very new to me. I am in my mid 40's and I only came across the AYP website about 6 weeks ago and immediately started practicing the yoga techniques as outlined on the AYP website. I would sit with my legs crossed in front of me and clear my mind and repeat the words I AM over and over in my mind. I did this 20 minutes morning and evening. I just breathed normally throughout.
After about 3 or 4 weeks I was in bed and could hear repeated sounds in my head. I thought it was a machine or vehicle on the road but as soon as I raised my head the sound would disappear and when I lay back down the sound would appear again. I then knew the sound was not external. That happened just one night for few hours and has not returned since.
However, I've had a constant pressure in my head ever since for the past 3 or 4 weeks. It's at the back of my head and sometimes across the top. I went to my Doctor initially and had brain scans and bloods taken but everything was normal.
When I'm out and about I don't notice it so much but as soon as I'm back home I feel it. i've started going for walks in the last couple weeks and I feel good when I'm out but once I'm back home I'm aware of the pressure again. I had a back and neck massage yesterday and that didn't really help. I went for a swim this morning and the pressure has been constant since. It's sometimes stronger than other times. I also am light-headed on and off also. Sometimes I can almost feel the back of my head pulsating. I don't have any pain with it, just pressure.
I have stopped practicing yoga completely for the past 2 to 3 weeks. I do tend to worry about things and this has totally freaked me out.
I regret ever starting this yoga and never knew this could happen.
I certainly don't feel like carrying on with yoga. Not for now anyway. I may return to it in the future if this pressure in my head subsides.
Are these symptoms normal? Can anyone give me advice on what I can do to relieve these symptoms.
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 10:35:23 AM
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hi to be honset when starting deep meditation i had pressure in my head and now at times, not really too bothersome but a distinct change all the same many things change when really engaging with a yoga practice too many and too deep to even start to exsplain, maybe these symtoms are not even related ,there is a definite forward motion in a yoga practice barriers arise then fall away and then arise again ,personally i have head many exsperiences trying to open my concious up so a liitle lightheadedness or other distraction does not hold me back from yoga as for me its gentle ,self pacing is key especially when a new set of rules are being placed on our conditioned minds be gentle and slow i am sure many on here can enlighten you more than me . |
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greymatter
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 11:09:54 AM
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Hey nayrnodp
Tension in the head area is normal. It usually happens when your downward energy channel is blocked, so all the energy is pooling in your head. Have you practiced spinal breathing pranayama? SBP can help release the tension in your head and move it down into the rest of your body. |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 12:40:06 PM
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Hello nayrnodp
I agree with grey matter, tracing the spinal nerve with SBP should help. That said, as I've progressed in yoga this cranial pressure is a common occurrence for a year now and nothing to be concerned about. I refer to it as wearing my "yoga hat", as the pressure never feels stronger than hat wearing , at least for me. It occurs in quiet times, especially when I'm in deep thought or after yoga practice. As you've noticed, it comes and goes, depending on your attention to it. I speculate it is related to the pineal gland activating from yoga practices. Don't forget, you are undergoing a process of nervous system rewiring; this pressure is merely a by product. If you are experiencing headaches, that's a different animal, and self pacing should be in order.
If you are fearful of neurological rewiring, perhaps yoga isn't for you. That's between you and Guru. I think you may be throwing in the towel too soon, good things are just getting started! |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 12:50:18 PM
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Hello nayrnodp
Is it possible you were clinging too hard to the mantra when you were meditating? When you say "clear my mind and repeat the words I AM over and over" do you mean you were making an effort to block any thoughts that might have come into your mind? Yogani's instructions say you need to "easily favour" the mantra - that means being relaxed and easy about it.
The pressure in the head will go away in a while. Don't worry, you haven't done any harm to yourself. Everything will be fine. In any case, it is prudent to self-pace. We don't want to run into discomfort doing yoga. If you do resume meditation, reduce the time of each sitting (maybe to half). Also make sure you go about it in easy and relaxed way.
All the best |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 1:07:48 PM
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We cross-posted Dogboy. 
I agree with you guys about using spinal breathing to ease the head pressure. I just think getting the pressure after 4 weeks of meditation is a bit soon. Better cut back on practice time and assess sensitivity level. That's my take on it anyway |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 1:35:40 PM
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One option is to easily favor the solar plexus. This gets you "out of your head".
http://www.aypsite.org/368.html
Also, as BlueRaincoat alluded to, one of the finer points in Deep Meditation is being effortless with the mantra. The goal is not to repeat the mantra as many times as you can. The goal is to easily come back to it when you realize you're off it. Getting lost from the mantra is a very good thing and a necessary part of purification. You don't have to try to get lost--it just happens naturally as you refine the mantra (in fact, we can be lost for large chunks of time, even the majority of the session). The sound/vibration gradually merges with silence/stillness.
Also, grounding is very important when you have energy bouncing around. Walking, exercise, and many other options.
Godspeed on your path.  |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 2:36:51 PM
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Hi nayenodp, I had similar experiences, in my case the pressure disappeared after reducing practice time (self-pacing). There still are some days where pressure in the head is felt, but I don't care about it anymore.
Also, maybe it is normal to experience head pressure in yoga: after a strong cardio workout at the gym we would not be surprised to have sore muscles, so maybe pain in the brain is the obvious side effect of yoga which we may consider a kind of workout for the nervous system.
By the way, you reported that you saw doctors and did even brain scans. Aren't you overreacting? You said that it is only pressure, no pain is involved. So why run to the doctor? It is not surpising that the doctor did not find anything wrong. You are not ill. |
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Sol Invictus
91 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2015 : 5:01:49 PM
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Hi Nayrnodp!
"...and could hear repeated sounds in my head..."
Sounds,such as chirping of crickets,Omkara sound and other astral sounds are heard as part of progress on the path of Yoga.However,i think that in most cases it comes in later stages.
"...I've had a constant pressure in my head ever since for the past 3 or 4 weeks. It's at the back of my head and sometimes across the top. .."
Back of the head would be where Ajna chakra is located,and top of the head is where Sahasrara chakra is located.It is likely,as others said alredy,related to meditation you did and not really harmful in any way.
You got good advices from rest of the crew who are actually AYPers,so i won't go any further.
BlueRaincoat;
.."I just think getting the pressure after 4 weeks of meditation is a bit soon.."
If Nayrnodp did some sort of sadhana in previous life,results of such action can cause that.Also with changes in Prana vibration due to dawn of Satyayuga,we'll be probably seeing such cases of fast development and awakening towards spirituality more often. |
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nayrnodp
Ireland
2 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2015 : 05:39:45 AM
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Hi everyone
Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply and answer my queries and concerns. You have certainly put my mind more at ease now.
I tried Spinal Breathing Pranayama last night and found it very helpful in alleviating the pressure in my head. It says on this AYP site to practice SBP morning and evening just before your normal meditation. However, for now I'm not going to practice meditation. I may return to it in a few weeks and reduce session times by half, as recommended by some of you. I'm also taking on more exercises as some of you recommend so hope that helps too.
But is it still ok to practice SBP without following on with medtiation? Also, can I practice SBP more than twice each day? Can I do it as I walk around?
Thank you all very much for sharing your experiences with me. They've been very reassuring for me and I appreciate it very much.
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2015 : 09:23:46 AM
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hi nayrnodp
Yogani does not recommed doing pranayama without meditation. You can find more about this from Lesson 43 (towards the end)
In SPB feels right for you, I would consider doing both, but reducing the total practice time. Perhaps 5 minutes spinal breathing and 10 minutes meditation - see how that goes? If you are stable and balanced with that, in time you can increase the length of both.
Good luck! |
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adishivayogi
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2015 : 1:55:12 PM
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| Yes it's normal. I wouldn't pay mind to it. |
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Are my symptoms normal and what should I do?
