| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 23 2007 : 2:30:12 PM
|
Here's an interesting one…something that has just started happening to me over the past few days.
A few minutes after I have finished my deep Med and Samyama my pupils dilate very noticeable, this can stay with me long enough for people around me to notice and remark on it,
It is exactly the same sort of effect you see with the use of hallucinogens and stimulants so I am sure they are beginning to think I am on drugs 
I can only think I am producing some different chemicals in my brain.
Has any one else noticed this effect 
|
|
|
VIL
USA
586 Posts |
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Feb 23 2007 : 6:33:28 PM
|
Thanks for the links VIL 
I don't think its anything serious or even anything wrong, they only stay dilated for a very short time...15/20 Min's at the absolute outside.
The slight delayed reaction and the pleasurable feeling of lightness that accompanies the effect points to chemical stimulation of some kind.. and as i am not taking anything I can only think I am producing substances within my own body.
I am not worried just wondered if anyone else has experienced anything like it 
Richard |
 |
|
|
Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2007 : 8:45:33 PM
|
Physiologically speaking, when you meditate and experience a deeper relaxation, drug like chemicals are certainly released. Maybe it's serotonin. There shouldn't be a reason why you're stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, unless you're having a really intense kundalini experience.
I've had huge pupils all my life (I'm talkin HUUUUGE), and I actually experience them constrict with meditation and relaxation. |
|
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2007 : 1:50:57 PM
|
quote:
Physiologically speaking, when you meditate and experience a deeper relaxation, drug like chemicals are certainly released. Maybe it's serotonin. There shouldn't be a reason why you're stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, unless you're having a really intense kundalini experience.
Well whatever it is Scott I am not complaining the sensations that go with it are great |
|
|
|
Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2007 : 5:55:24 PM
|
| Haha, good. |
|
|
|
david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2007 : 12:49:16 PM
|
Richard, did you know that pupil dilation also happens as a sort of emotional reaction? Roughly speaking, when people look at something they find attractive, their pupils dilate, though the true story is a little more complex.
See here.
|
|
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2007 : 1:39:58 PM
|
Hmmm that's interesting David thanks.
I experience extremely pleasurable sensations during and after my meditation, some of them sexual in nature so that could be it |
|
|
|
Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2007 : 02:48:41 AM
|
Hi Richard!
I thought you might find this interesting.
Doc
Excerpt from 'Hess Pupil Dilation Findings':
The poet Guillaume Bartas de Salluste called the eyes "windows of the soul" because of the information about internal processes that they convey. This topic was examined in studies of pupil dilation among animals in the 1950's and among human beings in the 1960's and 1970's. The human research began with studies of emotion and shifted toward studies of information processing. It is now generally accepted that pupil dilation increases with cognitive processing load.
Cognitive Load is a term used in psychology and other fields of study that refers to the load on working memory during problem solving, thinking and reasoning: including perception, memory, language, and so forth.
Cognitive task-evoked pupillary responses reliably index information-processing loads. However, previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the nature of the pupillary response when processing demands approach or exceed available processing resources.
These findings suggest that pupillary responses increase systematically with increased processing demands that are below resource limits, change little during active processing at or near resource limits, and begin to decline when processing demands exceed available resources.
ERIC GRANHOLM, ROBERT F. ASARNOW, ANDREW J. SARKIN, KAREN L. DYKES (1996)
Pupillary responses index cognitive resource limitations
Psychophysiology 33 (4), 457461.doi:10.1111/j.14698986.1996.tb01071.x
|
|
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2007 : 08:52:34 AM
|
Thanks Doc.
I understand the terminology here but I cant quite get my head around what this conclusion means.
quote:
These findings suggest that pupillary responses increase systematically with increased processing demands that are below resource limits, change little during active processing at or near resource limits, and begin to decline when processing demands exceed available resources.
Perhaps you can explain this in layman's terms.
|
|
|
|
Doc
USA
394 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2007 : 10:59:36 AM
|
Hi Richard:
My understanding of their conclusions is that the pupils dilate increasingly as a person works harder to concentrate and focus the mind on learning and/or understanding something, while also accessing the subconscious memory bank for relevant prior information, experiences and feelings stored their. It's as if the eyes are simultaneously attempting to 'see' more, both outwardly and inwardly, in a combined effort to perceive and understand what is being processed.
Such apparently remains the case for the duration of the time spent mentally processing in this way, at or near full personal capacity levels, and only decreases when the need for further perception and understanding exceeds personal processing resources...i.e. is dealing with language that isn't understood, or other information or concepts for which no stored experiential memories can be found that seem relevant to the point of concentration.
Thus, both consciously and subconsciously, the mind apparently reaches 'overload' and begins to shut-down the processing mechanisms by closing the 'windows' so to speak. This is reflected then in a decreased dilation of the pupils until they return to normal levels of ordinary fluctuation.
This is merely my own understanding of what the scientists published, and may or may not be what they meant to convey. My pupils were no doubt dilated to the max as I read through all of their material...oftentimes asking myself "what the..."? 
http://www.rhettsmith.com/blog/arch...on-thumb.gif
Regards ~
Doc |
Edited by - Doc on Mar 20 2007 3:40:09 PM |
|
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2007 : 11:21:59 AM
|
Thanks doc
quote:
This is merely my own understanding of what the scientists published, and may or may not be what they meant to convey. My pupils were no doubt dilated to the max as I read through all of their material...oftentimes asking myself "what the..."?
Yes I expect mine did as well  |
|
|
|
Nirodha
New Zealand
86 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 5:31:45 PM
|
Hi,
I've had this happen also. As a matter of fact, it was most noticeable one morning during a week-long solitary meditation retreat I did recently.
http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs13/i/2...y_grusic.jpg
I agree with the person that mentioned drugs can have a similar effect - I had mentioned the pupil dilation to my wife, after I returned home, and said to her: if anyone saw me that day they probably thought I was high, judging from how dilated my pupils were.
I, also, agree that emotions can have this effect as well. It has been well documented, as someone already mentioned, that when we see something pleasing our pupils will dilate.
Given the fact that I was practicing sensitive to bliss during my retreat, I'd say that everything I saw was pleasing. :) |
Edited by - Nirodha on Apr 01 2007 5:36:33 PM |
|
|
|
Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 5:50:07 PM
|
Hi Nirodha
Great pic thanks that's a really big dilation isn't it
This doesnt happen to me all the time only after a particularly deep med and samyama, well at least I know I am not the only one now perhaps we should start an exclusive club
|
|
|
|
Nirodha
New Zealand
86 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2007 : 12:52:59 AM
|
Hi Richard,
Yes, it is a huge dilation, remarkably so. My eyes usually don't dilate that much even in a darkened room - I was outside, on a sunny day, under a tree when that pic was taken. Go figure.
May you all be happy and achieve the highest bliss,
Nirodha
|
Edited by - Nirodha on Apr 02 2007 01:28:56 AM |
|
|
|
meenarashid
76 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2007 : 3:29:41 PM
|
aum haha its what i call DOY
*driving on yoga *
it IS a high
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Dilating Pupils
