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satyagraha
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 28 2010 : 2:39:03 PM
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This happened to me two years ago. It was the single most profound thing which has ever happened to me. It happened spontaneously and without any prior knowledge as to what it was. After the 'experience' and ever since I have been searching for answers and have never quite find an exact explanation for what happened, but the closest comes in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras for 'Sananda Samadhi'
In August 2008, I attended a week long Aikido workshop. It was my first time directly experiencing Ki energy. On one occassion the Master came to me to demonstrate a move and i felt a surge or electricity jump along my arm straight up to my head and what I can only describe as 'reboot' me, I very quickly turned off then on again. It was a fraction of a second.
After the week had finished I made my way home on the train. I had written on a card to the Master a note which included a specific word, which I underlined. I had also recommended to some foreign students who were going to visit London to see the Salvadore Dali museum. (This will make sense later).
So I took the first train, I was alone and very peaceful, just observing everything around me - surroundings, others' conversations etc.
On the next train there was a sunset and I remember being stuck at how beautiful it was.
I arrived in London and was waiting at an Underground station across my platform there was an advertisement board with a phrase - one of the words was underlined and it was the same one I had underlined on the card i wrote earlier. I didn't think anything of this, in fact I barely acknowledged it.
Then I took my final train home. It was completely packed but i managed to find a seat. I continued to sit peacefully as I had throughout the journey and after some time I noticed another passenger on the other side of the train reading a Salvadore Dali art book. I continued to sit. After some time I came to some kind of realisation, these two coincidences clicked inside my head - I was instantly looking straight ahead, my eyes became fully open and yet I couldn't see out of them, my breathing completely stopped and also my heartbeat and here comes the part beyond words - 'I' merged with Love, Bliss or whatever you want to call it, in fact the closest way to describe it is - there was no 'I' experiencing but 'I' Was One with Love. There was a feeling that the world I had left behind was such a very small part of what I was 'experiencing'.
After some time, it was hard to judge how long I became aware that my heart and breathing had stopped and I became worried. I had a deep feeling that if i continued I wouldn't be able to come back, in fact I was scared because I had never experienced anything like this before. Once I could see again I began to feel a little embarassed and wondered what the lady opposite me in the seat about 3 feet away from me must have thought of me staring basically directly at her with unblinking eyes for that duration of time!
As soon as I got home, I googled something like - meditation without breathing and heart beat stopped and found out it was called Samadhi. Some time later after a lot of searching, the closest I have come in the explanation is 'Sananda Samadhi' as i mentioned earlier.
I have tried in vain to search for an equivalant in the Buddhist canon because it seems that they are very well versed with Samadhis but I have never found a similar description.
I just wanted to post this here to see what people have to say about it. Anyone else I've told has been awed some have been deeply touched but no one has been able to verify with me or go into deeper explanation.
I remain open-minded. I am not seeking for the same 'experience' again even though it was very pleasant because I believe i was shown what needed to be shown, there is no need to go back. I want to continue on the path.
I practise Hatha yoga mostly daily and read widely on the deeper aspects of Yoga. I have had other spiritual experiences which I don't feel I need to discuss here, but this was definetly the most profound. |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 06:16:14 AM
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Hi satyagraha, welcome to the forum.
What you describe is beautiful and it sounds like you were touched by the vibrations of the Aikido Master and this allowed for this peak experience.
I practiced aikido for a few years and some of those guys are amazingly centred and strong in ki. Thankfully my son is now practicing aikido with a good teacher, it will bring him far.
I don't know what label you might put on that experience, but is it important?. It may be more important if you were experiencing this from time to time or on a regular basis as a result of your own consistant practices. Then it can be usefull to relate it to some sort of spiritual map to get perspective on where you are at.
A peak experience is generally felt very strongly if there is a sudden shift up in vibration. So it is the sudden change that makes it seem so dramatic.
As you say. you have moved on, and this is the way to go. It can be a great encouragement to keep up a daily practice, as it is a nice taster of what is available.
Perhaps you might consider having a look at the lessons on this site, if you haven't done so already, and give the AYP system a try.
Other's may have more to say.
All the best |
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satyagraha
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 06:45:10 AM
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Thanks for your reply Sparkle. I am now looking to develop a daily practise but would prefer the guidance of a guru who can understand me.
One of the main reasons why I won't sit down for meditation is that I have a strong inclination that it would be a waste of time. I extensively read (and i think experienced) what Krishnamurti said which was to observe 'what is'. Which means observing myself in relationship (including relationship to myself!).
When you sit down to 'meditate' you have an outcome in mind before doing so, it is a projection into the future, I am this but I want to be that - an act of becoming and a move away from 'what is'.
While I deeply apprectiate what Krishnamurti was saying and I don't think he was wrong, i still think it is not the whole picture. It does remain a perhaps embarassing fact that no one underwent the transformation or revolution of cosciousness that Krishnamurti constantly referred to. This could be due to a number of reasons, but I don't want to spectulate.
We stand on the shoulders of those that have gone before us. We are also exactly as we are because of our karma and samskaras or past actions. Therefore I cannot dismiss so easily the immense experience of the Yogis. I understand the importance of actually experiencing the truth for myself, of which no amount of intellectual study can give - although it can certainly build a foundation.
So basically I am standing in the middle of action and in-action. I am not meditating in the sense of a pre-determined formula, but observing as a witness reality from moment-to-moment.
But there is still that missing part which I feel was missed by Krishamurti, at least in his recorded works - which is I think all the foundational work. The body must be strong and the mind flexible and there must be correct diet and breathing and all the rest of that stuff. So, this is where I feel I should develop myself, not in the sense of becoming - I am not expecting something particular to happen, I feel it is allowing me to be more open and receptive to 'what is'.
But in terms of dharana, dhyana and samadhi I cannot really place them into a context for myself because I do not want to be caught in a fruitless path of becoming, so I have left them out - not ignored them, but I don't know what to do with them yet.
I think this is probably a stage where a little bit of guidance is necessary to nudge me in the right direction, to explore the possibilities. Which is why i felt the need to post here.
But i take your point Sparkle that it is not perhaps necessary to label what happened to me, in fact it was beyond words. But nonetheless people have gone before me and have 'experienced' the same which was why Patanjali documented it, but the most important thing is not to become attached to any spiritual experience and move on. |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 07:14:18 AM
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Hi Satyagraha and welcome to the forums, my friends have recommend that i should meet Rupert Spira in case i ever visit the UK. Judging from what i read up there i think you'll find him very much to your liking.
http://non-duality.rupertspira.com/page.aspx
on the other hand this is AYP's approach on the art of doing nothing:
http://www.aypsite.org/84.html
Love
Ananda |
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satyagraha
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 09:20:34 AM
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| Thanks Ananda, I will check it out. |
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Samadhi with bliss - Sananda Samadhi
