Next Step: Advancing into the unknown

[PerGranbom]

Hello all meditation practicioners at all levels.

I have a question to ask regarding meditation in general, but it's most related to OOBE since that's what I experienced;

I'm a beginner and not used to getting into meditative states (yet). Being new, I had a rather powerful happening, more than I expected than just calm meditation and now I'm interested and convinced, but I'm cautious and a little... on guard. Not because I don't trust/like meditation but because I don't know what will come up next time or how/what it is in the unknown in the even deeper stronger meditations. What can be side effects or is there anything to remember or worry about?

Im a beginner but maybe I just got in a bit deep too quick that's why Im just wondering what a next step is in maybe unknown meditation and what a suggestion might be for continued meditation.

[Jhanananda]

Hello all meditation practicioners at all levels.

I have a question to ask regarding meditation in general, but it's most related to OOBE since that's what I experienced...what a suggestion might be for continued meditation.

Welcome, PerGranbom, and thank-you for posting your inquiry regarding the OOBE and starting meditation.  If you read the Discourses of the Buddha you will find the OOBE described in several suttas, and it is regarded there as "Maha-phala" which means "Superior Fruit of the Contemplative Life."  If you examine the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali you will find OOBEs described there also under the category of phala.

However, if you ask 100 Buddhist monks, or meditation teacher, or yogis, about OOBEs and meditation they will all say "that is just the powers available to week minded people, so avoid them even if they come."  This suggests there is a profound conflict between the progenitors of Buddhism and Hinduism, and what is now taught in their name.  The same problem arises in Christianity and the other religions of the world.  And, these priests, monks, meditation teachers and yogis will do their very best to discourage you, and if that does not work, then they will marginalize you.  This is why this forum arose, because people, like you and I, found the Superior Fruit of the Contemplative Life rather quickly; whereas the priests of most of the mainstream religions in the world have never found these fruit.

So, what is next?  Keep up your meditation practice, hone it, and accept you are no longer in Kansas, meaning all kinds of weird stuff is coming your way, and just let go and let it happen, and keep meditating, and read the rest of this forum, because that "weird stuff" that is heading your way are the Superior Fruit of the Contemplative Life.

[Sam Lim]

A word of advice. Even though you have reached this stage does not mean it will stay there. One has to practice and practice until it becomes 2nd nature. This is crucial for you at this stage, so you must not stop.

Don't worry about traversing into the unknown and fear is your only inhibitor. The point of meditation is to let go, surrender or some might say leave it to the will of God. The point being is to just surrender and don't worry about anything and do not engage in the phenomena.



Cheers

[Jhanananda]

A word of advice. Even though you have reached this stage does not mean it will stay there. One has to practice and practice until it becomes 2nd nature. This is crucial for you at this stage, so you must not stop.

I agree gandarloda, I found OOBEs and the ecstasies (jhanas) in the first 6 months that I began a daily meditation practice.  I found over the 4 decades since that if I did not keep up my meditation practice, then the various charisms (phala) would fall away, at least until keeping the charisms present with me all day long became, as you say, "second nature."

Don't worry about traversing into the unknown and fear is your only inhibitor. The point of meditation is to let go, surrender or some might say leave it to the will of God. The point being is to just surrender and don't worry about anything and do not engage in the phenomena.

Cheers

I also agree, gandarloda, fear is our only inhibitor, or obstacle. I have found the OOBE can take us to some very bazaar places, so if we cannot let go completely and trust in the ultimate benevolence of the spiritual dimension, then we are in for a rough ride.

Thank-you for posting your comments to this forum.  I look forward to reading more of your comments.