EXPERIENCES IN MEDITATION
WHEN ONE CLOSES EYES FOR MEDITATION, ONE SEES ONLY DARKENESS. IN THE DARKNESS MIND WANDERS HERE AND THERE AND JUMPS FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER. WITH PRACTICE, ONE LEARNS TO FOCUS MIND. AS SOON AS THE MIND STARTS CONCENTRATING ONE SEES A LIGHT OF THE SIZE OF STRAIGHT PIN HEAD. MIND WONDERS ABOUT THE SIZE. COLOUR OR BEAUTY OF LIGHT. IT DISTURBS THE CONCENTRATION OF MIND AND HENCE THE LIGHT DISAPPEARS. SOON THE MIND BECOMES HABITUAL OF SEEING LIGHTS. ITS EVER CHANGING SIZE, SHAPE AND COLOUR. THE CONCENTRATION OF MIND IS NOT DISTURBED WITH ALL THESE VIBRANT LIGHTS. ALTHOUGH THE APPEARANCE OF LIGHTS PROVES THAT ONE IS MOVING ON THE RIGHT TRACK BUT THEY ARE OBSTACLES AS THEY DISTURB ONE'S CONCENTRATION. SO, IT'S BETTER TO IGNORE THESE LIGHTS.
SEEING INNER LIGHTS
AFTER PRACTISING CONCENTRATION FOR SOME TIME A TINY LIGHT APPEARS IN THE FRONT OF FOREHEAD. IT REMAINS THERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AS ONE'S CONCENTRATION INCREASES THE SIZE AS WELL AS THE DURATION OF LIGHTS APPEARING INCREASES. LIGHT CAN BE OF VARIOUS COLOURS LIKE RED, YELLOW, WHITE, GREEN, BLUE OR MIXTURE OF TWO. THESE LIGHTS ARE ELEMENTAL LIGHTS REPRESENTING EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AIR AND SKY. SEEING LIGHTS IN MEDITATION HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS WHICH ARE LISTED BELOW:
1. RED - IT UPLIFTS THE ENERGY.
2. ORANGE - IT PURIFIES THE BODY.
3. YELLOW - IT STIMULATES WAKEFULNESS.
4. GREEN - IT RELAXES MIND. IT REDUCES SLEEP.
5. BLUE - IT LESSONS TENSIONS.
6. INDIGO - IT PURIFIES THE MIND.
7. VIOLET - IT GIVES VAIRAGYA (DISPASSION) IT DETACHES THE MIND FROM EARTHLY MATTERS.
8. WHITE - IT IS THE SYNTHESIS OF ALL COLOURS. IT IS SEEN AT THE TIME OF BLISSFUL EXPERIENCES AND JUST BEFORE THE DAWN OF SAMADHI.
BEGIINERS GENERALLY SEE RED, ORANGE AND YELLOW LIGHTS WHEREAS THE VIOLET IS SELDOM NOTICEABLE.
SOMETIMES SUN OR FLASHING LIGHTS APPEAR IN THE FRONT OF FOREHEAD. THESE LIGHTS CONFIRM THAT ONE IS PROGRESSING. BUT ONE SHOULD AVOID PONDERING TOO MUCH ON THESE LIGHTS RATHER STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM. THE BEST WAY TO PROGRESS FURTHER IS TO SHUN THEM. SEEING A SNAKE AFTER KUNDALINI IS AWAKENED IS A SIGN OF PROGRESS. SOMETIMES GOD AND SAINTS APPEAR TO BLISS. THE MANTRA DEITY AS ONE HAS IMAGINED WILL APPEAR, WEARING BEAUTIFUL DRESS, VARIOUS ORNAMENTS, GARLANDS, FLOWERS AND WITH MUSICAL INTRUMENTS IN WEAPONS IN HIS HANDS.
TRIANGLE IS SEEN BY ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE VAIRAGYA (NON - ATTACHEMENT) FOR WORDLY THINGS, WHO CONSIDER FRIEND AND FOE A LIKE, CONSIDER PAIN AND PLEASURE A LIKE, WHO HAVE GIVEN UP EGOISM AND WHO DON'T CURSE OR BLESS ANYONE.
VISIONS AND DAZZLING LIGHTS CAN BE OF WIDE VARIETY. ONE SHOULD NEITHER BE TOO DELIGHTED TO SEE THEM NOR TOO FRIGHTENED BY THEIR WEIRDBESS. ONE SHOULD ONLY IGNORE THEM TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP.
HEARING INNER SOUNDS
DURING MEDITATION EARS ARE CLOSED WITH THUMBS AS IN YONI MUDRA AND DISTINCT INNER SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD BY BEGINNERS. IF ONE PRACTISES TO HEAR THESE SOUNDS DAILY THEN IT INCREASE ONE'S ABILITY TO HEAR DISTANT SOUNDS WITH EASE. ACCORDING TO HAMSA UPANISHAD, THE SOUNDS THAT ARE GENERALLY HEARD ARE LIKE THE SOUND OF WORD CHINI, CHINI-CHINI , BELL, CONCH-BLOWING, TANTIRI (LUTE), TALA (CYMBALS), FLUTE, BHERI (DRUM), MRIDANGA (DOUBLE DRUM) SOUND, THUNDER SOUND OR SOMETIMES A COMBINATION OF HARMONIOUS AND MELODIOUS SOUNDS. SOMETIMES ONE ALSO SMELLS FRAGRANCE OF INCREASES, ROSE AND OTHER FLOWERS.
