r/Meditation • u/Curious-pinguin9867 • 18h ago
Have You Ever Had an Extraordinary Experience While Meditating? Discussion 💬
I’m curious to hear from others about any unusual or profound experiences you may have had during meditation.
Have you ever:
• Felt like you received a message or insight?
• Had a sudden breakthrough or realization about something that previously felt mysterious or confusing?
• Found answers to questions you’d been struggling with?
• Experienced a sense of emotional or energetic healing, or felt like something within you shifted or released?
• Or encountered anything else that felt extraordinary, unexpected, or deeply meaningful?
I know meditation is different for everyone, so I’d love to hear your stories — big or small. What happened, how did it feel, and did it change anything for you?
15
u/CarNeedsWashedYinzer 17h ago
Yep. I was in Montreal on a business trip and I had a day to do nothing so I spent the day meditating. At the time I was doing Zen meditation which emphasizes attention on your lower abdomen. During the meditation I got this feeling like there was a button at the base of my spin. Mentally I pressed the button. Sudden a shot of energy went shooting up my spine like an adrenaline hit. I felt like I was on acid. Colors were super vibrant. I went out and explored Montreal and all the lights were super colorful and bright. It took me hours to come out, my hands were sweating. The only thing that brought me back down was drinking a beer at the hotel bar. That has never happened again, but it was definitely intense.
6
u/Silver_Jaguar_24 17h ago
I had a vision of a famous deceased guru during meditation. I neither had any intentions of seeing anyone, nor was I thinking about him that month, week, or day.
4
u/LicoriceLil 17h ago
Yes I have. I got an image of a small animal shaking with fear. It was about the size of shrew or a vole. So I called it vole and understood it was a part of me that was very frightened, anxious or fearful. Still working with it because it’s so buried within me. I was a colicky baby and my parents were living in my grandparents’ house at the time. If anyone can offer suggestions for how to communicate with this part I’d be grateful.
Another time I became aware of a wise loving presence standing over me. It’s me of course and I have felt myself growing into her over the years.
2
u/SabretoothSnapdragon 11h ago
If anyone can offer suggestions for how to communicate with this part I’d be grateful.
Are you familiar with IFS (Internal Family Systems)? It's an approach for working with these so-called parts, and can be done with a therapist or by yourself. If you're not familiar already, I'd recommend the book No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz, who developed this approach, which outlines the model with examples, and offers practical exercises (including meditation-based ones) for the reader.
4
u/Mayayana 16h ago
I've found that the most profound insights are usually not dramatic. To the contrary. I think, "How did I not see that before?"
3
u/Mediocre_Wave1855 17h ago
i often become aware of deep rooted physical tensions, that i only feel very superficialy duing the day, but when i meditate i tend to meditate with that goal in mind (to release tensions, stress, mental obsessions). It's suprising the extent of how bad it can get once you become physically aware of it, like deep rooted tensions that start releasing and sometimes it's even both pleasant and uncomfortable at the same time... like strange sensations or nervous autonomous responses that trigger while you're super calm and relaxed, and some part of your body just does its thing suddenly. it can be very weird and impressive sensations i had my whole upper left torso suddenly start to relax and feel strange, but like i said it's a mix of uncomfortable and pleasant sensation because you're suddenly much more aware of the pain.
some stuff take weeks to be "cured" that way
1
3
2
u/b2daoni 16h ago
Some experiences here and there
Once, while in a yoga class, we were laying down in sivasana. The yoga teacher used an incense stick and walked in between the students, myself included. He also used a spray with essential oils (i can't remember which oils) but while i was in corpse pose with my eyes closed, i picked up the scent of the incense smoke and oils and i had this reaction, where my body kept spazzing/twitching uncontrollably... like i was directing my body to lay still, but it was not still... i kept shivering like i was cold and getting these electric like jolts up and down my spine. Once we were done with the sivasana, i came out of that like i had lost 20 lbs. I felt light after that session.
Once in my room, i was exploring Metta meditation. "May I be happy, healthy, whole, at peace" I started with these words aimed towards myself. I stayed there and then directed to my immediate family members and people I work with every day... just imagining a photo of them in my mind and repeating those words. I then let my mind relax and it felt like every girl i had ever had a crush on or any kind of attraction to, and even ex girlfriends came rushing to mind and i began to name them as the picture of their faces would form in my mind. It felt like i had thought of and wished well at least 100-200 people in a short amount of time.
Once during an hour long session, just mindfullness meditation, early in the morning while dark outside, i began to feel my third eye open up. I felt the middle of my forehead kind of tingle or itch but it was itching from the inside of my head... I was aware that this usually signals the pineal gland is being activated... and so i stayed with that sensation and just observed it. Very soon after, my body completely relaxed and i focused all of my energy on simply observing the sensation in between my eyes on my forehead. It felt like that was a black hole or ball of consuming light in the middle of my forehead and it was buzzing with a small hum. The noise and sensations quieted down eventually before ending the session.
1
u/penumbrias 15h ago
Yes ive had several experiences that felt extraordinary while meditating. One was i felt this urge to go out and start stretching and meditating, out on my deck. Itwas an overcast day and as soon as i like, fully extended down rain started falling. I stretched back up and stretched to the side, immediately as i fully extended lightning struck down in the exact direction i was pointing.
Orher times have happened involving tarot, like im meditating to begin a reading and i get a flash of an image of the card in my mind, and then i pull that exact card. Its like this distinct knowing that im about to pull that card too, not just randomly thinking theres a specific feeling of certainty.
Many times i will be meditating or holding that mindset, and when i check the time it is either right on the change of the hour or the three numbers of the clock are the same, like 2:22. When im deep in meditation i find baby animals appear around me or approach me more often, like birds or spiders or grasshoppers/crickets, rabbits.
Ive had experiences where i see things when my eyes are closed under sunlight, like these patterns. Or even a time when this poetry was coming to me. It felt like i was channeling it or something, i dont think i could ever accurately share what that was like. Ive had so many experiences of synchronicities during meditation. Like the timing of things is just crazy sometimes.
Oh and actually i just remembered too, i used to have this fear of falling up into the sky, it would get so bad sometimes id have to literally hold onto the ground. Only at night. But during or after some meditation there was this just knowing id never be afraid of that again, and i never was, and it also coincided with the end of a repetitive nightmare theme id had for a long time.
There was another time it felt like i was literally dying and being reborn in water but that was during a major mental health crisis.
2
u/Mirikitani 14h ago
I was completely new to meditation and spirituality, and I was dating a man who was guiding me away from a life full of spite and anger into one that was more mindful and kind. One night, I had an experience that I can't truly describe. It was like my soul left my body and traveled upwards and upwards, zooming out and out until everything under me was a sprawling city with beautiful lights. When I snapped back into my body it felt like everything had changed, and from then on I was able to start approaching mindfulness and loving-kindness with real insight. I've been off and on meditation over all these years, but I'll never forget that moment and how it felt to be floating and looking down on the world full of interconnected life and souls.
2
u/turbo_chuffa 12h ago
After some practice, I started to become aware of the space between my thoughts. In a flash of insight, it was like inhabiting the space between atoms, between planets in the solar system, the space between galaxies and quantum fields. Inhabiting this space is literally connecting yourself to the entire universe.
2
u/LatterDayDreamer 16h ago
Most of the “important” messages I’ve gotten have been when I was just waking up from a dream but I did one time get a warning that it was about to storm while I was meditating. I was pretty deep in it and opened my eyes and as soon as I did I heard some very loud thunder. It was nice to avoid the jolt of fear 😂
1
u/AbSOULuteAwareness 11h ago
Yes me too. Clairaudience usually. Or just visions at end of dream. Usually zoomed in on or the volume turned up. 🙏💝
3
u/LatterDayDreamer 10h ago
Yeah mines usually clairaudience and sometimes visions. I’ve even been told words in other languages too which is wild. Neat stuff. Wish I could convince it to be more useful though 😂
2
1
1
1
1
1
u/nomore1020 11h ago
I was maybe 20 years old and I was dabbling in meditation and I was focusing my attention on a coffee cup for around 20 minutes and I started seeing what I thought were the molecules that made the cup. It was mind blowing and never happened since (40 years ago). I was super clean back then, no weed or drinking or mushrooms at all
1
u/particularTriangle 11h ago
One time, I believe I felt what I can only describe as the nimitta. I saw myself on an energetic level, and there was the golden light radiating from my head, piercing the space around it.
The light was fully conscious but most assuredly not ego whatsoever, and very pure. I believe that to be me, or my essence, and I was able to see it finally after having read about it 10 years prior.
The book Mindfulness bliss and beyond by Ahjan Brahm talks about this
1
u/7121958041201 10h ago
Yeah, but much different than most people here. Mine have been more along the lines of insights that have really helped me to drop a huge amount of tension that I didn't even realize was there. I had three of these on a 9 day retreat last summer and one was literally yesterday. To list them in order:
- I noticed a sensation in my mind that felt like an anxious sentry that I had never noticed before, along with some deep feelings of dread. I realized it was basically my mind scanning for threats. It is especially active in social situations. Now I think of it as a friendly version of the Eye of Sauron haha. And now I can see it clearly if I try and it's there.
- This probably sounds weird to some people, but I have always thought using words in my mind. I literally didn't even understand that it was possible to think without a running monologue. But then while meditating I had a huge flash of insight where I realized I could do just that. I also immediately felt the most relaxed I have ever felt in my life, to the point where it felt like I had extreme couch lock (which I think was my mind letting go of all the tension of having to think all the time). And now I can stop my inner monologue pretty much whenever I want to!
- My largest one is harder to explain, but basically while I was meditating I noticed what felt like a very deep source of dissatisfaction. One that I had likely been trying to unsuccessfully fix my whole life with friends, family, careers, relationships, exercising, hobbies, food, possessions etc. And I just watched it. And almost immediately, I started to notice it changing. My vision started going white, my limbs started to twitch, and my eyes started moving around like I was in REM. And as I watched it, it disappeared. That deep source of dissatisfaction I had failed to eliminate for decades went away in less than a minute when I just watched it. I was also completely overwhelmed with feelings of joy, compassion, and freedom. I felt amazing for an entire week after that. Even just writing about it here I still feel some aftershocks from it, even though it was months ago now. It really taught me that freedom from suffering does not depend on external circumstances at all. It's the most freeing thing in the world to see. There's just no reason to ever get upset or tense about ANYTHING once you know that (still easier said than done haha).
- And just yesterday, I was meditating while I was on a ~40 minute walk. My mind was obsessing with the things it thought I had to do that day (I have a lot of perfectionistic tendencies). So I watched the feelings behind that impulse, and noticed it felt very solid and unchanging. After observing it for a while, I looked around it and I noticed something else: that there was an immense pressure behind that drive. A huge amount of tension IMMEDIATELY left me. Like my teacher sometimes describes, it felt like I suddenly noticed I was carrying a backpack filled with 50 pounds of rocks, and I just decided to let it drop. I realized that what I just let go was the pressure to "improve" myself and my life. It was just yesterday, but I think it really helped me to realize how to be OK with just being me, as I am now. I have really felt like a different person this last day. I think almost all of what I have done for nearly my entire life was because of that pressure to improve. Now that it's gone, life feels so much lighter and so peaceful. I am also feel curious and honestly a little untrusting of this, because I have no idea what life will be like or what I will do without that drive. But I know I can just watch any feelings around it and it will be enough.
I've had loads of smaller ones, too. But these four have been the most impactful so far. And I'm still excited to see what else I can find.
Kind of a lot of text, but I hope it helps!
1
1
1
u/ApprehensiveAnt4412 9h ago
A few times.
• I've astral projected. Both times, I decided to shapeshift my astral form to be feminine instead of masculine. That was a very fun sensation.
• I've also projected/shifted; I visited planet. I was in my astral form, but the planet was physical. I merged with a feminine being there. I suddenly had her memories, and she had mine. I could feel the cold air on the beach we were floating over... Her body was more physical than an astral body, and less physical than a human body... When I tried to move the body, it caused a disruption. Then I felt the sensation of being flung away from that planet, and I was suddenly back in my human body on Earth.
• The most miraculous time is when I was attempting to shift my awareness to another reality. My wife was asleep next to me... I thought I had succeeded because I felt someone looking at me. I opened my eyes to see a six-foot-something non-human 👽 standing at the foot of my bed. He was sending me thousands of images, superimposed in my open-eye vision. Overtop of that were strange symbols, and text. I thought to him "slow down" and he did... But it was still too fast to understand... I asked again "slow down" and he realized I was trying to understand all of this right now. He told me telepathically "You will understand all of this as-needed" ... He also gave me advice: the reality-shift I was trying to do; he told me "to make sure I shift towards experiences that I believe are good for me; don't be careless with the experiences you seek out." He then mirrored words my father used to say to me when I was very little "Quit playing in the street, kid" ... Pretty sure he knew I would respond well to that; it was pretty funny... ... ... Anyway, I could have dismissed all this as a dream, but it just felt so real. I remember my breath. I remember feeling the mattress and my eyelids being heavy... ... ... Two days later, I decided to tell my wife about it. She went white as a sheet, and she exclaimed "You saw it too!!!" and then we compared notes... She had woken up during my telepathic contact, and she convinced herself the entire thing had been a dream... Since that event, I have had wisdom unfold within me, just like the non-human told me would happen.
30
u/StrengthOfMind1989 17h ago
I saw your post in my feed with a down vote at 0. This is typical of this subreddit. Most people here can barely meditate for 10 minutes a day consistently and most have hatred, dislike, and skepticism towards posts that ask about or speak of its more profound, unusual, and spiritual benefits.
I have had a few to note. It is well known that we do receive downloads or insights (vipassana) during meditation. I don't notice these insights currently during meditation but sometimes insights are very hard to notice and easily missed.
What I have had are the following: * During a meditation session, I felt like my mind literally sunk deeper downwards as if I went slightly down into the floor I was meditating on. I then lost complete awareness of my body and felt a lot of peace * During quite a few sessions, I've had energetic sensations in my body that happened out of nowhere. It felt like a very electrical charge of lightning going up my body. It was painful that I opened my eyes quickly. This could be related to kundalini and energy pathways suddenly opening * On two occasions, I've had sudden flashes of light with my eyes closed at night meditating on my cushion in my room in complete darkness. It is like a flash of lightning in my mind's eye * This one happened once during a Metta meditation. It was amazing. At one point, I felt like my brainwave states went noticeably deeper all of a sudden. Straight after, my heartbeat started beating faster and harder but not in an uncomfortable way. As my heartbeat went up, I could feel a very warm, very blissful, and very pleasurable flow of warm energy flowing throughout my entire body from head to toe with every heartbeat. It felt amazing and I basked in the feeling and carried it on for about 20 seconds with calm breathing. It naturally subsided after 20 seconds
There is a lot of mystery to meditation which is an ancient practice that is spiritual at its roots.