There is a difference between experiencing a state and undergoing a change of state. If we experience the immaterial states just once or occasionally; it is considered an experience. Contrary, a transformation is when that experience becomes the mind’s natural way of being, leading to many changes.
- Feeling high.
Not the high of location as in up in the sky but feeling fresh, ecstatic and fantastic.
- Feeling big or expansive.
The mind prefers to be big, but the self is a contracted consciousness. This causes a yo-yo effect; where the mind struggles to stay focus. Our mind rather be expansive which makes it very difficult to hold a conversation or walking or eating or shopping.
- Perception.
Being boundlessly expansive affects how you perceive, think and remember. The knowing consciousness is vast, while the other consciousnesses remain the same.
- Landing of consciousness.
The knowing consciousness landed in/out. For example. You might look at a tree, know it’s a tree and what type; then in a split second not knowing what it is. Not knowing something means; what goes into the eyes are just images, shapes and colours.
- Daily challenges.
This yo-yo of the knowing makes daily activities difficult. Taks that were once effortless, now hard work. Going shopping and don’t know what you’re looking at, takes a long time and bring home unwanted produces. Walking and I don’t know it’s the ground, is tough. All those years of mindfulness and present awareness practice become crucial.
- The sense of self.
The sense of self switches on/off. For example, while driving my daughter to her friend’s house, then all of a sudden; time stopped, I don’t know who I am, what is this thing I’m sitting in and who is next to me. Fortunately, these kinds of experiences only lasted a few seconds and I’m back driving again. This is the exact experience I had at 14. Everything that goes into the senses are ‘just is ‘: no, me, mine, I am, anywhere. These turnings on/off of the self-escalate to once a week as time passes.
- Plan for danger.
Realizing the magnitude of the changes, restrict your activities. Don’t drive unless you have to and only locally. Take a long holiday and explained to your family and friends to prevent them misunderstanding.
- Memories.
Memory lapses occur, making it difficult to carry information from one moment to the next. For example, I was driving and at a T junction. I wanted to turn right so I looked left; no car. I looked right, but then I forgot whether the left side had a car or not. I ended up sitting there looking left, right again and again.
- Seeking solitude.
I’m sharing all this so that if there is someone going through this phase, please go to your local monastery or temple and beg them to stay. I’m fortunate because I have access to the family’s rural property, where I can take refuge. This is my sanctuary and a place of refuge to rest, to feel well energy wise.
- Heightened empathy.
All seasoned meditators are already sensitive to the effect of energy; but the formless states take it to a new level. Living in the crowded suburbs, there is a constant hum of unease. You may not feel sick, but not well. It’s as though the mind isn’t as free to be big. Only in the bush or somewhere with less people, can the mind be free to expand and be boundless.
- Online energy and loss of job.
I never knew that being online meant I was actually accessing the whole of humanities suffering! For example, doing my work requires me to open my mail as soon I get in the office. Immediately, I feel as though as I am being filled up to my neck, literally. It’s like someone pouring water into an empty cup. This sensation makes me feel sick, like seasick or motion sick; nausea, spinning and unease in the tummy. I ignored it and continued to work. By lunchtime, my head was pounding and I felt feverish all over. By 3pm, I went home, collapsed and curled up into a fetal position. I was bedridden in the silent dark room, until evening. This continued on for 2 weeks until I couldn’t cope anymore and quit my job.
- Detecting people’s pain.
Another example of empathy is that, I can detect people’s pain. If I’m sitting next to someone going through broken heart issues such as a divorce or relationship break up, I feel my heart ache. Most times, I ache before they feel it themselves. If someone is restless, I feel leg muscle cramp and spasm, as though my leg wants to go for a run. If someone feel drowsy, I want to sleep. If ill-will is aimed at me, I feel little knives jabbing. Strong anger feels like knife jabs right in the throat. I detect victimization as nausea and seasickness. Worry and anxiety, give me a throbbing headache.
- Transition phase.
As disorienting or confusing as this phase is, it’s impermanent and will end. Enjoy it while it lasts! It is crucial to have a safe, secluded place: preferably a forest monastery or a friend’s hobby farm. Traditionally and in most cases, the person who is going through this phase would have already living in a secluded monastic setting, minimising danger. Staying away from suburbia is a must if you want a day of feeling normal.
The mind expands more easily if in nature. When it’s in expansion: trapped energy can be released.
- Renouncing or downsizing life.
If you haven’t already renounced or downsized your life, now is the time. I don’t mean material things as much as social life.
- Duration of transition stage. The duration of this transition stage depends on the individual.
- The power of cessation
Cessation (Nirodha Samapatti) is after 8th jhana in the series of meditative experiences and is considered the peak of the practice. Here, the mind the gradually shuts down consciousness because the co-dependent factors of perception and feeling have ceased. The mind gathers and consciousness thins away, resulting in a complete cessation of consciousness, like a flame going out, leading to total unconsciousness.
The sutta description of this person cessation is like a corpse, no heart beats, no pulse, but the body still remains vitality and warmth.
It would be interesting to prove this with a brain scan and heart monitor. Cessation is not the final awakening or enlightenment but marks a significant milestone in the process. Some schools of thought provide certificate of Nibana based on reports of experiencing cessation once or a few times.
Going through multiple cessations helps cut the string of fetters. Cessation brings about permanent changes in the mind, like deleting constantly the running programs and allowing and preparing the mind to function in the absence of a self.
Cessation is followed by Nibana, emptiness,