Meditation questions / experiences?!!

[[moondance]]

When u meditate - whats it like? What do u feel / experience? When i do it like my mind completely leaves my body - i dont feel my feet, body parts etc - and i start seeing all kinda strange stuff - but each time i envision different things - - like sometimes i see myself floating completely lightweight, sometimes i see myself in a beautiful garden, sometimes i see a serene lake, sometimes i see different images or faces or things, sometimes i am in such semi-conscious stage i dont recall alot of the things I envision. I dont purposely visualise anything-it jsut happens -like i let go of my being and i allow myself to be taken wherever the ride goes - my body itself feels weightless but my mind feels calm / peaceful / where nothing matters. I KNOW im not sleeping nor daydreaming but it feels like I am sort of semi-conscious, its like im not aware of my "normal self" anymore or any memories or thoughts of my life.

Does that happen to anyone else ?

I started meditating on my own at a yougn age - like maybe 8 -didnt know what I was doing it or what it was but i used to lie in my Bed and do it. As a kid I did it lots - nowadays generally if i feel kinda really stressed or bugged down with life and i feel the need to let go. I have never spoken to anyone bout meditation or how diff ppl do it or experiences etc

[Thorn]

I meditate at least 4 times a week. I try to do it every day, but my life has become too busy to have the time to do what I should for my spiritual being. Anyhow, I usually feel the same way you described. I usually go to the same places though. I meditate to relax, and calm myself not to go to different planes. (I've heard that's possible, but I've never been interested enough to try.) I usually go to a place that seems like I'm underwater, everything has a beautiful blue tent, and I'm weightless. I can't feel my body at all. I know I'm not dreaming, because I don't have peaceful dreams, most of my dreams are violent, or sad. Or I'm in a place that looks like clouds, so basically I'm either under water or in the clouds. I also feel like I'm in a semi-conscious state. I love it, and it makes me calm.

Does anyone know the difference between meditation, and an O.B.E.? (Out of Body Experience)

I think I've had those as well, but I did it when I was younger. I would lay in my bed, and after a while I was looking down on myself from what seemed like the ceiling of my room. When I realized I was doing this I couldn't see myself anymore. It was like I temporarly left my body. Is this an O.B.E. or just a twisted half formed childhood memory?

[Elem]

Personally, meditation for me sounds to be completely different than it is for either of you.. Although I also suspect it's quite a personal thing, anyway.

When I meditate, my mind ends up completely empty. No visualisations, no thoughts, just.. nothing at all. Given my mind's usually running at 1000mph, I'm appreciative of the emptiness and time spent apart from thoughts. I just sometimes need that entirely clear state of mind so that I can almost.. Shove everything out of my head, and start over.

In particular, I find that it helps when I'm working. I'll meditate for a while until my mind's clear.. Then introduce things one at a time, so I can see how they're connected or how I can write about them. I build up a structure of thoughts in my mind, with one flowing on from the next, then once I know it's sorted.. I let everything else flow back in and come out of my meditative state.

So, to me, meditation is all about obtaining an entirely relaxed and clear state of mind. As I say, I imagine that it's all personal and entirely subjective, though.. So whatever is normal for you is, well.. Normal for you haha. Hope you found this interesting!

Elem