2 experiences I wanted to ask about: First when I was not meditating these things occurred: I heard/saw internally a wooshing sound - like a river or wind - when I was praying for a child with Leukemia and then in the middle of the night half asleep. As if I was cuaght sleeping by the teacher I called out - "yes God yes, I am here." Then the night before last at 5:00am I woke up thinking the the bed was shaking - but it was my entire spine, or inner core. what is this? any guidance? ty
—Maia, USA
Dear Maia,
These are inner energy experiences and are signs of a certain degree of spirituality which you had even before meditating. It’s a good thing you are meditating now: you have picked up your inner “tradition” of spirituality.
What happened is that the inner energy was awakened in you, for some reason. This energy can create many experiences: lights, sounds, inner movement, various sensations and perceptions, a feeling of great heaviness or lightness, cool, warm, etc.
Interestingly, you heard these inner sounds (they are chakra sounds) when praying for someone else. It probably activated a flow of grace in you.
The second time it happened at night, because at that time you were receptive to this special inner experience.
Sometimes when energy flows strongly inside, it manifests during sleep or half-sleep, because during waking hours (even in meditation) we are too bound to the outer world.
It sounds like you had a somewhat superconscious experience, as in this state you called out to God. Good. You can hear these inner sounds only if energy is moving up the spine.
The shaking bed is not that uncommon. It too is energy moving. If it should happen to you again try to get into it, move with it. You might feel like floating around, being lifted.
Energy does these funny things. Try once a week to meditate for a long time, with inner energy work (Kriya Yoga on our path, or correct pranayama technique in other cases), and afterwards lie down and see if the bed doesn’t start to “move.
The guidance for you: take these experiences as good omens, of a reminder of an ancient spirituality in you. Now is the time to keep meditating, making meditation a priority. Don’t meditate for experiences, however, but only in order to establish a close and personal relationship with God. Experiences are fun if they come by themselves, but they get a trap if we meditate because we want them.
God bless you,
Jayadev
