One day i was meditating while lying on my bed. After 15 minutes of meditation (which filled me from feet to head with joyful current)i lost my consciousness. I was woke after 1 hr by someone. I don't remember anything of those 45 minutes. It was complete voidness. When i woke i was in the same posture and position which was before starting the meditation. I woke up with heavy head and slightly intoxication. Now my question is that was that merely a sleep or samadhi. Thank you very much?
—Haq, Nepal
Dear Haq,
The state of void is not samadhi. Higher states of consciousness bring to us expanded consciousness and awareness.
It’s true that such states may include loss of body consciousness but not loss of consciousness altogether.
States of void are not to be cultivated or sought – though in your case it seems to have come upon you. After all, you WERE lying down in bed!
It could have just as easily been a deep state of sleep beyond the dream state which normally precedes the dreamless deep sleep that we require (and intuitively enjoy).
The experience of intoxication and heavy head is probably more likely due to the rapid “falling” into a deep state, whether of sleep or void.
So, I would say there is nothing to be concerned about but it IS important to know the difference because some people will subconsciously seek to have that happen again and over time trance-like states of a void can be harmful.
I have an expression I use when I am teaching meditation: “If you don’t know where you went, you didn’t go into superconsciousness.”
Blessings to you!
Nayaswami Hriman
Seattle WA USA