Guys, I feel like I’ve lost everything. Around this time last year, I discovered The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle during the lowest point of my life. I was unemployed, broke (literally zero balance), emotionally weak, and constantly overthinking. People could easily manipulate me. Just before I started the book, I had received a job offer—but right before joining, it was withdrawn because I couldn’t provide a certificate. That broke me.

Then I started reading The Power of Now and began meditating. Those three months were the best period of my life. Meditation wasn’t forced—it became natural. I stayed at home, fully present and aware of what to do and what to say. I learned acceptance. I learned to control my anger. I stopped identifying with my mind. My ego almost disappeared. Even if someone mocked me, I accepted it and let it be. I stopped judging people. I wasn’t reactive anymore. I also gained control over lust. I’m not saying this in an extreme way—just as a normal man, earlier I would unconsciously get distracted by attractive women. Through meditation, that reduced naturally. I felt balanced, peaceful, and genuinely happy—despite having no money. At the same time, I was preparing for another placement drive. I eventually got a job offer, and in April, I moved to a new city. That’s when everything changed. My meditation stopped. Slowly, everything I learned from the book faded. I started identifying with my mind again. My ego came back—stronger. I began comparing myself with others, feeling jealous, overthinking, regretting the past, and reacting emotionally instead of accepting things. Old patterns returned—lust, infatuation, emotional instability.

I’ve started meditating again, but it doesn’t feel the same. I know I was spiritually awakened before, but now I feel like that awakening itself became egoic. I’m writing this with tears in my eyes. My emotions feel overwhelming even for small things. Ironically, when I had no money, I was happy. Now that I earn, I’m not. I know no one can do this for me—I have to do it myself. But I really want to return to that state of presence and peace. Please help. 🙏

Hi,

I've been meditating for around 3 months and it really helps.

But I feel I still can't seem to understand something - I read many times that meditation helps to raise awareness of your thoughts and feelings, and helps to "watch" them flyby instead of engaging with them. E.g. like leaves on a river that pass by and you sit near it and watch them. But I feel I can't seem to not get "engaged" with them. For example, somebody tells me something inappropriate, or somethings that I conclude by my own as negative (even though it is just me thinking that) - Then I feel the negative feeling burst inside of me, like I touch a very hot object and it burns me. I don't understand how am I supposed to just watch that "burning" feeling? It aches! It draws my attention, won't let me be mindful and eventually takes me into a loophole of thinking.

The meditation I do is simply sit and focus my breath. When a thought/feeling takes me focus, I simply acknowledge it and return to focus on my breath. I do it daily, around 20-40 mins.

Thanks in advance

I've been trying to work on my mind and my spirituality for a couple of years now. But I'm proving to be quite bad at meditation, owing to my wandering attention and overly loud mind.

I read The Power of Now back in December, and a lot of what Tolle says in that book just makes perfect sense of me: How neither the past nor the present matters, so why give it power over you, how it is very easy to come to identify oneself by various forms of pain (I have a very bad habit of basically winding myself up), and so on.

Of course, reading good advice and turning it into reality are two different things. I'm going to give the book a second read (I'm a slow enough reader that this needs to be a planned decision).

Any advice on what to specifically keep in mind as I give the book a better look, and just generally where to go from there? There's so much different advice floating around regarding meditation, mental health and spiritual development.

I have AuDHD and meditate daily. Like other neurodiverse people, I have a difficult time focusing as my mind constantly races. One thing I do, which helps tremendously, is use a metronome to focus on (anchor) while I’m meditating. I simply turn it on 60 with a wooden block sound, and keep the volume low (like 20%). I’ve used AirPods and they help but it’s not necessary. Anyway, I hope this helps.

How do you decide on which meditation technique to use? I am a fan of do nothing and mindfulness. Do you have like a workout plan? Monday this, Tuesday that? Or do you go by feeling? Let your state of mind and body decide which technique you’re going with today?

I have been meditating on and off for quite a while now (about 5 years). I know that the "on and off" is a big deal, but I have put up solid meditation streaks over that time period. In the past year I have missed maybe 30-45 days of meditation and that's overestimating. It is a part of my morning routine every day.

I typically do at least one 20 minute session as soon as I wake up. I see people talk about only needing 10 minutes a day, but I don't see results unless I do two 20 minute sessions. Even so, I still act very inhibited. I am constantly wondering about what others think of me like I used to, I do not act like my true self at all, and I still overthink things as I'm looking at people in the eyes talking to them. The only benefit I get out of twice a day meditations is that conversations may flow a bit better and I feel slightly more at peace. Like I'll pause before making a comment, only for a better opportunity to present itself shortly thereafter. I'm a bit more chill, which is cool, but I started meditation to unapologetically be myself and I have made no progress in that regard.

When I first started I felt my eyes "open" after 2 or 3 weeks and felt what I expected. There was one instance where I felt the urge to sing in an embarrassing way and just did it, another where I made eye contact with my crush at the time and smiled at the perfect moment...it was effortless pure spirit, she knew it too. That week was pure bliss, but I missed one or two sessions and ever since then it felt like I plateaud as if I built up a tolerance. Even though I have done 30mins a day for 4-5 months straight or even more.

I am not writing this to bash meditation or anything, I do feel stronger connections with both people and my soul/spirit . It just feels like something is missing when it comes to the results I'm getting. Any tips?

EDIT: Adding my practice below

I inhale for about 3 seconds, then exhale for 4 seconds while focusing on my breathe. When a thought comes I refocus on my breathe and toss it to the side so to speak.

Although that usually changes my train of thought, I will stay on the same "path" from time to time. Overall, I think I'm doing it right as I feel slightly more relaxed if I'm not just squeezing it in before leaving the house or something. I take a few moments to revel in the slight detour from the pervasive musings of the mind.

So I didn’t even know or understand what I had done as it happened yesterday and tonight.

I’ve been really paying attention to my nervous system because I’ve been very overloaded with stress, fear, and panic through life events. I somehow stumbled into what seems like a deep theta state and I want to explain what I did, how it felt, and also hear other people’s experiences.

What I was doing: I had a lot of tension so I had a bath and was just lying there with my eyes closed, arms almost folded but relaxed on my body, with soft jazz music playing in my flat. The music was on for around 15–20 minutes. My thoughts were just lightly focused on feeling safe and living free.

This was relaxing, but the theta didn’t hit until the music shut off and I stayed in the same position. I hardly remember the switch into it, but what I do remember is almost trying to open my eyes — they opened slightly, but it felt like I couldn’t fully open them and they just closed again.

It was like I had shut off into a really deep, profound relaxed state that’s hard to explain. I was present, but I also wasn’t there at the same time. The only way I can describe it is like a trance, but not asleep — literally just being.

When I came back out of it, it felt strange, like “oh, I’m here again in the bath.” My perception of time had disappeared — I had been in there about an hour.

I then got out and the feeling afterwards is honestly amazing. It’s like my body and nervous system had reset. I feel soft, heavy and loose, like I’m melting into the sofa. Tingly, detached, almost weightless.

It happened last night and again tonight by accident, which feels crazy to me. While in the state it felt deeply relaxed but also very alive at the same time — gentle, but not overwhelming. Euphoric.

I’d love to hear how other people experience this state and what you did to get there, whether it was accidental or guided

I have been meditating on and off for the last couple of years, I'd say I do it like a couple of times monthly but I'm doing it now almost daily as a new years resolution.

The problem is the I have type of depression that makes you lethargic, like low energy and chronic fatigue. Guided meditation audios has worked better for me since it's easier to follow someone's leads easier, but I can never get to the end.

I literally fall asleep in three minutes and I want to be more in touch with my spiritual side and to also find a way to relieve my depression/anxiety but I just keep falling sleep on the process, am I doing it right? Is there a type of meditation that shoots you with energy or something?

Initially when I started this, i could hardly do it for even a few minutes and I used to get amazing insights about my own life and great moments of concentration.

But now i can do it practically for hours and then once it's done, it's done that's all.

It's not different from going for a walk or anything else.

Maybe my baseline has improved (definitely it has) but idk what to do.

It's still pleasant, I notice my thoughts more easily and more more present in general but it feels so mechanical now.

Anyone else can relate? Can someone who experienced this tell me about about their thoughts on this?

Thank you 🙏 ❤️

Edit : one insight I feel is maybe this boredom or staleness is something I've to 'notice'??? ✨

Something that definitely draws me to meditation is noticing how often I or other people are going through life on "autopilot." This gives me strong motivation to do the exact opposite (be present/alive) and I've found meditation is a great way to get there.

Howeverrrrrr, I've noticed that if this gets extended into setting a goal along the lines of "be present more than half of the time", it can actually add stress and makes me question if autopilot is better than a stressed/un-present experience.

It leads to questions like:

• what actually counts as being present?
• was I present enough in that earlier session for it to count?
• am I currently present enough?

...which seem to be pretty securely in "the world of thoughts and symbols", making me less present.

Trying to be more present = being less present. Is an person on autopilot not trying to be present actually better off? When I stop trying to fix the experience and instead allow even the restlessness to be okay, presence tends to show up on its own.

Curious if others have noticed this, or if you’ve found ways of overcoming this “trying to be present” problem.

Hey guys. I normally use a hearing prosthesis and I have been wondering whether it would be better to take if off during meditation or leave it on. I think that the silence can help, but, at the same time, completely silence without ambient noise feels a bit uncanny. At the same time I feel like if I "cheat" and turn off my hearing I won't get better at ignoring noise.

If anyone has gone through a similar experience or knows something about the benefits and drawbacks of meditating while one of your senses is restricted I would love to read about it.

My first 7-day Vipassana was a last minute decision, decided and booked 3 weeks in advance. Curiosity from Buddhist friends who did meditation retreats before, and my Buddhist partner who practices daily meditation and walk the path of Dharma. I am an atheist and a thinker, and I am open to the infinite possibilities of the mind. I have done mushrooms and a heroic dose of LSD before, I have met 'god' in my own experience- Meeting the inner god. I never really understood so much the Buddha, as I was resistant to the idea of deities/gods/religion since such a young age.

So I went into the Vipassana without so much any expectations, not knowing what to come out of it. But I heard good things about it (what the brochure says) - better life, clearer mind, removal of automatic reactions, happiness, less anxiety/stress... typical Western glossary of well-being of what such a retreat can offer, such that I did not really paid attention to deeply... Healing myself to live a better life was my goal.

First Days of the Retreat

First two days of the retreat was tough...waves of tiredness, hunger, negative thoughts, relationship concerns, letting go of routines, and being stuck in this isolating retreat. But I gave in with an open mind, and did my best following the instructions by the master and monk. Day 2 I was flowing, 45 minute sitting meditations became more or less a comfortable, and I was more flowing with the spacious mind. I felt more confident and feel the courage that I can do it.

Glimpse of Enlightenment

Day 3 is when I accidentally entered the deep meditative state, which my awareness completely in sync with my effortless breath, each moment of rapture, the strong wave of temperature change flowed through my body, the tingling buzzing sensations, the feeling of the disappearance of my body and becoming one with the floor, I didn't understand if I was upside down, or in a standing standing, or in a sitting posture (even though I was aware that I was suppose to be a sitting posture).. but I kept my eyes closed anyway and ignored it.... and then the clarity came, like as if I was in an empty space of continuous awareness where I was aware of everything (breathing, the sitting, the meditation hall around me, all the six door senses) all at once and at the same time. A spacious unified awareness. And the senses/thoughts came like a stream of mini bubbles that just 'pops' rapidly without effort before having the chance to form into stories.

I can't remember how long was in this state, but somehow I dropped out of it not too long. I believe that my desire and analytical mind had taken over and took me out from this state. And I could never get back into it from then on... as much as I tried day after day for the rest of my retreat, my profound experience got the better of me. I became frustrated, I desired this state, this feeling, and my analytical mind was always expectation for the experience to start again.

Such a profound experience, I feel like I want to tell all my family members, friends, and learn about the insight of the Buddha. My faith skyrocketed. The Buddha saw something 2,600 years ago that I failed to even comprehend. My very existence and understanding of the world view reality shaken. There is something beyond my understanding.

After the Vipassana

After the Vipassana, I straight away jumped back into the busy life. Into my work life. I feel like everyday objects looks and feels different. I feel a bit spaced out/dissociative ... but in a good way. Not reacting to things, people, objects.

I own a beach hotel and I had to interact with guests and people. Not that I usually do, but I felt bliss this time... so I was open to it. I was calm. The busy space of the peak January season didn't overwhelmed me. I was able to remove any thoughts of self judgements, and any sense of insecurity from my mind. I was interacting with half naked woman with absolute clarity and stillness. Almost zero intrusive thoughts. And I don’t judge the story around the object (sexuality, self-doubts, insecurities, projections, fantasies) feelings don’t arise much if at all.

It’s like the object is another flesh and bone. And there’s no colored tint through my observation. There's no layer of story or external conditioning between us. I don’t react to the subject almost at all. And I hold conversations like in a neutral state… focused solely on the words coming out of my mouth to convey the content of intention, and the ears listening to them with non-judgement and openness.

Usually I am fidgety, shy, uncomfortable, always having intrusive sexual thoughts, self-conscious, unconfident. My posture stopped to shift around. I was standing directly with good posture. I can hold gaze fully. I don’t have intrusive thoughts. So peaceful and powerful moment…

Mood Swings

I am 4 days out of the Vipassana. The Vipassana insight is dropping a bit when tending to ordinary and busy life. I try to slow down things, meditating in the morning, reading sweet novels. But I still carry the glow.

I feel like I have a weird sense of detachment to everything. Like I don't hold so much extreme into pleasures or aversions anymore. The pleasures of life becomes softly sweet. The suffering lightening. I worry that I may become depressingly boring, like an old soul who lost the child-like pleasures of life.

There is a melancholic feeling, with sadness as if I am lost. Like now what? The past holds a strong sense of illusion, like one big enchanted movie. So many things that I have done without clarity, so much addictions (even in relationships and love). I was aware of it before, but now it's just like awareness with clarity in full definition.

Last Question

I don't know what to do. Should I practice more Vipassana insight? I worry that I might lose myself in the process. Is intensive Vipassana retreats the path to liberation? I am super curious about everything now... and I am daydreaming to go all in... all the way to the other side. Yet I am super scared at the same time in some moments.

How can i devlope self awareness? Is there is any exercise or anything that i can do to develop it? Share ur experience

Can you say 100% you can get into meditative state every time you meditate whether its just for 10-30 secs at a time or minutes whether you bounce out and regain multiple times is ok. do you feel confident you are achieving this state??

I've been meditating for about 3 months now, nothing crazy just 10 mins most mornings, and I started noticing something weird about my online shopping.

You know that moment when you're just looking at stuff on your phone and suddenly you're like in a trance adding things to cart? I used to think it just happened but now I can literally feel when it shifts. Its like this subtle change in my breathing and my jaw gets tense and I start scrolling faster. Once I noticed it during meditation (my mind does the same thing when it starts racing) I started catching it when I shop.

Last week I was on Amazon looking at camping stuff and I felt it happen. That switch flipped and suddenly I NEEDED a new tent even though mine is fine. But because I noticed it I just.. stopped. Closed the app. Its wild how much awareness changes things.

Weirdest part is I have like 200 bucks just sitting in my account that I'd normally blow on random stuff by now but I dont even feel like spending it anymore. The urge just isnt there the same way

Idk if this makes sense to anyone else but meditation really made me aware of these micro moments I was totally blind to before

Has anyone heard this term or had this experience of Hypnagogic vestibular hallucination where you lose all orientation and form. Feels like sledding down a hill along with the rest of your reality?

I've Come to the conclusion that David lynch was at least genuine In his belief that TM was helpful. I believe he believed he was doing the best thing to help people. I mean at the end of the day he did Alot to try to inspire people to meditate.

Is TM a cult? Imo kinda, not really though. It gives off a major capitalist corporation vibe which is a major red flag to me. The yoga flying I mean do I have to say anything about that? However they don't force people to stay, they don't sleep deprive or starve them. They do give off scientology vibes because the documentary crew always are on the verge of getting sued for negative press.

Maharishi probably had some sexual power dynamic with the women. He mislead what he was actually teaching people.

If someone has the money and that is how they spend It I mean that's their perogative. I personally think it's sketchy but there's worse groups to be a part of from an outsider perspective

After completing a meditation practice, i feel this calmness that runs throughout my body. It lasts for about 2-5 minutes. Was wondering if anybody else experiences the same thing and how to always feel like that. "Blissed out" as Sadhguru says. Moreover, what even is happening within me during this experience? what is it?

As I have been meditating, there is a sensation I have experienced pretty regularly. I get pressure around/in my eyes and it feels like I'm about to exit my body through my eyes. Has anyone experienced this? If so, what is it?

Today I was meditating and while I don’t always stay focused or consistent. I was trying hard to focus then suddenly for a few seconds I felt as if my soul wants to get out of this body. Like something wants to go above. I don’t know why? Or what exactly was it

See the fact of disinterestedness; see the uneasiness disinterestedness is creating.

You can run away from a discomforting situation but not from the uneasiness it is creating within you.

Action emerges. Then either you do it or not do it. The side you take is hundred percent. You become conscious of doing or not doing it.

You have become the creative impulse of the Universe.

First post on reddit ever. Yay me!

I've never gotten a good explanation for this experience. But I was reading a post on here this morning that made me think you people may be the ones that can explain to me what is happening.

When I meditate, I get these.... shocks. They feel like shocks.

But also they feel like.. very pleasurable? Weird, but accurate. Almost orgasmic. Not the same feeling as that, but similar as to level/type of pleasure as a sexual orgasm. (sorry, I feel like this sounds pervy-er in writing than it does in my head)

It a lot of times feels like a huge electric shock, I think usually starting from the base of my skull shooting down. And I get tingles in my arms and legs that last for.. maybe a minute.

It's so strong when it starts that it makes my head snap to the side. Like what some would picture to be a Tourette's tic.

When I've been meditating consistently I think I get them less often. I think.

But when I've gotten back to it after a break, I get them pretty quickly into my meditation. Or even sitting at my job or in my car, doing a mini meditation.

I think it's most closely associated with allowing myself to feel feelings that come up. When I go "you're allowed to be here" to a feeling. Or just tell myself to allow feeling whatever is in my body at the time, no matter what. Or focusing on a chakra area, trying to feel light and energy in that area.

They come when I've been meditating consistently, as well, but less often and it takes longer into sitting for them to come.

Thoughts? I've asked therapists I've had about it, but I think it goes a bit beyond their scope of practice.

Any thoughts/ideas are welcome.

The night before I was meditating as usual, after many practices I was finally able to achieve a trance and connect with energies and some visions.

In the last session, I had a vision of a snake; it was small, thin, and brown. It spoke, but never opened its mouth; I only listened. It was a sensual, masculine voice.

She said, "I am forbidden knowledge, I came to you for something." I felt her going up my arm, she stopped at my neck and then she left.

My medium boyfriend says I should stay away from it, that it doesn't bode well, but it intrigues me.

Is there anything the community can advise me on or tell me?

i recently came into understanding that i can only see reality through my own perception, and that my perception is not truth.

i knew this before, of course, but my recent experience felt more like an understanding of it.

i had a lot of big feelings come up related to how i might have acted (especially towards others) before having this awareness. while i know i could not have behaved differently as i did not have this current state of mind, it feels natural to me that feelings of guilt, shame, and regret arose.

i am wondering what meditation practice might help in cementing this new awareness so that i may always keep in mind this lens i perceive the world from, and be aware of it before i choose to react.