Visions/dreams and how to deal with them...

[householder]

Hi all, not sure if this is appropriate for this forum or should go in Vipassana.

When in walking meditation, my concentration is generally very good and I can go for good stretches without breaking awareness and/or focus on the soles of the feet and the process of moving (usually always accompanied by noting, without volitional effort or intentional verbalisation - it just kind of happens).

Sitting is a different story at the moment. When my eyes are open it's fine, but I've been instructed by both Mahasi Sayadaw teachers and a 'samatha/vipassana' teacher to have eyes either closed entirely or open ever so slightly. The Mahasi teacher said eyes can be open for a minute or two without attempts to anchor awareness on the rising and falling abdomen, to bring back awareness and anchor it on the breath, thereafter the eyes should close again.

When my eyes close, I sometimes (at the moment it's often) get what is best described here:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el088.html

Pictures or visual scenes may arise and are often so vivid as to be termed visions or hallucinations. They often have the appearance of dreams or distant memories and differ from thoughts in that the meditator usually finds himself a passive spectator not knowing when such scenes will arise or what forms they will take. The meditator should first attempt to ignore these sensations, feelings, and pictures. This failing, he should label them "itching," "fear," "picture," etc., and lastly make them his meditation subject until they diminish.

Sometimes these visions arise immediately on closing the eyes, other times it's after a decent spell of concentration. At the moment it's mainly the former. Sometimes I will become aware and note these visions coming on (like they're 'fading in') and can observe, looping the note of 'thinking/imagining/dreaming' until it evaporates "underneath" the repetitive noting. This requires effort to maintain else the mind slips into the content of the vignette. Other times the mind will simply absorb into them without my realising it - almost like waking up in the vignette. There is usually an awareness during these episodes of a sensation that these are some sort of distant memory, or familiar dream, even though it's always a random vignette or series of vignettes usually triggered by past events (not always, sometimes it's just completely fantastical vignettes).

The awareness can sometimes become restored either during the vignette, in which case I immediately start noting and focusing back to the breath, causing the vignette to rapidly evaporate. Other times the awareness is back at the breath and the vision/dream has evaporated before I can discern it, so I usually end up noting 'thinking' but in a retrospective sense.

As with any meditation centre, it comes and goes, but recently has been recurring more often and intensively. I wonder whether it's due to tiredness? In any event frustration eventually starts to arise with the inability to stay anchored or focused (depending on the meditation type) on the breath for even a single inhalation and exhalation in some cases.

On a side note, that feeling of frustration, along with anxiety for whatever leg/knee pain arises (which soon dissipates) seem to be the only emotions that arise during pretty much most if not all of my meditation sittings. It's like I'm feeling 'flat'. The only exception comes when I have good long spells of awareness or concentration or, as has happened once, access concentration. Then there is a feeling of equanimity and contentment, in a cool but pleasant (as opposed to ecstatic and blissful) way.

Any tips on how best to deal with the visions? Diligent effort to note before it comes on and return to the breath, just 'meditating through'?

Thanks!

Edit: Re the instructions in the quote - I don't know whether making them the meditation subject means observing them with the same noting practice. I find they vanish quickly when doing so but they quickly reappear with the same intensity as before and am again likely to get lost in them.

It's at the stage where I'd prefer to do far more walking than sitting meditation.

[Reductor]

Hey there householder.

Early on I had a lot of visons and such. Since I was using anapansati coupled with bud dho, I just held fast to my object. Over the course of a month or two these things became less and less.

So I would suggest you continue your noting and meditate through as you have been doing. Be sure to practice at times when you are unlikely to be tired other wise you will likely lack energy to fend off these disturbances.

Also, I know that when I am somewhat tired my eyes tend to drift into a upward pointing position and I go into a quasi dreaming state. An interesting experience but of little value. Avoid that if it is happening to you.

Lastly, use what works. If walking seems more reliable, then make that the backbone of your meditation and don't kick yourself over it. Even the great ajahn mun made walking meditation his focus early on, and a staple for his whole life.

Of course sit also and put in an effort. I am sure it will abate in time.

Bear in mind that I have not received mahasi training, but hope my thoughts prove of value to you.

[householder]

Thankyou thereductor, it's helpful to hear of your experiences.

Exceptional time commitments are playing havoc, so that when I do meditate I'm usually very tired. Fortunately I have a 9 day intensive vipassana retreat this month and a 5 day start at Harnham in September (though it will be literally stepping off the plane after returning from Myanmar then straight up to Newcastle!)

[Reductor]

I have sympathy for you. Being a stay home dad it is required of me to attend to my two young kids (4 and 5 yrs old) and the home from the time I awaken to the time the kids fall asleep at 10 pm. Usually I am very weary. So far shifting to a predawn meditation period has been a hit and miss affair.

Perhaps you'd be better off getting up much earlier rather than staying up later?

Other possibilies, if weariness is contributing to your trouble, would be to turn the sitting part of your meditation into contemplation of metta, or a recollection of buddha, dhamma or sangha. These are good developments to undertake and will provide more conceptual foundation for your mind, which may offset any tiredness.

At anyrate good luck with your retreats.

EDIT, a couple small changes in 3rd paragraph

[Freawaru]

When my eyes close, I sometimes (at the moment it's often) get what is best described here:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el088.html

Pictures or visual scenes may arise and are often so vivid as to be termed visions or hallucinations. They often have the appearance of dreams or distant memories and differ from thoughts in that the meditator usually finds himself a passive spectator not knowing when such scenes will arise or what forms they will take. The meditator should first attempt to ignore these sensations, feelings, and pictures. This failing, he should label them "itching," "fear," "picture," etc., and lastly make them his meditation subject until they diminish.

Sometimes these visions arise immediately on closing the eyes, other times it's after a decent spell of concentration. At the moment it's mainly the former. Sometimes I will become aware and note these visions coming on (like they're 'fading in') and can observe, looping the note of 'thinking/imagining/dreaming' until it evaporates "underneath" the repetitive noting. This requires effort to maintain else the mind slips into the content of the vignette. Other times the mind will simply absorb into them without my realising it - almost like waking up in the vignette. There is usually an awareness during these episodes of a sensation that these are some sort of distant memory, or familiar dream, even though it's always a random vignette or series of vignettes usually triggered by past events (not always, sometimes it's just completely fantastical vignettes).

The awareness can sometimes become restored either during the vignette, in which case I immediately start noting and focusing back to the breath, causing the vignette to rapidly evaporate. Other times the awareness is back at the breath and the vision/dream has evaporated before I can discern it, so I usually end up noting 'thinking' but in a retrospective sense.

As with any meditation centre, it comes and goes, but recently has been recurring more often and intensively. I wonder whether it's due to tiredness?

Most likely.

In any event frustration eventually starts to arise with the inability to stay anchored or focused (depending on the meditation type) on the breath for even a single inhalation and exhalation in some cases.

I suggest to switch the object of focus. I recommend awareness itself. Try to maintain awareness/observation even when you let go of breath or other body sensations.

I suggest to maintain noting. Not necessarily in a verbal way - just know whatever arises for what it is. Discern memory as memory, dream memory as dream memory, imagining as imagining, dream as dream, hypnagogia as hypnagogia and so on. They all have a different "feel" to them if you know what I mean. Concentrate your discernment on this "feel" rather than on the actual content of whatever arises.

[Sanghamitta]

The tiredness is just part of life. Worse at some stages than others.
As to visions and dreams I was present once when Ajahn Munindo was asked about such phenomena. He said, " Its all stuff. Note it and let it go ".