Five Meditation Experiences

1. Experience of recognising thoughts

As one tries to place mind on the object of meditation, a continuous stream of thought will arise as a reaction, which cannot, estimated by one's gross mind. Actually one's mind is burdened with such thoughts all the time, but since one never closely placed the mind in meditation they were not noticed previously. Having made the effort to do so the mind in meditation has become aware of these thoughts which previously seemed non existent. Not knowing this to be so, the mediator will be discouraged to notice so many thoughts disturbing this meditation. This however, is the first and most important experience of meditation, which is similar to watching water falling off a steep mountain.

 

 2. Experiencing of the resting thoughts

As one repeatedly places the mind on the object of meditation while being aware of thoughts, after sometime one's thoughts become more reluctant to arise but they will not ceased to rise completely. As the meditator notices the slowing pace of thoughts, it will speed up again and as one become more aware of the reoccurrence of this process it will cease to arise. This alternative repetition of the rising, slowing and ceasing process of thoughts is the second experience of meditation, which is akin to the way a creek makes its way in a deep and narrow gorge.

 

3. Experience of the exhausted thoughts

As the meditator becomes familiar with the alternative rising and ceasing of one's thoughts and as he or she continues to study this process the thoughts will disappear like a miracle. But as one tries to maintain in this state, the thoughts will interrupt the clarity all of a sudden and then remain in a state of tiredness. This is the third experience of meditation, which is similar to the sight of a pool where streams from three valleys converge at intervals.

 

 4. Experience of Wave-like thoughts

At this stage the meditator develops a state of calmness with the help of awareness and remains in stability for a good length of time without any obstacles. One will have the control to direct the mind with little effort to remain single pointedly. This will however face the rising of one or more thoughts, which will die off itself. At this stage, the meditator may employ inaccurate antidotes or over apply the antidotes. This is the fourth experience of meditation, which is similar to seeing a peaceful ocean with waves.

 

5. Experience of meditative equipoise

This is the stage where the meditator does not require putting any effort to place the mind on a chosen object, there are neither external sensory objects distracting the mind nor inner thoughts causing mental discursiveness. This is the fifth experience of meditation, which is like a peaceful ocean without waves.