Jae Amber:
My "problem area" is actually the very active sensations centering around my scalp where there are wave-like sensations, which sometimes feels like tiny blood vessels throbbing all over my scalp, or invisible fingers massaging my scalp. The focus of these sensations moves around, sometimes the crown area, or can be back of my head near the spine area, or other times nearer to the front hairline. Sometimes, if i stay in the calm state for too long (eg. an hour of sitting session), i will suffer "backlash" during post-meditation where the waves and throbbing on my scalp will "worsen" or gets too strong/active, and it feels painful like a migraine or a vein popping or pounding in my head. I had to actually stop meditating for next 1 or 2 days to recover from this and even took leave from work on few occasions as the head pounding is too much to handle. It seems like the more absorbed and calmer i get in the formal sitting, the worse the "backlash" is during post-meditation.
I also have other physical phenomenon like:
- constantly hearing a high-pitch frequency (similar to what you hear when both ears are plugged up)
- sometimes the high-pitch frequency seems to fluctuate in sync with the "waves" on my scalp
- i need to regularly "pop" both ears which seems to be due to the feeling of "bloated head/mind"
- jaw muscles throbbing or tightening involuntarily
Dear Jae,
Hey, welcome.
Impressions:
The body distortion thing is 1st jhana, as is the initial shift to calm state.
The vibrations are second vipassana jhana, aka the early A&P territory. These can get strong and disconcerting: just let them do their thing, noticing their qualities and reactions to them as they are. Sometimes the energy moving through can really be unpleasant, and sometimes it is very nice. Both are ok from a big picture point of view, more stuff happening.
The high-pitched sound is actually an interesting object. Most people have this in varying degrees, and dissecting it into its various harmonics, pulses and other aspects can build concentration and produce insight, depending on how you listen to it.
The interference patterns or synchronicity with the high-pitched sound and the waves is classic A&P territory: noticing that sort of stuff is good.
Jaw muscles tightening and the like are late 3 characteristics and can to into A&P territory also, as well as re-arise in later Dark Night, and some people are just more jaw-clenchy than others at times.
One way or the other, noticing those sorts of vibrations consistently is very good practice: keep going: you are doing well and the effects you describe are par for the course and normal.