Hello!
This is my first post here, I'd like to describe a few phenomena i've encountered in the hopes that they can be placed in their proper perspective ( concentration state / stage of insight ) from a more experienced practitioner's point of view.
I first had a spontaneous unitive experience several years ago ( around 2004 ). During this, I began feeling very strong vibrations, a high pitched tone in my ears ( reminiscent of the sound of a camera's flash charging, then discharging ) after which i had no sense of bodily existence. At this point I seemed to be in the "void" type phenomenon, a seemingly boundless space. I still seemed to retain a sort of awareness, but had no sense or recollection of an "identity" or details of who I was in everyday terms. I felt what could be described as waves of bliss/love. Reading descriptions of awareness as being a drop in the vast ocean, seem to closely approximate the feeling of this experience for me. I had certain insights into "all is one" and "everything is interconnected". There was a sense of being outside of time. I experienced a prolonged period of blanking out towards the end of this experience, before feeling i was back to "existence". Unfortunately, I didn't have the best clarity of mind at the time this occured, so it was difficult for me to recall everything as well as I would have liked afterwards. If someone could weigh in and possibly help me place this experience within the "maps" I'd really appreciate it.
Since this experience, I was strongly motivated to understand what had occured ( I had no knowledge of spiritual practice at the time ) and since then I've made a persistent investigation into meditation, and developing a meditation practice for myself. So far, I seem to have developed some ability in getting into at least the lower concentration states fairly quickly. Only recently have I begun to understand where insight meditation practice fits in ( as i was mistaking blissful concentration states as the goal rather than a side effect ).
In my meditation practice ( and pretty much 24/7 ) there is a phenomenon that I experience that is called in some places: "Visual Snow", it's like 3-d tv static throughout my field of vision. I'm curious as to whether this visual snow or static is what some refer to as the vibrations that make up existence, because when I've been doing insight practices ( noting sensations ) I notice these vibrations seem to pulsate at different rates or blink in and out of existence. This visual snow seems to act like a sort of mind screen. I've been having lucid dreams for several years now, and recently I've been able to meditate inside of my lucid dreams. I've had several lucid dreams in the past few months where i attempted to turn them into clear light dreams, where I dissolved into this same sort of visual snow.. until i woke up. I don't want to mistake this phenomenon for "clear light" or "rigpa" if they are entirely different, so If anyone can clarify this for me I'd really appreciate it.
Finally, I have found that fairly often when I meditate, or sometimes even after reading for a few hours, I'll shift into a state where I will perceive channels of prana, "nadis". I was fascinated by these energy channels for quite some time, and I'm curious what concentration state is associated with being able to perceive prana or energy channels, and how I might be able to work from this state to enhance or make faster progress w/ insight meditation.
My aim for now is stream entry, and I'd appreciate any suggestions that could help point me in the right direction for the sort of practice that would be appropriate for someone at my level of experience. I'll be happy to provide details of what I've probably left out. I am a very low income person so going on an extended retreat isn't an immediate option for me as much as I'd like to do so, but I am able to set up prolonged periods at my place where I have a fairly quiet and ideal setting to practice.
Thanks in advance for your assistance!
( I should also mention I've come here from reading Daniel Ingram's book, which has been really helpful as a resource for evaluating what level of progress I may be at. )
