Visual Impermanence?

John, modified 3 Years ago at 11/7/20 9:37 AM
Created 3 Years ago at 11/7/20 9:37 AM

Visual Impermanence?

Posts: 7 Join Date: 3/31/20 Recent Posts
I recently ramped up daily practice to 3-5hrs for the past few days.

Practice has been VERY fruitful recently and there has been marginal mind wandering.  The perceptual shift I mentioned months ago on this board is sticking... whether it's SE or not, I truly don't care anymore. Practice is going immensley better, there is less suffering and I find myself thinking far less every day, and much more present.

Anyway, enough about my recent practice history...

Today, when taking a consultation with a prospective client for my business... I experienced some big visual distortions when this person was talking.

As he talked, his mouth moved around in a jerky, shaky, fashion. Each movement of his speach blending in to the next. The rest of the visual field remained normal. This went on for 10 minutes or so, intermittently.

The only thing I can aliken it to is the warping visual experience of psychedelics ( which I haven't explored in 4-5 years ).

It was VERY bizzare and mildly disconcerting, although I remained equanimious and quickly felt OK with it's presence.

If it weren't for having a strong mental trip and equanimity right now, I would have feared I was having a psychotic break.

Has anyone ever epxerienced something like this before?

Any comments?
thumbnail
terry, modified 3 Years ago at 11/7/20 12:55 PM
Created 3 Years ago at 11/7/20 12:55 PM

RE: Visual Impermanence?

Posts: 2426 Join Date: 8/7/17 Recent Posts
John:
I recently ramped up daily practice to 3-5hrs for the past few days.

Practice has been VERY fruitful recently and there has been marginal mind wandering.  The perceptual shift I mentioned months ago on this board is sticking... whether it's SE or not, I truly don't care anymore. Practice is going immensley better, there is less suffering and I find myself thinking far less every day, and much more present.

Anyway, enough about my recent practice history...

Today, when taking a consultation with a prospective client for my business... I experienced some big visual distortions when this person was talking.

As he talked, his mouth moved around in a jerky, shaky, fashion. Each movement of his speach blending in to the next. The rest of the visual field remained normal. This went on for 10 minutes or so, intermittently.

The only thing I can aliken it to is the warping visual experience of psychedelics ( which I haven't explored in 4-5 years ).

It was VERY bizzare and mildly disconcerting, although I remained equanimious and quickly felt OK with it's presence.

If it weren't for having a strong mental trip and equanimity right now, I would have feared I was having a psychotic break.

Has anyone ever epxerienced something like this before?

Any comments?


aloha john,

    I used to get migraines sometimes until I stopped drinking espresso in pint mugs. Along with the pain came visual distortions. Now I very occasionally get the visual disturbances without the pain. I can function with them but they are distracting. This actually hasn't happened in years but would not signify much if it occurred again.

   You could think of such events as visual disturbances of an organic, electrical sort and not worry about them unless they become a significant impairment.

   Could be "flashbacks." I always used to say, I can't have flashbacks because I never came down. But my experience with psychedelics was pretty extensive (~1000 times) so who knows. Could be a bonus.

terry