White Noise - Reality Playing Fast Forward

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Fred Andreas Ligaard, modified 2 Years ago at 6/28/21 7:22 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 6/28/21 7:21 AM

White Noise - Reality Playing Fast Forward

Posts: 5 Join Date: 10/29/19 Recent Posts
When I was a kid resting in bed I sometimes went into this strange texture of experience. 
It often started with noticing the background sound in my head. My focus on that sound would naturally increase, the sound would get louder, like white noise on TV increasing in volume. Then it was like everything I sensed would be on fast speed. The voice in my mind would sound fast, reality would just seem fast. The texture of my experience would become strange, dry, flat, like a 2D video game. 

It was not directly pleasant, and eventually I would tap out of the state by just doing something else. 

Now as a 9-year meditator or so, I occiasionally I get into it again.
The other day it got intense, and the sensations were perceived with such speed that it creeped me out a little.
I thought, "If I keep going here there might be no way back from this chaotic reality" - which is a classic fear, but it's a long time since I've been thinking this during a meditation. 

I took the speed of perception and the creepiness as good signs, that it was perhaps a stronger than usual mode of vipassana. 

Anyone familiar with this territory? 
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Kaloyan Stefanov, modified 2 Years ago at 6/30/21 3:51 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 6/30/21 3:51 AM

RE: White Noise - Reality Playing Fast Forward

Posts: 83 Join Date: 2/18/21 Recent Posts
Hi Fred, it sounds like something good and nothing to worry about. The more rapid and clear we can percieve sensations, the better. Sometimes it can feel creepy anf fear can come up, but if you can relate to also the feeling of creepiness and fear as nothing to run away from, and simply sensations to investigate, notice and percieve clearly, that will definately be helpful. Run towards fear if it comes up is generally solid advice in meditation.

If you are looking for more specific explanation: sounds like you are rising up the jhanas 1-2 (in 2 things get very rapid, start detting vibratory, buzzy, etc.) and maybe 3 (where creepiness can come up) and/or progressing along the (most likely early) stages of the Progress of insights. Have you read MCTB? A lot of people say kids have relatively easy access to jhanas so no surprise that you would have accessed these states as a kid.
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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 2 Years ago at 7/3/21 1:20 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 7/3/21 1:20 PM

RE: White Noise - Reality Playing Fast Forward

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
Yes, I recognize it. There was a while when it kept drawing me in, which culminated in on night of repeat suffering door fruitions after going through the jhanic arc each time. It hasn't kept escalating for me. On the contrary, there's more really silent silence and timeless stillness taking over now, and not in a creepy way at all. I suspect it will pass for you too. 

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