How on earth are you supposed to sleep when you're cycling all the time post SE?

Try lying down and closing your eyes.

Cheeky. I mean, seriously, it felt as if I was in hell at points in the dukka nanas


Is this not common to most peoples experience? Does it die down at all?

What is it that is preventing you from sleeping? Have you only recently had trouble sleeping?

Seeing the cycle keep running all the time. Skeletons and fear in that nana. Images from my childhood from the time my parents got divorced which had me weeping and shaking uncontrolably (reobservation?) Crazy mystical vistas in hi eq.

I take it this isn't normal?

When I have problem going to sleep, either for too much energy or mind racing, I try to concentrate in a relaxed way, just focusing on quieting the mind.
Usually it works, but at least once I actually had to sit on a cushion and meditate following the breath for 30min to get relaxed and be able to sleep.

First of all, if you are not able to sleep quickly just quieting the mind, try to put your feet out of the comforter or drink water or see if something is bothering you.

I think it's hard to say what's normal and not because of how very different people are. For example, is there a normal way to grieve when someone dies? The same goes for this awakening stuff.

For me personally things were so sucky prior to SE that breaking through left me mostly relieved and amazed. As for sleep I slept like a baby once the dust had settled, in contrast to before SE where I needed about one to two hours to fall asleep every night. So almost opposite your experience.

As for DN I do remember feeling like I had not only ended my ego but also everyone I know and love as they were somehow intertwined. This caused for some panic and despair.

Have you meditated following the instructions from anapanasati sutta? I have found it helpful in clearing out muck.

Uncontrollable shaking: try to intuitively relax the physical body.

Also physical exercise and all the standard advice.

Robin: in my experience, 1st path is like the A&P of paths. You are thus more likely to be euphoric, energetic, wired, etc, which causes you to sleep less. You can also be more aggressive, arrogant, ardent, zealous, loving, desirous, optimistic, opinionated, etc. You may think life is awesome and that you, in particular, are also awesome. You may have powerful full-body energetic phenomena, including kundalini going up the spine, tremors, orgasmic sensations, full body terror (you'll notice the exciting aspect of it more than usual), "powers," both in a mystical sense (e.g. visions), and in a more common sense (e.g. you are likely exceptionally charismatic during this phase), etc, etc.

It is an excellent occasion to deeply understand, first hand, the disadvantages of euphoric feelings. Both in how they influence your life, your perspectives on life, and as a consequence the life of those around you. Pleasure can distort perception as much as much as pain does during the dark night, but in a more optimistic, grandiose and self-serving manner (the belief you have gotten it right, the belief that you have good intentions, etc). No need to take my word for it. Make good use of this opportunity.

If you can, either complement or replace your vipassana practice with more grounding kinds of practice, such as Chi Kung. Use the extra energy to open the energetic pathways IN THE LEGS (that's golden advice right there).

This was also my experience, and this is good advice. I also had trouble sleeping and was quite unstable for a period of time during review cycles.

I was genuinely freaked out post-SE for days. It eventually passes.

If it makes you feel any better, I haven't slept for 3 nights in a row now. I feel like someone hungover after a week of partying with all manner of drugs. I have pretty much given up on my body and mind doing anything other than what they want to do. Fun times.

Hi Robin,

Are you still experiencing trouble sleeping, or have things settled down?

I had the same problem with sleep post-SE. I found that I could only fall asleep after the review ended with a fruition. If I didn't fall asleep fast enough after the fruition, I'd get revved up with the cycling again and have to wait for the next fruition. Things did settle down after about a week or so.

Cheers,

Nick

A fair bit of medication and a few weeks later things have settled down and I feel stable and better than I have done in my adult life. For now......

thanks for your replies.