Very Bad Dreams After Meditation - Advice Needed

Hey everyone i was wondering if some of the people here who are very experienced in meditation could help me. I've been meditationg for maybe 6 years, usually every day. About 6 months ago i stopped, life was hectic, i was only extremely tired and just couldn't meditate. About a week ago i started again. The very first night after doing it i had a truly horredous nightmare. Now i rarely have nightmares and i never remember them but this one is vivid even now. I won't go into it as it's not important but it wasn't pleasant.

Anyway each night after meditating i've had a nightmare. I stopped my meditation and the dreams went away. Can anyone here who knows more about meditation and the problems that can come from it give me some hints as to what i'm doing wrong? I mean i'm using the same technique i've used for years without trouble, this is just a very instant thing that seems to have happened and if someone here has had similar problems you might be able to help me out. I miss my meditation so don't want to have to give it up.

At the very least an explanation for why this would happen would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[edit on 7-5-2009 by ImaginaryReality1984]

Nightmares after starting Meditation are an indicator that the body/mind is beginning to process/clean-up subconscious material that is too deep/painful to be confronted in waking life. Nightmares are a good thing because they spare you having to go through it while awake. Its a phase that passes as Meditation deepens.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


From personal experience I was told - (after suffering from some of the same kind of instances) - to keep meditating .

If you stop the situation will only resurface later, or, may surface in expressions of bad health, stress, etc.

So keep meditating and confront whatever it is that keeps reappearing in the nightmares... There's something *very important* you need to be facing within yourself and your mind knows when it's the time to do it.



Stay strong and good luck.

Let us know about the dreams - if you feel like sharing.

peace

[edit on 7-5-2009 by silo13]

I have had three back surgeries and have taken lots of meds and narcotics (prescribed) for pain. Only one made me have the worst most vivid violent nightmares. Once I woke up screaming and had to heck on my son, I dreamt I killed him with an axe, IN COLOR. I was flipped out, my son was fine it as a dream but I called the doctor and have not eaten one oxycontin since that day. They control my pain trough Valium, Morphine, Dilaudid and fentanyl. Never had a nightmare since...

maybe you should listen to this...It is time to level the playing field















12 parts on you tube



[edit on 7-5-2009 by HulaAnglers]

Nightmares are just as important as dreams are!

There are several techniques I have to process unrelenting vivid nightmares and I have found them to be highly effective, although they sound rather boring.

Write the story of your dream/nightmare down using as much information as you can remember. Describe each image, describe how you felt and what you remember saying or thinking during the dream/nightmare. Often after you have written it all out you can re-read it and see how the corresponding imagery relates to your waking life.

If writing it down does not appeal to you, then I suggest using the same method with the details, and telling someone your dreams. Just interpreting your dream experience into language can sometimes be enough for you to connect the dots with the message it contains for you.

And that might sound a little airy for some, but with my own experience, regardless of the where and the how of dreaming, the nightmares always contain some elements from your waking life that need your attention.
Sometimes it is merely a reinterpretation of your waking life in a completely surrealistic metaphoric way.

The other method I have is to mentally walk your dream. Sit quietly and replay it through your mind and ask the scary parts of your dream what they are trying to tell you.

Lastly, I'd advise you not to give up your meditation based soley upon the repetition of nightmares, but to process the experiences and move deeper within yourself to find tranquility.

Peace

[edit on 5/7/2009 by azurecara]

Hello all, I'm new here, a physicist from central Europe.

Read your story about nightmares, well my explanation is this..

Meditation could be "entry point" for negative spiritual entities (demons in other words).

The same apply for things such Reiki, homeopathy, hypnosis, yoga, channeling, some kinds of natural healings etc.

Nightmares are one of the symptoms of being in touch with demonic powers. A friend of mine is seriously ill, she is visiting healer for years.. One time she confess to me that during the night she's awaked, full of fear, paralysed and seeing some beings around her..

So my advice (ok, maybe controversial for some) is to turn to Jesus as people savior.

Well, for long years I thought that UFO abduction and demonic obsession is the same thing.. Recently I've found this....

[url=http://www.examiner.com/x-2363-UFO-Examiner~y2009m3d12-UFOalien-abduction-sleuth-spots-Christian-smoking-gun]

Take care!

From a biochemical standpoint, your vivid nightmares upon restarting your meditation could be an indication that the meditation is working/doing you good. Vivid dreams/nightmares often occur when serotonin levels are raised, like when someone first starts on SSRI antidepressants, your deep, relaxing meditative state may be increasing your serotonin levels in the brain and acting as a natural antidepressant, the down side being that this alteration in brain chemistry is giving you nightmares. If you keep with the meditation the nightmares should subside as your body gets used to your new brain chemistry induced by your meditation.

Well thanks for all of those replies ladies and gentlemen, it's put my mind at ease. I was concerned that the meditation was doing me harm as i just never have nightmares, before all this i had a nightmare maybe once every 6 months lol. I'll keep meditating and see what happens as the consensus seems to be that they'll go away if i carry on

Oh and i will keep this thread updated if anyone is interested.

[edit on 7-5-2009 by ImaginaryReality1984]

You've received a lot of great information here and I'd like to add one thing: Perhaps right after meditation or as you are in bed ready for sleep, tell yourself or the universe or whomever it feels right for you, that you are open to the cleansing and to whatever messages want/need to come through, but it needs to be done in a more gentle manner. Tell yourself that your dreams will no longer be nightmares and they will no longer be traumatic.

Be firm! I know it sounds silly, but you can't leave any room for interpretations. We all know the universe has a twisted sense of humor.

Before I meditate , I always pray that there are no negative energy around me, and to keep me safe, and I have never had a problem.

Ama

reply to post by Alora


I'm afraid i don't believe in any of that kind of thing, i'm an atheist I don't believe the universe hears anything or that evil energies are around me etc. I believe something very physical is happening inside my little human brain. My concern was that it would keep getting worse and damage me mentally, but as others seem to have had this experience and it got better after continuing then i'll keep at it.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


That's why I included yourself in that list and said "whomever feels right for you". Tell it to yourself and be firm. When you meditate you train your mind to be calm, this is just like that.

[edit on 7-5-2009 by Alora]

reply to post by theindependentjournal


oxycotin is some wicked stuff! i broke my leg and took some. next thing i knew i was having dreams of seeing people with just empty sockets where their eyes should have been and blood streaming from the holes.

yowzers!

if meditation causes the same stuff by letting go of negative energy i think id rather just keep it bottled and get sick, the good old fashion way hahah.


...and no more oxy! cripes!

I for one, agree with what skyfloating said in response. Do not be afraid (sometimes easier said than done) of the contents of the nightmare, they are indeed products of what is buried deep inside your unconcious mind. It is a cleansing process taking place. These should not last too long, for the "ego" is a ferocious predator at times, and realizing that it's existence is in danger, it brings these images to the forefront of your mind to tell you that you can'tcan't survive without it.

Keep at what you're doing with your meditations. The nightmares will lessen with time. It's just a part of the ego's defense system, grasping at straws to stay alive.

blessings and light to all

Frank

i am currently reading a book on dreamcatchers. it is a native american device designed to keep bad dreams away from people.

maybe you should get one and hang it above your bed at night.

I sleep with a piece of lapis lazuli and i wear a flower of life pendant. i hardly have any bad dreams anymore. (and i used to have real nightmares)

all my dreams now are very meaningful adventures.

all the best,

G

The worst nightmare I have ever had came after a powerful light energy healing session. I worked with a highly educated energy healer who performed four healings on me over the course of four weeks. After the second healing, I dreamt that a girl was spying on me, and I became so enraged that I strangled this girl, until she died in my hands. I remember feeling her spirit leave her body, at which time I stepped back and took in the gruesome, bloody scene that had been created by my own hands. I woke up shaken and emotional. I spoke to my healer about the dream, who then said that nightmares are a method of release for the energetic systems of the body. Also that the dream state is a safe place to confront issues seemingly too big or emotional to handle consciously.

I continued with the healings, and experienced another nightmare after my fourth healing. Once again, the strange woman that I strangled in the first nightmare, reappeared and was still spying on me. She was smiling, and very happy. But I was not. Instead of rage and the anger that I felt in the first dream, I became emotional, and began to sob, asking this girl why she was spying on me. I cried inside this dream until I had no tears left to cry. The girl never answered me, but continued to look at me and smile.

This being four years ago, I can look back and see the clear symbology in these nightmares. The strange woman in my dreams seemed to represent my feminine/emotional/intuitive side. From an overextended stay in an abusive relationship, I had shut down my heart and all feelings of worth within myself. I believe the first nightmare was a release of the anger and rage I felt at my former partner for all the lies and manipulation I was subject to, and a symbolic version of what I was doing to myself, literally killing my emotional self by trying to remain numb, and not trusting my own heart and mind about the lies that I was fed on a daily basis. The second nightmare made clear to me that I was past the anger, and allowed the sadness regarding this bad relationship to be released, along with a re-acceptance of my emotional self as a valid part of my being.

I say look at your nightmares. Embrace them, study them. If they get to be too much, from your heart, ask your spirit to tone them down before you go to sleep. If you need a peaceful night's sleep, from your heart, command a peaceful sleep from your spirit. It's worth a try.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


Well it can be one of two things. Your mind is now cleaning out the years of junk and information that you've been needlessly storing your memories.

Or, you aren't closing the connection after you meditations. Most people will be a bit more sensitive after a session and that is normal, but if you aren't closing all of chakras after they are opened, that could lead to discomfort and bad dreams

I would suggest perhaps not going to sleep immediatly after a session, try staying up a bit, perhaps do some exercise and then ease yourself into bed.

If it's just the clean up process, it should go away after a few months of meaningfull sessions.

~Keeper

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


I find it a bit strange you would not believe in any form of higher power or energy. Mind you my beliefs are outside the box when it comes to whatever governs this place.

I could be mistaken, do you believe in cosmic energy? The belief that we are light and energy makes up all of what we see. Do you believe in the soul?

Meditation is a bit pointless if you refuse to believe there is anything else but the material world you were presented with.

~Keeper

Are they dream state nightmares, or are they nightmarish out of body experiences that you think are nightmares?