Yoga - Euphoria??

Im not sure this is in the right place. If not feel free to move it.

I've done yoga regularly for the past 3 years and never experienced anything like I did last night.

It wasnt actually doing the yoga it was after when I was doing a relaxation technique...basically laying on the floor..relaxing one part of my body at a time..slow breathing. I felt, as usual very very relaxed...but then I suddenly felt waves and waves of euphoria/bliss...i couldnt help but smile and i have never experienced anything like that. It felt like waves/vibrations at the same time. Can anyone tell me what this was?

I also felt numb..and disassociated..which was a little scary after the euphoria passed. Kind of like being extremely drunk!

reply to post by jy0020



Lucky you!

Spontaneous feelings of bliss are "road signs" that speak for themselves.

Don't question them. Believe me, I speak from experience: dissecting such things can only lead to their atomisation.

Hey hey, I don't practice yoga often, but can vouch for a "runner's high" or "natural high" in other sports activities. Basically when doing a lot of exercise (high cardio like running), you reach a kind of break-point where your body releases endorphins:

any of a group of endogenous peptides (as enkephalin) found especially in the brain that bind chiefly to opiate receptors and produce some pharmacological effects (as pain relief) like those of opiates;

www.merriam-webster.com...

Those who have adrenaline rushes during stressful situations experience something similar as well. I've read stories of people lifting the end of a car off of a trapped family member or other 'super-human' abilities due to the effects.

Could it be that one can be so relaxed that the body does the same thing? Quite possibly I'd think. What would be a great study is to slap on some electrodes or however endorphins are measured, then repeating the experiment.





[edit on 17-4-2008 by saint4God]

reply to post by jy0020


yes I know exactly what you mean, I have the same experiences during yoga. Not always, but sometimes between the asanas. I think it has to do with total relaxation, balancing/opening chakras and yoga breathing.
Its almost a orgastic feeling and comes in waves.
I do not try to experience it on purpose during yoga, just enjoy it when it happens.
Yoga is the best gift you can give yourself!

Originally posted by ahamarlin
I do not try to experience it on purpose during yoga, just enjoy it when it happens.

I'm not sure this is the kind of thing to feel 'guilty' about per-say. The effects are drug-like, not drug themselves. Taking opium, yes, bad. But having your brain produce endorphins to make you feel better...not so sure. It can be bad if you feel you must have it daily perhaps (addiction) or try to do super-human activities that could damage the body afterwards. Not sure, physiology wasn't my strong suit. Is there a doctor in the house?

Thanks for the replies. The only time I've come anywhere close to this feeling has been chemically induced. Im amazed that you can feel like this naturally. I knew yoga could do things like this but i assumed it would be subtle...i couldnt believe how powerful and intense the feelings were.

I should also mention that ive had a chronic infection since September...on and off long courses of antibiotics..and generally run down. It has also affected my inner ear leaving me constantly unbalanced/hazy. Ive heard that ..in the context of things like lucid dreaming and astral projection...when a person is sick it can make the process easier. Dont know if there is any truth in this however it would seem reasonable to assume that since i feel constantly dream-like..it should be easier for me to 'go deeper' during meditation.

It's funny as it happened toally at random...i wasnt anymore relaxed than usual. Ive actually been under a great deal of stress lately!

just curious about the type of yoga you are practicing ??
what you are describing reminds me of stories of Kundalini Yoga

here is a description from www.yogabits.com

"Kundalini yoga focuses on psychic centers or chakras in the body in order to ignite a spiritual power, also known as kundalini energy.

Kundalini yoga is a meditative style of yoga, composed of a set of basic techniques that use the mind, senses and the body to achieve communication between “mind” and “body”. Kundalini yoga centres on the psycho-spiritual growth and the human body’s capacity for maturation, giving emphasis to the spine and the endocrine system in the understanding of yogic beginnings.

Kundalini is understood to be the potential form of prana or life force, lying stagnant in our bodies. It is imagined as a wound up serpent (in Sanskrit, kundalini means ‘coiled up’), this serpent can arise when activated by spiritual disciplines. The practitioner can visualise a snake or serpent passing through and awakening all the chakra points and igniting the fire inside for cleansing and spiritual awakening.

Similar to many other yoga styles, Kundalini yoga links movement with the breath. The way it is different from other yoga styles is that it has a direct focus on passing energy through the chakra system. Awakening the energy in the lower charkas and bringing it to the higher chakras. The chakras are energy points, seven in total. These are located at the base of the spine and positioned along the spine, ending at the top of the head. There is also an eighth chakra in Kundalini yoga, which is the electromagnetic field, also called “aura”. This aura is understood to be strengthened through the practice of Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini Yoga strengthens and ignites the energy that lives in the spine by activating the nerve channels that are interlinked there.

Kundalini Yoga is a way of explaining the flow of energy which is already in existence within each person. The practices are thought to help the person to unite with the universal self. This uniting of individual consciousness with the consciousness of the planet and universe is thought to creat a “divine union” called “yoga.” "

I also recall reading stories about how Kundalini became really big in the US during the 60's and that people would try to reach the ultimate state while on '___'. These people ended up in hospitals because they were on sensory overdrive.

not that you have to worry about that or anything ...just an interesting tidbit ...