How does one know whether experiences in meditation

[Guest guest]

are not products of wishful thinking, or some kind of illusion?

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

It depends what you experience. If they are physical perceptions, there is no reason to think they are illusion.

[Guest guest]

Why not?

 

There are diseases out there, that can affect the optic nerve and cause you to lose sight in reality, but you could think you're actually still able to see for a while. It's only after a little time does the sight that you think you have disappear and you're left blind.

 

Meaning, you could actually go blind, but your brain will still perceive that you have sight, so you might have like a virtual snapshot of the last thing you saw, convincing you that you have sight. Only lasts a little while before that is gone and the reality is revealed that you are blind.

[gHari]

A genuine transcendental experience will still after years be more real than anything or anyone in this world. It will remain as purifying as it ever was when revisited. It will remain the most cherished possession of the fortunate one.

 

The honest seeker will know. It is recommended not to share such intimate revelations, since no one else can know their truth anyway. One of the past acaryas has suggested this.

 

Of course if one is smoking weed or dropping acid, tripping on the cover of Sri Isopanisad, while the picture of Lord Kesava comes to life, then an honest seeker will look back with rather strong skepticism.

 

This is our life we're talking about. We have to be ready to bet everything, our very being. Only a fool will hold tight to something that is not real. REALITY has a taste that cannot fall to any words or doubt. If it is real, it will remain the center of your existence forever. How else could it be?

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

If your optic nerve is damaged, it won't only be during meditation. If you have doubt about your experiences, then you aren't having experiences.

[Guest guest]

 

If your optic nerve is damaged, it won't only be during meditation. If you have doubt about your experiences, then you aren't having experiences.

 

Well, I never said the optic nerve would be damaged through meditation, I was just giving an example of how the brain and the eyes interact, and what the eyes see may not necessarily correlate with the brain and vice versa.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

To clarify, "If your optic nerve is damaged, it won't only be during meditation [that you have the hallucinations or impaired vision]."

[Guest guest]

 

To clarify, "If your optic nerve is damaged, it won't only be during meditation [that you have the hallucinations or impaired vision]."

 

 

Sorry, I didn't see the "only".

 

That's true, but again, I'm just pointing out how the brain could be deceiving you in what you're really seeing and sensing, optic nerve damage or not.

 

Then how do you know the brain is not deceiving you?

[Guest guest]

(ROBBIE ROBERTSON » Twisted Hair Lyrics)

 

This was the way of it

Let the story fires be lighted

Let our circle be strong and full of medicine

 

Hear me

This is my dream song that I'm singing for you

This is my power song that is taking me to the edge

This is rock medicine

The talking tree

The singing water

 

Listen

I am dancing underneath you

This was the way of it

It is a river

It is a chant

It is a medicine story

It is what happened long ago

It is a bead in a story belt

It is what has been forgotten

It is the smell of sweetgrass and cedar

 

And prayers lifted to sky father

It is a way, a tradition

The way it was always done by the people

It is a feeling of warmth

The sound of voices

 

Listen

I am dancing underneath you