Do u think it's okey if i mediate before i go to sleep? because i did that last night, and when i was trying?

Question

to sleep, i couldn't because i keep on seeing strange things in my head, first it was colors, i saw a image that show someone mediating and i just saw and hear strange things after i mediate, is that normal, this is my first time doing it and my body was feeling weird? i want to know,how many min in a day show i mediate , does it have to be in a clean quiet place? show i do it before i go to sleep?

Answer 1

I've answered many Qs about meditation that can be found in my answers thread on my profile page.

Meditating before sleep can be helpful. It is recommended that a person meditate when they get up in the morning and around sundown. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes and then extend the amount of time to 40 minutes to an hour if you can. It's a good idea to do some stretching and breathing exercises before and after meditation.  Meditation is a discipline to train your mind. It takes time to get comfortable with it. Example: the first time you ever get on a 2-wheel bike or set of skis, you don't expect to do it perfectly. Right?

In the beginning--and even sometimes for experienced meditators--the mind will be very noisy and full of images and sensations. Some may appear quite spontaneous and strange.  There are several ways to meditate. One way is to just watch all of this without having any judgements and not getting absorbed in any thought or image. Eventually, the thoughts become less and the mind quiets down.  You must remember that these thoughts and feelings are noise from the deeper layers of your consciousness (like dreams are)--they are not effects from things "out there'" that are trying to do things to you and even though these thoughts and feelings can seem meaningful, they are just "mind stuff."  YOu meditate to bring these thoughts to the surface of awareness and acknowledge them, which helps make them go away.

Another way to meditate which is a preliminary to meditation actually is to focus on something to help train the mind to be naturally focussed. You can gaze at a candle, a shape, the white wall, or focus on a single image or idea in your mind (like the image of some spiritual person you admire or an idea of God, or the idea of love or peace, etc.)

Or also you can focus on a single word or a short affirmation or prayer, repeating the word(s) in your mind in rhythm with your breath.

If you get too spacey from meditation, you will feel strange afterward. Just do something very mundane (like watching TV and having a bowl of ice cream or playing with your pet or something like that) to take your mind off of it.  If you still often feel strange in your body or have strange thoughts or images especially after you meditate, you should probably not meditate and find another passtime.  It is rare, but meditation or meditation in the wrong way can bring out emotional or psychological disorders in a person who is already vulnerable to having that sort of thing happen.  

You can send a personal message to me through my profile if you have other Qs.