Experiences in Meditation: Truth, Illusion, or the Subtle Play of the Mind? — A Deep Personal Journey
Experiences in Meditation: Truth, Illusion, or the Subtle Play of the Mind ?
A Deep Personal Journey
Meditation is not merely the act of sitting quietly with closed eyes. It is a profound journey—one that moves from the outer world to the inner, and from the inner to a space where even thoughts, identity, and experiences begin to dissolve.
Yet, on this path, there comes a stage where the seeker becomes deeply confused. This is the phase where various experiences begin to arise during meditation—sensations of energy, visions of light, feelings of detachment from the body, a sense of divine presence, or even deep bliss.
And then a question naturally arises:
Are these experiences real? Are they truth? Or are they just projections of the mind?
Before even answering that, a more fundamental question must be asked:
Who is creating these experiences?
If we honestly observe, we begin to see that most of these experiences are generated by the mind itself. And this realization becomes the turning point of the entire journey.
I am not a master or an enlightened being. I am simply sharing what I have observed within myself—patterns that repeated, confused me, fascinated me, and eventually led me to a deeper clarity.
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The Beginning: Seeking Peace or Escaping Oneself?
Most people begin meditation because something within them feels unsettled. It could be stress, emotional pain, a sense of emptiness, or a deeper existential question.
Meditation, at first, feels like a solution—a way to find peace.
My journey began in a similar way. There wasn’t a clear goal, just a pull inward. When I first sat in silence, even for a few minutes, I felt a kind of stillness that I had never experienced before.
But this stillness was temporary. Thoughts would return, restlessness would arise again. Yet, that brief taste of silence was enough to keep drawing me back.
Gradually, meditation became a regular practice. And as it deepened, something new began to unfold.
The Emergence of Experiences: The First Layer of Attraction
After some time, unusual experiences started to arise during meditation.
At times, my body felt extremely light, as if gravity had loosened its grip. Sometimes, I felt a movement of energy rising within. Occasionally, even with closed eyes, there appeared to be flashes of light.
The first time such things happened, it was surprising—even exciting.
A thought would arise:
"Is this something special? Am I progressing?"
Slowly, meditation shifted from being about silence to being about experiences.
And this is where the subtle trap begins.
The Mind’s Strategy: Protecting Its Own Existence
The mind has one fundamental tendency—it wants to survive.
Its entire existence is based on the sense of "I." Meditation, in its true essence, gradually dissolves this "I."
When the mind senses this threat, it becomes more sophisticated.
Initially, it keeps us entangled in the external world—relationships, desires, possessions. But when a seeker starts withdrawing from these, the mind creates a new layer of engagement—within.
Now, it begins to entangle the seeker in inner experiences.
It presents sensations that feel profound and real:
energy movements, vibrations, bliss, divine feelings, even subtle powers.
And the seeker believes:
"I am moving forward."
But in reality, one may simply be caught in a more refined illusion.
Siddhis: The Illusion of Spiritual Progress
On the path of meditation, certain abilities—often referred to as siddhis—may arise naturally.
These can include heightened sensitivity, intuitive insights, emotional perception, or energetic awareness.
But they are not the goal.
The danger lies in identification.
When the seeker starts believing:
"I am special… I am different… I have access to something others don’t…"
A new form of ego is born—spiritual ego.
This ego is far subtler and more dangerous than ordinary ego, because it disguises itself as progress.
At this point, the seeker is no longer entangled in external illusion, but in an internal one.
My Experience: When the Same Pattern Repeated
In my own journey, I began noticing that certain experiences would repeat themselves again and again.
At first, I gave them great importance. I tried to interpret them, understand them, hold onto them.
Every time they appeared, I thought:
"This must mean something… this must be progress…"
But slowly, a realization emerged.
The experience was not evolving—it was repeating.
And then a deeper question arose:
"If this is truly something significant, why is it repeating in the same way?"
Recognizing Patterns: The First Door to Awareness
Anything that repeats becomes a pattern.
And once a pattern is recognized, a distance begins to form.
Before, I was inside the experience.
Now, I was observing it.
This shift—from involvement to observation—is the beginning of true meditation.
Witnessing: Becoming the Observer
Witnessing does not mean suppressing experiences.
It means allowing everything to arise and pass, without interference.
When an experience comes, you don’t cling to it.
When it goes, you don’t resist it.
You simply observe.
In the beginning, this is difficult. The mind constantly tries to pull you back into identification.
But with time, the witnessing becomes stronger.
And the experiences begin to lose their hold.
Letting Go of Control: The Turning Point
For me, the real transformation began when I stopped trying to control or understand the experiences.
Until then, I believed that understanding them was necessary for progress.
But in truth, that effort itself was binding me.
There came a moment of exhaustion—of trying to analyze, interpret, and hold everything.
And then something shifted within:
"Let everything happen. I will not interfere."
That was the turning point.
The Dissolution of Experiences
Once I stopped giving importance to these experiences, they began to fade.
At first, they became less intense. Then less frequent. And eventually, they almost disappeared.
In their absence, something unexpected arose.
A silence—not dependent on any experience.
A stillness that did not come and go.
Are Experiences False or Real?
This question does not have a simple answer.
Experiences do occur. They can feel real.
But they are not the ultimate truth.
They belong to the domain of the mind—sometimes gross, sometimes subtle.
If you cling to them, they bind you.
If you observe them, they dissolve.
The Nature of the Mind: Repetition of Patterns
The mind does not create something fundamentally new. It repeats patterns in different forms.
In meditation, these patterns may appear more refined, more spiritual.
But they are still patterns.
And anything that is repetitive cannot be the ultimate truth.
Facing Fear: When Everything Feels Uncertain
At some point, a fear may arise.
"If all this is the mind’s play, then what is truth?"
This fear is natural.
But it is also a doorway.
Because now, the search is no longer for experiences—but for truth.
The End of Seeking: A New Beginning
When the chase for experiences ends, the seeking itself begins to dissolve.
And in that absence of seeking, something new emerges.
A presence that does not depend on anything.
It simply is.
Final Realization: The Witness is the Truth
From my experience, one thing became clear—
Experiences come and go.
The mind creates and dissolves them.
But that which observes them does not change.
That witness—
is constant, silent, and real.
Final Message
If you are meditating and experiencing various sensations, do not be afraid.
Do not chase them.
Do not give them unnecessary importance.
Just observe.
Because in the end, what remains—
is not the experience, but the one who sees.
And that… is the truth.
Experiences in Meditation: Truth, Illusion, or the Subtle Play of the Mind? — A Deep Personal Journey
Meditation is not merely the act of sitting quietly with closed eyes. It is a profound journey—one that moves from the outer world to the inner, and from the inner to a space where even thoughts, identity, and experiences begin to dissolve.
Yet, on this path, there comes a stage where the seeker becomes deeply confused. This is the phase where various experiences begin to arise during meditation—sensations of energy, visions of light, feelings of detachment from the body, a sense of divine presence, or even deep bliss.
And then a question naturally arises:
Are these experiences real? Are they truth? Or are they just projections of the mind?
Before even answering that, a more fundamental question must be asked:
Who is creating these experiences?
If we honestly observe, we begin to see that most of these experiences are generated by the mind itself. And this realization becomes the turning point of the entire journey.
I am not a master or an enlightened being. I am simply sharing what I have observed within myself—patterns that repeated, confused me, fascinated me, and eventually led me to a deeper clarity.
The Beginning: Seeking Peace or Escaping Oneself?
Most people begin meditation because something within them feels unsettled. It could be stress, emotional pain, a sense of emptiness, or a deeper existential question.
Meditation, at first, feels like a solution—a way to find peace.
My journey began in a similar way. There wasn’t a clear goal, just a pull inward. When I first sat in silence, even for a few minutes, I felt a kind of stillness that I had never experienced before.
But this stillness was temporary. Thoughts would return, restlessness would arise again. Yet, that brief taste of silence was enough to keep drawing me back.
Gradually, meditation became a regular practice. And as it deepened, something new began to unfold.
The Emergence of Experiences: The First Layer of Attraction
After some time, unusual experiences started to arise during meditation.
At times, my body felt extremely light, as if gravity had loosened its grip. Sometimes, I felt a movement of energy rising within. Occasionally, even with closed eyes, there appeared to be flashes of light.
The first time such things happened, it was surprising—even exciting.
A thought would arise:
"Is this something special? Am I progressing?"
Slowly, meditation shifted from being about silence to being about experiences.
And this is where the subtle trap begins.
The Mind’s Strategy: Protecting Its Own Existence
The mind has one fundamental tendency—it wants to survive.
Its entire existence is based on the sense of "I." Meditation, in its true essence, gradually dissolves this "I."
When the mind senses this threat, it becomes more sophisticated.
Initially, it keeps us entangled in the external world—relationships, desires, possessions. But when a seeker starts withdrawing from these, the mind creates a new layer of engagement—within.
Now, it begins to entangle the seeker in inner experiences.
It presents sensations that feel profound and real:
energy movements, vibrations, bliss, divine feelings, even subtle powers.
And the seeker believes:
"I am moving forward."
But in reality, one may simply be caught in a more refined illusion.
Siddhis: The Illusion of Spiritual Progress
On the path of meditation, certain abilities—often referred to as siddhis—may arise naturally.
These can include heightened sensitivity, intuitive insights, emotional perception, or energetic awareness.
But they are not the goal.
The danger lies in identification.
When the seeker starts believing:
"I am special… I am different… I have access to something others don’t…"
A new form of ego is born—spiritual ego.
This ego is far subtler and more dangerous than ordinary ego, because it disguises itself as progress.
At this point, the seeker is no longer entangled in external illusion, but in an internal one.
My Experience: When the Same Pattern Repeated
In my own journey, I began noticing that certain experiences would repeat themselves again and again.
At first, I gave them great importance. I tried to interpret them, understand them, hold onto them.
Every time they appeared, I thought:
"This must mean something… this must be progress…"
But slowly, a realization emerged.
The experience was not evolving—it was repeating.
And then a deeper question arose:
"If this is truly something significant, why is it repeating in the same way?"
Recognizing Patterns: The First Door to Awareness
Anything that repeats becomes a pattern.
And once a pattern is recognized, a distance begins to form.
Before, I was inside the experience.
Now, I was observing it.
This shift—from involvement to observation—is the beginning of true meditation.
Witnessing: Becoming the Observer
Witnessing does not mean suppressing experiences.
It means allowing everything to arise and pass, without interference.
When an experience comes, you don’t cling to it.
When it goes, you don’t resist it.
You simply observe.
In the beginning, this is difficult. The mind constantly tries to pull you back into identification.
But with time, the witnessing becomes stronger.
And the experiences begin to lose their hold.
Letting Go of Control: The Turning Point
For me, the real transformation began when I stopped trying to control or understand the experiences.
Until then, I believed that understanding them was necessary for progress.
But in truth, that effort itself was binding me.
There came a moment of exhaustion—of trying to analyze, interpret, and hold everything.
And then something shifted within:
"Let everything happen. I will not interfere."
That was the turning point.
The Dissolution of Experiences
Once I stopped giving importance to these experiences, they began to fade.
At first, they became less intense. Then less frequent. And eventually, they almost disappeared.
In their absence, something unexpected arose.
A silence—not dependent on any experience.
A stillness that did not come and go.
Are Experiences False or Real?
This question does not have a simple answer.
Experiences do occur. They can feel real.
But they are not the ultimate truth.
They belong to the domain of the mind—sometimes gross, sometimes subtle.
If you cling to them, they bind you.
If you observe them, they dissolve.
The Nature of the Mind: Repetition of Patterns
The mind does not create something fundamentally new. It repeats patterns in different forms.
In meditation, these patterns may appear more refined, more spiritual.
But they are still patterns.
And anything that is repetitive cannot be the ultimate truth.
Facing Fear: When Everything Feels Uncertain
At some point, a fear may arise.
"If all this is the mind’s play, then what is truth?"
This fear is natural.
But it is also a doorway.
Because now, the search is no longer for experiences—but for truth.
The End of Seeking: A New Beginning
When the chase for experiences ends, the seeking itself begins to dissolve.
And in that absence of seeking, something new emerges.
A presence that does not depend on anything.
It simply is.
Final Realization: The Witness is the Truth
From my experience, one thing became clear—
Experiences come and go.
The mind creates and dissolves them.
But that which observes them does not change.
That witness—
is constant, silent, and real.
Final Message
If you are meditating and experiencing various sensations, do not be afraid.
Do not chase them.
Do not give them unnecessary importance.
Just observe.
Because in the end, what remains—
is not the experience, but the one who sees.
And that… is the truth.
A Question to Sit With
Before trying to decide whether your experiences in meditation are true or false, pause for a moment and ask yourself something deeper—
When an experience arises in meditation…
whether it is light, energy, bliss, silence, or even a sense of divinity…
Who is aware of it?
Is the experience happening to you,
or is it being noticed by you?
And if it is being noticed…
then which one is more real—the experience that comes and goes,
or the awareness that remains present before, during, and after it?
If a certain sensation repeats itself again and again,
if a particular feeling arises in a similar way every time you sit in meditation,
if your mind begins to expect it, wait for it, even crave it—
then is it still something beyond the mind,
or has it quietly become a pattern created by the mind itself?
And if the mind is capable of creating such subtle, beautiful, even “spiritual” experiences…
then how will you distinguish between what is truly beyond the mind and what is still within it?
Is truth something that appears and disappears?
Or is truth that which remains untouched,
even when no experience is present?
And if one day, all experiences were to completely stop—
no light, no energy, no bliss, no movement, nothing at all—
would you feel that something is missing?
Or would you discover, perhaps for the first time,
a silence that does not depend on any experience?
So the real question is not—
"Are these experiences true?"
The real question is—
"Why do I want them to be true?"
Is there still a subtle desire to become something?
To reach somewhere?
To attain something special?
And if that desire is still there…
then who is seeking?
And can that seeker ever find the truth,
or is the truth revealed only when the seeker itself dissolves?
Sit with these questions.
Not to find immediate answers—
but to allow something deeper to reveal itself beyond thought.
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