Quote:
Originally Posted by A human Being
Why not? Not that I necessarily disagree, I'm just curious as to why you see it that way.
|
Way back when - long before I began practicing in earnest - I occasionally practiced something called Inner Light meditation which was basically that. Attend the hypnagogic-like patterns playing out.
What I find is if I try to focus loosely on the entirety of the pattern it can tend to be mildly hypnotic (I want to maintain maximum awareness) and if I sharpen focus to a particular aspect of the pattern imagery tends to form, mostly vague but sometimes almost realistic which draws me into it and away from meditation. I always attributed it to the fact vision is such a predominant sense.
Another interesting aspect of hypnagogic patterns is they are used in the WILD technique of lucid dreaming to construct and then enter a dreamscape without losing consciousness. I think a little of the same thing is happening to me with imagery during that type of meditation, however I'm not trying to put body to sleep while keeping mind awake.
I suppose it also depends whether one considers meditation a primary or supporting practice. Yogis would consider it primary and Advaitins would consider it secondary. Swami Sarvapriyananda tells a story about a short exchange he had with a young Yogi in the Himalayas. At one point it shifted to Advaita and the Yogi said something to the effect "It's okay but you guys talk too much". LOL!