Spatial Expansion

This is the closest I've come to any paranormal experiences. It's rather mundane compared to some, but it happens with some regularity.

Normally, my sense of self; where "I" am located; is confined to my body. To be extremely precise, "I" seem to be inside of my head and between my eyes, with the rest of my body the space that "I" fill out. Every now and again, however, when I'm lying in bed (tired but fully awake) I have the sensation that "I" have expanded. "I" am no longer located just in my body; "I" fill the entire bedroom, from ceiling to floor, and the width of the bed if not the entire room.

It isn't a sensation I have any control over, it tends to pass just a few seconds after I become aware of it, and it doesn't happen every night, other night, week, or even every other week. But it's happened at least a few times a year for the last several years.

I don't know if this is exactly what you are experiencing but I have a similar experience. It can happen when I do relaxation exercises or meditation or am just lying in bed. My feeling isn't associated with the room it is like I am floating in space but my boundaries are not limited to any body. Long after I first started experiencing this I learned there is a name for it. There are a series of stages of Buddhist mediation called soft Jhanas and the fifth jhana is called "the base of infinite space":


http://www.leighb.com/jhana2a.htm

Fifth Jhana

The fifth Jhana is called "The Base of Infinite Space". Please remember that these are just names for experiences the likes of which we are not familiar with. It just feels like infinite space -- it doesn't necessarily mean we are able to experience all the space in the universe. According to the suttas, you enter the fifth Jhana by "not giving attention to diversity". This isn't much detail, but then there is very little "how to" detail about any of the Jhanas. Many people enter the fifth Jhana by shifting their attention from the primary factor of the previous Jhana to the boundaries of their being. They then start to mentally push these boundaries outward. If you can continue to focus on imagining your boundaries growing ever larger so that you fill the room, the building, the neighborhood, the city, etc., you will eventually experience a sudden shift and find your self in a huge expanse of empty space. The first time entry into "The Base of Infinite Space" is often quite dramatic. You seem to be observing an incredibly large, empty expanse of space. It can feel like walking up to the edge of the Grand Canyon and looking over, but there is no other side and no bottom.

If you want to try to cultivate the jhana's through meditation one popular method is described here:

http://www.leighb.com/jhana3.htm (The link I quoted above is a sort of continuation of this web page)

The way I meditate is somewhat similar although I developed the method independently, the level concentration you need is even less (ie. it is even easier to do):
https://sites.google.com/site/chs4o8pt/m...n_serenity



(Hard Jhanas involve a more intense level of concentration that very few people ever experience, and there is some disagreement about which the Buddhist scriptures refer to. Jhanas are not limited to Buddhism but I am using the Buddhist definitions because I'm familiar with those.)

This is the closest I've come to any paranormal experiences. It's rather mundane compared to some, but it happens with some regularity.

Normally, my sense of self; where "I" am located; is confined to my body. To be extremely precise, "I" seem to be inside of my head and between my eyes, with the rest of my body the space that "I" fill out. Every now and again, however, when I'm lying in bed (tired but fully awake) I have the sensation that "I" have expanded. "I" am no longer located just in my body; "I" fill the entire bedroom, from ceiling to floor, and the width of the bed if not the entire room.

It isn't a sensation I have any control over, it tends to pass just a few seconds after I become aware of it, and it doesn't happen every night, other night, week, or even every other week. But it's happened at least a few times a year for the last several years.

That's interesting, I've often wondered whether the feeling of being located inside our heads is an illusion, simply a result of our sense-organs (eyes and ears in particular) being located there. I do wonder whether our 'self' might not be centred more in the middle of our body, perhaps near the heart. At the same time I think even then, our self may not stop abruptly at the boundary where our skin contains us, but may extend more loosely beyond. How would we know? If we depend upon our physical senses such as the sense of touch, it's easy to assume we end where our body does. But is it really so?

I was thinking of something perhaps related which I sometimes experience - but not quite the same. I have often gathered in some place (usually a pub!) with friends, sharing a common interest in making (folk) music - and being in the pub too

Quite commonly those turn into warm, friendly occasions, and I know most if not all of the people there. In such a 'safe' and welcoming space I sometimes feel as though I'm no longer just me inside my body, but somehow extend and blend with the others. It doesn't mean I'm suddenly telepathic, I don't share in other people's private thoughts. But it seems there is a pool of emotional energy in which we are all floating.

I suppose more conventionally, we describe this as the difference between being alone and being in good company. But what does that even mean? Why does it feel so different?

That's interesting, I've often wondered whether the feeling of being located inside our heads is an illusion, simply a result of our sense-organs (eyes and ears in particular) being located there. I do wonder whether our 'self' might not be centred more in the middle of our body, perhaps near the heart. At the same time I think even then, our self may not stop abruptly at the boundary where our skin contains us, but may extend more loosely beyond. How would we know? If we depend upon our physical senses such as the sense of touch, it's easy to assume we end where our body does. But is it really so?

As I was reading this, I started hovering my palm over various surfaces, to see if there was any sensation of touch without actually touching anything (results inconclusive).

As I was reading this, I started hovering my palm over various surfaces, to see if there was any sensation of touch without actually touching anything (results inconclusive).

Interesting idea. I presume, unless one has some sort of natural gift, such a thing might take practice.  I'm not saying it is possible, but open-mindedness doesn't do any harm I think.

It reminds me of something else, a negative result in different circumstances. This was years ago, I was with a group of friends on a camping trip. We were all sitting round late into the evening, just relaxing over a beer. A girl sat next to me and held the palm of her hand about an inch or so away from my back. She seemed puzzled. She turned to me and said, I can't feel  anything from you, but I do with everyone else. I didn't know what to make of that, so I asked her, "what does that mean?" (secretly thinking to myself, I hope she doesn't say I'm already dead ) She replied unhelpfully, "You tell me!"

What I'm thinking here (again I don't know if it is possible) that trying to detect a sense of touch without actual contact might work differently with living rather than inanimate matter. There is always the ordinary feeling of warmth which might confuse things though.

This is one of those things I imagine having like, one of those really weird conventional explanations, at least in relation to being able to feel things without touching them. It makes me think about the sensation I get whenever I go for a walk along a rock wall and stand next to a GIANT square slab of concrete they've put there. You can kind of feel it there, it feels huge and heavy, you can sense its weight. Or when you stand next to a truck, even when it's turned off. You can feel it's size and weight, how powerful it is.

I certainly don't think something like that is paranormal (could be some weird shit about gravity who knows) but it's fun to be open to weird experiences. Kinda philosophical too in away, thinking about qualia and the hard problem, how the concrete slab and truck feel like something.

This is one of those things I imagine having like, one of those really weird conventional explanations, at least in relation to being able to feel things without touching them. It makes me think about the sensation I get whenever I go for a walk along a rock wall and stand next to a GIANT square slab of concrete they've put there. You can kind of feel it there, it feels huge and heavy, you can sense its weight. Or when you stand next to a truck, even when it's turned off. You can feel it's size and weight, how powerful it is.

I certainly don't think something like that is paranormal (could be some weird shit about gravity who knows) but it's fun to be open to weird experiences. Kinda philosophical too in away, thinking about qualia and the hard problem, how the concrete slab and truck feel like something.

Probably gravity is too weak (al least our conventional understanding), but there are other effects from large objects. They can absorb or give out heat, for example standing near a large rock might feel chilly - or it might feel hot. It can also absorb or reflect sound, as well as stilling natural air-currents.  There might be a silence, or subtle echoes. Light too - and presumably other electromagnetic wavelengths - there may be a shadow or a reflectance. Or maybe amplification of ordinarily unheard/unsensed vibrations. Or resonances within the material or its molecules. I've sometimes considered magnetic effects too, but I didn't reach any conclusion.