I just had an “experience” during meditation

Last Saturday, something unexpected… something special happened during my routine 10-minute meditation. It certainly wasn’t part of the routine!

Now, for some important context, meditation has always been more of a chore for me. While I attribute a lot of my resilience and ability to manage stress to my practice, meditation has never been never easy. During my three years of meditating 3–5 times a week, it’s been more cough syrup than sugar. I do want to do it, for the long-term benefits, but I can’t wait for it to be over.

This time was different. At the end of my usual ten-minute session, I felt… strange. In the best possible way. At this point, I would usually sigh in relief it’s over, yet I felt drawn to continue. Very strongly drawn. Like I was closing in on something wonderful, and I should take a chance to find out. So I closed my eyes again and sat there. Two hours later, I opened my eyes and started writing this post.

Here’s what happened

Okay, so before I describe my mental adventure any further, let me just explain what I did exactly, and then describe what happened during the session.

My exact steps

To be clear, I’m not saying this is some magical formula, it’s just what I did on the day.

1. I started the session maybe 30 minutes after waking up, having made my kids breakfast first.
2. I took my usual half-lotus position on the wooden floor in front of my guest room window.
3. I started a 10-minute timer with 1-minute gongs on the Healthzilla app.
4. I started silently repeating this mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum.
5. I maintained a natural breathing rhythm approx. 3 sec in, 3 sec out.
6. I timed my repetition of the mantra with my breath: Extended “Om” on inhale, “Mani Padme Hum” on exhale.

Round 1 (8.00 a.m. to 8.10 a.m.)

Regular meditation session, just more successful than usual somehow. Less anxiety and mind wandering, both of which are very typical for me. Finished after the final 10-minute gong, but just felt curious to continue for some reason. Like there was something interesting just about to happen.

I’ve been reading a lot about Hinduism and Buddhism recently, and in fact, I’m just in the middle of the Dhammapada…