Strange experience while sitting.

A couple of weeks ago having sat pretty intensely, I suddenly had this total blackout that lasted for maybe less than a second.
I haven't focused on maps and such lately, but this experience got me wondering a little about progress or not.
I got all giddy and nervous afterwards. On one side I was pretty sure immediately that it wasn't significant, but this instant of total sensory emptiness totally caught me off guard.
Nothing's really changed after it either, not in meditation, not in life.
So, is this kind of experience along the way common?

That kind of experience is not unheard of. Can you describe what happened immediately before and immediately after the blackout? Say, a minute or so on either side?

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That kind of experience i's not unheard of. Can you describe what happened immediately before and immediately after the blackout? Say, a minute or so on either side?

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Hi, Chris!
I'll try to recollect, but especially what happened before is hard to recall verbatim now:)
I remember it was a late sit, and I had practiced most of the day.
I was noting things as pretty separate from me, in a equanimous way also noting "calm". If there were itches, and pain, I was also able to look at them calmly even though I was "in" them.
What happened afterwards was:
"whoa? what was that?" And I think if I remember correctly that noting went out the window for probably more like 5 minutes. And my heart was racing as crazy.
Of course lots of thinking, "was that it?" "no" "Was that emptiness?" "Nope"
and so, my mind was whirring.
Then I began noting again.

I don't know if I can recollect more detail unfortunately. And I haven't had this occur since.

Have you tried to recreate the experience? Can you?

I only tried in those minutes right after, with heart and mind racing, but could not.
I can't just will myself to repeat it like this sitting here by the computer. So perhaps not?

What I would try is what I did when I had a similar experience -- recreate the conditions that seem to have caused this "thing" to happen. Do whatever you were doing in your sit at that time. Can you do that? What you are describing sounds like a cessation. I'm not saying definitively that's what it was, however. That's why attempting to recreate it would be important.

Are you working with a teacher? If so you should address this with that person.

Thanks a lot Chris for helping me try to figure this out, and giving me suggestions.
I will do my best, but I don't think I can recreate all the contextual factors as I was abroad and on retreat.

Shouldn't I notice some change in concentration, or the way the sits progress or something?

I am flying solo at the moment

Everyone is different. I didn't know I'd had a cessation for a few years. All I knew was that the universe shut off completely for a short time and it scared me out of mediating for quite a while. After the cessation I had none of the usual experiences that I can recall. Why? Maybe I wasn't coached on what to look for. Maybe I really didn't have them. We're all different, thank heavens, so the answer to your question is "it depends."

I suggest you seriously consider working with a teacher.

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Everyone is different. I didn't know I'd had a cessation for a few years. All I knew was that the universe shut off completely for a short time and it scared me out of mediating for quite a while. After the cessation I had none of the usual experiences that I can recall. Why? Maybe I wasn't coached on what to look for. Maybe I really didn't have them. We're all different, thank heavens, so the answer to your question is "it depends."

I suggest you seriously consider working with a teacher.

"

I am really hoping for a little hint of seeing that "Nothing changed but everything changed" thing.
But if this really was one, maybe some day I'll realize that something did change...

And now there is a "no big wow-club"

Thanks for the suggestion, I will really look into how to make that work!

Really appreciate your feedback!

Reports that say stuff like "nothing changed but everything changed" usually come from a little farther along the Theravada path.

Interesting thread! Do you mind saying more about the retreat?

It was an 8 day mahasi retreat in the UK.
Activity from 3.30am to 9.30pm. Basically the same schedule as other mahasi places.

This occurred towards the end. Don't remember if it was the last evening or the evening before that.
I was all jumpy after this occurred, but it didn't take me long to try to go back to noting.

There were no formal interviews after this point, and I quickly disregarded it as some kind of "pre-emptiness-epileptic disconnection from the senses" (no, not that dramatic, but as I said, I got all jumpy, and thought "nah..." and thought I'd ask here since this thing whatever it was really occurred).

I remember now that in the instance just following it, I opened my eyes and saw everyone just sitting there, not reacting to me (!), and that probably no time had passed. Just as if someone would have noticed it

I'm totally unqualified, and not talented, at dharma diagnosis, but it seems to have a good sound to it! I hope you get a chance to get it confirmed by a teacher. Retreat sounds great. What was the retreat center?