It’s wonderful if you can reach a deep state while meditating. This place deep inside yourself is meditative bliss – an experience where you are far, far removed from the senseless noise, and completely one with who you are.
It can be scary, though. If you’re experiencing this for the first time, it’s a kind of connected solitude that is far removed from any other experience you may have ever had before.
And you may have visions in this state, and that can throw you!
These meditation visions are often confusing. They can be either clear or murky, but they’ll remain with you for a long time.
They’re a little like vivid dream fragments that you carry with you when you emerge from a deep sleep. And their meanings may be as important.
What are visions in the meditative state?
Firstly, visions in meditation typically happen when you hit that zone somewhere between conscious awareness and sleep. It is a deep state, where your awareness is acute, but your body is so relaxed you’re almost completely unaware of it.
These visions sometimes come as picture-thoughts – almost a living photograph of something or someone. They can also be lights and shapes, born from a world deep inside you.
Remember, you’re accessing a place so deep inside you, it’s like diving to the most unexplored depths of the ocean. Everything there is new, and it is different. But it is also calm, and good, and filled with only one intention – to guide you in your adventure in physical life.
A vision or visions during deep meditation are precious gifts. Every time!
Many different opinions
Meditation is always a highly personal experience. Even if you use a recording of guided meditation, or if you have a meditation teacher that leads you through the process, the experience is still yours. It is born from deep inside your unique being and is yours alone.
Meditation practices are also greatly varied. And every teacher believes they have the answer.
Again, the experience of meditation is deeply individual, so while it can pay great dividends to have a guide or teacher while you’re learning the practice, it doesn’t pay to try to conform your experience to something it’s not, or something you believe it should be.
Some teachers believe visions during deep meditation are the proverbial opening of the third eye – in other words, deep insight and enlightenment. Others see them as a mere distraction, something that hinders the path to clear peace and serenity.
Because these visions tend to occur when you reach a super-conscious state between sleep and wakefulness, many Zen masters label them as mara. These are illusions with only one motive – to distract you from your meditating experience.
Other teachers say the reason you have visions during meditation is that the ego has taken a backseat. The “Sturm and Drang” of the ego is replaced by a sense of peace and well-being.
You will recognize real visions. You will, in fact, be instantly able to discern them from the mind movies you’re used to. They’re different from any mental picture or experience you’re familiar with.
And they have the propensity to change the way you view things, perhaps even life itself. They are uplifting. You know the dream residue you have when you wake up after a really good dream? A bit like that.
A vision should never be a goal when you meditate. In fact, the best approach to meditation is probably to have absolutely no goal in mind!
But, when they do come, see them as a gift. Embrace them. They are from deep inside you and have nothing but your best interests at heart.
A really calm and relaxed mind will also often show you things you desire in the form of dreamy, visual thoughts, but that does not mean they should be discarded without a second thought.
Everything that you access in this state, can be and often is of immense value.
How important are visions in meditation?
While it is important to acknowledge and enjoy the richness meditative visions bring to your life, it is equally vital not to let them rule the experience, especially when you come out of meditation.
They have meaning, sure, but they are not meaning. Don’t become obsessed and make more of them than they are.
Like anything else, spend a bit of time with them, take them into meditation with you again, if you want, but then let them go and move on.
A good practice is to write them down in your journal. That way you can refer back and see if visions you have are similar, and whether they occur when similar events take place in your life.
What do visions in meditation mean?
Here is a quick list of common visions people have during meditation, and what they generally mean:
An eye
An eye is considered to be symbolic of the opening of your third eye. It implies access to your Universal wisdom and inner knowledge. It’s also representative of your psychic abilities, your inner sight.
One or many faces
A face, or faces, is often the focus of a vision. This is your energy drawing in faces that are of importance to you. They may be the faces of deceased loved ones or people that feature or have featured prominently in your life. They may even belong to spiritual guides, reminding you that they’re here with you at that moment.
Your self or your own face
This is common. It happens when you reach a level so deep, you hit your own core. Your real self. Your true identity. And this is absolutely wonderful! From this level of spirit, you are your own best advisor. This is your fraction of divinity, and it pays to pay attention to what is said or communicated!
Golden light
Golden light is an extension of aura energy. During meditation, it can signify divine presence. Usually, when you see golden light, it is accompanied by a feeling of being completely whole and fulfilled. That feeling exists in all of us, all the time, but it is often not accessed.
A baby or babies
This could be a pre-born baby that tries to connect with you, or it could signify the birth of something new and important in your life.
A snake
The poor, poor snake. It has managed to get such a bad rap in western society and culture! Yet, it is seen as a divine symbol in so many other societies. A snake generally calls on you to have extra awareness about your surroundings. It shows itself when you have important decisions to make. Also, it means calmness in chaos. And, transformation is a big one. It often signals the time is right to shed bad habits or change something for the better.
Water
Water is always purifying. It washes away negative emotions and stress. And it is also one of the most powerful transformation symbols. It moves and changes shape, and never holds form. In this way, it symbolizes the adventure of life and the fact that things change all the time.
A tunnel
This is a surefire sign that your spiritual vision is coming into focus. It is the connection between the physical world, and what we visualize in our mind’s eye. If you follow the Law of Attraction, this is a good vision to have.
An angel or angels
An angel or a host of angels represents peace and comfort and safety. Angels always come into our presence when we need guidance and support. They do so without fail. An angel may mean you’re at a point where you need direction.
Lotus flower
In many of the world’s spiritual traditions, lotus flowers are harbingers of spiritual enlightenment. It is something beautiful that springs forth from a bed of mud and sludge, and it may be an inspiration to overcome a current difficulty so something new can be born into existence.
The moon
The moon is all about the cycles of life. Wisdom, death, reincarnation, and birth – these are all her domain. A full moon during a vision shows a sense of fullness or deep realization about an aspect of your life. A crescent moon is an unfulfilled desire or an incomplete journey.
Doves
Doves are universally considered to be nature’s harbingers of peace. It signifies the repair of relationships or the commencement and renewal of spiritual growth and enlightenment in your life.
An eagle
This is a trigger for you to pursue your dreams. Trust the journey you’re on. Go after the adventure you’ve chosen for yourself.
An owl
In almost all the cultures around the world, owls are the symbols of strengths that come from wisdom and maturity. It represents wise intuit, and the ability to evaluate before springing into action. An owl also features in dream culture – and it could be asking you to pay attention to what you dream.
The meditation journey ahead
There are few things as exciting as exploring the whole of us. Taking a journey into every aspect of ourselves; the emotional, the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. It is, after all, the whole of us that embarked on this adventure we call life!
It’s all about paying attention and choosing, without attaching to any one thing too much.
If you’re excited to learn a bit more about the possibilities your own spiritual path offers, there’s a wonderful opportunity for a life path reading. Just follow this link. It is sure to give you insights and help you to heighten your awareness of life!