Question: I am a student working for my Ph D at the Indian Institute of Science. I am 29 years old and not married. I have been regularly doing Sandhyavandanam for the past 10 years. As part of this prayer I also do Pranayama. Since the past two weeks I am experiencing some strange things and I am not sure, whether it is spiritual or something else. I will be extremely grateful to you if you can clarify some of my doubts.
1) In the past 14 days, on 3 occasions I have experienced the following: When I am in a semi-sleepy state with eyes closed the whole body becomes paralyzed. The mind is highly alert but I cannot move my body at all. On one occasion if felt that “something” was being sucked out of my face. I am not able to say what this “something” is. It is like my mind is moving into darkness very fast. I tried to get up because of fear but found that the whole body is paralyzed. Then after repeated attempts I could get up. Once I got up I thought it was a dream and put my head on the pillow and closed my eyes. Immediately the same feeling started again. I got up again and decided not to close my eyes for 1/2 hour and kept stating at the night sky. After this I could go to regular sleep. Yesterday the same thing happened with my eyes wide open when I was lying on the bed.
2) During my Sandhyavandanam I experience some kind of a jerk. I am not sure whether this jerk is physical in nature or it is mental. I am not sure where the jerk actually occurred.
3) After Sandhyavandanam my head feels heavy with slight headache.
4) On many occasions when I am reading or concentrating on my research work I experience the same jerk and develop a heavy head. Many a time I feel the heart beat in my head and feel my body is shaking as though I have some nervous disorder. I will be extremely grateful, if you can spend time in answering these queries. I would like to come over to Ulsoor math and talk one-to-one as I have many more questions to ask. I am not sure whether I have to take appointment. I shall call up the math and fix-up an appointment.
Answer: Glad to meet you at the ashrama. In the meanwhile I have also received your e-mail of 28th. Please follow the instructions, I gave you in person. I shall put down the same for your reference.
1. Stop doing ‘Pranayama’. Do as some simple breathing exercise without Kumbhaka (retention). Swami Vivekananda warms the aspirants as to not to do without a proper guide. Besides, this is the 4th stage of Raja Yoga Yama, Niyama, Asana have to be perfected before hand.
2. Continue to do Sandhyavandana with Gayatri Japa. The seat of concentration should be ‘heart’ not the ‘head’ – Sahasrara. Gayatyri Japa is the main thing only in Sandhyavandana.
3. The jerk may be purely physical, connected with nerves. It is advisable to consult a good doctor.
4. Read selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. You can be in touch with me and visit the Ashrama whenever you can.