The Mindful Marathon: Where Running Meets Meditation The 2025 Los Angeles Marathon, set to celebrate its 40th anniversary on March 16, 2025, is shaping up to be a monumental event in the city's sporting calendar. The marathon's iconic 26.2-mile course will guide runners from the historic Dodger Stadium to the finish line in Century City, showcasing some of LA's most famous landmarks along the way. With over 25,000 participants expected, the event has already sold out, highlighting its enduring popularity. The marathon weekend kicks off on March 14 with a two-day Lifestyle Expo at Dodger Stadium, followed by the LA 5K and Kids' Running Events on March 15. The main event on Sunday will feature both the full marathon and a charity half marathon. The race day will begin early, with the wheelchair division starting at 6:30 AM, followed by the women's elite group at 6:40 AM. The men's elite and general participants will set off at 7:00 AM, with the charity half mar...
Experiencing Light and Energy During Meditation: What You Need to Know
People who have been practicing meditation for more than a month might have some questions. These questions indicate that meditation is evolving beyond just a stress-relief technique into a deeper journey of self-exploration. Now let's take a look at those questions one by one.
"Sometimes I experience strong energy or light during meditation - is this normal?"
Many practitioners, especially those who have been meditating consistently for several months, report experiencing unusual phenomena during their practice. One of the most common experiences is the perception of light or energy sensations. If you've encountered this, you're not alone, and there's no need for concern.
What Does This Experience Feel Like?
Meditators often describe seeing:
- Bright white or golden light
- Colorful patterns or swirling lights
- Waves of energy moving through the body
- A glowing sensation behind closed eyes
- Tingling or vibrating sensations
Why Does This Happen?
These experiences can occur for several reasons:
- Increased Awareness: As your mind becomes quieter through meditation, you may become more sensitive to subtle sensations and energy movements in your body that were always present but previously unnoticed.
- Neural Activity: The visual cortex can generate internal imagery when we're in deep states of relaxation, similar to how we see images in dreams.
- Energy Movement: Many traditional systems like yoga and qigong recognize these experiences as signs of energy (prana/chi) movement in the body.
How Should You Respond?
When encountering these phenomena:
- Stay Neutral: Observe the experience without attachment or aversion. Don't try to make it happen again or push it away.
- Keep Your Focus: Continue with your regular meditation technique rather than getting distracted by these experiences.
- Avoid Overanalysis: While interesting, these experiences aren't the goal of meditation. They're simply signposts along the way.
Is It Normal?
Yes, these experiences are completely normal and well-documented in meditation traditions worldwide. However, not everyone experiences them, and their absence doesn't indicate any problem with your practice.
When to Seek Guidance
While these experiences are generally harmless, consider consulting a meditation teacher if:
- The sensations become uncomfortable or overwhelming
- You find yourself becoming overly focused on producing these experiences
- You have concerns about your practice
Moving Forward
Remember that meditation is about developing awareness and understanding, not collecting extraordinary experiences. These phenomena can be interesting markers of deepening practice, but they shouldn't become a source of attachment or distraction.
Continue with your regular practice, maintaining a balanced approach that neither grasps at nor pushes away these experiences. Your meditation journey is unique, and these experiences are just one of many possible aspects of the path.
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