Back muscles are stiff and head is bending back meditating

[Katusik]

Hi,

I have been meditating when I was in high school and at some point I felt that I had to stop because a few minutes into the meditation my back muscles would become very very stiff and my head would start rotating, which was not that bad, but then I would start feeling tremendous pressure at the back of my head and my head would start bending back so much that I would become afraid that neck bones would break. I had to struggle to regain control of my neck muscles, breaking the meditation. Eventually I stopped meditations altogether, still remaining very aware of the energies.

That was over 15 years ago. Two months ago I have joined Spiritual Development circle and we are encouraged to meditate regularly. The same problem is coming back.

What do you think could be the problem?

How about supporting your head? I think pain is the problem. Some people lie on the floor to meditate, some lie in bed propped up with pillows to hold their head in place, some use a comfy chair where they can slouch down and rest their head on the back of the chair. Don't fall into the trap of believing you have to assume the lotus position to meditate. There are many routes to the same goal. I personally have no desire to sit in the lotus position. Pain and being perfectly correct isn't one of my goals for this life.

[CFTraveler]

There may be an issue of balance (eyes are closed, not telling you where is up). Do you have allergies that could mess with the ear-balance systems?
P.S. I meditate on a comfy recliner. I don't like discomfort either.

Since the ears and eyes work together to decide which way is up (other than visual, using the ear fluid as horizon line) if you have ear problems and close your eyes it can throw your balance off and swing you sideways or backwards, especially in the lotus position.

[Katusik]

Thank you for your replies. I am pretty much aware of my body position and balance.

My theory was that some sort of energy imbalance is happening; when crown chakra is opening it somehow moves to the back of the head and with the neck relaxed I am being pulled back, although I remember that I tried meditating lying on my back, and that it would start arching back.

Supporting the head is not a problem, but I still feel the pressure and pulling. I can overcome the discomfort, I am just wondering if whatever is happening is a sign of a problem that can stand in the way of my progress, or may be the opposite, some early signs of kundalini activity.

Katusik,

From what I've read about kundalini, one of the symptoms of its awakening is the moving of the body in spontaneous postures or in unusual ways to clear blockages. Google "kundalini kriyas" and see if you think this is what you are experiencing.

Mira

[Katusik]

Thank you all kindly,

I am supprised that there does not seem to be a lot of people who has experienced this. I am going to continue my development, and if I will raise Kundalini without breaking my back I will certainly update this topic.

If any members personally experienced similar thing, please let me know.

Thank you all again!

[Dsmoke]

Occasionally I feel a tugging on my head when I'm doing energy work (sometimes even when I'm not), and it pulls my head up into perfect alignment with my spine to further the flow of energy. It is definitely not something I'm doing, and is always a complete surprise.

I wonder if perhaps you should see a chiropractor or physical therapist? Maybe something similar is happening to you, but it hurts because there is something wrong with your back and neck. Sometimes we are not even fully aware that there is something wrong with our joints and such, because we have compensated for so long that we take it as normal.

[CFTraveler]

Thank you all kindly,

I am supprised that there does not seem to be a lot of people who has experienced this. I am going to continue my development, and if I will raise Kundalini without breaking my back I will certainly update this topic.

If any members personally experienced similar thing, please let me know.

Thank you all again!

Actually, it has happened to me but only with meditating in a group setting, something which I don't do very often. Luckily I was sitting in a chair (we were in a circle) and didn't have anywhere to fall. But it's never happened alone.

[Christian]

I've felt rotation in my whole body when doing kundalinin mediation, and I would rotate in bigger and bigger circular movements and also fatser and faster. It came to a moment when i stopped it because I felt to much energy for me to handle was being generated.

Christian

[violetsky]

Dear Katusik,

This does sound potentially kundalini related and good recommendations have been made. My question is what form of meditation do you do? Do you go into very deep altered states easily? Would you be willing to give a careful description of what you are doing meditation wise and rough description of your health and diet.

Below gives a very rough idea of a few possibilities but better recommendations could perhaps be made if there were more details.
Perhaps lighter forms of meditation would help - i.e. open eyed meditation? Perhaps try lying down on a bed instead of the classic lotis position. Perhaps try tai chi or high movement style yogas like ashtanga to help with energy flow, distribution and movement - hopefully avoiding build of energy at particular points in the body? Perhaps try other things that will help with energy flow and movement through the energy body yet not throw you into altered states? Do you do Robert's NEW energy ways exercises? What happens when you do?

Sorry for all the questions. Look forward to hearing from you.

Please note:
Everyone experiences kundalini phenomena in a slightly different way. Kundalini does not always rise nicely and gently from the base through each consecutive chakra. Think of our body as a massively complex mesh of energy lines. The chakras being intersection points of many of these energy lines. Energy takes the path of least resistance. The amount of energy also affects the amount and pathways taken. Heavy sensations can indicate a highly blocked area or can indicate a bottle-neck area that is experiencing overwhelming high flow because too much is flowing into it from side stream energy lines. The back of your head is the back of the throat chakra. Throat chakra blockages are very common. This is an area that experiences heavy throbbing in me but more on the front side not the back side of the chakra. My experience has been almost complete numbness in the roof of the mouth, like I had just been at the dentists - amongst other bizarre symptoms that subside after meditation as kundalini energy flow recedes. Yet another possiblity is that you naturally have too much energy flowing up your back and it is not able to then move down the front, perhaps causing a clog at the back of your neck? The neck and nasal area are critical shifting points where energy is changing directions to either flow up to the brow and crown or down the front or up the back or right or left (ida or pingala).

What I am presently thinking is that perhaps lots of stretching and physical movement will help overall energy flow and help bring more balance to your energy flow etc. Also, Robert's NEW energy work done around your neck area might be of benefit? Try things carefully and gradually, and do what make sense and feels right to you, is all I can suggest thus far.

Very Best Wishes,
Violetsky