severe flu-like symptoms with profound malaise after intensive meditation

Upvote:0

There is no actual physical disease as such- I know that because I am a doctor by the way- but the distress it has caused me is immense.

Since you're a doctor, you'd already knew the importance of physical exercises. Meditation is always good, but don't forget your daily dose of outdoor cardios. Remember that the Buddha and His noble disciples didn't just sit on their behinds all day long back in the good old days. They got great outdoor cardios by walking long distance on bare feet into towns and villages for alms-round! Now even if after doing cardios and you still experience those weird discomforts, then you might want to re-examine those meditation techniques you've been using for it'd sound there's something not quite right. For if one does it right, the benefits are not only in the well being of a much more subtle and refined mind state, but also a much more relaxed, light, and comfy physical body.

Upvote:2

While aches and pains sound very general and while severe chill symptoms are not familiar to me, often various 'excess wind' (prana) & physical/nervous tension (nervous system) symptoms can occur when too much mental energy or 'suppression' is applied to meditation. Therefore, it is likely 'suppression' meditation could result in aches, pains, immature nimittas and other symptoms.

The renowned 'Buddhist' commentary called the 'Visuddhimagga' refers to the 'uggaha-nimitta' and describes the attainment of jhana (absorption) via "suppression" and mental application ("vitakka"). Many Buddhists follow the Visuddhimagga.

However, the techniques & definitions found in the 'Visuddhimagga' in relation to meditation & jhana often have little support in the documented teachings of the Buddha.

To the contrary, the Buddha taught jhana (absorption) is developed by making "letting go" / "surrender" / "relaxation" ("vossagga") the meditation object, as follows:

And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters & remains in the first jhana

Indriya-vibhanga Sutta

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