Is it wrong to...well, THINK while meditating?

Hello all. I just started meditation a few days ago, and have gotten to like it. I'm a very impatient person - not being able to meditate longer than 15 minutes yet - but I like it, very much. Occasionally I'll feel a, well, warmth in my whole body, my hands and feet become desensitized and I don't feel uncomfortable, but what I wanted to ask you about was concious thinking/reflection. When I start to meditate, I start seeing images - usually a place that is totally white, with me walking along a path(the objective being nirvana) and a giant bronze Buddha statue(I guess) behind me. Sometimes there is a door near the base of the Buddha, leading back into the "normal" world. Sometimes it is open, sometimes it is closed.
Other times I see some sort of ship(somewhat like a submarine, I guess, although the form isn't important to me) floating/swimming/moving through murky blue water, and a small capsule detaching from that ship(I interpret the scene as the ship being my concious mind, the murky blue water being my untapped/unknown conciousness, and the small capsule being a aprt of my mind that is exploring the unknown while I meditate. This scene usually plays over and over in my mind, I don't see much more than that).

Anyway, I know that you're not supposed to conciously think while meditating, but as I consider myself a writer I like to see/think of these images, especially because they come easily to me while meditating. I try no to think of anything else, but is it sill wrong to do so?
Thanks in advance!

 

for me, i just get comfortable, and i focus on what i dont see rather than on what i do see. you could be telling the truth, but i highly doubt you saw those images in 15 minutes of meditation, but i could be wrong. images like that occur when one is in a deep meditation for a few days lol

but yeah umm try to think of NOTHING at all. like zero zilch nada NOTHING. uts hard, but yesterday i got into my "zone" in like 5 minutes because i got good at it. that was like a record for me. i was so amazed at this that i fell out of the state and then i was called for dinner before i could get there again.

 

there's no 'right' or 'wrong' in meditating. what is your goal for meditating?

 

Pay no attention to what you see. It is a diversion.

The mind is used to a continuous flow of information through the senses. When this is slowed down, the mind often creates things to fill the void.

It can create anything you can imagine. Be aware of this.

To make the mind silent, so that the divine can be heard is the goal.

You'll know when.



x

 

Live and let die.

 

Xenon's post is useful information.

Anything in meditation except the uncolored and direct experience of God is a thought and ultimately not something you want. "If you can see it, hear it, taste it, touch it, smell it, or imagine it, it's not real."

You can, however, use a "one-pointed" thought to calm the rest of the mind (a mantra for example, or focusing on any one thing). Just observe whatever it is with total concentration and non-attachment.

 

Regarding above- bull. Imagery in meditation is natural. I got an image of a pill bottle with the word adavert on it, I looked it up and it was for pop up adds. The spirit world can communicate through images. It's normal. However, thoughts that come from the logical mind negate the process of meditation. It is best to silence the mind.

 

Schiz probably would't be defensive if what I said was untrue.

The "spirit world" is still a thought. Are things going to come to mind? Of course, but focus on one thing so that other thoughts are ignored. Anything that just comes into your mind without You wanting it isn't to have control of the mind. A goal of meditation is to gain complete control of the mind so that one can eventually re-merge with God.

 

Your experience is certainly interesting and does suggest the images may be visual representations of your inner mental processes. Your interpretation of them also occurred to me. But you should first decide what you want to pursue with your meditation. If you enjoy these "thinking journeys" then do that for their own sake. Thats certainly ok. But you won't advance in your meditation if you pursue distracting thoughts and experiences. The mind is tricky and resists focusing itself. It prefers to generate thought threads (including interesting ones) OR fall asleep instead of allowing itself to be focused. Not unlike riding a wild mare. To remain wide awake and focused on the object of your meditation is quite challenging but brings many benefits, some of which you are beginning to experience.