A scary feeling during meditation

Hello,

I'm new to meditation, never tried it before.
I've tried using Brain sync - deep learning by Kelly Howell today (I think it has something to do with theta waves), and after several minutes I started feeling like some parts of my face are numb. There were also some sort of vibrations in those same parts.
After a while it started spreading to my back, and then chest. I tried to ignore it at first but it scared me so I immediately stopped. That feeling stopped only a few minutes after I lied in my bed trying to relax. That feeling was also in my eyes and my sight was affected as a result. For someone that knows nothing about meditation it was really scary.

My question is, was that thing normal? Should I continue trying to meditate?

Another question - can someone explain all those brain waves - alpha, theta? Explain what they mean and what every wave's job is, etc?

Thank you very much in advance.

 

First off, there is nothing to be afraid of. Things will happen during meditation that you aren't used to feeling or having happen, but just continue on and enjoy. Don't expect these things to happen every time, either. Just open your mind to the fact that you are going to experience things that aren't the same as the usual stuff that you experience. You are getting in touch with your spiritual nature as opposed to your physical nature which makes up most of what you experience/have experienced so far in this lifetime. So, yes, continue to meditate. If things are too scary for you to continue, seek help at a local Buddhist monastery or some such.

As for the brain waves, they start at delta which is from below one to around 4 hertz (cycles per second). Next is theta, then alpha, then beta, and gamma. Delta is most prevalent during sleep and deep meditation. Theta is deep meditation also. Alpha is indicative of concentration/light meditation and beta is what we normally operate in while awake. As a rule, most of these brainwaves are occurring simultaneously to some extent. Through brainwave entrainment (or other methods), we can cause our brain to mostly generate a particular brainwave to artificially induce a less hectic state. The end goal being to more fully recognize our true nature, operate on a causal rather than reactive level, and be able to relax/concentrate/focus/make conscious decisions at will. Do a web search on binaural audio or brainwave entrainment for more information about the frequencies involved as well as varying techniques/technologies for reaching the corresponding states of being.

 

That buzzing feeling you say you feel, Chi.

Do not be alarmed if you feel tingly sensations, or hot or cold. Most often, I feel it in my Chakras, spine, and feet. It's pretty fun to play with actually. There is NOTHING to be scared of in meditation, only to be curious about.

 

Always bring your attention back to the feeler who feels all feelings, the thinker who thinks all thoughts, the I behind all the concepts of yourself. This is a simple and very direct meditation.

 

Just calm yourself when that happens and tell yourself that it cant hurt you. Just remember that. No matter what happens, it cannot harm you. So no need to be afraid. Best of wishes!

 

do you have tight headphones on or is the cd really loud?

 

You just have to rela and just go with it, just remember that it isn't going to harm you and it's just part of your meditation.