I was wondering what transcending actually does to a human being over a period of time, apart from making them relaxed, bringing clarity of mind and giving them an insight which is much deeper and can therefore affect creativity.

I have been meditating over 6 months and it has certainly made a huge effect on me. Calming anxieties, removing worries and has made me extremely cool, calm and collected. And the areas I have mentioned above. What I am curious about is what is actually happening to me (if that makes sense), what am I doing to my mind long term? I am a very introspective person who has high functioning aspergers and what I am noticing is that transcending is in some ways making me feel numb, i've also discovered this odd sensation recently of being unable to 'feel' things like I used to in a sensory way. Tv programmes and even at the cinema, I find it hard to be drawn into/absorb into what I am watching. A kind of absent mind. I've never been prescribed with medication for mental health but it feels in comparison with that, as if i've been numbed of my sensory sensations which go hand in hand with aspergers and creativity and enjoyment of the interest I am doing in general.

Was wondering whether you have anything interesting to say relating to my question and how meditation might relate to people on the autism spectrum (aspergers), I would be very interested to read what you have to say.

Thanks for your time

kerry

kerry,

Since I am not a mental health professional, I cannot give a reliable response to your question. I recommend that you consult with a mental health professional for an authoritative answer, one which you can use to guide your life choices.

If you did NOT have mental health issues, I would answer your question about the long-term effects of transcending and feeling "numb" as follows:

The regular practice of transcending has two overall effects: it dissolves stresses stored in the body, and it expands consciousness, bringing more intelligence, creativity, and a deep sense of silent joy. These effects bring about a higher state of consciousness in which silence and security are not lost, even as the "relative" states of consciousness (waking, sleeping, dreaming) continue to occur.

A frequent experience on the path to higher states of consciousness is a sense of "numbness". Activities such as TV viewing seem to happen at a distance, not involving the self as much as previously. This is an early effect of the expansion of the limited, ego-related self into the unbounded, universal-related Self. Eventually, this transition effect will disappear, and what will remain is unbounded bliss, which is Self-sufficient. This is the fully-functioning state of life, in which physical and emotional pain is not found. We are still individuals, with all our abilities and memories, but we function on a universal level, completely harmoniously with those around us and our environment in general.

Note: You may have noticed that we don't put emphasis on higher states of consciousness in the NSR program. There are several reasons for this:

* It isn't relevant for most people searching for ways to manage stress

* It isn't relevant for most people in their early days of practicing NSR

* It can seem esoteric; we want NSR to be a practical program, not "new age" or even religious in nature.

David Spector
Natural Stress Relief/USA

thanks very much David.